Epistolae Ho-Elianae.  
FAMILIAR LETTERS Domestic and Foreign;  
Divided into sundry SECTIONS, Partly Historical, Political, Philosophical, Upon Emergent Occasions: By james Howell Esq One of the Clerks of His late Maties most Honble Privy Council.  
The second Edition, enlarged with divers supplements, and the Dates annexed which were wanting in the first, With an Addition of a third volume of new Letters.  Ut clavis portam, sic pandit Epistola pectus. 
London, Printed by W. H. for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1650.   

These ensuing Letters contain for their principal subject a faithful relation of the privatest passages that happened at Court a good part of King Jame's reign, and that of His late Majesty. As also of such foreign affairs which had reference to these Kingdoms;  

Viz. Of  
THe Wars of Germany, and the transactions of the Treaties about restoring the Palanat, with the House of Austria and Sweden.  
The Treaty and traverses of the Match with Spain.  
The Treaty of the Match with France.  
An exact survey of the Netherlands.  
Another of Spain, Italy, France, and of most Countries in Europe, with their chief Cities and Governments.  
Of the Hans Towns, and the famous quarrel 'twixt Queen Elizabeth and them.  
Divers Letters of the extent of Christianity, and of other Religions upon Earth.  
Divers Letters of the languages up and down the Earth.  
Accounts of sundry Embassies from England to other States.  
Some pieces of Poetry wherewith the Prose goes interlarded.  
Divers new opinions in Philosophy descanted upon.  
Passages of former Parlements, and of this present, etc.   
Among these Letters there goes along a Legend of the Author's life, and of his several employments, with an account of his Foreign Travels and Negotiations; wherein he had occasion to make his address to these Personages, and Persons underwritten.  

Letters to Noblemen.  
TO His late Majesty.  
To the Duke of Buckingham  
To the Earl of Cumberland  
To the Earl of Dorset  
To the Earl of Rutland  
To the Earl of Leicester  
To the Earl of Sunderland  
To the Earl of Bristol  
To the Earl Rivers  
To the Earl of Strafford  
To the Earl of Carberry▪  
To the L. Viscount Conway, Secretary  
To the L. Vic. Savage  
To the L. Herbert of Cherberry  
To the L. Cottington  
To the L. Mohun  
To the L. Digby.  
To the Lady Marchioness of Winchester  
To the La. Scroop  
To the Countess of Sunderland  
To the La. Cornwallis  
To the La. Digby▪  
To Bishop V sher, Lord Primate of Ireland  
To B. Field  
To B. Duppa  
To the B. of London  
To B. Howell.   

To Knights, Doctors, Esquires, Gentlemen and Merchants.  
TO Sir Robert Mansell  
To Sir james Crofts  
To Sir john North  
To Sir Edward Spencer  
To Sir Kenelm Digby  
So Sir Peter Wichts  
To Sir Sackvill Trever  
To Sir Sackvill Crow  
To Sir Arthur Ingram  
To Sir Thomas Lake  
To Sir Eubule Theloall  
To Sir Alex. Ratcliff  
To Sir Edward Savage  
To Sir john Smith  
To Sir Will: Saintgeon  
To Sir Thomas Savage  
To Sir Fran. Cottington  
To Sir Robert Napier  
To Sir Philip Manwayring  
To Sir Bevis Theloall.  
To Doctor Mansell  
To Dr. Howell  
To Dr. Prichard  
To Dr. Wicham  
To Dr. I. Day.  
To Mr. Alderman Clethero  
To Mr. Alder. Moulson  
To the Town of Richmond.  
To Mr. R. Altham  
To Mr. D. Calawall  
To Cap. Fran. Bacon  
To Mr. Ben. johnson  
To Mr. End. and Cap. Tho. Porter  
To Mr. Simon Digby  
To Mr. Walsingham Gresley  
To Mr. Thomas Gwyn  
To Mr. john Wroth  
To Mr. William Blois  
To Mr Robert Baron  
To Mr. Thomas More  
To Mr. john Savage  
To Mr. Hugh Penry  
To Mr. Christoph. 〈◊〉  
To Mr. R. Brown.  
To Mr. William Martin  
To Cap. Nicholas Let  
To Mr. R. Brownrigg.  
To Mr. john Batty  
To Mr. Will. Saintgeon  
To Mr. james Howard  
To Mr. Ed. Noy  
To Mr. William Austin  
To Mr. Rowland Gwyn  
To Mr. Will. Vaughan  
To Mr. Arthur Hop●…on  
To Mr. Thomas jones  
To Mr. I. Price  
To Captain Ol. Saintgeon.   
With divers others.   

To His Majesty.  
SIR,  
THese Letters addressed (most of them) to Your best degrees of Subjects, do, as so many lines drawn from the Circumference to the Centre, all meet in Your Majesty, who, as the Law styles You the Fountain of honour and grace, so You should be the Centre of our happiness. If Your Majesty vouchsafe them a Gracious Aspect, they may all prove Letters of credit, if not credential Letters, which Sovereign Princes use only to Authorise: They venture to go abroad into the vast Ocean of the World, as Letters of Mart, to try their Fortunes; and Your Majesty being the greatest Lord of Sea under Heaven, is fittest to protect them, and then they will not fear any human power. Moreover, as this Royal Protection secures them from all danger, so it will infinitely conduce to the prosperity of their voyage, and bring them to safe Port with rich returns.  
Nor would these Letters be so familiar, as to presume upon so high a Patronage, were not many of them Records of Your Own Royal Actions; And 'tis well known, that Letters can treasure up, and transmit matters of State to posterity, with as much Faith, and be as authentic Registers, and safe repo●…itories of Truth, as any Story whatsoever.  
This brings them to lie all prostrate at Your Feet, with their Author who is  
Sir, Your Majesty's most Loyal Subject and Servant, HOWELL.   

To the knowing READER. OF Familiar Letters.  

LOve is the life of Friendship, Letters are  
The life of Love, the Loadstones that by rare  
Attraction make souls meet, and melt, and mix,  
As when by fire exalted gold we fix.   

They are those winged Pestillions that can fly,  
From the Anartic to the Artic sky,  
The Heralds and swift Harbingers that move  
From East to West on Embassies of Love;  
They can the Tropics cut, and cross the Line,  
And swim from Ganges to the Rhone or Rhine,  
From Thames to Tagus, th●…nce to Tiber run,  
And terminat their journey with the Sun:   

They can the Cabinets of Kings unscrue,  
And hardest intri●…acies of State unclue;  
They can the the Tartar tell, what the Mogor  
Or the great Turk doth on the Asian shore,  
The Knez of them may know, what Prester John  
Doth with his Camels in the torrid Zone:  
Which made the Indian Inca think they were  
Spirits who in white sheets the A●…r did tear.   

The lucky Goose saved Jove's beleaguered Hill 
Capitol.   
Once by her noise, but oftener by her Quill:  
It twice prevented Rome, was not o▪ re-run  
By the tough Vandal, and the rough hewn Hun. 
Liv. Powder-Plot.    

Letters can Plots though mo●…lded under ground  
Disclose, and their fell complices confound,  
Witness that fiery Pile which would have blown  
Up to the Clouds, Prince, Peeple, Peers, and Town,  
Tribunals, Church, and Chapel, and had dried  
The Thames, though swelling in her highest prid●…,  
And parboiled the poor Fish, which from her Sand●…  
Had been tossed up to the adjoining Lands.  
Lawyers as Vultures had soared up and down,  
Prelates like Magpi●…s in the Air had flown,  
Had not the Eagles Letter brought to light,  
That Subterranean horrid Work of night.   

credential Letters, States, and Kingdoms tie,  
And Monarches knit in ligues of Amity;  
They are those golden Links that do enchai●…  
Whole Nations, though discinded by the Main;  
They are the soul of Trade, they make Commerce,  
Expand itself throughout the Univers.   

Letters may more than History enclose,  
〈◊〉 choicest learning, both for Verse and Prose;  
●…ey knowledge can unto our souls display,  
●… amore gentle, and familiar way,  
●…e highest points of State and Policy,  
●…e most severe parts of Philosophy  
●…ay be their subject, and their Themes e●…rich  
●… well as private businesses, in which  
●…nds use to correspond, and Kindred greet,  
●…rchants negotiate, the whole World meet.  
●…n Seneca's rich Letters is enshrined  
〈◊〉 ere the Ancient Sages left behind:  
●…y makes his the secret symptoms tell  
●… those distempers which proud Rome befell,  
〈◊〉 in her highest flourish she would make  
〈◊〉 Tiber from the Ocean homage take.  
●…at Antonin the Emperor did gain  
●…re glory by his Letters, than his reign,  
〈◊〉 Pen outlasts his Pike, each golden lin●…  
●…is Epistles do his name enshrine,  
〈◊〉 clius by his Letters did the same,  
〈◊〉 they in chief immortallize his fame.  
●…ords vanish soon, and vapour into Air,  
●…e Letters on Record stand fresh and fair,  
〈◊〉 tell our Nephews who to us were dear,  
〈◊〉 our choice friends, who our familiars were.  
●…he bashful Lover when his flammering lips  
●…er, and fear some unadvised slips,  
〈◊〉 boldly court his Mistress with the Quill,  
〈◊〉 his hot passions to her Breast ●…still;  
Pen can furrow a fond Females heart,  
pierce it more than Cupid feigned dart:  
Letters a kind of Magic virtue have,  
And like strong Philtres human souls enslave.   

Speech is the Index, Letters Ideas are  
Of the informing soul, they can declare,  
And show the inward man, as we behold  
A face reflecting in a Crystal mould:  
They serve the dead and living, they become  
Attorneys and Administers: In somm,   

Letters as Ligaments the World do tie,  
Else all commence and love 'twixt men would die.   
J. H.   

An Extract of the Heads of the choicest matters that go interwoven amongst the Letters of the first Volume.  

The first Section.  
OF Abusers of Familiar Letters. Page. 1  
Of Somersets fall, and Buckingham's rise. 4  
●…listris Turner executed in yellow starch at Tyburn, and Sir Gervas' Elwayes on Tower-hill, his memorable caution against swearing, and the Lo. Wil of Pembr●…ks noble act to his Lady and children. 4  
Sir Walter Raleighs sorry return from Guiana, Count Gondamars' violent prosecution of him, and a facetious Tale of Alphonso King of Naples, etc. 7  
Of the study of our Common Law, and what Genius is aptest for it. 16  
●…he true manner of the surrendry of the cautionary towns, Flishing and Brill. 18  
The force of Letters. 20  
A Letter of love. 26  
Some choice Observations of Amsterdam. 9 13, 14  
Of the University of Leyden, and a clash 'twixt Arminius and Baudius. 14  
Of Grave Maurice Prince of Orange, and of his regul●… course of life. 1●…  
Of Antwerp, and her Citadel. 2●…  
Of France, of Normandy, and th●… City of Roven. 2●…  
Of Paris, and an odd mischance that befell a Secreta●… of State there. 2●…  
Of Luines the the Favourite. 2●…  
An exact Relation from an eye-witness of the assass●… nat committed on the person of Henry the Grea●… 3●…  
His rare Perfections, and divers witty Speeches 〈◊〉 his. 3●…  
An exact Relation of that Monstrous death of the Ma●… quis of Ancre by an eye-witness. 3●…  
Of St. Malos, and the Province of Brittany, the vicini●… of their Language with the Welsh. 3●…  
Of Rochel and the humours of the people. 3●…  
The strong operations of love, and a facetious Tale 〈◊〉 the Duke of Ossunas. 37  
Of the Pyreney Hills. 38  
Of the noble City of Valentia, and various effects 〈◊〉 the Sun. 4●…  
Of Alicant and the Grapes thereof. 4●…  
Of Carthagena. 4●…  
Of Scylla and Charybdis, Mount Aetna, and the vulga●… Greek, etc. 4●…  
Of the admirable City of Venice, her Glass Furnaces, with a speculation raised thereon, her renowned Arsenal and treasury, her age and constitution, her famous Bucentoro, with a Philosophical notion arising thence, etc. from 45 to 6●…  
Of the virtue of Letters. 52  
A Letter of gratitude. 53  
Some witty sayings of Spaniards. 60  
Some witty Observations of Rome, the manner of creating Cardinals. 61  
Of foreign Travel. 67  
Of the gentle City of Naples. 65  
A saying of King james. 68  
A resemblance 'twixt the old Lombard's and the Welsh. 68  
A witty saying of Lewis the 11. 70  
Of Florence, Genoa, Luca, etc. 70  
Of Milan, and the Duke of Savoy. 73  
Of the Italian Tongue. 74  
Of the humour of the Italian. 85  
Of the hideous mountains the Alps, and of Lion in France. 77  
Of Geneva, and a strange thing that happened at Lion. 79  
The six famous Verses made of Venice. 59  
A notable magnanimous Speech of a Turk. 56   

The second Section.  
MY Lord Bacon's opinion of Monsieur Cadenet the French Ambassador about little men. 2  
Two Letters of Endearments. 3  
A notable saying of the La. Elizabeth. 4  
Of Sir Robert Mansels return from Algiers. 11  
Queen Ann's death and the last Comet. 7  
M. of Buckingham made Lord Admiral, etc. 13  
The beginning of the Bohemian Wars. 4  
The Palsgraves' undertaking that Crown. 4  
Prague lost. 5  
Spinola's going to the Palatinat, the manner of taking Oppenheim, and the unworthiness of the Marq. of Ansbuck the Germane General. 9  
The strange wonder in Holland, of a Lady that brought forth as many Children as days in the year, etc. 14  
Of the sailing Wagon. 1●…  
An elaborat survey of the seventeen Provinces, the ground of their quarrel with the Spaniard, the difference of Government, and humours of people, from 15 to 26  
The difference 'twixt the Flemin, Walloon, and Hollander. 26  
The last French Kings piety to his Mother. 29  
Phlebotomy much used in France. 33  
A congratulatory Letter for Marriage. 27  
A Satirical Play in Antwerp about the Prince Palsgraves' proceedings. 28  
Wars 'twixt the French King and the Protestants. 31  
A famous Speech of St. Lewis. 33  
Of the French Favourite Luines, and his two brothers Cadenet and Brand. 47  
The strange story of the Maid of Orleans, and how the English were revenged of her. 36  
A facetious passage of the Duke of Espernon. 38  
The opinion of a French Doctor of English Ale. 34  
The French Polette. 37   

The third Section.  
Gondamars' first audience about the Spanish Match, and the ill Augury that befell. 49  
Sir Henry Montague made Lord Treasurer; a facetious question asked him. 41  
Cautions for travelling Italy. 43  
K. james his sharp answer to the Parliament from Newmarket about the Spanish Match, etc. His facetious Speech of my Lady Hatton. 44  
Of the Synod of Dort. 54  
Archb. Abbot's disaster to kill a Keeper etc. 49  
The French Kings proceedings against the Protestants, and the death of Luines. 56  
Of the Infanta of Spain, and her two brothers. 51  
The bold manner of Petitioning the King of Spain. 52  
Some commendable qualities of the Spaniards. 54  
Of the old Duke of Larma. 54  
Material thinks of the Match. 55  
The witty Speech of the Marquis of Montesclares. 57  
Of Count mansfield's notable retreat to Breda, his chiefest exploit. 58  
Of our Prince his arrival at the Court of Spain, his usage there, and some passages of Gondamars'. 60  
Of his comportment in courting the Lady Infanta, etc. 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 Turk's death, with some Observations thereon. 70  
Of his omino●…s dream, and the grand Viziers Prediction to Sir Tho. Roe. 73  
A Discourse '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 bristols Audience upon his receiving a new Commission. 80  
Probabilities that the Spaniard intended a Match with England. 79  
My Lo. Pagetts witty Speech in Parliament. 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 were made the Earl of Bristol, 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 soil, and the humour of the Inhabitants, from 87 to 93  
Of things happened at the siege of Bergen op Zooma. A pleasant Tale of a lame Captain. 94  
Of the virtue of Familiar Letters. 96  
Of that stupendous Monument the Escurial. 96  
Of the late famous Duke of Ossuna, divers passages. 98  
Of writing by cipher. 99  
A memorable Passage of the Jesuits. 98  
A facetious Tale of a Soldier. 100   
This third Section contains divers intrinsical 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 fruitfulness of friendship. 103  
Of Count Mansfelt. 104  
An exact Relation of his late Majesty's death by an eye-witness. 106  
Of my Lo: Verulam after his fall. 108  
Cautions for Marriage. 109  
The disastrous 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  
Some advertisements to the Duke of Buckingham before the Parliament. 121  
The true nature of love. 12●…  
Of Count Mansfelt. 124  
Cardinal Richelieu's first rise. 111  
A facetious saying of the Queen of France touching Co: Mansfelt. 124  
A clashing 'twixt Buckingham and Bristol. 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 Majesty's arrival in England. 126  
The dissolution of the Parliament at Oxon, and of the Lord Keeper Williams. 127  
Of the Renvoy of her Majesty's French servants, etc. 130  
The reasons alleged 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 Rochel, 140  
Of the Wars in Italy, about the Duchy of Mantova. 137  
A circumstantial 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  
Colonel Gray's quick device to save his life out of a saltpit. 139  
A methodical Incitement for an Oxford Student. 144  
Of the taking the great Royal 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 thereupon. 149  
The properties of a Footman. 151  
Of Ben johnsons' Genius. 154  
Of tardy Courtesies. 156  
Some amorous Sonnets of black eyes, etc. 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 sweden first rushing into Germany. 165  
The King of Denmark's 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, etc. 168  
A gear put upon Sir Tho. edmond's being Ambassador in France. 169  
Another gear of the French Ambassador. 169  
Of Sir Tho. Wentworth's violent rising up. 170  
Of the King of sweden monstrous Progres, his clashing with the English and French Ambassadors. 173  
A Letter of thanks. 172  
A description of an Ollapodrida. 174  
Of the Spanish Inquisition. 178  
The death of the Queen Dowager of Denmark, His Majesty's Grandmother, the richest Princess of Christendom, etc. 175   

The sixth Section.  
AN exact relation of the Earl of Leicester's Embassy to the King of Denmark and other Princes. 188  
Some remarkable passages in the Danish Court. 183  
Of Hamburgh and the Hans Towns, their beginning, and the famous quarrel they had with Queen Eliza. 184  
The marvellous resemblance of Holsteyn men with the English, etc. 187  
The King of sweden related by an eye-witness, his aversion to the English, etc. 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 Attorney, and of ship-money. 196  
Of the Lord weston's Embassy 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 Jews squanderd up and down the World, how they came to be so cunning and hateful, from whence they expect their Messias, etc. 202  
〈…〉  
The sudden comfort of Letters. 203  
Of a strange Patent given a Scotchman. 203  
Of Attorney Noy's death, and the odd wil●… he made, etc. 204  
The arrival of the Prince Elector, and of Prince Rupert to England, their designs. 205  
Monsieur steals from brussels. 206  
A Herald of Arms sent from France to denounce War against Spain. 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 Pla●…e prize, etc. 210  
Of judgements fallen upon disobedient children. 211  
The Earl of Arondels return from the Germane Diet. 212  
Lorain taken by the French. 212  
Of Translations. 213  
The young Prince Electors ill success in Germany, and Prince Rupert taken Prisoner, etc. 215  
The most tragical death of the Earl of Warfuzee at Liege. 216  
Upon Ben johnsons' death. 217  
A method in devotion. 217  
Razevil come from Poland Ambassador. 210  
The Scots Commanders returning from Germany, flaunt at the English Court. 210  
Of the Sovereign of the Sea, her dimensions, and charge. 222  
Of King Edgar his mighty Naval power, and lofty title, etc. 222  
Of the heat and medicinal virtu of the Bath. 225  
The splendour 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 Shoemaker about Bishops. 229  
Of that furious Naval fight 'twixt Oquendo and the Hollanders in the Downs. 231  
Of Chemistry. 232  
The revolt of Catalonia, and the utter defection of Portugal from the Spaniard. 233  
The doleful casting away of Captain Limmery's ship valued at 400000▪ pounds. 234  
Of a hideous Serpent found in a young Gentleman's heart in Holborn, and other ill-favoured auguries. 235  
Of monstrous profane Epithets given the French Cardinal. 236  
Some facetious passages of the old Duke of Espernon. 238  
Of comfort in captivity. 240  
Of a miraculous accident happened in Hamelen in Germany. 240  
Of the calamities of the times, 241  
Of self examination. 243  
Of Merchant Adventurers. 245  
Of the late Pope's 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 true friend. 250  
Of a strange people 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 acquaint difference the Ancients did put 'twixt a Letter, and an Oration, that the one should be attired like a Woman, the other like a Man: The latter of the two is allowed large side robes, as long periods, parenthesis, similes, examples, and other parts of Rhetorical flourishes: But a ●…etter or Epistle, should be short-coated, and closely couched; a Hungerlin becomes a Letter more handsomely than 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 Tongue and the P●…n are both of them Interproters of the mind; but I hold the Pen to be the more faithful of the two: The Tongue in udo posita, being seated in a moist 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, o●… 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 degenerate from their true nature. Some modern Authors there are, who have exposed their Letters to the world, but most of them, I mean among your Latin Epistolizers, go freighted with mere Bartholomew ware, with trite and trivial phrases only, listed with pedandic shreds of Shool-boy verses. Others there 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 lo●…se flesh without sinews, they have neither joyn●… of art, nor 〈◊〉 in them: They have a kind of simpering and ●…ank hectic expressions made up of a bombast of words and finical affected compliment▪ only: ●… 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 apothe●…m, example, simile, or any thing of Philosophy, History, or solid knowledge, or as much as one new created phrase, in a hundred of them; and to d●…aw any observations out of them, were as if one went about to dis●…il cream out of froth; Insomuch that it may be said of them, what was said of the Echo, That she is a mere sound, and nothing else.  
I return you your Balza●… by thi●… bearer, and when I found those Letters, wherein he is so familiar with his King, so flat, and those to Richelieu, so puffed with profane 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 c●…azie condition of his body, I fo●…bore him further: so I am  
Your most affectionate servitor, J. H. H'●…stminster, 25. Julii., 1625.   

II. To my Father, upon my first going beyond Sea▪  
SIR,  
I Should be much wanting to myself, and to tha●… 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 induced 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 methodical School (so far distant from your dwelling) under a lear●…ed (though lashing) Master; and by transplanting me thence ●…o Oxford, to be graduated; and so holding me still up by the ●…hin, until I could swim without Bladders. This Patrimony ●…f liberal Education you have been Pleased to endow me withal, ●… now carry along with me abroad, as a sure inseparable Tre●…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 ●…e, do incur, yet I do not fear the losing of this, either by Ship●…rack or Pirates at Sea, nor by Robbers, or Fire, or any other Casualty ashore: And at my return to England, I hope, at leastw●…●… shall do my endeavour, that you may find this Patrimony im●…roved somewhat to your comfort.  
The main of my employment, is from that gallant Knight Sir Robert Mansell, who, with my Lord of Pembroke, and divers ●…ther of the prime Lords of the Court, have got the sole Patent ●…f making all sorts of Glass with Pit-cole, only to save those ●…uge proportions of Wood which were consumed formerly in the Glass Furnaces: And this Business being of that nature, that ●…e Workmen are to be had from Italy, and the chief Materials from Spain, France, and other Foreign Countries, there is need ●…f an Agent abroad for this use; (and better than I have offered their service in this kind) so that I believe I shall have Employment in all these Countries, before I return.  
Had I continued still Steward of the Glass-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 myself too green for such a Charge; therefore it hath pleased God to dispose of me now to a Condition more suitable to my years, and that will, I hope, prove more advantageous 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 address to you, for I have no other Rendezvous to flee unto; but it shall not be, unless in case of great indigence.  
Touching the News of the Time: Sir George Villiers, the new Favourite, 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 flies, could not break thorough, but lay entangled in the Cobweb; amongst others, Mistress Turner, the first Inventress of yellow-Starch, was executed in a Cobweb Lawn Ruff of that colour at Tyburn, and with her I believe that yellow-Starch, which so much disfigured our-Nation, and rendered them so ridiculous an●… fantastic, will receive its Funeral. Sir Gervas' Elwayes, Lieutenan●… of the Tower, was made a notable Example of Justice and Terr●… to all Officers of Trust; for being accessary, and that in a passi●… way only to the murder, yet he was hanged on Tower-hill: an●… the Caveat is very remarkable which he gave upon the Gallow●… That people should be very cautious how they make Vows 〈◊〉 heaven, for the breach of them seldom pass without a Judgement, whereof he was a most ruthful Example; for being in th●… Low-countrieses, and much given to Gaming, he once made a solemn Vow, (which he broke afterwards) that if he played abov●… such a sum, he might be hanged. My Lord (William) of Pembroke di●… a most noble Act like himself; for the King having given hi●… 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 Shipboard, and first 〈◊〉 the Low-countrieses. I humbly pray your Blessing may accompany me in these my Travels by Land and Sea, with a con●…uance of your prayers, which will be as so many good Gales to ●…ow me to safe Port: for I have been taught, That the Parents Be●…udictions contribute very much, and have a kind of prophetic virtue ●…o make the child prosperous. In this opinion I shall ever rest,  
Broad-street in London, this 1. of March, 1618. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

III. To Dr. Francis Mansell, since Principal of Jesus▪ College in Oxford.  
SIR,  
BEing to take leave of England, and to launch out into the world abroad, to Breath foreign air a while, I thought it very ●…andsom, and an act well becoming me, to take my leave also of ●…ou, and of my dearly honoured Mother Oxford: Otherwise both ●…f you might have just grounds to exhibit a Bill of Complaint, or rather, a Protest, against me, and cry me up, you for a forgetful friend; she, for an ingrateful Son, if not some spurious Issue. To ●…revent this, I salute you both together: you, with the best of my ●…ost candid affections; her, with my most dutiful observance, ●…nd thankfulness for the milk she pleased to give me in that Exuberance, had I taken it in that measure she offered it me while ●… slept in her lap: yet that little I have sucked, I carry with me ●…ow abroad, and hope that this course of life will help to concoct 〈◊〉 to a greater advantage, having opportunity, by the nature of ●…y employment, to study men as well as Books. The small time I ●…upervis'd the Glass-house, I got amongst those Venetians some ●…atterings of the Italian Tongue, which, besides the little I have, ●…ou know, of School-languages, is all the Preparatives I have made ●…or travel. I am to go this week down to Gravesend, and so ●…mbarque for Holland: I have got a Warrant from the Lords of ●…he Council to travel 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 ra●…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 ours 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 mine is proved a mere Chymer●… an imaginary ai●…y mine; and indeed, his Majesty had never any other conceit of it: But what will not one in Captivity (as Sir Walter was) promise, to regain his Freedom? who would not promise not only mines, but mountains of Gold, for Liberty? & 'tis pity such a knowing well-weighed 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 fatal 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 general conceit the world had of the wisdom of Sir Walter Raleigh; and many of these are like to make Shipwreck 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 Physic, to make him look sickly, that he may be the more pitied, and permitted to lie in his own house. Count Gondamar the Spanish Ambassador speaks high language, and sending lately to desire Audience of his Majesty, he said he had but one word to tell him, his Majesty wondering what might be delivered in one word; when he came before him, he said only, Pirates, Pirates, Pirates, and so departed.  
'tis true that he protested against this Voyage before, and that it could not be but for some praedatory design: And that if it be as I hear, I fear it will go very ill with Sir Walter, and that Gondamar will never give him over, till he hath his head off his shoulders; which may quickly be done, without any new Arraignment, by virtue of the old Sentence that lies still dormant against him, which he could never get off by Pardon, notwithstanding that he mainly laboured in it before he went; but his Majesty could never be brought to it, for he said he would keep this as a Curb to hold him within the bounds of his Commission, and the good behaviour.  
Gondamar cries out, that he hath broke the sacred Peace 'twixt the two Kingdoms, That he hath fired and plundered santo Thoma a Colony the Spaniards had planted with so much blood, near under the Line, which made it prove such a hot service unto him, and where, besides others, he lost his eldest son in the Action; and could they have preserved the Magazine of Tobacco only, besides other things in that Town, something might have been had to countervail the charge of the Voyage. Gondamar allegeth further, that the enterprise of the mine failing, he propounded to the rest of his Fleet to go and intercept some of the Plate-Galeons, with other Designs which would have drawn after them apparent acts of Hostility, and so demands Justice: besides other disasters which fell out upon the dashing of the first design, Captain Remish, who was the main Instrument for discovery of the mine, pistoled himself in a desperate mood of discontent in his Cabin, in the Convertine.  
This return of Sir Walter Raleigh from Guiana, puts me in mind of a facetious tale I read lately in Italian (for I have a little of that Language already) how Alphonso King of Naples sent a Moor who had been his Captive a long time, to Barbary, with a considerable sum of money to buy horses, and to return by such a time. Now there was about the King a kind of Buff●…n or Jester who had a Table-book, or Journal, wherein he was used to register any absurdity, or impertinence, or merry passage that happened about the Court. That day the Moor was dispatched for Barbary, the said Jester waiting upon the King at supper, the King called for his Journal, and asked what he had observed that day: thereupon he produced his Table-book, and amongst other things, he read how Alphons●… King of Naples had sent Beltran the Moor, who had been a long time his Prisoner, to Morocco (his own Country) with so many thousand Crowns, to buy horses. The King asked him why he inserted that: Because, said he, I think he will never come back to be a Prisoner again, and so you have lost both man and money. But if he do come, than your Jest is marred, quoth the King: No Sir; for if he return I will blot out your name, and put him in for a Fool.  
The Application is easy and obvious: But the world wonders extremely, that so great a wise man as Sir Walter Raleigh would return to cast himself upon so inevitable a Rock, as I fear he will; and much more, that such choice men, and so great a Power of Ships, should all come home, and do nothing.  
The Letter you sent to my Father, I conveyed safely the last week to Wales. I am this week, by God's help, for the Netherlands, and then I think for France. If in this my foreign employment I may be any way serviceable unto you, you know what power you have to dispose of me; for I honour you in a very high degree, and will live and die,  
London, 28. of March, 1618. Your humble and ready Servant, J. H.   

V. To my Brother, after Dr. Howell, and now Bp. of Bristol, from Amsterdam.  
BROTHER,  
I Am newly landed at Amsterdam, and it is the first foreign earth I ever set foot upon. I was pitifully sick all the Voyage, for the Wether was rough, and the wind untoward; and at the mouth of the texel we were surprised by a furious Tempest, so that the Ship was like to split upon some of those old stumps of trees wherewith that River is full; for in Ages passed, as the Skipper told me, there grew a fair Forest in that Channel where the texel makes now her bed. Having been so rocked and shaken at Sea; when I came ashore I began to incline to Copernicus his opinion, which hath got such a sway lately in the World, viz. That the Earth as well as the rest of her fellow Elements, is in perpetual motion, for she seemed so to me a good while after I had landed He that observes the site and position of this Country, will never hereafter doubt the truth of that Philosophical Problem which keeps so great a noise in the Schools, viz. That the Sea is higher than the Earth, because as I sailed along these Coasts, I visibly found it true; for the Ground here which is all 'twixt Marsh and Moorish, lies not only level, but to the apparent sight of the eye far lower than the Sea, which made the Duke of Alva say, That the Inhabitants of this Country were the nearest Neighbours to Hell (the great Abyss) of any people upon Earth, because they dwell lowest: Most of that Ground they tread, is plucked as it were out of the very Jaws of Neptun, who is afterwards pennt out by high Dikes, which are preserved with incredible charge, insomuch, That the chief Dike-grave here, is one of the greatest Officers of trust in all the Province, it being in his power, to turn the whole Country into a Salt lough when he list, and so to put Hans to swim for his life, which makes it to be one of the chiefest part of his Litany, From the Sea, the Spaniard, and the Devil, the Lord deliver me. I need not tell you who preserves him from the last, but from the Spaniard, his best friend is the Sea itself, notwithstanding that he fears him as an Enemy another way; for the Sea stretching himself here into divers Arms, and meeting with some of those fresh Rivers that descend from Germany to disgorge themselves into him through these Provinces, most of their towns are thereby encompassed with Water, which by Sluices they can contract or dilate as they list: This makes their Towns inaccessible, and out of the reach of Cannon; so that Water may be said to be one of their best Fences, otherwise I believe they had not been able to have born up so long against the Gigantic power of Spain.  
This City of Amsterdam, though she be a great Staple of News, yet I can impart none unto you at this time, I will defer that till I come to the Hague.  
I am lodged here at one Mounsieur De la Cluze, not far from the Exchange, to make an Introduction into the French, because I believe I shall steer my course hence next to the Country where that Language is spoken; but I think I shall sojourn here about two months longer, therefore I pray direct your Letter●… accordingly, or any other you have for me: One of the prime comforts of a Traveller is to receive Letters from his friends, they beget new spirits in him, and present joyful objects to his fancy, when his mind is clouded sometimes with Fogs of melancholy; therefore I pray make me happy as often as your conveniency will serve with yours: You may send or deliver them to Captain Bacon at the Glass house, who will see them safely sent.  
So my dear brother, I pray God bless us both, and send us after this large distance a joyful meeting.  
Your loving brother, J. H. Amsterdam, April 1. 1617.   

VI To Dan. Caldwall Esq. from Amsterdam.  
My dear Dan.  
I Have made your friendship so necessary unto me, for the contentment of my life, that happiness itself would be but a kind of infelicity without it: It is as needful to me, as Fire and Water, as the very Air I take in, and breath out; it is to me not only neoessitudo, but necessitas: Therefore I pray let me enjoy it in that fair proportion, that I desire to return unto you, by way of correspondencee and retaliation- Our first ligue of love, you know, was contracted among the Muses in Oxford; for no sooner was I matriculated to her, but I was adopted to you; I became her son, and your friend, at one time: You know I followed you then to London, where our love received confirmation in the Temple, and elsewhere. We are now far asunder, for no less than a Sea severs us, and that no narrow one, but the Germane Ocean: Distance sometimes endear's friendship, and absence sweeteneth it, it much 〈◊〉 the value of it, and makes it more precious: Let this be verified in us, Let that love which formerly used to be nourished by personal communication, and the Lips, be now fed by Letters; let the Pen supply the Office of the Tongue: Letters have a strong operation, they have a kind of art like embraces to mingle souls, and make them meet though millions of paces asunder; by them we may converse and know how it fares with each other, as it were by inteecourses of spirits. Therefore amongst your civil speculations, I pray let your thoughts sometimes reflect off me (your absent self) and wrap those thoughts in Paper, and so send them me over: I promise you they shall be very welcome, I shall embrace and hug them with my best affections.  
Commend me to Tom Bowyer, and enjoin him the like: I pray be no niggard in distributing my love plentifully amongst our friends at the Inns of Court; Let jack Toldervy have my kind commends with this caveat, That the Pot which goes often to the water, comes home cracked at last; therefore I hope he will be careful how he makes the Fleece in Cornhill his thoroughfare too often. So may my dear Daniel live happy, and love his  
J. H. From Amsterdam, April the 10. 1619.   

VII. To my Father, from Amsterdam.  
SIR,  
I Am lately arrived in Holland in a good plight of health, and continue yet in this Town of Amsterdam, a Town I believe, that there are few her fellows, being from a mean Fishing Dorp, come in a short revolution of time, by a monstrous increase of Commerce and Navigation, to be one of the greatest Marts of Europe: 'tis admirable to see what various sorts of Buildings, and new Fabrics, are now here erecting every where; not in houses only, but in whole Streets and Suburbs; so that 'tis thought she will in a short time double her proportion in bigness.  
I am lodged in a Frenchman's house, who is one of the Deacons of our English Brownists Church here; 'tis not far from the Synagog of jews, who have free and open exercise of their Religion here: I believe in this Street where I lodge, there be well near as many Religions as there be houses; for one Neighbour knows not, nor cares not much, what Religion the other is of, so that the number of Conventicles exceeds the number of Churches here. And let this Country call itself as long as it will, the united Provinces one way, I am persuaded in this point, there's no place so Disunited.  
The Dog and Rag Market is hard by, where every Sunday morning there is a kind of public Mart for those commodities, notwithstanding their precise observance of the Sabbath.  
Upon Saturday last I happened to be in a Gentleman's company, who showed me as I walked along in the Streets, along Bearded old jew of the Tribe of Aaron; when the other jews met him, they fell down and kissed his Foot: This was that Rabbi, with whom our Countryman Broughton had such a dispute.  
This City, notwithstanding her huge Trade, is far inferior to London for populousness; and this I infer out of their weekly Bills of Mortality, which come not at most but to fifty or thereabouts; whereas in London, the ordinary number is 'twixt two and three hundred, one week with another: Nor are there such Wealthy-men in this Town as in London; for by reason of the generality of Commerce, the Banks, Adventures, the Common shares and stocks which most have in the Indian and other Companies, the Wealth doth'diffuse itself here in a strange kind of equality, not one of the Burghers being exceeding rich or exceeding poor; Insomuch, that I believe our four and twenty Aldermen, may buy a hundred of the richest men in Amsterdam. It is a rare thing to meet with a Beggar here, as rare, as to see a Horse, they say, upon the Streets of Venice, & this is held to be one of their best pieces of Government; for besides the strictness of their Laws against Mendicants, they have Hospitals of all sorts for young and'old, both for the relief of the one and the employment of the other; so that there is no object here to exercise any act of charity upon. They are here very neat, though not so magnificent in their Buildings, specially in their Frontispieces, and first Rooms; and for cleanliness, they may serve for a pattern to all People. They will presently dress half a dozen Dishes of Meat, without any noise or show at all; for if one goes to the Kitchen, there will he scarce appearance of any thing, but a few covered Pots upon a Turf-fire, which is their prime fuel; after dinner they fall a scouring of those Pots▪ so that the outside will be as bright 〈◊〉 the inside, and the Kitchen suddenly so clean, as if no meat had been dressed there a month before: They have neither Well or Fountain, or any Spring of Freshwater, in, or about all this City, but their Freshwater is brought unto them by Boats; besides they have Cesterns to receive the Rain-water, which they much use: So that my Laundress bringing my Linen to me one day, and I commending the Whiteness of them, she answered, That they must needs be White and Fair, for they were washed in Aqua Coelestis, meaning Skie-water.  
'twere cheap living here, were it not for the monstrous Accises which are imposed upon all sorts of Commodities, both for Belly and Back; for the Retailer pays the States almost the one Moiety as much as he paid for the Commodity at first, nor doth any murmur at it, because it goes not to any Favourite, or private Purse, but to preserve them from the Spaniard, their common Enemy as they term him; so that the saying is truly verified here, Descend me, and spend me: With this Accise principally, they maintain all their Armies by Sea and Land, with their Garrisons at home and abroad, both here, and in the Indies, and defray all other public charges besides.  
I shall hence shortly for France, and in my way take most of the prime Towns of Holland and Zealand, specially Leyden (the University) where I shall sojourn some days. So humbly craving a continuance of your Blessing and Prayers, I rest  
May the 1. 1619. Your dutiful S●…, J. H.   

VIII. To Dr. Tho. Prichard, at Jesus College in Oxford, from Leyden.  
SIR,  
IT is the Royal Prerogative of Love, not to be confined to that small Local compass which circumscribes the Body, but to make his Sallies, and Progresses abroad, to find out, and enjoy his desired object, under what Region soever: Nor is it the vast Gulf of Neptun, or any distance of place, or difference of Clime, can bar him of this privilege▪ I never found the experiment hereof, so sensibly, nor felt the comfort of it so much, as since I shook hands with England: For though you be in Oxford, and I at Leyden, albeit you be upon an Island, and I now upon the Continent, (though the lowest part of Europe) yet those swift postilions my thoughts find you out daily, and bring you unto me: I behold you often in my Chamber, and in my Bed; you eat, you drink, you sit down, and walk with me▪ and my fantasy enjoys you often in my sleep, when all my senses are locked up, and my soul wanders up and down the World, sometimes through pleasant Fields and Gardens, sometimes through odd uncouth places, over Mountains and broken confused Buildings. As my love to you doth thus exercise his power, so I desire yours to me may not be idle, but roused up sometimes to find me out, and summon me to attend you in jesus College.  
I am now here in Leyden, the only Academy besides Franiker of all the United Provinces: Here are Nations of all sorts, but the Germans swarr●… more than any: To compare their University to yours, were to cast New-inn in counterscale with Christ-Church College, or the Alms Houses on Tower Hill to Suttons Hospital. Here are no Colleges at all, God-wot (but one for the Dutch) nor scarce the face of an University, only there are general Schools where the Sciences are read by several Professors, but all the Students are Oppidanes: A small time and less learning, will suffice to make one a Graduate; nor are those Formalities of Habits, and other Decencies here, as with you, much less those Exhibitions and Support for Scholars, with other encouragements; in so much, that the Oxonians and Cantabrigians— Bona si suae norint, were they sensible of their own felicity, are the happiest Academians on Earth: yet Apollo hath a strong influence here; and as Cicero said of them of Athens, Athenis pingue coelum, tenu●… i●…genia, The Athenians had a thick Air, and thin Wits; so I may say of these Lugdunensian●…, They have a gross Air, but thin subtle Wits, (some of them) Witness else Hernsius, Grotins, Arminius, and Bandius; of the two last I was told a Tale, that Arminius meeting Baudius one day disguised with Drink (wherewith he would be often) he told him, Tu Baudî dedecoras nostram Academiam, & tu Arminî nostram Religionem. Thou Baudius disgracest our University; and thou Arminius our Religion. The Heaven here hath always some Cloud in his countenance; and from this grossness and spissitude of Air proceeds the slow Nature of the Inhabitants, yet this slowness is recompensed with another benefit; it makes them patient and constant, as in all other actions, so in their Studies and Speculations, though they use  — Crassos transire Dies, lucemque palustrem. 
I pray impart my Love liberally amongst my Friends in Oxford; and when you can make truce with your more serious Meditations, bestow a thought, drawn into a few Lines, upon  
Leyden, May the 30. 1619. Your J. H.   

