A VINDICATION OF My Lord WINDSOR'S late Proceed WITH Mr. JOHN GRIFFITH, Occasioned by his vain Aspersions. And undertaken by an unknown Servant of his Lordship.  
IT is, I confess, an officious presumption in me, to undertake the defence of a Gentleman so eminently known by the clearness of his Reputation, as my Lord Windsor is to most of the English Gentry; especially since my Lord himself is so much ashamed to have any more to do with his unworthy Detractor, that I have often heard him say, He will rather cast himself upon the hazard of Censure, amongst those who are strangers to his person and proceed, then blemish his discretion, by continuing to answer that impudent man in his folly. Yet since Mr. Griffith hath so lately proceeded to the highest act of unworthiness (as to post a man up for a Coward, who fought with him, dismounted him, and not only gave him his life, but saved him the shame of begging it) my duty and service to his Lordship is of such force, That without either his consent or privacy, I think myself bound in Justice to his merit, thus far to publish his defence, by giving a true Narrative of the occasion and ground of the Quarrel, the circumstances of the Fight, and the subsequent proceed of both parties.  
It is scarce unknown to any, how Mr. Griffith made violent assault upon the unspotted chastity of the Lady Calvely in her Husband's time; in pursuance whereof (not to reckon up his frantic addresses) he killed one of her Servants, for which he fled the Land; and finding his beastly lust divulged by the disdain and scorn of that virtuous Lady, and the sad accident of the murder of her Servant, the heat of his amours was soon converted into the depth of malice; and lest her chastity should triumph over his bruitishness, he began to publish doubtful discourses, tending to the undermining and blasting of her Reputation. It fortuned that the Lady soon after became a Widow, and Mr. Griffith then conceived new hopes of enjoying her in a lawful way of Marriage, which made him (although absent) employ watchful eyes over her. My Lord Windsor, upon the common stock of civility to all Ladies, did frequently visit her: This so much stirred the jealous part of Mr. Griffith, that although he never saw the face of my Lord Windsor, he writ a Letter to him on the 16 of January from Calais, wherein he seemed to lay a peremptory claim to the Lady, and told my Lord, That either he must desist from those his addresses, or give him a meeting at Calais: To this my Lord returned answer, That he was, indeed, a great Servant to the Lady Calvely; That if the whole Kingdom did not speak her to be a woman of an untainted repute, he should not need Mr. Griffiths advice to desist; and that since his language was so peremptory, he did not decline the giving of him a meeting at Calais, or where he should appoint. Griffith replied on the 17 of Febr. That he had sent a Servant, to know the time of his Lordships coming over; and like Dametas, concludeth thus, My Lord, when you do understand all things truly, I doubt not but you will judge that I had reason to do what I did. On the 24 of the same Month, he writ a large Letter, full of the most scurrilous, sordid, ungentleman-like railing, both against the Lady and my Lord, that none but Mr. Griffith, or one of the Oyster-wives at Bellinesgate could utter, which in tenderness of the Lady's name, and the Readers stomach, I omit. To both these my Lord answered on the 15 of March, to this purpose, That it was unworthy of him to reply to all his ugly railing and bawdy discourse; That were there no such woman living as my Lady Calvely, he would go to the farthest part of the Earth to fight with him; That if the Parliament or Army did not hinder him by some unexpected restraint, he would be with him within a Month: and accordingly his Lordship went over fourteen days before the Month was expired, and sent him word of it to Calais; he told the Messenger upon reading the Letter, that he wondered at his Lordship's coming, and asked if he had any quarrel to him, and let fall many expressions, betraying a great unwillingness to fight: in the end he writ a very civil Letter, promising that within four days his Lordship should see him, yet came not in three weeks after. My Lord perceiving his long stay, whereby the business began to grow into discourse at Brussels, retired from thence to Bridges, but left a Letter for him, (which he received the same day) wherein his Lordship told him, That he would stay a week more for him, but in case he heard not from him by that time, he would wait no longer. When this week was passed, my Lord sent his Second and one Mr. Raynolds to Brussels, where they found him out, highly ranting against his Lordship, upon a supposition that he was gone for England; but when his Lordship's Second told him that he came from him, to find him, and appoint the time and place, he swore deeply that he would not stir out of the Town till he saw him, although he was but ten leagues distant. His Lordship was contented to humour him in that too, hoping to give a sudden dispatch to the long protracted Combat, and went back to him: There Mr. Griffith used many discourses, the greatest part tending to an evasion of fight, and a flat denial of having sent his Lordship any Challenge; but his Lordship threatened to declare him a Coward, if he did not give him present satisfaction: Then indeed he sent his Second to receive the time and place, whereof both he and his Second failed, and in stead of coming, he so much published the appointment, that although his Lordship rid the first night from Brussels to the Sass in Holland, he was there clapped up, but made an escape to a Country Village, where both a Guard from the Spaniards and the Hollanders came to search for him, and after eight hours seeking, they found him, and carried him away Prisoner to Gaunt Castle, where he was detained, till he engaged his Promise, not to fight with Mr. Griffith. As soon as he had passed his Parole, he sent to him again, to let him know, That his honour was more concerned in fight with him, then in being a true Prisoner, and therefore desired him to meet. Hereupon a second day and hour was agreed on, and my Lord came precisely at the time, but Griffith appeared not till four hours after. When they met, and were prepared for the fight, Mr. Griffith (although the Challenger) stood a long time without advancing; whereat my Lord being ashamed on his Adversaries behalf, caracolled toward him, and after the discharge of their first Pistols, my Lord gained the Crupper of him; and chased him round the Seconds (who stood as witnesses only, but did not engage) and Griffith discharged his second Pistol at my Lords Second (Sergeant Major Goff) and wounded him, whereof he died within a week; but my Lord to revenge this, made a full thrust at him, and tumbled him off his horse; and having him thus at mercy, thought it a greater Conquest to spare, then take away his despicable life, and thereupon wheeled off, because he would not pursue the advantage. Indeed Griffith had then the impudence to say, My Lord, if you are a gallant man, alight, and fight with me on foot; which in good English signifieth no better than thus, My Lord, now you have disarmed me, throw away your Sword, if you are a gallant man, and fight with me at Cuffs. My Lord told him, He would give him leave to get up on his horse again, if he had not yet enough; but Lieutenant Colonel Apsley (Second to Mr. Griffith) stepped in, and said, That was too great an advantage to be given, and he being the only Second left, could not in honour suffer it. My Lord then asked Mr. Griffith, If he had any more to say to him? he replied, He was his Servant: and taking up the Pistols which my Lord had thrown away in the fight, kissed them, and gave them to his Lordship; and so my Lord came off.  
