Sermons (LXXX Sermons etc.); Holy Sonnets

I ara hot come out of England, if I remaln in the noblest part of it, your mind; yet I confess it is too much diminution to call your mind any part of England, or of this world, since every pal even of your body desem'es titles of higher dignity. prince would be loth to die, that vere assured of so fair a tomb to prescrve lais memory: but I have a greater vantage than so; for sance thcre as a religion iii friendsllip, and a death in absence, to makc up an entire frame thcrc naust bc a heaven too: and there can be no heaven so proportional to that religion, and that death, as your favour. And I ara gladder tlaat it as a heaven, tllan that it were a court, or any other high place of this world; because I ara like]ier fo bave a room there than here, and botter, cheap, hladam, my best trcasure as time, and my best employnient of that, as fo study good wishes fo you: in which I ara by continual meditation so learned, that your own good angel, when it would do you most good, might be content fo corne and take instructions fa'om Your humble and affectionate servant,

If this letter find you in a progress, or at Bath, or at any place of equal leasure to our Spfi, you will perchance descend to read so low meditations as these. Nothing in my Lord of Salisbury's death exercised my poer considerations so ranch, as the multitude of libels. It was easily discerned, somo)ars beforo his death, that he was ata defensive war, both for his houour and health, and (as we then thought) for his estate: and I thought that had removed much of the en. Besicles, I have just reasons to think, that lu the chiefest businesses between the nations, he was a very g patriot. But I meant to speak of nothing but the llbels, of which, a whlch are brought into these parts are so tasteless and fiat, that I protest to you, I think they were ruade by his fricuds. If is hot the first rime that out age hath ecn that art practised: that, when thcre are witty and sharp libes ruade, which, hot only for the liberty of speaking, but for thc clegance and compition, would take deep roet, and make durable impreions in the memo,no other 'ay bath been thouht so fit to suppss them, as to divulge some course, and railing oue: for when the noise is risen, that libels are abd, men's curloslty mt be served with something: and it is better for the honour o the person traduced, that some blunt downright railings be vcnted, of which everybody is soon weary, than other ]ficces, which entealn us long with a delight and love to the tlfings themselvcs. I doubt hot but he smothered me llbels agalnst hlm in his lietlme. But I would all these (or better) had been ruade the, for they miht then bave wrouht un him; and they miht bave ttified that the autho had meant to mend him: but now they can bave no honest pretence. I date say to you, where I ara not easily misinterpreted, that there may ho cases, where one may do his country goed serce, by libeHing against a lire man. For, where a man is either too great, or his ces too genera], fo be brouht under a judicia accusation, there is no way, but this extraordiaary accusing, xvhich xve call libelling. And I have heard that nothing hath suppled and allayed the Dule of Lerma in his violent greatnêss, 8o much as the often libels ruade upon him. ]lut ai'ter death it is, in all cases, inexcusable. I lnow that Lucifcr, and oue or two more of the tathers who writ libellons books against the emperors of their timês, are excused by our writers, because they writ net in the lires of those emperors. I ara glad for them that they writ net in their lires, for that must have occasioued tumult and contempt against se high and sovereign persons. But that doth net enough excuse thêm te me, for writing se after their death; for that xvas ignoble aad useless, though they did: little escape tlte nature of libels, by beiug subscribed and avowed: whieh excuse wou]d net have served in the star-chambêr, where sealed letters have beeu judged libels. But these of which we speal et this l)reseut, are capable of no excuse, no amolishnent; and therefore I cry you mercy, and myself too, for dislikiug thêm with 8o much diligence, for they deserve net that. But, sir,)'ou sec by this, and by my letter of lest week frein hence, the ],eremptory barrenness of this place: frein whcace wc eau write nothing into England, but of that which cornes frein theuce. Till the Lady \Vorcestcr came hither, I had never he:rd an3"thing te make me imagine that Sir Robert lich was in Englaud; the first heur that I had knowledge of it, I kiss his haads by this letter. I make account te be in London, transitorily,:bout the end of August. You shall de me nmch faveur, if I may find. letter front you (if yon shall net then be there) af the Lady Bartlet's. I shall corne home in much ignorance, ner would I discern home by: better light, or any other, than you. I eau glory of uothing in this voyage, but that I havc afflicted my Lady Bedford with fexv letters. I protest earnestly te you, it troubles me mueh more te dispatch a packet into Engl:nd, without a letter te her, than it would te put in three. But I bave been heretofore too immodest towards her, and I surfer this purgatory for it. \Ve make account te leave this place within eight or ten days, and hence te make our best baste te the Count Maurice, where we think te find again the young Palatine. Ail this I tell you, only because when you know that we shall run too f:st te write any more letters, you may easily pardon the importunities and impertinences «,f this, and cast into no lower place of your love, Your very truc friend and servant, Sp, 2Gth July, here, 1612. J. DON.E.

