Sophisters were the first Lawyers that ever were I shall be upon incertain removes hence untill I come to Roüeâ—… in France and there I mean to cast Anchor a good while I shall expect your Letters there with impatience I pray present my Service to Sir Iames Altham and to my good Lady your Mother with the rest to whom it is due in Bishopsgate Street and elsewhere So I am Yours in the best degree of Friendship J. H. Hague 30. of May 1619. X. To Sir James Crofts from the Hague SIR THe same observance that a Father may challenge of his child the like you may claim of me in regard of the extraordinary care you have bin pleas'd to have alwayes since I had the happines to know you of the cours of my Fortunes I am now newly come to the Hague the Court of the six and almost seven confederated Provinces the Counsell of State with the Prince of Orange makes his firm Residence here unlesse he be upon a march and in motion for some design abroad This Prince Maurice was cast in a mould suitable to the temper of this people he is slow and full of warines and not without a mixture of fear I do not mean a pusillanimous but politic fear he is the most constant in the quotidian cours and carriage of his life of any that J have ever heard or read of for whosoever knows the customs of the Prince of Orange may tell what he is a doing here evry hour of the day though he be in Constantinople In the morning he awaketh about six in Sommer and seven in Winter the first thing he doth he sends one of his Grooms or Pages to see how the wind sits and he wears or leaves off his Wascot accordingly then he is about an hour dressing himself and about a quarter of an hour in his Closet then comes in the Secretary and if he hath any privat or public Letters to write or any other dispatches to make he doth it before he stirs from his Chamber then comes he abroad and goes to his Stables if it be no Sermon day to see some of his Gentlemen or Pages of whose breeding he is very carefull ride the great Horse He is very accessible to any that hath busines with him and sheweth a winning kind of familiarity for he will shake hands with the meanest Boor of the Countrey and he seldom hears any Commander or Gentleman with his Hat on He dines punctually about twelve and his Table is free for all comers but none under the degree of a Captain useth to sit down at it after dinner he stayes in the Room a good while and then any one may accost him and tell his tale then he reâ—…res to his Chamber where he answers all Petitions that were delivered him in the Morning and towards the Evening if he goes not to Counsell which is seldome he goes either to make some visits or to take the Air abroad and according to this constant method he passeth his life Ther are great stirs like to arise twixt the Bohemians and their elected King the Emperour and they are com already to that height that they consult of deposing him and to chuse some Protestant Prince to be their King som talk of the Duke of Saxony others of the Palsgrave J beleeve the States here would rather be for the latter in regard of conformity of Religion the other being a Lutheran I could not find in Amsterdum a large Ortelius in French to send you but from 〈◊〉 I will not fail to serve you So wishing you all happines and health and that the Sun may make many progresses more through the Zodiac before those comely Gray hairs of yours go to the Grave I rest Iune the 3. 1619. Your very humble Servant J. H. XI To Captain Francis Bacon at the Glassehouse in Broad-street SIR MY last to you was from Amsterdam since which time I have travers'd the prime parts of the united Provinces and â—… am now in Zealand being newly come to this Town of Middlâ—… borough which is much crest-faln since the Staple of English Cloâ—… was removed hence aâ—… is Flishing also her next Neighbor since thâ—… departure of the English Garrison A good intelligent Gentleman told me the manner how Flishing and the Bâ—…ill our two Cautionary Towns here were redeem'd which was thus The ninâ—… hundred and odd Souldiers at Flishing and the Rammakins haâ—… by being many weeks without their pay they borrow'd diverâ—… sums of Money of the States of this Town who finding no hopeâ—… of supply from England advice was sent to the States-Generall 〈◊〉 the Hague they consulting with Sir Ralph Winwood our Ambassador who was a favourable Instrument unto them in this busines as also in the match with the Palsgrave sent Instructions to the Lord Caroon to acquaint the Earl of Suffolk then Lord Treasurer herewith and in case they could find no satisfaction there to make his addresse to the King himself which Caroon did His Majestie being much incens'd that his Subjects and Souldiers should starve for want of their pay in a Forren Countrey sent for the Lord Treasurer who drawing his Majestie aside and telling how empty his Exchequer was His Majestie told the Ambassador that if his Masters the States would pay the money they ow'd him upon those Towns he would deliver them up The Ambassador returning the next day to know whether his Majestie persisted in the same Resolution in regard that at his former audience he perceived him to be a little transported His Majesty answered That he knew the States of Holland to be his good frends and confederats both in point of Religion and Policy therefore he apprehended not the least fear of any difference that should fall out between them in contemplation whereof if they desir'd to have their Towns again he would willingly surrender them Hereupon the States made up the sum presently which came in convenient time for it serv'd to defray the expencefull progresse he made to Scotland the Summer following When that Money was lent by Queen Elizabeth it was Articled that Interest should be payed upon Interest and besides that for evry Gentleman who should lose his life in the States Service they should make good five pounds to the Crown of England All this His Majestie remitted and onely took the principall and this was done in requitall of that Princely Entertainment and great Presents which my Lady Elizabeth had received in divers of their Towns as she pass'd to Heydelberg The Bearer hereof is Sigr Antoniâ—… Miotti who was Master of a Crystall-Glasse Furnace here a long time and as I have it by good intelligence he is one of the ablest and most knowing men for the guidance of a Glasse-Work in Christendom Therefore according to my Instructions I send him over and hope to â—…ave done Sir Robert good service thereby So with my kinde respects unto you and my most humble Service where you know â—…is due
Diet. 212 Lorain taken by the French 212 Of Translations 213 The young Prince Electors ill success in Germany and Prince Rupert taken Prisoner c. 215 The most tragicall death of the Erl of Warfuzee at Liege 216 Upon Ben Iohnsons death 217 A method in devotion 217 Razevil com from Poland Ambassador 210 The Scots Comanders returning from Germany flant at the English Court 210 Of the Soveraign of the Sea her dimensions and charge 222 Of King Edgar his mighty Navall power and lofty title c. 222 Of the heat and medicinall virtu of the Bath 225 The splendor of the Irish Court 226 Of a memorable passage in Suidas touching our Saviour 227 Of Edinburgh 228 A dispute 'twixt a Vintner and a Shoomaker about Bishops 229 Of that furious Navall fight 'twixt Oquendo and the Hollanders in the Downes 231 Of Chimistry 232 The revolt of Catalonia and the utter defection of Portugal from the Spaniard 233 The dolefull casting away of Captain Limmery's ship valued at 400000 pounds 234 Of a hideous Serpent found in a young Gentlemans heart in Holborn and other ill-favoured auguries 235 Of monstrous prophane Epithets given the French Cardinall 236 Som facetious passages of the old Duke of Espernon 238 Of comfort in captivity 240 Of a miraculous accident happen'd in Hamelen in Germany 240 Of the calamities of the times 241 Of self examination 243 Of Merchant Adventurers 245 Of the late Popes death and the election of this by the Spanish faction his propensity to Peace and the impossibility of it 246 Marquis Pawlet his ingenious Motto 248 Of the Ape of Paris applied to these times Of affliction 249 Of a tru frend 250 Of a strange peeple lately discovered in Spain 251 Of Moderation and Equanimity 253 Of the fruits of affliction 253 Of Wiving 254 Epistolae Ho-Elianae Familiar LETTERS I. To Sir J. S. at LEEDS Castle SIR IT was a quaint difference the Ancients did put twixt a Letter and an Oration that the one should be attird like a Woman the other like a Man The latter of the two is allowd large side robes as long periods parenthesis similes examples and other parts of Rhetorical flourishes But a â—…etter or Epistle should be short-coated and closely couchd a Hungerlin becomes a Letter more hansomly then a gown Indeed we should write as we speak and that 's a true familiar Letter which expresseth ones mind as if he were discoursing with the party to whom he writes in succinct and short terms The Toung and the Pâ—…n are both of them Interproters of the mind but I hold the Pen to be the more faithful of the two The Toung in udo posita being seated in a moyst slippery place may fail and falter in her sudden extemporal expressions but the Pen having a greater advantage of premeditation is not so subject to error and leaves things behind it upon firm and authentic record Now Letters though they be capable of any subject yet commonly they are either Narratory Objurgatory Consolatory Monitory oâ—… Cougratulatory The first consists of relations The second of reprehensions The third of comfort The last two of counsel and joy There are some who in lieu of Letters write Homilies they Preach when they should Epistolize There are others that turn them to tedious tractats this is to make Letters degenerat from their tru nature Some modern Authors there are who have expos'd their Letters to the world but most of them I mean among your Latin Epistolizers go fraighted with meer Bartholomew ware with trite and trivial phrases only listed with pedandic shreds of Shool-boy verses Others ther are among our next transmarin neighbours Eastward 〈◊〉 write in their own language but their stile is so soft and 〈◊〉 that their Letters may be said to be like bodies of loâ—…se slesh without sinews they have neither joynâ—… of art nor 〈◊〉 in them They have a kind of simpering and â—…ank hectic expressions made up of a bombast of words and finical affected complement only â—… cannot well away with such sleazy stuff with such cobweb-compositions where there is no strength of matter nothing for the Reader to carry away with him that may enlarge the notions of his soul One shall hardly find an apotheâ—…m example simile or any thing of Philosophy History or solid knowledg or as much as one new created phrase in a hundred of them and to dâ—…aw any observations out of them were as if one went about to disâ—…il cream out of froth Insomuch that it may be said of them what was said of the Eccho That she is a meer sound and nothing else I return you your Balzaâ—… by thiâ—… bearer and when I found those Letters wherein he is so familiar with his King so flat and those to Richelieu so puff'd with prophane hyperboles and larded up and down with such gross flatteries with others besides which he sends as Urinals up and down the world to look into his water for discovery of the câ—…azie condition of his body I foâ—…bore him further so I am Your most affectionate servitor J. H. H'â—…stminster 25. Julii 1625. II. To my Father upon my first going beyond Sea SIR I Should be much wanting to my self and to thaâ—… obligation of Duty the Law of God and his Handmaid Nature hath imposed upon me if I should not acquaint you with the course and quality of my affairs and fortunes specially at this time that I am upon point of erossing the Seas to eat my bread abroad Nor is it the common relation of a Son that only induc'd me hereunto but that most indulgent and costly Care you have been pleased in so extraordinary a manner to have had of my breeding though but one child of fifteen by placing me in a choice methodicall School so far distant from your dwelling under a learâ—…ed though lashing Master and by transplanting me thence â—…o Oxford to be graduated and so holding me still up by the â—…hin untill I could swim without Bladders This Patrimony â—…f liberall Education you have been Pleased to endow me withal â—… now carry along with me abroad as a sure inseparable Treâ—…ure nor do I feel it any burden or encumbrance unto me at all And what danger soever my person or other things I have about â—…e do incur yet I do not fear the losing of this either by Shipâ—…rack or Pyrats at Sea nor by Robbers or Fire or any other Casualty ashore And at my return to England I hope at leastwâ—…â—… shall do my endeavour that you may finde this Patrimony imâ—…roved somewhat to your comfort The main of my employment is from that gallant Knight Sir Robert Mansell who with my Lord of Pembrook and divers â—…ther of the prime Lords of the Court have got the sole Patent â—…f making all sorts of Glass with Pit-cole onely to save those â—…uge proportions of Wood which were consumed formerly in the Glasse Furnaces And this Business being of that nature that â—…e Workmen are to
the Hague in Holland having made a long progres or rather a pilgrimage about Germany from Prague The old Duke of Bavaria his Uncle is chosen Elector and Arch sâ—…wer of the Roman Empire in his place but as they say in an imperfect Diet and with this proviso that the transferring of this Election upon the Bavarian shall not prejudice the next heir Thâ—…r is one Count Mansfelt that begins to get a great name in Germany and he with the Duke of Brunswick who is a temporall Bpp. of Halverstade have a considerable Army on foot for the Lady Elizabeth which in the low Countreys and som parts of Germany is called the Queen of Boheme and for her winning Princely comportment thâ—… Queen of Hearts Sir Arthur Chichester is come back from the Palatinate much complaining of the small Army that was sent thither under Sir Horace Vere which should have been greater or none at all My Lord of Buckingham having been long since Master of the Horse at Court is now made Master also of all the woodâ—…n Horses in the Kingdom which indeed are our best Horses for he is to be High Admirall of England so he is becom Dominus Equorum Aquarum The late Lord Threâ—… Cranfield grows alâ—…o very powerfull but the City hates him for having betrayed their greatest secrets which he was capable to know more than another having been formerly a Merchant I think I shall have no opportunity to write to you again till I bet other side of the Sea therfore I humbly take my leave and ask your blessing that I may the better prosper in my proceedings So I am Your dutifull Son J. H. March 19. 1621. XIII To Sir John Smith Knight SIR THe first ground I set foot upon after this my second transmaâ—… voyage was Trevere the Scots Staple in Zeland thence 〈◊〉 sail'd to Holland in which passage we might see divers Steeples and Turâ—…ets under water of Towns that as we were told were swallowed up by a Dâ—…luge within the memory of man we went afterwards to the Hague where ther are hard by though in severall places two wonderfull things to be seen one of Art the other of Nature That of Art is a Waggon or Ship or a Monster mixâ—… of both like the Hippocentaure who was half man and half horse this Engin hath wheels and sayls that will hold above twenty people and goes with the wind being drawn or mov'd by nothing els and will run the wind being good and the sayls hois'd up above fifteen miles an hour upon the even hard sands they say this invention was found out to entertain Spinola when he came hither to treat of the last Truce That wonder of Nature is a Church-Monument where an Earl and a Lady are engraven with 365 Children about them which were all delivered at one birth they were half male half femal the Bason hangs in the Church which carried them to be Christned and the Bishops Name who did it and the Story of this Miracle with the year and the day of the month mentioned which is not yet 200 years ago and the Sâ—…ory is this That Countesse walking about her door after dinner ther came a Begger-woman with two children upon her back 〈◊〉 beg alms the Countesse asking whether those children were her own she answered she had them both at one birth and by one father who was her husband The Countesse would not onely give her aâ—…y alms but revil'd her bitterly saying it was impossible for one man to get two children at once The begger-woman being thus provok'd with ill words and without alms fell to imprecations that it should please God to shew his judgment upon her and that she might bear at one birth aâ—… many children as ther be dayes in the year which she did before the same years end having never born child before We are now in North Holland where I never saw so many amongst so few sick of Lâ—…prosies and the reason is because they commonly eat abundance of fresh Fish A Gentleman told me that the women of this Countrey when they are delivered ther comes out of the womb a living creature besides the child call'd Zuâ—…chie likest to a Bat of any other creature which the Midwiâ—…s throw into the 〈◊〉 holding sheets before the chimney lest iâ—… should fly away Master Altham desires his service be presented to You and your Lady to Sir Iohn Franklin and all at the Hill the like doe I humbly crave at your hands the Italian and French Manuscripts you pleas'd to favour me withall I leâ—… at Mr. Seiles the Stationer whence if you have them not already you may please to send for them So in all affection I kisse your hands and am Your humble Servitor J. H. Trevere 10th of Apr. 1622. XIV To ' the Right honble the Lord Vicount Colchester after Earl Rivers Right honble THe commands your Lopp pleas'd to impose upon me when I left England and those high favors wherin I stand bound to your Lopp call upon me at this time to send your Lopp â—…om small fruits of my forren Travell Marquis Spinola is return'd from the Palatinat where he was so fortunat that like Caesar 〈◊〉 came saw and overcame notwithstanding that huge Army of the Princes of the Union consisting of forty thousand men wheras his was under twenty but made up of old â—…ough blades and veteran Commanders He hath now chang'd his coaâ—… and taken up his old Commission again from Don Philippo wheras during that expedition he call'd himself Caesars servant I hear the Emperor hath transmitted the upper Palatinat to the Duke of Bavaria as caution for those moneys he hath expended in these wars And the King of Spain is the Emperors Commissary for the lower Palatinat They both pretend that they were bound to obey the Imperiall summons to assist Caesar in these wars the one as he was Duke of Burgundy the other of Bavaria both which Countreys are â—…eudetarie to the Empire els they had incurr'd the Imperiall bun It is'fear'd this German war will be as the Frenchman saith de longue halaine long breath'd â—…or ther are great powers on both sides and they say the King of Denmark is arming Having made a leasurely so journ in this Town I had spare houâ—… to couch in writing a survay of these Countreys which I have now traversd the second time but in regard it would be a great bulk for a Letter I send it your Lopp apart and when I return to England I shall be bold to attend your Lopp for correction of my faults In the interim I rest Antwerp May 1. 1622. My Lord Your thrice humble Serviv J. H. XV A survey of the seventeen Provinces My Lord TO attempt a precise description of each of the seventeen Provinces and of its Progression Privileges and Primitive government were a task of no lesse confusion than labour Let it suffice to know that since Flanders and Holland were erected to Earldoms and