IX. To Mr. Richard Altham, at his Chamber in Grays-inn.  
Dear Sir,  
THough you be now a good way out of my reach, yet you are not out of my remembrance; you are still within the Horizon of my Love: Now the Horizon of Love is large and spacious, it is as boundless, as that of the imagination; and where the imagination rangeth, the memory is still busy to usher in, and present the desired object it fixeth upon: it is love that sets them both on work, and may be said to be the highest sphere whence they receive their motion. Thus you appear unto me often in these Foreign Travels, and that you may believe me the better, I send you these Lines as my Ambassadors (and Ambassadors must not lie) to inform you accordingly, and to salute you.  
I desire to know how you like Ployden; I heard it often said, That there is no study requires patience and constancy more than the Common-Law, for it is a good while before one comes to any known perfection in it, and consequently to any gainful practice. This (I think) made jack Chaundle●… throw away his Littleton, like him that when he could not catch the Hare, said, A pox upon her she is but dry tough meat, let her go: It is not so with you; for I know you are of that disposition, that when you mind a thing, nothing can frighten you in making constant pursuit after it, till you have obtained it: For if the Mathematics with their Crabbedness, and intricacy, could not deter you, but that you waded through the very midst of them, and arrived to so excellent a perfection; I believe it is not in the power of Ployden, to Dastardize or Cow your Spirits, until you have overcome him, at least wise have so much of him as will serve your turn. I know you were always a quick and pressing Disputant in Logic and Philosophy, which makes me think your Genius is fit for Law, (as the Baron your excellent Father was) for a good Logician makes always a good Lawyer: and hereby one may give a strong conjecture of the aptness or ineptitude of ones capacity to that study and profession; and you know as well as I, that Logicians who went under the name of Sophisters, were the first Lawyers that ever were.  
I shall be upon incertain removes hence, until I come to Roüe●… 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 james 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 been pleased to have always, since I had the happiness to know you, of the course of my Fortunes.  
I am now newly come to the Hague, the Court of the six (and almost seven) confederated Provinces; the Counsel of State with the Prince of Orange, makes his firm Residence here, unless 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 wariness, and not without a mixture of fear, I do not mean a pusillanimous, but politic fear: he is the most constant in the quotidian course and carriage of his life, of any that I have ever heard or read of; for whosoever knows the customs of the Prince of Orange, may tell what he is a doing here every hour of the day, though he be in Constantinople. In the morning he awaketh about six in Summer, 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, than 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 private 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 careful) ride the great Horse: He is very accessible to any that hath business with him, and showeth a winning kind of familiarity, for he will shake hands with the meanest Boor of the Country, 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 stays in the Room a good while, and then any one may accost him, and tell his tale; then he re●…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 Counsel, which is seldom; he goes either to make some visits, or to take the Air abroad, and according to this constant method he passeth his life.  
There are great stirs like to arise 'twixt the Bohemians, and their elected King the Emperor, and they are come already to that height, that they consult of deposing him, and to choose some Protestant Prince to be their King, some talk of the Duke of Saxony, others of the Palsgrave: I believe 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 happiness and health, and that the Sun may make many progresses more through the Zodiac, before those comely Grey hairs of yours go to the Grave, I rest  
june 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 traversed the prime parts of the united Provinces, and ●… am now in Zealand, being newly come to this Town of Middl●… borough, which is much crest-faln since the Staple of English Clo●… was removed hence, a●… is Flishing also her next Neighbour, since th●… departure of the English Garrison: A good intelligent Gentleman told me the manner how Flishing and the B●…ill, our two Cautionary Towns here were redeemed, which was thus: The nin●… hundred and odd Soldiers at Flishing, and the Rammakins ha●… by, being many weeks without their pay, they borrowed diver●… sums of Money of the States of this Town, who finding no hope●… of supply from England, advice was sent to the states-general 〈◊〉 the Hague, they consulting with Sir Ralph Winwood our Ambassador (who was a favourable Instrument unto them in this business, as also in the match with the Palsgrave) sent Instructions to the Lord Caroon, to acquaint the Earl of Suffolk (than Lord Treasurer) herewith; and in case they could find no satisfaction there, to make his address to the King himself, which Caroon did, His Majesty being much incensed, that his Subjects and Soldiers should starve for want of their pay in a Foreign Country, sent for the Lord Treasurer, who drawing his Majesty aside, and telling how empty his Exchequer was, His Majesty told the Ambassador, that if his Masters, the States, would pay the money they owed him upon those Towns, he would deliver them up; The Ambassador returning the next day, to know whether his Majesty 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 friends and confederates, 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 desired 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 served to defray the expenseful progress he made to Scotland, the Summer following. When that Money was lent by Queen Elizabeth, it was Articled, that Interest should be paid upon Interest; and besides, that for every Gentleman who should lose his life in the State's Service, they should make good five pounds to the Crown of England: All this His Majesty remitted, and only took the principal; and this was done in requital of that Princely Entertainment, and great Presents, which my Lady Elizabeth had received in divers of their Towns, as she passed to Heydelberg.  
The Bearer hereof, is Sigr. Antoni●… 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 ●…ave done Sir Robert good service thereby. So with my kind respects unto you, and my most humble Service where you know ●…is due, I rest  
Your affectionate Servant, J. H. june the 6. 1619.   

XII. To Sir James Crofts: Antwerp.  
SIR,  
I Presume that my last to you from the Hague came to safe hand: I am now come to a more cheerful Country, and amongst a People somewhat more vigorous and metaled, being not so heavy as the Hollander, or homely, as they of Zealand. This goodly ancient City me thinks looks like a disconsolat Widow, or rather some superannuated Virgin, that had lost her Lover, being almost quite ●…erest of that flourishing Commerce, wherewith before the falling off of the rest of the Provinces from Spain, she abounded to the envy of all other Cities and Marts of Europe. There are few places this side the Alps better built, and so well Streeted as this, and none at all so well girt with Bastions and Rampasts, which in some places are so spacious, that they usually take the Air in Coaches upon the very walls, which are beautified with divers rows of Trees, and pleasant Walks. The Citadel here, though it be an addition to the Stateliness and strength of the Town, yet it serve●… as a shrewd Curb unto her, which makes her chomp upon the Bit, and Foam sometimes with anger, but she cannot help it. The Tumults in Bohemia now grow hotter and hotter, they write how the great Council a●… Prague fell to such a hurly-burly, that so●… of those Senators who adherd to the Emperor, were thrown ou●… at the windows, where some were maimed, some break their Necks. 〈◊〉 am shortly to bid a farewell to the Netherlands, and to bend m●… course for France, where I shall be most ready to entertain an●… commands of yours. So may all health and happiness, attend yo●… according to the wishes of  
Your obliged Servant, J. ●…▪ july 5. 1619.   

XIII. To Dr. Tho. Prichard at Oxford, from Roüen.  
I Have now taken firm footing in France, and though France be one of the chiefest Climates of Compliment, yet I can use none towards you, but tell you in plain down right Language, That in the List of those friends I left behind me in England, you are one of the prime rank, one whose name I have marked with the whitest Stone: If you have gained such a place amongst the choicest friends of mine, I hope you will put me somwher amongst yours, though I but fetch up the rear, being contented to be the i●…fima species, the lowest in the predicament of your friends.  
I shall sojourn a good while in this City of Roüen, therefore I pray make me happy with the comfort of your Letters, which I shall expect with a longing impatience: I pray send me ample advertisement of your welfare, and of the rest of our friends, as well upon the Banks of Isis, as amongst the British Mountains. I am but a fresh▪ man yet in France, therefore I can send you no news, but that all is here quiet, and 'tis no ordinary news, that the French should be quiet: But some think this Calm will not last long, for the Queen Mother (late Regent) is discontented being restrained from coming to the Court, or to the City of Paris, and the Tragical death of her Favourite, (and Foster-Brother) the late Marquis of Ancre, lieth yet in her stomach undigested: She hath the Duke of Espernon, and divers other potent Princes, that would be strongly, at her devotion (as 'tis thought) if she would stir. I pray present my service to Sir Eubule Theloall, and send me word with what pace, jesus College new Walls go up: I will borrow my conclusion to you at this time of my Countryman Owen.  
Uno non possum quantum te diligo versu  
Dicere, si satis est distichon, ecce duos.  
I cannot in one Verse my love declare,  
If two will serve the turn, to here they are.  
Whereunto I will add this surname Anagram.  
Yours whole I Howel. Aug. 6. 1619.   

XIV. To Daniel Caldwall Esq. from Roüen.  
MY dear Dan. when I came first to this Town, amongst other objects of contentment which I found here, whereof there are variety, a Letter of yours was brought me, and 'twas a Sh●… Letter, for two more were enwombed in her Body, she had an easy and quick deliverance of that Twin; but besides them, she was big and pregnant of divers sweet pledges, and lively evidences of your own love towards me, whereof I am as fond as any Mother can be of her child: I shall endeavour to cherish and foster this dear love of yours, with all the tenderness that can be, and warm it at the fuel of my best affections, to make it grow every day stronger and stronger, until it comes to the state of perfection, because I know it is a true and real, it is no spurious or adulterated love: If I intent to be so indulgent and careful of yours, I hope you will not suffer mine to starve with you; my love to you needs not much tending, for it is a lusty strong love, and will not easily miscarry.  
I pray when you write next, to fond me a dozen pair of the best White Kidskin Gloves, the Royal-exchange can afford; as also two pair of the purest White Worsted Stockings you can get of Women size, together with half a dozen pair of Knifs. I pray send your man with them to Vacandary the French Post upon Tower-Hill, who will bring them me safely. When I go to Paris, I shall send you some curiosities, equivalent to these; I have here enclosed returned an answer to those two that came in yours, I pray see them safely delivered. My kind respects to your Brother Sergeant at Court, to all at Batter say, ' or any where else, where you think my Commendations may be well placed.  
No more at this time, but that I recommend you to the never failing Providence of God, desiring you to go on in nourishing still between us, that love, which for my part,  
No Traverses of Chance, of Time, or Fate,  
Shall ere extinguish till our lives last date;  
But a●… the Vin●… h●… lovely El●… 〈◊〉 wire,  
Grasp b●…th our Hearts, and flame with fresh desire.  
Roüen, Aug. 13. 1619. Yours J. H.   

XV. To my Father from Roüen.  
SIR,  
YOurs of the third of August, came to safe hand in an enclosed from my Brother; you may make easy conjecture how welcome it was unto me, and to what a height of comfort it raised my spirits, in regard it was the first I received from you, since I crossed the Seas; I humbly thank you for the blessing you sent along with it.  
I am now upon the fair Continent of France, One of Nature's choicest Masterpieces; one of Ceres' chiefest Barns for Corn; one of Bacchus' prime Wine-Cellars, and of Neptu●…s best Salt-Pits; a complete self-sufficient Country, where there is rather a superfluity, than defect of any thing, either for necessity or pleasure, did the policy of the Country correspond with the bounty of Nature, in the equal distribution of the Wealth amongst the Inhabitants; for I think there is not upon the Earth, a richer Country, and poorer people. 'tis true, England hath a good repute abroad for her fertility, yet be our Harvests never so kindly, and our Crops never so plentiful, we have every year commonly some Grain from hence, or from Danzic, and other places imported by the Merchant: Besides, there be many more Heaths, Commons, Bleak-b●…rren-Hills, and waste Grounds in England, by many degrees, than I find here; and I am sorry our Country of Wales, should give more instances hereof, than any other part.  
This Province of Normandy, once an Appendix of the Crown of England, though it want Wine, yet it yields the King as much desmeans as any one of the rest: The lower Norman hath Cider for his common drink; and I visibly observed, that they are more plump and replet in their bodies, and of a clearer complexion than those that drink altogether Wine. In this great City of Roüens there be many Monuments of the English Nation yet extant. In the outside of the highest Steeple of the great Church there is the word GOD engraven in huge Golden Characters, every one almost as long as myself, to make them the more visible. In this Steeple hangs also the greatest Bell of Christendom, called d' Amboise; for it weighs near upon▪ forty thousand pound weight. There is also here Saint Oenone, the greatest Sanctuary in the City, founded by one of our Compatriots, as the name imports: This Province is also subject to Wardships, and no other part of France besides; but whither the Conqueror transported that Law to England from hence, or whither he sent it over from England hither, I cannot resolve you. There is a marvelous quick trade beaten in this Town, because of the great Navigable River Sequana (the Seine) that runs hence to Paris, whereon there stands a strange Bridge that ebbs and flows, that riseth and falls with the River, it being made of Boats, whereon Coach, and Carts may pass over as well as men: Besides, this is the nearest Mercantil City that stands 'twixt Paris and the Sea.  
My last unto you was from the Low-countrieses, where I was in motion to and fro above four months; but I fear it miscarried in regard you make no mention of it in yours.  
I begin more and more to have a sense of the sweetness, and advantage of foreign Travel: I pray when you come to London, to find a time to visit Sir Robert, and acknowledge his great favours unto me, and desire a continuance thereof, according as I shall endeavour to deserve them. So with my due and daily Prayers for your health, and a speedy successful issue of all your Law-businesses, I humbly crave your blessing, and rest.  
Your dutiful Son, J. H. Septemb. the 7. 1619.   

XVI. To Cap. Francis Bacon, from Paris.  
SIR,  
I Received two of yours in Roüens with the Bills of Exchange, there enclosed, and according to your directions I sent you those things which you wrote for.  
I am now newly come to Paris, this huge Magazine of men, the Epitome of this large populous Kingdom, and rendevouz of all Forreners. The structures here are indifferently fair, though the Streets generally foul all the four Seasons of the year, which I impute first to the Position of the City being built upon an Isle (the Isle of France, made so by the branching and serpentin course of the River of Seine) and having some of her Suburbs seated high, the filth runs down the Channel, and settles in many places within the body of the City, which lieth upon a flat; as also for a world of Coaches, Carts, and Horses of all sorts that go to and fro perpetually, so that sometimes one shall meet with a stop half a mile long of those Coaches, Carts, and Horses, that can move neither forward nor backward by reason of some sudden encounter of others coming a crossway; so that oftentimes it will be an hour or two before they can disentangle: In such a stop the great Henry was so fatally slain by Ravillac. Hence comes it to pass, that this Town (for Paris is a Town, a City, and an university) is always dirty, and 'tis such a dirt, that by perpetual motion is beaten into such a thick black onctious Oil, that where it sticks, no art can wash it off of some colours, insomuch, that it may be no improper comparison to say, That an ill name is like the Crotolon (the dirt) of Paris, which is indelible; besides the stain this dirt leaves, it gives also so strong a scent, that it may be smelled many miles off, if the wind be in ones face as he comes from the fresh Air of the Country: This may be▪ one cause why the Plague is always in some corner or other of this vast City, which may be called as once S●…ythia was Vagina Populorum, or (as mankind was called by a great Philosopher) a great Molehill of Ants: Yet I believe this City is not so populous as she seems to be, for her form being round (as the whole Kingdom is) the Passengers wheel about, and meet oftener than they use to do in the long continued Streets of London, which makes London appear less populous than she is indeed; so that London for length (though not for latitude) including Westminster, exceeds Paris, and hath in Mi●…hnelmas Term more souls moving within her in all places. 'tis under one hundred years that Paris is become so sumptuous, and strong in Buildings; for her houses were mean, until a Mine of White Stone was discovered ●…ard by, which runs in a continued Vein of Earth, and is digged out with ease being soft, and is between a White-Clay and Chalk at first, but being pullied up, with the open Air it receives a Crusty kind of hardness, and so becomes perfect Freestone; and before it is sent up from the Pit, they can reduce it to any form: Of this Stone, the Lovure, the King's Palace is built, which is a vast Fabric, for the Gallery wants not much of an Italian mile in length, and will easily lodge 3000 men, which some told me, was the end for which the last King made it so big, that lying at the fag end of this great mutinous City; if she perchance should rise, the King might pour o●…t of the Lovure so many thousand men unawares into the heart of her.  
I am lodged here hard by the Bastile, because it is furthest off from those places where the English resort; for I would go on to get a little Language as soon as I could. In my next, I shall impart unto you what State-news France affords, in the interim, and always I am  
Your humble Servant, J. H. Paris, 30. of March, 1620.   

XVII. To Richard Altham Esquire; from Paris.  
Dear Sir,  
LOve is the marrow of Friendship, and Letters are the Elixir of Love; they are the best fuel of affection, and cast a sweeter odour than any Frankincense can do; such an odour, such an Aromatic perfume your late Letter brought with it, proceeding from the fragrancy of those dainty Flowers of eloquence, which I found blossoming as it were in every Line; I mean those sweet expressions of Love and Wit, which in every period were intermingled with so much Art, that they seemed to contend for mastery which was the strongest: I must confess, that you put me to hard shifto to correspond with you in such exquisite strains and raptures of Love, which were so lively, that I must needs judge them to proceed from the motions, from the Diastole and Systole of a Heart truly affected; certainly your heart did dictat every syllable you writ, and guided your hand all along: Sir, give me leave to tell you, that not a dram, nor a dose, not a scruple of this precious love of yours is lost, but it is safely tresured up in my Breast, and answered in like proportion to the full, mine to you is as cordial, it is passionate and perfect, as love can be.  
I thank you for the desire you have to know how it fares with me abroad; I thank God I am perfectly well, and well contented with this wand'ring course of life a while, I never enjoyed my health better, but I was like to endanger it two nights ago; for being in some jovial company abroad, and coming late to our lodging, we were suddenly surprised by a crew of Filous of night Rogues, who drew upon us, and as we had exchanged some blow●…, it pleased God, the Chevatieur de Guet, an Officer, who goe●… up and down the Streets all night a horseback to prevent disorders, passed by, and so rescued us; but jack White was hurt, and I had two thrusts in my Clock. there's never a night passeth, but some robbing or murder is committed in this Town, so that it is not safe to go late any where, specially about the Pontneuf, the New Bridge, though Henry the Great himself ●…ies Sentinel there in Arms, upon a huge Florentine horse, and sits bare to every one that passeth, an improper posture me thinks to a King on horseback: not longsince, one of the Secretaries of 〈◊〉 (whereof there are here always four) having been invited to the Suburbs of Saint Germains to supper, left order with one of his Laquays, to bring him his horse about nine, it so happened, that a mischance befell the horse, which lamed him as he went a watering to the Seine, insomuch, that the Secretary was put to beat the hoof himself, and Foot it home; but as he was passing the Pontneuf with his Laquay carrying a Torch before him, he might o'er hear a noise of clashing of Swords, and Fight, and looking under the Torch, ●…d perceiving they were but two, he bade his Laquay go on; they had not made many paces, but two armed men with their Pistols cocked, and swords drawn, made puffing towards them, whereof one had a paper in his hand, which he said, he had casually took up in the streets, and the difference between them was about that Paper; therefore they desired the Secretary to read it, with a great deal of compliment, the Secretary took out his spectacles, and fell a reading of the said Paper, whereof the substance was, That it should be known to all men, that whosoever did pass over that Bridge after nine a Clock at night in Winter, and ten in Summer, was to leave his Cloak behind him, and in case of no Cloak, his Hat. The Secretary starting at this, one of the Comrades told him; That he thought that Paper concerned him, so they unmantled him of a new Plush Cloak, and my Secretary was content to go home quietly, and en Cuerpo. This makes me think often, of the excellent Nocturnal Government of our City of London, where one may pass and repass securely all hours of the night, if he give good words to the Watch. Ther is a gentle calm of Peace now throughout all France, and the King intends to make a progress to all the Frontier Towns of the Kingdom, to see how they are fortified. The Favourite Luines strengtheneth himself more and more in his minionship, but he is much murmured at in regard the access of Suitors to him is so difficult, which made a Lord of this Land say, That three of the hardest things in the world were, To quadrat a Circl●…, to find out the Philosopher's Stone, and to speak with the Duke of Luines.  
I have sent you by Vacandary the Post, the French Beaver and Tweeses you writ for: Bever-hats are grown dearer of late, because the jesuits have got the Monopoly of them from the King.  
Farewell dear child of Virtue, and Minion of the Muse●…, and continue to love  
Paris, 1. of May. 1620. Your J. H.   

XVIII. To Sir James Crofts; from Paris.  
SIR,  
I Am to set forward this week for Spain, and if I can find no commodity of embarcation at Saint Malos, I must be forced to journey it all the way by Land, and clammer up the huge Pyreneyhills, but I could not bid Paris adieu, till I had conveyed my true and constant respects to you by this Letter. I was yesterday to wait upon Sir Herbert Croft at Saint Germains, where I met with a French Gentleman, who amongst other curiosities, which he pleased to show me up and down Paris, brought me to that place where the late King was slain, and to that where the Marquis of Ancre was shot, and so made me a punctual relation of all the circumstances of those two acts; which in regard they were rare, and I believe two of the notablest Accidents that ever happened in France, I thought it worth the labour to make you partaker of some part of his discourse.  
France as all Christendom besides (for there was then a truce 'twixt Spain and the Hollander) was in a profound Peace, and had continued so twenty years together, when Henry the fourth fell upon some great Martial design, the bottom whereof is not known to this day; and being rich (for he had heaped up in the Bastile a mount of Gold that was as high as a Lance) he levied a huge Army of 40000 men, whence came the Song, The King of France with forty thousand men, and upon a sudden he put this Army in perfect equippage, and some say he invited our Prince Henry to come unto him to be a sharer in his exploits: But going one afternoon to the Bastile, to see his Treasure and Ammunition, his Coach stopped suddenly, by reason of some Colliers and other Carts that were in that narrow street; whereupon one Ravillac a lay Jesuit (who had a whole twelve month watched an opportunity to do the act) put his foot boldly upon one of the wheels of the Coach, and with a long Knife stretched himself over their shoulders who were in the Boot of the Coach, and reached the King at the end, and stabbed him right in the left side to the heart, and pulling out the fatal Steel, he doubled his thrust; the King with a ruthful voice cried out, je suis bless (I am hurr) and suddenly the blood issued at his mouth: The Regicide villain was apprehended, and command given, that no violence should be offered him, that he might be reserved for the law, and some exquisite torture. The Queen grew half distracted hereupon, who had been crowned Queen of France the day before in great triumph; but a few days after she had something to countervail, if not to overmatch her sorrow; for according to Saint Lewis law, she was made Queen Regent of France during the King's Minority, who was then but about years of Age: Many consultations were held how to punish Revillas, and there were some Italia●… Physicians that undertook to prescribe a torment, that should last a constant torment for three days, but he scaped only with this, His body was pulled between four horses, that one might hear his Bones crack, and after the dislocation, they were set again, and so he was carried in a Cart standing half naked, with a Torch in that hand which had committed the murrher; and in the place where the act was done, it was cut off, and a Gauntlet of hot Oil was clapped upon the stump, to staunch the blood, whereat he gave a doleful shrike, than was he brought upon a stage, where a new pair of Boots was provided for him, half filled with boiling Oil, than his body was pincered, and hot Oil poured into the holes; in all the extremity of this torture, he scarce showed any sense of pain, but when the Gauntlet was clapped upon his Arms to staunch the Flux at which time he of reaking blood, gave a shrike only; He boar up against all these torments about three hours before he died: all the confession that could be drawn from him, was, That he thought to have done God good service, totake away that King, which would have embroiled all Christendom in an endless War.  
A fatal thing it was, that France should have there of her Kings come to such violent deaths, in so short a revolution of time. Henry the second running at Tilt with Monsieur Montgomery, was killed by a Splinter of a Lance that pierced his eye: Henry the third, not long after, was killed by a young Friar, who in lieu of a Letter which he pretended to have for him, pulled out of his long sleeve a Knife, and thrust him into the Bottom of the belly, as he was coming from his Close stool, and so dispatched him, but that Regicide was hacked to pieces in the place by the Nobles: The same destiny attended this King by Ravillac, which is become now a common name of reproach and infamy in France.  
Never was King so much lamented as this, there are a world not only of his Pictures, but Statues up and down France, and there's scarce a Market Town, but hath him erected in the Market place, or o'er some Gate, not upon Sign-posts, as our Henry the eight; and by a public Act of Parliament which was confirmed in the Consistory at Rome, he was enti●…led, Henry the Great, and so placed in the Temple of Immortality. A notable Prince he was, and of in admirable temper of body and mind, he had a graceful facetious way to gain both love and awe, he would be never transported beyond himself with choler, but he would pass by any thing with some reparty, some witty strain, wherein he was excellent: I will instance in a few which were told me from a good hand. One day he was charged by the Duke of Bovillon to have changed his Religion, he answered, No cousin, I have changed no Religion, but an Opinion; And the Cardinal of Perron being by, he enjoined him to write a Treatise for his Vindication, the Cardinal was long about the work, and when the King asked from time to time where his Book was, he would still answer him, That he expected some Manuscripts from Rome before he could finish it: It happened, that one day the King took the Cardinal along with him to look on his Workmen, and new Buildings at the Lovure; and passing by one corner which had been a long time begun but left unfinished, The King asked the chief Mason, why that corner was not all this while perfected? Sir, it is because I want some choice Stones; no, no, said the King, looking upon the Cardinal, It is because thou want'●… Manuscripts from Rome. Another time, the old Duke of Main, who was used to play the drol with him, coming softly into his Bedchamber, and thrusting in his Bald-head, and Long-neck, in a posture to make the King merry, it happened the King was coming from doing his Ease, and spying him, he took the round Cover of the Close-stool, and clapped it on his Bald-Sconce, saying, A●… Cousin, you thought once to have taken the Crown off of my head, and wear it on your own; but this of my Tail shall now serve your turn. Another time, when at the siege of Ami●…ns, he having sent for the Count of Soissons (who had 100000 Franks a year Pension from the Crown) to assist him in those wars, and that the Count excused himself, by reason of his years, and poverty, having exhausted himself in the former wars, and all that he could do now, was to pray for his Majesty, which he would do heartily: This answer being brought to the King, he replied, Will my Cousin, the Count of Soissons, do nothing else but pray for me, tell him that Prayer without Fasting, is not available; therefore I will make my Cousin Fast also, from his Pension of 100000. per annum.  
He was once troubled with a fit of the Gout, and the Spanish Ambassador coming then to visit him, and saying he was sorry to see his Majesty so lame, he answered, As lame as I am, if there were occasion, your Master the King of Spain, should no sooner have his foot in the stirrup, but he should find me on Horseback.  
By these few you may guess at the Genius of this spritfull Prince, I could make many more instances, but then I should exceed the bounds of a Letter. When I am in Spain you shall hear further from me, and if you can think on any thing wherein I may serve you, believe it Sir, that any employment from you, shall be welcome to  
Your much obliged Servant. J. H. Paris, 12. of May, 1620.   

XIX. To my Brother Dr. Howell.  
BROTHER,  
BEing to morrow to part with Paris, and begin my journey for Spain, I thought it not amiss to send you this, in regard I know not when I shall have opportunity to write unto you again.  
This Kingdom since the young King hath taken the Sceptre into his own hands doth flourish very much with quietness and Commerce; nor is there any motion or the least tintamar of trouble in any part of the Country, which is rare in France. 'tis true, the Queen Mother is discontented since She left her Regency, being confined, and I know not what it may come unto in time, for she hath a strong party, and the murdering of her Marquis of Ancre will yet bleed as some fear.  
I was lately in society of a Gentleman, who was a Spectator of that Tragedy, and he pleased 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 King's Minority; and amongst others whom she advanced Signior Conchino, a Florentin, and her Foster-Brother was one; Her countenance came to shine so strongly upon him, that he became her only confident and favourite, insomuch, that she made him Marquis of Ancre, one of the twelve Marshals of France, Governor of Normandy, and conferred 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 leagued together, to suppress him by Arms; The Queen Regent having intelligence hereof, surprised the Prince of Conde, and clapped 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 business was carried very closely till the next morning, that the said Marquis was coming to the Lovure with a ruffling train of Gallants after him, and passing over the Drawbridge at the Ourt-gate, Vitry stood there with the King's Guard about him, and as the Marquis entered, 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 yield it up, others to make opposition; in the mean time Vitry discharged a Pistol at him, and so dispatched him: The King being above in his Gallery, asked what noise that was below, one smilingly answered▪ nothing Sir, but that the Marshal of Ancre is slain; who slew him? The Captain of your Guard; why? Because he would have drawn his Sword at Your Majesty's Royal Commission, than 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 banished 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 Apprentices in London) broke up his Grave, tore his Coffin to pieces, ripped the Winding-Sheet, and tied his Body to an Ass' Tail, and so dragged him up and down the Gutters of Paris, which are none of the sweetest; they then sliced off his Ears, and nailed them upon the Gates of the City, they cut off his Genitories (and they say he was hung like an Ass) 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 been set up a little before to punish them who should speak ill of the present Government, and it was his chance to have the Maidenhead of it himself: His Wife was hereupon apprehended, imprisoned, and beheaded for a Witch some few days after upon a surmise, that she had enchanted the Queen to dote so upon her Husband; and they say the young King's Picture was found in her Closet in Virgin-Wax, with one Leg melted away; a little after a process was formed against the Marquis (her Husband) and so he was condemned 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 Dike●… stop the impetuous rage of it. How the young King will prosper after so high, and an unexampled act of violence, by beginning his Reign, and embr●…ing the Walls of his own Court with blood in that manner, there 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 friends with my welfare. So I pray God bless us both, and send us a happy interview.  
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 Brittany, I went back from Paris to Roüen, and so through all low Normandy, to a little Port called Granville, where I embarked for this Town of Saint Malo, but I did purge so violently at Sea, that it put me into a Burning fever for some few days, whereof (I thank God) I am newly recovered, and finding no opportunity of shipping here, I must be forced 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 radical words are no other, but 'tis 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 pass for Latin, yet it is but pure Welsh, and signifies a Country bordering up the Sea, as that arch Heretic was called 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, there were four Kings of the name Hoell, whereof one was called Hoell the Great.  
This Town of Saint Malo hath one rarity in it, for there is here a perpetual 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 sometimes in your meditations, while I carry you about me perpetually, not only in my head, but in heart, and make you travel all along with me thus from Town to Country, from Hill to Dale, from Sea to Land, up and down the World; and you must be contented to be Sub●…ect to these incertain removes and perambulations, until it shall please God to fix me again England; nor need you, while you are thus my concomitant through new places every 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 Rochel.  
SIR,  
〈◊〉 Am newly come to Rochel, nor am I sorry that I went somewhat out of my way to see this Town, not (to tell you true) out of ●…ny extraordinary love I bear to the people; for I do not find ●…em so gentle and debonnair to strangers, nor so Hospitable a●…●…e rest of France, but I excuse them for it, in regard it is com●…only so with all Republic and Hans Towns, whereof this smells ●…ery rank▪ nor indeed hath any Englishman much cause to love 〈◊〉 Town, in regard in Ages passed, she played the most treacherous part with England of any other place of France. For the Story tells us, That this Town having by a perfidious stratage●… (by forging a counterfeit Commission from England) induced the English Governor to make a general Muster of all his Forces ou●… of the Town; this being one day done, they shut their Gate●… against him, and made him go shake his ears, and to shift for his lodging, and so rendered themselves to the French King, who sen●… them a blank to write their own conditions. I think they have the strongest Ramparts by Sea of any place of Christendom; no●… have I seen the like in any Town of Holland, whose safety depends upon Water. I am bound to morrow for Bourdeaux, then through Gascogny to Tholouse, so through Languedoc o'er the Hill●… to Spain; I go in the best season of the year, for I make an Autumnal journey of it. I pray let your Prayers accompany me all along, they are the best Offices of Love, and Fruits of Friendship▪ So God prosper you at home, as me abroad, and send us in good time a joyful conjuncture,  
Rochel, 8. of October, 1620. Yours, J. H.   

XXII. To Mr. Tho. Porter, after Cap. Porter, from Barcelone.  
MY dear Tom, I had no sooner set foot upon this Soil, and breathed Spanish air, but my thoughts presently reflected upon you: Of all my friends in England, you were the first I met here, you were the prime object of my speculation; me thought the very Winds in gentle whispers did breath out your name, and blow it on me; you seemed to reverberat upon me with the Beams of the Sun, which you know hath such a powerful influence, and indeed too great a stroke in this Country: And all this you must ascribe to the operations of Love, which hath such a strong virtual force, that when it fasteneth upon a pleasing subject, it sets the imagination in a strange fit of working, it employs all the faculties of the Soul, so that not one Cell in the Brain is idle, it busieth the whole inward man, it affects the heart, amuseth the understanding, it quickeneth the fancy, and leads the will as it were by a silken thread to cooperat with them all: I have felt these motions often in me, specially at this time, that my memory fixed upon you: But the reason that I fell first upon you in Spain, was, that I remembered I had heard you often discoursing how you had received part of your education here, which brought you to speak the Language so exactly well: I think often of the Relations I have heard you make of this Country, and the good instructions you pleased to give me.  
I am now in Barcelona, but the next week I intent to go on through your Town of Valencia to Alicant, and thence you shall be sure to hear from me further, for I make account to Winter there. The Duke of Ossuna passed by here lately, and having got leave of Grace to release some slaves, he went aboard the Cape-Gallie, and passing through the Churm●… of slaves, He asked divers of them what their offences were, every one excused himself, one saying, That he was put in out of malice, another by bribery of the Judge, but all of them injustly; amongst the rest, there was one sturdy little black man, and the Duke ask him what he he was in for, Sir, said he, I cannot deny but I am justly put in here, for I wanted money, and so took a Purse hard by Tarragona to keep me from starving; The Duke with a little staff he had in his hand, gave him two or three blows upon the shoulders, saying, You Rogue what do you do amongst so many honest innocent men, get you gone out of their company; so he was freed, and the rest remained still in statu quo prius, to tug at the Oar.  
I pray commend me to Signior Camillo, and Mazalao, with the rest of the Venetians with you, and where you go aboard the Ship behind the Exchange, think upon  
Barcelona, 10. of November, 1620. Your J. H.   

XXIII. To Sir James Crofts.  
SIR,  
I Am now a good way within the Body of Spain, at Barcelona, a proud wealthy City, situated upon the Mediterranean, and is the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Catalunia, called of old Hispania ●…raconensis: I had much ado to reach hither, for besides the monstrous abrup●…es of the way, these parts of the Pyreneys that border upon the Mediterranean, are never without Thiefs by Land (called Ba●…doleros) and Pirates on the Sea side, which li●… skulking in the Hollows of the Rocks, and often surprise Passengers unawares, and carry them slaves to Barbary on the other side. The safest way to pass, is to take a Bordon in the habit of a Pilgrim, whereof there are abundance that perform their vows this way to the Lady of Monserrat, one of the prime places of pilgrimage in Christendom; It is a stupendous Monastery, built on the top of a huge Land Rock, whither it is impossible to go up, or come down by a direct way, but a path is cut out full of windings and turnings; and on the Crown of this Craggy-hill, there is a fl●…, upon which, the Monastery and Pilgrimage place is founded, where there is a Picture of the Virgin Marry Sunburnt, and Tanned, it seems when she went to Egypt; and to this Picture a marvallous confluence of people from all parts of Europe resort.  
As I passed between so●… of the Pyrency Hills, I observed the poor Labradors, some of the Country people live no better than bruit Animals in point of food, for their ordinary commons is Grass and Water, only they have always within their Houses a Bottle of Vinegar, and another of Oil, and when Dinner or Supper time comes, they go abroad and gather their Herbs, and so cast Vinegar and Oil upon them, and will pass thus two or three days without Bread or Wine, yet are they, strong lusty men, and will stand stiffly under a Musket.  
There is a Tradition, that there were divers Ours of Gold in Ages passed amongst those Mountains: And the Shepherds that kept Goats then, having made a small fire of Rosemary stubs, with other combustible stuff to warm themselves, this fire grazed along, and grew so outrageous, that it consumed the very Entrails of the Earth, and melted those Ours, which growing fluid by liquefaction, ran down into the small Rivulets that were in the Valleys, and so carried all into the Sea, that monstrous Gulf which swalloweth all, but seldom disgorgeth any thing; and in these Brooks to this day some small Grains of Gold are found.  
The Viceroy of this Country hath taken much pains to clear these Hills of Robbers, and there hath been a notable havoc made of them this year; for in divers Woods as I passed, I might spy some Trees laden with dead Carcases, a better Fruit far then Diogenes Tree bore, whereon a Woman had hanged herself, which the Cynic cried out to be the best bearing Tree that ever he saw.  
In this place there lives neither English Merchant or Factor, which I wonder at, considering that it is a Maritime Town, and one of the greatest in Spain; her chiefest Arsenal for Galleys, and the Scale by which she conveys her Moneys to Italy; but I believe the reason is, that there is no commodious Port here for Ships of any burden, but a large Bay. I will enlarge myself no further at this time, but leave you to the guard and guidance of God, whose sweet hand of protection hath brought me through so many uncouth places and difficulties to this City: So hoping to meet your Letters in Alicant, where I shall Anchor a good while, I rest  
Yours to dispose of, J. H. Barcelona, 24. Novemb. 1620.   

XXIV. To Dr. Fr. Mansell, from Valentia.  
SIR,  
THough it be the same glorious Sun that shines upon you in England, which illuminats also this part of the Hemisphere; though it be the same Sun that ripeneth your Pippins, and our Pomgranets, your Hops, and our Vineyards here, yet he dispenseth his heat in different degrees of strength; those Rays that do but warm you in England, do half roast us here; those Beams that irradiat only, and gild your Honey-suckled fields, do scorch and parch this chinky gaping soil, and so put too many wrinkles upon the face of our common Mother the Earth. O blessed Clime, O happy England, where there is such a rare temperature of hear and cold, and all the rest of Elementary qualities, that one may pass (and suffer little) all the year long without either shade in Summer, or fire in Winter.  
I am now in Valentia, one of the noblest Cities of all Spain, situate in a large Vegue or Valley, above threescore miles' compass; here are the strongest Silks, the sweetest Wines, the excellenc'st Almonds, the best Oils, and beutifull'st Females of all Spain, for the prime Courtesans in Madrid, and elsewhere are had hence: The very bruit Animals make themselves Beds of Rosmary, and other Fragrant Flowers hereabouts; and when one is at Sea, if the Wind blow from the shore, he may smell this soil before he come in sight of it many leagues off, by the strong odoriferous sent it casts; As it is the most pleasant, so is it also the temperat'st Clime of all Spain, and they commonly call it the second Italy, which made the Moors, whereof many thousands were disterred and banished hence to Barbary, to think that Paradise was in that part of the Heavens which hung over this City. Some twelve miles off, is old Sagun●…o, called now Morvied●…e, through which I passed, and saw many Monuments of Roman Antiquities there, amongst others, there is the Temple dedicated to Venus, when the Snake came about her Neck, a little before Hannibal came thither. No more now, but that I heartily wish you were here with me, and I believe you would not desire to be a good while in England. So I am  
Your J. H. Valentia, March the 1. 1620.   

XXV. To Christopher Jones Esq at Grays-Inne.  
I Am now (thanks be to God) come to Alicant, the chief Rendezvouz I aimed at in Spain; for I am to send hence a commodity called Barillia to Sir Robert Mansell, for making of Crystall-Glasse, and I have treated with Signior Andriotti a Genoa Merchant for a good round parcel of it, to the value of 2000 pound, by Letters of credit from Master Richant, and upon his credit, I might have taken many thousand pounds more, he is so well known in the Kingdom of Valentia. This Barillia is a strange kind of Vegetable, and it grows no where upon the surface of the Earth, in that perfection, as here: The Venetians have it hence, and it is a commodity whereby this Maritime Town doth partly subsist, for it is an ingredient that goes to the making of the best Castile-Soap: It grows thus, 'tis a round thick Earthy shrub that bears Berries like Barbaries, but 'twixt blue & green, it lies close to the ground, and when it is ripe, they dig it up by the roots, and put it together in Cocks, where they leave it dry many days like Hey, than they make a Pit of a fathom deep in the Earth, and with an Instrument like one of our Prongs, they take the Tuffs and put fire to them, and when the flame comes to the Berries they melt, and dissolve into an Azure Liquor, and fall down into the Pit till it be full, than they damn it up, and some days after they open it, and find this Barillia-juyce turned to a Blue stone, so hard, that it is scarcc Mall●…able, it is sold at one hundred Crowns a Tun, but I had it for less; there is also a spurious Flower called Gazull that grows here, but the Glass that's made of that is not so resplendent and clear. I have been here now these three Months, and most of my Food hath been Grapes and Bread, with other Roots, which have made me so fat, that I think if you saw me, you would hardly know me, such nouriture this deep Sanguine Alicant Grap gives. I have not received a syllable from you since I was in Antwerp, which transforms me to wonder, and engenders odd thoughts of Jealousy in me, that as my body grows fatter, your love grows lanker towards me; I pray take off these scruples, and let me hear from you, else it will make a schism in friendship, which I hold to be a very holy league, and no less than a Piacle to infringe it, in which opinion I rest  
Your constant Friend, J. H. Alicant, March 27. 1621.   