Ail your other lcttcrs, which came te me by more hazardeus ways, had thcreforc much lnerit in them; but for your lettcr by Mv. Pory, it was but a little degree of faveur, beeause the messcnger vas se obvious, and se certain, that you could net choosc but writc by him. But since he brought me as much letter as ail thc test, I must aeeept that, as wcll as thc test. By this rime, Mr. Garrct, when you know in your conscience that you have sent no lcttcr, you begin te look upon the superscription, and doubt that vou have broken up seine othcr body's lctter: but whose socver it wcre it nmst speak the saine language, for I bave hcard frein nobody. Sir, if there be a proclamation in England against writig te me, yet since it is thereby become a mattcr of state, you might have told Mv. Pory se. And you might have told him, what becamc of Sir Thomas Lucy's Ictter, in my first packct, (for any letter te him makes any paper a packet, and any pieee of single money a medal) and what became of my Lady Kingsmel's in ]ny second, and of hers in my third, whom I will net naine te you in hope that it is perished, and you lest the honour of giving it. Sir, mine own desire of being yonr servant, bath sealed me a patent of that place during my lire, and therefore it shall net be in the power of your forbidden, (te whieh your stifî silence amounts) te make me leave being Your very affectionate servant, J. Do.E.

To your falr,$ister*. lIadam, The dignity, and the good fortune due to your letter, hath preserved a packet so well, that through France and Germany it is at last corne to me at Spâ. This good expericnce makes me in dcspite of contrary appearanees, hope that I shall find some messcnger for this, before I remove, though it be but two days. For, cven miracles are but littlo and slight things, when anything which either eoncerns your worthiness is in eonsideration or my valuation of it. If I rail in this hope of a messenger, I shall hOt grudge fo do mysclf thls service of bringing it into England, that you may hear me say there, that I have thus much profited by the honour of your conversation, and eontemplation, that I ara, as your virtues are, everywhere equal; and that, that which I shall say then at London, I thought and subseribed at Spâ, which is, that I will never be anything else, thau Your very humble and affeetionate servant,

That which is at first but a visitation, and a civil office, cornes quickly to be a haunting, and an uncivil importunity: my often writing might be subject to sueh a misinterpretation, if if wcre hot to you, who as you know that the affection which suggests and dictates them, is ever one, and continual, and uninterrupted; may be pleased fo think my letters so too, and that all the pieces make but one long letter, and so I know you would not grudge fo read any entire book of naine, af that pace, as you do my letters, which is a leaï a-week: espeeially such letters as mine, which (perchance out of the dullness of the place) are so