protractions and puttings off you need not wonder that private negotiations as mine is should be subject to the same inconveniences Ther shall be no means left unattempted that my best industry can find out to put a period to it and when his Highnesse is gon I hope to find my Lord of Bristoll more at leasure to continue his favour and furtherance which hath been much already So I rest Madrid Aug. 19. 1623. Yours ready to servâ—… you J. H. XXIV To Sir James Crofts SIR THe Prince is now upon his jorney to the Sea side where my Lord of Rutland attends for him with a royall fleet Ther are many here shrink in their shoulders and are very sensible of his departure and the Lady Infanta resents it more than any she hath caus'd a Mass to be sung every day ever since for his good Voyage The Spaniards themselves confess ther was never Princes so bravely wooed The King and his two Brothers accompanied his Highnes to the Escurial some twenty miles off and would have brought him to the Sea side but that the Queen is big and hath not many days to go when the King and he parted there past wonderfull great endearments and embraces in divers postures between them a long time and in that place there is a Pillar to be erected as a Monument to Posterity Ther are some Grandes and Count Gondamar with a great train besides gone with him to the Marine to the Sea side which will be many days journey and must needs put the King of Spain to a mighty expence besides his seven months entertainment here we hear that when he past through Valladolid the Duke of Lerma was retired thence for the time by speciall command from the King left he might have discours with the Prince whom he extremely desir'd to see This sunk deep into the old Duke insomuch that he said that of all the acts of malice which Olivares had ever done him he resented this more than any He bears up yet very well under his Cardinalls habit which hatâ—… kept him from many a foul storm that might have faln upon him els from the temporall power The Duke of Uzeda his son finding himself to decline in favor at Court had retir'd to the Countrey and dyed soon after of discontentment During his sickness the Cardinall writ this short weighty Letter unto him Dizen me que Mareys de necio por mi mas temo mis anos qué mis Eâ—…igos Lerma I shall not need to English it to you who is so great a Master of the Language Since I began this Letter wee understand the Prince is safely embarqu'd but not without som danger of being cast away had not Sir Sackvill Trever taken him up I pray God send him a good voyage and us no ill news from England My most humble service at Tower-hill so I am Madrid Aug. 21. 1623. Your humble Servitor J. H. XXV To my Brother Doctor Howell My Brother SInce our Prince his departure hence the Lady Infanta studieth English apace and one Mr. Wadsworth and Father Boniface two Englishmen are appointed her teachers and have access to her every day We account her as it were our Princess now and as we give so she takes that Title Our Ambassadors my Lord of Bristoll and Sir Walter Astâ—…n will not stand now covered before her when they have audience because they hold her to be their Princess she is preparing divers suits of rich Cloaths for his Highness of persum'd Amber leather some embroder'd with Pearl some with Gold some with Silver her Family is a setling apace and most of her Ladies and Officers are known already we want nothing now but one dispatch more from Rome and then the marriage will be solemnizd and all things consummated yet there is one Mr. Clerk with the lame arm that came hither from the Sea side as soon as the Prince was gon hee is one of the Duke of Buckinghams creatures yet he lies at the Earl of Bristols house which we wonder at considering the darknes that hapned twixt the Duke and the Earl we fear that this Clerk hath brought somthing that may puzzle the busines Besides having occasion to make my address lately to the Venetian Ambassador who is interressed in som part of that great busines for which I am here he told me confidently it would be no match nor did he think it was ever intended But I want faith to believe him yet for I know Saint Mark is no friend to it nor France or any other Prince or State besides the King of Denmarck whose Grandmother was of the house of Austria being sister to Charles the Emperor Touching the busines of the Palatinate our Ambassadors were lately assur'd by Olivares and all the Counsellors here that in this Kings name that he would procure his Majestie of great Britain entire satisfaction herein and Olivares giving them the joy intreated them to assure their King upon their honor and upon their lives of the reality hereof for the Infanta her self said he hath stird in it and makes it now her own busines for it was a firm peace and amity which he confest could never be without the accommodation of things in Germany as much as an alliance which his Catholic Majesty aimd at But wee shall know shortly now what to trust to we shall walk no more in mists though som give out yet that our prince shall embrace a cloud for Iuno at last I pray present my service to Sir Iohn Franklin and Sir Iohn Smith with all at the Hill and Dale and when you send to Wales I pray convey the inclos'd to my Father So my dear brother I pray God bless us both and bring us again joyfully together Madrid Aug. 12. 1623. Your very loving Brother J. H. XXVI To my noble friend Sir John North Knight SIR I Receiv'd lately one of yours but it was of a very old date we have our eyes here now all fixd upon Rome greedily expecting the Ratification and lately a strong rumor ran it was com in so much Mr Clerk who was sent hither from the Prince being a shipboard and now lies sick at my Lord of Bristolls house of a Calenture hearing of it he desired to speak with him for he had somthing to deliver him from the Prince my Lord Ambassador being com to him Mr Clerk delivered a letter from the Prince the contents wherof were that wheras he had left certain Proxies in his hand to be deliverd to the King of Spain after the Ratification was com he desir'd and requir'd him not to do it till he should receive further order from England my Lord of Bristoll hereupon went to Sir Walter Aston who was in joynt Commission with him for concluding the match and shewing him the Letter what my Lord Aston said I know not but my Lord of Bristoll told him that they had a Commission Royall under the broad Seal of England to conclude the match he
Your dutifull Son J. H. London Decem. 11. 1625. VIII To Dr. Prichard SIR SInce I was beholden to you for your many favours in Oxford I have not heard from you ne gry quidem I pray let the wonted correspondence be now reviv'd and receive new vigor between us My Lord Chancellor Bacon is lately dead of a long languishing weaknes he died so poor so that he scarce left money to bury him which though he had a great Wit did argue no great Wisdom it being one of the essentiall properties of a Wiseman to provide for the main chance I have read that it hath bin the fortunes of all Poets commonly to die Beggars but for an Orator a Lawyer and Philosopher as he was to die so 'c is rare It seems the same fate befell him that attended Demosthenes Seneca and Cicero all great men of whom the two first fell by corruption the falrest Diamond may have a flaw in it but I beleeve he died poor out of a contempt of the pelf of Fortune as also out of an exeess of generosity which appear'd as in divers other passages so once when the King had sent him a Stag he sent up for the Underkeeper and having drunk the Kings health unto him in a great Silver Guilt-Bowl he gave it him for his fee. He writ a pittifull Letter to King Iames not long before his death and concludes Help me dear Soverain Lord and Master and pity me so far that I who have bin born to a Bag be not now in my age forc'd in effect to bear a Wallet nor I that desire to live to study may be driven to study to live Which words in my opinion argued a little abjection of spirit as his former Letter to the Prince did of prophanes wherin be hoped that as the Father was his Creater the Son will be his Redeemer I write not this to derogat from the noble worth of the Lord Viscount Verulam who was a rare man a man Reconditae scientiae ad salutem literarum natus and I think the eloquentst that was born in this Isle They say he shall be the last Lord Chancelor as Sir Edward Coke was the last Lord Chief Iustice of England for ever since they have bin term'd Lord Chief Iustices of the Kings Bench so hereafter ther shall be onely Ketpers of the Great Seal which for Title and Office are deposable but they say the Lord Chancelors Title is indelible I was lately at Grayes-Inne with Sir Eubule and he desir'd me to remember him unto you as I do also salute Meum Prichardum ex imis praecordiis Vale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 London Ian. 6. 1625 Yours most affectionately while I. H. IX To my welbeloved Consin Mr. T. V. Cousin YOu have a great work in hand for you write unto me that you are upon a treaty of mariage a great work indeed and a work of such consequence that it may make you or marr you it may make the whole remainder of your life uncouth or comfortable to you for of all civill actions that are incident to man ther 's not any that tends more to his infelicity or happines therfore it concerns you not to be over-hasty herein not to take the Ball before the Bound you must be cautious how you thrust your neck into such a yoke whence you will never have power to withdraw it again for the toung useth to tie so hard a knot that the teeth can never untie no not Alexanders Sword can cut asunder among us Christians If you are resolv'd to marry Choose wher you love and resolve to love your choice let love rather than lucre be your guide in this election though a concurrence of both be good yet for my part I had rather the latter should be wanting than the first the one is the Pilot the other but the Ballast of the Ship which should carry us to the Harbour of a happy life If you are bent to wed I wish you another gets wife then Socrates had who when she had scoulded him out of doors as he was going through the Portall threw a Chamber pot of stale Urine upon his head wherat the Philosopher having bin silent all the while smilingly said I thought ofter so much Thunder we should have Rain And as I wish you may not light upon such a Xantippe as the wisest men have had ill luck in this kind as I could instance in two of our most eminent Lawyers C. B. so I pray that God may deliver you from a Wife of such a generation that Strowd our Cook here at Westminster said his Wife was of who when out of a mislike of the Preacher he had on a Sunday in the Afternoon gon out of the Church to a Tavern and returning towards the Evening pretty well heated with Canary to look to his Roast and his Wife falling to read him a lowd lesson in so furious a manner as if she would have basted him insteed of the Mutton and amongst other revilings telling him often Thut the devill the devill would fetch him at last he broke out of a long silence and told her I prethee good Wife hold thy self content for I know the devill will do me no hurt for I have married his Kinswoman If you light upon such a Wife a Wife that hath more bene then flesh I wish you may have the same measure of patience that Socrates and Strowd had to suffer the Gray-Mare somtimes to be the better Horse I remember a French Proverb La Maison est miserable Meschante Où la Poule plus haut que le Coc chante That House doth every day more wretched grow Wher the Hen lowder than the Cock doth crow Yet we have another English Proverb almost counter to this That it is better to marry a Shrew then a Sheep for though silence be the dumb Orator of beuty and the best ornament of a Woman yet a Phlegmatic dull wife is fulsom and fastidious Excuse me Cousin that I Jest with you in so serious a busines I know you need no counsell of mine herein you are discreet enough of your self nor I presume do you want advice of Parents which by all means must go along with you So wishing you all conjugall joy and a happy confarreation I rest London Feb. 5. 1625. Your affectionat Cousin J. H. X. To my Noble Lord the Lord Clifford from London My Lord THe Duke of Buckingham is lately return'd from Holland having renewed the peace with the States and Articled with them for a continuation of som Navall forces for an expedition against Spain as also having taken up som moneys upon privat jewells not any of the Crowns and lastly having comforted the Lady Elizabeth for the decease of his late Majesty her Father and of Prince Frederic her eldest Son whole disasterous manner of death amongst the rest of her sad afflictions is not the least For passing over Haerlam Mere a huge Inland Lough in company of his
motions that as it was replenish'd with such numberles sorts of severall species and that the Individualls of those species differ'd so much one from the other specially Mankind amongst whom one shall hardly find two in ten thousand that have exactly though twins the same tone of voice similitude of face or idaeas of mind Therfore the God of Nature ordain'd from the beginning that he should be worship'd in various and sundry forms of adorations which neretheles like so many lines should tend all to the same centre But Christian Religion prescribes another Rule viz. that ther is but 〈◊〉 via una veritas ther is but one tru way to Heaven and that â—…ta narrow one wheras ther be huge large roads that lead to â—…ell God Allmighty guid us in the first and guard us from the seâ—…d as also from all cross and uncouth by-paths which use to â—…ead such giddy brains that follow them to a confus'd laberinth of â—…rors where being intangled the Devill as they stand gaping 〈◊〉 new lights to lead them out takes his advantage to seize on â—…em for their spirituall pride and insâ—…briety in the search of more â—…owledge 28. Iuly 1648. Your most faithfull Servant J. H. Ut clavis portam sic pandit Epistola pectus Clauditur Haec cerâ clauditur Illa serâ As Keys do open chests So Letters open brests AN Index of the principall matters contained in this Second Tome of FAMILIAR LETTERS ENcouragements to hasten a busines 1 A strange disparity 'twixt a married couple 2 The power of the pen. 2 â—…dvice against detraction 2 â—…f the generall infirmities of men 3 â—…f naturall corruption 4 â—…f the passions of Love and the humor of Women 5 â—…f a clash that happen'd 'twixt Leo the tenth and the French King and their witty answers and replies 6 â—…he saying of Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln touching the Pope 6 â—…dvice to silence 7 â—… Letter of thanks and for forgiving injuries 8 â—…f Religion in generall 9 â—…f the Religion of the Jewes and their sevâ—… all Sects 10 Of Christianity and the difficulties that attend it 1â—… England one of the first Christian Countries 1â—… The cause of the first division 'twixt the Eastern anâ—… Western Churches 1â—… Of the Eastern Church 1â—… The extent of Christianity 1â—… The lamentable decay of Christianity in Afric 1â—… Of Mahometism with the beginning and policy therof 15 The reverend opinion the Turks have of Christ and thâ—… Virgin Mary 16 The vast extent of Mahometism 17 The concurrence of the Jew with the Christian anâ—… Jew 1â—… Of the Pagans or Heathens Religion and their extent 19 The best sort of Pagans 20 The degrees how Phylosophy did propagate it selfe 2â—… A comparison in point of extent 'twixt all Religions 23 Som advices for a young traveller Of vaine gloâ—…y 2â—… Of the Arrogance of the Romanes 2â—… Advice to a young soldier 26 The fable of fire water and fame 26 A letter of advice to give over a businesse 2â—… Of Secretary Walsingham and Secretary Cecill 2â—… A rare comparison of Charles the Emperor 3â—… The Mulberry a pattern of wisdom 3â—… Of the falling off of Catalonia and Portugall from thâ—… King of Spain 3â—… Of extravagant humors 3â—… A letter of reprehension for silence 33 Of the virtu of letters 33 Advice to be carefull in epistolizing 34 An amorous Poem 35 A letter of gratitude 36 An apologie for women and of