XXVI. To Sir John North, Knight.  
SIR  
HAving endured the brunt of a whole Summer in Spain, and tried the temper of all the other three Seasons of the year, up and down the Kingdoms of Catalunia, Valentia, and Murci●…, with some parts of Arragon, I am now to direct my course for Italy; I hoped to have embarked at Carthagena, the best Port upon the Mediterranean, for what Ships and Galleys get in thither, are shut up as it were in a Box from the violence and injury of all Wethers, which made Andrea Doria being asked by Philip the second, which were his best Harbours? He answered, june, july, and Carthagena, meaning, that any Port is good in those two months, but Carthagena was good any time of the year. There was a most ruthful accident had happened there a little before I came, for whereas five ships had gone thence laden with Soldiers for Naples, amongst whom there was the Flower of the Gentry of the Kingdom of Murcia; those Ships had hardly sailed three leagues, but they met with sixteen fails of Algiers, men of War, who had lain skulking in the Creeks thereabouts, and they had the winds, and all things else so favourable, that of those five ships they took one, sunk another, and burned a third, and two fled back to safe Harbour; the report hereof being bruited up and down the Country, the Gentlewomen came from the Country to have tidings, some of their Children, others of their Brothers, and Kindred, and went ●…earing their Hair, and howling 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 hanged at the Court gate, because he did not fight: Had I come time enough to have taken the opportunity, I might have been made, either food for Haddocks, or turned to Cinders, or have been by this time a slave in the Bannier at Algiers, or tugging at an Oa●…; but I hope God hath reserved 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 near upon forty days in voyage; we passed by Mallorca, and Minorca, the Baleares Insulae, by some Por●…s of Barbary, by Sardinia, Cor●…ica, and all the Islands of the Mediterranean Sea; we were at the mouth of Tiber, and thence forced our course for Sicily; we passed by those Sulphureous fiery Islands, Mongibel, and Str●…mbolo, and about the dawn of the day we shot through Scylla and Charybdis, and so into the Phare of Messina, thence we touched upon some of the Greek Islands, and so came to our first intended course, into the Venetian Gulf, and are now here at Malamocca, where 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 negotiate, in regard we touched at some infected places: For there are no people upon Earth so fearful of the Plague, as the Italians, specially the Venetian, though their Neighbours 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 scruple, and will fix their longest finger in the midst of their forehead, and say, their destiny and manner of death is pointed there. When we have gained y'●…n Maiden City, which lieth before us, you shall hear farther from me: So leaving you to his holy protection who hath thus graciously vouchsafed 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 muddiness of my Brain, which like Lees in a narrow Vessel, hath been shaken at Sea in divers Tempests near upon forty days, I mean natural days, which include the nights also, and are composed 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 tantalised me now this seven-night, I hope to cheer my spirits, and settle my Pericranium again.  
In this voyage we passed thorough, at least touched, all those Seas, which Horace and other Poets sing of so often, as the jornian, 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 Bear's Muzzle: We passed 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 coil, 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 there are Pilots, that in small Shallops, are ready to steer all ships that paste: This amongst divers other, may serve for an instance, That the old Poets used to heighten and hoist up things by their airy fancies above the reality of truth: Aetna was very furious when we passed by, as she useth to be sometimes more than other, specially when the wind is Southward, for than she is more subject to belching out flakes of fire (as Stutterers use to flammer more when the wind is in that hole) some of the sparkles fell aboard of us; but they would make us believe in Syracuse now Messina, that Aetna in times passed, 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 passed 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 conversed with many Greeks, but found none that could understand, much less 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 there any people, either in the Islands, or on the Continent, that speaks it conversably, yet there are in the Merea seven Parishes called Zacones, where the Original Greek is not much degenerated, but they confound divers Letters of the Alphabet with one sound; for in point of pronunciation there is no difference 'twixt Upsilon, jota, and Eta.  
The last I received from you was in Latin, whereof 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, therefore I besire a frequency of correspondence between us by Letters, for there will be conveniency every 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 bless 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-admiral of England, from Venice.  
SIR,  
AS soon as I came to Venice, I applied myself to dispatch your business 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 blue Crystal, one is allied to Antoni●… 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 received some favours, He wished me to write, that you have now a double interest in him; for whereas before he was only your Servant, he is now your Kinsman by your late marriage.  
I was lately to see the Arsenal of Venice, one of the worthiest things of Christendom; they say there are as many Galleys, and Galleasses of all sorts, belonging to Saint Mare, either in Cours, at Anchor, in Dock, or upon the Carine, as there be days in the year; here they can build a complete Galley in half a day, and put her a float in perfect Equippage, having all the ingredients fitted before hand, as they did in three hours, when Henry the third passed this way to France from Poland, who wished, that besides P●…is, and his Parliament Towns, he had this Arsenal in exchange, for three o●… his chiefest Cities: There are three hundred people perpetually hero at Work, and if one comes young, and grows old in Saint M●…es service, he hath a Pension from the State during life: Being brought to see one of the Clarissimos that governs this Arsenal, this huge Sea Store▪ House, amongst other matters reflecting upon England, he was saying, That if Cavaglier Don Roberto Mansell were now here, he thought verily the republic would make a proffer to him to be Admiral of that Fleet of Galleys, and galleons, which are now going against the Duke of Ossuna, and the Forces of Naples, you are so well known here▪  
I was, since I came hither, in Murano, a little Island, about the distance of Lambeth from London, where Crystall-Glasse is made, and 'tis a rare sight to see a whole Street, where on the one side there are twenty Furnaces together at work; They say here, that although one should transplant a Glasse-Furnace, from Murano to Venice herself, or to any of the little assembly of Islands about her, or to any other part of the Earth besides, and use the same Materials, the same Workmen, the same Fuel, the self same Ingredients every way, yet they cannot make Crystal Glass in that perfection, for beauty and justre, as in Murano; some impute into the quality of the circumambient Air, that hangs o'er the place, which is purified and attenuated by the concurrence of so many fires that are in those Furnaces night and day perpetually, for they are like the Vestal fire which never goes out; And it is well known, that some Airs make more qualifying impressions than others, as a Greek●…old ●…old me in Sicily, of the Air of Egypt, where there be huge common Furnaces to hatch Eggs by the thousands in Came●…s Dung; for during the time of hatching, if the Air happen to come to be overcast, and grow cloudy, it spoils all; if the Sky continue still serene and clear, not one Egg in a hundred will misca●…ry.  
I met with Camillo your Consaorman here lately, and could he be sure of entertainment, he would return to serve you again, and I believe for lesse-salary.  
I shall attend your commands herein by the next, and touching other particulars, whereof I have written to Captain Bacon: So I rest  
Venice, May the 30: 1621.. Your most humble and ready Servant, J. H.   

XXIX. To my Brother, from Venice.  
Brother,  
I Found a Letter of yours that had lain dormant here a good while in Mr. Symns hands, to welcome me to Venice, and I thank you for the variety of news wherewith she went sreighted; for she was to me, as a Ship richly laden from London useth to be to our Merchants here, and I esteem her Cargazon at no less a value, for she enriched me with the knowledge of my Father's health, and your own, with the rest of my Brothers, and Sisters, in the Country, with divers other passages of contentment; besides, she went also ballasted with your good instructions, which as Merchant's use to do of their commodities, I will turn to the best advantage, and Italy is no ill Market to improve any thing; the only proceed (that I may use the mercantil term) you can expect, is thanks, and this way I shall not be wanting to make you rich returns.  
Since I came to this Town I dispatched sundry businesses of good value for Sir Robert Mansell, which I hope will give content: The art of Glasse-making here is very highly valued, for whosoever be of that profession, are Gentlemen ipso facto, and it is not without reason, it being a rare kind of knowledge and chemistry, to transmute Dust and Sand (for they are the only main Ingredients) to such a diaphanous pellucid dainty body as you see a Crystal-Glasse is, which hath this property above Gold or Silver or any other mineral, to admit no poison; as also, that it never, wastes or loseth a whit of its first weight, though you use it never so long: When I saw so many sorts of curious Glasses made here, I thought upon the compliment which a Gentleman put upon a Lady in England, who having five or six comely Daughters, said, He never saw in his life, such a dainty Cupboard of Crystall-Glasses; the compliment proceeds it seems from a saying they have here, That the first handsome Woman that ever was made, was made of Venice-glass, which implies Beauty, but brittleness withal (and Venice is not unfurnished with some of that mould, for no place abounds more with Lasses and Glasses) but considering the brittleness of the Stuff, it was an odd kind of melancholy in him, that could not be persuaded, but he was an Urinal, surely he deserved to be pissed in the mouth: But when I pried into the Materials, and observed the Furnaces and the Calcinations, the Transubstantintions, the Liquefactions that are incident to this Art, my thoughts were raised to a higher speculation; that if this small Furnace-fire hath virtue to convert such a small lump of dark Dust and Sand into such a specious clear Body as Crystal, surely, that gran Universall-site, which shall happen at the day of judgement, may by its violent-ardor vitrify and turn to one lump of Crystal, the whole Body of the Earth; nor am I the first that fell upon this conceit.  
I will in large myself no further to you at this time, but conclude with this Tetrastic which my Brain ran upon in my Bed this morning.  
Vistrea sunt nostrae comissa negotia curae,  
Hoc oculis speculum mittimus ergo luis:  
Quod speculum? Est instar speculi mea littera, per quod  
Vivida fraterni cordis imago nitet.  
Adieu my dear Brother, live happily, and love  
Ven: the 1. of June, 1621. Your Brother, J. H.   

XXX. To Mr. Richard Altham at Grays-inn, from Venice.  
Gentle Sir,  — O dulcior illo Melle quod in ceris Attica ponit apis. 
O thou who dost in sweetness far excel,  
That juycc the Attic Bee store's in her cell.  
My dear Dick,  
I Have now a good while since taken footing in Venice, this admired Maid●… City, so called, because she was never deflowered by any enemy since she had a being, not since her Rialto was first erected, which is now above twelve Ages ago.  
I protest unto you at my first landing, I was for some days ravished with the high beauty of this Maid, with her lovely countenance, I admired her magnificent buildings, her marvelous situation, her dainty smooth neat streets, whereon you may walk most days in the year in a Silk-Stockin, and Sattin-Slippers, without soiling them, not can the Steets of Paris be so foul, as these are fair. This beutious Maid hath been often attempted to be vitiated, some have courted her, some bribed her, some would have forced her▪ yet she hath still preserved her chastity entire; and though she hath lived so many Ages, and passed so many shrewd brunts, yet she continueth fresh to this very day without the least wrinkle of old Age, or any symptoms of decay, whereunto political bodies, as well as natural, use to be liable. Besides the hath wrestled with the greatest Potentats upon Earth; The Emperor, the King of France, and most of the other Princes of Christendom in that famous league of Cambray would have sunk her, but she bore up still within her Lakes, and broke that league to pieces by her wit; The gran Turk hath been often at her, and though he could not have his will of her, yet he took away the richest Jewel she wore in her Cornet, and put it in his Turban, I mean the Kingdom of Cypress the only Royal Gem she had; he hath set upon her skirts often since, and though she closed with him sometimes, yet she came off still with her Maidenhead, though some that envy her happiness, would brand her to be of late times a kind of Concubine to him, and that she gives him ready money once a year to lie with her, which she minceth by the name of present, though it 〈◊〉 indeed rather a tribute.  
I would I had you here with a wish, and you would not desire in haste to be at Grays-inn, though I hold your walks to be the pleasantest place about London; and that you have there the choicest society. I pray present my kind commendations to all there, and my service at Bishops-gate-street, and let me hear from you by the next Post: So I am  
Ven: 5. jun. 1621. Entirely yours, J. H.   

XXXI. To Dr. Fr. Mansell, from Venice.  
GIve me leave to salute you first in these Sapphics.  

In●●●●● tendens iter ad Britannam  
Ch●●ta▪ te paucis volo, 〈◊〉 gressum,  
Verba Mansello, bene noscis illum,  
talia perfer.   

Finibus longè patriis Hoellus  
Di 〈…〉, quantis Venetium superb●  
Civitas 〈◊〉  
distat ab urbe   

Plurimam mentis tibi vult salutem,  
Plurimum cordis tibi vult vigorem,  
Plurimum sortis tibi vult favorem  
Regis & Aulae.   
These wishes come to you from Venice, a place where there is nothing wanting that heart can wish: Renowned Venice, the admiredst City in the World, a City that all Europe is bound unto, for she is her greatest Ram part against that huge Eastern Tyrant the Turk by Sea, else I believe he had overrun all Christendo●… by this time: Against him this City hath performed notable exploits, and not only against him, but divers other: She hath restored Emperors to their Throne, and Popes to their Chairs, and with her Galleys often preserved Saint Peter's Bark from sinking: for which, by way of reward, one of his Suceessors espo●…s'd her to the Sea, which marriage is solemnly renewed every year in solemn Profession by the Doge, and all the Clarissunos, and a Gold Ring cast into the Sea out of the great Galeasse, called the 〈◊〉, wherein the first Ceremony was performed by the Pope himself, above three hundred years since, and they say it is the selfsame Vessel still, though often put upon the Carine, and trimmed▪ This made me think on that famous ship at Athens; nay, I fell upon 〈◊〉 abstracted notion in Philosophy, and a speculation touching the body of man, which being in perpetual Flux, and a kind of succession of decays, and consequently requiring ever and anon, a restauration of what it loseth of the virtue of the former alim●…nt, and what was converted after the third concoction into blood and fleshy substance, which as in all other sublunary bodies that have internal principles of heat, useth to transpire, breath out, and waste away through invisible Pores by exercise, motion, and sleep, to make room still for a supply of new nouriture: I fell, I say, to consider whither our bodies may be said to be of like condition with this Bucentore; which though it be reputed still the same Vessel, yet I believe there's not a foot of that Timber remaining which it had upon the first Dock, having been as they tell me, so often planked and ribbed, caulked and pieced: In like manner our bodies may be said to be daily repaired by new sustenance, which begets new blood, and consequently new spirits, new humours, and I may say new flesh, the old by continual deperdition and insensible transpirations evaporating still out of us, and giving way to fresh; so that I make a question, whither by reason of these perpetual reparations, and accretions, the body of man may be said to be the same numerical body in his old age that he had in his manhood, or the same in his manhood, that he had in his youth, the same in his youth that he carried about him in his childhood, or the same in his childhood which he wore first in the Womb: I make a doubt, whither I had the same identical, individually numerical body, when I carried a Calf-Leather Satchel to School in Hereford, as when I woar a Lamskin Hood in Oxford, or whither I have the same mass of blood in my Veins, and the same Flesh now in Venice which I carried about me three years since, up and down London streets, having in lieu of Beer and Al●…, drunk Wine all this while, and fed upon different Viands; now the stomach is like a crusible, for it hath a chemical kind of virtue to transmute one body into another, to transubstantiat Fish and Fruits into Flesh within, and about us; but though it be questionable, whither I wear the same Flesh which is fluxible, I am sure my Hair is not the same, for you may remember I went flaxen-haired out ●…of England, but you shall find me returned with a very dark Brown, which I impute not only to the heat and air of those hot Countries I have eat my bread in, but to the quality and difference of food; but you will say, that hair is but an excrementitious thing, and makes not to this purpose; moreover, me thinks I hear yond say, that this may be true, only in the blood and spirits, or such fluid parts, not in the solid and heterogeneal parts: But I will press no further at this time this Philosophical notion which the ●…ght of Bucentor●… infused into me, for it hath already made me exceed the bounds of a Letter, and I fear me to trespass too much upon your patience; I leave the further disquisition of this point to your own contemplations, who are a far riper Philosopher than I, and have waded deeper into, and drunk more of Aristotle's Well; but to conclude, though it be doubtful whither I carry about me the same body or no, in all points that I had in England, I am well assured, I bear still the same mind, and therein I verif●… the old vers.  Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt. 
The Air, but not the mind they change,  
Who in Outlandish Country's range.  
For what alterations soever happen in this Microcosm, in this little World, this small bulk and body of mine, you may be confident, that nothing shall alter my affections, specially toward you, but that I will persever still the same,  
The very same, J. H. Ven. 25. jun. 1621.   

XXXII. To Richard Altham, Esquire.  
Dear Sir,  
I Was plunged in a deep fit of melancholy, Satum had cast his black influence o'er all my intellectuals, me thought I felt my heart as a lump of Dow, and heavy as Led within my Breast; when a Letter of yours of the third of this month was brought me, which presently begot new Spirits within me, and made such strong impressions upon my Intellectuals, that it turned and transformed me into another man. I have read of a Duke of Milan, and others, who were poisoned by reading of a Letter, but yours produced contrary effects in me, it became an antidote, or rather ●… most Sovereign Cordial to me, more operative than Bezoar, of more virtue then Potable Gold, or the Elixir of Ambar, for it wrought a sudden cure upon me: That fluent and rare mixture of love, and wit, which I found up and down therein, were the Ingredients of this Cordial; they were as so many choice Flowers, strwed here and there, which did cast such an Odoriferous sent, that they revived all my sence●…, and dispelled those dull fumes which had formerly o'er clouded my brain: Such was the operation of your most ingenuous and affectionate Letter, and so sweet an entertainment it gave me: If your Letter had that virtue, what would your person have done; and did you know all, you would wish your person here a while; did you know the rare beauty of this Virgin-Clty, you would quickly make love to her, and change your Royal Exchange for the Rialto, and your Grays-inn. Walks for Saint Marks place for a time. Farewell dear child of Virtue, and minion of the Muses, and love still  
Ven. 1. july 1621. Your J. H.   

XXIII. To my much honoured friend Sir John North Kt. from Venice.  
Noble Sir,  
THe first office of gratitude is, to receive a good turn civilly, then to retain it in memory and acknowledge it, thirdly, to endeavour a requital, for this last office, it is in vain for me to attempt it, specially towards you, who have laden me with such a variety of courtesies, and weighty favours, that my poor stock comes far short of any retaliation; but for the other two, reception and retention, as I am not conscious to have been wanting in the first act, so I shall never fail in the second, because both these are within the compass of my power; for if you could pry into my memory, you should discover there a huge Magazine of your favours (you have been pleased to do me present and absent) safeiy stored up and coacervated, to preserve them from mouldering away in oblivion, for courtesies should be no perishable commodity: Should I attempt any other requital, I should extenuat your favours, and deerogate from the worth of them▪ yet if to this of the memory, I can contribut any other act of body or mind, to enlarge my acknowledgements towards you; you may be well assured, that I shall be ever ready to court any occasion, whereby the world may know how much I am  
Ven: 13. jul. 1621. Your thankful Servitor, J. H.   

XXXIV. To Dan. Caldwall Esq from Venice.  
My dear D.  
COuld Letters fly with the same Wings as Love useth to do, and cut the Air with the like swiftness of motion, this Letter of mine should work a miracle, and be with you in an instant; nor should she fear interception, or any other casualty in the way, or cost you one penny the Post, for she should pass invisibly: but 'tis not fitting, that paper which is made but of old Raggs wherewith Letters are swaddled, should have the same privilege as Love, which is a spiritual thing, having something of Divinity in it, and partake●… in ●…elerity with the Imagination, than which there is not any thing more swift you know, no not the motion of the upper sphere the 〈◊〉 mobile, which snatcheth all the other mine after it, and indeed the whole Macrocosm all the world besi●…es, except our Earth (the Centre,) which upper sphere the Astronomers would have to move so many degrees, so many thousand miles in a moment; since then, Letters are denied such a velocity, I allow this of ●…ine twenty days, which is the ordinary time allowed 'twixt Venice and London, to come unto you, and thank you a thousand 〈◊〉 over for your last of the tenth of june, and the rich Venison Feast you made, as I understand not long since, to the remembrance of the, at the Ship Tavern: Believe it Sir, you shall find that this love of yours, is not ill employed, for I esteem it at the highest degree, I value it more than the Treasury of Saint Mark, which I lately saw, where amongst other things, there is a huge Iron Chest as tall as myself, that hath no Lock, but a Crevice, through which they cast in the Gold that's bequeathed to Saint Mark in Legacies, whereon there is engraven this proud Motto.  
Quando questo scrimio SH' Aprirá,  
Tutto'l mundo tremera.  
When this Chest shall open, the whole World shall tremble; the Duke of Ossuna, late Viceroy of Naples, did what he could to force them to open it, for he brought Saint Mark to waste much of this Treasure in the late Wars, which he made purposely to that end, which made them have recours to us, and the Hollander for Ships, not long since.  
Amongst the rest of Italy, this is called the Maidin City (notwithstanding her great number of Courtesans) and there is a Prophecy, That she shall continue a Maid until her Husband for sake her, meaning the Sea, to whom the Pope married her long since, and the Sea is observed not to love her so deeply as he did, for he begins to shrink, and grow shallower in some places about her; not doth the Pope also, who was the Father that gave her to the Sea, affect her as much as he formerly did, specially since the extermination of the Jesuits; so that both Husband, and Father, begin to abandon her.  
I am to be a guest to this Hospitable Maid, a good while yet, and if you want any commodity that she can afford (and what cannot she afford for humane pleasure or delight?) do but write, and it shall be sent you.  
Farewell gentle soul, and correspond still in pure love with  
Ven: 29. of jul. 1621. Your J. H.   

XXXV. To Sir James Crofts Kt. from Venice.  
SIR,  
I Received one of yours the last week, that came in my Lord Ambassador W●…ttons Packet, and being now upon point of parting with Venice, I could not do it without acquainting you (as far as the extent of a Letter will permit) with her Power, her Policy, her Wealth, and pedigree: She was built of the ruins of 〈◊〉 and Padoüa, for when those swarms of tough Northern people overran Italy, under the conduct of that Scourge of Heaven Attila, with others, and that this soft voluptuous Nation after so long a desuetude from Arms, could not repel their fury, many of the ancient Nobility and Gentry fled into these Lakes and little Islands, amongst the Fishermen for their security; and finding the Air good and commodious for habitation, they began to build upon these small Islands, whereof there are in all threescore, and in tract of time, they conjoined and leagued them together by Bridges, whereof there are now above 800. and this makes up the City of Venice; who is now above twelve Ages old, and was contemporary with the Monarchy of France; but the Signory glorieth in one thing above the Monarchy, that she was born a Christian, but the Monarchy not. Though this City be thus hemmed in with the Sea, yet she spreads her Wings far and wide upon the shore; she hath in Lombardy six considerable Towns, Padova, Verona, Vicenz●…, Brescia, Cromo, and Bergamo; she hath in the Marquisat, Bassan and Castelfranco; she hath all Friuli and Istria; she commands the shores of Dalmatia and Slavonia; she keeps under the power of Saint Mark, the Islands of Corfù (anciently Corcyria) Ceptalonia, Zant, Cerigo, Lucerigo, and Candy (Ioves Cradle;) she had a long time the Kingdom of Cypress, but it was quite rend from her by the Turk, which made that high spirited Bassa, being taken prisoner at the battle of Lepanto, where the gran Signior lost above 200 Galleys, to say, That that defeat to his great Master was but like the s●…aving of his Beard, or the pairing of his Nails; but the taking of Cypress was like the cutting off of a Limb, which will never grow again: This mighty potentat being so near a Neighbour to her, she is forced to comply with him, and give him an Annual present in Gold: She hath about thirty Galleys most part of the year in course to scour and secure the Gulf; she entertains by land in Lombardy, and other parts 25000. Foot, besides some of the Cantons of Swisses whom she gives pay unto; she hath also in constant pay 600. men of Arms, and every of these must keep two Horses a piece, for which they are allowed 120. ducats a year, and they are for the most part Gentlemen of Lombardy: When they have any great expedition to make, they have always a stranger for their General, but he is supervised by two Prov●…ditors, without whom he cannot attempt any thing.  
Her great Counsel consists of above 2000 Gentlemen, and some of them meet every Sunday and Holiday, to choose Officers, and Magistrates; and every Gentleman being passed 25. yeer●… of Age, is capable to sit in this Counsel: The Doge or Duke (their Sovereign Magistrate) is chosen by Lots, which would be too tedious here to demonstrat, and commonly he is an Aged man who is created, like that course they hold in the Popedom. When he is dead there be Inquisitors that examine his actions, and his misdemeanours are punishable in his Heirs: There is a surintenden●… Counsel of ten, and six of them may dispatch business without the Doge, but the Doge never without some of them, not as much as open a Letter from any Foreign State, though addressed to himself, which makes him to be called by other Princes, Testadi legno, Ahead of Wood  
The wealth of this Republic hath been at a stand, or rather declining since the Portugal found a road to the East-Indies by the Cape of good Hope; for this City was used to fetch all those Spices, and other Indian Commodities, from the gran Cayro down the Nile, being formerly carried to Cayro from the Red Sea, upon Camels and Dromedaries backs, threescore day's journey; And so Venice used to dispense those Commodities through all Christendom, which not only the Portugal, but the English, and Hollander, now transport, and are Masters of the Trade. Yet there is no outward appearance at all of poverty, or any decay in this City, but she is still gay, flourishing, and fresh, and flowing with all kind of bravery and delight, which may be had at cheap rates. Much more might be written of this ancient wi●…e Republic, which cannot be comprehended within the narrow enclosure of a Letter. So with my due and daily Prayers, for a continuance of your health, and increase of honour, I rest  
Ven: 1. of August, 1621. Your most ●…umble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVI. To Robert Brown Esquire, at the Middle-Temple, from Venice.  
Robin,  
I Have now enough of the Maiden City, and this week I am to go further into Italy; for though I have been a good while in Venice, yet I cannot say I have been hitherto upon the Continent of Italy, for this City is nought else but a knot of Islands in the Adriatic Sea, joined in one body by Bridges, and a good way distant from the firm Land: I have lighted upon very choice company, your Cousin Brown, and Master Web, and we all take the R●… of Lombardy; but we made an order amongst ourselves, that our discourse be always in the Language of the Country, under penalty of a for ●…iture, which is to be indispensably paid 〈◊〉 Sy●…s made us a curious feast lately, where in a Cup of the richest Greek we had your health, and I could not tell whither the Wine or the remembrance of you was sweeter; for it was naturally a kind of Aromatic Wine, which left a fragrant perfuming kind of farewell behind it. I have sent you a Runlet of it in the Ship Lion, and if it come safe and unpricked, I pray bestow some Bottles upon the Lady (you know) with my humble Service. When you write next to Master Simns, I pray acknowledge the good Hospitality, and extraordinary civilities I received from him: Before I conclude, I will acquaint you with a common saying that is used of this dainty City of Venice.  
Venetia, Venetia, chi non te vede non te Pregia,  
Ma chi t'há troppo veduto te Despreggia.  
Englished and Rhymed thus (though I know you need no Translation, you understand so much of Italian,)  
Venice, Venice, none Thee unseen can prise,  
Who hath seen thee too much will Thee despise.  
I will conclude with that famous Hexastic which Sanz●●●●●● made of this rare Cite, which pleaseth me much better.  
Viderat Hadriatis Venetam Neptunus in undis  
Stare urbem, & toti ponere jura Mari;  
Nunc mihi Tarpeias quantum vis Jupiter Arces  
O●●●ice, & illa tui moenia Martis, ait,  
Sic Pelago Tibrim praefers, urbem aspice utramque  
Illam homines dices, hanc posuisse Deos.  
When Neptun saw in Adrian Surges stand  
Venice, and give the Sea Laws of command:  
Now Jove said he, Object thy Capitol,  
And Mars proud Walls: This were for to extol  
Tiber beyond the Main▪ both Towns behold,  
R 〈…〉 men thou'lt say, Venice the Gods did mould.  
Sanz●●●●●● had given him by Saint Mark a hundred 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 every one of these Verses, which amounts to about 300 pounds. It would be long before the 〈◊〉 of London would do the like: Witne●… that ●…old reward, or rather those cold drops of W●… which were cast upon my Countryman Sir Hugh Middleto●…, for beinging Aware River through her Streets, the most serviceable and 〈◊〉 sor●…est benefit that ever she received.  
The parcel of Italian Books that you writ for, you shall receive 〈◊〉 Master Let, if it please God to send the Ship to safe Port; and I take it as a favour, that you employ me in any thing that m●…y ●…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 mindful you are of your friend; for the first, I dare not correspond with you yet; for the second, I shall never come short of you, for I am as mindful of you, as possibly you can be of me, and some hours, my Pulls doth not beat more often, than my memory runs on you, which is often enough in conscience; for the Physicians hold, that in every well disposed body, there be above 4000 Pulsations every hour, and some Pulses have been known to beat above 30000 times an hour in acute Fevers.  
I understand you are bound with a gallant Fleet for the Mediterranean, if you come to Alicant, I pray commend me to Francisco Marco my Landlord, he is a merry drole, and good company: One night when I was there 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 asked 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 searched 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, there's the Scabbard of your Dagger again, and so threw him the empty Borracho; but another passage pleased me better of Don Beltran de Rosa, who being to marry a rich Labradors (a Yeoman's) daughter hard by, which was much importuned by her parents to the match, because their Family should be thereby ennobled, he being a Cavalier of Saint jago; the young Maid having understood that Don Beltran had been in Naples, and had that disease about him, answered wittily, En verdad pro adobar mi la sangre, no quiero danar mi la carne; Truly 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 Ant●…nors Tomb in Padoiia, and the Amphitheatre of Flaminius in Verona, with other brave Towns in Lombardy, I am now co●… to Rome, and Rome they say is every man's Country, she is called Communis Patria, for every one that is within the compass of the Latin Church, finds himself here as it were at hom, and in his Mother's house, in regard of interest in Religion, which is the cause, that for one Native, there be five strangers that sojourn in this City, and without any distinction, or mark of strangeness, they come to preferments and offices, both in Church and State, according to merit, which is more valued and sought after here, than any where.  
But whereas I expected to have found Rome elevated upon seven Hills, I met her rather spreading upon a Flat, having humbled herself since she was made a Christian, and descended from those Hills to Campus Martius, with Trasterens, and the Suburbs of Saint Peter she hath yet in compass about fourteen miles, which is far short of that vast circuit she had in Claudius his time; for Vopiscu●… 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 every Family in Women, Children, and Servants, came to three Millions of souls, but she is now a Wilderness in comparison of that number: The Pope is grown to be a great Temporal Prince of late years, for the state of the Church extends above 300. miles in length, and 200 miles in breadth, it contains Ferrara, Bologna, Romagna, the Marquisat of Ancona, umbria, Sabina, Perugia, with a part of Toscany, the Patrimony, Rome herself, and Latium: In these there are above fifty Bishoprics, the Pope hath also the Duchy of Spoleto, and the exarchat of Ravenna; he hath the Town of Beneventa in the Kingdom of Naples, and the County of Venisse called Avignon in France; he hath title also good enough to Naples itself, but rather than offend his Champion the King of Spain, he is contented with a white Mule, and Purse of Pistols about the neck, which he receives every year for a heriot or homage, or what you will call it; he pretends also to be Lord Paramount of Sicily, ●…rbin, Par●…a, and Masser●…, of Norway, Ireland, and England, since King john did prostrate our Crown at Pandelfo his Legat's Feet.  
The State of the Apostolie See here in Italy lieth 'twixt two Seas, the Adriati●…, and the Tyrrh●…, and it runs through the midst of Italy, which makes the Pope powerful to do good or harm, and more capable than any other to be an Umpire or an Enemy: His authority being mixed 'twixt Temporal and Spiritual disperseth itself 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 there are now in all Christendom but sixty eight Cardinals, whereof there are six Cardinal Bishops, fifty one Cardinal Priests, and eleven Cardinal Deacons: The Cardinal Bishops attend and sit near the Pope, when he celebrats any Festival: The Cardinal Priests assist him at Mass, and the Cardinal Deacons attire him. A Cardinal is made by a short Breve or Writ from the Pope in these words, Creamus te Socium Regibus, superiorem ducibus & fratrem ●…ostrum: We create thee a Companion to Kings, Superior to Dukes, and our Brother: If a Cardinal Bishop should be questioned for any offence, there must be twenty four Witnesses produced against him.  
The Bishop of O●…ia hath most privilege of any other, for he consecrats and installs the Pope, and goes always next to him: All these Cardinals have the repute of Princes, and besides other incomes, they have the Annats of Benefices to support their greatness.  
For point of power, the Pope is able to put 50000 men in the field, in case of necessity, besides his naval strength in Galleys. We read how Paul the third sent Charles the fifth twelve thousand Foot, and 500 Horse. Pius the fifth sent a greater aid to Charles the ninth▪ and for riches, besides the Temporal Dominions he hath in all the Countries before named, the Datary or Dispatching of Bulls, the Triennial Subsidies, Annats, and other Ecclesiastic Rights, mount to an unknown sum; and it is a common saying here. That as long as the Pope can finger a pen, he can want no pence. Pius the fifth, notwithstanding his expenses in Buildings left four Millions in the Castle of Saint Angelo, in less than five years, more I believe then this Gregory the fifteenth will, for he hath many Nephews; and better it is to be the Pope's Nephew, then to be favourite to any Prince in Christendom.  
Touching the Temporal Government of Rome, and Oppidan Affairs; there is a Praetor, and some choice Citizens which ●…it in the Capitol: Amongst other pieces of policy, there is a Synagog of Jews permitted here (as in other places of Italy) under the Pope's nose, but they go with a mark of distinction in their hats, they are tolerated for advantage of commerce, wherein the Jews are wonderful dextrous, though most of them be only Brokers and Lom●…rdeers; and they are held to be here, as the Cinic held Women to be ●…alum necessarium. There be few of the Romans that use to pray heartily for the Pope's long life, in regard the oftener the change is, the more advantageous it is for the City, because commonly it brings strangers, and a recruit of new people. This Air of Rome is not so wholesome as of old, and amongst other reasons one is because of the burning of Stubble to fatten their fields; For her Antiquities, it would take up a whole Volumn to write them, those which I hold the chiefest are Vespasia●…s Amphitheatre, where fourscore thousand people might sit; The Stoves of Anthony, divers rare Statues at Belveder and Saint Peter, specially that of Laocoon, the Obelisk; for the genius of the Roman hath always been much taken with Imagery, Limming, and Sculptures, insomuch, that as in former times, so now, I believe the Statues and Pictures in Rome, exceed the number of living people: One antiquity among other, is very remarkable, because of the change of Language; which is an ancient Column erected as a Trophy for Duillius the Consul, after a famous Naval Victory obtained against the Carthaginians in the second Punic War, where these words are engraven and remain legible to this day. Exemet leciones Maci●…rates Castreis' exfocient pugnandod cepet enque ●…avebos marid Consul, etc. And half a dozen lines more it is called Columna restrata, having the Beaks and Prores of ships engraven up and down, whereby it appears, that the Latin then spoken was much differing from that which was used in Cicero's time 150. years after. Since the dismembering of the Empire Rome hath run through many Vieissitudes, and turns of Fortune; and had it not been for the residence of the Pope, I believe she had become a heap of ●…tones, a mount of Rubbish by this time; and howsoever that she bears up indifferent well, yet one may say,  
Qui miseranda videt veteris vestigia Romae,  
Ille potest meritò dicere Roma suit.  
They who the ruins of first Rome behold,  
May say, Rome is not now, but was of old.  
Present Rome may be said to be but the Monument of Rome passed, when she was in that flourish that Saint Austin desired to see her in: She who tamed the world, tamed herself at last, and falling under her own weight, fell to be a prey to Time; yet there is a providence seems to have a care of her still; for though her Air ●…e not so good, nor her circumjacent Soil so kindly as it was, yet she hath wherewith to keep life and soul together still, by her Ecclesiastic Courts, which is the sole cause of her peepling now: So that it may be said, When the Pope came to be her head, she was reduced to her first principles; for as a shepherd was founder, so a shepherd is still her Governor and preserver. But whereas the French have an odd saying, that  
jamais cheval ny homme,  
S'amenda pour aller a Rome.  
ne'er Horse, or Man did mend,  
That unto Rome did wend.  
Truly I must confess, that I find myself much bettered by it; for the sight of some of these ruins did fill me with symptoms of Mortification, and made me more sensible of the frailty of all sublunary things, how all bodies, as well inanimat as animat, are subject to dissolution and change, and every thing else under the Moon, except the love of  
Your faithful Servitor, J. H. Rome, Septemb. 13, 1621.   

XXXIX. To Sir T. H. Kt. from Naples.  
SIR  
I Am now in the Gentle City of Naples, a City swelling with all delight, Gallantry and Wealth; and truly, in my opinion, the King of Spain's greatness appears here more emminently, then in Spain itself: This is a delicate luxurious City, fuller of truebred Cavaliers, than any place I saw yet. The Clime is hot, and the constitutions of the Inhabitants more hot.  
The Napolitan is accounted the best Courtier of Ladies, and the greatest embracer of pleasure of any other people: They say there is no less here then twenty thousand Courtesans registered in the office of Savelli. This Kingdom with Calabria, may be said to be the one Moiety of Italy, it extends itself 450. miles, and spreads in breadth 112; it contains 2700 Towns, it hath 20 Archbishops 127 Bishops, 13 Princes, 24 Dukes, 25 Marquess', and 800 Barons. There are three presidial Castles in this City; and though the Kingdom abound in rich Staple commodities, as Silks, Cottons, and Wine, and that there is a mighty Revenue comes to the Crown; yet the King of Spain when he casts up his account at the years end, makes but little benefit thereof, for it is eaten up 'twixt Governors, Garrisons, and Officers. He is forced to maintain 4000 Spanish Foot, called the Tercia of Naples, in the Castles he hath 1600 in perpetual Garrison; he hath 1000 men of Arms, 450 Light-Horse; besides there are five Footmen enroled for every hundred Fire; And he had need to do all this, to keep this voluptuous people in awe; for the Story musters up seven and twenty famous Rebellions of the Neapolitans in less than 300 years: But now they pay sound for it, for one shall hear them groan up and down under the Spanish yoke; And commonly the King of Spain sends some of his Grandes hither, to repair their decayed fortunes, whence the saying sprung, That the Viceroy of Sicily gnaws, the Governor of Milan Eats, but the Viceroy of Naples devours. Our English Merchants here, beat a considerable Trade, and their Factors live in better Equippage, and in a more splendid manner, as in all Italy besides, than their Masters and Principals in London, they ruffle in Silks and Satins, and wear good Spanish Leather-Shooes, while their Masters-Shooes upon our Exchange in London shine with Blacking. At Puzzoli not far off amongst the Grotts, there are so many strange stupendous things, that nature herself seemed to have studied of purpose how to make herself there admired: I reserve the discoursing of them with the nature of the Tarantola, and Manna which is gatherded here and no where else, with other things, till I shall see you, for they are fitter for discourse then a Letter. I will conclude with a Proverb they have in Italy of this people.  
Napolitano,  
Largo di bocca, stretto di mano.  
The Neapolitans  
Have wide mouths, but narrow hands.  
They make strong Masculine promises, but Female performances (for deeds are men, and words are women) and if in a whole flood of compliments one find a drop of reality, 'tis well. The first acceptance of a Courtesy is accounted the greatest incivility that can be amongst them, and a ground for a quarrel, as I heard of a Germane Gentleman that was baffled for accepting one only invitation to a dinner. So desiring to be preserved still in your good opinion, and in the rank of your seravants, I rest always most ready  
At Your disposing, J.- H. Naples, Octob. the 1. 1621.   

XL. To Christopher Jones Esq at Grays-inn, from Naples.  
Honoured Father,  
I Must still style you so, since I was adopted your Son, by so good a Mother as Oxford: My mind lately prompted me, that I ●…ould commit a great Solecism, if amongst the rest of my friend's 〈◊〉 England, I should leave you unsaluted, whom I love so dearly ●…ell, specially having such a fair and pregnant opportunity, as ●…e hand of this worthy Gentleman, your Cousin Morgan, who 〈◊〉 now posting hence for England: He will tell you how it fares ●…ith me; how any time these thirty and odd months I have been ●…ss'd from shore to shore, and passed under various Meridian's▪ ●…d am now in this voluptuous, and luxuriant City of Naples: ●…nd though these frequent removes and tumblings under climes 〈◊〉 differing temper, were not without some danger, yet the de●…ght which accompanied them was far greater; and it is impossi●…e for any man to conceive the true pleasure of Peregrination, ●…t he who actually enjoys, and puts it in practice: Believe it 〈◊〉, that one year well employed abroad by one of mature judgement (which you know I want very much) advantageth more in ●…int of useful and solid knowledge, than three in any of our ●…iversities: You know Running Waters are the purest; so they ●…t traverse the World up and down, have the cleer●…st under●…ndings; being faithful eye-witnesses of those things which ●…her receive but in trust, whereunto they must yield an intuitive ●…nsent, and a kind of implicit faith. When I passed through 〈◊〉 parts of Lombardy, amongst other things, I observed the Phy●…gnomies, and Complexions of the people, men and women, ●…d I thought I was in Wales, for divers of them have a cast of ●…untenance, and a nearer resemblance with our Nation, then ●…y I ever saw yet: And the reason is obvious, for the Romans●…ing ●…ing been near upon three hundred years amongst us, where ●…ey had four Legions (before the English Nation, or Language ●…d any being) by so long a coalition and tract of time, 〈◊〉 two Nations must needs copulat and mix: Insomuch, that I believe there is yet remaining in Wales many of 〈◊〉 Roman race, and divers in Italy of the British. Amongst 〈◊〉 resemblances, one was in their prosody, and vein of 〈◊〉 or rhyming, which is like our Bards, who hold agnominations, a●… enforcing of consonant words or syllables, one upon the other●… be the greatest elegance: As for example in Welsh, Tewgris, 〈◊〉 dyrris ty'r derrin gwillt, etc. So have I seen divers old rhymes Italian running so; as Donne, O danno, ●…he Febo affranto 〈◊〉 In selva salvo a me Piu caro cuore, etc.  
Being lately in Rome, amongst other Pasquil's I met with 〈◊〉 that was against the Scot, though it had some gawl in't, yet it 〈◊〉 a great deal of wit, specially towards the conclusion; so that think if King james saw it, he would but laugh at it.  
As I remember some years since, there was a very abusive 〈◊〉 in Verse brought to our King; and as the passages were a 〈◊〉 before him, he often said, That if there were no more men England, the rogue should hang for it; at last being come to 〈◊〉 conclusion, which was (after all his railing)  
Now God preserve the King, the Queen, the Peers,  
And grant the Author long may wear his Ears.  
This pleased His Majesty so well, that he broke into a 〈◊〉 and said, By my Solemnising so thou shalt for me: Thou art a bitter, 〈◊〉 thou art a witty Knave.  
When you write to Monmouthshire, I pray send my respects my Tutor, Master Moor Fortune, and my service to Sir 〈◊〉 Williams; and according to that relation which was 'twixt us Oxford, I rest  
Naples, 8. Octob. 1621. Your Constant Son to serve you, J. H.   

