a trick that when they dance her, she will cry "Ha! ha!" and Nicholas will dance with his legs, and she will imitate him as well as she can. If one lay her down, she will kick her legs over her head; but I hope as she grows older she will grow more modest. Everybody says she is more like you than any other. You shall have her picture very shortly. I am very glad you have the pearls and that you like them so well; and I am sure they do not help you to win the ladies' hearts. Yourself is a jewel that will win the hearts of all the women in the world, but I am confident it is not in their power to win your heart from a heart that is, was, and ever shall be yours till death.

Endymion Porter to his Wife, Olive Porter.

KATE.

Another companion of Prince Charles on this embassy to Spain for the wooing of the Infanta, was Mr. Endymion Porter, who had been, in early life, resident in Spain, and in later years attached to the family of the great Duke of Buckingham. He was himself of good family, and is a most picturesque figure of a cavalier of this age. His marriage with his wife, Olive, to whom these letters are addressed, was purely a love-match, and it seems to have been a very happy one, although somewhat troubled by Olive's jealousy during his frequent absences, - -a jealousy which the free manners of the age and the society in

which he lived made not unreasonable. A great number of his early letters are devoted to soothing her jealous alarms and protesting his affection. In one of his letters he says:

'If you did but know how truly I love you, you would never be jealous of me, and had you such reports of me as you credited for truths, yet, if you loved me half as well as I desire, you would not so easily give credit to them."

That he loved Olive one has little doubt, in re-reading his letters, yet for his fidelity he protests too much; and when he writes that the Duke of Buckingham and himself " think of nothing but our wives," we suspect him of being in league with the Duke, and of writing for the eye of Kate Villiers as well as the jealous Olive.

Even the sober Prince Charles seems to have been somewhat infected by absence from home and by the climate of Spain, and there are authentic reports of a dewy morning's adventure, in which Endymion Porter helped the prince to clamber a garden wall that he might catch sight of the Infanta in her early walk in the palace gardens, and thus have a more undisturbed sight of his intended bride than the etiquette of the Spanish court afforded. I should like to hope that this was the least culpable adventure in which Endymion engaged, but there is some mention (in letters not intended for Olive's eye) of an “angel," also referred to as the "mistress of his heart," whom he seems to have met during this journey abroad, which would give some colour to Olive's jealousy.

When Endymion's fortunes in later years were clouded by his devotion to the royal family, his wife dropped all jealous reproaches and became a most helpful and noble wife. He went to France with Queen Henrietta Maria,

and Olive Porter, remaining in England, used great address and courage in protecting and preserving his fortunes and interests at home.

No date (probably 1622).

MY DEAREST OLIVE, — Thy care in sending to me shows me how truly thou lovest me, and thy fear of my inconstancy argues no want of affection, only of faith, which, if any good works of mine may strengthen, I will come on my knees to see thee, and put out my eyes rather than look with unchaste desire upon any creature while I breathe; and to be more secure of me, I would have thee inquire if ever I was false to any friend, and then to consider what a traitor I should be, if to a wife (and to such a wife!) so virtuous and good, I should prove false, and not to my friends. Dear Olive, be assured that I strive to make myself happy in nothing but in thee, and therefore I charge you to be merry, and to cherish your health and life, the more because I live in you. But what can I say, or what in the least little can I do? Love you? That I do and ever shall, as he who vows never to be anybody's but your true husband.

ENDYMION PORTER.

The Same to the Same.

Written during his absence in Spain with Prince Charles and the Duke of Buckingham.

MADRID, April 17, 1623, N. S.

MY DEAREST OLIVE, Since my coming into Spain I have received four letters from you, and the two first with so much kindness in them that I thought my love rewarded; but the two last are so full of mistrust and falsehood that I rather fear you have changed your affection than that you have any sure ground for what you accuse me of in them; for, as I hope for mercy at God's hands, I neither kissed nor touched any woman since I left you; and for the inn-keeper's daughter at Bullen, I was so far from kissing her, that, as 1 hope to be saved, I cannot remember if I saw any such woman. No, Olive, I am not a dissembler, for I assure you the grief I suffered at parting with you gave me no leave to entertain such base thoughts, but rather lasted in me like a consumption, increasing daily more and more. But seeing you have taken a resolution (without hearing what I could say) never to be confident of me again," I will procure how to be worthy of your best

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thoughts and study how to have patience for any neglect from you.

I understood that you sent me two kisses by a gentleman. God reward you for them; and, since your bounty increases, I think it unfit my thanks should diminish. I perceive you would be glad to hear of my kissing of inn-keepers' daughters every day, that you might have some excuse to do that which nothing but my unworthiness and misfortune can deserve. Alas! sweet Olive, why should you go about to afflict me? Know that I live like a dying man, and one that cannot live long without you. My eyes grow weary in looking upon anything, as wanting that rest they took in the company and the sight of thine, nor can I take pleasure in sports, for there is none that seems not a monster to my understanding where Olive is wanting. With thee I only entertain myself, and were it not for the force of remembering thee, I know not how my life should have maintained itself so long.

You have a great deal of advantage over me in this absence; your two little babes and their affection, they serve to entertain you, and it teaches you to forget me; yet for pity in this banishment and misery, let me hear of your health and theirs, for I assure you it will be no small comfort to