their virtues and vices 37 Of the mode of entertainment 38 An apologie for not answering a letter 39 A facetious tale of a Neapolitan 39 Of a monstrous new Island sprung up in the Atlantic sea 39 Of the fearfull earthquakes in Italy 39 Of Genâ—…a Venice c. 40 A letter of love 41 Of Grunnius Sophista's last will 42 Of melancholy 44 A facetious tale of a Porter 45 A letter of frendly respects 46 The difference twixt prosperity and adversity 47 A letter of recommendation for a servant 48 What a supernumerary servant is like to 48 Advice to forren travell 49 Of partiality of newes 50 Of the abuse of a great picture taken at Arundell 51 An Epitaph upon the Author 52 An encouragement to an Vniversity scholar 53 Of crosses and troubles 54 Of chymicall knowledg 55 Of Dunkirk and the taking of it 37 The Turks prayer 57 Of the Peace 'twixt Spain and Holland 58 A letter of condolement and mortality 58 The Authors apologie for himself 59 A letter of frendly reprehension for neglect 60 Of Qu. Elizabeths virtues and vices 61 The French Satyr of her 62 Of the exorbitant liberty of Printing 62 For the speeding of a letter 63 Of post Pidgeons 63 Privat contemplations of the Author upon divers objects 64 A remedy against melancholy 66 A letter of complement to a Lady 66 A Hymn to the Trinity 67 Saint Austins notable wish couch'd in verse 68 Of the fear and love of God 68 Of wines in generall 71 Of Ale Beer and all sorts of beverages drunk in the known world 70 Of the Wines of Spain Italy France and Germany 74 Of the Nile water 73 Of Metheglin Meath and Braggot Sider and Perry 74 How the Germans drink healths 77 The difference 'twixt the Greek and German in drinking 77 A strange tale of som Dutch drunkards 77 Of toungs in generall 78 Of the British toung and her dialects 78 The Irish a dialect of the Welsh 78 Welsh words found in America 79 The ground of the appellation of Englishmen 79 Fox his gross error at the beginning of the book of Martyrs 79 When the English toung took footing in Scotland 80 Of the German Toung and the extent of it 80 Som Persian words consignificant with the Dutch 81 Of the Slavonic Language her Dialects and vast extent of it 81 Above all other Languages the Slavonic hath two Characters 81 A Charter of Alexander the Great yet extant upon the walls of a Church in Prague 82 Of the Greek Toung her growth and Progress 82 The pittifull decay of the Greek Toung 83 How strangely the Greeks are degenerated above all other nations 84 The ancient monstrous extent of the Greek Toung 84 Of the Latine Toung and her degrees of Perfection 85 The Greek always more esteem'd than Latine in the East and West 86 How the Latine did refine her self 86 Of the sundry Barbarous peeple that invaded Italy 87 Of the Italian Spanish and French Languages 88 Of the Arcadians 89 Where to find the tru ancient Speech of any Countrey 89 Of the mother Toung of Europe 91 A Philosophicall reason of the diversity of Toungs 92 Of the vast extent of the Arabian Toung 93 Of the Hebrew 93 Languages subject to corruption and change as other things 93 Of Sir Walter Rawleigh's Voyage to Guiana and a judgment upon 't 94 Of the Excise 100 A facetious Tale of the Earl of Kildare 100 Of my Lord Carleton 100 A facetious Tale of a Spanish Soldier 101 Frendly wishes 101 A comparison 'twixt the case
the Spaniards 54 Of the old Duke of Larma 54 Materiall thinks of the Match 55 The witty Speech of the Marquis of Montesclares 57 Of Count Mansfields notable retreat to Breda his chiefest exploit 58 Of our Prince his arrival at the Court of Spain his usage there and som passages of Gondamars 60 Of his comportment in courting the Lady Infanta c. 64 A witty saying of a Spanish woman 63 Of their baiting of Bulls with men 64 Verses upon the Prince his wooing 66 The monstrous manner of Osman the great Turks death with som Observations theron 70 Of his ominoâ—…s dream and the grand Visiers Prediction to Sir Tho. Roe 73 A Discours 'twixt our Prince and the King of Spain 74 Of our Prince his departure thence 76 How matters stood after his departure 77 Preparations made for the wedding day 79 The Earl of Bristolls Audience upon his receiving a new Commission 80 Probabilities that the Spaniard intended a Match with England 79 My Lo. Pagetts witty Speech in Parlement 80 Of the Bishop of Halverstadt 81 The notable Plot the two Spanish Ambassadors invented to demolish the Duke of Buck. 82 The high proffers that wer made the Earl of Bristoll if he would stay in Spain 97 Of the manner of the proceedings of the Spanish Match by way of comparison 83 The breach of the Spanish Match by a Philosophical comparison 83 An Abstract of the Spanish Monarchy of its growth of the soyl and the humor of the Inhabitants from 87 to 93 Of things happen'd at the siege of Bergen op Zooma A pleasant Tale of a lame Captain 94 Of the vertu of Familiar Letters 96 Of that stupendous Monument the Escurial 96 Of the late famous Duke of Ossuna divers passages 98 Of writing by Cypher 99 A memorable Passage of the Jesuits 98 A facetious Tale of a Soldier 100 This third Section contains divers intrinsecall Passages more of the Treaties both of Match and Palatinat The fourth Section OF the Jewels that were left in the Court of Spain to be presented at the Betrothing day 101 Of the fruitfulnes of frendship 103 Of Count Mansfelt 104 An exact Relation of his late Majesties death by an eye-witnes 106 Of my Lo Verulam after his fall 108 Cautions for Marriage 109 The disasterous death of young Prince Frederic 110 Of the Treaty of a Match with France and of Cardinal Richelieu 111 How lively Letters represent the inward man 112 The Capitulation of the Match with France 114 Of Monsieurs marriage 115 The rare perfections of the late Marchioness of Winchester 116 Of Grave Maurice's death of the taking of Breda 117 The sorry success of our Fleet to Cales under the Lord Wimbledon 119 Som advertisements to the Duke of Buckingham before the Parlement 121 The tru nature of love 12â—… Of Count Mansfelt 124 Cardinall Richelieu's first rise 111 A facetious saying of the Queen of France touching Co Mansfelt 124 A clashing 'twixt Buckingham and Bristoll 124 A Comparison 'twixt the Infanta and the Daughter of France 126 A facetious Pasquil in Rome 125 The speedy conclusion of the French Match and a facetious tale of the Pope 125 Her Majesties arrivall in England 126 The dissolution of the Parlement at Oxon and of the Lord Keeper Williams 127 Of the Renvoy of her Majesties French servants c. 130 The reasons alleaged for Lone-monies 131 A memorable example in the person of a Spanish Captain how strangely a sudden conceit may work within us 132 The fifth Section A Northern Letter 135 Our breach with France and our ill success at the Isle of Rets 139 The Lord Denbighs sorry return from before Rochell 140 Of the Wars in Italy about the Dutchy of Mantoua 137 A circumstantiall relation of the D. of Buck death by an eye-witness 141 The Lord of Lindseys return from before Rochel the taking and dismantling of her by the French King 143 Colonell Grayes quick device to save his life out of a saltpit 139 A methodicall Incitement for an Oxford Student 144 Of the taking the great Royall Ship the Holy Spirit of the French by Sir Sackvil Trever 145 A dehortatory letter from swearing with examples of all sorts 147 A Hymn therupon 149 The properties of a Foot-man 151 Of Ben Iohnsons Genius 154 Of tardy Courtesies 156 Som amorous Sonnets of black eyes c. 158 A check against habit of drinking 162 A Poem upon the British language 164 A witty reply to Sir Ed Coke by a Country man 155 A character of Sir Posthumus Hobby 156 The first rise of the Lord Strafford 156 The King of Swedens first rushing into Germany 165 The King of Denmarks ill success against Tilly and the favourable peace he obtained 165 Of a ragged illegible hand 166 The proud inscription the French King left upon a triumphant Pillar on one of the Alpian hills 167 Of Sir Ken Digbies Exploits against the Venetian Galleasses c. 168 A geere put upon Sir Tho. Edmonds being Ambassadour in France 169 Another geere of the French Ambassadour 169 Of Sir Tho. Wentworth's violent rising up 170 Of the King of Swedens monstrous Progres his clashing with the English and French Ambassadors 173 A Letter of thanks 172 A discription of an Ollapodrida 174 Of the Spanish Inquisition 178 The death of the Queen Dowager of Denmark His Majesties Grandmother the richest Princess of Christendom c. 175 The sixth Section AN exact relation of the Erl of Leicesters Embassie to the King of Denmark and other Princes 188 Som remarkable passages in the Danish Court 183 Of Hamburgh and the Hans Towns their beginning and the famous quarrell they had with Queen Eliza. 184 The marvelous resemblance of Holsteyn men with the English c. 187 The King of Swedens related by an eye-witnes his aversion to the English c. 193 The Palsgraves death 193 The late Pope's compliance with him 191 A strange apparition happened in the West about a dying Gentleman 194 Of Noy the Atturney and of ship-money 196 Of the Lord Westons Embassie to Italy and a clashing 'twixt my Lord of Holland and him 196 The Queen Mothers and Monsieurs retirement to Flanders 195 A Christmas Hymn 197 Of the condition of the Jewes squanderd up and down the World how they came to be so cunning and hatefull from whence they expect their Messias c. 202 〈…〉 The sudden comfort of Letters 203 Of a strange Pattent given a Scotchman 203 Of Atturney Noy's death and the od wilâ—… he made c. 204 The arrivall of the Prince Elector and of Prince Rupert to England their designes 205 Monsieur steales from Brussells 206 A Herald of Armes sent from France to denounce War against Spaine 206 Of Mountmorencys death 206 A memorable example of the force of affection in the person of a French Lady 207 Of Peter van Heyns mighty Plaâ—…e prize c. 210 Of judgements fallen upon disobedient children 211 The Earl of Arondels return from the German
be had from Italy and the chief Materials from Spain France and other Forren Countries there is need â—…f an Agent abroad for this use and better then I have offered their service in this kind so that I believe I shall have Employment in all these Countreys before I return Had I continued still Steward of the Glasse-house in Broadstreet where Captain Francis Bacon hath succeeded me I should in a short time have melted away to nothing amongst those hot Venetians finding my self too green for such a Charge therefore it hath pleased God to dispose of me now to a Condition more sutable to my yeers and that will I hope prove more advantagious to my future Fortunes In this my Peregrination if I happen by some accident to be disappointed of that allowance I am to subsist by I must make my addresse to you for I have no other Rendevous to flee unto but it shall not be unlesse in case of great indigence Touching the News of the Time Sir George Villiers the new Favorit tapers up apace and grows strong at Court His Predecessor the Earl of Somerset hath got a Lease of ninety years for his life and so hath his articulate Lady called so for articling against the frigidity and impotence of her former Lord. She was afraid that Coke the Lord chief Justice who had used extraordinary an and industry in discovering all the circumstances of the poisoning of Overbury would have made white Broth of them but that the Prerogative kept them from the Pot Yet the subservient instruments the lesser flyes could not break thorow but lay entangled in the Cobweb amongst others Mistris Turner the first Inventress of yellow-Starch was executed in a Cobweb Lawn Ruff of that color at Tyburn and with her I believe that yellow-Starch which so much disfigured our-Nation and rendered them so ridiculous anâ—… fantastic will receive its Funerall Sir Gervas Elwayes Lieutenanâ—… of the Tower was made a notable Example of Justice and Terrâ—… to all Officers of Trust for being accessory and that in a passiâ—… way only to the murder yet he was hanged on Tower-hill anâ—… the Caveat is very remarkable which he gave upon the Gallowâ—… That people should be very cautious how they make Vows 〈◊〉 heaven for the breach of them seldome passe without a Judgement whereof he was a most ruthfull Example for being in thâ—… Low-Countreys and much given to Gaming he once made a solemn Vow which he brake afterwards that if he played abovâ—… such a sum he might be hanged My Lord William of Pembrook diâ—… a most noble Act like himself for the King having given hiâ—… all Sir Gervas Elway's estate which came to above 1000 pound 〈◊〉 he freely bestowed it on the widow and her children The later end of this week I am to go a Ship-board and first 〈◊〉 the Low-Countreys I humbly pray your Blessing may accompany me in these my Travels by Land and Sea with a conâ—…uance of your prayers which will be as so many good Gales to â—…ow me to safe Port for I have been taught That the Parents Beâ—…udictions contribute very much and have a kind of prophetic vertue â—…o make the childe prosperous In this opinion I shall ever rest Broad-street in London this 1. of March 1618. Your dutifull Son J. H. III. To Dr. Francis Mansell since Principall of Jesus Colledge in Oxford SIR BEing to take leave of England and to lanch out into the world abroad to Breath forren air a while I thought it very â—…andsom and an act well becoming me to take my leave also of â—…ou and of my dearly honoured Mother Oxford Otherwise both â—…f you might have just grounds to exhibite a Bill of Complaint or rather a Protest against me and cry me up you for a forgetfull friend she for an ingratefull Son if not some spurious Issue To â—…revent this I salute you both together you with the best of my â—…ost candid affections her with my most dutifull observance â—…nd thankfulnesse for the milk she pleased to give me in that Exuberance had I taken it in that measure she offered it me while â—… slept in her lap yet that little I have sucked I carry with me â—…ow abroad and hope that this cours of life will help to concoct 〈◊〉 to a greater advantage having opportunity by the nature of â—…y employment to study men as well as Books The small time I â—…upervis'd the Glasse-house I got amongst those Venetians some â—…atterings of the Italian Toung which besides the little I have â—…ou know of School-languages is all the Preparatives I have made â—…or travell I am to go this week down to Gravesend and so â—…mbarque for Holland I have got a Warrant from the Lords of â—…he Councell to travell for three years any where Rome and S. Omer excepted I pray let me retain some room though never so little in your thoughts during the time of this our separation and let our souls meet sometimes by intercours of letters I promise you that yours shall receive the best entertainment I can make them for I love you dearly dearly well and value your friendship at a very high raâ—…e So with apprecation of as much happiness to you at home as I shall desire to accompany me abroad I rest ever Your friend to serve you J. H. London this 〈◊〉 of March 1618. IV. To Sir James Crofts Knight at S. Osith SIR I Could not shake hands with England without kissing your hands also and because in regard of your distance now from London I cannot do it in person I send this paper for my deputy The News that keeps greatest noise here now is the return of Sir Walter Raleigh from his myne of Gold in Guiana the South parts of America which at first was like to be such a hopeful boon Voyage but it seems that that golden myne is proved a meer Chymerâ—… an imaginary aiâ—…y myne and indeed his Majestie had never any other conceipt of it But what will not one in Captivity as Sir Walter was promise to regain his Freedom who would not promise not onely mynes but mountains of Gold for Liberty t is pity such a knowing well-weigh'd Knight had not had a better Fortune for the Destiny I mean that brave Ship which he built himself of that name that carried him thither is like to prove a fatall Destiny to him and to some of the rest of those gallant Adventurers which contributed for the setting forth of thirteen Ships more who were most of them his kinsmen and younger brothers being led into the said Expedition by a generall conceipt the world had of the wisedom of Sir Walter Raleigh and many of these are like to make Shipwrack of their estates by this Voyage Sir Walter landed at Plymouth whence he thought to make an escape and some say he hath tampered with his body by Phisick to make him look sickly that he may be the more pitied and permitted to lie in his own