XLI. To Sir J. C. from Florence.  
SIR,  
THis Letter comes to kiss your hands from fair Florence, a City so beautiful, that the great Emperor (Charles the fifth) said, That she was fitting to be shown, and seen only upon Holidays: She marvailously flourisheth with Buildings, with Wealth and Artisans; for it is thought that in Serges, which is but one commodity, there are made two millions every year: All degrees of people live here not only well, but splendidly well, notwithstanding the manifold exactions of the Duke, upon all things: For none can buy here Lands or Houses, but he must pay eight in the hundred to the Duke; none can hire or build a House, but he must pay the tenth penny; none can marry, or commerce suit in Law, but there's a Fee to the Duke; none can bring as much as an Egg or Salad to the Market, but the Duke hath share therinna: Moreover, Ligorn which is the Key of Toscany, being a Maritime, and a great Mercantil Town, hath mightily enriched this Country by being a Frank Port to all comers, and a safe rendevouz to Pirates, as well as to Merchants. Add hereunto, that the Duke himself in some respect is a Merchant, for he sometimes engrosseth all the Corn of the Country, and retails it at what rate he pleaseth. This enables the Duke to have perpetually 20000 men enrolled, trained up, and paid, and none but they can carry Arms; he hath 400 Light-Horse in constant pay, and 100 men at Arms besides; and all these quartered in so narrow a compass, that he can command them all to Florence in twenty four hours. He hath twelve Galleys, two galleons, and six Galleasses besides, and his Galleys, are called, The black Fleet, because they annoy the Turk more in the bottom of the Straits, than any other.  
This State is bound to keep good quarter with the Pope, more than others; for all Toscany is fenced by Nature herself, I mean with Mountains, except towards the Territories of the Apostolic See, and the Sea itself, therefore it is called a Country of Iron.  
The Duke's 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 solicited to make the gran Duke a King, and he answered, That he was content he should be King in Toscany, not of Toscany; whereupon one of his Counsellors replied, That it was a more glorious thing to be a gran Duke, than a petty King.  
Among other Cities which I desi●…'d to see in Italy, Genoa was one where I lately was, and found her to be the proudest for buildings of any I met withal, yet the people go the plainest of any other, and are also most parsimonious in their diet: They are the subtlest, I will not say the most subdolous dealers; they are wonderful wealthy specially in Money: In the year 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 been the Scale by which he hath conveyed his Treasure to Flanders, since the Wars in the Netherlands for the support of his Armies, and that she hath got some privileges for the exportation of wools, and other commodities (prohibited to others) out of Spain, she hath improved extremely in riches, and made Saint George's Mount swell higher than Saint Marks in Venice.  
She hath been 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 herself up to him for Protection, King Lewis being told that Genoa was content to be his, he answered, She should not be his long, for he would give her up to the devil, and rid his hands of her.  
Indeed the Genoese have not the Fortune to be so well beloved, as other people in Italy, which proceeds I believe from their cunningnes, and over-reachings in bargaining, wherein they have something of the jew. The Duke is there but Biennial, being changed every two years: He hath fifty Germans for his Guard; there be four Centurion●… that have 100 men a piece, which upon occasions, attend the Signory abroad in Velvet Coats; there be eight chief Governors, and 400 Counselors, amongst whom there be five Sovereign Syndics, who have authority to censure the Duke himself, his time being expired, and punish any Governor else, though after death, upon the Heir.  
Amongst other customs they have in that Town, one is, That none must carry a pointed Knife about him, which makes the Hollander, who is used to Snik and Snee, to leave his Horn-sheath and Knife a Shipboard when he comes a shore: I met not with an Englishman in all the Town; nor could I learn of any Factor of ours that ever resided there.  
There is a notable little active Republic towards the midst of Toscany, called Luca, which in regard she is under the Emperor's protection, he dares not meddle withal, though she lie as a Partridge under a Falcon's Wings, in relation to the gran Duke; besides there is another reason of the State, why he meddles not with her, because she is more beneficial unto him now that she is free, and more industrious to support this freedom, then if she were become his vassal; for than it is probable, she would grow more careless and idle, and so could not vent his commodities so soon, which she buys for ready money, wherein most of her wealth consists: There is no State that winds the penny more nimbly, and makes quicker returns.  
She hath a Counsel called the Discoli, which pries into the profession and life of every one, and once a year they rid the State of all Vagabonds: So that this petty, pretty Republic, may not be improperly parellelled to a Hive of Bees, which have been always the emblems of industry and order.  
In this splendid City of Florence, there 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 Sienna, and that of the Court of Rome, which occasions the Proverb,  Lingua Toscana in boca Romana. The Toscan tongue sounds best in a Roman mouth. 
The people here generally seem to be more generous, and of a higher comportment than elsewhere, very cautious and circumspect in their negotiation; whence ariseth the Proverb,  
Chi há da far con Tosco,  
Non bisogna chi sia Losco.  
Who 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 God's grace, to take a review of my friends in England, amongst whom, the sight of yourself will be as gladsome to me, as of any other; for I profess myself, and purpose to be ever  
Your thrice affectionate 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 come to Turin, having already seen Venice the rich, Padova 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 Spain's Monarchy very much: The Governor of Milan is always Captain General of the Cavalry to the King of Spain throughout Italy: The Dnke of Feria is now Governor, and being brought to kiss his hands, he used me with extraordinary respect, as he doth all of our Nation, being by the maternal side a Dormer. The Spaniard entertains there also 3000 Foot, 1000 Light-Horse, and 600 men at Arms in perpetual pay; so that I believe the benefit of that Duchy also, though seated in the richest Soil of Italy, hardly countervails the charge. Three things are admired in Milan, the Dome or great Church (built all of white Marble, within and without) the Hospital, and the Castle, by which the Citadel of Antwerp was traced, and is the best conditioned Fortress of Christendom: Though Nova Palma a late Fortress 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 level to every Bastion.  
The Duke of Savoy, though he pass for one of the Princes of Italy, yet the least part of his Territories lie there, being squandered up and down amongst the Alps; but as much as he hath in Italy, which is Piedmont, is a well peepled, and passing good Country.  
This Duke of Savoy Emanuel, is accounted to be of the ancientest and purest extraction of any Prince in Europe, and his Knights also of the Anunciade, to be one of the ancientest Orders; though this present Duke be little in Stature, yet is he of a lofty spirit, and one of the best Soldiers now living; and though he be valiant enough, yet he knows how to patch the Lions-skin with a Fox-Tail; and whosoever is Duke of Savoy, had need be cunning, and more than any other Prince, in regard, that lying between two potent Neighbours, the French and the Spaniard, he must comply with both.  
Before I wean myself from Ital●…, a word or two touching the genius of the Nation. I find the Italian a degree higher in compliment then the French, he is longer and more grave in the delivery of it, and more prodigal of words, insomuch, that if one were to be worded to death, Italian is the fittest Language, in regard of the fluency and softness of it; for throughout the whole body of it, you have not a word ends with a consonant, except some few Monosyllable Conjunctions and Propositions, and this renders the Speech more smooth; which made one say, That when the confusion of tongues happened at the building of the Tower of Babel▪ if the Italian had been there, Nimrod had made him a Playsterer. They are generally indulgent of themselves, and great embracers of pleasure, which may proceed from the luscious rich Wines, and luxurious Food, Fruits, and Roots, wherewith the Country abounds, Insomuch, that in some places, Nature may be said to be Lena sui, A Bawd to herself. The Cardinal de Medici's Rule, is of much authority amongst them, That there is no Religion under the Navel. And some of them are of the opinion of the Asians, who hold, that touching those natural passions, desires, and motions, which run up and down in the blood, God Almighty and his Handmaid Nature, did not intend they should be a torment to us, but to be used with comfort and delight. To conclude, in Italy, there be Virtutes magnae, nec minora Vitia, Great virtues, and no less vices.  
So with a tender of my most affectionate respects unto you, I rest  
Your humble Servitor, J. H. Turin, 30. Novemb. 1621.   

XLIII. To Sir I. H. from Lions.  
SIR,  
I Am now got o'er the Alps, and returned to France; I had crossed and clammered up the Pyreneans to Spain before, they are not so high and hideous as the Alps; but for our Mountains in Wales as Eppint and Penwinm●…ur, which are so much cried up amongst us, they are Molehills in comparison of these, they are but Pygmies compared to Giants, but blisters compared to Impostumes, or Pimples to Werts: Besides, our Mountains in Wales bear always something useful to man or beast, some grass at least; but these uncouth huge monstrous excrescences of Nature, bear nothing (most of them) but craggy Stones: The tops of some of them are blanched over all the year long with Snows, and the people who dwell in the Valleys drinking, for want of other, this Snow-water, are subject to a strange swelling in the Throat, called Goytre, which is common amongst them. As I scaled the Alps, my thoughts reflected upon Hannibal, who with Vinegar & Strong-Waters, did eat out a passage through those Hills, but of late years they have found a speedier way to do it by Gunpowder.  
Being at Turin, I was by some disaster brought to an extreme low ebb in money, so that I was forced to foot it along with some Pilgrims, and with gentle pace and easy journeys, to climb up those Hills till I came to this Town of Lions, where a Country man of ours, one Mr. Lewis, whom I knew in Alieant lives Factor, so that now I want not any thing for my accommodation.  
This is a stately rich Town, and a renowned Mart for the Silks of Italy, and other Levantin commodities, and a great bank for money, and indeed the greatest of France. Before this Bank was founded, which was by Henry the first, France had but little Gold and Silver, insomuch, that we read how King john their Captive King, could not in four years, raise sixty thousand Crowns to pay his Ransom to our King Edward; And Saint Lewis was in the same case when he was prisoner in Egypt, where he had left the Sacrament for a gage; But after this Bank was erected, it filled France full of money; They of Luca, Florence, and Genoa, with the Venetian, got quickly over the Hills, and brought their moneys hither to get twelve in the hundred profit, which was the interest at first, though it be now much lower.  
In this great Mercantil Town, there be two deep navigable Rivers, the Rhone and the Sun, the one hath a swift rapid course, the other slow and smooth: And one day as I walked upon their Banks, and observed so much difference in their course, I fell into a contemplation of the humours of the French and Spaniard, how they might be not improperly compared to these Rivers; the French to the swift, the Spaniard to the slow River.  
I shall write you no more Letters until I present myself unto you for a speaking Letter, which I shall do as soon as I may tread London stones:  
Your affectionate Servitor, J. H. Lions, 6. Novemb. 1621.   

XLIIII. To Mr. Tho. Bowyer, from Lions.  
BEing so near the Lake of Geneva, curiosity would carry anyone to see it: The Inhabitants of that Town, me thinks, are made of another past differing from the affable nature of those people I had conversed withal formerly; they have one policy, lest that their pretty Republic should be pestered with fugitives, their Law is, That what stranger soever flies thither for sanctuary, he is punishable there, in the same degree, as in the Country where he committed the offence.  
Geneva is governed by four Syndncs, and four hundred Senators: She lies like a Bonetwixt three Mastiffs, the Emperor, the French King, and the Duke of Savoy, they all three look upon the Bone, but neither of them dare touch it singly, for fear the other two would fly upon him: But they say the Savoyard hath the justest Title, for there are Imperial Records extant, That although the Bishops of Geneva were Lords Spiritual and Temporal, yet they should acknowledge the Duke of Savoy for their Superior: This man's Ancestors went frequently to the Town, and the Keys were presently tendered to him. But since Calvin's time, who had been once banished, and then called in again, which made him to apply that speech unto himself, The stone which the builders refused, is become the head stone of the corner; I say, since they were refined by Calvin, they seem to shun and scorn all the World besides, being cast as it were into another mould, which hath quite altered their very natural disposition in point of Moral Society.  
Before I part with this famous City of Lions, I will relate unto you a wonderful strange accident that happened here not many years ago: There is an Officer called Le Chevalier du Guet (which is a kind of Night-guard) here as well as in Paris, and his Lieutenant called jaquette, having supped one night in a rich Merchant's house, as he was passing the round afterwards, he said, I wonder what I have eaten and drunk at the Merchant's house, for I find myself so hot, that if I met with the Devil's Dam to night, I should not forbear using of her; hereupon, a little after he overtook a young Gentlewoman masked, whom he would needs usher to her lodging, but discharged all his Watch, except two: she brought him, to his thinking, to a little low lodging hard by the City Wall, where there were only two Rooms: and after he had enjoyed her, he desired, that according to the custom of French Gentlemen, his two Camerads might partake also of the same pleasure; so she admitted them one after the other: And when all this was done, as they sat together, she told them, if they knew well, who she was, none of them would have ventured upon her; thereupon she whisseled three times, and all vanished: The next morning, the two soldiers that had gone with Lieutenant Jaquette were found dead under the City Wall, amongst the ordure and excrements, and jaquette himself a little way off half dead, who was taken up, and coming to himself, confessed all this, but died presently after.  
The next week I am to go down the Loire towards Paris, and thence as soon as I can for England, where amongst the rest of my friends, whom I so much long to see after this Triennial separation, you are like to be one of my first objects; In the mean time, I wish the same happiness may attend you at home, as I desire to attend me homeward; for I am  
Truly yours, I. H. Lions, 5. Decemb. 1621.    

Familiar Letters.  
SECTION II.  

I. To my Father.  
SIR,  
IT hath pleased God after almost three year●… peregrination by Land and Sea, to bring me back safely to London, but although I am come safely, I am come sickly: for when I landed in Venice, after so long a Sea from Spain, I was afraid the same defluxion of salt rheum which fell from my Temples into my throat in Oxford, and distilling upon the uvula impeached my utterance a little to this day, had found the same chan●…ell again, which caused me to have an Issue made in my left ●…rm for the diversion of the humour. I was well ever after till I came to Roven, and there I fell sick of a pain in the head, which, with the Issue, I have carried with me to England. Doctor Harvy who is my Physician, tells me that it may turn to a Consumption, therefore he hath stopped the Issue, telling me there is no danger at all in it, in regard I have not worn it a full twelvemonth: My Brother I thank him hath been very careful of me in this my sickness, and hath come often to visit me; I thank God I have passed ●…he brunt of it, and am recovering, and picking up my crumbs ●…pace. There is a flaunting French Ambassador come over lately, and I believe his errand is nought else but Compliment, for the King of France being lately at Calais, and so in sight of England, ●…e sent his Ambassador Monsieur Cadenet expressly to visit our King; ●…e had audience two days since, where he with his Train of ruffling long-haird Monsieurs, carried himself in such a light garb, that after the audience, the King asked my Lord Keeper Bacon what he thought of the French Ambassador, he answered, that he was a tall proper man; I, his Majesty replied, but what think you o●… his head-piece? is he a proper man for the Office of an Ambassador? Sir, said Bacon; Tall men are like high Houses of four or five Stories, wherein commonly the uppermost room is worst furnished.  
So desiring my brothers and sisters, with the rest of my 〈◊〉 and friends in the Country, may be acquainted with my safe return to England, and that you would please to let me hear from you by the next conveniency, I rest,  
Lond. 2 Febr. 1621. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

II. To Rich. Altham Esqr. at Norberry.  
SAlve pars animae dimidiata me●…ae; Hail half my soul, m●… dear Dick, etc. I was no sooner returned to the sweet bosom of England, and had breathed the smoke of this Town, but my memory ran suddenly on you, the Idea of you hath almost ever since so filled up and ingroft my imagination, that I can think on nothing else, the jove of you swells both in my breast and brain with such a pregnancy, that nothing can deliver me of this violent high passion but the sight of you: Let me despair if I lie, there was never 〈◊〉 longed more after any thing by reason of her growing 〈◊〉 than I do for your presence: Therefore I pray you make 〈◊〉 to save my longing, and Tantalise me no longer ('tis but three hours riding) for the sight of you will be more precious to me than any one Object I have seen, (and I have seen many rare ones) in all my three year●… T ●…vell; and if you take this for a Complemen●… (because I am newly come from France) you are much mist●…ken in  
London, 1 〈◊〉. 1621. Your J. H.   

III. To D. Caldwall Esqr. at Battersay.  
MY dear Dan. I am come at last to London, but not without some danger, and through divers difficulties, for I fell sick in France, and came so over to Kent; And my journey from the Sea side hither, was more tedious to me than from Rome to Roven, where I grew first indisposed; and in good faith, I cannot remember any thing to this hour how I came from Gravesend hither, I was so stupefied, and had lost the knowledge of all things; But I am come to myself indifferently well since, I thank God for it, and you cannot imagine how much the sight of you, much more your society, would revive me: your presence would be a Cordial unto me more restorative than exalted Gold, more precious than the powder of Pearl, whereas your absence if it continue long, will prove unto me like the dust of Diamonds, which is incurable poison: I pray be not accessary to my death, but hasten to comfort your so long weather beaten friend,  
Lond. Febr. 1. 1621. J. H.   

IV. To Sir James Crofts at the L. Darcy's in St. Osith.  
SIR, I am got again safely this side of the Sea, and though I was in a very sickly case when I first arrived, yet thanks be to God I am upon point of perfect recovery, whereunto the sucking in of English air, and the sight of some friends conduced not a little.  
There is fearful news come from Germany; you 〈◊〉 how the Bohemians shook off the Emperor's yoke; and how the great Counsel of Prague fell to such a hurly b●…rly, that some of the Imperial Counsellors were hurled out at the windows; you heard also I doubt not, how they offered the Crown to the D●…ke of Saxony, and he waving it, they sent Ambassadors to the 〈◊〉, whom they thought might prove par negotio, and to be able to go throughstitch with the work, in regard of his powerful alliance, the King of great Britain being his Father in Law, the King of Denmark, the Prince of O●…nge, the Marq. of Brandenburg, the Duke of Bo●…illon his Uncles, the States of Holland his Confederates, the French King his friend, and the Duke of Bavaria his near ally: The Prince Palsgrave made some difficulty at first, and most of his Counsellors opposed it, others incited him to it, and amongst other hortatives, they told him, That if he had the courage to venture upon a King of England's sole Daughter, he might very well venture upon a Sovereign Crown when it was tendered him. Add hereunto that the States of Holland did mainly advance the work, and there was good reason in policy for it; for their twelve years' Truce, being then upon point of expiring with Spain, and finding our King so wedded to Peace, that nothing could divorce him from it, they lighted upon this design, to make him draw his Sword▪ and engage hi●… against the House of Austria for the defence of his sole Daughter, and his Gran-childrens. What his Majesty will do hereafter I will not presume to foretell, but hitherto he hath given li●…tle countenance to the business, nay, he utterly misliked it at first▪ for whereas Doctor Hall gave the Prince Palsgrave the Title of King of Bohemia in his Pulpit Prayer, he had a check for his pains; for I heard his Majesty should say, that there is an implicit tie amongst Kings, which obligeth them, though there be no other interest or particular engagement▪ to stick unto, and right one another upon insurrection of Subjects; Therefore he had more reason to be against the Bohemians than to adhere to them in the deposition of their Sovereign Prince: The King of Denmark sings the same note, nor will he also allow him the appellation of King. But the fearful news I told you of at the beginning of this Letter, is, that there are fresh tidings brought how the Prince Palsgrave had a well appointed Army of about 25000 horse and foot near Prague, but the Duke of Bavaria came with scarce half the number, and notwithstanding his long march, gave them a sudden Battle, and utterly routed them; Insomnch that the new King of Bohemia, hahaving not worn the Crown a whole twelvemonth, was forced to fly with his Qu●…n and children; and after many difficulties they write, that they are come to the Castle of Castrein, the Duke of brandenburgh's Country his Uncle: T●…is news affects both Court and City here with much heaviness.  
I send you my humble thanks for the noble correspondence you pleased to hold with me abroad, and I desire to know by the nex●…, when you come to London, that I may have the comfort of the sight of you, after so long an absence.  
Ma●…ch the 1. 1619. Your●… true Servitor, J. H.   

V. To Dr. Fra: Man●…ell, at All▪ Souls in Oxford.  
I Am returned safe from my foreign employment, from my three years' travel, I did my best to make what advantage I could of the time though not so much as I should; for I find that Peregrination (well used) is a very profitable school▪ it is a running Academy, and nothing conduceth more to the building up and perfecting of a man. Your honourable Uncle Sir R●…rt Mansell who is now in the Med●…erranean hath been very noble to me, and I shall ever acknowledge a good part of my education from him. He hath melted vast sums of money in the glass business, a business indeed more proper for a Merchant, than a Courtier. I heard the King should say, that he wondered Robin Mansell being a Seaman, whereby he hath got so much honour, should fall from Water to tamper with Fire, which are two contrary Elements: My Father fears that this glass-employment will be too brittle a foundation for me to build a Fortune upon, and Sir Robert being now at my coming back so far at Sea, and his return uncertain; my Father hath advised me to hearken after some other condition. I attempted to go Secretary to Sir john Ayres to Constantinople, but I came too late: You have got yourself a great deal of good repute by the voluntary resignation you made of the Principality of jesus College, to Sir Eubule Theloall, in hope that he will be a considerable Benefactor to it: I pray God he perform what he promiseth, and that he be not over-partiall to North-wales men. Now that I give you the first summon, I pray you make me happy with your correspondence by Letters, there is no excuse or impediment at all left now, for you are sure where to find me, whereas I was a Landloper as the Dutchman saith, a wanderer, and subject to incertain removes, and short sojourns in divers places before. So with apprecation of all happiness to you here and hereafter; I rest,  
March 5. 1618. At your friendly dispose, J. H.   

VI To Sir Eubule Theloall, Knight, and Principal of Jesus Coll. in Oxford.  
SIR, I send you most due and humble thanks, that notwithstanding I have played the Truant, and been absent so long from Oxford, you have been pleased lately to make choice of me to be Fellow of your new Foundation in jesus College, whereof I was once a Member: As the quality of my Fortunes, and course of life run now, I cannot make present use of this your great favour, or promotion rather, yet I do highly value it, and humbly accept of it, and intent, by your permission, to reserve and lay it by, as a good warm garment against rough weather if any fall on me. With this my expression of thankfulness, I do congratulate the great honour you have purchased both by your own beneficence, and by your painful endeavour besides, to perfect that national College, which hereafter is like to be a Monument of your Fame, as well as a Seminary of Learning, and will perpetuat your memory to all Posterity.  
God Almighty prosper and perfect your undertake, and provide for you in Heaven those rewards which such public works of Piety use to be crowned withal; it is the apprecation of  
Your truly devoted Servitor, J. H. London, idibus Mar. 1621.   

VII. To my Father.  
SIR, according to the advice you sent me in your last, while I sought after a new course of employment, a new employment hath lately sought after me; My Lord Savage hath two young Gentlemen to his son●…es, and I am to go travel with them: Sat james Croftes (who so much respects you) was the main Agent in this business, and I am to go shortly to Longm●…ford in Suffolk, and ●…hence to Saint Osith in Essex to the Lord Darcy. Queen Anne is lately dead of a Dropsy in Denmark house▪ which is held to be one of the fatal events that followed the last fearful Comet that rose in the tail of the Constellation of Virgo, which some ignorant Astronomers, that write of it, would fix in the Heavens, and that as far above the Orb of the Moon, as the Moon is from the Earth: but this is nothing in comparison of those hideous fires that are kindled in Germany, blown first by the Bohemians, which is like to be a war without end; for the w●…ole House of Austria is interessed in the quarrel, and it is not the custom of that House to sit by any as●…ront, or forget it quickly. Queen Anne left a world of brave Jewels behind, but one P●…ero an outlandish man who had the keeping of them embeazled many, and is run away; she left all she had to Prince Charles, whom she eve●… loved best of all her Children▪ nor do I hear of any Legacy she left at all to her daughter in Germany; for that match some say lessened something of her affection towards her ever since, so that she would often call her goody Palsgrave, nor could she abide Secretary Winwood ever after, who was one of the chiefest instruments to bring that match about, as also for the rendition of the cautionary Towns in the Low-Countries Flushing and B●…ill, with the Rammakins. I was lately with Sir john Walter and others of your Counsel about your Law-busines, and some of them told me that Master I. Lloyd your adversary, it one of the shrewdest Sollicito●…s in all the thirteen Shires of Wales, being so habituated to Lawsuits and wrangling, that he knows any the least starting hole in every Court: I could wish you had made a fair end with him, for besides the cumber and trouble▪ specially to those that dwell at such a huge distance from Westminster Hall as you do, Law is a shrewd pickpu●…s, and the Lawyer as I heard one say wittily not long since, is like a Christmas box which is sure to get whosoever loseth.  
So with the continuance of my due and daily prayers for your health, with my love to my brothers and sisters, I rest,  
Your dutiful Son, J. H. March 20. 1621.   

VIII. To Dan. Caldwall Esqr. from the Lord Savages House in Long-Melford.  
My dear D.  
THough considering my former condition of life I may now be called a Countryman, yet you cannot call me a Rusti●…, (as you would imply in your Letter) as long as I live in so civil and noble a Family, as long as I lodge in so virtuous and regular a House as any▪ I believe in the Land both for economical government, and the choice company▪ for I never saw yet such a dainty Race of Children in all my life together, I never saw yet such an orderly and punctual attendance of servants▪ nor a great House so neatly kept; here one shall see nor dog, nor cat, nor cage to cause any nastiness within the body of the House: The kitchen and gutters and other offices of noise and drudgery are at the ●…ag end, there's a back gate for beggars and the meaner sort of swains to come in at; The stables butt upon the Park, which for a cheerful rising ground, for groves and browsings for the Deer, for rivulets of water may compare with any for its bigness in the whole land; it is opposite to the front of the great House, whence from the Gallery one may see much of the game when they are a hunting. Now for the gardning and costly choice flowers, for ponds, for stately large walks green and gravelly, for orchards and choice fruits of all sorts, there a●…e few the like in England: here you have your ●…on Cr●…en pear and 〈◊〉 ●…n perfection, your Muscadel grapes in such plenty that there are some bottles of wine sent every year to the King; And one Mr. Daniel a worthy Gentleman hard by, who hath ●…in long abroad, makes good store in his vintage. Truly this House of Long-Melford though it be not so great, yet it is so well compacted and contrived with such dainty conveniences every way, that if you saw the Landscape of it, you would be mightily taken with it, and it would serve for a choice pattern to bu●…ld and contrive a house by: If you come this Summer to your Manor of Sheriff in Essex, you will not be ●…ar off hence; if your occasions will permit, it will be worth your coming hither, though it be only to see him, who would think it a short journey to go from Saint David's head to Dover cliff●… to see and serve you, were their occasion▪ if you would know who the same is, ' 〈◊〉  
20 Mar. 1621. Your J. H.   

IX. To Robert Brown Esqr.  
Sir▪  
THanks for one ●…rtesie, is a good Usher to bring on another, Therefore it is my policy at this time to thank you most heartily for your late ●…opious Letter to draw on a second: I say, I thank you a thousand times over for yours of the third of this present, which abounded with such vari●…tie of news, and ample well-couch●… relations, that I made many friends by it; yet I am sorry for the quality of some of your news, that Sir Robert Mansell being now in the Mediterranean with a considerable ●…avall strength of ours against the Moors, to do the Spaniard a pleasure, Marquis Spinola should in a h●…gling way, change his Master for the time, and taking Commission from the Emperor, become his servant for invading the Palatinat with the Forces of the King of Spain, in the Netherlands▪ I am sorry also the Princes of the Union should ●…e so stupid as to suffer him to take Oppenheim by a Parthian kind of back stratagem, in appearing before the Town, and making semblance afterwards to go for Worms, and then perceiving the Forces of the United Princes to go for succouring of that, to turn back and take the Town he intended first, whereby I fear he will be quickly master of the rest. Surely I believe there may be some treachery in't, and that the Marquis of An●…back the General was o'ercome by pistol●… made of Indian ingots, rather than of steel, else an Army of 40000. which he had under his command might have made its par●…y good against Spinola's less than 10000 though never such choice Veterans. But what will not gold do? it will make a Pigmy too hard for a Giant, there's no fence or ●…ortres against an Ass laden with gold: It was the saying you know of His Father, whom partial and ignorant Antiquity cries up to have conquered the World, and that ●…e sighed there were no more worlds to conquer, though he had never one of the three old parts of the then known World entirely to himself. I desire to know what is become of that handful of men his Majesty sent to Germany under Sir Horace Vere, which he was bound to do as he is one of the Protestant Princes of the Union, and what's become of Sir Arthur Chichester, who is gone Ambassador to those parts.  
Dear Sir, I pray make me happy still with your Letters, it is a mighty pleasure for us Country folks to hear how matters pass in London and abroad; you know I have not the opportunity to correspond with you in like kind, but may happily hereafter when the tables are turned, when I am in London, and you in the West. Whereas you are desirous to hear how it fares with me, I pray know, that I live in one of the noblest Houses, and best Air of England: There is a dainty Park adjoining where I often wander up and down, and I have my several walks, I make one to represent the Royal Exchange, ●…he other the middle Isle of Paul's, another, Westminster Hall; and when I pass through the herd of Deer methinks I am in ●…apside. So with a full return of the same measure of love, as you pleased to send me, I rest  
24 Mar●…ij. 1621. Yours J. H.   

X. To R. Altham Esqr. from Saint Osith.  
SIR,  
LIfe itself is not so dear unto me as your friendship, nor Virtue in her best colours a●… precious as your Love, which was lately so lively portrayed unto me in yours of the fifth of this present: Me thinks your letter was like a piece of Tissue richly embroidered with rare flowers up and down, with curious representation●…, and Landscapes: Albeit I have as much stuff as you of this kind (I mean matter of Love) yet I want such a Loom to work it upon, I cannot draw it to such a curious web, therefore you must be content with homely Polldavie ware from me, for you must not expect from us Country folks such urbanities, and acquaint invention, that you, who are daily conversant with the wits of the Court, and of the Inns of Court, abound withal.  
Touching your intention to travel beyond the Seas the next Spring, and the intimation you make how happy you would be in my company; I let you know, that I am glad of the one, and much thank you for the other, and will think upon it, but I cannot re●…olve yet upon any thing. I am now here at the Earl Rivers, a ●…oble and great knowing Lord▪ who hath seen much of the World ●…broad; My Lady Savage his Daughter is also here with divers of 〈◊〉 children: I hope this Hilary Term to be merry in London, and amongst others to re-enjoy your conversation principally, for I esteem the society of no soul upon Earth more than yours: till than I bid you Farewell, and as the season invites me, I wish you a merry Christmas, resting  
December 20. 1622. Yours while J●…m. Howell.   

XI. To Captain Tho: Porter upon his return from Algiers voyage.  
Noble Captain,  
I Congratulat your safe return from the straits, but am sorry you were so streigh●…ned in your Commission, that you could not attempt what such a brave naval power of ●…o▪ men of War, such a gallant General and other choice knowing Commanders might have performed, if they h●…d had line enough; I know the lightness and nimbleness of Algiers ships, when I lived lately in Alicant and other places upon the Mediterranean, we should every week hear some of them chased, but very seldom taken; for a great ship following one of them, may be said to be as a Mastiff dog running after a hare; I wonder the Spaniard came short of the promised supply for furtherance of that notable adventurous design you had to fire the Ships and Galleys in Algiers road; And according to the relation you pleased to send me▪ it was one of the bravest enterprises, and had proved such a glorious exploit, that no story could have paralleled; But it seems their Hoggies, Magicians and Maribotts, were tampering with the ill Spirit of the Air all the while, which brought down su●… a still cataract of rain water●… suddenly upon you to hinder the working of your fireworks; such a disaster the story tells us b●…fell Charles the Emperor, but far worse than yours, for he lost ships and multitudes of men, wh●… were made slaves, but you came off with loss of eight men only, and Algiers is another gets thing now, than she was then, being I believe a hundred degrees stronger by Land and Sea, and for the latter strength we may thank our Countryman Ward, and 〈◊〉 the butterbag Hollander, which may be said to have been two of the fatallest and most infamoust men that ever Christendom b●…ed; for the one taking all Englishmen, and the other all Dutchmen, and bringing the Spips and Ordnance to Algiers, they may be said ●…o have been the chief Raysers of those Picaroons to be Pirates, which are now come to that height of strength, that they daily endamage and affront all Christendom. When I consider all the circumstances and success of this your voyage, when I consider th●… narrownes of your Commission, which was as lame as the Cl●… that kept it; when I find that you secured the Seas, and ●…rafick all the while, for I did not hear of one Ship taken while you were abroad; when I hear how you brought back all the Fleet without the least disgrace or damm●…ge by foe or ●…oul weather ●…o any ship▪ I conclude, and so do far b●…ter judgements than mine, that you did what possibly could be done: let those that repine at the one in the hundred (which was imposed upon all the Levant 〈◊〉 for the support of this Fleet) mutter what they will, that you went first to Gravesend, then to the Lands end, and after to no end.  
I have sent you for your welcome home (in part) two barrels of Colchester oysters, which were provided for my Lord of Colchester himself, therefore I pre●…ume they are good, and all green finnd; I shall shortly follow, but not to stay long in England, for I thin●… I must over again speedily to push on my fortunes: so my dear Tom▪ I am de todas m●…s entran●…s, from the centre of my heart I am  
St. Osith, December Yours, J. H.   

XII. To my Father upon my secona going to Travel.  
SIR,  
IAm lately returns to London, having been all this while in a very noble Family in the Country, where I found far greater repects than I deserved; I was to go with two of my Lord Savag●… Sons to travel, but finding myself too young for such a charge, and our Religion differing, I have now made choice to go over Comrade to a very worthy Gentleman Baron Althams' Son, whom I kn●…w in S●…anes, when my brother was there. Truly I hold him to be one of the hopefullest young men of this Kingdom for parts and person, he is full of excellent solid knowledge, as the Mathematics, the Law and other material studies; besides I should have been tied to have stayed three years abroad in the other employment at least, but I hope to go back from this by God's grace before a twelvemonth be at an end, at which time I hope the hand of Providence will settle me in some stable home-fortun●….  
The news is that the Prince Palsgrave with his Lady and Children are come to the Hague in Holland, having made a long progress or rather a pilgrimage about Germany from Prague. The old Duke of Bavaria his Uncle is chosen Elector and Arch▪ s●…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. Th●…r is one Count Mansfelt that begins to get a great name in Germany, and he with the Duke of Brunswick who is a temporal Bpp. of Halverstade, have a considerable Army on foot for the Lady Elizabeth, which in the low Country's and some parts of Germany is called the Queen of Boheme, and for her winning Princely comportment, th●… 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 wood●…n Horses in the Kingdom, which indeed are our best Horses, for he is to be High Admiral of England, so he is become Dominus Equorum & Aquarum. The late Lord Thre●…▪ Cranfield grows al●…o very powerful, 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; therefore I humbly take my leave, and ask your blessing, that I may the better prosper in my proceedings: So I am,  
Your dutiful Son, J. H. March 19 1621.   

XIII. To Sir John Smith Knight.  
SIR,  
THe first ground I set foot upon after this my second transma●… voyage was Trevere (the Scots Staple) in Zealand, thence 〈◊〉 sailed to Holland, in which passage we might see divers Steeples and Tur●…ets under water, of Towns that as we were told were swallowed up by a D●…luge within the memory of man: we went afterwards to the Hague, where there are hard by, though in several places, two wonderful things to be seen, one of Art, the other of Nature; That of Art is a Wagon or Ship, or a Monster mix●… of both, like the Hippocentaure who was half man, and half horse; this Engine hath wheels and sails that will hold above twenty people, and goes with the wind, being drawn or moved by nothing else, and will run, the wind being good, and the sails hoist 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 female; the Basin hangs in the Church which carried them to be Christened, 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 S●…ory is this: That Countess walking about her door after dinner, there came a Beggar-woman with two children upon her back 〈◊〉 beg alms, the Countess ask whether those children were her own, she answered, she had them both at one birth and by one father, who was her husband; The Countess would not only give her a●…y alms, but reviled her bitterly, saying, it was impossible for one man to get two children at once: The beggar-woman being thus provoked with ill words and without alms fell to imprecations, that it should please God to show his judgement upon her, and that she might bear at one birth a●… many children as there be days 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 L●…prosies; and the reason is, because they commonly eat abundance of fresh Fish. A Gentleman told me, that the women of this Country when they are delivered, there comes out of the womb a living creature besides the child called Zu●…chie, likest to a Bat of any other creature, which the Midwi●…s throw into the 〈◊〉, holding sheets before the chimney lest i●… should fly away. Master Altham desires his service be presented to You and your Lady, to Sir john Franklin and all at the Hill; the like do I humbly crave at your hands: the Italian and French Manuscripts you pleased to favour me withal I le●… at Mr. Seiles the Stationer, whence if you have them not already, you may please to send for them. So in all affection I kiss your hands and am  
Your humble Servitor, J. H. Trevere 10th of Apr. 1622.   

