Sermons (LXXX Sermons etc.); Holy Sonnets

Though tbe answering of it be a work for some, both of better abilities rcally, and in common reputation also, yet I was like enough to have had some knowledge thercof. You mention agaln somethlng whieh it seems you are hot willing I should understand of my Lady Huntington: some of your former letters, bave spoken of some other former letters, (whieh I never saw) which speak of the matter as of a history and thing donc; and thcse latter letters speak of it prophetically, as of a future contingent. I am glad the often remembrance of it, gives me often occasion of thankfulness to her, for retaining me in her memory, and of pmfessing myself in my end, and ways, her most humble servant. For your parliament business, I should be very sorry if you came not up, because I presume you had supposed many businesses to have been donc at that time; but in the ways, wherein you have gone, I protest I ara diffident. For first, for that lord whom you solicited by letters through me, I tell you with the whispering of a sccret, but the confidence of a friend, that you will be deceivcd whensoever you think that he should take any delight in doing you a courtesy. And I am afraid, the truc hcartiness of the other noble gentleman Mr. Howard, will bc of small use in this particular, if he have but solicited my lord his father to rescrve a blank for his friend, for my lord bath suffered more denials, even in places whero he sent names, than could have been feared. Besides Mr. Howard bath not written to his father therein, but to Mr. ,Voodward, who perceiving those letters fo be written, before his purpose of being knight for the shire, thinks these letters extinguished. You made me offer so long rince of a place (it was when you writ into the west) yet I could think it no merit to have offered you one since, otherwise it bath bcen since in my power, for since the Master of the Rolls provided me one, Sir Ed. Herbert, who makes haste away, made me a prescrit of his; and I have had a third offer. The business of your last week's letter concerning the widow, is hot a subject for a feverous man's consideration. Therefore I only send you back those letters which you sent; and ask you 1cave to make this which I am fain to eall my good day, so much truly good, as to spend the rest of it with Dr. Layfield, who is, upon my summons, st this hour corne to me. My physicians have ruade me afraid, that this disease will work into my head, and so put me into lightnesses, therefore I ara desirous that I be understood before any such danger overtake me. Your true poor servant, ] 4th Match. J. DoE.

Beeause things be conserved by the samo mean, whieh established them, I nurse that friendship by letters, whieh you begot o: though)'ou bave sinee strengthened it by more solid aliment and real offices. In these letters from the countr), there is this merit, that I do otherwise unwillingly turn mine e),o or thoughts from my books, eompanions in whom there is no falsehood nor frowardnes: whieh words, I ana glad to observe that the holy authors often join tre expressers and relntives fo one another, beeauso else out of a natural deseent to that unworthy fault of frowardnes, furthered with that ineommodity of a little rhin houso; I should have mistaken if to be a smnll thing, whieh now I seo equalled with the worst. If you bave laid rny papers and books b),, I pray let this meenger bave them, I have determined upon them. If)'ou bave not, ho content to do it, in the next three or four da)'s. So, sir, I kiss your hands; and deliver to you an entire and clear heart; which shall ever when I ara with you be in my face and tongue, and when I ara from you, in my letters, for I will never draw curtain between you and it. ¥ours very affectionately, From your bouse at Mitcham, J. DOE. Friday morning. Vhen you are sometimes at Sir. Sackville'sT, I pray ask if he llave this book, Baldrimts de Offcio Pli HomiMs in Controrersiis; it was written at the conference at Poissy, where Beza was, and he answered it; I long for it. • Probably about 1608.—E. "l" Edwrd Sackville, afterwards earl of Dorset. The conference at Poissy ws held in August, 16|: in hope of effecting a reconcilhtion between the Catholic and Protestant churches in France.E.

To ml/most tcorthy Friend, 8b" Henry Goodyere. Sir« Beeanse evenness eonduees as mueh to strength and firmness as greatness doth, I would hOt dioeontinue my course of writing. It is a sacrifice, whieh though friends need hot, friend- hip doth; whieh bath in it so mueh divinity, that as wë must be ever equally disposcd inwardly so to do or surfer for it, so we must suppose Solne certain times for the outward service thereof, though it be but fornml and testimonial: that time to me towards)-ou is Tuesday, and lny temple, the Rose in Smithfield. If I were by your appointment your referendary for news, I should write but short letters, beeause the times are barren. The low eountries, whieh used to be thc mart of ncws for this season, suffering also, or rather enjoying a vacation. Sinee therefore I ara but mine own seeretary (and what is that.0 I were exeusable if I writ nothing, sinee I an, so: besides that, your mueh knowledge brings)'ou this disadvantage, that as stomachs accustomed to delicacies, find nothing new or pleasing to them when they are sick; so you can hear nothing from nie (though the country perchanee make you hungry) which you know hOt. Therefore instead of a lettcr to you, I send you one to another, to the best lady, who did me the honour to acknowledge the reeeipt of ono of nfine, by one of hers; and who only hath power to cast the fetters of verse upon my free meditations: it should give you some delight, and some eomfort, because you are the first which see it, and it is the last which)'ou shall see of this kind from me. Your very afletionate loyer and seta'ant, Mitcham the l&th August.,I. Doser..