that Tragedie and he pleas'd to relate unto me the particulars of it which was thus When Henry the fourth was slain the Queen Dowager took the Reins of the Government into her hands during the young Kings Minority and amongst others whom she advanc'd Signor Conchino a Florentin and her Foster-Brother was one Her countenance came to shine so strongly upon him that he became her onely confident and favourit insomuch that she made him Marquis of Ancre one of the twelve Marshals of France Governour of Normandy and conferr'd divers other Honours and Offices of trust upon him and who but he The Princes of France could not endure this domineering of a stranger therefore they leagu'd together to suppresse him by Arms The Queen Regent having intelligence hereof surpriz'd the Prince of Conde and clap'd him up in the Bastile the Duke of Main fled hereupon to Peronne in Pycardie and other great men put themselves in an Armed posture to stand upon their guard The young King being told that the Marquis of Ancre was the ground of this discontentment commanded Monsieur de Vitry Captain of his Guard to Arrest him and in case of resistance to kill him This busines was carried very closely till the next morning that the said Marquis was coming to the Louvre with a ruffling train of Gallants after him and passing over the Draw-Bridge at the Court-Gate Vitry stood there with the Kings Guard about him and as the Marquis entred he told him that he had a Commission from the King to apprehend him therefore he demanded his Sword the Marquis hereupon put his hand upon his Sword some thought to yeeld it up others to make opposition in the mean time Vitry discharg'd a Pistoll at him and so dispatch'd him The King being above in his Gallery ask'd what noise that was below one smilingly answer'd nothing Sir but that the Marshall of Ancre is slain who slew him The Captain of your Guard why Because he would have drawn his Sword at Your Majesties Royall Commission then the King replied Vitry hath done well and I will maintain the act Presently the Queen Mother had all her Guard taken from her except six men and sixteen Women and so she was banish'd Paris and commanded to retire to Blois Ancre's Body was buried that night in a Church hard by the Court but the next morning when the Laquays and Pages who are more unhappy here then the Apprentises in London broke up his Grave tore his Coffin to peeces rip'd the Winding-Sheet and tied his Body to an Asses Tail and so dragg'd him up and down the Gutters of Paris which are none of the sweetest they then slic'd off his Ears and nail'd them upon the Gates of the City they cut off his Genitories and they say he was hung like an Asse and sent them for a present to the Duke of Main the rest of his Body they carried to the New-Bridg and hung him his Heels upwards and Head downwards upon a new Gibbet that had bin set up a little before to punish them who should speak ill of the present Government and it was his chance to have the Maiden-head of it himself His Wife was hereupon apprehended imprisond and beheaded for a Witch som few dayes after upon a surmise that she had enchanted the Queen to dote so upon her Husband and they say the young Kings Picture was found in her Closet in Virgin-Wax with one Leg melted away a little after a processe was form'd against the Marquis her Husband and so he was condemn'd after death This was a right act of a French popular fury which like an angry torrent is irresistible nor can any Banks Boundaries or Dikeâ—… stop the impetuous rage of it How the young King will prosper after so high and an unexampled act of violence by beginning his Raign and embrâ—…ing the Walls of his own Court with blood in that manner ther are divers censures When I am settled in Spain you shall hear from me in the interim I pray let your Prayers accompany me in this long journey and when you write to Wales I pray acquaint our frends with my welfare So I pray God blesse us both and send us a happy enterview Paris 8. of September 1620. Your loving Brother J. H. XX. To my Cousin W. Vaughan Esq from Saint Malo Cousin I Am now in French Britany I went back from Paris to Roüen and so through all low Normandy to a little Port call'd Granville wher I embark'd for this Town of Saint Malo but I did purge so violently at Sea that it put me into a Burning Feavour for some few dayes wherof I thank God I am newly recovered and finding no opportunity of shipping here I must be forc'd to turn my intended Sea voyage to a long land journey Since I came to this Province I was curious to converse with some of the lower Bretons who speak no other Language but our Welsh for their radicall words are no other but 't is no wonder for they were a Colony of Welsh at first as the name of this Province doth imply as also the Latin name Armorica which though it passe for Latin yet it is but pure Welsh and signifies a Countrey bordring up the Sea as that arch Heretick was call'd Pelagius a Pelago his name being Morgan I was a little curious to peruse the Annals of this Province and during the time that it was a Kingdom ther wer four Kings of the name Hoell whereof one was call'd Hoell the Great This Town of Saint Malo hath one rarity in it for ther is here a perpetuall Garrison of English but they are of English Dogs which are let out in the night to guard the Ships and eat the Gardens up and down the Streets and so they are shut up again in the morning It will be now a good while before I shall have conveniency to send to you or receive from you howsoever let me retain still some little room in your memory and somtimes in your meditations while I carry you about me perpetually not onely in my head but in heart and make you travell all along with me thus from Town to Countrey from Hill to Dale from Sea to Land up and down the World and you must be contented to be Subâ—…ect to these incertain removes and perambulations untill it shall please God to fix me again England nor need you while you are thus my concomitant through new places evry day to fear any ill usage as long as I farewell St. Malo 25. of September 1620. Yours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 J. H. XXI To Sir John North Kt. from Rochell SIR 〈◊〉 Am newly com to Rochell nor am I sorry that I went somwhat out of my way to see this Town not to tell you true out of â—…ny extraordinary love I bear to the people for I do not find â—…em so gentle and debonnair to strangers nor so Hospitable aâ—…â—…e rest of France but I excuse them for it
fled back to safe Harbor the report hereof being bruited up and down the Countrey the Gentlewomen came from the Countrey to have tydings som of their Children others of their Brothers and Kinred and went â—…earing their Hair and houling up and down the streets in a most piteous manner The Admiral of those five ships as I heard afterwards was sent for to Madrid and hang'd at the Court gate because he did not fight Had I com time enough to have taken the opportunity I might have bin made either food for Hadocks or turn'd to Cinders or have bin by this time a slave in the Bannier at Algier or tugging at an Oaâ—… but I hope God hath reserv'd me for a better destiny so I came back to Alicant where I lighted upon a lusty Dutchman who hath carried me safe hither but we were neer upon fourty days in voyage we pass'd by Mallorca and Minorca the Baleares Insulae by som Porâ—…s of Barbary by Sardinia Corâ—…ica and all the Islands of the Mediterranean Sea we were at the mouth of Tyber and thence forc'd our cours for Sicilie we pass'd by those Sulphureous fiery Islands Mongibel and Strâ—…mbolo and about the dawn of the day we shot through Scylla and Charybdis and so into the Phare of Messina thence we touch'd upon som of the Greek Islands and so came to our first intended cours into the Venetian Gulph and are now here at Malamocca wher we remain yet aboard and must be content to be so to make up the month before we have pratic that is before any be permitted to go a shore and negotiat in regard we touch'd at some infected places For ther are no people upon Earth so fearful of the Plague as the Italians specially the Venetian though their Neighbors the Greeks hard by and the Turks have little or no apprehension at all of the danger of it for they will visit and commerce with the sick without any seruple and will fix their longest finger in the midst of their fore-head and say their destiny and manner of death is pointed there When we have gain'd y'â—…n Maiden City which lieth before us you shall hear farther from me So leaving you to his holy protection who hath thus graciously vouchsaf'd to preserve this ship and me in so long and dangerous a voyage I rest Yours J. H. Malamocco April the 30. 1611. XXVII To my Brother Dr. Howell from a Shipboard before Venice BROTHER IF this Letter fail either in point of Orthography or Style you must impute the first to the tumbling posture my body was in at the writing hereof being a shipboard the second to the muddinesse of my Brain which like Lees in a narrow Vessell hath been shaken at Sea in divers Tempests neer upon fourty days I mean naturall dayes which include the nights also and are compos'd of four and twenty hours by which number the Italian computes his time and tells his Clock for at the writing hereof I heard one from Malamoeca strike one and twenty hours When I shall have saluted yonder Virgin City that stands before me and hath tantaliz'd me now this sennight I hope to cheer my spirits and settle my Pericranium again In this voyage we pass'd thorow at least touch'd all those Seas which Horace and other Poets sing of so often as the Iornian the Aegean the Icarian the Tyrrhene with others and now we are in the Adrian Sea in the mouth whereof Venice stands like a Gold Ring in a Bears Muzzle We pass'd also by Aetna by the Infames Scopules Acroceraunia and through Scylla and Charybdis about which the ancient Poets both Greek and Latin keep such a coyl but they are nothing so horrid or dangerous as they make them to be they are two white keen-pointed Rocks that lie under water diametrically opposed and like two Dragons defying one another and ther are Pylots that in small Shallops are ready to steer all ships that pasle This amongst divers other may serve for an instance That the old Poets used to heighten and hoise up things by their ayrie fancies above the reality of truth Aetna was very furious when we pass'd by as she useth to be somtimes more then other specialy when the wind is Southward for then she is more subject to belching out flakes of fire as Stutterers use to flammer more when the wind is in that hole som of the sparkles fell aboard of us but they would make us beleeve in Syracusa now Messina that Aetna in times pass'd hath eructated such huge gobbets of fire that the sparks of them have burnt houses in Malta above fifty miles off transported thither by a direct strong wind We pass'd hard by Corinth now Ragusa but I was not so happy as to touch there for you know Non cuivis homini contingit adire corinthum I convers'd with many Greeks but found none that could understand much lesse pratically speak any of the old Dialects of the Latin-Greek it is so adulterated by the vulgar as a Bed of Flowers by Weeds nor is ther any people either in the Islands or on the Continent that speaks it conversably yet there are in the Merea seven Parishes call'd Zacones wher the Originall Greek is not much degenerated but they confound divers Letters of the Alphabet with one sound for in point of pronunciation ther is no difference 'twixt Upsilon Iota and Eta The last I received from you was in Latin wherof I sent you an answer from Spain in the same Language though in a courser Dialect I shall be a guest to Venice a good while therfore I besire a frequency of correspondence between us by Letters for ther will be conveniency evry week of receiving and sending when you write to Wales I pray send advise that I am come safe to Italy though not landed there yet So my dear Brother I pray God blesse us both and all our friends and reserve me to see you again with comfort and you me who am Your loving brother J. H. May the 5. 1621. XXVIII To the Honourable Sir Robert Mansell Vice-Admirall of England from Venice SIR AS soon as I came to Venice I applyed my self to dispatch your businesse according to instructions and Mr. Seymor was ready to contribute his best furtherance These two Italîans who are the Bearers hereof by report here are the best Gentlemen-Workmen that ever blew Crystall one is allied to Antoniâ—… Miotti the other is Cousin to Mazalao for other things they shall be sent in the Ship Lion which rides here at Malamocca as I shall send you account by conveyance of Mr. Symns Herewith I have sent a Letter to you from Sir Henry Wotton the Lord Ambassador here of whom I have receiv'd som favours He wish'd me to write that you have now a double interest in him for wheras before he was only your Servant he is now your Kinsman by your late marriage I was lately to see the Arsenall of Venice one of the worthiest things of
extoll Tyber beyond the Main both Towns behold R 〈…〉 men thou 'lt say Venice the Gods did mould Sanzâ—â—â—â—â—â— had given him by Saint Mark a hundred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evry one of these Verses which amounts to about 300 pounds It would be long before the 〈◊〉 of London would do the like Witneâ—… that â—…old reward or rather those cold drops of Wâ—… which were cast upon my Countreyman Sir Hugh Middletoâ—… for beinging Ware River through her Streets the most serviceable and 〈◊〉 sorâ—…est benefit that ever she received The parcell of Italian Books that you writ for you shall receive 〈◊〉 Master Leat if it please God to send the Ship to safe Port and I take it as a favour that you imploy me in any thing that mâ—…y â—…nduce to your contentment because I am your serious Servitor J. H. Ven 12. Aug. 1621. XXXVII To Cap. Thomas Porter from Venice My dear Captain AS I was going a Shipboard in Alicant a Letter of yours in Spanish came to hand I discovered two things in it first what a master you are of that Language then how mindfull you are of your frend for the first I dare not correspond with you yet for the second I shall never com short of you for I am as mindfull of you as possibly you can be of me and som hours my Puls doth not beat more often then my memory runs on you which is often enough in conscience for the Physitians hold that in evry well dispos'd body ther be above 4000 Pulsations evry hour and some Pulses have bin known to beat above 30000 times an hour in acute Feavours I understand you are bound with a gallant Fleet for the Mediterranean if you com to Alicant I pray commend me to Francisco Marco my Land-lord he is a merry drole and good company One night when I was ther he sent his Boy with a Borracho of Leather under his Cloak for Wine the Boy coming back about ten a clock and passing by the Guard one ask'd him whither he carried any Weapons about him for none must wear any Weapons there after ten at night No quoth the Boy being pleasant I have but a little Dagger the Watch came and search'd him and finding the Barracho full of good Wine drunk it all up saying Sirrah You know no man must carry any Weapons so late but because we know whose Servant you are ther 's the Scabbard of your Dagger again and so threw him the empty Borracho but another passage pleas'd me better of Don Beltran de Rosa who being to marry a rich Labradors a Yeomans daughter hard by which was much importun'd by her parents to the match because their Family should be thereby ennobled he being a Cavalier of Saint Iago the young Maid having understood that Don Beltran had bin in Naples and had that disease about him answered wittily En verdad pro adobar mi la sangre no quiero danar mi la carne Truely Sir To better my blood I will not hurt my flesh I doubt I shall not be in England before you set out to Sea if not I take my leave of you in this Paper and wish you a prosperous voyage and an honourable return It is the hearty Prayers of Ven 21. Aug. 1621. Your J. H. XXXVIII To Sir William Saint John Knight from Venice SIR HAving seen Antâ—…nors Tomb in Padoiia and the Amphitheater of Flaminius in Verona with other brave Towns in Lombardy I am now coâ—… to Rome and Rome they say is evry mans Countrey she is call'd Communis Patria for evry one that is within the compasse of the Latin Church finds himself here as it were at hom and in his Mothers house in regard of interest in Religion which is the cause that for one Native ther be five strangers that sojourn in this City and without any distinction or mark of strangenes they com to preferments and offices both in Church and State according to merrit which is more valued and sought after here then any where But whereas I expected to have found Rome elevated upon seven Hills I met her rather spreading upon a Flat having humbled her self since she was made a Christian and descended from those Hills to Campus Martius with Trasteren and the Suburbs of Saint Peter she hath yet in compasse about fourteen miles which is far short of that vast circuit she had in Claudius his time for Vopiscuâ—… writes she was then of fifty miles circumference and she had five hundred thousand free Citizens in a famous cense that was made which allowing but six to evry Family in Women Children and Servants came to three Millions of souls but she is now a Wildernes in comparison of that number The Pope is grown to be a great Temporall Prince of late yeers for the state of the Church extends above 300. miles in length and 200 miles in breadth it contains Ferrara Bologna Romagnia the Marquisat of Ancona umbria Sabina Perugia with a part of Toscany the Patrimony Rome her self and Latium In these ther are above fifty Bishopricks the Pope hath also the Dutchy of Spoleto and the exarchat of Ravenna he hath the Town of Beneventa in the Kingdom of Naples and the County of Venisse call'd Avignon in France he hath title also good enough to Naples it self but rather then offend his Champion the King of Spain he is contented with a white Mule and Purse of Pistols about the neck which he receives evry yeer for a heriot or homage or what you will call it he pretends also to be Lord Paramount of Sicily â—…rbin Parâ—…a and Masserâ—… of Norway Ireland and England since King Iohn did prostrat our Crown at Pandelfo his Legat's Feet The State of the Apostolie See here in Italy lieth twixt two Seas the Adriatiâ—… and the Tyrrhâ—… and it runs through the midst of Italy which makes the Pope powerfull to do good or harm and more capable then any other to be an Umpire or an Enemy His authority being mixt twixt Temporall and Spirituall disperseth it self into so many members that a young man may grow old here before he can well understand the form of Government The Consistory of Cardinals meet but once a week and once a week they solemnly wait all upon the Pope I am told ther are now in all Christendom but sixty eight Cardinals wherof ther are six Cardinall Bishops fifty one Cardinall Priests and eleven Cardinall Deacons The Cardinall Bishops attend and sit neer the Pope when he celebrats any Festivall The Cardinall Priests assist him at Masse and the Cardinall Deacons attire him A Cardinall is made by a short Breve or Writ from the Pope in these words Creamus te Socium Regibus superiorem ducibus fratrem â—…ostrum We creat thee a Companion to Kings Superior to Dukes and our Brother If a Cardinall Bishop should be questioned for any offence ther must be twenty four Witnesses produc'd against him The Bishop of Oâ—…ia hath most priviledg of any other
