After a year's stay in Paris, he travelled to Madrid in
Spain, there to learn that language; at the same time, for that
purpose, went the late Earl of Caernarvon, and my Lord of Bedford, and
Sir John Berkeley, and several other gentlemen. Afterwards, having
spent some years abroad, he returned to London, and gave so good an
account of his travels, that he was about the year 1630 made Secretary
of the Embassy, when my Lord Aston went Ambassador. During your
father's travels, he had spent a considerable part of his stock, which
his father and mother left him: in those days, where there were so
many younger children, it was inconsiderable, being 50 pounds a year,
and 1,500 pounds in money. Upon the return of the ambassador, your
father was left resident until Sir Arthur Hopton went Ambassador, and
then he came home about the year 1637 or 1638; and I must tell you
here of an accident your father had coming out of Spain in this
journey post: he going into a bed for some few hours to refresh
himself, in a village five leagues from Madrid, he slept so soundly,
that notwithstanding the house was on fire, and all the people of the
village there, he never waked; but the honesty of the owners was such,
that they carried him, and set him asleep upon a piece of timber on
the highway; and there he awaked, and found his portmanteau and
clothes by him, without the least loss, which is extraordinary,
considering the profession of his landlord, who had at that time his
house burnt to the ground.
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