XIV. To ' the Right Honble, the Lord Viscount Colchester, after Earl Rivers.  
Right Honble,  
THe commands your Lop. pleased to impose upon me when I left England, and those high favours wherein I stand bound to your Lop. call upon me at this time to send your Lop. ●…om small fruits of my foreign Travel: Marquis Spinola is returned from the Palatinat, where he was so fortunate, that like Caesar 〈◊〉 came, saw and overcame, notwithstanding that huge Army of the Princes of the Union, consisting of forty thousand men, whereas his was under twenty, but made up of old ●…ough blades, and veteran Commanders. He hath now changed his coa●…, and taken up his old Commission again from Don Philippo, whereas during that expedition, he called himself Caesar's 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 Emperor's Commissary for the lower Palatinat: They both pretend that they were bound to obey the Imperial summons to assist Caesar in these wars; the one as he was Duke of Burgundy, the other of Bavaria, both which Countries are ●…eudetarie to the Empire, else they had incurred the Imperial bun▪ It is'feared this Germane war will be as the Frenchman saith, de longue halaine, long breathed, ●…or there are great powers on both sides, and they say the King of Denmark is arming.  
Having made a leisurely sojourn in this Town, I had spare hou●… to couch in writing a survey of these Countries which I have now traversed the second time; but in regard it would be a great bulk for a Letter, I send it your Lop. apart, and when I return to England, I shall be bold to attend your Lop. 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 less confusion than labour: Let it suffice to know, that since Flanders and Holland were erected to Earldoms, and so left to be an apendix of the Crown of France▪ some of them have had absolute and supreme Governors, some subaltern and subject to a superior Power. Amongst the rest the Earls of Flanders and Holland were most considerable, but of them two he of Holland being homegeable to none, and having Friestand and Zealand added, was the more potent: In process of time all the seventeen met in one; some by conquest, others by donation and legacy, but most by alliance: In the House of Burgundy this union received most growth, but in the House of Austria it came to its full perfection; for in Charles the fifth they all met as so many lines drawn from the circumference to the centre, who Lording as supreme head not only over the fifteen Temporal, but the two Spiritual, Liege and V●…recht, had a def●…in to reduce them to a Kingdom, which his Son Philip the second attempted after him, but they could not bring their intents home to their aim, the cause is imputed to that multiplicity and difference of privileges which they are so eager to maintain, and whereof some cannot stand with a Monarchy without incongruity. Philip the second at his inauguration was sworn to observe them, & at his departure he obliged himself by oath, to send still one of his own blood to govern them: Moreover, at the request of the Knights of the golden Fleece, he promised that all Foreign soldiers should retire, and that he himself would come to visit them once every seventh year, but being once gone, and leaving in lieu of a Sword a Distaff an unwieldy woman to govern, he came not only short of his promise, but procured a Dispensation from the Pope to be absolved of his Oath, and all this by the counsel of the Cardinal Granvill, who, as the State's Chronicler writes, was the first firebrand that kindled that lamentable and longsome war wherein the Netherlands have traded above fifty years in blood: For intending to increase the number of Bishops, to establish the decrees of the Counsel of Trent, and to clip the power of the Counsel of State composed of the natives of the Land, by making it appealable to the Counsel of Spain, and by adding to the former Oath of Allegiance, (all which conduced to settle the inquisition, and to curb the conscience) the broils began; to appease which, Ambassadors were dispatched to Spain, whereof the two first came to violent deaths, the one being beheaded, the other poisoned: But the two last Egmont and Horn were nourished still with hopes, until ' Philip the second had prepared an Army under the conduct of the Duke of Alva, to compose the difference by arms▪ For as soon as he came to the government, he established the Blo●…t-rad, as the complainants termed it, a Counsel of Blood, made up most of Spaniards, Egmont and Horn were apprehended, and afterwards beheaded; Citadels were erected, and the Oath of Allegiance, with the Political government of the Countsey in divers things altered: This poured oil on the fire formerly kindled, and put all in combustion; The Prince of Orange retires, thereupon his eldest son was surprised and sent as Hostage to Spain, and above 5000. Families quit the Country, many Towns revolted, but were afterwards reduced to obedience, which made the Duke of Alva say, that the Netherlands appertained to the King of Spain not only by descent but conquest, and for cumble of his victories when he attempted to impose the tenth penny for maintenance of the Garrisons in the Citadels he had erected at Grave, V●…echt, and Antwerp, (where he caused his Statue made of Canon brass ●…o be erected, trampling the Belgians under his feet) all the Towns withstood this imposition, so that at last matters succeeding ill with him, and having had his cousin Pacecio hanged at Flushing gates after he had traced out the platform of a Cit●…dell in that Town also, he received Letters of revocation from Spain; Him succeeded Don Lewis de Requiseus, who came short of his predecessor in exploits, and dying suddenly in the field, the government was invested for the time in the Counsel of State; The Spanish soldiers being without a head, gathered together to the number of 16●…0. and committed such outrages up and down, that they were proclaimed enemies to the State: Hereupon the pacification of Cant was transacted, whereof amongst other Articles one was, that all foreign soldiers should quit the Country: This was ratified by the King, and observed by Don john of Austria who succeeded in the government; yet Don john retained the Landskneghts at his devotion still, for some secret deffein, and as some conjectured for the invasion of England, he kept the Spaniards also still hover about the Frontiers ready upon all occasion: Certain Letters were intercepted that made a discovery of some projects which made the war to bleed afresh; Don john was proclaimed enemy to the State; so the Archduke Mathias was sent for, who being a man of small performance and improper for the times was dismissed, but upon honourable terms. Don john a little after dies, and as some gave out of the pox; Then comes in the Duke of Parma, a man as of a different Nation being an Italian, so of a differing temper, and more moderate spirit and of greater performance than all the rest, for whereas all the Provinces except Luxenburg and Henault had revolted, he reduced Gant, Tourney, Bruges, Malins, brussels, Antwerp, (which three last he beleagerd at one time) and divers other great Towns to the Spanish obedience again: He had sixty thousand men in pay, and the choicest which Spain and Italy could afford. The French and English Ambassadors interc●…ding for a peace, had a short answer of Philip the second, who said, that he needed not the help of any to reconcile himself to his own subjects, and reduce them to conformity, but the difference that was he would refer to his co●…en the Emperor: Hereupon the business was agitated at Colen, where the Spaniard stood as high a tiptoe as ever, and notwithstanding the vast expense of treasure and blood he had been at for so many years, and that matters began to exasperate more and more, which were like to prolong the wars in infinitum, he would abate nothing in point of Ecclesiastic government: Hereupon the States perceiving that King Philip could not be wrought either by the solicitation of other Princes, or their own supplications so often rei●…erated, that they might enjoy the freedom of Religion, with other infranchisements, and finding him inex●…rable, being incited also by that ban which was published against the Prince of Orange, that whosoever killed him should have 5000. crowns, they at last absolutely renounced and abjured the King of Spain for their Sovereign; They bro●…k his Seals, changed the Oath of Allegiance, and fled to France for shelter; they inaugurated the Duke of Anjou (recommended unto them by the Queen of England to whom he was a sut●…r) for their Prince, who attempted to render himself absolute, and so thought to surprise Antwerp, where he received an illfavord repuls; yet nevertheless, the united Provinces, for so they termed themselves ever after, fearing to distaste their next great neighbour France, made a second proffer of their protection and Sovereignty to that King, who having too many irons in the fire at his own home, the Ligue growing stronger and stronger, he answered them that his shirt was nearer to him than his doublet; Then had they recours to Queen Elizabeth, who partly for her own security, partly for interest in Religion reached them a supporting hand, and so sent them men, money and a Governor the Earl of Leicester, who not symbolising with their humour, was quickly revokd, yet without any outward dislike on the Queen's side, for she left her Forces still with them but upon their expense: She lent them afterwards some considerable sums of moneys, and she received Flushing and the Brill for caution: Ever since the English have been the best sinews of their war, and Achievers of the greatest exploits amongst them. Having thus made sure work with the English, they made young Count Maurice their Governor, who for five and twenty years together held rack with the Spaniard, and during those traverses of war was very fortunate: an overture of Peace was then propounded, which the States would not hearken unto singly with the King of Spain, unless the Provinces that yet remained under him would engage themselves for performance of what was Articled, besides they would not treat either of Peace or Truce, unless they were declared free States, all which was granted, so by the intervention of the English and French Ambassadors, a Truce was concluded for 12 years.  
These wars did so drain and discommodat the King of Spain, by reason of his distance (every Soldier that he sent either from Spain or Italy, costing him ne'er upon a hundred crowns before he could be rendered in Flanders,) that notwithstanding his mines of Mexico and Peru▪ it plunged him so deeply in debt, that having taken up moneys in all the chief banks of Christendom he was forced to publish a Diplo●…a wherein he dispensed with himself (as the Holland Story hath it) from payment, alleging that he had employed those moneys for the public Peace of Christendom: this broke many great Bankers, and they say his credit was not current in Sevill or Lisbon his own Towns: and which was worse, while he stood wrestling thus with his own Subjects, the Turk took his opportunity to get from him Tunis and the Goletta the Trophies of Charles the fifth his Father. So eager he was in this quarrel that he employed the utmost of his strength and industry to reduce this people to his will, in regard he had an intent to make these Provinces his main Rendezvous and Magazine of men of war, which his neighbours perceiving, and that he had a kind of aim to be Western Monarch, being led not so much for love as reasons of State, they stuck close to the revolted Provinces, and this was the bone that Secretary Walsingham told Queen Elizabeth, he would cast the King of Spain that should last him 20 years, and perhaps make his teeth shake in his head.  
But to return to my first discourse whence this digression hath snatched me, The Netherlands who had been formerly knit and concentred under one Sovereign Prince, were thus dismembered; And as they subsist now, They are a State and a Province: The Province having ten of the 17. at least, is far greater, more populous, better soiled, and more stored with Gentry. The State is the richer and stronger, the one proceeding from their vast Navigation and Commerce, the other from the quality of their Country, being defensible by Rivers and Sluices, by means whereof they can suddenly overwhelm all the whole Country, witness that stupendious siege of Leyden and Haerlam, for most of their Towns the marks being taken away are inaccessible by reason of shelves of sands. Touching the transaction of these Provinces which the King of Spain made as a dowry to the Archduke Albertus, upon marriage with the Infanta (who thereupon left his red Hat, and Toledo Mitre the chiefest spiritual Dignity in Christendom for revenue after the Papacy) it was fringd with such cautelous restraints, that he was sure to keep the better end of the staff still to himself: for he was to have the tutele and ward of his children, that they were to marry with one of the Austrian Family recommended by Spain, and in default of issue, and in case Albertus should survive the Infanta, he should be but Governor only: Add hereunto that King Philip reserved still to himself all the Citadels and Castles, with the order of the golden Fleece, whereof he is Master, as he is Duke of Burgundy.  
The Archduke for the time hath a very princely command, all Coins bear his st●…mp, all Placarts or Edicts are publishd in his name, he hath the election of all civil Officers, and Magistrates; he nominats also Bishops and Abbars, for the Pope hath only ' the Confirmation of them here, nor can he adjourn any out of the Country to answer any thing, neither are his Bulls of any strength without the Princes placet, which makes him have always some Commissioners to execute his Authority. The people here grow hotter and hotter in the Roman Cause, by reason of the mixture with Spaniards and Italians; as also by the example of the Archduke, and the Infanta, who are devout in an intense degree. There are two supreme Counsels, the Privy Counsel, and that of the State; this treats of confederations and intelligence with foreign Princes, of Peace and War, of entertaining or of dismissing Colonels and Captains, of Fortifications, and they have the surintendency of the highest affairs that concern the Prince and the policy of the Provinces. The private hath the granting of all Patents and Requests, the publishing of all Edicts and Proclamations, the prising of Coin, the looking to the confines and extent of the Provinces, and the enacting of all new Ordinances. Of these two Counsels there is never a Spaniard, but in the actual Counsel of War their voices are predominant: There is also a Court of Finances or Exchequer, whence all they that have the fingering of the King's money, must draw a discharge. Touching matters of Justice, their Law is mixed between Civil and common with some clauses of Canonical: The high Court of Parliament is at Maline, whither all Civil Causes may be brought by appeal from other Towns, except some that have municipal Privileges, and are sovereign in their own jurisdictions, as Mons in Henalt, and a few more.  
The prime Province for dignity is Brabant, which amongst many other privileges it enjoyeth, hath this for one, not to appear upon any summons out of its own precinct, which is one of the reasons why the Prince makes his residence there: but the prime for extent and fame is Flanders the chiefest Earldom in Christendom, which is three day's journey in length; Ghent, its Metropolis, is reputed the greatest town of Europe, whence arose the Proverb, Les flamen tient un 'gan, qui tiendrá Paris dedans. But the beautifullest, richest, strongest, and most privileged City is Antwerp in Brabant, being the Marquisat of the holy Empire, and drawing ne'er to the nature of a Hans Town, for she pays the Prince no other Tax but the Impost. Before the dissociation of the seventeen Provinces, this Town was one of the greatest Marts of Europe, and greatest bank this side the Alps, most Princes having their Factors here, to take up, or let out moneys, and here our Gresham got all his wealth, and built our Royal Exchange by model of that here. The Merchandise was brought hither from Germany, France and Italy by Land, and from England, Spain, and the Hans towns by Sea, was estimated at above twenty Millions of Crowns every year; but as no violent thing is long lasting, and as 'tis fatal to all Kingdoms, States, Towns and Languages to have their period, so this renowned Mart hath suffered a shrewd eclipse, yet no utter downfall, the Exchange of the King of Spain's money and some small land trafic, keeping still life in her, though nothing so full of vigour as it was. Therefore there is no town under the Archduke where the States have more concealed friends than in Antwerp, who would willingly make them her Masters in hope to recover her former commerce which after the last twelve years' truce began to revive a little, the States permitting to pass by Lillo's sconce which commands the river of Skeld and lieth in the teeth of the Town some small cross-saild ships to pass hither: There is no place hath been more passive than this, and more often pillaged; amongst other times she was once plundered most miserably by the Spaniards under the conduct of a Priest, immediately upon Don john of Austria's death, she had then her Stat-house burned, which had cost a few years before above twenty thousand Crowns the building, and the spoils that were carried away thence amounted to forty Tuns of gold: Thus she was reduced not only to poverty, but a kind of captivity, being commanded by a Citadel, which she preferred before a Garrison; this made the Merchant retire and seek a more free Rendezvous, some in Zealand, some in Holland, specially in Amsterdam which rose upon the fall of this Town, as Lisbon did from Venice upon the discovery of the Cape of good Hope, though Venice be not ne'er so much crestfall'n.  
I will now steer my discourse to the united Provinces as they term themselves, which are six in number, viz. Holland, Zealand, Friesland, Overyssell, Gronninghen and Utrecht, three parts of Gilderland, and some Frontier Towns and places of contribution in Brabant and Flanders: In all these there is no innovation at all introduced, notwithstanding this great change in point of Government, except that the College of States represents the Duke or Earl in times passed, which College consists of the chiefest Gentry of the Country, surintendants of Towns, and the principal Magistrates: Every Province and great Town choose yearly certain Deputies, to whom they give plenary power to deliberat with the other States of all affairs touching the public welfare of the whole Province, and what they vote stands for Law. These being assembled consult of all matters of State, Justice and War, the Advocate who is prime in the Assembly propounds the business, and after collects the suffrages, first of the Provinces, then of the Towns, which being put in form he delivers in pregnant and moving speeches, and in case there be a dissonance and reluctancy of opinions, he labours to accord and reconcile them, concluding always with the major voices.  
Touching the administration of Justice, the Precedent, who is monthly changed, with the great Counsel have the supreme judicature, from whose Decrees there's no appeal, but a revision, and then some of the choicest Lawyers amongst them are appointed.  
For their Opidan Government they have variety of Officers, a Scout, Bourgmasters, a Balue, and 〈◊〉: The Scout is chosen by the States, who with the Balues have the judging of all criminal matters in last resort without appeal, they have also the determining of Civil Causes, but those are appealable to the Hague. Touching their chiefest Governor (or General rather now) having made proof of the Spaniard, German, French and English, and agreeing with none of them, they lighted at last upon a man of their own mould Prince Maurice now their General, in whom concurred divers parts suitable to such a charge, having been trained up in the wars by his Father, who with three of his Uncles and divers of his kindred, sacrificed their lives in the State's quarrel: he hath thriven well since he came to the Government; he cleared Friesland, Overyssell and Groninghen, in less than 18 months: He hath now continued their Governor and General by sea and land above 33 years; he hath the election of Magistrates, the pardoning of Malefactors, and divers other Prerogatives, yet they are short of the reach of Sovereignty, and of the authority of the ancient Counts of Holland: Though I cannot say 'tis a mercenary employment, yet he hath a limited allowance, nor hath he any implicit command when he goes to the field, for either the Counsel of War marcheth with him, or else he receives daily directions from them: moreover the States themselves reserve the power of nominating all Commanders in the Army, which being of sundry Nations deprive him of those advantages he might have to make himself absolute. Martiall-Discipline is no where so regular as amongst the States, no where are their lesser insolences committed upon the Burger, no●… robberies upon the Country Boors, nor are the Officers permitted to insult o'er the common soldier: When the Army marcheth, not one dares take so much as an apple off a tree, or a root out of the earth in their passage; and the reason is, they are punctually paid their pay, else I believe they would be insolent enough, and were not the pay so certain I think few or none would serve them. They speak of sixty thousand they have in perpetual pay by Land and Sea, at home and in the Indies: The King of France was used to maintain a Regiment, but since Henry the Greats death the payment hath been neglected. The means they have to maintain these Forces, to pay their Governor▪ to discharge all other expense, as the preservation of their Di●…es which comes to a vast expense yearly, is the ancient revenue of the Counts of Holland, the impropria●… Church living, Imposts upon all Merchandise which is greater upon exported than imported goods▪ Excise upon all commodities, as well for necessity as pleasure, taxes upon every Acre of ground, which is such, that the whole Country returns into their hands every three years: Add hereunto the Art they use in their bank by the rise and fall of money, the fishing upon our Coasts, whither they send every Autum●… above 700 Hulks or Busses, which in the voyages they make, return above a Million in Herring; moreover their fishing for Greenfish and Salmon amounts to so much more, and for their Cheese and Butter, 'tis thought they vent as much every year as Lisbon doth spices. This keeps the common Treasury always full, that upon any extraordinary service or dessein ther is seldom any new tax upon the people. Trafic is their general profession, being all either Merchant's o●… Mariners, and having no land to manure, they furrow the Sea for their living; and this universality of trade and their banks of adventures distributes the wealth so equally, that few amongst them are exceeding rich or exceeding poor: Gentry amongst them is very thin, and as in all Democraties little respected, and coming to dwell in Towns they soon mingle with the Merchant, and so degenerate: Their soil being all 'twixt marsh and meadow is so fat in pasturage, that one Cow will give eight quarts of milk a day, ●…o that as a Boor told me, in four little dorps near Herlam, 'tis thought there is as much milk milked in the year, as there is Rhenish wine brought to Dort, which is the sole Staple of it. Their towns are beautiful and neatly built, and with uniformity, that who sees one, sees all: In some places, as in Amsterdam, the foundation costs more than the superstructure, for the ground being soft, they are constrained to ram in huge stakes of timber (with wool about it to preserve it from pu●…rifaction) till they come to a firm basis; so that as one said, whosoever could see Amsterdam under ground, should see a huge winter Forrest.  
Amongst all the confederate Provinces, Holland is most predominant, which being but six hours' journey in breadth, contains nine and forty walled Towns, and all these within a days journey one of another. Amsterdam for the present is one of the greatest mercantill Towns in Europe: To her is appropriated the East and West Indie trade, whether she sends yearly 40. great ships, with another fleet to the Baltic Sea, but they send not ne'er so many to the Mediterranean as England: Other towns are passably rich, and stored with shipping, but not one very poor, which proceeds from the wholesome policy they use, to assign every Town some firm Staple commodity, as to (their maiden Town) D●…rt the Germane wines and corn, to Midlebourgh the French and Spanish wines, to Trevere (the Prince of Orange his Town) the Scots trade, Leyden in recompense of her long siege was erected to an University, which with Franiker in Fris●…land is all they have; Haerlam for knitting and weaving hath some privilege, Rotterdam hath the English cloth, and this renders their Towns so equally rich and populous. They allow free harbour to all Nations with liberty of Religion, (the Roman only excepted) as far as the jew who hath two Synagogs' allowed him but only in Amsterdam, which piece of policy they borrow of the Venetian with whom they have very intimat intelligence, only the jew in Venice, in Rome and other places go with some outward mark of distinction, but hear they wear none: and these two republics, that in the East and this in the West, are the two remoras that stick to the great vessel of Spain, that it cannot sail to the Western Monarchy.  
I have been long in the survey of these Provinces, yet not long enough, for much more might be said which is fitter for a Story than a Survey; I will conclude with a mot or two of the people, whereof some have been renowned in times passed for feats of war: amongst the States, the Hollander or Batavian hath been most known, for some of the Roman Emperors have had a selected guard of them about their persons for their fidelity and valeur, as now the King of France hath of the Swiss: The Frisons also have been famous for those large privileges wherewith Charlemagne endowd them; The Flemins also have been illustrious for the martial exploits they achieved in the East where two of the Earls of Flanders were crowned Emperors. They have all a genius inclined to commerce, very inventive and witty in manufactures, witness the Art of Printing, painting and colouring in glass; those curious quadrants, chim's and dials, those kind of wagons which are used up and down Christendom were first used by them; and for the Mariner's Compass, though the matter be disputable 'twixt the Neapolitan, the Portugal and them, yet there is a strong argument on their side, in regard they were the first that subdivided the four cardinal winds to two and thirty, others naming them in their Language.  
There is no part of Europe so haunted with all sorts of Forrener●… as the Netherlands, which makes the Inhabitants as well women as men so well versed in all sorts of languages, so that in Exchange time one may hear 7. or 8. sorts of tongues spoken upon their Bourses: nor are the men only expert herein, but the women and maids also in their common hostries, and in Holland the wife's are so well versed in bargaining, cifring and writing, that in the absence of their Husbands in long Sea voyages they beat the trade at home, and their words will pass in equal credit: These women are wonderfully sober, though their Husbands make commonly their bargains in drink, and then are they most cau●…elous. This confluence of Strangers makes them very populous, which was the cause that Charles the Emperor said, that all the Netherlands seemed to him but as one continued Town. He and his Grandfather Maximilian, notwithstanding the choice of Kingdoms they had, kept their Courts most frequently in them, which showed how highly they esteemed them, and I believe if Philip the second had visited them sometimes matters had not gone so ill.  
There is no part of the Earth considering the small circuit of Country which is estimated to be but as big as the fist part of Italy, where one may find more differing customs, tempers and humours of people, than in the Netherlands: The Walloon is quick and spritfull, acostable and full of Compliment, and gaudy in apparel like his next neighbour the French: The Flemin and Braban●…r, somewhat more slow and more sparing of speech: The Hollander slower than he, more surly and respectless of Gentry and strangers, homely in his clothing, of very few words, and heavy in action, which may be well imputed to the quality of the soil, which works so strongly upon the humours, that when people of a more vivacious and nimble temper come to mingle with them, their children are observed to partake rather of the soil than the sire: And so it is in all Animals besides.  
Thus have I huddled up some observations of the Low Countries, beseeching your Lop▪ would be pleased to pardon the imperfections, and correct the errors of them, for I know none so capable to do it as your Lop. to whom I am  
Antwerp, 1 Maii. 1622. A most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XIV To my Br●…sher, Master Hugh Penry upon his marriage.  
SIR,  
YOu have had a good while the interest of a Friend in me, but you have me now in a straighter tie, for I am your brother, by your late marriage which hath turned friendship into an alliance; you have in your arms one of my dearest sisters, who I hope, nay I know will make a good wife: I heartily congratulate this marriage, and pray that a blessing may descend upon it from that place where all marriages are made which is from Heaven, the Fountain of all felicity: to this prayer I think it no profaneness to add the saying of the Lyric Poet Horace, in whom I know you delight much, and I send it you as a kind of Epithalamium, and wish it may be verified in you both.  
Foelices ter & amplius  
Quos irrupta tenet copula, nec malis  
Divulsus querimoniis  
Suprema citius solvet amor die.  
Thus Englished.  
That Couple's more than trebly blest  
Which nuptial bonds do so combine,  
That no distaste can them untwine  
Till the last day send both to rest.  
So dear brother, I much rejoice for this alliance, and wish you may increase and multiply to your hearts content.  
May the 20 1622. Your affectionate brother, J. H.   

XVII. To my brother Doctor Howell from Brussels.  
SIR,  
I Had yours in Latin at Rotterdam, whence I corresponded with you in the same Language; I heard, though not from you, since I came from brussels, that our sister Anne is lately married to Mr Hugh Penry, I am heartily glad of it, and wish the rest of our fisters were so well bestowed; for I know Mr Penry to be a Gentleman of a great deal of solid worth and integrity, and one that will prove a great Husband, and a good O●…conomist.  
Here is news that Mansfel●… hath received a foil lately in Germany, and that the Duke of Brunswick, alias Bishop of Halverstadt hath lost one of his arms: This makes them vapour here extremely, and the last week I heard of a play the Jesuits of Antwerp made, in derogation or rather derision of the proceedings of the Prince Palsgrave, where amongst divers other passages, they feigned a Post to come puffing upon the stage, and being asked what news, he answered how the Palsgrave was like to have shortly a huge formidable Army, for the King of Denmark was to send him a hundred thousand, the Hollanders a hundred thousand, and the King of great Britain a hundred thousand; but being asked thousands of what? he replied the first would send 100000. red Herring, the second 100000. Cheeses, and the last 100000. Ambassadors; alluding to Sir Richard Weston, and Sir Edward Conway, my Lord Carlisle, Sir Arthur Chichester, and lastly, the Lord Digby, who have been all employed in quality of Ambassadors in less than two years, since the beginning of these Germane broils: touching the last, having been with the Emperor and the Duke of Bavaria, and carried himself with such high wisdom in his negotiations with the one, and stoutness with the other, and having preserved Count Mansfiel●…s troops from disbanding, by pawning his own argentry and Jewels, he passed this way, where they say the Archduke did esteem him more than any Ambassador that ever was in this Court, and the report is yet very fresh of his high abilities.  
We are to remove hence in coach towards Paris the next week where we intent to winter, or hard by; when you have opportunity to write to Wales, I pray present my duty to my Father, and my love to the rest; I pray remember me also to all at the Hill and the Dale, specially to that most virtuous Gentleman, Sir john Franklin. So my dear brother, I pray God continue and improve his blessings to us both, and bring us again together with comfort.  
june 10. 1622. Your brother, J. H.   

XVIII. To Dr. The: Prichard at Worcester House.  
SIR,  
FRiendship is that great chain of human society, and intercours of letters is one of the chiefest links of that chain: you know this as well as I, therefore I pray let our friendship, let our love, that national ty of British love, that virtuous ty of Academi●… love be still strengthened (as heretofore) and receive daily more and more vigour. I am now in Paris, and there is weekly opportunity to receive and send; and if you please to send, you shall be sure to receive, for I make it a kind of Religion to be punctual in this kind of payment. I am heartily glad to hear that you are become a domestic member to that most noble Family of the Worcester's, and I hold it to be a very good foundation for future preferment; I wish you may be as happy in them, as I know they will be happy in you. F●…ance is now barren of news, only there was a shrewd brush lately 'twixt the young King and his Mother, who having the Duke of Espernon and others for her Champions met him in open field about pont de Ce, but she went away with the worst; such was the rare dutifulness of the King, that he forgave her upon his knees, and pardoned all her complices; And now there is an universal Peace in this Country, which 'tis thought will not last long, for there is a war intended against them of the reformed Religion; for this King though he be slow in speech, yet is he active in spirit, and loves motion: I am here comrade to a gallant young Gentleman my old acquaintance who is full of excellent parts, which he hath acquired by a choice breeding, the Baron his Father gave him both in the University, and the Inns of Court, so that for the time, I envy no man's happiness. So with my hearty commends, and 〈◊〉 ●…ndear'd love unto you, I rest  
〈◊〉, 3. Aug. ●…622. Yours while Jam. Howell.   

XIX. To the Honble. Sir Tho. Savage, (after Lord Savage,) at his House upon Tower-Hill.  
Honble. SIR,  
THose many undeserved favours for which I stand obliged to yourself and my noble Lady, since the time I had the happiness to come first under your roof, and the command you pleased to lay upon me at my departure thence, call upon me at this time to give you account how matters pass in France.  
That which for the present affords most plenty of news, is Rochel, which the King threateneth to block up this Spring with an army by sea, under the command of the D. of Nevers, and by a land army under his own conduct: both sides prepare, he to assault, the Rochellers to defend. The King declares that he proceeds not against them for their Religion which he is still contented to tolerat, but for holding an Assembly against his Declarations. They answer that their Assembly is grounded upon his Majesty's royal Warrant, given at the dissolution of the last Assembly at Lodun, where he solemnly gave his word to permit them to re-assemble when they would six months as●…er, if the breaches of their liberty, and grievances which they then propounded were not redressed; and they say this being unperformed, it stands not with the sacred Person of a King to violate his promise, being the first that ever he made them. The King is so incensed against them, that their Deputies can have neither access to his Person, nor audience of his Counsel, as they style themselves the Deputies of the Assembly at Rochel; but if they say they come from the whole body of Them of the pretended reformed Religion, he will hear them. The breach between them is grown so wide, that the King resolves upon a siege. This resolution of the Kings is much fomented by the Roman Clergy, specially by the Celestines, who have 200000 Crowns of gold in the Arsenal of Paris, which they would sacrifice all to this service, besides the Pope sent him a Bull to levy what sums he would of the Gallican Church, for the advancement of this design: This resolution also is much pushed on by the Gentry, who besides the particular employments and pay they shall receive hereby, are glad to have their young King trained up in Arms to make him a Martial man; But for the Merchant and poor Peasan, they tremble at the name of this War, fearing their teeth should be set on edge with those sour grapes their fathers tasted in the time of the League, for if the King begin with Rochel, 'tis feared all the four corners of the Kingdom will be set on ●…re.  
Of all the Towns of surety which They of the Religion hold, Rochel is the chiefest; a place strong by nature, but stronger by Art; It is a Maritime town, and landward they can by sluices drown a leagues distance: 'tis fortified with mighty thick walls, bastions, and counters●…arps, and those according to the modern rules of Enginry. This amongst other cautionary Towns, was granted by Henry the fourth, to them of the Religion for a certain term of years, which being expired, the King saith they are devolved again to the Crown, and so demands them. They of the Religion pretend to have divers grievances; first they have not been paid these two years the 160000 Crowns which the last King gave them annually to maintain their Ministers and Garrisons: They complain of the King's carriage lately at Bearn (Henry the greats Country) which was merely Protestant, where he hath introduced two years since the public exercise of the Mass, which had not been sung there fifty years before; he altered also there the Government of the Country, and in lieu of a Viceroy, left a Governor only: and whereas Navarrin was formerly a Court of Parliament for the whole Kingdom of Navarre, (that's under France) he hath put it down and published an Edict, that the Navarrois should come to Tolo●…se, the chief town of Languedoc; and lastly, he left behind him a Garrison in the said Town of Navarrin. These and other grievances they of the Religion proposed to the King lately, desiring his Majesty would let them enjoy still those privileges his Predecessor Henry the third, and his Father Henry the fourth afforded them by Act of Pacification: But he made them a short answer, that what the one did in this point, he did it out of fear; what the other did, he did it out of love; but he would have them know that he neither loved them, nor feared them: so the business is like to bleed sore on both sides; nor is there yet any apearance of prevention.  
There was a scuffle lately here 'twixt the Duke of Navers and the Cardinal of Guise, who have had a long suit in law about an Abbey, and meeting the last week about the Palace, from words they fell to blows, the Cardinal struck the Duke first, and so were parted, but in the afternoon there appeared on both sides no less than 3000 horse in a field hard by, which shows the populousness and sudden strength of this huge City, but the matter was taken up by the King himself, and the Cardinal clapped up in the Bastile, where the King saith he shall abide to ripen; for he is but young, and they spoke of a Bull that is to come from Rome to decardinalize him. I fear to have trespassed too much upon your patience, therefore I will conclude for the present, but will never cease to profess myself  
Your thrice humble and ready Servitor, J. H. Paris, Aug. 18. 1622.   

XX. To D. Caldwall Esqr. from Poyssy.  
My dear D.  
TO be free from English, and to have the more conveniency to fall close to our business, Mr. Altham and I are lately re●…'d from Paris to this Town of Poyssy, a pretty gentile place at the ●…oot of the great Forest of Saint German upon the River Sequana, and within a mile of one of the Kings chiefest standing Houses, and about 15 miles from Paris. Here is one of the prime Nunneries of all France. Lewis the ninth, who in the Catalogue of the French Kings is called St. Lewis, which Title was confirmed by the Pope, was baptised in this little Town, and after his return from Egypt and other places against the Saracens, being asked by what Title he would be distinguished from the rest of his Predecessors after his death, he answered, that he desired to be called Lewis of Poyssy: reply being made that there were divers other places and cities of renown, where he had performed brave exploits, and obtained famous victories, therefore it was more fitting that some of those places should denominat him: no, said he, I desire to be called Lewis of Poyssy, because there I got the most glorious victory that ever I had, for there I overcame the Devil: meaning that he was Christened there.  
I sent you from Antwerp a silver Dutch Table-book, I desire to hear of the receipt of it in your next: I must desire you (as I did once at Roven) to send me a dozen pair of the whitest kidskin glov's for women, and half a dozen pair of knit's, by the Merchant's post, and if you want any thing that France can afford, I hope you know what power you have to dispose of  
Poyssy, Septem. 7. 1622. Your J. H.   

XXII. To my Father, from Paris.  
SIR,  
I Was afraid I should never have had ability to write to you again, I had lately such a dangerous fit of sickness, but I have now passed the brunt of it, God hath been pleased to reprieve me, and reserve me for more days which I hope to have grace to number better; Mr. Altham and I having retired to a small Town from Paris for more privacy, and sole conversation with the nation; I tied myself to a task for the reading of so many books in such a compass of time, and thereupon to make good my-word to myself, I used to watch many nights together, though it was in the depth of Winter, but returning to this Town, I took cold in the head, and so that male of rheum which had gathered by my former watching turned to an imposthume in my head, whereof I was sick above forty days, at the end they caute●…is'd and made an issue in my check to make vent for the imposthume, and that saved my life: At first they let me blood, and I parted with above fi●…y ounces in less than a ●…ortnight, for phlebotomy is so much practised here, that if ones little finger ache, they presently open ●… vein, and to balance the blood on both sides, they usually ●…et blood in both arms. And the commonness of the thing▪ ●…eems to take away all fear, insomuch that the very women when ●…hey find themselves indisposed, will open a vein themselves, for ●…hey hold that the blood which hath a circulation and fetcheth a ●…ound every 24 hours about the body is quickly repaired again; I was eighteen days and nights that I had no sleep but short imperfect slumbers, and those too protured by potions; the tumour at last came so about my throat that I had scarce vent left for respiration, and my body was brought so low with all sorts of Physic, that I appeared like a mere Skeleton. When I was indifferently well recovered, some of the Doctors and Surgeons that tended me, gave me a visit, and amongst other things they fell in discourse of wines which was the best; & so by degrees they fell upon other beverages, and one Doctor in the company who had been in England, told me that we have a drink in England called Ale, which he thought was the wholsomst liquor that could go into ones guts, for whereas the body of man is supported by two columns, viz. the natural heat, and radical moisture, he said, there is no drink conduceth more to the preservation of the one, and the increase of the▪ other than Ale, for while the Englishmen drank only Ale, they were strong brawny able men, and could draw an arrow an ell long, but when they fell to wine and beer, they are found to be much impaird in their strength and age; so the Ale bore away the bell among the Doctors.  
The next week we advance our course further into France towards the river of Loire to Orleans, whence I shall continue to convey my duty to you. In the mean time I humbly crave your blessing, and your acknowledgement to God Almighty for my recovery; be pleased further to impart my love amongst my brothers and sisters withal my kinsmen and friends in the Country, so I rest  
Paris, Decembris 10. 1622. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

XXII. To Sir Tho. Savage Knight and Baronet.  
Honble SIR.  
THat of the fifth of this present which you pleased to send me, was received. and I begin to think myself something more than I was, that you value so much the slender endeavours of my pen to do you service. I shall continue to improve your good opinion of me as opportunity shall serve.  
Touching the great threats against Rochel, whereof I gave you an ample relation in my last, matters are become now more calm and rather inclining to an accommodation, for 'tis thought a sum of money will make up the breach; and to this end some think all these bravadoes were made. The Duke of Luynes is at last made Lord high Constable of France the prime Officer of the Crown, he hath a peculiar Court to himself, a guard of a 100 men in rich liveries, and a hundred thousand livers every year Pension: The old Duke of Lesdiguieres, one of the ancientest soldiers of France, and a Protestant, is made his Lieutenant.  
But in regard all Christendom rings of this Favourite, being the greatest that ever was in France since the Maires of the Palace, who came to be Kings afterwards, I will send you herein his Legend. He was boru in Province, and is a Gentleman by descent, though of a petty extraction, in the last King's time he was preferred to be one of his pages, who finding him industrious, and a good waiter, allowed him 300. Crowns pension per annum, which he husbanded so well, that he maintained himself and his two brothers in passable good fashion therewith. The King observing that, doubled his Pension, and taking notice that he was a serviceable instrument and apt to please, he thought him fit to be about his son, in whose service he hath continued above fifteen years, and he hath flown so high into his favour by a singular dexteri●…ie and Art he hath in ●…aulconrie, and by shooting at birds flying, wherein the King took great pleasure, that he hath soared to this pitch of honour. He is a man of a passable good understanding and forecast, of a mild comportment, humble and debonnair to all, and of a winning conversation, he hath about him choice and solid heads who prescribe unto him rules of policy, by whose Compass he steers his course, which is likely will make him subsist long: He is now come to that transcendent altitude, that he seems to have mounted above the reach of envy, and made all hopes of supplanting him frustrate, both by the politic guidance of his own actions, and the powerful alliances he hath got for himself and his two brothers: he is married to the Duke of Montbazons daughter, one of the prime Peers of France. His second brother Cadanet (who is reputed the wisest of the three) married the heiress of Picardy, with whom he had 9000 l. lands a year. His third brother Brand to the great heiress of Luxemburg, of which house there have been five Emperor; so that these three brothers and their allies would be able to counter balance any one faction in France, the eldest and youngest being made Dukes, and Peers of France, the other Marshal. There are lately two Ambassadors extraordinary come hither from Venice about the Valtolin, but their negotiation is at a stand, until the return of an Ambassador extraordinary which is gone to Spain: Ambassadors also are come from the Hague for payment of the French Regiment there, which hath been neglected these ten years, and to know whether his Majesty will be pleased to continue their pay any longer; but their answer is yet suspended: They have brought news that the seven ships which were built for his Majesty in the Tess●…ll are ready, to this he answered, that he desires to have ten more built; for he intends to finish that design which his Father had a foot a little before his death to establish a royal company of Merchants.  
This is all the news that France affords for the present, the relation whereof if it prove as acceptable as my endeavours to serve you herein are pleasing unto me, I shall esteem myself happy: So wishing you and my noble Lady continuance of health, and increase of honour, I rest  
Paris, 15 Decembris. 1622. Your most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXIII. To Sir John North, Knight,  
SIR,  
I confess you have made a perfect conquest of me by your late favours, and I yield myself your cap●…if, a day may come that will enable me to pay my ransom, in the interim let a most thankful acknowledgement be my bail and mainprize.  
I am now removed from off the Sein to the Loire to the fair Town of Orleans: there was here lately a mixed Procession 'twixt military and ecclesiasti●… for the maid of Orleans, which is performed every year very solemnly, her Statue stands upon the bridge, and her clothes are proserved to this day, which a young man wore in the Procession; which makes me think that her story though it sound like a romance is very true: And I read it thus in two or three Chronicles; when the Engl●…sh had made such firm invasions in France, that their Armies had marchd into the heart of the Country, besieged Orleans, and driven Charles the seventh to Bourges in Berry, which made him to be called, for the time, King of Berry; there came to his Army a Shepherdess one Anne de Arque, who with a confident look and language told the King that she was designed by heaven to beat the English, and drive them out of France. Therefore she desired a command in the▪ Army, which by her extraordinary confidence and importunity she obtained, and putting on man's apparel she proved so prosperous, that the siege▪ was raised from before Orleans, and the English were pursued to Paris, and forced to quit that, and driven to Normandy: she used to go on with marvellous courage and resolution, and her word was hara ha': But in Normandy she was taken prisoner, and the English had a fair revenge upon her, for by an arrest of the Parliament of Roven she was burnt for a Witch. There is a great business now a foot in Paris called the Polette, which if it take effect will tend to correct, at least wise to cover a great error in the French Government: The custom is that all the chief places of Justice throughout all the eight Courts of Parliament in France, besides a great number of other offices, are set to sale by the King, and they return to him unless the buyer liveth forty days after his resignation to another: It is now propounded that these casual offices shall be absolutely hereditary, provided that every officer pay a yearly revenue unto the King, according to the valuation and perquisits of the o●…ice: this business is now in hot ●…gitation, bu●… the issue is yet doubtful.  
The last you sent, I received by Vacandary in Paris: so highly honouring your excellent parts and me●…it, I rest, now that I understand French indifferently well, no more your (she) Servant, but  
Orleans, 3 Martii. 1622. Your most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXIV. To Sir James Crofts, Knight.  
SIR,  
Were I to freight a Letter with Compliments, this Country would furnish me with variety, but of news a small store at this present, and for Compliment it is dangerous to use a●…y to you, who have such a piercing judgement to discern semblan●…es from realities,  
The Queen Mother is come at last to Paris, where she hath not been since An●…e's death: The King is also returned post from Bo●…deaux, having traversed most part of his Kingdom, he settled peace every where he passed, and quashed divers insurrections, and by his obedience to his mother, and his lenity towards all her partisans a●… pont de C●… where above 400 were slain, and notwithstanding that he was victorious, yet he gave a general pardon, he hath gained much upon the affections of his people: His Counsel of State wen●… ambulatory always with him, and as they say here, never did men manage things with more wisdom. There is a war questionless a fermenting against the Protestants, the Duke of Espernon in a kind of Rodomontado way, desired leave of the King to block up Rochel, and in six weeks he would undertake to deliver her to his hands, but I believe he reckons without his Host. I was told a merry passage of this little Gascon Duke, who is now the oldest soldier of France; Having come lately to Paris he treated with a Pander to procure him a ●…urtesan, and if she was a Damoisell (a Gentlewoman) he would give so much, and if a Citizen he would give so much: The Pande●… did his Office, but brought him a Citizen clad in Damoisells apparel, so she and her Maquerell were paid accordingly; the ne●… day after, some of his familiars having understood hereof began to be pleasant with the Duke, and to jeer him, that he being a vis●…il Routier an old tried soldier, should suffer himself to be so co●…end, as to pay for a Citizen after the rate of a Gentlewoman; the little Duke grew half wild hereupon, and commenced an action of fraud against the Pander, but what became of it I cannot tell you, but all Paris rung of it. I hope to return now very shortly to England, where amongst the ●…est of my noble friends I shall much rejoice to see and serve you whom I honour with no vulgar affection, so I am  
Your true Servitor, J. H. Orleans, 5 Martii. 1622.   

XXV. To my Cousin Mr. Will. Martin at brussels from Paris.  
Dear Cousin,  
I Find you are very punctual in your performances, and a precise observer of the promise you made here to correspond with Mr. Altham and me by Letters. I thank you for the variety of Germane news you imparted unto me, which was so neatly couched and curiously knit together, that your Letter ●…ight serve for a pattern to the best Intelligencer. I am sorry the affairs of the Prince Palsgrave go so untowardly, the wheel of War may turn, and that Spoke which is now up may down again. For French Occurrences, there is a War certainly intended against them of the Religion here; and there are visible preparations a loot already; Amongst others that shrink in the shoulders at it the King's servants are not very well pleased with it, in regard besides Scots and Swissers, there are divers of the King's Servants that are Protestants. If a man go to 〈◊〉 ' di s●…ato to reason of State, the French King hath something to justify this dessein, for the Protestants being so numerous, and having near upon fifty presidiary walled Towns in their hands for caution, they have power to disturb France when they please, and being abetted by a foreign Prince to give the King Law; and you know as well as I how they have been made use of to kindle a fire in France: Therefore rather than they should be utterly suppressed, I believe the Spaniard himself would reach them his ragged staff to defend them.  
I send you here enclosed another from Master Altham who respects you dearly, and we remembered you lately at lafoy pomme du pin in the best liquor of the French Grape. I shall be shortly for London, where I shall not rejoice a little to meet you; that English air may confirm what foreign begun, I mean our friendship and affections, and in Me (that I may return you in English the Latin Verses you sent me)  
As soon a little little Ant  
Shall bib the Ocean dry,  
A Snail shall creep about the world,  
Ere these affections die.  
So my dear Cousin▪ may Virtue be your guide, and Fortune your Companion.  
Paris, 18 Martii. 1622. Yours while Jam. Howell.    

Familiar Letters.  
SECTION III.  

I. To my Father.  
SIR,  
I Am safely returned now the second time from beyond the Seas, but I have yet no employment; God and good friends I hope will shortly provide one for me.  
The Spanish Ambassador Count Gondamar doth strongly negotiate a Match 'twixt our Prince, and the Infanta of Spain, but at his first audience ther happened an ill favoured accident (I pray God it prove no ill augury) for my Lord of Arundel being sent to accompany him to White Hall, upon a Sunday in the afternoon, as they were going over the Terrace, it broke under them, but only one was hurt in the arm; Gondamar said that he had not cared to have died in so good company: he saith there is no other way to regain the Palatinate, but by this match, and to settle an eternal Peace in Christendom.  
The Marquis of Buckingham continueth still in fullness of grace and favour; the Countess his Moths sways also much at Court, she brought Sir Henry Montague from delivering law on the K. Bench, to look to his bags in the Exchequer, for she made him Lord high Treasurer of England▪ but he parted with his white staff before the years end, though his pu●… had bled deeply for it (above 20000 l.) which made a Lord of this Land to ask him at his return from Court, whether he did not find that wood was extreme dear at New-market, for there he received the white staff. There is now a notable stirring man in the place, my Lord Cranfield, who from walking about the Exchange, is come to sit chief Judge in the Chequer Chamber, and to have one of the highest places at the Counsel Table: He is married to one of the Tribe of Fortune, a kinswoman of the Marquis of Buckingham. Thus there is rising and falling at Court, and a●… in our natural pace one foot cannot be up, till the other be down, so is it in the affairs of the world commonly, one man riseth at the fall of the other.  
I have no more to write at this time, but that with tender of my duy to you, I desire a continuance of your blessing and prayers.  
Lond. March 22. 1622. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

II. To the Honble, M. John Savage (now Earl Rivers) at Florence.  
SIR,  
MY love is not so short but it can reach as far as Florence to find you out, and further too if occasion required, nor are those affections I have to serve you so dull but they can clammer o'er the Alps and Apennin to wait upon you, as they have adventured to do now in this paper. I am sorry I was not in London 〈◊〉 kiss your hands before you set to Sea, and much more sorry that I had not the happiness to meet you in Holland or Brabant, for we went the very same road, and lay in Dort and Antwerp in the same lodgings you had lain in a fortnight before. I presume you have by this time tasted of the sweetness of Travel, and that you have weaned your affections from England for a good while, you must now think upon home (as one said) good men think upon heaven, aiming still to go thither, but not till they finish their course; and yours I understand will be three years, in the mean time you must not suffer any melting tenderness of thoughts, or longing desires, to distract or interrupt you in that fair road you are in to virtue, and to beautify within that comely Edifice which nature hath built without you. I know your reputation is precious to you, as it should be to every noble mind, you have exposed it now to the hazard, therefore you must be careful it receive no taint at your return by not answering that expectation which your Prince and noble Parents have of you: You are now under the chiefest clime of wisdom, fair Italy, the Darling of Nature, the Nurse of Policy, the Theatre of Virtue; But though Italy give milk to Virtue with one dug, she often suffers Vice to suck at the other, therefore you must take heed you mistake not the dug; for there is an ill favoured saying, that Inglese Italionato, è Diavolo incarnato; An Englishman Italianat, is a Devil incarnate. I fear no such thing of you, I have had such pregnant proofs of your ingenuity, and noble inclination●… to virtue and honour: I know you have a mind to both, but I must tell you that you will hardly get the good will of the latter, unless the first speak a good word for you: when you go to Rome, you may haply see the ruins of two Temples, one dedicated to Virtue, the other to Honour, and there was no way to enter into the last, but through the first. Noble Sir, I wish your good very seriously, and if you please to call to memory, and examine the circumstance of things, and my carriage towards you since I had the happiness to be known first to your Honourable Family, I know you will conclude that I love and honour you in no vulgar way.  
My Lord, your Grandfather was complaining lately that he had not heard from you a good while: By the next shipping to Ligorn, amongst other things he intends to send you a whole Brawn in collars. I pray be pleased to remember my affectionate service to Mr. Tho. Savage, and my kind respects to Mr. Bold: for English news I know this packet comes freighted to you, therefore I forbear at this time to send any. Farewell noble Heir of Honour, and command always  
Lond. March 24. 1622. Your true Servitor, J. H.   

III. To Sir James Crofts Knight, at Saint Osith in Essex.  
SIR,  
I had yours upon tuesday last, and whereas you are desirous to know the proceedings of the Parliament, I am sorry I must write to you that matters begin to grow boisterous. The King retired not long since to New market not very well pleased, and this week there went thither twelve from the House of Commons, to whom Sir Richard▪ Weston was the mouth; the King not liking the Message they brought, called them his Ambassadors, and in the large answer which he hath sent to the Speaker, he saith that he must apply unto them a speech of Queen Elizabeth's to an Ambassador of Poland, Legatum expectavimus, Heralaum accepimus? We expected an Ambassador, we have received a Herald; he takes it not well that they should meddle with the match 'twixt his Son and the Infanta, alleging an example of one of the Kings of France, which would not marry his Son without the advice of his Parliament, but afterwards that King grew so despicable abroad, that no Foreign State would treat with him about any thing without his Parliament. Sundry other high passages there were as a caveat he gave them not to touch the honour of the King of Spain, with whom he was so far engaged in a matrimonial treaty that he could not go back: he gave them also a check for taking Cognisance of those things which had their motion in the ordinary Courts of justice, and that Sir Edward Coke, (though these words were not inserted in the answer) whom he thought to be the fittest instrument for a Tyrant that ever was England) should be so bold as to call the Prerogative of the Crown a great monster. The Parliament after this was not long lived but broke up in discontent, and upon the point of dissolution, they made a Protest against divers particulars in the aforesaid answer of his Majesties. My Lord Digby is preparing for Spain in quality of Ambassador Extraordinary, to perfect the match 'twixt our Prince and the Lady Infanta, in which business Gondamar hath waded already very deep, and been very active, and ingratiated himself with divers persons of quality, Ladies especially, yet he could do no good upon the Lady Hatton, whom he desired lately that in regard he was her next neighbour (at Ely House) he might have the benefit of her back gate to go abroad into the fields, but she put him off with a Compliment, whereupon in a private audience lately with the King amongst other passages of merriment, he told him that my Lady Hatton was a strange Lady, for she would not suffer her Husband Sir Edward Coke to come in at her foredoor, nor him to go out at her back door; and so related the whole business: He was also dispatching a l'ost lately for Spain, and the Post having received his packet, and kissed his hands, he called him back and told him he had forgot one thing, which was, that when he came to Spain he should commend him to the Sun, 〈◊〉 he had not seen him a great while, and in Spain he should be sure to find him: So with my most humble service to my Lord of Colchester, I rest  
London, Mar. 24. 1622. Your most humble Servitor, J. H.   