his Gallies are call'd The black Fleet because they annoy the Turk more in the bottom of the Straits then any other This State is bound to keep good quarter with the Pope more then others for all Toscany is fenc'd by Nature her self I mean with Mountains except towards the Territories of the Apostolic See and the Sea it self therfore it is call'd a Countrey of Iron The Dukes Palace is so spacious that it occupieth the Room of fifty Houses at least yet though his Court surpasseth the bounds of a Duke's it reacheth not to the Magnificence of a King's The Pope was sollicited to make the gran Duke a King and he answer'd That he was content he should be King in Toscany not of Toscany wherupon one of his Counsellors replied That it was a more glorious thing to be a gran Duke then a petty King Among other Cities which I desiâ—…'d to see in Italy Genoa was one wher I lately was and found her to be the proudest for buildings of any I met withall yet the people go the plainest of any other and are also most parsimonious in their diet They are the subtillest I will not say the most subdolous dealers they are wonderfull wealthy specially in Money In the yeer 1600 the King of Spain owed them eighteen millions and they say it is double as much now From the time they began to finger the Indian Geld and that this Town hath bin the Scale by which he hath conveyed his Tresure to Flanders since the VVars in the Netherlands for the support of his Armies and that she hath got som priviledges for the exportation of VVools and other commodities prohibited to others out of Spain she hath improv'd extremely in riches and made Saint George's Mount swell higher then Saint Marks in Venice She hath bin often ill favouredly shaken by the Venetian and hath had other enemies which have put her to hard shifts for her own defence specially in the time of Lewis the eleventh of France at which time when she would have given her self up to him for Protection King Lewis being told that Genoa was content to be his he answerd She should not be his long for he would give her up to the devill and rid his hands of her Indeed the Genowaies have not the Fortune to be so well belov'd as other people in Italy which proceeds I beleeve from their cunningnes and over-reachings in bargaining wherin they have somthing of the Iew. The Duke is there but Biennial being chang'd evry two yeers He hath fifty Germans for his Guard ther be four Centurionâ—… that have 100 men a peece which upon occasions attend the Signory abroad in Velvet Coats ther be eight chief Governours and 400 Counsellours amongst whom ther be five Soverain Syndics who have authority to censure the Duke himself his time being expir'd and punish any Governour else though after death upon the Heir Amongst other customs they have in that Town one is That none must carry a pointed Knif about him which makes the Hollander who is us'd to Snik and Snee to leave his Horn-sheath and Knif a Shipboard when he comes a shore I met not with an Englishman in all the Town nor could I learn of any Factour of ours that ever resided there Ther is a notable little active Republic towards the midst of Toscany call'd Luca which in regard she is under the Emperours protection he dares not meddle withall though she lie as a Partridg under a Faulcons Wings in relation to the gran Duke besides ther is another reason of the State why he meddles not with her because she is more beneficiall unto him now that she is free and more industrious to support this freedom then if she were becom his vassall for then it is probable she would grow more carelesse and idle and so could not vent his commodities so soon which she buyes for ready money wherin most of her wealth consists Ther is no State that winds the peny more nimbly and makes quicker returns She hath a Counsell call'd the Discoli which pryes into the profession and life of evry one and once a yeer they rid the State of all Vagabonds So that this petty pretty Republic may not be improperly parellell'd to a Hive of Bees which have bin alwayes the emblems of industry and order In this splendid City of Florence ther be many rarities which if I should insert in this Letter it would make her swell too big and indeed they are fitter for Parol Communication Here is the prime dialect of the Italian spoken though the pronunciation be a little more guttural then that of Siena and that of the Court of Rome which occasions the Proverb Lingua Toscana in boca Romana The Toscan toung sounds best in a Roman mouth The peeple here generally seem to be more generous and of a higher comportment then elsewhere very cautious and circumspect in their negotiation whence ariseth the Proverb Chi há da far con Tosco Non bisogna chi sia Losco VVho dealeth with a Florentine Must have the use of both his Ey'n I shall bid Italy farewell now very shortly and make my way are the Alps to France and so home by Gods grace to take a review of my frends in England amongst whom the sight of your self will be as gladsom to me as of any other for I professe my self and purpose to be ever Your thrice affectionat Servitor J. H. Florence 1 Novemb. 1621. XLII To Cap. Francis Bacon from Turin SIR I Am now upon point of shaking hands with Italy for I am com to Turin having already seen Uenice the rich Padoua the learned Bologna the fat Rome the holy Naples the gentle Genoa the proud Florence the fair and Milan the great from this last I came hither and in that City also appears the Grandeur of Spains Monarchy very much The Governour of Milan is alwayes Captain Generall of the Cavalry to the King of Spain thorowout Italy The Dnke of Feria is now Governour and being brought to kisse his hands he us'd me with extraordinary respect as he doth all of our Nation being by the maternall side a Dormer The Spaniard entertains there also 3000 Foot 1000 Light-Horse and 600 men at Arms in perpetuall pay so that I beleeve the benefit of that Dutchy also though seated in the richest Soyl of Italy hardly countervails the charge Three things are admir'd in Milan the Dome or great Church built all of white Marble within and without the Hospitall and the Castle by which the Cittadell of Antwerp was trac'd and is the best condition'd Fortresse of Christendom Though Nova Palma a late Fortresse of the Venetian would go beyond it which is built according to the exact Rules of the most modern Enginry being of a round form with nine Bastions and a street levell to evry Bastion The Duke of Savoy though he passe for one of the Princes of Italy yet the least part of his Territories lie
they could have Gentlemen of good quality that would undertake it yet if I would take it upon me they would employ no other and assur'd me that the employment should tend both to my benefit and credit Now the business is this Ther was a great Turky ship call'd the Vineyard sailing through the Streights towards Constantinople but by distress of weather she was forc'd to put into a little Port call'd Milo in Sardinia The searchers came aboard of her and finding her richly laden for her cargazon of broad cloth was worth the first peny neer upon 30000 l. they cavell'd at some small proportion of lead and tin which they had only for the use of the ship which the Searchers alleged to be ropa de contrabando prohibited goods for by Article of Peace nothing is to be carried to Turky that may arm or vittle The Vice-Roy of Sardinia hereupon seizd upon the whole ship and all her goods landed the Master and men in Spain who coming to Sir Charls Corawalles then Ambassador at the Courâ—… Sir Charles could do them little good at present therfore they came to England and complaind to the King and Counsell his Majesty was so sensible hereof that he sent a particular Commission in his own royall Name to demand a restitution of the ship and goods and justice upon the Vice-Roy of Sardinia who had so apparently broke the Peace and wrongd his Subjects Sir Charles with Sir Paul Piâ—…dar a while labourd in the business and commenc'd a sute in Law but he was calld home before he could do any thing to purpose After him Sir Iohn Digby now Lord Digby went Ambassador to Spain and amongst other things he had that particular Commission from his Majesty invested in him to prosecut the sute in his own royall Name Therupon he sent a well qualified Gentleman Mr Walsingham Gâ—…sley to Sardinia who unfortunately meeting with som men of War in the passage was carried prisoner to Algier My Lord Digby being remanded home left the business in Mr Cotingtons hands then Agent but reassum'd it at his return yet it prov'd such a tedious intricate sute that he return'd again without finishing the work in regard of the remoteness of the Island of Sardinia whence the witnesses and other dispatches were to be fetchd The Lord Digby is going now Ambassador extraordinary to the Court of Spain upon the business of the match the restitution oâ—… the Palatinate and other high affairs of State therfore he is desirous to transmit the Kings Commission to ching this particular business to any gentleman that is capable to follow it and promiseth to assist him with the utmost of his power and he saith he hath good reason to do so in regard he hath now a good round share himself in it About this busines I am now preparing to go to Spain in company of the Ambassador and I shall kiss the Kings hands as his Agent touching this particular Commission I humbly intreat that your blessing and prayers may accompany me in this my new employment which I have undertaken upon very good terms touching expences reward So with my dear love to my brothers and sisters with other kindred and friends in the countrey I rest London 8 Sept. 1623. Your dutifull Son J. H. VII To Sir Tho Savage Knight and Baronet at his house in Long-Melford honble SIR I Receivd your commands in a Letter which you sent me by Sir Iohn North and I shall not fail to serve you in those particulars It hath pleased God to dispose of me once more for Spain upon a business which I hope will make me good returns ther have two Ambassadors and a royall Agent follow'd it hitherto and I am the fourth that is employed in it I defer to trouble you with the particulars of it in regard I hope to have the happiness to kiss your hand at Tower hill before my departure which will not be till my Lord Digby sets forward He goes in a gallant splendid Equipage and one of the Kings ships is to take him in at Plymouth and transport him to the Corunnia or Saint Andeâ—…as Since that sad disaster which befell Archbishop Abbot to kill the man by the glancing of an arrow as he was shooting at a Deer which kind of death befell one of our Kings once in new Forrest ther hath bin a Commission awarded to debate whether upon this fact wherby he hath shed human bloud he be not to be depriv'd of his Archbishoprick and pronounc'd irregular som were against him but Bishop Andrews and Sir Henry Martin stood stifly for him that in regard it was no spontaneous act but a meer contingencie and that ther is no degree of men but is subject to misfortunes and casualties they declar'd positively that he was not to fall from his dignity or function but should still remain a regular and in statu quo prius during this debate he petitioned the King that he might be permitted to retire to his Almes-house at Guilford where he was born to pass the remainder of his life but he is now come to be again rectus in curia absolutely quitted and restor'd to all things But for the wife of him which was killd it was no misfortune to her for he hath endowed herself and her children with such an Estate that they say her Husband could never have got So I humbly kisse your hands and rest London 9 Nov. 1622. Your most obliged Serviâ—… J. H. VIII To Captain Nich Leat from Madrid at his house in London SIR I Am safely com to the Court of Spain and although by reason of that misfortune which befell Mr Altham and me of wounding the Sergeants in Lombardstreet we staied three weeks behind my Lord Ambassador yet we came hither time enough to attend him to Court at his first audience The English Nation is better lookd on now in Spain than ordinary because of the hopes ther are of a match which the Merchant and comunalty much desire though the Nobility and Gentry be not so forward for it so that in this point the puls of Spâ—… beats quite contrary to that of England where the people are â—…vers to this match and the Nobility with most part of the Gentry inclinable I have perusd all the papers I could get into my hands touching the business of the ship Vineyard and I find that they are higher than I in bulk though closely prest together I have cast up what iâ—… awarded by all the sentences of view and review by the Counsell of State War and I find the whole sum as wel principall as interest upon interest all sorts of damages and processall charges com to above two hundred and fifty thousand Crowns The Conde del Real quondam Viceroy of Sardinia who is adjudged to pay most part of this money is here and he is Mayordomo Lord steward to the Infante Cardinall if he hath wherwith I donbt not but to recover the money for I hope
their days in meditation and in preparing themselves for another world Charles the Emperor shew'd them the way who left the Empire to his brother and all the rest of his Dominions to his son Philip the second and so taking with him his two sisters he retir'd into a Monastery they into a Nunnery this doth not suit well with the genius of an Englishman who loves not to pull off his cloaths till he goes to bed I will conclude with some Verses I saw under a huge Rodomontado picture of the Duke of Lerma wherin he is painted like a Giant bearing up the Monarchy of Spain that of France and the Popedom upon his shoulders with this Stanza Sobre les ombros d'este Atlante Yazen en aquestos dias Estas tres Monarquias Upon the shoulders of this Atlas lies The Popedom and two mighty Monarchies So I most humbly kiss your Lordships hands and rest ever most ready Madrid 3 Febr. 1622. At your Lordships command J. H. XII To my Father SIR ALL affairs went on fairly here specially that of the match when Master Endymion Porter brought lately my Lord of Bâ—…istoll a dispatch from England of a high nature wherin the Earl is commanded to represent unto this King how much his Majesty of great Britain since the beginning of these German wars hath labourd to merit well of this Crown and of the whole House of Austria by a long and lingring patience grounded still upon assurances hence that care should be had of his honor his Daughters joynture and grand-childrens patrimony yet how crosly all things had proceeded in the Treaty at Bruxells manag'd by Sir Richard Weston as also that in the Palatinat by the Lord Chichester how in treating time the Town and Castle of Heidelberg were taken Manbeim besieg'd and all acts of Hostility us'd notwithstanding the fair professions made by this King the Infanta at Bruxells and other his Ministers How meerly out of respect to this King he had neglected all Martiall means which probably might have preserv'd the Palatinat those thin Garrisons which he had sent thither being rather for honors sake to keep a footing untill a generall accommodation than that he relyed any way upon their strength And since that there are no other fruits of all this but reproach and scorn and that those good Offices which he us'd towards the Emperor on the behalf of his Son in law which he was so much encouraged by Letters from hence should take effect have not sorted to any other issue than to a plain affront and a high injuring of both their Majesties though in a different degree The Earl is to tell him that his Majesty of great Britain hopes and desires that out of a true apprehension of these wrongs offerd unto them both he will as his dear and loving brother faithfully promise and undertake upon his honor confirming the same under his hand and seal either that Heidelberg shall be within seventy days rendred into his hands as also that ther shall be within the said term of seventy days a suspension of arms in the Palatinat and that a Treaty shall recommence upon such terms as he propounded in November last which this King held then to be reasonable And in case that this be not yeelded unto by the Emperor that then this King joyn forces with his Majesty of England for the recovery of the Palatinat which upon this trust hath been lost or in case his forces at this time be otherwise employ'd that they cannot give his Majesty that assistance he desires and deserves that at least he will permit a free and friendly passage through his Territories for such Forces as his Mejesty of great Britain shall employ into Germany Of all which if the Earl of Bristoll hath not from the King of Spain a direct assurance under his hand and Seal ten days after his audience that then he take his leave and return to England to his Majesties presence els to proceed in the negotiation of the match according to former instructions This was the main substance of his Majesties late letter yet there was a postill added that in case a rupture happen 'twixt the two Crowns the Earl should not com instantly and abruptly â—…way but that he should send advice first to England and carry the busines so that the world should not presently know of it Notwithstanding all these traverses we are confident here that the match will take otherwise my Cake is Dow. There was a great difference in one of the capitulations 'twixt the two Kings how long the children which should issue of this marriage were to continue sub regimine Matris under the tutele of the Mother This King demanded 14 years at first then twelve but now he is come to nine which is newly condescended unto I receiv'd yours of the first of September in another from Sir Iames Crofts wherin it was no small comfort to me to hear of your health I am to go hence shortly for Sardinia a dangerous voyage by reason of Algier Pirats I humbly desire your prayers may accompany Madrid 23 Febr. 1622. Your dutifull Son J. H. XIII To Sir James Crofts Knight SIR YOurs of the second of October came to safe hand with the inclos'd you write that there came dispatches lately from Rome wherin the Pope seems to endevour to insinuat himself into a direct treaty with England and to negotiat immediatly with our King touching the dispensation which he not only labours to evade but utterly disclaims it being by Article the task of this King to procure all dispatches thence I thank you for sending me this news You shall understand there came lately an express from Rome also to this Court touching the business of the match which gave very good content but the dispatch and new instructions which Mr. Endymion Porter brought my Lord of Bristoll lately from England touching the Prince Palatinat fills us with apprehensions of fear Our Ambassadors here have had audience of this King already about those Propositions and we hope that Master Porter will carry back such things as will satisfie Touching the two points in the Treaty wherin the two Kings differ'd most viz. about the education of the children and the exemption of the Infanta's Ecclesiastic servants from secular jurisdiction both these points are clear'd for the Spaniard is com from fourteen years to ten and for so long time the Infant Princes shall remain under the mothers government And for the other point the Ecclesiasticall Superior shall first take notice of the offence that shall be committed by any spirituall person belonging to the Infanta's family and according to the merit therof either deliver him by degradation to the secular justice or banish him the Kingdom according to the quality of the delict and it is the same that is practis'd in this Kingdom and other parts that adhere to Rome The Conde de Monterrey goes Vice-roy to Naples the Marquis de Montesclaros being
