“Sir I have obeyed all the King’s commandes and that without any scandal to the Duke,”—­always the point of main importance—­“now my humble request to you is that I may be free from entering any farther in this business and that I may come and kiss his Maj^tes hand for now I am fit....  There is one Mr. Aimes that knoweth my Lord of Purbecke and fitte to be employed by rate he hath power to persuade him.  I beseech you grant me fair of this and you shall have it me

“To be your faithfull servant ever to be commanded

“(Signed) JO:  HIPPISLEY.

“HAMPTON COURT
  “this 2 of September.”

From this it is very clear that Hippisley did not want to have anything more to do with a disagreeable business; and the question presents itself whether it was because he disliked acting as keeper to a lunatic, or because he did not think Purbeck so mad as was pretended, if mad at all, and objected to having a hand in a shady transaction.

In the same month, the King wrote himself to Purbeck.[56] The letter is almost illegible; but its purport appears to be to urge Lord Purbeck, out of consideration for Buckingham, as well as for his own good, to go to, and to stay at, whatever place might be appointed for him by the Earl of Middlesex.

During the summer of the following year (1624), Purbeck seems to have recovered his sanity; but only for a time, although a considerable time.  Chamberlain wrote[57] to Carleton:—­

“MY VERY SWEETE LORD: 

" ...  The Viscount Purbecke followed the court a good while in very goode temper, and there was speech of making him a marquis that he might go before his younger brother but I heare of late he is fallen backe to his old craise and worse....

“Yo^r Lo^ps most assuredly
“at command,

“(Signed) JOHN CHAMBERLAIN.”

This shows that, if Purbeck was insane, his insanity was intermittent; and it could not have been chronic; for in later years we read that he was managing his own affairs and that he married again, some time after the death of Frances.

From the following letter, written by Lady Purbeck to Buckingham, and unfortunately undated, it would seem that Buckingham had driven her from her home, when she had become the subject of a certain amount of vague scandal, but, so far as was then known, or at least proved, of nothing more; and that he had contrived that she should have none of the wealth which she had brought to her husband.  As will be seen, she was apparently penniless, except for what she received from her mother or her friends.