Sermons (LXXX Sermons etc.); Holy Sonnets

Since I received a letter by your son, whom I haro hot yet had the honour to sec, I had a later packet from 3"ou by Mr. Roc: to tho former, I wroto beforo: in this I haro no other commandnient from }'ou, but to tell 3"ou, whether Mr. Villers bave received from tho king any additions of honour, or profit. XVithout doubt he bath yet none. IIe is hero, praetising for tho mask; of which, if I misremember not, I wrote as luuch as you desire to know, in a letter which seems hot to haro been corne to:}-ou, when you wrote. Iu the Savoy business, the king bath declared himself by an engagement, to assist him with 100,000/. a-year, if the war continue. But I believe, he nmst farm out your V(arviekshire benevolence for the payment thereof. Upon the strenh of this engagement, Sir Robert Rieh beeomes conrident in his hopes. If you stood in an equl disposition for tho west, and only forbore, by reason of Mr. Martin's silence, I wonder; for I think I told you, that he was gone; and I sw iu Sir Thomas Luey's hand.-t letter from him to you, whieh was likely to tell:}'ou as inuch. Sinee I came from court, I havo stirred very little: now that tho court cornes again fo us, I m.-ty haro something which you may bo content to reeeivo from Your very affectionate servant, December 18. J. DorrE.

I wrote to you yesterday taking tho boldness to put a letter into the good lady's packet for:}-ou. This morning I had this new occasion of writing, that Sir Thomas 1Roc, who brought this enc]osed letter to me, and ]eft it unsealed, entreated me to

aaso.s or,oo. 367 take the first opportunity of sending it. Besides that, which is in that letter (for he read it te me) I came te the knowledge in York-home that my Lord Chancelier bath been moved and incensed against you; and asking Sir Thonms Roe, if he were directly or occasionally, any cause of that, he tells me thus ranch, that Sir W. Loyer and Sir H. Carey, bave obtained of my lord te bave a Imrsuivant, and consequently a serjeant sent into the country for you. My lord grounds this earnestness against you upon some rêfusing te appear upon process which bath been taken out against you, and [ pcrceive Sir Ed. Eston, and both the others, adroit consultations, of ways by petition te the king, or council, or lord chambcrlain, or any other. The grea danger, obliquely likely te rail, is that whcn it cornes te light, how you stand towards Mr. Mathew, you may lose the ease which you bave by colour of that extcnt, and he may lose the benefit, of having had se much of his estate concealed. You will therefore at least pardon my advising you, to place those sums, which by your retiring I presume you do employ upon payment of debts, in such places as that these particular friends be net forced te leave being se. I confess, tho going about te pay debts, hastens importunity. I find in nlyself, that where I was net asked money before, yet when I offercd te pay next terre, they seem loth te afford nie that time, which might justly have been desperate bofore: but that which you told me out of the country, with the assistance which I hope te find hcre (especially if your endeavour may advance it at Dorset-house), 1 hope will enablo me te escape clameur, and an fil conscience, in that behalf. One thing more 1 must tell you; but se softly, that I ara loth te heal" myself: and se softly, that if that good lady were in the room, with you and this ]etter, she might net hear. It is, that I ara bmught te a necessity of printing my poems, and addressing them te my Lord Chamberlain. This [ mean te de forthwith; net for much public view, but at mine own cost, a few copies. ] apprehend seine incongruities in the resolution; and I know what I shall suflèr frein many interpretations; but I ara at an end, of much considering that; and, if I were as startling in that kind, as ever I was, yet in this particular, I ara under an unescapable ncccssity, as I shall let you perceive, whcn I see you. By this occasion I ana ruade a rhapsoder of mine own rags, and that test me more diligence, te seek them, than it did te make them. This ruade nie ask te borrow that old book of you, which it will be too late te sec, for that use, when I sec you: for [ nmst de this, as a valediction te the world, belote I take orders. But this is it, I ara te ask you: whether you ever ruade any such use of tlle letter in verse, à nostre comtesse chez lnay net put it in, amongst the rest te persons of that rank; for I desire very much, that somethiug should bear ber naine in the book, and I would be just te my written words te my Lord IIarrington, te write nothing after that. I pray tell llle as sOOll as you ean, if I be at liberty te insert that: for if you havo by anv occasion applied any pieces of it, I sec net, that it will ho discerned, when it appears in the whole piecc. Thongh this be a little lnatter, I would be sorry net te have an aceoullt of it, within as little after New-year's-tidc, as you could. ] have something e!se te say of Mr. Villers, but because I hope te seo you here shortly, and because new additions te the truths or rumeurs, which eoncern him, are likely te be ruade by occasion of this mask, I forbear te send you thc edition of this mart, since ] know it will be augmented by the next: of which, if you prevent it not by conling, }'OU shall have, by letter, an account ri'oto • Your very affectionate fi'iend and scr'allt, Vigilia St. Thomas, l(;lff. J.