put by the gallanter man of the two I was told of a witty saying of his when the Duke of Lerma had the vogue in this Court for going one morning to speak with the Duke and having danc'd attendance a long time hee peep'd through a slit in the hanging and spied Don Rodrigo Calderon a great man who was lately beheaded here for poisning the late Queen Dowager delivering the Duke a Paper upon his knees wherat the Marquis smil'd and said Voto a tal aquâ—…l hombre sube mas a las rodillas que yo no hago a los pics I swear that man climbs higher upon his knees than I can upon my feet Indeed I have read it to be a true Court rule that descendendo ascendendum est in Aula descending is the way to ascend at Court Ther is a kind of humility and compliance that is far from any servile baseness or fordid flattery and may be term'd discretion rather than adulation I intend God willing to go for Sardinia this Spring I hope to have better luck than Master Walsingham Gresley had who some few years since in his passage thither upon the same business that I have in agitation met with some Turksmen of war and so was carried slave to Algier So with my true respects to you I rest Madrid 12 Mar. 1622. Your faithfull Servant J. H. XIV To Sir Francis Cottington Secretary to his Highnesse the Prince of Wales at Saint James SIR I Believe it will not be unpleasing unto you to hear of the procedure and successe of that business wherin your self hath been so long vers'd in I mean the great sute against the quondam Vice-roy of Sardinia the Conde del Real Count Gondamars comming was a great advantage unto me who hath don me many favors besides a confirmation of the two sentences of view and review and of the execution against the Vice-roy I have procur'd a Royall cedule which I caus'd to be printed and wherof I send you here inclos'd a Coppy by which Cedule I have power to arrest his very person and my Lawyers tell me ther was never such a cedule granted before I have also by vertue of it priority of all other his Creditors He hath made an imperfect overture of a composition and shewd me som triviall old fashion'd jewells but nothing equivalent to the debt And now that I speak of jewells the late surprisall of Ormus by the assistance of our ships sinks deep in their stomacks here and we were afraid it would have spoild all proceedings but my Lord Digby now Earl of Bristoll for Count Gondamar brought him ore his Patent hath calmd all things at his last audience Ther were luminaries of joy lately here for the victory that Don Gonzalez de Cordova got over Count Mansfelt in the Netherlands with that Army which the Duke of Bouillon had levied for him but some say they have not much reason to rejoyce for though the Infantery suffer'd yet Mansfelt got clear with all his horse by a notable retreat and they say here it was the greatest peece of service and Art he ever did it being a Maxim that ther is nothing so difficult in the Art of War as an honourable retreat Besides the report of his comming to Breda caus'd Marquis Spinola to raise the siege before Berghen to burn his tents and to pack away suddenly for which he is much censur'd here Captain Leat and others have written to me of the favourable report you pleas'd to make of my endeavors here for which I return you humble thanks and though you have left behind you multitude of servants in this Court yet if occasion were offerd none should be more forward to go on your errand then Madrid 15 Mar. 1622. Your humble and faithfull Servitor J. H. XV. To the honble Sir Tho Savage Knight and Baronet honble SIR THe great busines of the match was tending to a period the Articles reflecting both upon Church and State being capitulated and interchangeably accorded on both sides and ther wanted nothing to consummate all things when to the wonderment of the world the Prince and the Marquis of Buckingham arriv'd at this Court a friday last upon the close of the evening they lighted at my Lord of Bristols house and the Marquis Mr Thomas Smith came in first with a Portmantle under his arm then Mr Iohn Smith the Prince was sent for who staid a while the to'ther side of the street in the dark my Lord of Bristoll in a kind of astonishment brought him up to his bed chamber where he presently calld for pen and ink and dispacht a Post that night to England to acquaint his Majesty how in lesse then sixteen daies he was come safely to the Court of Spain that Post went lightly laden for he carried but three letters the next day came Sir Francis Cotington and Mr Porter and darke rumors ran in every corner how som great man was com from England and som would not stick to say amongst the vulgar it was the King but towards the evening on saturday the marquis went in a close coach to Court where he had privat audience of this King who sent Olivares to accompany him back to the Prince where he kneeld and kisd his hands and hugd his thighs and deliverd how unmeasurably glad his Catholic Majesty was of his coming with other high complements which Mr Porter did interpret About ten a clock that night the King himself came in a close coach with intent to visit the Prince who hearing of it met him halfway and after salutations and divers embraces which past in the first interview they parred late I forgot to tell you that Count Gondamar being sworn Counseller of State that morning having bin before but one of the Counsell of War he came in great hast to visit the Prince saying he had strange news to tell him which was that an Englishman was sworn privy Counseller of Spain meaning himself who he said was an Englishman in his heart On Sunday following the King in the afternoon came abroad to take the air with the Queen his two brothers and the Infanta who were all in one coach but the Infanta sat in the boot with a blew riband about her arm of purpose that the Prince might distinguish her ther were above twenty coaches besides of Grandes Noble men and Ladies that attended them And now iâ—… was publicly known amongst the vulgar that it was the Prince of Wales who was com and the confluence of people before my Lord of Bristolls house was so great and greedy to see the Prince that to clear the way Sir Lewis Divâ—…s went out and took coach and all the crowd of people went after him so the Prince himself a little after took coach wherin there were the Earl of Bristoll Sir Walter Ashton and Count Gondamar and so went to the Prado a place hard by of purpose to take the air where they stayed till the King past by as soon as
the Infanta saw the Prince her colour rose very high which we hold to be an impression of love and affection for the face is often times a true Index of the heart Upon Monday morning after the King sent som of his prime Nobles and other Gentlemen to attend the Prince in qualitie of Officers as oâ—…e to be his Mayordom his Steward another to be Master of the Horse and so to inferior Officers so that ther is a compleat Court now at my Lord of Bristolls house but upon Sunday next the Prince is to remove to the Kings Palace where ther is one of the chief quarters of the house providing for him By the next opportunity you shall hear more In the interim I take my leave and rest March 27. 1623. Your most humble and ready Servitor J. H. XVI To Sir Eubule Theloall Knight at Grayes-Inne SIR I Know the eyes of all England are earnestly fixd now upon Spain her best jewell being here but his journey was like to be spoild in France for if he had stayd but a little longer at Bayon the last Town of that Kingdom hitherwards he had bin discoverd for Monsieur Gramond the Governor had notice of him not long after he had taken Post. The people here do mightily magnifie the gallantry of the journey and cry out that he deserv'd to have the Infanta thrown into his arms the first night he came He hath bin entertaind with all the magnificence that possibly could be devis'd On Sunday last in the morning betimes he went to Saint Hieroms Monastery whence the Kings of Spain use to be fetchd the day they are crownd and thither the King came in person with his two Brothers his eight Counsells and the flower of the Nobility He rid upon the Kings right hand through the heart of the Town under a great Canopy and was brought so into his lodgings to the Kings Palace and the King himself accompanied him to his very bedchamber It was a very glorious sight to behold for the custom of the Spaniard is though he go plain in his ordinary habit yet upon som Festivall or cause of triumph ther 's none goes beyond him in gaudiness We daily hope for the Popes Breve or Dispensation to perfect the busines though ther be dark whispers abroad that it is com already but that upon this inexpected coming of the Prince it was sent back to Rome and som new clauses thrust in for their further advantage Till this dispatch comes matters are at a kind of stand yet his Highnes makes account to be back in England about the latter end of May. God Almighty turn all to the best and to what shall be most conducible to his glory So with my due respects unto you I rest Aprill 1 1623. Your much obliged Servitor J. H. XVII To Captain Leat SIR HAving brought up the Law to the highest point against the Vice-roy of Sardinia and that in an extraordinary manner as may appear unto you by that Printed cedule I sent you in my last and finding an apparent disability in him to satisfie the debt I thought upon a new design and fram'd a memoriall to the King and wrought good strong means to have it seconded that in regaâ—… that predatory act of seizing upon the ship Vinyard in Sardiâ—… with all her goods was done by his Majesties Vice-roy his soverain Minister of State one that immediatly represented his own Royall Person and that the said Vice-roy was insolvent I desir'd his Majesty would be pleas'd to grant a Warrant for the releef of both parties to lade so many thousand Sterills oâ—… measures of corn out of Sardinia and Sicily custom-free I had gonfâ—… in the business when Sir Francis Cottington sent for me and requir'd me in the Prince his name to proceed no further hereiâ—… till he was departed so his Highness presence here hath turâ—… rather to my disadvantage than otherwise Amongst other Grandezas which the King of Spain conferr'd upon our Prince one was the releasment of Prisoners and that all Petitions of grace should com to him for the first month but he hath been wonderfull sparing in receiving any specially from any English Irish or Scot. Your son Nicolas is com hither from Alicant about the ship Amity and I shall be ready to second him in getting satisfaction so I rest Madrid Iune 3. 1623. Yours ready to serve you J. H. XVIII To Captain Tho. Porter Noble Captain MY last unto you was in Spanish in answer to one of yours in the same language and amongst that confluence of English gallants which upon the occasion of his Highness being here are com to this Court I fed my self with hopes a long while to have seen you but I find now that those hopes were impd with false feathers I know your heart is here and your best affections therfore I wonder what keeps back your person but I conceive the reason to be that you intend to com like your self to com Commander in chief of one of the Castles of the Crown one of the ships Royall If you com so to this shore side I hope you wil havetime to come to the Court I have at any time a good lodging for you and my Landlady is none of the meanest and her husband hath many good parts I heard her setting him forth one day and giving this Character of him Mi marido ei buen musico buen esgrimidor buen eserivano excellente Arithmetico salvo que no multiplica My husband is a good Musitian a good Fencer a good Horse-man a good Pen-man and an excellent Arithmetician only he cannot multiply For outward usage there is all industry us'd to give the Prince and his servants all possible contentment and som of the Kings own servants wait upon them at Table in the Palace where I am sorry to hear som of them jeer at the Spanish fare and use other slighting speeches and demeanor Ther are many excellent Poems made here since the Princes arrivall which are too long to couch in a Letter yet I will venture to send you this one stanza of Lope de Vegas Carlos Estuardo Soy Que siendo Amor mi guia Al cielo d'España voy Por ver mi Estrella Maria. There are Comedians once a week com to the Palace where under a great Canopy the Queen and the Infanta sit in the middle our Prince and Don Carles on the Queens right hand the King and the little Cardinall on the Infanta's left hand I have seen the Prince have his eyes immovably fixed upon the Infanta half an hour together in a thoughtfull speculative posture which sure would needs be tedious unless affection did sweeten it it was no handsom comparison of Olivares that he watcht her as a cat doth â—… mouse Not long since the Prince understanding that the Infanta was us'd to go som mornings to the Casa de campo a summer house the King hath tother side the river to gather May dew he
did rise betimes and went thither taking your brother with him they were let into the house and into the garden but the Infanta was in the orchard and there being a high partition wall between and the door doubly bolted the Prince got on the top of the wall and sprung down a great hight and so made towards her but she spying him first of all the rest gave a shâ—…eck and ran back the old Marquis that was then her gardien came towards the Prince and fell on his knees conjuring his Highnesse to retire in regard he hazarded his head if he admitted any to her company so the door was open'd and he came out under that wall over which he had got in I have seen him watch a long hour together in a close Coach in the open street to see her as she went abroad I cannot say that the Prince did ever talk with her privatly yet publickly often my Lord of Bristoll being Interpreter but the King always sat hard by to over-hear all Our cosen Archy hath more privilege than any for he often goes with his fools coat where the Infanta is with her Meninas and Ladies of honor and keeps a blowing and blustering amongst them and fluâ—…ts out what he list One day they were discoursing what a marvellous thing it was that the Duke of Bavaria with lesse then 15000 men after a long toylsom March should dare to encounter the Palsgraves army consisting of above 2500â—… and to give them an utter discomfiture and take Prague presently after Wherunto Archy answered that he would tell them a stranger thing than that was it not a strange thing quoth he that in the year 88 ther should com a Fleet of one hundred and forty sails from Spain to invade England and that ten of these could not go back to tell what became of the rest By the next opportunity I will send you the Cordovan pockets and gloves you writ for of Francisco Morenos persuming So may my dear Captain live long and love his Madrid Iuly 10. 