To the 6'ountess of Bed/brd.

Amongst many other dignities whieh this letter hath by being reeeived and seen by you, it is hOt the least, that it was prophesied of before it was born: for Four brother told you in lais let]er, that I had written: he did me much honour both in advancing my truth so far as to ca|l a promise an act already donc; and to provide me a means of doing a service iu this act, which is but doing rigbt to myself: for by this performance of mine own word, I bave also justified that part of lais letter which concerned me; aud it had been a double guiltiness in me, to bave ruade him guilty towards you. It makes no difference ]bat this came hot the saine day, nor bears the saine date as his; for though in inheritances and worldly possessions we consider the dates of evidence, yet in letters, by which we deliver over our affections, and assurances of fi'iendship, and tbe best faculties of our souls, times and days cannot have intcrest,'nor be considerable, because that which passes by ]hem, is eternal, and out of the measure of rime. ]3ecause therefore it is the olice of this letter, to convey my best wishes, and all the effects of a noh|e love unto)'ou, (which are the best fruits that so poor a soil, as my poor soul is. can produce) you may be pleased to allow the let]er thus much of the soul's privilege, as to exempt it from straitness of |]ours, or any measure of tin|es, and so believe it came then. And fo" my parL I shall nmke it so like my sou], that as that affection, of which it is the mcssenger, began in me without nay knowing when, any more than I know when my soul began; so it shall continue as long as that. Your most affectionate friend and servant, J.D.

T]le lnessenger who brougbt lne 'OUI" letter presented llle a just excuse, for I reeeived them so late upon Thursday night, that I should bave dispatched belote I eould begin; t I have obeyed you dmwsily, and coldly, as the night and my indiositiou commanded: yet peoehanee those hindranees bave donc goed, for so your letters are the less curious, in which, men of much leasure may soon exceed, 'hen they write of business, they • Before 1609.E».

having but a little. 'ou mention two more ]etters than I send. The time was net too short for me te bave written them, (for I had a whole night) but it was too short te work a belief in me, that you could think if fit te go two se divers ways te one end. I sec net, (for I sec net the reason) how those letters could well bave concurred with these, ner how those would well have been drawn frein them, in a business wholly relating te this housi. I was net lazy in disobeying you, but (I thought) only thrifty, and your request of those,vas net absolute, but conditioned, if I had leisure. Se though that condition hindcr them net, since another doth (and you forethouyht, that one might) I ara net stubborn. The good countess spoke sonlewhat of your desire of letters; but I ara afraid, she is net a proper mediatrix te those persons, but I counsel in the dark. And therefore return te that, of which I have clear light, that I ara always glad, when I bave any way te express my love; for in these commandments you feed my desires, and.vou give me means te pay seine of my debts te you: the interest of which I pay in all my prayers for you, 'hich, if it please net God te show here, I hope we «hall find agin together in heaven, whither they were sent. I came this mornlng te say thus nmch, and because the porter which came te Mitcham summoned me for this heur te London: from whence I ara this minute returning te end a little course of physic. Yours very truly, Friday, eight in the morning. J. Do-'.

