The closing words of the two letters to the King, for example, are identical to an extent incompatible with the idea that they were both delivered.

It may be guessed by the suspicious that at first the intention was that Lord Falconbridge should seem to be visiting France for his own curiosity or pleasure, the Protector only taking advantage of his whim, and that letters 1 and 2 were then drafted, but that afterwards it was thought better to send Lord Falconbridge on an avowed embassy of congratulation in Cromwell's own name, and letters 3 and 4 were then substituted.

Perhaps, however, there was no duplicity in the affair at all, and the idea of the embassy did actually originate in a whim of Lord Falconbridge.

Anyhow all the notes were written by Milton, and he kept copies of those not used.
[Footnote 1: Exact day not given either in Printed Collection or in Skinner Transcript; but the occasion fixes the time pretty closely.] (CXXVI.) To THE GRAND DUKE OF TUSCANY, _May_ 1658:--This is in a very different tone from recent letters of the Protector to the same Italian Prince (ante p.

372 and p.