1623. J. H. XIX To my Cosen Tho. Guin Esqr. at his house Trecastle Cosen I Received lately one of yours which I cannot compare more properly than to a posie of curious flowers ther was therin such variety of sweet strains and dainty expressions of love And though it bore an old date for it was forty days before it came to safe hand yet the flowers were still fresh and not a whit faded but did cast as strong and as fragrant a sent as when your hands bound them up first together only ther was one flower that did not savor so well which was the undeserved Character you please to give of my smal abilities which in regard you look upon me through the prospective of affection appear greater unto you than they are of themselvs yet as smal as they are I would be glad to employ them all to serve you upon any occasion Wheras you desire to know how matters pass here you shall understand that we are rather in assurance than hopes that the match will take effect when one dispatch more is brought from Rome which we greedily expect The Spaniards generally desire it they are much taken with our Prince with the bravery of his journey and his discreet comportment since and they confess ther was never Princess courted with more gallantry The wits of the Court here have made divers Encomiums of him of his affection to the L Infanta Amongst others I send you a Latin Poem of one Marnieriâ—…s a Valenciano to which I add this ensuing Hexastic which in regard of the difficulty of the Verse consisting of all Ternaries which is the hardest way of versifying and of the exactness of the translation I believe will give you content Fax grata est gratum est vulnus mihi grata catena est Me quibus astringit laedit urit Amor Sed flammam extingui sanari vulnera solvi Vincla etiam ut possem non ego posse velim Mirum equidem genus hoc morbi est incendia ictus Vinclaque vinctus adbuc laesus ustus amo Gratefull's to me the fire the wound the chain By which love burns love binds and giveth pain But for to quench this fire these bonds to loose These wounds to heal I would not could I choose Strange sickness where the wounds the bonds the fire That burns that bind that hurt I must desire In your next I pray send me your opinion of these verses for I know you are a Critic in Poetry Mr Vaugham of the Golden-grove and I were Camerades and bedfellows here many moneths together his father Sir Iohn Vaughan the Prince his Controuler is lately com to attend his Master My Lord of Carlile my Lord of Holland my Lord of Rochfort my Lord of Denbigh and divers others are here so that we have a very flourishing Court and I could wish you were here to make one of the number So my dear cosen I wish you all happiness and our noble Prince a safe and successfull return to England Madrid 13 Aug. 1623. Your most affectionate Cosen J. H. XX. To my noble friend Sir John North. SIR THe long look'd-for Dispensation is come from Rome but I hear it is clogg'd with new clauses and one is that the Pope who allegeth that the only aim of the Apostolicall See in granting this Dispensation was the advantage and case of the Catholics in the King of great Britaines Dominions therfore he desir'd a valuable caution for the performance of those Articles which were stipulated in their favor this hath much puzled the busines and Sir Francis Cotington comes now over about it Besides ther is som distast taken at the Duke of Buckingham here and I heard this King should say he will treat no more with him but with the Ambassadors who he saith have a more plenary Commission and understand the busines better As ther is som darknes hapned twixt the two Favorits so matters stand not â—…ight twixt he Duke and the Earl of Bristoll but God forbid that a busines of so high a consequence as this which is likely to tend so much to the universall good of Christendom to the restitution of the Palatinat and the composing those broils in Germany should be ranversd by differences twixt a few privat subjects though now public Ministers Mr Washington the Prince his Page is lately dead of a Calenture and I was at his buriall under a Figtree behind my Lord of Bristols house A little before his death one Ballard and English Priest went to tamper with him and Sir Edmund Varney meeting him coming down the stairs out of Washingtons chamber they fell from words to blows but they were parted The busines was like to gather very ill bloud and com to a great height had not Count Gondamar quasht it which I beleeve he could not have done unles the times had bin favorable for such is the reverence they bear to
nature to mingle or sophisticat any Wine heer Over this Chopin of White wine my Vintner and Shoo-maker fell into a hot Dispute about Bishops The Shoo-maker grew very furious and call'd them The firebrands of hell the Pamlers of the Whore of Babilon and the Instruments of the dâ—…vill and that they were of his institution not of Gods My Vintner took him up smartly and said Hold neighbour there Do not you know as well as I that Titus and Timothy were Bishops that our Saviour is entitled The Bishop of our souls that the word Bishop is as frequently mentioned in Scripture as the name Pastor Elder or Deacon then why do you invâ—…igh so bitterly against them The Shoo-maker answered I know the Name and Office to be good but they have abused it My Vintner replies Well then you are a Shoo-maker by your Prefession imagine that you or a hundred or a thousand or a hundred thousand of your Trade should play the knaves and sell Caltskin-leather Boots for Neats-leather or do other cheats must wee therfore go barefoot must the Gentle-craâ—…t of Shoo-makers fall therfore to the ground It is the fault of the Men not of rhe Calling The Shoo-maker was so gravell'd at this that he was put to his Last for he had not a word more to say so my Vintner got the day Ther is a fair Parlement-house built heer lately and 't was hoped His Maiesty would have tane the maiden-head of it and com hither to sit in person and they did ill who advis'd him otherwise I am to go hence shortly back to Dublin and so to London wher I hope to find your Lordship that according to my accustomed boldnes I may attend you In the interim I rest Edenburgh 1639. Your Lordships most humble Servitor J. H. XXXIX To Sir K. Digby Kt. SIR I Thank you for the good opinion you please to have of my fancy of Trees It is a maiden one and not blown upon by any yet But for the merits you please to ascribe unto the Author I utterly disclaim any specially in that proportion you please to give them me 'T is you that have parts enough to compleat a whole Jury of men Those small perquisits that I have are thrust up into a little narrow lobby but those perfections that beautifie your noble soul have a spacious Palace to walk in more sumptuous than either the Louvre Seralio or Escuriall So I most affectionatly kiss your hands being always Westmin 3 Decem. 1639. Your most faithfull Servitor J. H. XL. To Sir Sackvill Crow His Majesties Ambassador at the Post of Constantinople Riglâ—… honble Sir THe greatest news we have heer now is a notable navall fight that was lately 'twixt the Spanierd and Hollander in the Downes but to make it more intelligible I will deduce the busines from the beginning THe King of Spain had provided a 〈◊〉 Fleet of Galeons wherof the Vice-Admiralls of Naples and Portugall wer two wherof he had sent advice to England long before The design was to meet with the French Fleet under the command of the Archbishop of Bourdeaux and in default of that to land som treasure at Dunkirk with a recruit of Spaniards which wer grown very thin in Flanders These recruits wer got by an odd trick for som of the Fleet being at Saint Anderas a report was blown up of purpose that the French were upon the Coasts heerupon all the youngmen of the Country came to the Sea-side and so a great number of them were tumbled a shipboard and so they set saiâ—…e towards the Coasts of France but the Archbishop it seems had drawn in his Fleet Then striking into the Narrow-Seas they met with a Fleet of about sixteen Hollanders wherof they sunk and took two and the rest got away to Holland to give an alarum to the States who in less than a moneth got together a Fleet of about one hundred sail and the wind being a long time Easterly they came into the Downes where Don Antonio d' Oquéndo the Spanish Admirall had stayed for them all the while Sir Iohn Pennington was then abroad with seven of His Majesties Ships and Don Antonio being daily warn'd what forces were preparing in Zealand and Holland and so advis'd to get over to the Flemish Coasts in the interim with a haughty spirit he answer'd Tengo de quedarme aqui para castigar estos Rebeldes I will stay here to chastise these Rebels There were ten more of His Masties Ships appointed to go joyn with Sir Iohn Pennington to observe the motions of these Fleets but the wind continuing still East they could not get out of the River The Spanish Fleet had Fresh-waters Victualls and other necessaries from our Coasts for their money according to the capitulations of peace all this while at last being half surprized by a cloud of Hollanders consisting of one hundred and fourteen ships the launc'd out from our Coasts and a most furious fight began our ships having retir'd hard by all the while The Vice-Admirall of Portugall a famous Sea Captain Don Lope de Hozes was engag'd in close fight with the Vice-Admirall of Holland and after many tough rancounters they were both blown up and burnt together At last night came and parted the rest but six Spanish ships were taken and about twenty of the Hollanders perish'd Oquendo then cross'd over to Nardic and so back to Spain where he died before he came to the Court and 't is thought had he liv'd he had bin question'd for som miscarrâ—…ages for if he had suffer'd the Dunkerkers who are nimbler and more fit for fight to have had the Van and dealt with the Hollander 't is thought matters might have gon better with him but his ambition was that the great spaâ—…ish Galeons should get the glory of the day The Spaniards give out that they had the better in regard they did the main work for Oquendo had conveyed all his recruits and tresure to Flanders while he lay hovering on our Coasts One thing is herein very observable what a mighty Navigable power the Hollander is com to that in so short a compas of time he could appeare with such a numerous Fleet of one hundred and fourteen Sails of Men of War in such a perfect equippage The times afford no more at present therfore with a tender of my most humble service to my noble Lady and my thankfull acknowledgment for those great favours which my Brother Edward writes to me he hath receiv'd from your Lordship in so singular a manner at that Port desiring you would still oblige me with a continuance of them I rest amongst those multitudes you have left behind you in England Lond. 3 Aug. 1639. Your Lopp s most faithfull Servitor J. H. XLI To Sir J. M. Knight SIR I Hear that you begin to blow the cole and offer sacrifice to Demogorgon the God of Mineralls Be well advis'd before you engage your self too deep Chymistry I know by a little experience
with no vulgar respects I rest my dear Nephew Yours most affectionatly to serve you J. H. Fleet this 26 of Iuly 1646. XII To Mr. En. P. at Paris SIR THat which the Plots of the Jesuits in their dark Cellâ—… and the policy of the greatest Roman Catholic Princes have driven at these many yeers is now don to their hands which was to divide and break the strength of these three kingdoms because they held it to bee too great a glory and power to be in one Hereticall Prince his hands as they esteem'd the King of great Britain because he was in a capacity to be umpire if not Arbiter of this part of the World as many of our Kings have bin You write thence that in regard of the sad condition of our Queen their Countrey-woman they are sensible of our Calamities but I believe 't is the Poqulass only who see no further than the rind of things your Cabinet counsel rather rejoyceth at it who or I am much deceiv'd contributed much in the time of the late sanguine Cardinall to set a foot these distractions beginning first with Scotland who you know hath always serv'd that Nation for a brand to set England a fire for the advancement of their own ends I am afraid we have seen our best days we knew not when we woâ—…e well so that the Italian saying may be well applyed to poor England I was well I would be better I took Physic and dyed No more now but that I rest still Yours entirely to serve you J. H. Fleet 20 Ian. 1647. XIII To John Wroth Esq. at Petherton Park SIR I Had two of yours lately one in Italian the other in French which were answered in the same Dialect and as I read them with singular delight so I must tell you they struck an admiration into me that in so short a revolution of time you should com to be so great a Master of those Languages both for the Pen and 〈◊〉 I have known divers and those of pregnant and ripe capacities who had spent more oyl and time in those Countreys yet could they not arrive to that double perfection which you have for 〈◊〉 they had got one they were commonly defective in the other Therfore I may say that you have not spartam nactus which was but â—… petty Republic sed Italiam Gelliam nactus es has orna you have 〈◊〉 all Italy and France adorn these Nor is it Language that you have only brought home with you 〈◊〉 I find that you have studied the Men and the 〈◊〉 of those Nations you have convers'd withall Neither have you couâ—…ted â—…nely all their fair Cities Castles Houses of Pleasure and other places of curiosity but you have pryed into the very mysteries of 〈◊〉 Government as I find by those choice Manuscripts and Observations you have brought with you â—…n all these things you â—…are been so curious as if the soul of your great Uncle who was 〈◊〉 Ambassador in the Imperiall Court and who held corâ—…espondence with the greatest men of Christendome in their own â—…anguage had transmâ—…grated into you The freshest News heer is that those heart-burnings and fires of civill commotionâ—… which you left behind you in France cover'd over with thin ashes for the time are broken out again and I beâ—… they will be never quite extinguished till ther be a peace or â—…uce with Spain for till then ther is no hope of abatement of taxes 〈◊〉 't is fear'd the Spanish will out-weary the French at last in 〈◊〉 for the Earth her self I mean his Mines of Mexico and 〈◊〉 affoord him a constant and yeerly Tresure to support his Arâ—… wheras the French King digs his Tresure out of the bowells â—…nd vitall spirits of his own Subjects I pray let me hear from you by the next opportunity for I shall â—…old my time well employed to correspond with a Gentleman of â—…uch choice and gallant parrs In which desires I rest Your most affectionat and faithfull Sâ—…rvitor J. H. â—…9 Aug 1649 XIV To Mr. W. B. HOw glad was I my choice and precious Nephew to receivâ—… yours of the 24 current wherin I was sory though satisfieâ—… in point of belief to find the ill fortune of Interception which be fell my last unto you Touching the condition of things heer you shall understand that our miseries lengthen with our days for though the Sun and the Spring advance nearer us yet our times are not grown a whâ—… the more comfortable I am afraid this City hath foold her self in to a slavery the Army though forbidden to com within ten miles of Her by Order of Parlement quarters now in the Bowells of Her they threaten to break her Percullies Posts and Chains to make her pervious upon all occasions they have secured also the Tower with addition of strength for themselves besides a Famine doth insensibly creep upon us and the Mint is starv'd for want of Bullion Trade which was ever the sinew of this Island doth visibly decay and the Insurance of Ships is risen from two to ten in the hundred Our gold is ingrossed in privat hands or gon beyond Sea to travell without Licence and much I beleeve of it is return'd to the earth whence it first came to be buried where our late Nephews may chance to find it a thousand yeers hence if the world lasts so long so that the exchanging of white earth into red I mean silver into gold is now above six in the hundred and all these with many more are the dismall effects and concomitants of a civill War T is tru we have had many such black days in England in former ages but those paralleld to the present are as the shadow of a Mountain compar'd to the eclipse of the Moon My prayers early and late are that God Almighty would please not to turn away his face quite but cheer us again with the light of his countenance And I am well assur'd you will joyn with me in the same Orison to Heavens gate in which confidence I rest Your most affectionatly to serve you J. H. From the Fleet 10 of Decemb 1647. XV. To Sir K. D. at Paris SIR NOw that you are return'd and fix'd a while in France an old servant of yours take's leave to kiss your hands and salute you 〈◊〉 an intense degree of heat and height of passion T is well you â—…ook hands with this infortunat Isle when you did and got your â—…iberty by such a royall mediation as the Queen Regents for had â—…ou staid you would have taken but little comfort in your life in regard that ever since ther have bin the fearfullest distractions heer that ever happen'd upon any part of the earth a Beluin kind of imâ—…nity never rag'd so among men insomuch that the whole Countrey might have taken its appellation from the smallest part therof and be call'd the Isle of Dogs for all humanity common honesty and that Mansuetude with other Morall Civilities