I hope you well comforted in

Te,S'ir Henry Goo@ere*. are new welcome te London, and well, and your father's health and love, and well contented that we ask you how you de, and tell you how we are, which yet I cannot of myself; if I knew that I were iii, I were well; for we consist of three parts, a seul, and body, and mind: which I call those thoughts and affections and passions, which r.sos o Hootm. 331 neither soul nor body bath alone, but bave been begotten by their communication, as music results out of out breath and a cornet. And of ail these the diseases are cures, if they be known. Of our soul's sicknesses, which are sins, the knowledge is, to acknowledge, and that is her physic, in which we are hot dieted by drachms and scruples, for we cannot take too much. Of our body's infirmities, though our knowledge be partly ab extrinseco, from the opinion of thc physician, and that thc subject and matter be flexible, and various; yet their rules are certain, and il" thc mattcr be rightly applied to the rulc, out knowledge thcreof is also certain. But of the diseases of the mind, there is no criterium, no canon, no fuie; for out own taste and apprehcnsion and interpretation should be the judge, and that is the disease itself. Therefore sometimes when I final myself transported with jollity, and love of company, I bang leads at my hecls; and reduce to my thoughts my fortunes, my years, the duties of a man, of a fricnd, of a husband, of a îather, and ail thc incumbcncies of a family: when sadness dejects me, either I countermine it with anothcr sadness, or I kindle squibs about me again, and fly into sportfulness and company: and I find ever after ail, that I ara like an exorcist, which had long laboured about one, wbich at last appears to bave the ' mother, that I still mistake my discase. And I still tex myself with this, because if I know it hot, nobody tan know it. Aud I conffort myself, because I sec dispassioned men are subject to the like ignorances. For divers minds out of the saine thing often draw contrary conclusions, as Augustine thought devout Anthony to be therefore full of the Holy Ghost, because not being able to read, he could say the whole Bible, and interpret if; and Thyreus the Jesuit for the saine reason doth think ail the Anabaptists to be possessed. And as often out of contrary things men draw one conclusion. As to the Roman church, magnificence and splendour bath ever been an argument of God's favour, and poverty and affliction, to the Greek. Out of this variety of minds it proceeds, that though out • l[other: hysterical passion, so namcd as being imagined peculiar to • vomen.—Dr. Johrson "' Oh how this mother swells up toward my heart."Lar. It is a]so written mooth¢r.Todd.

seuls would go te one end, heaven, and all out bodies must go te one end, the earth: yet out third part the mind, xvhich is out natural guide here, chooses te every man a several way: scarce any man likes what another doth, ner advisedly, that which himself. But, sir, I ara beyond my purpose; I meant te write a letter, and I ara fallen into a discourse, and I de net only take you frein some business, but I make you a new business by drawing you into these meditations. In which let my openness be m argument of such love as I would faiu express in seine worthier fashion.

I writo net te)-ou out of my poor library, where te cast mine eye upon good authors kindles or refreshes sometimes medirations net unfit te communicati te near fi'iends; ner frein the high way, whero I ara contracted, and inverted into myself; which are my two ordinary forges of letters te you. But I write frein the tire-side of my parleur, and in the noise of three galnesome childreu; and by the side of her, whom beeause I bave transplanted into a wretched fortune, I must labour te disguise that frein ber by all such honest devices, as giving her my colnpany and discourse, therefore I steal ri'oto ber, ail the rime which I give this letter, and it is therefore that I take se short a list, aud gallop se fast over it. I bave net been out of my bouse rince I received your packet. As I bave much quenched my senses, and disused my body frein pleasure, and se tried how I tan endure te be mine own grave, se I try new how I can surfer a prison. And since it is but te build one wall more about out seul, she is still in ber own centre, how many circumferences soever fortune or out om perverseness cast about ber. I would I could as we entreat hot te go out, as she knows whither te go. But if I melt into a melan¢holy whilst I write, I shall ho taken in the manner: and I sit by one too tender towards these impressions, and itis so nmch out dut),, to avold ail occasions of giving thcm sad apprehensions, as St. Hierome accuses Adam of no other fault in eating the pple, but that he did it Aç contristaretur dellcias suas. I ara hot careful what I write, because the enclosed letters may digniîy this ill-favoured bark, and they need hOt grudge so coarse a countenance, because they are now to accompany themselves, mv man fetched them, and therefore I tan say no more of them than thcm_elves say, Mrs. Meauly eutreated me by her letter to hasten hors; as I thinl, for by mv troth I cannot read it. My lady was dispatching iu 8o much haste for Twickcnham, as she gave no word to a letter which I sent with yours; of Sir Thomas Bartlet, I can say nothing, ]or of the plague, though your letter hid me: bttt that he diminishes, the othcr increases, but in what proportion I ara not clear. To them at Hammersmith, and Mrs. Herbert I will do your command. If I have been good in |tope, or can promise any little offices in the future, probably it in eomfortable, for I ara the worst present man in thc world; yet the instant, flough it be nothing, joins timcs together, and therefore this unprofitableness, since I have becn, and wiIl still endeavmtr to be so, shall hot interrupt me now from being 'our servant and loyer, J. Dos..