PEaso's OF nONOUR. 359 cmpty of any relations, as that they oppress hot your medirations, nor disconrse, nor memory. You know that for air we are sure we pprehend and enjoy it, but when this air is rrified into tire, we begin to dispute whethcr it be an clcment, or no: so when letters bave  convenient handsome body of news, they are lettcrs; but when they are spun out of nothing, they are nothing, or but apparitions, and ghosts, with such hollow sounds, as he that hears them, knows hot what they said. You (I think) and I ara much of one sect in the philosophy of love; which though it be directed upon the mind, doth inhere in the body, and fin,1 piety entertainment there: so have Icttcrs for their principal office, to be seals and testimonies of mutual affection, but the matcrials and fuel of them should be . confident and mutual communicating of those things which we know. How shall [ then who know nothing write letters. Sir, l learn knowledge enough out of yours to me. I learn that there is trutl and firmness and an earnestness of doing good alive in the world; and therefore, since there is so good company in it, I bave not so much desire to go out of it, as I had, if my fortune would afford me any room in it. You know [ bave been no coward, nor unindustrious in attempting that  nor will [ ive it over yet. If at last, [ must confess, that I died ten years ago, yet as the primitive church admitted some of the Jewish ceremonies, hot for perpetual use, but because they would bury the synagome honourably, though I died at i blow then when my courses were divertcd, yct it will please me a little to have had 3 long funera|, ani to have |ept myself so long above grotmd without putrefaction. But this is melancholy discourse; to change therefore this metaphorical dcath to the truc, and that with a little more relish of mirth, let me tell you the good nature of the executioner of Paris: who when Vatan was beheaded, (who dying in the profession of the religion, had ruade his peace with God in the prison, and so said nothing at the place of execution) swore he had rather execute forty I-lu-menots, than one Catholic, because the Hugtenot used so few words, and trofl»led him so httle, in respect of the dilatory ceremonies of the others, in dying. Cotton thc great court Jesuit hath so importuned the queen to give sonle modifications to thc late intcrlocutory arrcst against thc Jcsuits, that in his presence, the Cardi,,al Soissons, who had been present in tho cowt at the time of tho arrest, and serving the king's advocate, who urged it, and the premier presldeut, wero sent for: they came se well provided with their books, out of which they assigned te tho queen se many, se evidcnt places of scditious doctrine, that the queen was well satisfied, that it was fit by all means te provide against tho teaclfing of tho liko doctrine in France. The duke of Espemon * is corne te Paris, vith (they sa:)') six hundred herse in Iris train; ail which company, came with lfim into thc com't: wlfich is an insolence remarkable hero. They sa:)" that scamo any of the princes appear in the streets, but with very great trains. No ont enemy could waste the treasures of France se nmch, as se many friends de: for the qneen dates scarce deny any, that se she may havo tho better lcavc te mako hasto te advance hcr marquis of Ancre T, of whoso greatness, for matter of command, or danger, they haro no groat fcar, ho belng no very capable ner stirring man: and then for llis drawing of great benefits ri'oto file queeu they make that use of it, that their suits pass with less opposition. I believe the trcasurc is scattered, because I sec the filture rcceipt chargcd with se ver:)" many and great pensions. The queen hath advcntured a little te stop this rage of the princes" importunlty, by dcnying a late suit of Soisson's: whleh though thc othcr princes gmdge net that Soisson should rail, for he hath drawn infinite sums already, yet flley resent it somewhat tcnderly, that any of them should be dcnied, when thc marquis obtains. That which was nmch observed in tho king's more clfildish age, wllen I was last here, by those whom his father appointed te judge, by an assiduous observation, his natural inclination, is more and more confirmed, that his inclinations are cruel, and tyrannous, and when he is any way affected, his stammering is se extreme, as he ean utter nothing. They cannot draw him te look upon a sou of tire marquis, whom they have put into his service. And ho was se extremely affectionate towards tho youuger son of Beaufort, that they haro removed him to a charge which he hath, as he is nmdc prieur of Malta; but yet tllero pass such letters between them, by stealth and 1,ractice, as (though it be between children) it is become a marrer of state, attd much diligence used to prevent the lctters. For the young marquis of Vernueil*, thc king speaks often of transplanting hlm into tho church, and once this Christmas dcligllted himself to sec his younger brother in a cardinal's habit. Sir, it is rime to take up, for I know, that anything, from this l,lace, as soon as it is certain, is stalc. I have been a great whilo lnore nlannerly towards my Lady Bedfor,l, than to trouble ber with any of mine own versos, lmt having round these French versos accompanied with a grcat deal of reputation hcre, I couhl hot forbear to ask ber leave to send them. I write to you by 1Mr. Pory the 17th of January here, aud ho carried that letter to Paris, to gather news, like a snowball. Itc told me that Pindar is gone fo Constantinople with commission fo rcmove and succeed Glover: I ara al'raid you bave neglected that business. Cntinue inc in Mr. Martin's good opinion: I know I shall noyer fMI from it, by any dcmerit of mine, and I know I need hot fear it, out of any slackness or slipperiness in him, but much business may stranglc me in him. Vfhen if shall hot trouble you to write to me, I pray do me the fivour to tell me, how many you bave receivcd ri'oto me, for I havc now much just reason to imagine, tllat some of my packets havc had more honour thon I wished them: wbich is fo be dclivered into the hands of greater personages, thon I addressed them unto. Hold me still in your own love, and proeeed in that noble testilnony of it, of which your lctter l,y Mr. l'ory spoke, (which is the only letter that I have receivcd, sincc I came away) and belicve me that I shall over with nmd affection, and much devotion join both your fortune and your last best happiness, with the desire of mine owu in ail my civil, and divine wishes, as the only retribution in the power of your affectionate servant, J. Dox.'E.