which should distinguish the rationall Creature from other Animalls have been lost heer a good while Nay besides this Cinicall ther â—…s a kind of Wolvish humor hath seizd upon most of this peeple a â—…u lycanthropy they so worry and seek to devour one another so â—…hat the wild Arab and fiercest Tartar may be call'd civill men in comparison of us therfore he is happiest who is furthest off from this wofull Island The King is streightned of that liberty he formerly had in the Isle of Wight and as far as I see may make up the number of Nebuchadnezzars yeers before he be restored The Parlement persists in their first Propositions and will go nothing less This is all I have to send at this time only I will adjoyn the tru respects of From the Fleet this 5 of May 1647. Your most faithfull humble Servitor J. H. XVI To Mr. W Blois in Suffolk SIR YOurs of the seventeenth current came safely to hand and 〈◊〉 kiss your hands for it you mention there two others that cannot which makes me condole the loss of such jewells for I esteem all your Letters so being the precious effects of your love which I value at a high rate and please my self much in the contemplation of it as also in the continuance of this Letter-correspondence which is perform'd on your part with such ingenuous expressions and embroder'd still with new florishes of invention I am stil under hold in this fatall Fleet and like one in a tempest aâ—… Sea who hath been often near the shoar yet is still toss'd back by contrary winds so I have had frequent hopes of freedom but som cross accident or other always intervened insomuch that I am now in half despair of an absolut release till a generall Gaoâ—… delivery yet notwithstanding this outward captivity I have inward liberty still I thank God for it The greatest News is that between twenty and thirty thousand well-armed Scots have been utterly routed riffed and all taken prisoners by less than 8000 English I must confess 't was a great exploit wherof I am not sorry in regard that the English have regain'd hereby the honor which they had lost abroad of late yeers in the opinion of the world ever since the Pacification at Berwick and divers traverses of War since What Hamiltons design was is a mystery most think that he intended no good either to King or Parlement So with my dayly more and more endeared affections unto you I rest Yours ever to love and serve you J. H. Fleet 7 May. 1647. XVII To Mr. R. Baron in Paris Gentle Sir I Receiv'd and presently ran over your Cyprian Academy with much greedines and no vulgar delight and Sir I hold my self much honor'd for the Dedication you have been pleas'd to make thereof to me for it deserv'd a far higher Patronage Truly I must tell you without any Complement that I have seldom met with such an ingenuous mixture of Prose Verse interwoven with such varieties of fancy charming strains of amorous Passions which have made all the Ladies of the land in love with you If you begin already to court the Muses so hansomly and have got such footing on Parnassus you may in time be Lord of the whole Hill and those nice Girles because Apollo is now grown unweldy and old may make choice of you to officiat in his room and preside over them I much thank you for the punctuall narration you pleas'd to send me of those commotions in Paris I believe France will never be in perfect repose while a Spaniard sits at the Stern and an Italian steers the Rudder In my opinion Mazirini should do wisely now that he hath feather'd his nest so well to truss up his Baggage and make over the Alps to his own Countrey lest the same Fate betide him as did the Marquis of Ancre his Compatriot I am glad the Treaty goes on 'twixt Spain and France for nothing can portâ—…nd a greater good to Christendom than a Conjunction of those two great Luminaries which if it please God to bring about I hope the Stars will change their Aspects and we shall see better days I send heer inclosed a second Bill of Exchange in case the first I sent you in my last hath miscarried So my dear Nephew I embrace you with both my Arms and rest Fleet this 20 of Iune 1647. Yours most entirely to love and serve you while Jam. Howell XVIII To Mr. Tho. More at York SIR I Have often partak'd of that pleasure which Letters use to carry along with them but I do not remember to have found a greater proportion of delight than yours afford me your last of the fourth current came to safe hand wherin me thought each line each word each syllable breath'd out the Passions oâ—… a cleer and candid soul of a vertuous and gentle spirit Truly Sir as I might perceive by your ingenious and patheticall expressions therin that you were transported with the heat of tru affection towards me in the writing so was I in the reading which wrought upon me with such an Energy that a kind of extasie possesâ—…'d me for tho time I pray Sir go on in this correspondence you shall find that your lines will not be ill bestowed upon me for I love and respect you dearly well nor is this love grounded upon vulgar Principles but upon those extraordinary parts of virtu and worth which I have discover'd in you and such a love is the most permanent as you shall find in Fleet 1 of Sep. 1647. Your most affectionat Oncle J. H. XIX To Mr. W. B. 3º Maii. SIR YOur last Lines to me were as delightfull as the Season they were as sweet as Flowers in May nay they were far more dragrant than those fading Vegetalls they did cast a greater suarity than the Arabian Spices use to do in the gran Cayro where when the wind is Southward they say the ayr is as 〈◊〉 as a persum'd Spanish Glove The air of this City is not so specially in the heart of the City in and about Pauls Church where Horse-dung is a yard deep insomuch that to cleanse it would be aâ—… hard a task as it was for Hercules to cleanse the Augean Stable by drawing a great River through it which was accounted one of his twelve labors but it was a bitter taunt of the Italian who passing by Pauls Church and seeing it full of Horses Now I perceive said he that in England Men and Beasts serve God alike No more now but that I am Your most faithfull Servant J. H. XXI To Sir Paul Pindar Knight upon the version of aâ—… Italian peece into English call'd St. Pauls Progress upon earth a new and a notable kind of Satyr SIR ST Paul having descended lately to view Italy and other placeâ—…â—…s you may trace him in the following Discours he would noâ—… take Wing back to Heaven before he had given you a speciall visit who have
bigger than the earth and sea though conglobated to twinkle onely and be an ornament to the roose of heaven but he plac'd in the convex of every one of those vast capacious spheres som living creatures to glorifie his name among whom ther is in evry one of them one supereminent like man upon Earth to be Lord paramount of all the rest To this haply may allude the old opinion that ther is a peculiar Intelligence which guides and governs every orb in Heaven They that would thus colonize the stars with Inhabitants do place in the body of the Sun as was said before the purest the most immateriall and refined'st Intellectuall creatures whence the Allmighty calls those he will have to be immediately about his person and to be admitted to the Hierarchy of Angels This is far dissonant from the opinion of the Turk who holds that the Sun is a great burning globe design'd for the damned They who are transported with this high speculation that ther are Mansions and habitable conveniences for creatures to live within the bodies of the Celestiall Orbs seem to tax Man of a high presumption that he should think all things were created principally for Him that the Sun and Stars are serviceable to him in chief viz. to measure his daies to distinguish his seasons to direct him in his navigations and powr wholsom influences upon him No doubt they were created to be partly usefull and comfortable to him but to imagine that they are solely and chiefly for him is a thought that may be said to be above the pride of Lucifer They may be beneficiall unto him in the generation and encrease of all Elementary creatures and yet have peculiar Inhabitants of their own besides to concur with the rest of the world in the service of their Creator 'T is a fair prerogative for man to be Lord of all Torestirall Aquatic and airie creatures that with his harping Iron he oan draw ashore the great Leviathan that He can make the Camell and huge Dromedary to kneel unto him and take up his burthen That he can make the fierce Bull though ten times stronger than himself to endure his yoke that he can fetch down the Eagle from his nest with such priviledges but let Him not presume too far in comparing himself with heavenly bodies while he is no other thing than a worm crawling upon the surface of this Earth Now the Earth is the basest creature which God hath made therfore 't is call'd his footstool and though som take it to be the Centre yet it is the very sediment of the Elementary world as they say the Moon is of the celestiall t is the very sink of all corruption and frailty which made Trismegist say that Terra non mundus est nequitiae locus The Earth not the World is the seat of wickednes And though t is true she be susceptible of light yet the light terminats only on her superficies being not able to enlighten any thing els as the stars can do Thus have I proportioned my short discours upon this spacious problem to the size of an Epistle I reserve the fulnes of my opinion in this point till I receave yours touching Copernicus It hath bin alwaies my practice in the search and evenulation of naturall verities to keep to my self a Philosophicall freedom as not to make any ones opinion so magisteriall and binding but that I might be at liberty to recede from it upon more pregnant and powerfull reasons For as in theologicall tenet 't is a rule Quicquid non descendit a montâ—… Scripturae taâ—…em authoritate contemnitur qua approbatur Whatsoever descends not from the mount of holy Scripture may be by the same authority rejected as well as receiv'd So in the disquisitions and winnâ—…wing of physicall truths Quicquid non descendâ—…t a monte Ratioâ—…s c. whatsoever descends not from the mount of Reason may be as well rejected as approved of So longing after an opportunity to pursue this point by mixture of oral discours which hath more elbow room than a letter I rest with all candor and cordiall affection Fleet this 2 of Novem. 1647. Your faithfull servant J. H. X. To the Right Honble the La. E. D. Madam THose rays of goodnes which are diffusedly scatterd in others are all concentred in you which were they divided into equall portions were enough to compleat a whole Jury of Ladies This drawes upon you a mixture of Love and envis or rather an admiration from all who know you specially from me and that in so high a degree that if you would suffer your self to be adoâ—…d you should quickly find me Religious in that kind Howsoever I am bold to send your Ladiship this as a kind of homage or heriâ—… or tribut or what you please to tearm it in regard I am a true vassall to your vertues And if you please to lay any of your commands upon me your will shall be a law unto me which I will observe with as much allegiance as any branch of Magna Charta they shall be as binding to me as Lycurgus lawes were to the Spartans and to this I subscribe Fleet this 10 of Aug. 1647. J. H. XI To Mr. R. B. Esquire at Grunsburgh SIR VVHen I orelook'd the list of my choicest frends to insert your name I paws'd a while and thought it more proper to begin a new collaterall file and put you in the front therof where make account you are plac'd If any thing upon earth partakes of Angelic happines in civill actions 't is frendship it perfumes the thoughts with such sweet idaeas and the heart with such melting passions such are the effects of yours to me which makes me please my self much in the speculation of it I am glad you are so well return'd to your own family and touching the Wheelwright you write of who from a cart came to be a Captain it made me think of the perpetuall rotations of Fortune which you know Antiquity seated upon a Wheel in restles though not violent volubility And truly is was never more verified than now that those spokes which were formerly but collaterall and som of them quite underneath are now coming up apace to the top of the wheel I hope ther will be no cause to apply to them the old verse I learnt at school Asperius nihil est humili cùm surgit in altum But ther is a transcendent over-ruling providence who cannot only check the rowlings of this petty wheel and strike a naile into it that it shall not stir but stay also when he pleaseth the motions of those vast spheres of Heaven wher the stars are alwaies stirring as likewise the whirlings of the Primum Mobile itself which the Astronomers say drawes all the world after it in a rapid revolution That divine providence vouchsafe to check the motions of that malevolent planet which hath so long lowr'd upon poor England and send us better daies So salâ—…ting you
of the King of England with other Kings 102 A Letter of respects to a Lady 104 A caution not to neglect the Latine for any vulgar Language 105 Of Praises to God and how they are the best Oblations 106 A facetious Tale of Henry the Fourth of France 107 America only free from Mahometisme 18 The Alchoran brought in by the Alfange 19 Arabic the sole Language of the Alchoran 17 Of the black Bean in Mahomets heart 3 Of vanity of beauties 2 The Mendicant Friers make a kind of amends for the excesses of the Cardinalls and Bishops 6 Of borrowing and buying of Books 34 Canary the best of Wine 74 Christianity more subject to variety of opinions than any other Religion and the cause therof 12 Advice from attempting a busines 27 Reputation like a Venice glass 26 A Fable of Fire Water and Fame 26 Advice to a young Soldier 26 A facetious Tale of a Soldier 27 Two famous sayings of Secretary Walsingham and Cecill 29 Of delay in busines 29 Of dispatch 29 The Mulberry an Embleme of Wisdom 30 The famous saying of Charles the fift 30 Of matches 'twixt England and Spain 30 Of the falling off of Catalonia and Portugall from the King of Spain and a judgment upon it 31 The vertu of money 31 A famous saying of Cap. Talbot 31 Of a hard intricat busines 32 Of the vertu of Letters 33 A Letter of reprehension for careles writing 34 Som amorous Stanza's 35 A Letter of gratitude 36 An Apology for Women 37 Of good and bad Women 37 Of free courtesies 38 A courtesie may be marr'd in the Mode 38 An Apology for silence 39 A Tale of a Nâ—…apolitan Confessor 39 A new Island discover'd hard by the Terreras 39 Of the Hill Vesuvius 39 Som rarities of Venice 40 Of the Genoways 40 Of our Indian Mariners 40 Grunnius Sophista's last VVill. 42 The Authors last Testament 43 Of Melancholy 44 A facetious tale of a Porter 45 A modest reply of a Letter of praise 46 A Letter of Patience 47 Of Chymistry 47 Of the Diseases of the time 47 A Letter of Recommendation 48 Of superfluâ—…us Servants 48 An advice to Travell 49 Of reading of Books 40 Of partiality of News 50 The History of Conanus and the 11000 Virgins mistaken 51 Of Prisoners 52 The Authors Epitaph 52 Advice to a Cambridg Scholar 53 A Letter of comfort 54 The effects of imprisonment 55 Of Chymistry 55 Of Dunkirk 56 A Letter of State 56 A Tale of the late Queen of Spain 57 The Turks Prayer 58 Of Nature Fate and Time 58 A Consolatory Letter 58 A modest reply to a Letter Encomiastic 59 A Letter of reprehension for not writing 60 Of Q. Eliz. pro con 61 How the Spaniards charge her 61 Of futilous Writers 62 Of speeding Letters 63 A Letter of Meditation 64 The advantage of Marriage 66 A Letter of Complement to a Lady 66 A Hymn to the Blessed Trinity 67 St. Austins wish in a Hymn 69 Of fearing and loving of God 68 A large Discourse of all sorts of Beverages that are us'd on earth 70 Of all sorts of Wines 71 The Riddle of the Vineyard man 70 Of German and Greek Drinkers 70 Of Sir Walter Rawleigh 95 Of the pittifull condition of England 99 A congratulatory Letter from Travell 105 Of Prayer and Praise 106 Of the Excise 107 A Tale of Monsieur de la Chatre 107 The power of Letters 109 Som Spanish Epitaphs 110 Of French Lawyers 113 A Letter Congratulatory for mariage 110 A Lettee Consolatory to a sick body 113 Stanzas of Mortality 114 Of the Passion Week 115 A Caution for imparting secrets 117 A Letter of Intelligence 118 Of Autology 120 A Letter of Consolation 121 A large Poem 122 Self-travell one of the ways that lead us to Heaven 122 Ut clavis portam sic pandit Epistola pectus Clauditur Haec cerâ clauditur Illa serâ As Keys do open chests So Letters open brests AN Index to the last Parcell of EPISTLES OF the use of Passions 1 Passions like Muscovia VVives expect to bee check'd 1 The conquest of ones self the greatest point of valour 1 Of the wars of Venice 2 The fearfull commotions of Naples 2 The horrid commotions in Ethiopia 2 Strange Revolutions in China 2 The monstrous Insurrections in Moscovia 2 A Prophecie of Holland 3 A Letter of correspondence 3 Letters compared to Ecchoes 4 Of Heaven 4 Endearments of love 4 Of the Presbyter and his first rise 5 Of Calvin his prophane appplications 5 Of Geneva 5 King Iames calld Presbytery a Sect. 6 Redemption the blessing paramount 6 The Eucharist the prime act of devotion 6 A Hymn upon the Holy Sacrament 7 A Rapture 8 The happiest condition of life 9 Opinion the great Lady that rules the world 9 Conceit the chiefest thing that makes one happy 9 Of the strange monster in Scotland 9 The incertain state of a Merchant Adventurer 9 A Mariner scarce to be ranked among the living 9 A rich City like a fatt Cheese subject to Maggots 10 Congratulations to a marryed couple 10 Of Tobacco and the virtu of it 11 A strange cure wrought upon my Lord Scroop by a Pipe of Tobacco 11 The way to know how much smoak ther is in a pound of Tobacco 22 Of Doctor Thorius Paetologie 12 The differing Modes of taking Tobacco 12 A Distic of Tobacco 12 Of Learning in generall 13 Handi-crafts men may well be term'd learned men 13 A wholsom peece of policy of the Chineses 13 A Tale of Bishop Grosthead 14 A meer Scholar a useless thing 14 A facetious Tale of Thomas Aquinas and Bonadventure 14 A Speech of Alexander Hales 14 The generall itching after Book-learning hurtfull to England 15 Gunpowder and Printing about a time and both hurtfull 15 The true learned men 16 A jeer upon the common Lawyer 16 Of the Physician 16 Pope Adrian's speech 16 Of the lunary world 17 Antiquity cannot priviledg an error 17 Novelty cannot prejudice truth 17 Of the Antipodes 17 The method how God powres down his blessings 18 The following day wiser than the formost 18 The Cadet older than his elder brother 18 Of experience 18 The prime Philosophers held ther was a world in the Moon 19 A notable comparison 19 VVhat kind of creatures are thought to be in the body of the Sun 19 Of Galileo's glasse 20 The Turks opinion of the Sun 20 The earth the basest of creatures 21 Of Trismegistus 21 The prerogatives of man 21 A letter of complement to a Lady 22 Of frendship 22 Of Fortunes wheel 23 The power of God 23 What use France hath made of Scotland 24 An Italian saying appliable to England 24 The old plot of the Jesuit now don in England 24 A letter of congratulation from forren travell 25 What a traveller must carry home with him besides language 25 'T is probable the Spaniard will be to hard for the French 25 A Letter complaining of the hard condition of England