IV, To my brother Mr Hugh Penry.  
Sir,  
THe Welsh nag you sent me, was delivered me in a very good plight, and I give you a thousand thanks for him; I had occasion lately to try his mettle and his lungs, and every one tells me he is right, and of no mong●…ell race, but a true Mountaneer, for besides his toughness, and strength of lungs up a hill, he is quickly curried, and content with short Commons: I believe he hath not been long a highway traveller, for whereas other horses, when they pass by an Inn or Alehouse use to make towards them to give them a friendly visit, this n●…g roundly goes on, and scorns to cast as much as a glance upon any of them, which I know not whether I shall impute it to his ignorance, or height of spirit, but conversing with the soft horses of England, I believe he will quickly be brought to be more courteous.  
The greatest news we have now is the return of the Lord BPP▪ of Landass, Davenant, Ward, and Belcanquell, from the Synod of Dort, where the Bishop had precedence given him according to his Ep●…scopall dignity, Arminius and Vorstius were sore baited there concerning Predestination, Election, and Reprobation; as also touching Christ's death, and man's Redemption by it; then concerning man's Corruption, and Conversion; lastly, concerning the perseverance of the Saints: I shall have shortly the transaction of the Synod. The Jesuits have put out a gee●…ing libel against it, and these two verses I remember in't.  
Dordrecti Synodus? nodus; chorus integer? aeger;  
Conventus? ventus; S●…ffio stramen, Amen.  
But I will confront this Distich with another I read in France of the jesuits in the Town of Dole, towards Lorain; they had a great house given them called L'ar●… (arcum) and upon the river of L●…, Henry the fourth gave them lafoy fleche, sagittam in ●…atin, where they have two stately Convents, that is, Bow and Arrow; whereupon one made these verses:  
Arcum Dola dedit, dedit ill is alma sagittam  
Francia; quis chordam, quam meruere, dabit?  
Fair France the Arrow, Dole gave them the Bow,  
Who shall the String which they deserve bestow?  
No more now but that with my dear love to my Sister I rest.  
London, April 16. 1622. Your most affectionate brother J. H.   

V. To the Lord Viscount Colchester.  
My good Lord,  
I received your Lops'▪ of the last week, and according to your command, I send here enclosed the Venetian gazet: for foreign avisoes, they write that Mansfelt hath been beaten out of Germany, and is come to Sedan, and 'tis thought the Duke of Bovillon will set him up again with a new Army: Marquis Spinola hath newly sat down▪ before Berghen op zoom; your Lop▪ knows well what consequence that Town is of, therefore it is likely this will be a hot Summer in the Netherlands. The French King is in open war against them of the Religion, he hath already cleared the Loire by taking Ier seau and Saumur, where Mon●…r. du Plessis sent him the keys, which are promised to be delivered him again, but I think ad Graecas Calenda●…. He hath been also before Saint john d' angeli, where the young Cardinal of Guyse died, being struck down by the puff of a Canon bullet, which put him in a burning ●…eaver, and made an end of him: the last Town that's taken was Clerac, which was put to 50000. Crowns ransom; many were put to the sword, and divers Gentlemen drowned as they thought to scape; this is the fifteenth cautionary Town the King hath taken, and now they say he marcheth towards Montauban, and so to Montpelli●…r and Nism●…, and then have at Rochel. My Lord Hayes is by this time 'tis thought with the Army; for Sir Edward Harbert is returned, having had some clashings and counterbuffs with the Favourite Luynes, wherein he comported himself gallantly: there is a fresh report blown over, that Luynes is lately dead in the Army of the Plague, some say of the Purples, the next cousin german to it; which the Protestants give out to be the just judgement of Heaven ●…aln upon him, because he incited his Master to these wars against them. If he be not dead, let him die when he will, he will leave a fame behind him, to have been the greatest Favourite for the time that ever was in France, having from a simple Faulkner come to be high Constable, and made himself and his younger brother Brand Dukes and Peers; and his second brother Cadenet Martial, and all three married to Princely Families.  
No more now, but that I most humbly kiss your Lops'▪ hands, and shall be always most ready and cheerful to receive your commandments, because I am  
London, 12 Aug. 1623. Your Lordship's obliged Servitor, I. H.   

VI To my Father, from London.  
SIR,  
I was at a dead stand in the course of my Fortunes, when it pleased God to provide me lately an employment to Spain, whence I hope there may arise both repute and profit. Some of the Cap●… Merchants of the Turkey Company, amongst whom, the chiefest were Sir Robert Napper, and Captain Let, proposed unto me, that they had a great business in the Court of Spain in agitation many years, nor was it now their business but the Kings, in whose name it is followed: 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 assured me that the employment should tend both to my benefit and credit. Now the business is this: There was a great Turkey ship called the Vineyard, sailing through the straits towards Constantinople, but by distress of weather she was forced to put into a little Port called Milo in Sardinia: The searchers came aboard of her, and finding her richly laden, for her cargazon of broad cloth was worth the first penny near 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 Turkey that may arm or victual. The Viceroy of Sardinia hereupon seized upon the whole ship and all her goods, landed the Master and men in Spain, who coming to Sir Charles Corawalles then Ambassador at the Cour●…; Sir Charles could do them little good at present, therefore they came to England, and complained to the King and Counsel: his Majesty was so sensible hereof that he sent a particular Commission in his own royal Name, to demand a restitution of the ship and goods, and justice upon the Viceroy of Sardinia, who had so apparently broke the Peace, and wronged his Subjects: Sir Charles (with Sir Paul Pi●…dar a while) laboured in the business, and commenced a suit in Law, but he was called home before he could do any thing to purpose. After him Sir john 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 suit in his own royal Name: Thereupon he sent a well qualified Gentleman, Mr Walsingham G●…sley to Sardinia, who unfortunately meeting with some men of War in the passage, was carried prisoner to Algiers: My Lord Digby being remanded home▪ left the business in Mr Cotingtons' hands then Agent, but reassumed it at his return: yet it proved such a tedious intricate suit, that he returned again without finishing the work; in regard of the remoteness of the Island of Sardinia, whence the witnesses and other dispatches were to be fetched. The Lord Digby is going now Ambassador extraordinary to the Court of Spain, upon the business of the match, the restitution o●… the Palatinate, and other high affairs of State; therefore he is desirous to transmit the King's Commission touching 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 business▪ I am now preparing to go to Spain, in company of the Ambassador, and I shall kiss the King's hands as his Agent touching this particular Commission. I humbly entreat that your blessing and prayers may accompany me in this my new employment, which I have undertaken upon very good terms touching expenses & reward: So with my dear love to my brothers and sisters, with other kindred and friends in the country, I rest  
London, 8 Sept. 1623. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

VII. To Sir Tho: Savage Knight and Baronet, at his house in Long-Melford.  
Honble SIR,  
I Received your commands in a Letter which you sent me by Sir john 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: there have two Ambassadors and a royal Agent followed 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 King's ships is to take him in at Plymouth, and transport him to the Corunnia, or Saint Ande●…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 Forest:) there hath been a Commission awarded to debate whether upon this fact, whereby he hath shed human blood, he be not to be deprived of his Archbishopric, and pronounced irregular; some were against him, but Bishop Andrews, and Sir Henry Martin stood stiffly for him, that in regard it was no spontaneous act, but a mere contingency, and that there is no degree of men but is subject to misfortunes and casualties, they declared 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 Almshouse at Guildford 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 restored to all things: But for the wife of him which was killed, 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 kiss your hands and rest  
London, 9 Nou. 1622. Your most obliged Servi●…. J. H.   

VIII. To Captain Nich: Let from Madrid, at his house in London.  
SIR,  
I Am safely come 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 stayed 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 looked on now in Spain than ordinary, because of the hopes there 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 pulls of Sp●… beats quite contrary to that of England, where the people are ●…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 pressed together; I have cast up what i●… awarded by all the sentences of view and review, by the Counsel of State & War, and I find the whole sum as well principal, as interest upon interest, all sorts of damages, and processall charges, come to above two hundred and fifty thousand Crowns. The Conde deal 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 Cardinal; if he hath wherewith, I donbt not but to recover the money, for I hope to have come in a favourable conjuncture of time, and my Lord Ambassador who is so highly esteemed here, doth assure me of his best furtherance. So praying I may prove as successful, as I shall be faithful in this great business, I rest  
Madrid, 28 Decem. 1622. Yours to dispose of, J. H.   

IX. To Mr Arthur Hopton from Madrid.  
SIR,  
SInce I was made happy with your acquaintance, I have received sundry strong evidences of your love and good wishes unto me, which have tied me unto you in no common obligation of thanks: I am in despair ever to cancel this bond, nor would I do it, but rather endear the engagement more and more.  
The treaty of the match 'twixt our Prince and the Lady Infante is now strongly a foot, she is a very comely Lady, rather of a Flemish complexion than Spanish; fair haired, and carrieth a most pure mixture of red and white in her face: she is full and big lipd, which is held a beauty rather than a blemish or any excefle in the Austrian Family, it being a thing incident to most of that race: she goes now upon 16, and is of a talness agreeable to those years. The King is also of such a complexion, and is under twenty; he hath two brothers, Don Carlos, and Don Herna●…do, who though a youth of twelve, yet is he Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo, which in regard it hath the Chancelorship of Castille annexed to it, is the greatest spiritual dignity in Christendom after the Papacy, for it is valued at 300000. Crowns per annum: Don Carlos is of a differing complexion from all the rest, for he is black haired, and of a Spanish hue, he hath neither Office, Command, Dignity or Title, but is an individual companion to the King, and what clothes soever are provided for the King, he hath the very same, and as often, from top to toe; he is the better beloved of the people for his complexion, for one shall hear the Spaniard sigh and lament, saying, O when shall we have a King again of our own colour!  
I pray commend me kindly to all at your house, and send me word when the young gentlemen return from Italy. So with my most affectionate respects to yourself, I rest  
Madrid, 5. ●…an. 1622. Your true friend to serve you, J. H.   

X. To Captain Nic. Let, from Madrid.  
SIR,  
YOurs of the tenth of this present I received by Mr. Simon Digby, with the enclosed to your son in Alicant, which is safely sent. Since my last unto you I had access to Olivares the Favourite that rules all; I had also audience of the King, to whom I delivered two memorials since, in his Majesty's name of great Britain, that a particular junta of some of the Counsel of State and War, might be appointed to determine the business: the last memorial had so good success that the Referees are nominated, whereof the chiefest is the Duke of Infantado. Here it is not the stile to claw and compliment with the King, or Idolise him by Sacred, Sovereign, and most Excellent Majesty; but the Spaniard when he petitions to his King, gives him no other Character but Sir, and so relating his business, at the end he doth ask and demand Justice of him. When I have done with the Viceroy here, I shall hasten my dispatches for Sardinia: since my last I went to liquidat the account more particularly, and I find that of the 250000 Crowns, there are above forty thousand due unto you; which might serve for a good Alderman's estate.  
Your son in Alicant writes to me of another mischance that is befallen the ship Amity about Mallorca, whereof you were one of the proprietaries; I am very sorry to hear of it, and touching any dispatches that are to be had hence, I shall endeavour to procure you them according to instructions.  
Your cousin Richard Altham remembers his kind respects unto you, and sends you many thanks for the pains you took in freeing us from that trouble which the scuffle with the Sergeants brought upon us. So I rest  
Madrid, 5 jan. 1622. Yours ready to serve you, J. H.   

XI. To the Lord Viscount Colchester from Madrid.  
Right Honble.  
THe grand business of the match goes so fairly on, that a special junta is appointed to treat of it, the names whereof I send you here enclosed: they have proceeded so, far that most of the Articles are agreed upon: Mr. George Gage is lately come hither from Rome, a polite and prudent gentleman, who hath negotiated somethings in that Court for the advance of the business with the Cardinals Bandino, Lodovisie, & la Susanna, who are the main men there to whom the drawing of the dispensation is referred.  
The late taking of Ormus by the Persian from the Crown of Portugal keeps a great noise here, and the rather because the exploit was done by the assistance of the English ships that were then thereabouts; my Lord Digby went to Court and gave a round satisfaction in this point; for it was no voluntary, but a constrained act in the English, who being in the Persians Port were suddenly embarked for the service: And the Persian herein did no more than what is usual amongst Christian Princes themselves, and which is oftener put in practice by the King of Spain, and his Viceroys, than by any other, viz. to make an embargue of any stranger's ship that rides within his Ports upon all occasion. It was feared this surprisal of Ormus which was the greatest Mart in all the Orient for all sorts of jewels, would have bred ill blood, and prejudiced the precedings of the match, but the Spaniard is a rational man, and will be satisfied with reason Count Olivares is the main man who sways all, and 'tis thought he is not so much affected to an alliance with England as his Predecessor the Duke of Lerma was, who set it first a foot 'twixt Prince Henry, and this Queen of France: The Duke of Lerma was the greatest Privado, the greatest Favourite that ever was in Spain since Don Alvero de Luna, he brought himself, the Duke of Uzeda his son, and the Duke of C●…a his grandchild to be all Grandes of Spain, which is the greatest Title that a Spanish Subject is capable of, they have a privilege to stand covered before the King, and at their election there's no other Ceremony but only these three words by the King, Cobrése por Grande, cover yourself for a Grandee, and that's all: The Cardinal Duke of Lerma lives at Valladolid, he officiats and sings Mass, and passeth his old age in Devotion and exercises of Piety: It is a common and indeed a commendable custom amongst the Spaniard, when he hath passed his gran climacteric, and is grown decrepit, to make a voluntary resignation of Offices, be they never so great and profitable, (though I cannot say Ler●… did so) and sequestering and weaning themselves as it were from all mundan negotiations and encumbrances, to retire to some place of devotion, and spend the residue of their days in meditation, and in preparing themselves for another world: Charles the Emperor showed 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 retired 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 clothes till he goes to bed. I will conclude with some Verses I saw under a huge Rodomontado picture of the Duke of Lerma, wherein he is painted like a Giant bearing up the Monarchy of Spain, that of France, and the Popedom upon his shoulders, with this Stanza,  
Sober 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 Lordship's hands, and rest ever most ready  
Madrid, 3 Febr. 1622. At your Lordship's 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 B●…istoll a dispatch from England of a high nature, wherein the Earl is commanded to represent unto this King how much his Majesty of great Britain since the beginning of these Germane wars hath laboured to merit well of this Crown, and of the whole House of Austria, by a long and lingering patience, grounded still upon assurances hence, that care should be had of his honour, his Daughter's jointure, and grandchildren's patrimony; yet how crossly all things had proceeded in the Treaty at Brussels, managed 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 besieged, and all acts of Hostility used, notwithstanding the fair professions made by this King, the Infanta at Brussels, and other his Ministers: How merely out of respect to this King, he had neglected all Martial means which probably might have preserved the Palatinat: those thin Garrisons which he had sent thither being rather for honour's sake to keep a footing until a general accommodation, than that he relied 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 used 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 offered unto them both, he will as his dear and loving brother faithfully promise and undertake upon his honour, confirming the same under his hand and seal, either that Heidelberg shall be within seventy days rendered into his hands; as also that there 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 yielded unto by the Emperor, that then this King join 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 employed, 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 Bristol 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 Majesty's presence, else to proceed in the negotiation of the match according to former instructions.  
This was the main substance of his Majesty's late letter, yet there was a postil added, that in case a rupture happen 'twixt the two Crowns, the Earl should not come instantly and abruptly ●…way, but that he should send advice first to England, and carry the business 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, than twelve, but now he is come to nine, which is newly condescended unto. I received yours of the first of September in another from Sir james Crofts, wherein 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 Algiers Pirates. I humbly desire your prayers may accompany  
Madrid, 23 Febr. 1622. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

XIII. To Sir James Crofts Knight.  
SIR,  
YOurs of the second of October came to safe hand with the enclosed; you write that there came dispatches lately from Rome, wherein the Pope seems to endeavour to insinuat himself into a direct treaty with England, and to negotiate immediately 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 Bristol 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 satisfy. Touching the two points in the Treaty wherein the two Kings differed most, viz. about the education of the children, and the exemption of the Infanta's Ecclesiastic servants from secular jurisdiction: both these points are cleared, for the Spaniard is come from fourteen years to ten, and for so long time the Infant Princes shall remain under the mother's government. And for the other point, the Ecclesiastical Superior shall first take notice of the offence that shall be committed by any spiritual person belonging to the Infanta's family, and according to the merit thereof 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 practised in this Kingdom, and other parts that adhere to Rome.  
The Conde de Monterrey goes Viceroy 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 danced attendance a long time, he peeped through a slit in the hanging, and spied Don Rodrigo Calderon, a great man (who was lately beheaded here for poisoning the late Queen Dowager) delivering the Duke a Paper upon his knees, whereat the Marquis smiled and said, Voto a tall, aqu●…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 termed discretion rather than adulation. I intent 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 Algiers. So with my true respects to you▪ I rest  
Madrid, 12 Mar. 1622. Your faithful Servant, J. H.   

XIV. To Sir Francis Cottington, Secretary to his Highness the Prince of Wales, at Saint James.  
SIR,  
I Believe it will not be unpleasing unto you to hear of the procedure and success of that business wherein yourself hath been so long versed in: I mean the great suit against the quondam Viceroy of Sardinia the Conde deal Real: Count Gondamars' coming was a great advantage unto me, who hath done me many favours; besides a confirmation of the two sentences of view and review, and of the execution against the Viceroy, I have procured a Royal cedule which I caused to be printed, and whereof I send you here enclosed a Copy, by which Cedule I have power to arrest his very person, and my Lawyers tell me there was never such a cedule granted before: I have also by virtue of it priority of all other his Creditors: He hath made an imperfect overture of a composition, and showed me some trivial old fashioned jewels, but nothing equivalent to the debt. And now that I speak of jewels, the late surprisal of Ormus by the assistance of our ships sinks deep in their stomaches here, and we were afraid it would have spoilt all proceedings; but my Lord Digby, now Earl of Bristol (for Count Gondamar brought him o'er his Patent) hath calmed all things at his last audience.  
There 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 Bovillon had levied for him, but some say they have not much reason to rejoice, for though the Infantry suffered, yet Mansfelt got clear with all his horse by a notable retreat, and they say here it was the greatest piece of service and Art he ever did, it being a Maxim, that there is nothing so difficult in the Art of War, as an honourable retreat. Besides, the report of his coming to Breda, caused Marquis Spinola to raise the siege before Berghen, to burn his tents, and to pack away suddenly; for which he is much censured here:  
Captain Let and others have written to me of the favourable report you pleased to make of my endeavours 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 offered, none should be more forward to go on your errand, than  
Madrid, 15 Mar. 1622. Your humble and faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XV. To the Honble. Sir Tho: Savage, Knight and Baronet.  
Honble SIR,  
THe great business 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 there wanted nothing to consummate all things, when to the wonderment of the world the Prince and the Marquis of Buckingham arrived 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, than (Mr john Smith) the Prince was sent for, who stayed a while the tother side of the street in the dark, my Lord of Bristol in a kind of astonishment brought him up to his bed chamber, where he presently called for pen and ink, and dispatched a Post that night to England to acquaint his Majesty how in less than sixteen days 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 dark rumours ran in every corner how some great man was come from England, and some 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 private audience of this King, who sent Olivares to accompany him back to the Prince, where he kneeled and kissed his hands, and hugged his thighs, and delivered how unmeasurably glad his Catholic Majesty was of his coming, with other high compliments, 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 passed in the first interview they parred late: I forgot to tell you, that Count Gondamar being sworn Counsellor of State that morning, having been before but one of the Counsel of War, he came in great haste to visit the Prince saying, he had strange news to tell him, which was that an Englishman was sworn privy Counsellor 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 blue ribbon about her arm, of purpose that the Prince might distinguish her: there were above twenty coaches besides of Grandes, Noble men and Ladies that attended them. And now i●… was publicly known amongst the vulgar, that it was the Prince of Wales who was come, and the confluence of people before my Lord of bristols house was so great and greedy to see the Prince, that to clear the way, Sir Lewis Div●…s went out and took coach, and all the crowd of people went after him: so the Prince himself a little after took coach, wherein there were the Earl of Bristol, 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 passed 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 some of his prime Nobles, and other Gentlemen to attend the Prince in quality of Officers, as o●…e to be his Mayordom (his Steward) another to be Master of the Horse, and so to inferior Officers, so that there is a complete Court now at my Lord of bristols house: but upon Sunday next the Prince is to remove to the King's Palace, where there 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 Grays-inn.  
SIR,  
I Know the eyes of all England are earnestly fixed now upon Spain, her best jewel being here; but his journey was like to be spoilt in France, for if he had stayed but a little longer at Bayon the last Town of that Kingdom hitherwards, he had been discovered, for Monsieur Gramond the Governor had notice of him not long after he had taken Post. The people here do mightily magnify the gallantry of the journey, and cry out that he deserved to have the Infanta thrown into his arms the first night he came: He hath been entertained with all the magnificence that possibly could be devised. On Sunday last in the morning betimes he went to Saint Hieroms Monastery, whence the Kings of Spain use to be fetched the day they are crowned; and thither the King came in person with his two Brothers, his eight Counsels, and the flower of the Nobility: He rid upon the King's right hand through the heart of the Town under a great Canopy, and was brought so into his lodgings to the King's 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 some Festival or cause of triumph, there's none goes beyond him in gaudiness.  
We daily hope for the Pope's Breve or Dispensation to perfect the business, though there be dark whispers abroad that it is come already, but that upon this inexpected coming of the Prince, it was sent back to Rome, and some new clauses thrust in for their further advantage. Till this dispatch comes, matters are at a kind of stand; yet his Highness 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  
April, 1▪ 1623. Your much obliged Servitor, J. H.   

XVII. To Captain Let.  
SIR,  
HAving brought up the Law to the highest point against the Viceroy 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 satisfy the debt▪ I thought upon a new design, and framed a memorial to the King▪ and wrought good strong means to have it seconded, that in rega●… that predatory act of seizing upon the ship Vinyard in Sardi●…▪ with all her goods, was done by his Majesty's Viceroy, his sovereign Minister of State, one that immediately represented his own Royal Person, and that the said Viceroy was insolvent; I desired his Majesty would be pleased to grant a Warrant for the relief of both parties to lad so many thousand Sterills o●… measures of corn out of Sardinia and Sicily custom-free. I had gonf●… in the business when Sir Francis Cottington sent for me, and required me in the Prince his name to proceed no further herei●…, till he was departed: so his Highness' presence here hath tur●… rather to my disadvantage, than otherwise. Amongst other Grandezas which the King of Spain conferred upon our Prince, one was the releasement of Prisoners, and that all Petitions of grace should come to him for the first month, but he hath been wonderful sparing in receiving any, specially from any English, Irish, or Scot Your son Nicolas is come hither from Alicant, about the ship Amity, and I shall be ready to second him in getting satisfaction, so I rest,  
Madrid, june 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 come to this Court; I fed myself 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, therefore I wonder what keeps back your person: but I conceive the reason to be that you intent to come like yourself, to come Commander in chief of one of the Castles of the Crown, one of the ships Royal: If you come so to this shore side, I hope you will 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, excellent Arithmetico, salvo que no multiplica: My husband is a good Musician, a good Fencer, a good Horseman, a good Penman, and an excellent Arithmetician, only he cannot multiply. For outward usage, there is all industry used to give the Prince and his servants all possible contentment, and some of the Kings own servants wait upon them at Table in the Palace, where I am sorry to hear some of them jeer at the Spanish fare, and use other slighting speeches and demeanour. There are many excellent Poems made here since the Prince's arrival, which are too long to couch in a Letter, yet I will venture to send you this one stanze of Lope de Vegas.  
Carlos Estuardo Soy  
Que siendo Amor mi guia,  
All cielo d'España voy,  
Por ver mi Estrella Maria.  
There are Comedians once a week come to the Palace, where under a great Canopy, the Queen and the Infanta sit in the middle, our Prince and Don Carls on the Queen's right hand, the King and the little Cardinal 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 thoughtful speculative posture, which sure would needs be tedious, unless affection did sweeten it: it was no handsome comparison of Olivares, that he watched her as a cat doth ●… mouse. Not long since the Prince understanding that the Infanta was used to go some mornings to the Casa de campo, a summer house the King hath t'other side the river, to gather May due, 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 height, and so made towards her, but she spying him first of all the rest, gave a sh●…eck and ran back; the old Marquis that was then her gardien, came towards the Prince, and fell on his knees, conjuring his Highness to retire, in regard he hazarded his head, if he admitted any to her company; so the door was opened 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 privately, yet publicly often my Lord of Bristol being Interpreter, but the King always sat hard by, to overhear all. Our cousin Archy hath more privilege than any, for he often goes with his fool's coat where the Infanta is with her Meninas and Ladies of honour, and keeps a blowing and blustering amongst them, and flu●…ts out what he list.  
One day they were discoursing what a marvellous thing it was, that the Duke of Bavaria with less than 15000 men, after a long toilsome March, should dare to encounter the Palsgraves' army, consisting of above 2500●…, and to give them an utter discomfiture, and take Prague presently after. Whereunto 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, there should come 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, july 10. 1623. J. H.   

XIX. To my Cousin Tho. Guin Esqr. at his house Trecastle.  
Cousin,  
I Received lately one of yours, which I cannot compare more properly than to a posy of curious flowers, there was therein 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 scent, as when your hands bound them up first together, only there was one flower that did not savour so well, which was the undeserved Character you please to give of my small abilities, which in regard you look upon me through the prospective of affection, appear greater unto you than they are of themselves; yet as small as they are I would be glad to employ them all to serve you upon any occasion.  
Whereas 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 there 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 Marnieri●…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 adhuc 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 lose,  
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 Comrades and bedfellows here many months together, his father Sir john Vaughan the Prince his Controller, is lately come to attend his Master. My Lord of Carlisle, 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 cousin, I wish you all happiness, and our noble Prince a safe and successful return to England.  
Madrid, 13 Aug. 1623. Your most affectionate Cousin, J. H.   

XX. To my noble friend, Sir John North.  
SIR,  
THe long looked-for Dispensation is come from Rome, but I hear it is clogged with new clauses; and one is, that the Pope who allegeth that the only aim of the Apostolical See in granting this Dispensation, was the advantage and case of the Catholics in the King of great Britain's Dominions, therefore he desired a valuable caution for the performance of those Articles which were stipulated in their favour; this hath much puzzled the business, and Sir Francis Cotington comes now over about it: Besides there is some distaste 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 business better. As there is some darkness happened 'twixt the two Favourites, so matters stand not ●…ight 'twixt he Duke and the Earl of Bristol; but God forbid that a business of so high a consequence as this which is likely to tend so much to the universal good of Christendom, to the restitution of the Palatinat, and the composing those broils in Germany, should be ranversd by differences 'twixt a few private subjects, though now public Ministers.  
Mr Washington the Prince his Page is lately dead of a Calenture, and I was at his burial 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 business was like to gather very ill blood, and come to a great height, had not Count Gondamar quashed it, which I believe he could not have done, unless the times had been favourable; for such is the reverence they bear to the Church here, and so holy a conceit they have of all Ecclesiastics, that the greatest Don in Spain will tremble to offer the meanest of them any outrage or affront: Count Gondamar hath also helped to free some English that were in the Inquisition in Toledo and Sevill, and I could allege many instances how ready and cheerful he is to assist any Englishman whatsoever; notwithstanding the base affronts he hath often received of the London buys as he calls them. At his last return hither, I heard of a merry saying of his, to the Queen, who discoursing with him about the greatness of London, and whether it was as populous as Madrid, yes Madam, and more populous when I came away, though I believe there's scarce a man left there now but all women and children; for all the man both in Court and City were ready booted and spurred to go away. And I am sorry to hear how other Nations do much tax the English of their incivility to public Ministers of State, and what ballads and pasquils, and fopperies and plays, were made against Gondamar for doing his Master's business. My Lord of Bristol coming from Germany to brussels, notwithstanding that at his arrival thither, the news was fresh that he had relieved Frankindale as he passed, yet was he not a whit the less welcome, but valued the more both by the Archdutchess herself and Spino●… with all the rest; as also that they knew well that the said Earl had been the sole adviser of keeping Sir Robert Mansell abroad with that Fleet upon the coast of Spain till the Palsgrave should be restored. I pray Sir when you go to London wall, and Tower hill, be pleased to remember my humble service, where you know it is due. So I am.  
Madrid, Aug. 15. 1623. Your most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

V. To the right Honble, the Lord Viscount Colchester.  
My very good Lord,  
I Received the letter and commands your Lop. pleased to send me by Mr Walsingham Gresley; and touching the Constitutions and Orders of the Contratation House of the West Indies in Sevill, I cannot procure it for love or money, upon any terms, though I have done all possible diligence▪ therein: And some tell me it is dangerous, and no less than Treason in him, that gives the copy of them to any, in regard 'tis counted the greatest Mystery of all the Spanish government.  
That difficulty which happened in the business of the match of giving caution to the Pope, is now overcome; for whereas our King answered that he could give no other caution than his Royal word and his sons, exemplified under the great Seal of England, and confirmed by his Counsel of State, it being impossible to have it done by Parliament, in regard of the averseness the common people have to the alliance; And whereas this gave no satisfaction to Rome, the King of Spain now offers himself for caution, for putting in execution what is stipulated in behalf of the Roman Catholics throughout his Majesty of great Britain's Dominions; but he desires to consult his ghostly fathers to know whether he may do i●… without wronging his conscience; hereupon there hath been a I●…ta formed of Bishops and jesuits, who have been already a good while about it, and the Bishop of Segovia, who is as it were Lord Threasurer, having written a Treatise lately against the match, was outed of his Office, banished the Court, and confined to his Diocese. The Duke of Buckingham hath been ill disposed a good while, and lies sick at Court, where the Prince hath no public exercise of devotion, but only bedchamber prayers, and some thin●… that his lodging in the King's house is like to prove a disadvantag●… to the main business, for whereas most sorts of people here hardly hold us to be Christians, if the Prince had had a Palace of his own, and been permitted to have used a room for an open Chapel to exercise the Liturgy of the Church of England, it would have brought them to have a better opinion of us; And to this end there were some of our best Church plate, and vestments brought hither, but never used. The slow place of this junta troubles us a little, and to the Divines there are some Civilians admitted lately, and the quaere is this, whether the King of Spain may bind himself by oath in the behalf of the King of England, to perform such and such Articles that are agreed on in favour of the Roman Catholics by virtue of this match, whether the King may do this salva conscientia.  
There was a great show lately here of baiting of bulls with men for the entertainment of the Prince; it is the chiefest of all Spanish sports, commonly there are men killed at it, therefore there are Priests appointed to be there ready to confess them: It hath happened oftentimes that a Bull hath taken up two men upon his horns with their guts dangling about them; the horsemen run with lances and swords, the foot with goads. As I am told the Pope hath sent divers Bulls against this sport of bulling, yet it will not be left, the Nation hath taken such an habitual delight in it. There was an ill favoured accident like to have happened lately at the King's house, in that part where my Lord of Carlisle, and my Lord Denbigh were lodged; for my Lord Denbigh late at night taking a pipe of Tobacco in a Balcone which hung over the King's garden, he blew down the ashes, which falling upon some parched combustible matter, began to flame and spread, but Master Davis my Lord of Carliles Barber leapt down a great height, and quenched it. So with continuance of my most humble service, I rest ever ready  
Madrid, Aug. 16. 1623. At your Lops'. commands, J. H.   

XXI. To Sir James Crofts, from Madrid.  
SIR,  
THe Court of Spain affords now little news, for there is a Remora sticks to the business of the match, till the junta of Divines give up their opinion: But from Turkey there came a Letter this week wherein there is the strangest and most tragical news, that in my small reading no Sorry can parallel, or show with more pregnancy the instability and tottering estate of human greatness, and the sandy foundation whereon the vast Ottoman Empire is reared upon: For Sultan Osman the grand Turk. a man according to the humour of that Nation, warlike and fleshed in blood, and a violent hater of Christians, was in the flower of his years, in the heat and height of his courage, knocked in the head by one of his own slaves, and one of the meanest of them, with a battle axe, and the murderer never after proceeded against or questioned.  
The ground of this Tragedy was the late ill success he had against the Pole, wherein he lost about 100000. horse for want of forage, and 80000. men for want of fight, which he imputed to the cowardice of his janissaries, who rather than bear the brunt of the battle, were more willing to return home to their wives and merchandizing, which they are now permitted to do contrary to their first institution, which makes them more worldly, and less venturous. This disgraceful return from Poland stuck in Osmans' stomach, and so studied a way how to be revenged of the janissaries; therefore by the advice of his grand Visier (a stout gallant man who had been one of the chief Beglerbegs in the East) he intended to erect a new Soldiery in Asia about Damascus, of the Coords a frontier people, and consequently hardy and inur'd to Arms. Of these he purposed to entertain 40000. as a lifegard for his pe●…son, though the main design was to suppress his lazy and lustful janissaries, with men of fresh new spirits.  
To disguise this plot, he pretended a pilgrimage to Mecha, to visit Mahomet's Tomb, and reconcile himself to the Prophet, who he through was angry with him, because of his late ill success in Poland: but this colour was not specious enough, in regard he might have performed this Pilgrimage with a smaller train and charge; therefore it was propounded that the Emir of S●…dm should be made to rise up in arms, that so he might go with a greater power and treasure, but this plot was held disadvantageous to him, in regard his janissaries must then have attended him: so he pretends and prepares only for the Pilgrimage, yet he makes ready as much treasure as he could make, and to that end he melts his plate, and furniture of horses, with divers Church lamps; this fomented some jealousy in the janissaries, with certain words which should drop from him, that he would find soldiers shortly should whip them. Hereupon he hath sent over to Asia's side his pavilions, many of his servants, with his jewels and treasure, resolving upon the voyage, notwithstanding that divers petitions were delivered him from the Clergy, the civil Magistrate and the Soldiery that he should desist from the voyage, but all would not do: thereupon upon the point of his departure, the janissaries and Sp●…ies came in a tumultuary manner to the Seraglio, and in a high insolent language dissuaded him from the Pilgrimage, and demanded of him his ill counsellors. The first he granted, but for the second, he said that it stood not with his honour, to have his nearest servants torn from him so, without any legal proceeding, but he assured them that they should appear in the Divan the next day, to answer for themselves; but this not satisfying, they went away in a fury and plunderd the Grand Viziers Palace, with divers others; Osman hereupon was advised to go from his private gardens that night to the Asian shore, but his destiny kept him from it: so the next morning they came armed to the Court, (but having made a covenant not to violate the Imperial Throne) and cut in pieces the Grand Visier with divers other great Officers, and not finding Osman, who had hid himself in a small lodge in one of his gardens, they cried out they must have a Musulman Emperor; therefore they broke into a Dungeon, and brought out Mustapha Osmans' Uncle, whom he had clapped there at the beginning of the tumult, and who had been King before, but was deposed for his simplicity, being a kind of santon or holy man, that is, 'twixt an Innocent and an Idiot: This Mustapha they did reinthronize and place in the O●…toman Empire.  
The next day they found out Osman, and brought him before Mustapha, who excused himself with tears in his eyes for his rash attempts, which wrought tenderness in some, but more scorn and fury in others, who fell upon the Capi Aga, with other Officers, and cut them in pieces before his eyes: Osman thence was carried to Prison, and as he was getting a horseback, a common soldier took off his Turban, and clapped his upon Osmans' head, who in his passage begged a draught of water at a Fountain: The next day the new Visier went with an Executioner to strangle him, in regard there were two younger brothers more of his to preserve the O●…tomans race, where after they had rushed in, he being newly awaked, and staring upon them, and thinking to defend himself, a robust boisterous rogue knocked him down, and so the rest fell upon him and strangled him with much ado.  
Thus fell one of the greatest Potentats upon earth by the hands of a contemptible slave, for there is not a free born subject in all that vast Empire: Thus fell he that Entitles himself most puissant and highest Monarch of the Turks, King above all Kings, a King that dwelleth upon the earthly Paridise, son of Mahomet, keeper of the grave of the Christian God, Lord of the Tree of Life, and of the River Flisky, Prior of the earthly Paridise, Conqueror of the Macedonians, the seed of great Alexander, Prince of the Kingdoms of Tartary, Mesopotamia, Media, and of the martial Mammaluck●…, Anatolia, Bythinia, Asia, Armenia, Servia, Thracia, Morta, Valachi●…, Moldavia, and of all warlike Hungary, Sovereign Lord and Commander of all Greece, Persia, both the Arabia's, the most noble kingdom of Egypt, Tremisen and African, Empire of Trab●…sond and the most glorious Constantinople, Lord of all the white and black Seas, of the holy City Mecha and Medina, shining with divine glory, commander of all things that are to be commanded, and the strongest and mightiest Champion of the wide world, a Warrior appointed by Heaven in the edge of the sword, a Persecutor of his Enemies, a most perfect jewel of the blessed Tree, the chiefest keeper of the crucified God, etc. with other such bombardicall Titles.  
This Osman was a man of goodly Constitution, an amiable aspect, and of excess of courage, but sordidly covetous, which drove him to violate the Church, and to melt the Lamps thereof, which made the Mufti say that this was a due judgement fallen upon him from Heaven for his Sacrilege. He used also to make his person too cheap, for he would go ordinarily in the night time with two men after him like a petty Constable, and peep into the Cauphhouses and Cabarets, and apprehend Soldiers there. And these two things it seems was the cause, that when he was so assaulted in the Seraglio, not one of his Domestic servants, whereof he had 3000, would li●…t an Arm to help him.  
Some few days before his death, he had a strange dream, for he dreamt that he was mounted upon a great Camel, who would not go neither by fair nor foul means, and lighting off him, and thinking to strike him with his Cimitier, the body of the beast vanished, leaving the Head and the bridle only in his hands; when the Mufti and the Hoggies could not interpret this dream, Mustapha his Uncle did it, for he said, the Camel signified his Empire, his mounting of him his excess in Government, his lighting down his deposing. Another kind of Prophetic speech dropped from the Grand Visier to Sir Thomas Roe our Ambassador there, who having gone a little before this Tragedy to visit the said Visier, told him what whisper and mutterings there were in every corner for this Asiatic voyage, and what ill consquences might ensue from it; therefore it might well stand with his great wisdom to stay it; but if it held, he desired him to leave a charge with the Chimacham his Deputy, that the English Nation in the Port, should be free from outrages: whereunto the Grand Visier answered, Trouble not yourself about that, for I will not remove so far from Constantinople, but I will leave one of my legs behind to serve you, which proved too true, for he was murdered afterwards, and one of his legs was hung up in the Hippodrome.  
This fresh Tragedy makes me to give over wondering at any thing that ever I heard or read, to show the lubricity of mundan greatness, as also the fury of the vulgar, which like an impetuous Torrent gathereth strength by degrees as it meets with divers Dams, and being come to the height, cannot stop itself: for when this rage of the soldiers began first, there was no design at all to violate or hurt the Emperor, but to take from him his ill Counsellors, but being once a foot, it grew by insensible degrees to the utmost of outrages.  
The bringing out of Mustapha from the Dungeon, where he was prisoner, to be Emperor of the Musulmans, puts me in mind of what I read in Mr. Camden of our late Queen Elizabeth, how she was brought from the Scaffold, to the English Throne.  
They who profess to be Critics in policy here, hope that this murdering of Osman may in time breed good blood, and prove advantageous to Christendom; for though this be the first Emperor of the Turks that was dispatched so, he is not like to be the last, now that the soldiers have this precedent: others think that if that design in Asia had taken, it had been very probable the Constantinopolitans had hoisd up another King, and so the Empire had been dismembered, and by this division had lost strength, as the Roman Empire did, when it was broken into East and West.  
Excuse me that this my Letter is become such a Monster, I mean that it hath passed the size and ordinary proportion of a Letter, for the matter it treats of is monstrous, besides it is a rule that Historical Letters have more liberty to be long than others: In my next you shall hear how matters pass here, in the mean time, and always I rest  
Madrid, Aug. 17. 1623. Your Lordship's most devoted Servitor, J. H.   

XXII. To the Right Honble. Sir Tho. Savage, Knight and Baronet.  
Honble. SIR,  
THe procedure of things in relation to the grand business the match, was at kind of a stand when the long wound junta delivered their opinions, and fell at last upon this result, that his Catholic Majesty for the satisfaction of St. Peter, might oblige himself in the behalf of England, for the performance of those capitulations which reflected upon the Roman Catholics in that Kingdom; and in case of non-performance, then to right himself by war; since that, the matrimonial Articles were solemnly sworn unto by the King of Spain and his Highness, the two Favourites, our two Ambassadors, the Duke of Infantado and other Counsellors of State being present; hereupon the eighth of the next September, is appointed to be the day of Desposorios, the day of affiance, or the betrothing day; there was much gladness expressed here, and luminaries of joy were in every great street throughout the City: but there is an unlucky accident hath intervened, for the King gave the Prince a solemn visit since, and told him Pope Gregory was dead, who was so great a friend to the match, but in regard the business was not yet come to perfection, he could not proceed further in it till the former Dispensation were ratified by the new Pope Vrban, which to procure he would make it his own task, and that all possible expedition should be used in't, and therefore desired his patience in the interim. The Prince answered, and pressed the necessity of his speedy return with divers reasons, he said there was a general kind of murmuring in England for his so long abseuce, that the King his Father was old and sickly, that the Fleet of ship were already, he thought, at Sea to fetch him, the winter drew on, and withal that the Articles of the match were signed in England, with this proviso, that if he be not come back by such a month they should be of no validity. The King replied, that since his Highness was resolved upon so sudden a departure, he would please to leave a Proxy behind to ●…ish the marriage, and he would take it for a favour if he would depute Him to personat him, and ten days after the ratification shall come from Rome the business should be done, and afterwards he might send for his wife when he pleased. The Prince rejoined, that amongst those multitudes of royal favours which he had received from his Majesty, this transcended all the rest, therefore he would most willingly leave a Proxy for his Majesty and another for Don Carlos to this effect; so they parted for that time without the least ombrage of discontent, nor do I hear of any engendered since. The last month 'tis true the junta of Divines dwelled so long upon the business, that there were whisper that the Prince intended to go away disguised as he came, and the question being asked by a person of quality, there was a brave answer made, that i●… love brought him thither, it is not fear shall drive him away.  
There are preparations already a foot for his return, and the two Prexies are drawn and left in my Lord of bristols hands. Notwithstanding this ill favoured stop, yet we are here all confident the business will take effect: In which hopes I rest  
Madrid, 18 Aug. 1623. Your most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXIII. To Captain Nich: Let at his house in London.  
SIR,  
THis Letter comes to you by Mr. Richard Altham, of whose sudden departure hence I am very sorry, it being the late death of his brother Sir james Altham. I have been at a stand in the business a gond while, for his Highness coming hither was no advantage to me in the earth: He hath done the Spaniards divers courtesies, but he hath been very sparing in doing the English any: It may be perhaps because it may be a diminution of honour to be beholden to any foreign Prince to do his own Subjects favours: but my business requires no favour, all I desire is justice, which I have not obtained yet in reality.  
The Prince is preparing for his journey, I shall to 〈◊〉 again closely when he is gone, and make a shaft or a bolt of it. The Pope's death hath retarded the proceedings of the match, but we are so far from despairing of it, that one may have wagers thirty to one it will take effect still. He that deals with this Nation must have a great deal of phlegm, and if this grand business of State, the match, suffer such protractions and puttings off, you need not wonder that private negotiations, as mine is, should be subject to the same inconveniences. There shall be no means left unattempted that my best industry can find out to put a period to it, and when his Highness is gone, I hope to find my Lord of Bristol more at leisure to continue his favour and furtherance, which hath been much already: So I rest  
Madrid, Aug. 19 1623. Yours ready to serv●… you, J. H.   

