ve
relieved you of my daughter. But I have had the following of a most
laborious affair, which hath cost me the travelling, though in our own
country style, fifty ...; and I have been less at home than elsewhere
ever since I came from London; which hath vext me the more in regard I
have been detained from the desire I had of being with you before this
time. Such entertainment, however, must all those have that have to do
with such a purse-proud and wilful person as Sir Edward Hales. This next
week being Michaelmas week, we shall end all and I be at liberty, I
hope, to consider my own contentments. In the meantime I know not what
excuses to make for the trouble I have put you to already, of which I
grow to be ashamed; and I should much more be so if I did not know you
to be as good as you are fair. In both which regards I have a great
honour to be esteemed,

"My good sister,

"Your faithful brother and servant,

"THOMAS PEYTON.

"KNOWLTON, _Sept. 22, 1653_."

_On the other side of Sir T. Peyton's Letter._

Nothing that is paper can 'scape me when I have time to write, and 'tis
to you. But that I am not willing to excite your envy, I would tell you
how many letters I have despatched since I ended yours; and if I could
show them you 'twould be a certain cure for it, for they are all very
short ones, and most of them merely compliments, which I am sure you
care not for.

I had forgot in my other to tell you what Jane requires for the
satisfaction of what you confess you owe her. You must promise her to be
merry, and not to take cold when you are at the tennis court, for there
she hears you are found.

Because you mention my Lord Broghill and his wit, I have sent you some
of his verses. My brother urged them against me one day in a dispute,
where he would needs make me confess that no passion could be long
lived, and that such as were most in love forgot that ever they had been
so within a twelvemonth after they were married; and, in earnest, the
want of examples to bring for the contrary puzzled me a little, so that
I was fain to bring out those pitiful verses of my Lord Biron to his
wife, which was so poor an argument that I was e'en ashamed on't myself,
and he quickly laughed me out of countenance with saying they were just
such as a married man's flame would produce and a wife inspire. I send
you a love letter, too; which, simple as you see, it was sent me in very
good earnest, and by a person of quality,