LETTER LII. To tke Honou'able A-nigkt, A'ir Robert I(arre, Gentleman of his Highness's Beàchamber*.

I have always your leave te use my liberty, but new I must use my bondage. Vhieh is my necessity of obeying a precontract laid upon me. I go to-morrow te Camberwell a mlle beyond Southwark. But frein this town goes with me my brother Sir Thomas Grimes and his lady, and I with them. There we dine well enough I warrant you, with his father-in-law, Sir

Thomas tlunt. If I keep my whole promise, I shall preach both forenoon and afternoon. But I will obey your commandments for my return. If you canner be there by ten, de net put yourse]f upon the way: for, sir, you have donc me more honour, than I tan be worthy of, in nfissing me se diligently. I eau hope te hear Mr. Moulin again: or ruminate what I bave heretoforo heard. The only miss that I shall bave is of the honour of waiting npm you; which is somewhat recompensed, if thereby you take occasion of net putting yoursclf te that pain, te ho more assured of the inabilities of Your unworthy servant, g. Doser.

LETTER LIII. To tke Ilonourable Itd9ht, 8if Robert Karre, Gentleman of his Highness" Bedchamber*,

I have often sinned towards you, with a presumption of being pardoned, but new I de it, without hope, and without daring te entreat you te pardon the fault. In which there are thus many derees of importuuity. That I must beg of you te ehristen a child, which is but a daughter, and in which you must be content te be associated with ladies of our own alliance, but good womcn, and ail this upon Thursday next in the afternoon. Sir, I bave o many and se indellible impressions of your faveur te me, as they might serve te spread over ail my poor race. Bu since I sec that I stand like a tree, which once a-year bears, though no t,'uit, yet this toast of ehildren, and o ara sure, that one year or other I should affiler you with this request, I had rather be presently under the obligations and the thanlffulness towards you, than meditate such a trouble te you against another year. I was desirous this paper might kiss your hands as soon as you came, that if any other diversions ruade this ineonvenient te you, I might bave another exercise ofyour faveur, by knowing se much frein you, who in every act of yours make me more and more Your humble and thankful servant, 17th April. J. Devrez. • Before 1617æ when Iris wife VOL. VI. 2 B

Te the l?iyht Honourable the Countess of Montyomery. ]Xladam, Of my ability te de your ladyship service, anything may be an emblem good enough; for as a word vanisheth, se doth any power in me te serve you; things that are written are fitter testimonies, beeause they remain and are permanent: in writing this sermon* whieh your ladyship was pleased te heax before, I eonfess I satisfy an ambition of naine own, but itis the ambition of obeying your commandlnent, net only an ambition of leaving lny name in the memory, or in the cabinet: and yet, sinee I ana going out of the kingdom, and perehanee out of tho world, (-hen God shall have given my seul a place in heaven)it shall tho less diminish your ladyship, if my poor name be found about you. I know wlmt dead carca.ses things written are, in respect of things spoken. But in tllings of this kiud, that seul that inanimates them, reeeives debts frein thêm: the Spirit of God that dictates them in tho speaker or writer, and is preseut in lais tonmae or hand, meets himself again (as xve meet ourselves in a glass) in thc eyes and hearts of the hearers and readers: and that Spirit, which is evcr thc saine te an èqual devotion, nmkes a writing and a speaking cqual means te edifieation, lu one eireumstanee, my preaching and lny xvriting this sermon is too equàl: that that your ladyship heard in a hoarse voieo tllen, you read in a eoarse hand new: but in tllaulfulness I slmll lift up lny hands as clean as my infirlnities tan keep them, and a voiee as clear as his Spirit shall be 1,1eased te tune in my prayers in ail places of the xvorld, which shall either sustain or bury ¥our ladyship's humble servant in Christ Jesus,