XXIV. To Sir James Crofts.  
SIR,  
THe Prince is now upon his journey to the Sea side, where my Lord of Rutland attends for him with a royal fleet: There 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 caused a Mass to be sung every day ever since for his good Voyage: The Spaniards themselves confess there was never Princes so bravely wooed. The King and his two Brothers accompanied his Highness 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 wonderful 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. There 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 expense, besides his seven months' entertainment here: we hear that when he passed through Valladolid, the Duke of Lerma was retired thence for the time by special command from the King, left he might have discourse with the Prince, whom he extremely desired 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 Cardinal's habit, which hat●… kept him from many a foul storm that might have fallen upon him else from the temporal power. The Duke of Uzeda his son finding himself to decline in favour at Court, had retired to the Country, and died soon after of discontentment: During his sickness the Cardinal writ this short weighty Letter unto him: Dizen me, que Mareys de necio, por mi, mas temo mis anos qué mis E●…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, we understand the Prince is safely embarked, but not without some 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 Bristol, and Sir Walter Ast●…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 clothes for his Highness of presumed Amber leather, some embroidered with Pearl, some with Gold, some with Silver; her Family is a settling 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 solemnised, 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 gone, he is one of the Duke of Buckingham's creatures, yet he lies at the Earl of Bristols house which we wonder at, considering the darkness that happened 'twixt the Duke and the Earl: we fear that this Clerk hath brought something that may puzzle the business. Besides having occasion to make my address lately to the Venetian Ambassador, who is interressed in some part of that great business 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 business of the Palatinate, our Ambassadors were lately assured by Olivares, and all the Counsellors here, & that in this King's name, that he would procure his Majesty of great Britain entire satisfaction herein, and Olivares, giving them the joy, entreated them to assure their King upon their honour, and upon their lives of the reality hereof; for the Infanta herself (said he) hath stirred in it, and makes it now her own business; for it was a firm peace and amity (which he confessed could never be without the accommodation of things in Germany) as much as an alliance, which his Catholic Majesty aimed at. But we shall know shortly now what to trust to, we shall walk no more in mists, though some give out yet that our prince shall embrace a cloud for juno at last. I pray present my service to Sir john Franklin, and Sir john Smith, with all at the Hill and Dale, and when you send to Wales, I pray convey the enclosed 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 Received lately one of yours, but it was of a very old date: we have our eyes here now all fixed upon Rome, greedily expecting the Ratification, and lately a strong rumour ran it was come, in so much Mr Clerk who was sent hither from the Prince being a shipboard, (and now lies sick at my Lord of bristols house of a Calenture) hearing of it, he desired to speak with him, for he had something to deliver him from the Prince, my Lord Ambassador being come to him, Mr Clerk delivered a letter from the Prince; the contents whereof were, that whereas he had left certain Proxies in his hand to be delivered to the King of Spain after the Ratification was come, he desired and required him not to do it till he should receive further order from England; my Lord of Bristol hereupon went to Sir Walter Aston, who was in joint Commission with him for concluding the match, and showing him the Letter, what my Lord Aston said I know not, but my Lord of Bristol told him that they had a Commission Royal under the broad Seal of England to conclude the match; he knew as well as he how earnest the King their Master hath been any time these ten years to have it done; how there could not be a better pawn for the surrendry of the Palatinat, than the Infanta in the Prince his arms, who would never rest till she did the work to merit love of our Nation: He told him also how their own particular fortunes depended upon't, besides if he should delay one moment to deliver the Proxy after the Ratification was come according to agreement, the Infanta would hold herself so blemished in her honour, that it might overthrow all things. Lastly, he told him that they incurred the hazard of their heads if they should suspend the executing his Majesty's Commission upon any order but from that power which gave it, who was the King himself; hereupon both the Ambassadors proceeded still in preparing matters for the solemnising of the marriage: the Earl of Bristol had caused above thirty rich Liveries to be made of watchet Velvet, with silver lace up to the very capes of the Cloaks, the best sorts whereof were valued at 80 l. a Livery: My Lord Aston had also provided new Liveries, and a fortnight after the said politic report was blown up, the Ratification came indeed complete and full; so the marriage day was appointed, a Terrace covered all over with Tapestry was raised from the King's Palace to the next Church, which might be about the same extent, as from White-Hall to Westminster Abbey, and the King intended to make his sister a Wife, and his daughter (whereof the Queen was delivered a little before) a Christian upon the same day; the Grandes and great Ladies had been invited to the marriage, and order was sent to all the Port Towns to discharge their great Ordnance, and sundry other things were prepared to honour the solemnity: but when we were thus at the height of our hopes, a day or two before; there came Mr. Killegree, Gresley, Wood and Davies, one upon the neck of another with a new Commission to my Lord of Bristol immediately from his Majesty, countermanding him to deliver the Proxy aforesaid, until a full and absolute satisfaction were had for the surrendry of the Palatinat under this King's hand and Seal, in regard he desired his Son should be married to Spain, and his Son in law remarried to the Palatinat at one time; hereupon all was dashed to pieces; and that frame which was rearing so many years, was ruined in a moment. This news struck a damp in the hearts of all people here, and they wished that the Postillons that brought it, had all broke their necks in the way.  
My Lord of Bristol hereupon went to Court to acquaint the King with his new Commission, and so proposed the restitution of the Palatinat, the King answered 'twas none of his to give, 'tis true he had a few Towns there, but he held them as Commissioner only for the Emperor, and he could not command an Emperor; yet if his Majesty of great Britain would put a Treaty a foot, he would send his own Ambassadors to join; In the interim, the Earl was commanded not to deliver the foresaid Proxy of the Prince, for the desposorios or espousal until Christmas: (And herein it seems his Majesty with you was not well informed, for those powers of Proxies expired before) the King here said further that if his Uncle the Emperor, or the Duke of Bavaria would not be conformable to reason, he would raise as great an Army for the Prince Palsgrave▪ as he did under Spinola when he first invaded the Palatinat; and to secure this, he would engage his Contratation House of the West Indies, with his Plate Fleet, and give the most binding instrument that could be under his hand and Seal. But this gave no satisfaction, therefore my Lord of Bristol I believe hath not long to stay here, for he is commanded to deliver no more Letters to the Infanta, nor demand any more audience, and that she should be no more styled Princess of England, or Wales. The foresaid Caution which this King offered to my Lord of Bristol, made me think of what I read of his Grandfather Philip the second, who having been married to our Queen Mary, and it being thought she was with child of him, and was accordingly prayed for at Paul's Cross, though it proved afterward but a tympany, King Philip preposed to our Parliament that they would pass an Act that he might be Regent during his or her minority that should be born, and he would give good caution to surrender the Crown, when he or she should come to age: the motion was hotly canvased in the house of Peers, and like to pass, when the Lord Paget rose up and said, I, but who shall sue the King's bond? so the business was dashed. I have no more news to send you now, and I am sorry I have so much, unless it were better; for we that have business to negotiate here are like to suffer much by this rupture: welcome be the will of God, to whose benediction I commend you, and rest  
Madrid, Aug. 25. 1623. Your most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXVII. To the Right Honble the Lord Clifford.  
My good Lord,  
THough this Court cannot afford now such comfortable news in relation to England as I could wish, yet such as it is, you shall receive. My Lord of Bristol is preparing for England, I waited upon him lately when he went to take his leave at Court, and the King washing his hands took a Ring from off his own finger, and put it upon his, which was the greatest honour that ever he did any Ambassador as they say here; he gave him also a Cupboard of Plate, ●…alued at 20000 Crowns: There were also large and high promises made him, that in case he●… feared to fall upon any rock in England, by reason of the power of those who malignd him, if he would stay in any of his Dominions, he would give him means and honour equal to the highest of his enemies. The Earl did not only wave, but disdained these Propositions made unto him by Olivares; and said he was so confident of the King his Master's justice and high judgement, and of his own innocency, that he conceived no power could be able to do him hurt. There hath occurd nothing lately in this Court worth the advertisement: They speak much of the strange carriage of that boisterous Bishop of Halverstad, (for so they term him here) that having taken a place where there were two Monasteries of Nuns and Friars, he caused divers featherbeds to be ripped and all the feathers to be thrown in a great Hall whither the Nuns and Friars were thrust naked with their bodies ●…ld and pitched, and to tumble among these feathers, which makes them here presage him an ill death. So I most affectionately kiss your hands and rest  
Madrid, Aug. 26. 1623. Your very humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXVIII. To Sir John North.  
SIR,  
I Have many thanks to render you for the favour you lately did to a kinsman of mine, Mr. Vaughan, and for divers other which I defer till I return to that Court, and that I hope will not be long. Touching the procedure of matters here, you shall understand that my Lord Aston had special audience lately of the King of Spain, and afterwards presented a Memorial wherein there was a high complaint against the miscarriage of the two Spanish Ambassadors now in England the Marquis of Inopifa and Don Carlos Coloma, the substance of it was that the said Ambassadors in a private audience his Majesty of great Britain had given them, informed him of a pernitions plot against his Person and royal authority, which was that at the beginning of your now Parliament, the Duke of Buckingham with others his complices often met and consulted in a clandestine way, how to break the treaty both of Match and Palatinat: and in case his Majesty was unwilling thereunto, he should have a Country house or two to retire unto for his recreation and health, in regard the Prince is now of years & judgement fit to govern. His Majesty so resented this, that the next day he sent them many thanks for the care they had of him, and desired them to perfect the work, and now that they had detected the treason to discover also the traitors, but they were shy in that point, the King sent again desiring them to send him the names of the Conspirators in a paper, sealed up by one of their own confidents, which he would receive with his own hands, and no soul should see it else; advising them withal, that they should not prefer this discovery before their own honours, to be accounted false Accusers: they replied that they had done enough already by instancing in the Duke of Buckingham, and it might easily be guest who were his Confidents, and Creatures. Hereupon his Majesty put those whom he had any grounds to suspect to their oaths: And afterward sent my Lord Conway, and Sir Francis Cotington, to tell the Ambassadors that he had left no means unassaid to discover the Conspiration, that he had sound upon oath such a clearness of ingenuity in the Duke of Buckingham, th●… satisfied him of his innocency: Therefore he had just cause to conceive that this information of theirs, proceeded rather from malice and some political ends then from truth, and in regard they would not produce the Authors of so dangerous a Treason, they made themselves to be justly thought the Authors of it: And therefore though he might by his own royal justice, and the law of nations punish this excess and insolence of theirs, and high wrong they had done to his best servants, yea to the Prince his Son, for through the sides of the Duke they wounded him, in regard it was impossible that such a design should be attempted without his privity, yet he would not be his own Judge herein, but would refer them to the King their Master whom he conceived to be so just, that he doubted not but he would see him satisfied, and therefore he would send an express unto him hereabouts to demand Justice, and reparation: this business is now in agitation, but we know not what will become of it. We are all here in a sad disconsolat condition, and the Merchants shake their heads up and down out of an apprehension of some fearful war to follow: so I most affectionately kiss your hands and rest  
Madrid, Aug. 26 1623. Your very humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXIX. To Sir Kenelm Digby Knight.  
SIR,  
YOu have had knowledge (none better) of the progression and growings of the Spanish match from time to time; I must acquaint you now with the rupture and utter dissolution of it, which was not long a doing; for it was done in one audience that my Lord of Bristol had lately at Court, whence it may be inferred, that 'tis far more easy to pull down, than rear up, for that structure which was so many years a rearing, was dashed as it were in a trice: Dissolution goeth a faster pace than Composition. And it may be said, that the civil actions of men, specially great affairs of Monarches (as this was) have much Analogy in degrees of progression with the natural production of man. To make man there are many acts must proceed, first a meeting and copulation of the Sexes, than Conception, which requires a well-disposed womb to retain the prolifical seed, by the constriction and occlusion of the orifice of the Matrix, which seed being first blood, and afterwards cream, is by a gentle ebullition coagulated, and turned to a crudded lump, which the womb by virtue of its natural heat prepares to be capable to receive form, and to be organised; whereupon Nature falls a working to delineat all the members, beginning with those that are most noble: as the Heart, the Brain, the Liver; whereof Galen would have the Liver, which is the shop and source of the blood, and Aristotle the Heart to be the first framed, in regard 'tis primùm vivens, & ultimùm moriens: Nature continues in this labour until a perfect shape be introduced, and this is called Formation which is the third act, and is a production of an organical body out of the spermatic substance, caused by the plastic virtue of the vital spirits: and sometimes this act is finished thirty days after the Conception, sometimes fifty, but most commonly in forty two, or forty five, and is sooner done in the male. This being done, the Embryon is animated with three souls; the first with that of Plants called the vegetable soul, then with a sensitive, which all brute Animals have, and lastly, the Rational soul is infused, and these three in man are like Trigonus in Tetragono; the two first are generated ex Traduce, from the seed of the Parents, but the last is by immediate infusion from God, and 'tis controverted 'twixt Philosophers and Divines, when this infusion is made.  
This is the fourth act that goeth to make man, and is called Animation: and as the Naturalists allow Animation double the time that Formation had from the Conception, so they allow to the ripening of the Embryo in the womb, and to the birth thereof treble the time that Animation had, which happeneth sometimes in nine, sometimes in ten months. This Grand business of the Spanish match, may be said to have had such degrees of progression; first there was a meeting and coupling on both sides, for a junta in in Spain, and some select Counsellors of State were appointed in England; After this Conjunction the business was conceived, than it received form, than life, (though the quickening was slow) but having had ne'er upon ten years in lieu of ten months to be perfected, it was infortunately strangled when it was ripe and ready for birth; and I would they had never been born that did it, for it is like to be out of my way 30: ol, And as the Embryo in the womb is wrapped in three membranes or tunicles, so this great business, you know better than I, was involved in many difficulties, and died so entangled before it could break through them.  
There is a buzz here of a match 'twixt England and France; I pray God send it a speedier Formation and Animation than this had, and that it may not prove an abortive.  
I send you herewith a letter from the Paragon of the Spanish Court Doña Anna Maria Man●…ique, the Duke of Maquedas' sister, who respects you in a high Degree; she told me this was the first Letter she ever writ to man in her life, except the Duke her brother: she was much solicited to write to Mr. Thomas Cary, but she would not. I did also your Message to the Marquesa d' Inososa who put me to sit a good while with her upon her Estrado which was no simple favour: you are much in both these Lady's Books, and much spoken of by divers others in this Court. I could not recover your Diamond husband which the Picaroon snatched from you in the coach▪ though I used all means possible, as far as book, bell and candle in point of Excommunication against the party in all the Churches of Madrid, by which means you know divers things are recovered: So I most affectionately kiss your hands and rest  
 
Post.  
Yours of the 2. of March came to safe hand.  
Madrid. Your most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXX. To my Cousin, Mr J. Price, (now Knight) at the middle Temple, from Madrid.  
Cousin suffer my Letter to salute you first in this Distich,  
A Thamisi Tagus quot leucis flumine distat,  
Oscula tot manibus porto, Pricaee, tuis.  
As many miles Thames lies from Tagus' Strands,  
I bring so many kisses to thy hands.  
My dear Jack,  
IN the large Register or Almanac of my friends in England, you are one of the chiefest red Letters, you are one of my Festi●…all Rubriques; for whensoever you fall upon my mind, or my mind falls upon you, I keep Holy day all the while, and this happens so often that you leave me but few working days throughout the whole year, fewer far than this Country affords, for in their Calendar above five Months of the twelve are dedicated to some Saint or other, and kept Festival; a Religion that the London Apprentices would like well.  
I thank you for yours of the third Current, and the ample Relations you give me of London Occurrences, but principally for the powerful and sweet assurances you give me of your love, both in Verse and Prose. All businesses here are off the hinges, for one late audience of my Lord of Bristol pulled down what was so many years a raising. And as Thomas Aquinas told an Artist of a costly curious Statue in Rome, that by some accident while he was a trimming it, fell down and so broke to pieces, Opus triginta annoram destruxisti, thou hast destroyed the work of thirty years; so it may be said that a work ne'er upon ten years is now suddenly sha●…terd to pieces. I hope by God's grace to be now speedily in England, and to re-enjoy your most dear society: In the mean time may all happiness attend you.  

Ad Litteram,  
Ociùs ut grandire gradus oratio, possis  
Prosa, tibi binos jungimus ecce pedes.   
That in thy journey thou mayst be more fleet,  
To my dull Prose I add these Metric feet.  

Resp.  
Ad mare cum venio quid agam? Repl. tùm praepete penna  
Te ferat, est lator nam levis ignis, Amor,   
But when I come to Sea how shall I shift?  
Let Love transport thee then, for Fire is swift.  
Your most affectionate Cos. J. H. March 30. 1624.   

XXXI. To the Lord Viscount Col. from Madrid.  
Right Honble.  
YOur Lops'. of the third Current, came to safe hand, and being now upon point of parting with this Court I thought it worth the labour to send your Lopps a short survey of the Monarchy of Spain; a bold undertaking your Lop. will say, to comprehend within the narrow bounds of a Letter such a huge bulk, but as in the boss of a small Diamond ring one may discern the image of a mighty mountain, so I will endeavour that your Lop. may behold the power of this great King in this paper.  
Spain hath been always esteemed a Country of ancient renown, and as it is incident to all other, she hath had her vicissi●…udes, and turns of Fortune: She hath been thrice o'ercome; by the Romans, by the Goths, and by the Moors▪ the middle conquest continueth to this day; for this King and most of the Nobility proses themselves to have descended of the Goths; the Moors kept here about 700. years, and it is a remarkable Story how they got in first; which was thus upon good record. There reigned in Spain Don Rodrigo, who kept his Court then at Malaga; He employed the Conde Don Julian Ambassador to Barbary, who had a Daughter, (a young beautiful Lady) that was maid of Honour to the Queen: The King spying her one day refreshing herself under an Arbour, sell enamoured with her, and never left till he had deslowrd her: She resenting much the dishonour, writ a letter to her Father in Barbary under this Allegory, That there was a fair green Apple upon the table, and the King's poignard fell upon't and clest it in two. Don julian apprehending the meaning, got letters of revocation, and came back to Spain, where he so complied with the King, that he became his Favourite: Amongst other things he advised the King that in regard he was now in Peace with all the world, he would dismiss his Galleys and Garrisons that were up and down the Sea coasts, because it was a superfluous charge. This being done and the Country left open to any Invader, he prevailed with the King to have leave to go with his Lady to see their friends in Tarragona, which was 300. miles off: Having been there a while, his Lady made semblance to be sick, and so sent to petition the King, that her daughter Donna Cava (whom they had left at Court to satiat the Kings lust) might come to comfort her a while; Cava came, and the gate through which she went forth is called af●… her name to this day in Malaga: Don julian having all his chief kindred there, he sailed over to Barbary, and afterwards brought over the King of Morocco, and others with an Army, who suddenly invaded Spain, lying armles and open, and so conquered it. Don Rodrigo died gallantly in the field, but what became of Don julian, who for a particular revenge betrayed his own Country, no Story makes men●…. A few years before this happened, Rodrigo came to Toledo, where under the great Church there was a vault with huge Iron doors, and none of his Predecessors durst open it, because there was an old Prophecy, That when that vault was opened Spain should be conquered; Rodrigo slighting the Prophecy, caused the doors to be broke open, hoping to find there some Treasure, but when he entered, there was nothing sound but the pictures of Moors, of such men that a little after fulfilled the Prophecy.  
Yet this last conquest of Spain was not perfect, for divers parts Northwest kept still under Christian Kings, specially Biscay, which was never conquered, as Wales in Britanny, and the Biscayners have much Analogy with the Welsh in divers things: They retain to this day the original Language of Spain, they are the most mountainous people, and they are reputed the ancientest Gentry; so that when any is to take the order of Knighthood, there are no Inquistors' appointed to find whether he be clear of the blood of the Moors as in other places. The King when he comes upon the confines, pulls off one shoe before he can tread upon any Biscay ground: And he hath good reason to esteem that Province, in regard of divers advantages he hath by it, for he hath his best timber to build ships, his best Mariners, and all his iron thence.  
There were divers bloody battles 'twixt the remnant of Christians, and the Moors for seven hundreth years together, and the Spaniards getting ground more and more, drive them at last to Granada, and thence also in the time of Ferdinand and Isabel quite over to Barbary: their last King was Chico, who when he fled from Granada crying and weeping, the people upbra●…ded him, That he might well weep like a woman, who could not defend himself and them like a man. (This was that Ferdinand who obtained from Rome the Title of Catholic, though some Stories say that many ages before Ricaredus the first Orthodox King of the Goths, was styled Catholicus in a Provincial Synod held at Toledo, which was continued by Alphonsus the first, and then made hereditary by this Ferdinand.) This absolute conquest of the Moors happened about Henry the sevenths' time, ' when the soresaid Ferdinand and Isabel had by alliance joined Castille and Arragon, which with the discovery of the West Indies, which happened a little after, was the first foundation of that greatness whereunto Spain is now mounted. Afterwards there was an alliance with Burgundy and Austria, by the first House the seventeen Provinces fell to Spain, by the second Charles the fifth came to be Emperor: and remarkable it is how the House of Austria came to that height from a mean Earl, the Earl of Hasburgh in Germany. who having been one day a hunting, he overtook ●… Priest who had been with the Sacrament to visit a poor sick body, the Priest being tired, the Earl lighted off his horse, helped up the Priest, and so waited upon him afoot all the while till he brought him to the Church: The Priest giving him his benediction at his going away, told him that for this great act of humility and piety, His Race should be one of the greatest that ever the world had, and ever since, which is some 240. years ago, the Empire hath continued in that House, which afterwards was called the House of Austria.  
In Philip the seconds time the Spanish Monarchy came to its highest cumble, by the conquest of Portugal, whereby the East Indies, sundry Islands in the Atlantic Sea, and divers places in Barbary were added to the Crown of Spain. By these steps this Crown came to this Grandeur; and truly give the Spaniard his due, he is a mighty Monarch, he hath Dominions in all parts of the world (which none of the four Monarchies had) both in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, (which he hath solely to himself) though our Henry the seventh had the first proffer made him: So the Sun shines all the four and twenty hours of the natural day upon some part or other of his countries, for part of the Antipodes are subject to him. He hath eight Viceroys in Europe, two in the East Indies, two in the West, two in Afric, and about thirty provincial sovereign Commanders more; yet as I was told lately, in a discourse 'twixt him and our Prince at his being here, when the Prince sell to magnify his spacious Dominions, the King answered, Sir, 'tis true, it hath pleased God to trust me with divers Nations and Countries, but of all these ther are but two which yield me any clear revenues, viz. Spain, and my West Indies, nor all Spain neither, but Castille only, the rest do scarce quit cost, for all is drunk up 'twixt Governors and Garrisons; yet my advantage is to have the opportunity to propagate Christian Religion, and to employ my Subjects. For the last, it must be granted that no Prince hath better means to breed brave men, and more variety of commands to heighten their spirits with no petty but Princely employments. This King besides hath other means to oblige the Gentry unto him, by such a huge number of Commendams which he hath in his gift to bestow o●… whom he please of any of the three Orders of Knighthood; which England and France want. Some Noble men in Spain can despend 50000 l. some forty, some thirty, and divers twenty thousand pounds per annum. The Church here is exceeding rich both in revenues, plate, and buildings; one cannot go to the meanest Country Chapel, but he will find Chalices, lamps and candlesticks of silver. There are some Bishoprics of 30000l. per annum, and divers of 10000 l. and Toledo is 100000 l. yearly revenue. As the Church is rich, so it is mightily reverenced here, and very powerful, which made Philip the second rather depend upon the Clergy, than the secular Power: Therefore I do not see how Spain can be called a poor Country, considering the revenues aforesaid of Princes and Prelates; nor is it so thin of People as the world makes it, and one reason may be that there are sixteen Universities in Spain, & in one of these there were fifteen thousand Students at one time when I was there, I mean Salamanca, and in this Village of Madrid (for the King of Spain cannot keep his constant Court in any City) there are ordinarily 600000 souls. 'tis true that the colonizing of the Indies, and the wars of Flanders have much drained this Country of people: Since the expulsion of the Moors, it is also grown thinner, and not so full of corn; for those Moors would grub up wheat out of the very tops of the craggy hills, yet they used another grain for their bread, so that the Spaniard had nought else to do but go with his Ass to the Market, and buy corn of the Moon. There lived here also in times past a great number of Jews, till they were expelled by Ferdinand, and as I have read in an old Spanish Legend, the cause was this; The King had a young Prince to his son, who was used to play with a Jewish Doctor that was about the Court, who had a Ball of gold in a string hanging down his breast, the little Prince one day snatched away the said gold Ball, and carried it to the next room, the Ball being hollow, opened, and within there was painted our Saviour kissing a jews tail: Hereupon they were all suddenly disterred and exterminated, yet I believe in Portugal there lurks. yet good store of them.  
For the soil of Spain, the fruitfulness of their valleys recompenses the sterility of their hills, corn is their greatest want, and want of rain is the cause of that, which makes them have need of their neighbours; yet as much as Spain bears is passing good, and so is every thing else for the quality, nor hath any one a better horse under him, a better cloak on his back, a better sword by his side, better shoes on his feet, than the Spaniard, nor doth any drink better Wine, or eat better fruit than he, nor flesh for the quantity.  
Touching the People, the Spaniard looks as high, though not so big a●… a Germane, his excess is in too much gravity, which some who know him not well, hold to be a pride, he cares not how little he labours, for poor Gascons and Morisco slaves do most of his work in field and vineyard; he can endure much in the war, yet he loves not to fight in the dark, but in open day, or upon a stage, that all the world might be witnesses of his valour; so that you shall seldom hear of Spaniards employed in night service; nor shall one hear of a Duel here in an age: He hath one good quality, that he is wonderfully obedient to Government: for the proudest Don of Spain when he is prancing upon his Ginet in the streets, if an Alguazil (a Sergeant) show him his Vare, that is a little white staff he carrieth as badge of his Office; my Don will down presently off his horse, and yield himself his prisoner. He hath another commendable quality, that when he giveth Alms, he pulls off his Hat, and puts it in the beggar's hand with a great deal of humility. His gravity is much lessened since the late Proclamation came out against ruffs, and the King himself showed the first example, they were come to that height of excess herein, that twenty shillings were used to be paid for starching of a ruff: and some, though perhaps he had never a shirt to his back, yet would be have a toting huge swelling ruff about his neck. He is sparing in his Ordinary diet, but when he makes a Feast he is free and bountiful. As to Temporal Authority, specially Martial, so is be very obedient to the Church, and believes all with an implicit faith: he is a great servant of Ladies, nor can he be blamed, for as I said before he comes of a Goatish race; yet he never brags of, nor blazes abroad his doings that way, but is exceedingly careful of the repute of any woman, (A civility that we much want in England) He will speak high words of Don Philippo his King, but will not endure a stranger should do so: I have heard a Biscayner make a Rodomontado, that he was as good a Gentleman as Don Philippo himself, for Don Philippo was half a Spaniard, half a German, half an Italian, half a Frenchman, half I know not what, but he was a pure Biscayner, without mixture. The Spaniard is not so smooth and oily in his Compliment as the Italian, and though he will make strong protestations, yet he will not swear out Compliments like the French and English, as I heard when my Lord of Carlisle was Ambassador in France, there came a great Monsieur to see him, and having a long time banded, and sworn Compliments one to another who should go first out at a door, at last my Lord of Carlisle said, o Monseigneur ayez pity de mon ame, O my '. Lord have pity upon my soul.  
The Spaniard is generally given to gaming, and that in excess; he will say his prayers before, and if he win he will thank God for his good fortune after; their common game at cards (for they very seldom play at dice) is Primera, at which the King never shows his game, but throws his cards with their faces down on the Table: He is Merchant of all the cards and dice through all the Kingdom, he hath them made for a penny a pair, and he retails them for twelve pence; so that 'tis thought he hath 30000 l. a year by this trick at cards. The Spaniard is very devout in his way, for I have seen him kneel in the very dirt when the Ave Mary bell rings: and some if they spy two straws or sticks lie crosswise in the street, they will take them up and kiss them, and lay them down again. He walks as if he marched, and seldom looks on the ground, as if he contemned it. I was told of a Spaniard who having got a fall by a stumble, and broke his nose, rose up, and in a disdainful manner said, Voto a tall esto es caminar por lafoy tierra, This is to walk upon earth. The Labradors and Country Swains here are sturdy and rational men, nothing so simple or servile as the French Peasan who is born in chains. 'tis true, the Spaniard is not so conversable as other Nations; (unless he hath travelled) else he is like Mars among the Planets, impatient of Conjunction: nor is he so free in his gifts and rewards: as the last Summer it happened that Count Gondamar with Sir Francis Cotington went to see a curious house of the Constable of Castile's, which had been newly built here; the keeper of the house was very officious to show him every room with the garden, grotha's, and aqueducts, and presented him with some fruit; Gondamar having been a long time in the house, coming out, put many Compliments of thanks upon the man, and so was going away, Sir Francis whispered him in the ear and asked him whether he would give the man any thing that took such pains, Oh quoth Gondamar, well remembered Don Francisco, have you ever a double Pistol about you? If you have, you may give it him, and then you pay him after the English manner, I have paid him already after the Spanish. The Spaniard is much improved in policy since he took footing in Italy, and there is no Nation agrees with him better. I will conclude this Character with a saying that he hath▪  
No ay bombre debaxo d'el sol,  
Como el Italiano y el Español.  
Whereunto a Frenchman answered,  
Dizes lafoy verdad, y tienes razon,  
El uno es puto, el otro ladron.  
Englished thus,  
Beneath the Sun there's no such man,  
As is is the Spaniard and Italian.  
The Frenchman answers,  
Thou tell'st the truth, and reason hast,  
The first's a Thief, a Buggerer the last.  
Touching their women, nature hath made a more visible distinction 'twixt the two sexes here, than else where; for the men for the most part are swarthy and rough, but the women are made of a far finer mould, they are commonly little; and whereas there is a saying that to make a complete woman, let her be English to the neck, French to the waist, and Dutch below; I may add for hands and feet let her be Spanish, for they have the least of any. They have another saying, a French-woman in a dance, a Dutch-woman in the kitchen, an Italian in a window, an Englishwoman at board, and the Spanish a bed. When they are married they have a privilege to wear high shoes, and to paint, which is generally practised here, and the Queen useth it herself. They are coy enough, but not so froward as our English, for if a Lady go along the street, (and all women going here veiled and their habit so generally like, one can hardly distinguish a Countess from a Cobbler's wife) if one should cast out an odd ill sounding word, and ask her a favour, she will not take it ill, but put it off and answer you with some witty retort. After 30 they are commonly past child-●…earing, and I have seen women in England look as youthful at 50, as some here at 25. Money will do miracles here in purchasing the favour of Ladies, or any thing else, though this be the Country of money, for it furnisheth well-near all the world besides, yea their very enemies, as the Turk and Hollander; insomuch that one may say the Coin of Spain is as Catholic, as her King. Yet though he be the greatest King of gold and silver Mines in the world, (I think) yet the common currant Coin here is Copper, and herein I believe the Hollander hath done him more mischief by counterfeiting his Copper Coins, than by their arms, bringing it in by strange surreptitious ways, as in hollow Sows of Tin and Lead, hollow Masts, in pitched Buckets under water and other ways. But I fear to be injurious to this great King to speak of him in so narrow a compass, a great King indeed, though the French in a slighting way compare his Monarchy to a Beggar's Cloak made up of patches, they are patches indeed, but such as he hath not the like: The East Indies is a patch embroidered with Pearl, Rubies, and Diamonds: Peru is a patch embroidered with massy gold, Mexico with silver, Naples and Milan are patches of cloth of Tissue, and if these patches were in one piece, what would become of his cloak embroidered with flower deluces?  
So desiring your Lop. to pardon this poor imperfect paper▪ considering the high quality of the subject, I rest  
Madrid, 1 Feb. 1623. Your Lordship's most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXXI. To Mr Walsingham Gresly, from Madrid.  
Don Balchasar,  
I Thank you for your Letter in my Lords last packet, wherein among other passages, you write unto me the circumstances of Marquis Spinola's raising his Leaguer, by flatting and firing his works before Berghen. He is much taxed here, to have attempted it, and to have buried so much of the King's treasure before that town in such costly Trenches: A Gentleman came hither lately, who was at the siege all the while, and he told me one strange passage, how Sir Ferdinando Cary a huge corpulent Knight, was shot through his body, the bullet entering at the Navel, and coming out at his back killed his man behind him, yet he lives still, and is like to recover: With this miraculous accident, he told me also a merry one, how a Captain that had a Wooden Leg Booted over, had it shattered to pieces by a Cannon Bullet, his Soldiers crying out a Surgeon, a Surgeon, for the Captain; no, no, said he, a Carpenter, a Carpenter, will serve the tu●…n: To this pleasant tale I'll add another that happened lately in Alcala hard by, of a Dominican Friar, who in a solemn Procession which was held there upon Ascension day last, had his stones dangling under his habit cut off instead of his pocket by a cutpurse.  
Before you return hither, which I understand will be speedily, I pray bestow a visit on our friends in Bishopsgate-street: So I am  
●… Feb. 1623. Your faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXXIII. To Sir Robert Napier Knight, at his house in Bishops-gate-street, from Madrid.  
SIR,  
THe late breach of the Match, hatch broke the neck of all businesses here, and mine suffers as much as any: I had access lately to Olivares, once or twice; I had audience also of the King, to whom I presented a memorial that intimated Letters of Mart, unless satisfaction were had from his Viceroy the Conde deal Real; the King gave me a gracious answer, but Olivares a churlish one, viz. That when the Spaniards had justice in England, we should have justice here: So that notwithstanding I have brought it to the highest point and pitch of perfection in Law that could be, and procured some dispatches, the like whereof were never granted in this Court before, yet I am in despair now to do any good: I hope to be shortly in England, by God grace, to give you and the rest of the proprietaries, a punctual account of all things: And you may easily conceive how sorry I am, that matters succeeded not according to your expectation, and my endeavours: but I hope you are none of those that measure things by the event. The Earl of Bristol, Count Gondamar, and my Lord Ambassador Aston, did not only do courtesies, but they did cooperate with me in it, and contributed their utmost endeavours▪ So I rest  
Madrid, 19 Feb. 1623. Yours to serve you, J. H.   

XXXIV. To Mr. A. S. in Alicant.  
MUch endeared Sir: Fire, you know, is the common emblem of love, But without any disparagement to so noble a passion, me thinks it might be also compared to tinder, and Letters are the proper'st matter whereof to make this tinder▪ Letters again are fittest to kindle and re-accend this tinder, they may serve both for flint, steel, and match. This Letter of mine comes therefore of set purpose to strike some sparkles into yours, that it may glow and burn, and receive ignition, and not lie dead, as it hath done a great while: I make my pen to serve for an instrument to stir the cinders wherewith your old love to me hath bincovered a long time; therefore I pray let no covurez-f●…u Bell have power hereafter to rake up, and choke with the ashes of oblivion, that clear flame wherewith our affections did use to sparkle so long by correspondence of Letters, and other offices of love.  
I think I shall sojourn yet in this Court these three months, for I will not give over this great business while there is the least breath of hope remaining.  
I know you have choice matter of intelligence sometimes from thence, therefore I pray impait some unto us, and you shall not fail to know how matters pass here weekly. So with my b●…sa manos to Francisco Imperial, I rest  
Madrid, 3 Mar. 1623. Yours most affectionately to serve you, J. H.   

XXXV. To the Honble. Sir T. S. at Tower-Hill.  
SIR,  
I Was yesterday at the Escurial to see the Monastery of Saint Laurence, the eight wonder of the World; and truly considering the site of the place, the state of the thing, and the symmetry of the structure, with divers other raritles, it may be called so; for what I have seen in Italy, and other places, are but babbles to it. It is built amongst a company of Craggy-barren-hills, which makes the air the hungrier, and wholesomer; it is all built of Freestone and Marble, and that with such solidity and moderate height, that surely Philip the seconds chief design was to make a sacrifice of it to eternity, and to contest with the Meteors, and Time itself. It cost eight Millions, it was twenty four years a building, and the Founder himself saw it finished, and enjoyed it twelve years after, and carried his Bones himself thither to be buried.  
The reason that moved King Philip to waste so much treasure, was a vow he had made at the battle of Saint Quentin, where he was forced to batter a Monastery of Saint Laurence Friars, and if he had the victory, he would erect such a Monastery to Saint Laurence, that the world had not the like; therefore the form of it is like a Gridiron, the handle is a huge Royal Palace, and the body a vast Monastery or Assembly of quadrangular Cloisters, for there are as many as there be months in the year. There be a hundred Monks, and every one hath his man and his mule, and a multitude of Officers; besides, there are three Libraries there, full of the choicest Books for all Sciences. It is beyond expression, what Gro●…s, Gardens, Walks, and Aqueducts there are there, and what curious Fountains in the upper Cloisters, for there be two Stages of Cloisters: In fine, there is nothing that's vulgar there. To take a view of every Room in the House, one must make account to go ten miles; there is a Vault called the Pantheon, under the highest Altar, which is all paved, walled, and arched, with Marble; there be a number of huge Silver Candlesticks, taller than I am; Lamps three yard's compass, and divers Chalices and Grosses of massy Gold: There is one Choir made all of burnished Brass: Pictures and Statues like Giants, and a world of glorious things that purely ravished me▪ By this mighty Monument, it may be inferred, that Philip the second, though he was a little man, yet had he vast Gigantic thoughts in him, to leave such a huge pile for posterity to gaze upon, and admire his memory. No more now, but that I rest  
Madrid, Mar. 9 1623. Your most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVI, To the Lo: Viscount Col. from Madrid.  
My Lord,  
YOu writ to me long since, to send you an account of the Duke of Ossuna's death, a little man, but of great fame and fortunes, and much cried up, and known up and down the World. He was revoked from being Viceroy of Naples (the best employment the King of Spain hath for a Subject) upon some disgust; And being come to this Court, when he was brought to give an account of his government, being troubled with the Gout, he carried his Sword in his hand in steed of a staff; the King misliking the manner of his posture, turned his back to him, and so went away; thereupon he was overheard to mutter, Esto es para serv●… muchach●…s; This it is to serve boys: This coming to the Kings ●…are, he was apprehended, and committed prisoner to a Monastery, not far off, where he continued some years, until his Beard came to his girdle, then growing very ill, he was permitted to come to his House in this Town, being carried in a bed upon men's shoulders, and so died some year ago. There were divers accusations against him, amongst the rest, I remember these, That he had kept the Marquis de Campolataros wife, sending her husband out of the way upon employment; That he had got a bastard of a Turkish woman, and suffered the child to be brought up in the Mahometan religion; That being one day at High Mass, when the host was elevated, he drew out of his pocket a p●…ece of Gold, and held it up, intimating that that was his god: That he had invited some of the prime Courtesans of Naples to a Feast, and after dinner made a banquet for them in his Garden, where he commanded them to strip themselves stark naked, and go up and down, while he shot Sugar-Plums at them out of a Trunk, which they were to take up from off their high Chapins; and such like extravagancies. One (amongst divers other) witty passage was told me of him, which was, That when he was Viceroy of Sicily, there died a great rich Duke, who left but one Son, whom with his whole estate, he bequeathed to the Tutele of the jesuits, and the words of the Will were, When he is passed his minority (Dar●…te all mio figlivolo quelque voi volete) you shall give my son what you will. It seems the jesuits took to themselves two parts of three of the estate, and gave the rest to the heir, the young Duke complaining hereof to the Duke of Ossuna, (than Viceroy) he commanded the jesuits to appear before him; he asked them how much of the estate they would have, they answered, two parts of three, which they had almost employed already to build Monasteries, and an Hospital, to erect particular Altars, and Masses, to sing Dirges and Refrigeriums, for the soul of the deceased Duke: Hereupon, the Duke of Ossuna caused the Will to be produced, and found therein the words afore recited, When he is passed his minority, you shall give my son (of my estate) what you will; Then he told the jesuits, you must by virtue and tenor of these words, give what you will to the son, which by your own confession is two parts of three; and so he determined the business.  
Thus have I in part satisfied your Lordship's desire, which I shall do more amply, when I shall be made happy to attend you in person, which I hope will be ere it be long: In the Interim, I take my leave of you from Spain, and rest  
Madrid, 13 Mar. 1623. Your Lordship's most ready and humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVII. To Simon Digby Esq.  
SIR,  
I Thank you for the several sorts of Ciphers you sent me to write by, which were very choice ones and curious. Cryptology, or Epistolizing in a Clandestine way, is very ancient: I read in Agellius, that C. Caesar in his Letters to Cajus Opius, and Balbus Cor●…lius, who were two of his greatest confident'st in managing his private affairs, did write in Ciphers by a various transportation of the Alphabet; whereof Probus Grammaticus de occulta litterarum significatione Epistolarum C. Caesaris, writes a curious Commentary: But me thinks, that certain kind of Hieroglyphics, the Celestial Signs, the seven Planets, and other Constellations might make a curious kind of cipher, as I will more particularly demonstrate unto you in a Scheme, when I shall be made happy with your conversation. So I rest  
Madrid, Mar. 15. 1623. Your assured Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVIII. To Sir james Crofts, from Bilbao.  
SIR,  
BEing safely come to the Marine, in convoy of his Majesty's jewels, and being to sojourn here some days, the conveniency of this Gentleman (who knows, and much honoureth you) he being to ride Post through France, invited me to send you this. We were but five horsemen in all our seven day's journey, from Madrid hither, and the charge Mr. Wiches had is valued at four hundred thousand Crowns; but 'tis such safe travelling in Spain, that one may carry Gold in the Palm of his hand, the government is so good. When we had gained Biscay ground, we passed one day through a Forest, and lighting off our Mules to take a little repast under a tree, we took down our Alforjas, and some bottles of wine (and you know 'tis ordinary here to ride with ones victuals about him) but as we were eating, we spied two huge Wolveses, who stared upon us a while, but had the good manners to go a way: It put me in mind of a pleasant tale I heard Sir Thomas Fair●…ax relate of a Soldier in Ireland, who having got his Passport to go for England, as he passed through a Wood with his Knapsac upon his back, being weary, he sat down under a Tree, where he opened his Knapsack, and fell to some Victuals he had; but upon a sudden he was surprised with two or three Wolveses, who coming towards him, he threw them scraps of Bread and Cheese, till all was done, than the Wolveses making a nearer approach unto him, he knew not what shift to make, but by taking a pair of Bagpipes which he had, and as soon as he began to play upon them, the Wolves ran all away as if they had been scared out of their wi●…s; whereupon the Soldier said, A pox take you all, if I had known you had loved music so well, you should have had it before dinner.  
If there be a lodging void at the three Halbards-Heads, I pray be pleased to cause it to be reserved for me. So I rest  
Bilbo, Sept. 6. 1624. Your humble Servitor, J. H.    