I writ to)'ou once this week beîore; yet I write again, both beeause it seems a kind of resisting of grace, to omit any eommodity of sending into England, and because any paclet from me into England should go, hOt only without just freight, but without ballast, if it had hot a letter to you. In letters that I received from Sir ll. ,Vootton yesterday from Amyens, I had one of the 8th of Match from you, and with it one from h[rs. Danterey, of the 28th ofJanuary: which is a.trange di.propor- tion. But, sir, if our letters corne not in due order, and so make not a certain and concurrent chain, yet if they corne as atoms, and so meet af ]ast, by any crooked, and casual application, they make up, and they nourish bodies of friendship; and in that fashion, I mean one way or other, first letters whieh bave been addressed to us arrived, except perchance that packet or last. I hope ail the by one another, are safely by the cook be not, of which before this time you are clear; for I received (as I told you) a letter by llr. l'at. Rich, and if you sent none by him, then it was that letter, which the cook tells you be delivered to Mr. Rich; which with all my criticisms, I cannot reconcile; because in your las letter, I find lnention of things formerly written, which I bave not round. However, I ara yet in the same perplexity, whieh I mentioned before; 'hich is, that I ha'e received no syllable, neither from herself, nor by any other, how my wife bath passed ber danger, nor do I know whether I be increased by a child, or diminished by the loss of a wife. I hear ri'oto England of many censures of my book, of Mrs. Drury*; if any of those censures do but pardon me my descent iu printing anything in verse, (which if they do, they are more charitable than myself; for I do hOt pardon myself, but confess that I did it against my conscience, that is, against my own opinion, that I should not bave donc so) I doubt not but they will soou give over that other part of that indictment, whicb is that I bave said so ranch; for nobody eau imagine, that I who never sgw her, could have any other purpose in that, than that when I had received so very good te.timony of her worthiuess, and was gone down to print verses, it became me to say, not what I was sure was just trutb, but the best that I cauld conceive: for that had been a new weakness in me, to bave praised anybody in printed verses, that bad not been capable of the best praise that I could give. Presentlv after Easter we shall (I think) go to Frankfort to be there at the election, where we shall meet Sir H. SVootton and Sir R. Rich, and al'ter that we are determined to pass some time in the Palatinate. I go thither svith a great deal of devotion; for methinks it is a new kind of piety, that as pilims went heretofore to places which liad beœen holy and happy, so I go to a place * Sec Poems.

now, which shall be so, and more, by the presence of the worthiest princess of the world, if that marriage proceed*. I bave no greater errand to the place than that at my return hto England, I may be the titrer to stand in ber presence, and that after I have seen a rch and abundant country, in his best seasons, I may see that sun which shall always keep it in that height. Howsoever we stray, if you bave |esure to write at any rime» adventure by no other way, than Mr. Bruer, at the Queen's Arms, a mercer, in Cheapside. I shall omt no opportunity, of which I doubt hot to find more than one belote we go ri'oto Paris. Therefore ive me leave to end this, in which if you did hot fiud the remembrance of my humblcst services to my Lady Bedford, your lo'e and faith ouht to try all the experments of powders, and dryings, and vaterings to discover ome lines which appeared hOt; because it is impossible that a letter should corne from me, with sueh an ungrateful silence. Your very true poor friend and servant and loyer, J. I)OSXE.

This day begins a history, of,'hich I doubt not but I shall write more to you belote I lcave this town. 5Ionsier de Rohan, a person tbr birth, next heir to the kingdom of 1Navar, aftct" the king's children, (if the king of Spaiu were wcary of it) aud for alliance, son-in-law to Dr. Sally, aud for breeding in the wars and estate, the most renmrkablc man of the religion, bcing governor of St. Jean d'Angeli, one of the mort important towns which they of the religion hold for thcir security, finding that somo distastes between the lieutenant and the mayor of the town and him, were dangerously fomcntcd bi)" grcat persons, stole from court, rode post to the town and removed these two persons. IIe sent his secretary, and another dependant of his to give the queen satisfaction, who is so far ri'oto receiving it, that his messengers are committed to the Batile, likely to be presently tortured; all his fi'iends here conmmnded to their houles, and the queen's companies of light horse sent already thitherward, and foot companies prepariug with troops being sent against a place, so much concerning those of the religion to keep, and where they abound in number and strength, cannot choose but produce effects worthy your hearing in the next letter.

