portrait of woman Mary Carlton called Aet: Suae 38 the German Princes . News from Jamaica IN A LETTER From Port Royal Written by the german Princess To her fellow Collegiates and Friends in New-Gate. woodcut of woman London, Printed by Peter Lillicrap, for Philip Brigs living in Mer-maid Court near Amen corner in Pater Noster-Row. 1671. The german Princess her Letter from Port-Royal in Jamaica to her friends in Newgate. My Friends and Acquaintance, I Cannot( notwithstanding the Grandeur of our Birth and State) but have you frequent in our thoughts: and that I may not omit any opportunity to express my great respects to you, and your mysterious function, I have laid hold on this occasion to acquaint you with my welfare since my leaving England, and should be glad to hear from you of your decrease of your Monthly Bill of Mortality; but now I think on't I may sooner expect to see you here, or in some other Plantation, then to receive a line from you, if a Line— or so prevent it not. Give me leave to tell you, that my sentence of Death was not more horrid and affrighting, than the sense and apprehension of my sudden and unavoidable Exile was grievous to me, and for a while insupportable, at length to make that present affliction the lighter, I considered how many before me had suffered the like banishment with an undaunted courage, patience, and matchless gallantry of Spirit. Had I like witty wanton Ovid been ignorant of the cause of my exiling, I should have complained much more than I do, and should have consumed that time,( which I now spend in Jollity) in swelling the books of my Tristia to a greater bulk than his whole works. I had this consideration to comfort me beside( and be ruled by me in this undeniable truth) that it is much better to loose a liberty( too dangerous to keep) and run the risk and hazard of a long Voyage, than sail up Holborn and be cast away at tyburn. I speak not to one, but all, it is a general concern, from the lowest to the highest Class of your Famous University,( vulgarly called the Whit or Naskin) not one but ought to be timely instructed herein, as well Bulkers, Pads, Gilters, Files, Lifters, or others, by what other Names and Titles they are distinguished. Expect not your Rogueries should be more winked at, than those of your Predecessors: for know, as ye are those Pestilential Diseases which poison and infect the air in which you breath, and afflict the body of that Common-wealth which gave ye breath, so the wise Physitians thereof( the Judges) will take such care to free it continually from such maladies. Some of you may be compared to superfluous Wens, which must be utterly cut off, some to Carbunckles, which must be burnt out with Cauterizing Buttons; and others to redundant humours, which must be purged away into another climate, of which number I am one. It is now high time for me to relate somewhat of my Voyage to Jamaica, and what hath happened to me since my arrival: I could not in reason expect much civility from the Commander or Seamen of the Ship,( especially as then stood my condition) yet contrary to all expectation I was treated like myself, I mean a Princess. When I saw myself slighted as the spurious brat of a Stocking-Mender, I applied myself to the old refuge of my never Failing Wit, and tunable tongue, by which means I obtained a commodious cabin, and whereas my Food before was so Salt I could have sooner fil'd my belly on the bruish of Egg-shells, or the skins of Flints than thereon; I had now every other day Fresh provision. Immediately after my Landing, I was received more like a victor, then a victim; so far from being a slave to others, that I was continually encompassed with a crowding number of such, who striven who should pay me the greatest tribute of Love and Service. The Earth( the Center of all heavy bodies) did not more strongly attract a Weighty ston, thrown up into the Air, than the bare naming me drew all sorts of people from all parts of the iceland, especially the loser sort of persons. At first I wondered there to see so many of my acquaintance, but when I considered the cause of my own coming thither, my admiration ceased. At present I am troubled with nothing but how I may answer the expectation of such of our old acquaintance who daily treat me profusely; for such hath their success been in some late dangerous exploits that it hath blown their excesses to that height of expense, that they have almost delug'd this place in liquour. Whilst I was with you I was never half so much afraid of being hanged for any thing I should commit, as now to be drown'd in their overflowing cups: judge whether I am not much beholding to them, since they swear no Executioner shall have any thing to do with me; for they intend( themselves to kill me with kindness: hence you may conclude my bill of Fare is not scanted with an over frugal hand, neither are my pleasures stinted, I am Lorded o'er by none, my Will unconfined to any; as my delights are various, so is my food, my habit would not disparaged my Lord were he here to obstruct my Happiness; and now whilst I think of it, if any of you should meet him in your walks( I think he need not fear you will pick his pocket) present my service to his Lordship, and acquaint his Honour, I live more like my Lady now then ever I did, and am like to continue so. But knowing how overjoyed he will be to hear how splendidly I live, pray do not too hastily tell him these good tidings, but by degrees, preparing him for the reception, least the sudden joy should transport him, and so his Honours health in danger of being prejudiced thereby. And when you have so done, in all humility tell his Lordship I 〈◇〉 his hands and he may— I have not time to enlarge myself further, neither do I think it requis●●●●o tyre your patienee at first; but if my Bully-Ruffins on the one side surfet me not to death; and you on the other make not too much hast to be hanged, expect to hear of me again: in the mean time remember me to Pimps, Pads, Priggs, Bilkers, Bauds, Bulkers, Brushers, Broilers, and Brokers,; not forgetting Filers, Gilters, and Night-walkers; advising you and them with speed to mend your manners, as you shall answer it at your peril hanging like a Dog in a halter: I subscribe myself Your quondam Friend in Exile. M. C. licensed October the 11th. 1671.