Age beeome nothing better than friendship; therefore ïour letter, whieh are ever good efl'eets of friendship, delight te be old belote I reeeive them: for it is but a fortnight sinee those lctters whieh)-ou sent b Çapmin Peter found me at Spâ; presently upon the reeeipt, I adventured by our leave te bestow the first minutes upou this letter te your fair noble sistcr; and because I ïound no voico ai Spâ of any messenger, I rcspited my writing te you, till I came thus mueh nearer. Upon the way hither, another letter frein you overtook nie, which by my Lord Chaudes" love te nie for your sake, was sent aRer nie te Mastricht: ho came te Spâ within two hours after I went away; which I tell you te let you see, that my fortune bath still that spiteful constancy, te bring nie near my desires, and intercept me. If I should write te)'ou any news front this place, I should ïorestall mine own market, by telling you beforehand that whieh must makc me acceptable te you at my coming, l shall sncak lute London, about the end of August. In my remotest distances I did net more need your letters flmn I shall then. Therefore if you slmll net bo thcn in London, I besecch you te thiuk nie ai Constantinople, and write one large letter te be left at my Lady ]3artlet's my lodging; for I shall corne in extreme darkness and ignorance except you give me light. If Sir John Brooke bo within your reach, present my humble service and thankfulness te him; if ho be net, 1 ara glad, that te my consciencc, which is a thousand witnesses, I haro added you for one more, that I came as near as I could te de it. I shall run se fast frein this l»]ace, through Antwcrp, and some parts of Holland, that ail that love which you could perchance be content te express by letters if I lay still, may be more thriftily bestowed upon that one letter, which is by your faveur, te meet nie, and te welcome te London Your unworthy, but very true frieud, J. Do'. E.

LETTErt LVI. To tke _Nobleèt I(nlyht, Sir Edward Herbert, Lord of Cherbury; »ont to kim wlth hi» book Biatkanato»*.

I makc aeeount that this book hath enough performed that which if undertook, both by argument and examplc. If hall therefore the less need to be itsclf another example of the doctrine. It shall not therefore kill itself; that is, hot bury itself; for if it should do so, those fessons, by which that act should bc dcfendcd or cxcused, were also lost with it. Since it is content to line, it cannot choose a wholesomer air than your library, where authors of ail complexions are presented. If any of them grudge this book a room, and suspect it of new or dangerous doctrine, you who know us ail, can best moderate. To those reasons which I know your love to me will make in my favour and discharge, you may add this, that though this doctrine bath hot been taught nor dcfended by xvTiters, yet they, most of any sort of mon in thc world, bave practised it. Your very truc and earncst fi'iend and servant and loyer, J. DoE. * Biathanto was a treatise showing that self-homicide is not so necessarily in that it noyer may bc otherwise; thc following letter to tlds» explains Donne's vicws respecting the book. If is tobe lamcnted, considering the wish whlch he thcre expresses» that his son should bave oeen fit to publish the work. Ho allcgvs as his reason, that he fcared, in the search fo which his study was subjcctcd by the committce, tbat the IIS. might cither be destroyed, or fathered by some of the wild atheists of the day; and that ho could tind no way fo defi.ad it from these %ks, but tbat of publishing it. An amusing notice of this work is containcd in the " Noveau Dictionnaire Historique»" Caen. 1783. " Donne, docteur Anglois et sçavant Theologien de sa siecle, est connu par un livre en sa langue, imprim h Londres, sons ce titre: Ba,aroç. C'est une espeçe d'aI,oloe du suicide. Il cite, pour appuyer ses dangereuses iddes, l'example d'un grand nombre de heros paiens, ensuite celui de quelqnes saints de l'Ancient Testament, d'une foule de martyrs, de conïesseurs, de penitens, &c. Jesas Christ meme est amene en prenne de son systeme. Une liste attssi extraordinaire n'empoche pas l'auteur de devenir Doyen de St. Paul, parçe qu'il sut regardé comme une sorte de consolation qu'il vouloit donner a ses eompatriots, que la melancolie jette souvent dans cette fureur." Itis satisfaetory to the English reader fo remember that the book was not published till fourteen years after Donne's death. The eopy of" Biathanates," ith this autogral,h 1errer,/s preserved in the Bodleian library, to whieh it was I,rcsented by Lord llcrbert f Cherbury, iu thc year 1642.—En.