If I would go out of my way for excuses, or if I did hot go out of my way from them; I nfight avoid writing now bauso I cannot choeso but know, that you haro in this town abler servants, and better understanding the persons and passages of this court. But my hope is hot in flic application of other men's merits, to me however abundant. Besides, this town hath sinco out coming hither, afforded enough for ail to my. That which w donc here the 25th of Match, and which was so long called a publication of the marriages, was no otherwise public than that the Spanish Ambasdor, having that day an audience delivered to the queen that his toaster was weH pleased with ail flose particulars which had been formedy treated. And the French Ambassador in Spain is said to have had instruction to do tho samo oce in that court, the saine day. Since that, that is to say, these four lt days, it hath been solenmized with moto outward bravery than this court is remembered to have appeared in. Tho main bravery was the number of horses vhich wero above eight hundrcd caparisoned. Before the days, the wn vas full of the fivo challengerg cartels, full of rhodomondes: but in the execution, there wero no pernal rencontres, nor other trials of any ability, than running af the quintain, and the ring. Other particulars of this, you cannot choose but hear too much, since at this timo there corne to you so many Frenchmen. But lest you should believe too much, I present you these two precautions, that for their gendarmerie, there was no other trial than I told you; and for their bravery, no true stuff. You must of nccessity have heard often of a book written against the pope's jurisdiction, about three months since, by one Richer, a doer and syndic of the Sorbonists, which boek bath now been censured by an assembly of the cler of this archbishopric, promoved with so much diligence by the Cardinal Peroun, that for this business he bath intermitted his reply to the kins answer, whidl now he retires to iutend seriously: I have hOt yet had the honour fo kiss his grace's hand, though I have received some hall-invitations to do it. Richer w first accused to the parliament, but when it was tllere required of his delators te insist upon seine propositions in his book, which were either against Scripturc, or the Gallican church, they dcsisted in that pursuit. But in the censure which thc clergy bath ruade, though it ho fui! of modifications and reservations of the rights of the king, and the Gallican churches, thcre is this iniluity, that bcing te be lmblished by commandmcnt of the asscmbly, in all the churches of Paris, which is within that diocese, and almos ail the curates of the parishes of Paris being Sorbonists, thcro is by this means a strong party of the Sorbonists thcmsclves raised agaiust Ricbcr; yet against this censure, and against three or four which have opposed Richer in print, he meditates an answer. Belote it should corne forth I desired to speak with him, for I had said to some of the Sorbonists of his party, that thero was no proposition in his bool, which I could not show in catholic authors of three hundred years: I had from him an assignation to mcet, and at the hour he sent me his excuse, which was, that he had been traduced fo bave had conference with the ambassadors of England, and the States, and with tbe Dnle of Bouillon, and that he had acccpted a pension ofthe King of England; and with ail, that it had bcen very well testificd to him that day, that the Jesuits had offcred to cormxpt mon with rewards to lill him. Vhich I doubt hot but he apprehcnded for true, bccause a messenger whom I sent to fix another rime of meeting with him, round him in an cxtreme trembling, aud irresolution: so that I had no more, but an entreaty to forbear coming to his house, or drawing him out of ît. till it might bc withont danger or observation. They of the religion hold  synod at this timo in this town, in which the principal business is to rectify, or at least to maturo, against their provincial synod, which shall be held in lIay, certain opinions of Tilenus a divine of Sedan, with which the churches of France are scandalized. Tbe chier point is, whether our salvation be to be attributed to the passive merit of Christ, which is his death, or to his active also, which is his fulfilling of the law. But I doubt hot but that will be well composcd, if Tilcnus wbo is here in person with two othcr assistants, bring any disposition to submit himsclf to the synod, and hot only to dispute. I do (I thank God) naturally and heartily abhor ail schism in religion so much, as I protest, I ara sorry to find this appearanc« of schism anaongst our adversaries th« Sorbonists; fi»r I had rather they had held together, to have ruade a head against the usurpations of the Roman church, than that their disuniting should so enfeeble them, as that tho parliament should b« left alone to stand against thos« tyrannies. Sir, you will pardon nay extravagances in thes« relations. look upon nothing so intentively as thes« things, nor falls there anything within nay knowledge, which I would conceal fi'onl you, though it concern uot you to know it. S'et naethinks it concerns me to tell it. That Cook of which)'ou wrote to me, is como hither, and hath brought me other letters, but hot thos« of which you wrote to me, which packet, he says, you received again of him; whether by his falsehood, or by your diligence in seeking worthier messenger, I know not; but I ana sure I never lost anything with more sorrow, becausc I ara thereby lcft still in uncertainties, and irresolutions, of that which I desire much to know in wonaen's businesses. If you write this way any more, choose no other means, than by llr. Bruer at the Queen's Arnas a mercer in Cheapside: he shall always know where we are, and we are yet in a purpose to go from heuce within a fortnight, and dispose ourselves to be at Frankfort the 25th of May, when the election of the emperor shall be there. Though I be merely passive in ail this pilgrimage, yet I shall be willing to advance that design; because upon nay pronfise that I would do so, Sir Robert Rich gave me his, that he would divert ri'oto his way to Italy so nauch, as to be there then. SVhen I canae to this town I found Mr. hlatthew, diligent to find a means to write to you; so that at this rime, when there go so naany, I cannot doubt but he provides hinasdf, therefore I did hOt ask his conamandment, nor offer him the service of this packet. Sir,)'ou are hOt evener to yourself, in your naost general wishes of your own good, than I ana in my particular, of which none rises in me, that is hOt bent upon your enjoying of peace and reposedness in your fortunes, in your affections, and in your conscience; more than which I know not how to 'ish to Your very affectionate servant and loyer, Paris, the 9th April, 1612, here. J.