The most material of these Circumstances, appeareth in a Letter written by Lieutenant Colonel Apsley, to his Brother Sir alain Apsley, which I therefore, here insert verbatim.  
Gaunt, 6 June, New Style. 
 DEar Brother,  
Knowing that in all public actions, a man's Reputation is wracked by the inclination of of the parties affected either to the one or the other side, I thought good to give you the true Relation of a mortal quarrel, for these four months, the only discourse of this Country, which was betwixt my Lord Windsor and Mr. Griffith, the last of which chose me to be his Second; and this Sunday morning we met betwixt Sass and Gaunt, where we (being engaged only as witnesses to our Principals valour) saw a very handsome Charge on each side with their Pistols; but when it came to be tried by the Sword, my Lord had so much the advantage of the other Gentleman, as he tumbled him clear from his horse: At which, seeing his Lordship unwilling to take an advantage of an Enemy in his power, it rather invited me to part them, then to stand still and see the death of one of them. Mr. Griffith desired to fight again; I being the only judge left (the other being accidentally wounded) did believe dismounting from horseback, to be the same as disarming on foot; and though my Lord would have freely consented to it, that Mr. Griffith should mount and fight again, I thought I should have been injurious to his Lordship, if I should have consented to it, etc.  
After my Lord had spent Five or Six hundred pounds to give satisfaction to this unequal Enemy, he returned home; I dare say, more ashamed of his Victory, than his Adversary was of his Defeat, and was very sparing of the discourse of it: Indeed Mr. Griffiths Second had so much Honour in him, as to do my Lord all right in his relations (howsoever some have unworthily published stories in his Name to my Lord's disadvantage.)  
Mr. Griffith finding himself fallen, in the opinion of the world, from the reputation of that great Kill-cow which he passed for amongst some, hath since endeavoured, contrary to the Law of Arms, to provoke my Lord to a second trial, and bring him to fight on foot, where his own skill (and in that his courage) chief lieth; and to this end hath multiplied provocations against his Lordship by Discourse and Letters: To the which his Lordship hath divers times made this answer, That he will receive no more Letters from him, nor endeavour to give him any further satisfaction, since his Spirit is so restless, and his Desires so exorbitant. And in pursuance of this resolution, his Lordship hath torn many of Mr. Griffiths Letters, and burned them unread, before the face of those that brought them. Yet the last week another Letter was brought his Lordship from Mr. Griffith by one Mr. Marbles (if I mistake him not) who required an answer to it; my Lord tore it in his sight, and gave it his Footman to burn; saying, He would afford Mr. Griffith no other answer, as not esteeming him worthy of any other respect; but if any Gentleman or Mr. Marbles himself would undertake to justify Mr. Griffiths proceed, he would fight with him: To this Mr. Marbles scraped some few legs, and desired to be excused; but within Two days after posted up a scurrilous disgraceful paper against my Lord, in divers places of the Town, which was surrounded with Knaves of Spades and Clubs (proper Hierogliphics of Mr. Griffiths honesty and wit) and intended to have set out all his gallant acts in print; but he was prevented by Mr. Speakers Warrant, by virtue whereof he was apprehended and sent to Newgate.  
This my Lord hath suffered, without any the least distemper or trouble, as conceiving Mr. Griffiths tongue or pen no Slander, and that all these little Buffoneries serve but to blazon his own Baseness and Folly; who, if he were not quite out of his Wits, or not yet quite out of his Pagery, could not think this proceeding Manlike, to argue my Lord a Coward, because he dare not be mad. But where lieth the Policy of all this ado to prove and publish my Lord Windsor a Coward? For, grant Mr. Griffiths Allegation true in that point, What a poor Wretch doth he conclude himself, who was dismounted by the man he endeavoreth to lessen?  
I hope this Discourse will serve, not only to vindicate my Lord (who in this very business with Griffith, is so far from suffering in the reputation of his Courage, that most men have rather condemned him of precipitancy and rashness) but likewise let the world see, that Mr. Griffith is not fit for any Gentleman's conversation, whether by way of friendship or defiance, having broken the Laws of Honour, in holding up his hand against a Gentleman who gave him his Life; unless he will plead it a fresh injury, That he is permitted to survive and contemplate his own Disgrace.   
FINIS.