To »S'ir Robert Karre, now Earl of Ankerum, witl, my book Bi«- tkanatos, af nty yoin 9 into Germany*.

I had ne¢d do omewha towads you nhove my Womises. IIow weak arc my pevfovmnnees, when even my promises avo defeefiv«  I eannot pmise, no no in mine own hopes, equally fo youv mevi owards me. Bu besides tlm poems, of whieh you took  womis«, I send you another book to whieh belongs this history. It ws written by me nmny years since; and beeause it is upon a misiuterpretablc subjcet, I lmve alwvs gone so near suppressing it, as that it is only not burnt: no hand bath passed upon it to copy it, nor many eyes to read it: only to some particular friends in both universities, then when I writ it, I did conmmnicate it: and I remember, I had this answer, tbat certainly, there was a false thread in it, but not easily round: keep it, I pray, with the saine jealonsy; let any that your di erction admits to the sight of it, know the date of it; and that it is a book written by Jack Donne, and hot by Dr. Donne: reserve it for me, if I lire, and if I die, I only forbid it the pres and the tire: publish it hot, bat yet bure it not; and between these, do what you will with it. Love me still, thus far, for your sake, that when you vithdraw your love ri'oto me, you will find so many unworthinesses in me, as you grow ashamed of lmving had so long, and so mueh, sueh a thing as Your poor oervant in Christ Jesus,

It is true tiret hlr. Gherard told you, I had that commandment from the king signified to me by my lord and ara still under if, and we are within fourteen days of onr rime for going. I leave a scattered flock of retched childrên, and- I carry an infirm and vMetudinary body, and I go into tho mouth of such adt,ersaries, as I canner blame for hating, the Jesuits, and yct I go. Though this be no service te my lord: yet I shall never come nearer doing him a service, ner de anything liker a service than this. Yesterday we had news by Sir Nowell Carou, frein Paris, that the Duko of Savoy was elected Kingof Bohemia; which would eut off a greater part of tho occasion of our going: but it is net much crcdible in itself, ner at ail beliex-ed here, bccause it is net signifiêd frein Savoy, ner Heidclberg. Since Mr. Gherard continues your gazetteer, I need tell you nothing of thc Qucen of France's estate. For your commandment in memory of Mr. Martin, I shouhl net have sate se many processes, if I conld incline my thoughts that way. It is net lazincss, it is net gravit)', ner coldness towards his memory, or your service; for I bave thought of it oftcner, and longer, than I was,vont te de in such things, and nothing is donc. Your last packet, in which your daughter and I were joint-commissioners, was brought te me, because she was at Hampton, with the queen's body: but I sent ber part te ber, and my Lady Uvedall's te ber, who presents ber service te you by me new, and says she will write next week and se will I too, by God's grace. You forger me absolutdy and entirely, whensoever you forget me te that noble countess. Goal blcss you in all. Amen. Your truo servant in Jesus Crist, 9th lIarch. J. Do.'Ne.