LETTER XXX. To,:ir 17. IL If a whole year be but lnnus ab annu[o, because it returns into itself, what annul,s shall be diminutive enouh, to express out veekly revolutions. In chains the least links have most curiosity, but that can be no emblem of us: but they lmve also the most strenh, anti that mav. The flrst sphere only which is resisted bv nothing, ab.olres llis course every day; and so doth truc friendship well placed, often iterate an act or purpose, the saine offices. But as the lower.phere.% subject to the violence of that, and yet naturally eneouraged to a relnetation against it, bave therefore many distraction., and eccentricities, anti some trepidations, an«| so retnrn but lal»ely, and lately to the saine place, and otce: so that friendship which is uot movcd prhnarily by the proper intelligence, di.cretion, and about the natural centre, virtue, doth perchance SOlnCtimes, some rhino.%.omewhat like true friendship; but bath many deviations, which are strayings ]nto new lotes, (llOt Of other men; for that is proper to truc wise frieudship, whieh is hot a marring; but of other things) and hath snch trepidations as keep it from showing itself, where great persons do hot love; and it returns to the truc first station and place of fi'iendship planetarily, which is uncertainly and se|dom. I havc erer seen in London and our court, as some colours, and habit% and continuances, and motions, and phrases, and accents, and songs, so friends iu fashion and in season; and I have seen them as sudden|y abandoned altogether, though I sec no change in them, nor know more why they were left, thau why they were chosen. To do things by example, and upon confidence of auother's judgment may be some kind of a second wisdom; but it is but writiug by a copy: or indeed it is the hardest of ail, and the issue of the first wisdom, for I cannot know that this example shou}d be followcd, except I knew that it is good, anti so I judge mv Judg.e. Our assent therefore, and

,o or noxous. arres, mus be upon things, hot persons. And when wc are sure we are in the right way, for great persons, we may be glad of their company, if they go out way; we may for them change our place, but not our end, nor out way, if there be but one, us in religion. In persevering in it, it concerns as mucll what our companions be, but very mucll what out friends. In which I know I speak hOt dangerously nor misappliably to you, as though I averted you 'ronl any of those friends, who are of other impressions than you or I in some great circumstances of religion. You know I never fettered nor intprisoned t|le word religion; hot straightening it 5.iarly, Ad rÇliyioÇs.fuctitias, (as the Romans call well their orders of religion) hot imnmring it in a Rome, or a Vittemberg, or a Geneva; they are all virtual beams of one sun, and wheresoever they find clay hearts, they harden them, and moulder them into dust; and they cnteudcr and mollify waxen. They are hot so contrary as the north and south poles; and that thcy are connatural pieces of oue circlc. Religion is Christlanity, which bcing too spiritual to be seen by us, dotll therefore take an apparent body of good lire and works, so salvation requires an honest Christian. These are the two elemets, and he which is elementcd ri'ont these ]mth tho complexion of a good man, and a fit fricnd. The diseases are, too much intention into indiscreet zeal, and too much rcmSSlleSs and negligence by giving scandal: for out condition and state in this, is as infirm as in out bodies; where physiclans conslder only two degrees; sickness, and neutrality; for there is no health in us. This, sir, I use to say to you, rather to havc so good a witness and corrector of my meditations, than to advise; and yet to do that too, since it is uardonable in a friend: hot to slack you towards those frieuds which are religlous in other clothes than we; (for amici vita si.feras.lacis tua, is truc of such faults) but to keep you awake against such as the place where you must li'e will oïten obtrude, which are hot only naked, without any fashion of such garmcnts, but bave neither the body of religion, which is moral honesty, and sociable faithhmlness, llor the soul, Chrlstianity. I kuow hot how ths paper escaped last week which I send now; I was so sure ¢hat I enwmpped it thcn, that I should be so still, but that I had but 'OL. '1. z

It is an case to your friends abroad, that you are more a man of business than heretofore; for now it were an injury to trouble you with a busy letter. But by the saine reason I were excusable if [ should hot write at ail, since the less, the more acceptable; therefore, sir, thiugh I bave no more to say, but fo renew the obligations I bave towards you, and fo continue my place in your love, I woa hot forbear to tell you so. If [ shall also tell you, that when this place affords anything worth your hearing, I will be your relator, I think I take o long a day, as you would forget the debt, it appears yet to be so barren. Howsoever with every commodity, I shall say something, though it be but a descant upon this plain song, that I ara Your affectlonate servant,

It is one iii affection of a desperate debtor, that he dates hot tome to an account, nor take knowledge how much he owes; this makes me that I dare hOt tell you how many letters I bave received from you since I came fo this town; I had three, the first by the cook, who brought none but yours, nor ever came fo me, to let me know what beeame of the rest: the two others of the seventh and eighth of Match, came in a letter whieh Sir H. lVootton writ to me from Amiens; there is hot a size of paper in the • ProbabIy written in 1609 or 1610.—ED. t Probably to Sir H. Goodyere» and written about 1609.E».