I Thank you for the Accompt you gave me of the Election of the Knights of the Shire for the County of Buckingham; It was very particular as I could have de­sired, and shews an hopeful and forward Zeal in the Duke of Buckingham, the Lord Pagett, and some others, to bring us again to the same happy Days which I remember from [Page 2] the same beginnings in the same County, in the year 1640; and when Worthy Gentlemen of the very same Names were Chosen for the Representatives of that Shire, whereof one of them had the Honour of being one of the Five Members: I suppose these Noble Knights may be of the same Families, but cannot be their Sons, because the Fathers of those I mean hapned to be Traytors; which I perceive the Country would not endure, by their Crying so exceedingly, they would have no Traytors Son.

There are many things in your Letter I must pray to have explained; As who you mean by Sir Timber T. Sir Ralph V. and A. Sir Anthony C. Had it been Sir Anthony A. C. I should have understood you; though I should have wondred that he had no more of that Company for him.

I am glad to hear that the County (besides their good will for the Old Cause) is in so good readiness for it's Defence, as to have 6000 Horse, Drums, Trumpets, Waggons, &c. so well Disciplin'd as I know they will be by his Grace the Duke of Buckingham; but when there shall be any Military occasion for them, I shall rather advise our Country-men to make use of Sir Richard Ingoldsby for their Commander, both because he knows how to keep good Order at an Execution, and because his Grace is often ill of a Fall from his Horse by an accidental mistake of Prince Rupert. Besides his Grace is apt to Change his Mind out of good Nature: It was that which, when he had Killed the Husband, made him Live so kindly and publiquely with the Wife, to the Neglect of his own. It was an effect of the same Vertue that made him search the King's Cabinet in Scotland, for fear his Master should have left any Papers behind him which might have been Dangerous; And as his good Nature made him do these things for a Friend and a Master, so it made him do as much for his Country too, in being the Messenger to the French King for breaking the Tripple League, and making the War with the Dutch, by which he saved us from having our Trade destroyed by those Butter-boxes, and for which he had a Diamond Sword given him by the French King, although he has not had his Reward here as he deserves: I say, though [Page 3] these be all very great recommendations and eminent Proofs of his abilities as well as his good nature, yet they are such over-Politick ways of proceeding for our Country under­standings, that when I did read of such Numbers of Horse with Drums beating, and Trumpets sounding, led by his Grace the Duke of Buckingham, methought I rather wished him at Colledge-Hill, where they know him so much better than we do in the Country: For I considered, That if we should have occasion to fight against the French, that Diamond Sword would be remembred; and if against — good Na­ture would Come in again, and he would either remember that his Father from a private Gentleman had been made a Duke; or that the King had forgiven him so many faults, and given him his life so often, that he would have found some odd way at last of saving Buckinghamshire, by giving us up to be Governed again by the Establisht Laws of England.

I like well the Shouts and Crying out, One and all, One and all, round the Country, because you know what that signifies, both in Fleets and Armies; and if our Militia be not Trained to it before-hand, they will no more understand what that means when there is occasion, then they do the Words of Command. I like also extreamly those Names of Pensioners, Papists, and Betrayers of their Country, to be used upon these occasions, because they will serve very well to amuse the People, and may be applyed to whom we please. For the first will certainly serve to be imployed against all Courtiers; the second against all Conformists to the Church of England: and the third against all assertors of Monarchical (that is to say Arbitrary) Government.

It was very well done to discountenance that Malignant Town of Buckingham, who, as you say, have made so bad a Choice, that I hear they have Chosen two of the King's Servants, and one of them not only a Traytor's Son, but for ought I know, he may be as bad himself; for they say he is a Gentleman of the King's Bed-Chamber: But you must re­member either to keep that silly loyal Town down, now you have begun, or (if ever the King have power to shew it) 'tis [Page 4] two to one, but he will be kinder to them, then ever he was.

We hear they have behaved themselves very well also in Essex, though not so well as by the Conduct of Major Wild­man it hath been managed amongst you, because Young Mr. Ireton hath not yet the experience to advise my Lord Grey, as the Major hath the Duke of Buckingham. But I assure you, Major General Ireton's Head upon Westminster-Hall had not a better Heart belonging to it, to do his Country Service, then this Young Gentleman; and the Lord Grey is as likely to inherit all his Grandfather's Talents and Principles: I con­fess there was lately some danger of his being mis-led with too much fondness which he and some of his Relations had for a Certain Duke; but thanks be to God he has found it by experience to be but a Court Friendship, which too nearly touch't his Copy hold; and I hear, that as matters have faln out with his Lordship, (who is a true maintainer of Property) it will turn extreamly to the advantage of our Cause.