This first of April I received)'ours of the twenty-first of 5Iarch, which being two days after the ordinary Smithfield day, I could de no more, but seal this letter te be sent te you next Tuesday, because I îoresee that I shall net thon be in town. Vhatsoever I should write new. of any passages of these days, would lose the verdure belote the letter came te you, only give me leave te tell you that I need none of thoso excuses, which you haro ruade te yourself in lny bchalt; tbr nly net writing. For your son-in-law came te me, se near the time of his going away, as it had been impossible te bave recovered him with a letter at se far a distance, as he was lodged. And my Lady Hunt's mcssenger received that answer, which, I hope, belote this time, you know te be truc, that I had sent the day before, by the infalliblc carrier of Smithfield. The emperor's death may somewhat shorten out way; for I discern new no reason of going te Vienna; but I believe it will extend out business; se that I promise myself no speedier return by that. If I write no letters into England out of these parts, I canner be without your parlon, if I write net te you, but if I write te any and leave you out, lay all the faults which you bave ever pardoned in me, te my charge again. I foresee seine reasons, which may make me forbear; but no slackncss of mine own, shall. Sir, if I bave no more tho commodity of writing te you here in England, (as we may be gone before next Tuesday,) I tell you, in this departing frein you, with the saine truth and earnestness as I would be believed te speak in my last departing, and transmigration frein the whole world, that I leave net behind me a heart, better aflcted te you, ner more devoted te your service, than I carry with me. Almighty God bless you, with sueh a reparation in your -health, such an establishment in your estate, such a cernfort in your children, such a peace in your conscience, and such a truc cheerfulness in your heart, as may be strong seals te you, of Iris eternal gracious purpose upon you. This morning I spend in surveying and emptying my cabinet of letters; and at the top of ail I ligbt upon this letter lately received, which I was loth te bury. I chose te senti it you, te mine own condemnation; because a man se busy as he is, descending te this expressing oï himself in verse, I ara inexcusable towards you, for disobeying a commandment of yours, of that kind; but I rely upon the general, that I am sure you are sure, that I never refuse anything, for laziness, ner lnorosity, and therèïore make seine other excuse for me. You bave been se long used te my hand that I stand net te excuse the hasty rag.edness of this letter. The very illness of tho writing, is a good:'trgument that I forced a time, in the fiLlness of business, te kiss your hand, and to prescrit my thanks as for ail your favou.rs, and benefits, 8o principally for keeping me alive in thc memory of the noblest countess, whose commandment, if it had been her ladysip's pleasure to bave anything said or donc in her service, at IIeidelberg, I should have been glad to have received. Sir, God bless you, et spiritu pritcipali cooErmet te; and Yom" very truc and attèetionate servant in Christ Jcsus, April , 1619. J. Donr«.:.

Tlfis twcnty-flfth I have yom" lctter of twct.)'-fi'.-t, wbieh I tell)'ou so punctually, bccause hot discern that you reccivcd my paclet of books: llOr that I looked for so quick a return of the sermon, nor of my cases of conscience, but that I forgct so absolutcly what I write, and ara so sure that I write confidcntly fo you, that it is some pain to rcmain in any jealousy that any lcttcr is mi.scarricd. That which I writ to you of my Lord Trcasm'cr's disl)osition to you, I had from hlr. ]lar; and I undcrstood it to be his desire to convey it through me. The last accomt 'hich we have of lny Lord Doncastcr is, by letters of the second of this; by which also we saw, that thc first lctters of his convalescence, verc but l)rol,hctical; for he has let b|ood a second rime,:and is hot strong enough yct to receive audience. Though I be hot Dcan of Paul's)'et, my Lord of Varwicl bath gone so low, as to command of me the office of being toaster of mygame, in out wood about him in Essex. I pray be you content to be my officer too, the steward of my services fo all to whom you know them to be due in your walk, and continue your own assurance that I ara Your affectionate servant in Christ Jesus, J. Do...

l'ou husband my time thriftily, when you coIn]lad te writc by such a messe]gcr, as can tc]l you more than I can write, for se he doth net only carry thc lctter, but is the letter. But that the naming of seine things may give you occasion te ask him farthcr, and him te Ol)en himsclf unto)'ou, give me leave te tcll you, that the new Spanish Embassador proceeds in thc old pace, the King bath dcpartcd fi)m his ordinary way se far, as te al)point nine of thc council te trcat with him; but when they came te any al)proaches, he allswered, that he brought only commission te propose certain things, which he was ready te de, but hc had no instructions te treat, but expected them, upon anothcr rcturn, ri'oto his toaster..qo that t|lere is no treaty for the marriage begun yetT: tlw I know you bave heard (;]ivarcz's fi'ee acknowlcdgnmnt, that til! the Prince came, there was no thought of if. The King, in his jests of this progress, hath dctermined if, net as heretofore, at "Vindsor, but af Famharo during l)lcasure: se he is within a journey of Southampton; and cvcn that circumstance adds te seine other reasons that ho cxpccts the Prince this smnmer, and that Sir "V. Crofts, in his last dlspatches, enlarged thc Prince in his liberty ri'oto his father te conm away if he wouhl. Amongst ail the iregularities of this age, te me this is as strange as any,—that this year there is no pcacc, and yet no sword drawn in the world; and it is a lo.-_t conjecture te think which way any of the aies will bend. tIcrc it is imagined that Yukendorfe and Gabor (for, for any concurrence of love, it is but a dream) may se far distress lol)cmia, as that Tilly must be recalled thither; and that if ho bc, Brunswick's way is open into Bavaria, where he may • Vritten about 1620. -[- The proposed marringe between Prince Charles and the Infanta of Spaln, by rneans of 'hich James boped fo regain the palatlnate, xvhich had been lest by his son-in-law, the Prince Palatine.Ev. * Bcthh'hem Gabor, Prince of Transylvania, supported the Prince Palatine. Tilly was Fcrdin,'md's gencral. "]lis Excellency" is l'rince Maurice, 'ho was ai variante vith pinola the Spanih gener-41.—Ev.