To the llonourable ](nlyht, ll.

Your son left here a letter for me, from you. But I neither discern by it that you have received which have been nmny, and large, and too confident tobe lost, especiall), ince (as I remember), they always conveyed others to that good lady; neither do I knov where to find, by any diligence, your son's lodging. But I hope he will apprehend that impossibi]ity in me, and find me hcre, where he shall also find as much readiness to serve litre, as at Polesworth. This letter of yom makes me perceive, that that lady hath expressed her purpose to you in particu]ar, for the next terre. Accordingly, make my promises: for since one that meatt but to flatter, told an emperor, that his benefits were to be reckoned froln the da), of the promise, because he never failed, it were an injury from me to the constancy of" that noble lad),, if I sllould hOt, as soon as promises, do some act of assurance of the performance; which [ bave donc, as I say, in fixing rimes to my creditors; for by the end of next terln, I will make an end with tlle world, by God's grace. I lack you here, fol" xny Lold of Dol'set, he might make cheap barguin with me now, and disengage his houour, which good faith, is a little bound, because he admitted so many witnesses of his large disposition towards nm. They are preparing fol" a mask of gentlemen: in which Mr. Villers is*, and Mr. Karre, whom I told you before my Lord Chamberlain had brought into the bedchamber. I pray, if you xnake hot so thick goings as you used, send this letter to that good woman, for it is not only mine. If I could stay this letter an bout, dtould scnd you something of Savoy, fol" Sir Robert Rich, who is now come from court, hath laid a commandment upon me b)' message to watt upon him; and I know his business, because he never sought me, but in one kind. But tho importunity of tho hour excuses me, and delivers you from further troubIe from Your very truc friend and servant, December 13. J. Dorz.