reeompense great losses, whilst Mansfeld and Gonzales, and his Excel]ency and Spinola, keep the balance even in their parts, by Iooking upon one another. This.noble friend of yours is in his last minute, in this town; and I ara going into the coach with my lord to Hanworth. If I might bave forborne the scaling the test til] my return from thence, you might bave heard something more from Your very true poor friend, and humble servant in Christ Jesus, J. DO'NI. 1O straitncss makes me forget my service to your daughters: if my bell were tolling, I should pray for them, and though my lctter be sealing, I leave hot out my wishes that their fortuncs may second their goodness. Amen.

This evening, which is 5th October, I find your letter of Michaehnas day; and though I see by it that it is a return of, letter, not of tire last week's, and thereupon make account that my last week's letter hath satisfied you in some things which this letter commands, concerning PauFs; yet for other things I would give you a drowsy relation, for it is that time of night, though I called it evening. At the King's going from hcnce on Monday last, we ruade account to have seen Sir John Sutclin, Secretary, and Sir Robert Veeston, Chancellor of the Exchequer; but they are hot done, but both are fixed. My Lord Cranfield received his staff, with these two suits obtained from the King, that all assignations might be transferred into the exchequer, and so no payments charged upon the customs, nor receivers, nor the court of wards, &c. And that for a rime there might be  damp cast upon pensions, till they might be eonsidered. Ia the low countries the armies stir hot. In tho palatinate

Sir H. Vere, attempting the regaining of Stenie casfle, was surprised by the enemy in se much strenh, that they write it over tbr a master-piece that he ws able te mako a retreat te Manheme: se that new tho enemy is got on that side tho river which IIeidc]berg is on, and I know nothing that can stand in his xvay. My Lord Digby cornes frein Vienna, before ho goes into Spain, by Count Mansfeld, by tho palatinate, by Paris; and thereforo upon his coming, I shall ho able to say something to you. In Sir John Sutclin I presmno you seo an end of Sir Robert 1Naunton, and wo see an end of Mr. Thomas Murray too; I bclieveho cornes no moto to the Princo. For tho trial of my Lord of Canterbury's irregularity*, there is a commissiin to six bishops, London, SVinchester, Rochester, and tbreo only elect, Lincoln, St. David's, and Exeter: two judges, Lords Hobard and Dodridgo; two eivilians, Sir It. Martin and D. Steward. The consecration of tlloso clcct bishops, and consequently my being dean, must attend the issuo of this commission. Sir Thomas Roe is gone. Tho proclanmtions of putting off tho parliament till February aro like to outrun this lctter. It is very late; and it is one act to say grace after supper, and to commend myself into tho hands of my blessed Saviour, in my bcd, and so close this lcttcr and mino cyes with the smo blcssing upon all your family. flk IllC'll. Vour poor servant in Christ Jcsus,

At your convenience, I pray send my Lady Bedford this cncloscd, but be pleased to put yourself to some inconvenience (if it ho so) to kiss my Lady Ruthin's llands in my naine, and fo present my very humble service to her, and tell her that no iii conscience of having deserved her, but only an obedience to her commandments, leeps me from saying to herself thus much; that this day I received a letter from my Lord of Kent, written yesterday at Vrest: in that his lordship sends me word, that that favour which he hath former]y done me, in giving me B]ouham, is now ]ikely to fall upon me, because the incumbent is davgerously ill; and because this is the season in which he removes from Vrest thither, he desires (for I give you Iris own word) that he may be accommodated there (if it fa]] now), as heretofore. Out of my absolute and entire readiness to serve that family, I sent back his messcnger with this answer: That I esteemed it a great part of my good fortune that I should becomc worthy to be commandcd t»y him. If my lady will be pleased to direct me in what particular manner I may best serve her purposes, I shall gladly wait upon her at any time, to receive ber command with as much devotion and thankfulness as I received the benefit. I beseech you, make her belicvc it, as in any place you be]ieve Your poor servant in Christ Jcsus, Feb. 26, 1621. J. DON...

Your letter cornes to me at grace after supper; it is part of the prayer of that grace, that God will b]ess you and ail yours with his best blessings of both kind. I would write you news, but your love to me may make you apt to over-believe news for my sake. And truly, ail things that are upon the stage of the wor]d now, are full of such uncertainties, as may justly make any man loth to pass a conjecture upon them; hot only because it is hard to see how they will end, but because it is misinterpretable, and dangerous to conjecture otherwise than some men wou]d bave the event to be. That which is especial]y in my contemplation, which is the issue of my Lord of Canterbury's business (for thereupon depends the consecration of my predecessor, upon which the deanery devolves to the King), is no farther proceeded in yet, than that some of the ten commissioners bave met once; and upon Saturday next there will be a fuller meeting, and an entrance into the business, upon which much, very much, in consequence, depends. Of my Lord of Doncaster we are only assured that he is in a good way of convalescence; but of any audience, nothing yet. Slacken hot your hold of my Lord Treasurer, for I bave been told that you are in his tare. I send you a copy of that sermon, but it is not my copy, which I thought my Lord of Southami»ton would have sent me back. This you must be pleased to let me bave again, for I borrowed it: for the other, I will pretermit no rime to write it, though in good faith, I have half forgot it. If in any letter I leave out the name of the Lady Hunt or Lady Burdell, or your daughters, tell them that I named them. I take the falsehood upon me; for I intend it, very really and very humbly, where I am good for anything, in any of their services. Out blessed Saviour continue and enlarge his blessiugs to you ail. Amen. Your humble servant in Christ Jesus, llth Oct., 16A. J. Do,NE.

This Tuesday morning, which hath brought me to London, presents me with M1 your letters. Methought it was a rent day, I mean such as yours, and hOt as mine; and yet such too, when I considered how much I owe you for them, how good a mother, how fertile and abundant the understanding is, if site have a good father; and how well friendship performs that office. For that which is denied in other generations is donc in this of yours: for here is superfetation, child upon child, and that which is more strange, twins at a latter conception. If in my second religion, friendship, I had a conscience, either erranrem to mistake good and bad and indifférent, or opina,tem to be ravished by others" opinions or examples, or dubiam to adhere to neither part, or scrupulosam to incline to one, but upon reasons light in themselves, or undiscussed in me, (which are almost ail the diseases of conscience) I might mistake your often, long, and busy letters, and fear you did but eutreat me to bave mercy upon you and spare you; for you know our court took the resolutiott, that it 'as the best way to dispatch the French prince back again quickly, to receive him solemnly, ceremoniously, and expensively, 'hen he hoped a domestic and dttrable entertainment. I ncver meant to excel you in weight nor price, but in numbcr and bulk I thought I might, because he may cast up a greater suni -ho hath but forty small monies, than he with twenty Portugueses. The memory of friends, (I mean only for letters) neither enters ordinarily into busled men, because they are never cmployed ithin, nor into men of pleasure, because they are never at home. For these wishes therefore which you won out of your pleasure and recreation, you were as excusable to me if you wt'it seldom, as Sir H. XVootton is, unde" the oppression of business, or tle lecessity oç »eeming o; or more than he, because I lopo you bave both pleasure and business: only to me vllo have lcither, this onission were sin; for though writing be not of thc precepts of friendship, but of the couneils, yet, as in some cases to sonne men councils become precepts, and though not inmediatcly fron God, yet very roundly and quickly from his church, (as selling and dividing goods in the first tine, continence in the Ronian church, and orde" and decency in ours) so to me who ca]l do notbing else, it seems to bind my conscience to write; and if is si to do against the conscience, though that err. Yet no man's letters might be better 'anted than mine, since my 'hole letter is nothing else but n confession that ][ should and u-ould write. I owed you a letter in verse befo'e by mine o'n promise, and now that you think tlat you bave hedged in that debt by, greater by your letter in verse, I think it nov most seasonable and fashionable for nie to break. At least, to write presently, were to accuse nyself of hOt having read yours so often as »uch a letter deserves from you to me. To mako my debt greater (for such is the desire of all, who cannot or mean hot to pay) I pray read these t-o problcms: for such light flashes as these bave