Familiar Letters.  
SECTION IU.  

I. To my Father from London.  
SIR,  
I Am newly returned from Spain, I came over in Convoy of the Prince his jewels, for which, one of the Ships Royal with the Catch were sent under the Command of Captain Love; We landed at Plymouth, whence I came by Post to Theobalds' in less than two nights and a day, to bring his Majesty news of their safe arrival: The Prince had newly got a fall off a Horse, and kept his Chamber; the jewels were valued at above a hundred thousand pounds; some of them a little before the Prince his departure had been presented to the Infanta, but she waving to receive them, yet with a civil compliment, they were left in the hands of one of the Secretaries of State for her use upon the wedding day, and it was no unworthy thing in the Spaniard to deliver them back, notwithstanding, that the Treaties both of Match, and Palatinat, had been dissolved a pretty while before by Act of Parliament, that a war was threatened, and Ambassadors revoked. There were jewels also amongst them to be presented to the King and Queen of Spain, to most of the Ladies of Honour, and the Grandees. There was a great Table Diamond for Olivares of eighteen Carrats' Weight, but the richest of all was to the Infanta herself, which was a Chain of great Orient Perl, to the number of 276. weighing nine Ounces. The Spaniards notwithstanding they are the Masters of the Staple of jewels, stood astonished at the beauty of these, and confessed themselves to be put down.  
Touching the employment, upon which I went to Spain, I had my charges born all the while, and that was all; had it taken effect, I had made a good business of it; but 'tis no wonder (nor can it be I hope any disrepute unto me) that I could not bring to pass, what three Ambassadors could not do before me.  
I am now casting about for another Fortune, and some hopes I have of employment about the Duke of Buckingham, he sways more than ever; for whereas he was before a Favourite to the King, he is now a Favourite to Parliament, People, and City, for breaking the match with Spain: Touching his own interest, he had reason to do it, for the Spaniards love him not: but whether the public interest of the State will suffer in it, or no, I dare not determine, for my part, I hold the Spanish Match to be better than their Powder, and their Wares better than their Wars; and I shall be ever of that mind, That no Country is able to do England less hurt, and more good than Spain, considering the large Trafic and Treasure that is to be got thereby.  
I shall continue to give you account of my courses when opportunity serves, and to dispose of matters so, that I may attend you this Summer in the Country: So desiring still your Blessing and Prayers, I rest,  
London, Decemb▪ 10▪ 1624. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

II. To R. Brown Esq.  
Dear Sir,  
There is no seed so fruitful as that of Love, I do not mean that gross carnal Love which propagats the World, but that which preserves it, to wit, Seeds of Friendship, which hath little commerce with the Body, but is a thing Divine an●… Spiritual; There cannot be a more pregnant proof hereof, than those Seeds of Love, which I have long since cast into your Breast, which have thriven so well, and in that exuberance, that they have been more fruitful unto me, than that field in Sicily, called Le trecente cariche●…, The field of three hundred Loads, so called, because it returns the Sour three hundred for one yearly▪ So plentiful hath your love been unto me, but amongst other sweet fruits it hath born, those precious Letters which you have sent me from time to time, both at home and abroad, are not of the least value; I did always hug and highly esteem them, and you in them, for they yielded me both profit and pleasure.  
That Seed which you have also sown in me, hath ●…ructified something, but it hath not been able to make you such rich returns, nor afford so plentiful a Crop, yet I dare say●…, this Crop how thin soever, was pure and free from Tares, from Cockle or Darnell, from flattery or fashood, and what it shall produce hereafter, shall be so; nor shall any injury of the Heavens, as Tempests, or Thunder and Lightning (I mean no cross or affliction whatsoever) be able, to blast and smutt it, or, hinder it to grow up, and fructify still.  
This is the third time God Almighty hath been pleased to bring me back to the sweet bosom of my dear Country from beyond the Seas; I have been already comforted with the sight of many of my choice friends, but I miss you extremely, therefore I pray make haste, for London streets which you and I have trod together so often, will prove tedious to me else. Amongst other things, Blackfriars will entertain you with a Play Spick and span new, and the Cockpit with another; nor I believe after so long absence, will it be an unpleasing object for you to see,  
London, jan. 20 1624. Your J. H.   

III. To the Lord Viscount Colchester.  
Right Honble,  
MY last to your Lordship was in Italian, with the Venetian Gazetta enclosed. Count Mansfelt is upon point of parting, having obtained it seems the sum of his desires, he was lodged all the while in the same Quarter of Saint james, which was appointed for the Infanta; he supped yestrnight with the Counsel of War, and he hath a grant of 12000 men, English and Scots, whom he will have ready in the Body of an Army against the next Spring; and they say, that England, France, Venice, and Savoy, do contribut for the maintenance thereof 60000 pound a month; there can be no conjecture, much less any judgement made yet of his design; Most Sthink it will be for relieving Breda, which is straightly begirt by pinola, who gives out, that he hath her already as a Bird in a Cage, and will have her maugre all the opposition of Christendom; yet there is fresh news come over, that Prince Maurice hath got on the back of him, and hath beleaguered him, as he hath done the Town, which I want faith to believe yet, in regard of the huge circuit of Spinola's Works, for his circumvallations are cried up to be near upon twenty miles. But while the Spaniard is spending Millions here ●…or getting small Towns, the Hollander gets Kingdoms of him else where, for he hath invaded and taken lately from the Portugal part of Brasil, a rich Country for Sugars, Cottons, Balsams, Dying-wood, and divers commodities besides.  
The Treaty of marriage 'twixt our Prince, and the youngest daughter of France, goes on a pace, and my Lord of Carlisle and Holland are in Paris about it, we shall see now what difference there is 'twixt the French and Spanish pace: The two Spanish Ambassadors have been gone hence long since, they say, that they are both in prison, one in Burges in Spain, the other in Flanders, for the scandalous information they made here against the Duke of Buckingham, about which, the day before their departure hence, they desired to have one private audience more, but his Majesty denied them; I believe they will not continue long in disgrace, for matters grow daily worse and worse 'twixt us, and Spain: for divers Letters of Mart are granted our Merchants, and Letters of Mart are commonly the forerunners of a War: Yet they say Gondamar will be on his way hither again, about the Palatinat, for the King of Denmark appears now in his Necces quarrel, and Arm's apace.  
No more now, but that I kiss your Lordship's hands, and rest  
Your most humble and ready Servitor, J. H. London, 5 Febr. 1624.   

IV. To my Cos: Mr. Rowland Gwin.  
Cousin,  
I Was lately sorry, and I was lately glad, that I heard you were ill, that I heard you are well.  
Your affectionate Cousin, I. H.   

V. To Thomas jones Esq.  
Tom,  
IF you are in healt●…, 'tis well, we are here all so, and we should be better had we your company; therefore I pray leave the smutty Air of London, and come hither to breathe sweeter, where you may pluck a Rose, and drink a Cillibub.  
Your faithful friend, J. H. Kentis, june, 1. 1625.   

VI To D. C.  
THe Bearer hereof hath no other errand, but to know how you do in the Country, and this paper is his credential Letter; Therefore I pray hasten his dispatch, and if you please send him back like the man in the Moon, with a basket of your fruit on his back.  
Your true friend, J. H. London this Aug. 10. 1624..   

VII. To my Father, from London.  
SIR,  
I Received yours of the third of February, by the hands of my Cousin Thomas Gwin of Trecastle.  
It was my fortune to be on Sunday was fortnight at Theobalds', where his late Majesty King james departed this life, and went to his last rest upon the day of rest, presently after Sermon was done: A little before the break of day, he sent for the Prince, who rose out of his bed, and came in his Nightgown; the King seemed to have some earnest thing to say unto him, and so endeavoured to rouse himself upon his Pillow, but his spirits were so spent, that he had not strength to make his words audible. He died of a Fever which began with an Ague, and some Scotch Doctors mutter at a Plaster the Countess of Buckingham applied to the outside of his stomach: 'tis thought the last breach of the march with Spain, which for many years he had so vehemently desir'd, took too deep an impression in him, and that he was forced to rush into a war, now in his declining Age, having lived in a continual uninterrupted peace his whole life, except some collateral aids he had sent his Son in Law: as soon as he expired, the Privy Counsel sat, and in less than a quarter of an hour, King Charles was proclaimed at Theobalds' Court Gate, by Sir Edward Zouch Knight Martial, Master Secretary Conway dictating unto him, That whereas it hath pleased God to take to his mercy, our most gracious Sovereign King james of famous memory, We proclaim Prince Charles, His rightful and indubitable Heir, to be King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, etc. The Knight Martial mistook, saying, His rightful and dubitable Heir, but he was rectified by the Secretary. This being done, I took my Horse instantly, and came to London first, except one, who was come a little before me, insomuch, that I found the Gates shut. His now Majesty took Coach, and the Duke of Buckingham with him, and came to Saint james; In the evening he was proclaimed at White-Hall Gate, in Cheapside, and other places, in a sad shower of Rain; and the Wether was suitable to the condition wherein he finds the Kingdom which is Cloudy; for he is left engaged in a War with a potent Prince, the people by long desuetude unapt for Arms, the ●…leet Royal in quarter repair, himself without a Queen, his Siser without a Country, the Crown pitifully laden with debts, and the Purse of the State lightly ballasted, though it never had better opportunity to be rich than it had these last twenty years: But God Almighty, I hope will make him emerge, and pull this Island out of all these plunges, and preserve us from worse times.  
The Plague is begun in Whitechapel, and as they say in the same house, at the same day of the month, with the same number that died twenty two years since, when Queen Elizabeth departed.  
There are great preparations for the Funeral, and there is a design to buy all the Cloth for Mourning White, and then to put it to the Dy●…rs in gross, which is like to save the Crown a good deal of money; the Draper's murmur extremely at the Lord Cranfield for it.  
I am not settled yet in any stable condition, but I lie Windbound at the Cape of good Hope, expecting some gentle gale to launch out into an employment.  
So with my love to all my Brothers and Sisters at the Bryn, and near Brecknock, I humbly crave a continuance of your Prayers, and Blessing to  
Your dutiful 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 wont correspondence be now revived, and receive new vigour between us.  
My Lord Chancellor Bacon is lately dead of a long languishing weakness; 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 essential properties of a Wiseman to provide for the main chance. I have read, that it hath been the fortunes of all Poets commonly to die Beggars; but for an Orator, a Lawyer, and Philosopher, as he was, to die so, 'tis 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 believe he died poor out of a contempt of the pelf of Fortune, as also out of an exeess of generosity, which appeared, 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 King's health unto him in a great Silver. Guilt-Bowl, he gave it him for his fee.  
He writ a pitiful Letter to King james, not long before his death, and concludes, Help me dear Sovereign Lord and Master, and pity me so far, that I who have been born to a Bag, be not now in my age forced 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 profanes, wherein be hoped, that as the Father was his Creater, the Son will be his Redeemer. I write not this to deerogate 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 Chancellor, as Sir Edward Coke was the last Lord Chief justice of England; for ever since they have been termed Lord Chief justices of the King's Bench; so hereafter there shall be only Ketpers of the Great Seal, which for Title and Office, are deposable; but they say the Lord Chancellor's Title is indelible.  
I was lately at Grays-inn with Sir Eubule, and he desired me to remember him unto you, as I do also salute Meum Prichardum ex imis praecordiis, Vale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
London, jan. 6. 1625 Yours most affectionately while, I. H.   

IX. To my well-beloved Cousin Mr. T. V.  
Cousin,  
YOu have a great work in hand, for you write unto me, that you are upon a treaty of marriage; a great work indeed, and a work of such consequence, that it may make you or mar you; it may make the whole remainder of your life uncouth, or comfortable to you; for of all civil actions that are incident to man, there's not any that tends more to his infelicity or happiness; therefore it concerns you not to be overhasty 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 tongue useth to tie so hard a knot, that the teeth can never untie, no not Alexander's Sword can cut asunder among us Christians. If you are resolved to marry, Choose where 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 bend to wed, I wish you another gets wife then Socrates had; who when she had scolded him out of doors, as he was going through the Portall, threw a Chamber pot of stale Urine upon his head, whereat the Philosopher having been 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 Strewed 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, gone 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 loud lesson in so furious a manner, as if she would have basted him instead of the Mutton, and amongst other revile, telling him often, Thut the devil, the devil would fetch him, at last he broke out of a long silence, and told her, I prithee good Wife hold thyself content, for I know the devil will do me no hurt, for I have married his Kinswoman: If you light upon such a Wife (a Wife that hath more been than flesh) I wish you may have the same measure of patience that Socrates and Strewed had, to suffer the Gray-Mare sometimes 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,  
Where the Hen louder 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 beauty, and the best ornament of a Woman, yet a Phlegmatic dull wife is fulsome and fastidious.  
Excuse me Cousin, that I Jest with you in so serious a business: I know you need no counsel of mine herein, you are discreet enough of yourself; nor, I presume, do you want advice of Parents, which by all means must go along with you: So wishing you all conjugal joy, and a happy confarreation, I rest  
London, Feb. 5. 1625. Your affectionate Cousin, J. H.   

X. To my Noble Lord, the Lord Clifford from London.  
My Lord,  
THe Duke of Buckingham is lately returned from Holland, having renewed the peace with the States, and Articled with them for a continuation of some Naval forces, for an expedition against Spain; as also having taken up some moneys upon private jewels (not any of the Crowns) and last, having comforted the Lady Elizabeth for the decease of his late Majesty her Father, and of Prince Frederic her eldest Son, whole disastrous 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 Father, who had been in Amsterdam, to look how his bank of money did thrive, and coming (for more frugality) in the common Boat, which was oreset with Merchandise, and other passengers, in a thick Fog, the Vessel turned o'er, and so many perished; the Prince Palsgrave saved himself by swimming, but the young Prince clinging to the Mast, and being entangled among the Tackle, was half drowned, and half frozen to death: A sad destiny.  
There is an open rupture 'twixt us and the Spaniard, though he gives out, that he never broke with us to this day: Count Gondamar was on his way to Flanders, and thence to England (as they say) with a large Commission to treat, for a surrender of the Palainat, and so to piece matters together again; but he died in the journey, at a place called Bunnol, of pure apprehensions of grief, as it is given out.  
The match 'twixt his Majesty and the Lady Henrietta Maria, youngest Daughter to Henry the great (the eldest being married to the King of Spain, and the second to the Duke of Savoy) goes roundly on, and is in a manner concluded; whereat the Count of Soissons is much discontented, who gave himself hopes to have her; but the hand of Heaven hath predestined her for a far higher condition.  
The French Ambassadors who were sent hither to conclude the business, having private audience of his late Majesty a little before his death, he told them pleasantly, That he would make war against the Lady Henrietta, because she would not receive the two Letters which were sent her, one from himself, and the other from his son, but sent them to her Mother; yet he thought he should easily make peace with her, because he understood she had afterwards put the latter Letter in her bosom, and the first in her Coshionet, wherly he gathered, that she intended to reserve his son for her Affection, and him for Counsel.  
The Bishop of Lucon, now Cardinal de Richelieu, is grown to be the sole Favourite of the King of France, being brought in by the Queen-Mother, he hath bin very active in advancing the match, but 'tis thought the wars will break out afresh against them of the Religion, notwithstanding the ill fortune the King had before Mountauban few years since, where he lost above 500 of his Nobles, whereof the great Duke of Main was one; and having lain in person before the Town many months, and received some affronts, as that inscription upon their Gates show, Roy sans foy, ville sans peur, a King without faith, a town without fear; yet he was forced to raze his works, and raise his siege.  
The Letter which Mr. Ellis Hicks brought them of Mountauban from Rechell, through so much danger, and with so much gallantry, was an infinite advantage unto them; for whereas there was a politic report raised in the King's Army, and blown into Mountauban, that Rochel was yielded to the Count of Soissons, who lay ●…hen before her, this Letter did inform the contrary, and that Rochel was in as good a plight as ever; whereupon, they made a sally the next day upon the King's Forces, and did him a great deal of spoil.  
There be summous out for a Parliament, I pray God it may prove more prosperous than the former.  
I have been lately recommended to the Duke of Buckingham, by some noble friends of mine that have intimacy with him, about whom, though he hath three Secretaries already, I hope to have some employment; for I am weary of walking up and down so idly upon London streets.  
The Plague begins to rage mightily, God avert his judgements, that meance so great a Mortality, and turn not away his face from this poor Island: So I kiss your Lordship's hands in quality of  
Lond. 25. Feb. 1625. Your Lordship's most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XI. To Rich. Altham Esqr.  
SIR,  
THe Echo wants but a face, and the Looking-Glass a voice, to make them both living creatures, and to become the same body they represent; the one by repercussion of sound, the other by reflection of sight: Your most ingenious Letters to me from time to time, do far more lively represent you, than either Echo or Crystal can do; I mean, they represent the better and nobler part of you, to wit, the inward man; they clearly set forth the notions of your mind, and the motions of your soul, with the strength of your imagination; for as I know your exterior person by your lineaments, so I know you as well inwardly by your lines, and by those lively expressions you give of yourself, insomuch, that I believe, if the interior man within you were so visible as the outward (as once Plate wished, that virtue might be seen with the corporeal eyes) you would draw all the world after you; or if your wellborn thoughts, and the words of your Letters were echoed in any place, where they might rebound and be made audible,, they are composed of such sweet and charming strains of ingenuity and eloquence, that all the Nymphs of the Woods and the Valleys, the Dryads, yea, the Graces and Muses ', would pitch their Pavilions there; nay, Apollo himself would dwell longer in that place with his Rays, and make them reverberat more strongly, than either, upon Pindus, or Parnassus, or Rhodes itself▪ whence he never removes his Eye, as long as he is above this Hemispher. I confess my Letters to you, which I send by way of correspondence, come far short of such virtue, yet are they the true Ideas of my mind, and of that real and inbred affection I bear you; one should never teach his Letter or his Laquay to lie, I observe that rule: but besides my Letters, I could wish there were a Crystal Casement in my Breast, thorough which you might behold the motions of my heart,  
— Utinamque oculos in pectore pesses Inserere, then should you clearly see without any deception of sight, how truly I am, and how entirely  
27 of Febr. 1625. Yours J. H.  
And to answer you in the same strain of Verse you sent me.  
First, Shall the Heaven's bright Lamp forget to shine,  
The Stars shall from the Azurd sky decline;  
First, Shall the Orient with the West shake hand,  
The Centre of the world shall cease to stand:  
First, Wolves shall ligue with Lambs, the Dolphins fly,  
The Lawyer and Physician Fees deny,  
The Thames with Tagus shall exchange her Bed,  
My Mistress locks with mine, shall first turn red;  
First, Heaven shall lie below, and Hell above,  
Ere I inconstant to my Altham prove.   

XII. To the R. Honble my Lord of Calingford, after Earl of Carberry, at Colden Grove, 28 May. 1625.  
My Lord,  
WE have gallant news now abroad, for we are sure to have a new Queen ere it be long; both the Contract and marriage was lately solemnised in France; the one the second of this month in the Lovure, the other the eleventh day following in the great Church of Paris, by the Cardinal of Rochefoucand; there was some clashing 'twixt him, and the Archbishop of Paris, who alleged 'twas his duty to officiat in that Church, but the dignity of Cardinal, and the quality of his Office, being the King's great Almoner, which makes him chief Curate of the Court, gave him the prerogative. I doubt not but your Lordship hath heard of the Capitulations, but for better assurance, I will run them over briefly.  
The King of France obliged himself to procure the Dispensation; the marriage should be celebrated in the same form as that of Queen Margaret, and of the Duchess of Bar; her Dowry should be 800000 Crowns six shillings a piece, the one moiety to be paid the day of the Contract, the other a twelvemonth after. The Queen shall have a Chapel in all the Kings Royal houses, and any where else, where she shall reside within the Dominions of his Majesty of great Britain, with free exercise of the Roman Religion, for herself, her Officers, and all her Household, for the celebration of the Mass, the Predication of the Word, Administration if the Sacraments, and power to procure Indulgences from the Holy Father. That to this end, she shall be allowed 28 Priests or ecclesiastics in her House, and a Bishop in quality of Almoner, who shall have jurisdiction over all the rest, and that none of the King's Officers shall have power over them, unless in case of Treason; therefore all her Ecclesiastics shall take the Oath of fidelity to His Majesty of great Britain; there shall be a Cymitier or Churchyard closed about, to bury those of her Family. That in consideration of this marriage, all English Catholics, as well Ecclesiastics as Lay, which shall be in any prison merely for Religion, since the last Edict, shall be set at liberty.  
This is the eighth Alliance we have had with France, since the Conquest; and as it is the best that could be made in Christendom, so I hope it will prove the happiest. So I kiss your hands, being  
Your Lordship's most humble Servitor, J. H. Lond. Mar. 1▪ 1625.   

XIII. To the Honble Sir Tho. Sa●…  
SIR,  
I Conversed lately with a Gentleman that came from France, who amongst other things, discoursed much of the Favourite Richelieu, who is like to be an active man, and hath great designs. The two first things he did, was to make sure of England, and the Hollander; he thinks to have us safe enough by this marriage; and Holland by a late League, which was bought with a great sum of money; for he hath furnished the States with a Million of livres, at two shillings a piece in present, and six hundred thousand livres every year of these two that are to come; provided, That the States repay these sums two years after they are in peace or truce: The King pressed much for Liberty of Conscience to Roman Catholics amongst them, and the Deputies promised to do all they could with the State's General about it; they Articled likewise for French to be associated with them in the trade to the Indies.  
Monsieur is lately married to Mary of Bourbon, the Duke of Monpensiers' Daughter, he told her, That he would be a better Husband, than he had been a Suitor to her, for he hung off a good while: This marriage was made by the King, and Monsieur hath for his apennage 100000 livres, annual Rent from Chartres and Blois, 100000 livres Pension, and 500000 to be charged yearly upon the general receipts of Orleans, in all about 70000 pounds. There was much ado before this match could be brought about, for there were many opposers, and there be dark whispers, that there was a deep plot to confine the King to a Monastery, and that Monsieur should govern; and divers great ones have suffered for it, and more are like to be discovered. So I take my leave for present, and rest  
Lond. Mar. 10, 1626. Your very humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XIV. To the Lady Jane Savage, Marchioness of Winchester.  
Excellent Lady,  
I May say of your Grace, as it was said once of a rare Italian Princess, that you are the greatest Tyrant in the World, because you make all those that see you your slaves, much more them that know you, I mean those that are acquainted with your inward disposition, and with the faculties of your soul, as well as the Phisnomy of your face; for Virtue took as much pains to adorn the one, as Nature did to perfect the other; I have had the happiness to know both, when your Grace took pleasure to learn Spanish, at which time, when my betters far had offered their service in this kind, I had the honour to be commanded by you often. He that hath as much experience of you, as I have had, will confess, that the handmaid of God Almighty was never so prodigal of her gifts to any, or laboured more to frame an exact model of Female perfection; nor was dame Nature only busied in this Work, but all the Graces did consult and cooperat with her, and they wasted so much of their Treasure to in rich this one piece, that it may be a good reason why so many lame and defective fragments of Womenkind are daily thrust into the world.  
I return you here enclosed the Sonnet, your Grace pleased to send me lately, rendered into Spanish, and fitted for the same Air it had in English, both for cadence, and number of feet: With it I send my most humble thanks, that your Grace would descend to command me in any thing that might conduce to your contentment and service; for there is nothing I desire with a greater Ambition (and herein I have all the World my Rival) than to be accounted  
Madam Your Grace's most humble and ready Servitor, J. H. Lond. Mar. 15. 1626.   

X. To the Right Honble the Lord Clifford.  
My Lord,  
I Pray be pleased to dispense with this slowness of mine in answering yours of the first of this present:  
Touching the domestic occurrences, the Gentleman who is Bearer hereof, is more capable to give you account by discourse, than I can in paper.  
For foreign tidings, your Lordship may understand, that the Town of Breda hath been a good while making her last will and testament, but now there is certain news come, that she hath yielded up the Ghost to Spinalo's hands after a tough siege of thirteen months, and a circumvallation of nee●…r upon twenty miles' compass.  
My Lord of Southampton and his eldest son sickened at the siege, and died at Berghen; the adventurous Earl Henry of Oxford, seeming to tax the Prince of Orange of slackness to fight, was set upon a desperate Work, where he melted his grease, and so being carried to the Hague, he died also: I doubt not but you have heard of Graye Maurice's death, which happened when the Town was passed cure, which was his more than the States, for he was Marquis of Breda, and had near upon thirty thousand dollars annual rent from her: Therefore he seemed in a kind of sympathy to sicken with his Town, and died before her. He had provided plentifully for all his Natural children, but could not, though much importuned by Doctor Roseus, and other Divines upon his death bed, be induced to make them legitimat by marrying the mother of them, for the Law there is, That if one hath got children of any Woman, though unmarried to her, yet if he marry her never so little before his death, he makes her honest, and them all legitimat; but it seems, the Prince postposed the love he bore to his woman and children, to that which he bore to his brother Henry; for had he made the children legitimat, it had prejudiced the brother in point of command and fortunes; yet he hath provided very plentifully for them and the mother.  
Grave Henry hath succeeded him in all things, and is a gallant Gentleman, of a French education and temper; he charged him at his death to marry a young Lady, the Count of Solms Daughter, attending the Queen of Bohemia, whom he had long courted, which is thought will take speedy effect.  
When the siege before Breda had grown hot, Sir Edward Vere being one day attending Prince Maurice, he pointed at a rising place called Terbay, where the enemy had built a Fort, (which might have been prevented) Sir Edward told him, he feared that Fort would be the cause of the loss of the Town; the Grave spattered and shaken his head, saying, 'twas the greatest error he had committed since he knew what belonged to a Soldier; as also in managing the plot for surprising of the Citadel of Antwerp, for he repented that he had not employed English and French, in lieu of the slow Dutch who aimed to have the sole honour of it, and were not so fit instruments for such a nimble piece of service. As soon as Sir Charles Morgan gave up the Town, Spinola caused a new Gate to be erected with this inscription in great Golden Characters.  
Philippo quarto regnante,  
Clara Eugenia Isabel Gubernante,  
Ambrosio Spinola obsidente,  
Quatuor Regibus contra conantibus  
Breda capta fuit Idibus, etc.  
'tis thought Spinola now, that he hath recovered the honour he had lost before Berghen op Zoon three years since, will not long stay in Flanders, but retire.  
No more now but that I am resolved to continue ever,  
London, Mar. 19 1626. Your Lordship's most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XVI. To Mr R. Sc. at York.  
SIR,  
I Sent you one of the third Current, but 'twas not answered; I sent another of the thirteenth like a second Arrow to find out the first, but I know not what's become of either; I send this to find out the other two, and if this fail, there shall go no more out of my Quiver: If you forget me, I have cause to complain, and more▪ if you remember me; to forget, may proceed from the frailty of memory, not to answer me when you mind me, is pure neglect, and no less than a piacle. So I rest  
Yours easily to be recovered, J. H. Ira furor brevis est, brevis est mea littera, cogor, Ira correptus, corripuisse stylum. London 19 of july, the first of the Dog-days, 1626.   

XVII. To Dr. Field, Lord Bishop of Landaff.  
My Lord,  
I Send you my humble thanks for those worthy Hospitable favours you were pleased to give me at your lodgings in Westminster. I had yours of the fifth of this present, by the hands of Mr. jonathan Field. The news which fills every corner of the Town at this time, is the sorry and unsuccessful return that Wimbledons' Fleet hath made from Spain: It was a Fleet that deserved to have had a better destiny, considering the strength of it, and the huge charge the Crown was at; for besides a squadron of sixteen Hollanders, whereof Count William one of Prince Maurice's natural Sons was Admiral, there were above fourscore of ours; the greatest joint naval power (of Ships without Galleys) that ever spread sail upon Salt-Water, which makes the World abroad to stand astonished how so huge a Fleet could be so suddenly made ready. The sinking of the long Robin with 170 souls in her, in the Bay of Biscay, erc she had gone half the voyage was no good augury; And the Critics of the time say, there were many other things that promised no good fortune to this Fleet; besides they would point at divers errors committed in the conduct of the main design; first, the odd choice that was made of the Admiral, who was a mere Land-man, which made the Sea men much slight him, it belonging properly to Sir Robert Mansell, Vice-admiral of England, to have gone in case the high-admiral went not; then they speak of the incertainty of the enterprise, and that no place was pitched upon to be invaded, till they came to the height of the South Cape, and to sight of shore, where the Lord Wimbledon first called a Counsel of War, wherein some would be for Malaga, others for Saint Mary-Port, others for Gibraltar, but most for Cales, and while they were thus consulting, the Country had an alarm given them; Add hereunto the blazing abroad of this expedition ere the Fleet went out of the Downs, for Mercurius Gallobelgicus had it in print, that it was for the straits mouth; Now 'tis a rule, that great designs of State should be mysteries till they come to the very act of performance, and then they should turn to exploits: Moreover, when the local attempt was resolved on, there were seven ships (by the advice of one Captain Love) suffered to go up the River, which might have been easily taken, and being rich, 'tis thought they would have defrayed well near the charge of our Fleet, which ships did much infest us afterwards with their Ordnance, when we had taken the Harr of Puntall: Moreover, the disorderly carriage and excess of our Land-men (whereof there were 10000) when they were put a shore, who broke into the Friar's Caves, and other Cellars of Sweet-Wines, where many hundreds of them being surprised, and found dead-drunk, the Spaniards came and toar off their Ears, and Noses, and plucked out their Eyes: And I was told of one merry fellow escaping, that killed an Ass for a Buck: Lastly, it is laid to the Admiral's charge, that my Lord de la Wares Ship being infected, he should give order, that the sick men should be scattered in o divers ships, which dispersed the contagion exceedingly, so that some thousands died before the Fleet returned, which was done in a confused manner without any observance of Sea Orders: Yet I do not hear of any that will be punished for these miscarriages, which will make the dishonour fall more foully upon the State: but the most infortunate passage of all was, that though we did nothing by Land that was considerable, yet if we had stayed but a day or two longer, and spent time at sea, the whole Fleet of galleons, and Nova Hispania, had fallen into our mouths, which came presently in, close along the Coasts of Barbary, and in all likelihood, we might have had the opportunity to have taken the richest prize that ever was taken on salt-water. Add hereunto, that while we were thus Masters of those Seas, a Fleet of fifty sail of Brasil men got safe into Lisbon, with four of the richest Cara●…ks that ever came from the East-Indies.  
I hear my Lord of Saint david's is to be removed to Bath and Wells, and it were worth your Lordship's coming up, to endeavour the succeeding of him. So, I humbly rest  
Lond. 20 Novem. 1626. Your Lordship's most ready Servitor, J. H.   

XVIII. To my Lord Duke of Buckingham's Grace at Newmarket.  
MAy it please your Grace to peruse and pardon these few Advertisements, which I would not dare to present, had I not hopes that the goodness which is concomitant with your greatness, would make them venial.  
My Lord, a Parliament is at hand, the last was boisterous, God grant that this may prove more calm: A rumour runs that there are Clouds already engendered, which will break out into a storm in the lower Region●…, and most of the drops are like to fall upon your Grace: This, though it be but vulgar Astrology, is not altogether to be contemned, though I believe that His Majesty's countenance reflecting so strongly upon your Grace, with the brightness of your own innocency, may be able to dispel and scatter them to nothing.  
My Lord, you are a great Prince, and all eyes are upon your actions, this makes you more subject to envy, which like the Sun beams, beats always upon rising grounds. I know your Grace hath many sage and solid heads about you; yet I trust it ●… will prove no offence, if out of the late relation I have to your Grace, by the recommendation of such Noble personages, I put in also my Mite.  
My Lord, under favour, it were not amiss if your Grace would be pleased to part with some of those places you hold, which have least relation to the Court, and it would take away the mutterings that run of multiplicity of Offices, and in my shallow apprehension, your Grace might stand more firm without an Anchor: The Office of High Admiral in these times of action requires one whole man to execute it, your Grace hath another Sea of businesses to wade through, and the voluntary resigning of this Office would fill all men, yea even your enemies, with admiration and affection, and make you more a Prince, than detract from your greatness: If any ill successes happen at Sea (as that of the Lord Wimbledons' lately) or if there be any murmur for pay, your Grace will be free from all imputations, besides it will afford your Grace more leisure to look into your own affairs, which lie confused, and unsettled: Lastly, (which is not the least thing) this act will be so plausible, that it may much advantage His Majesty in point of Subsidy.  
Secondly, it were expedient (under correction) that your Grace would be pleased to allot some set hours for audience and access of Suitors, and it would be less cumber to yourself, and your Servants, and give more content to the World, which often mutters for difficulty of access.  
Lastly, it were not amiss, that your Grace would settle a standing Mansion-house and Family, that Suitors may know whither to repair constantly, and that your Servants every one in his place, might know what belongs to his place, and attend accordingly; for though confusion in a great Family carry a kind of state with it, yet order and regularity gains a greater opinion of virtue and wisdom. I know your Grace doth not (nor needs not) affect popularity: It is true, that the people's love is the strongest Citadel of a Sovereign Prince, but to a great subject, it hath often proved fatal; for he who pulleth off his Hat to the People, giveth his Head to the Prince; and it is remarkable what was said of a late infortunate Earl, who a little before Queen Elizabeth's death, had drawn the Axe upon his own Neck, That he was grown so popular, that he was too dangerous for the times, and the times for him.  
My Lord, now that your Grace is threatened to be heaved at, it should behoove every one that oweth you duty and good will, to reach out his hand some way or other to serve you; amongst these, I am one that presumes to do it, in this poor impertinent Paper; for which I implore pardon, because I am  
Lond. 13 Febr. 1626. My Lord, Your Grace's most humble and faithful Servant, J. H.   

XIX. To Sir J. S. Knight.  
SIR,  
There is a saying which carrieth no little weight with it, that Parvus amor loquitur, ingens stapet; Small love speaks, while great love stands astonished with silence: The one keeps a tattling, while the other is struck dumb with amazement, like deep Rivers, which to the eye of the beholder seem to stand still, while small shallow Rivulets keep a noise; or like empty Casks that make an obstreperous hollow sound, which they would not do were they replenished, and full of Substance: 'tis the condition of my love to you, which is so great, and of that profoundness, that it hath been silent all this while, being stupefied with the contemplation of those high Favours, and sundry sorts of Civilities, wherewith I may say, you have overwhelmed me. This deep Foard of my affection and gratitude to you, I intent to cut out hereafter into small currents (I mean into Letters) that the course of it may be heard, though it make but a small bubbling noise, as also, that the clearness of it may appear more visible.  
I desire my Service be presented to my noble Lady, whose fair hands, I humbly kiss; and if she want any thing that London can afford, she need but command her and  
Lond. 11. of Febr▪ 1626. Your most faithful and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XX. To the Right Honble the Earl R.  
My Lord,  
ACcording to promise, and that portion of obedience I owe to your commands, I send your Lordship these few Avisos, some whereof I doubt not but you have received before, and that by ●…bler pens than mine, yet your Lordship may happily find herein, something which was omitted by others, or the former news made clearer by circumstance.  
I hear Count Mansfelt is in Paris, having now received three routing in Germany; 'tis thought the French King will piece him up again with new recruits. I was told that as he was seeing the two Queens one day at Dinner, the Queen-Mother said, they say, Count Mansfelt is here amongst this Crowd, I do not believe it quoth the young Queen; For whensoever he seeth a Spaniard he runs away.  
Matters go untowardly on our side in Germany, but the King of Denmark will be shortly in the field in person; and Bethlem Gabor hath been long expected to do something, but some think he will prove but a Bugbear. Sir Charles Morgan is to go to Germany with 6●…00 Anxiliaries to join with the Danish Army.  
The Parliament is adjourned to Oxford, by reason of the sickness which increaseth exceedingly; and before the King went out of Town there died 1500 that very week, and two out of White-Hall itself.  
There is high clashing again 'twixt my Lord Duke, and the Earl of Bristol, they recriminat one another of divers things; the Earl accuseth him amongst other matters, of certain Letters from Rome; of putting His Majesty upon that hazardous journey of Spain, and of some miscarriages at his being in that Court: There be Articles also against the Lord Conway, which I send your Lordship here enclosed.  
I am for Oxford the next week, and thence for Wales, to fetch my good old Father's blessing, at my return, if it shall please God to reprieve me in these dangerous times of Contagion, I shall continue my wont service to your Lordship, if it may be done with safety. So I rest  
Lond. 15 of Mar. 1626. Your Lordship's most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXI. To the Honble the Lord Viscount C.  
My Lord,  
SIr john North delivered me one lately from your Lordship, and I send my humble thanks for the Venison you intent me.  
I acquainted your Lordship as opportunity served with the nimble pace the French Match went on by the successful negotiation of the Earls of Carlisle and Holland (who outwent the Monsieurs themselves in Courtship) & how in less than nine Moons this great business was proposed, pursued, and perfected, whereas the Sun had leisure enough to finish his annual progress, from one end of the Zodiac to the other so many years, before that of Spain could come to any shape of perfection: This may serve to show the difference 'twixt the two Nations, the Leaden-heeld pace of the one, and the Quicksilvered motions of the other; It shows also how the French is more generous in his proceedings, and not so full of scruples, reservations, and jealousies, as the Spaniard, but deals more frankly, and with a greater confidence and gallantry,  
The Lord Duke of Buckingham is now in Paris accompanied with the Earl of Montgomerie, and he went in a very splendid equipage. The Venetian and Hollander with other States that are no friends to Spain, did some good offices to advance this Alliance; and the new Pope propounded much towards it; But Richelieu the new Favourite of France was the Cardinal instrument in it.  
This Pope Urban grows very active, not only in things present, but ripping up of old matters, for which there is a select Committee appointed to examine accounts and errors passed, not only in the time of his immediate Predecessor, but others. And one told me of a merry Pasquil lately in Rome; that whereas there are two great Statues, one of Peter, the other of Paul, opposite one to the other upon a Bridge, one had clapped a pair of Spurs upon Saint Peter's Heels, and Saint Paul ask him whither he was bound, he answered, I apprehend some danger to stay now in Rome, because of this new Commission, for I fear they will question me for denying my Master. Truly brother Peter, I shall not stay long after you▪ for I have as much cause to doubt, that they will question me for persecuting the Christians, before I was converted. So I take my leave and rest  
London, 3 May. 1626. Your Lordship's most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXII. To my Brother, Master Hugh Penry.  
SIR,  
I Thank you for your late Letter, and the several good tidings you sent me from Wales; In requital I can send you gallant news, for we have now a most Noble new Queen of England, who in true beauty is beyond the Long-wooed Infanta; for she was of a fading Flaxen-Hair, Big Lipped, and somewhat heavy Eyed; but this Daughter of France, this youngest Branch of Bourbon (being but in her cradle when the great Henry her Father was put out of the World) is of a more lovely and lasting complexion, a dark brown, she hath eyes that sparkle like Stars; and for her Physiognomy she may be said to be a mirror of perfection: She had a rough passage in her transfretation to Dover Castle, and in Canterbury the King Bedded first with her; there were a goodly train of choice Ladies attended her coming, upon the Bowling-green on Barram-Down upon the way, who divided themselves into two rows, and they appeared like so many Constellations; but me thought that the Country Ladies outshined the Courtiers: She brought over with her, two hundred thousand Crowns in Gold and Silver, as halt her portion, and the other Moiety is to be paid at the years end. Her first suit of servants (by Article) are to be French, and as they die English are to succeed; she is also allowed twenty eight Ecclesiastics of any Order, except jesuits; a Bishop for her Almoner, and to have private exercise of her Religion, for her and her servants.  
I pray convey the enclosed to my Father by the next conveniency, and present my dear love to my Sister; I hope to see you at Dyvinnock about Micha●…mas, for I intent to wait upon my Father, and will take my Mother in the way, I mean Oxford, in the interim, I rest  
London, 16 May, 1626. Your most affectionate Brother, I H.   

XXIII. To my Uncle Sir Sackvill Trever, from Oxford.  
SIR,  
●… Am sorry I must write unto you the sad tidings of the dissolution of the Parliament here, which was done suddenly: Sir john E●…liot was in the heat of a high speech against the Duke of Buching●…m, when the Usher of the Black-Rod, knocked at the door, and signified the King's pleasure, which struck a kind of consternation in all the House: My Lord Keeper Williams hath parted with the Broad-Seal, because as some say, he went about to cut down the Scale, by which he rose; for some it seems did ill offices 'twixt the Duke and him: Sir Thomas Coventry hath it now, I pray God he be tender of the King's conscience, whereof he is Keeper, rather than of the Seal.  
I am bound to morrow upon a journey towards the Mountains to see some Friends in Wales, and to bring back my Father's blessing; for better assurance of Lodging where I pass, in regard of the Plague, I have a Post Warrant as far as Saint david's, which is far enough you'll say, for the King hath no ground further on this Island. If the sickness rage in such extremity at London, the Term will be held at Reding.  
All your friends here are well, but many look blank because of this sudden rupture of the Parliament; God Almighty turn all to the best, and stay the fury of this contagion, and preserve us from ●…urther judgements, so I rest  
Oxford, 6 Aug. 1626. Your most affectionate Nephew, J. H.   

XXIV. To my Father, from London.  
SIR,  
I Was now the fourth time at a dead stand in the course of my fortunes, for though I was recommended to the Duke, and received many Noble respects from him, yet I was told by some who are nearest him, that some body hath done me ill offices, by whispering in his ear, that I was two much Digbified, and so they told me positively, that I must never expect any employment about him of any trust: while I was in this suspense, Mr. Secretary C●…way sent for me, and proposed unto me, that the King had occasion to send a Gentleman to Italy, in nature of a moving Agent, and though he might have choice of persons of good quality that would willingly undertake this employment, yet understanding of my breeding, he made the first proffer to me, and that I should go as the King's Servant, and have allowance accordingly; I humbly thanked him for the good opinion he pleased to conceive of me, being a stranger to him, and desired some time to consider of the proposition, and of the nature of the employment; so he granted me four days to think upon't, and two of them are passed already. If I may have a support accordingly, I intent by God's grace (desiring your consent and blessing to go along) to apply myself to this course; but before I part with England, I intent to send you further notice.  
The sickness is miraculously decreased in this City and Suburbs; for from two and fifty hundred which was the greatest number that died in one week, and that was some forty days since, they are now fallen to three hundred. It was the violentest ●…t of contagion that ever was for the time in this Island, and such as no story can parallel, but the Ebb of it was more swift than the Tide. My brother is well, and so are all your friends here, for I do not know any of your acquaintance that's dead of this furious infection: Sir john Walter asked me lately how you did, and wished me to remember him to you. So with my love to all my Brothers and Sisters, and the rest of my friends which made so much of me lately in the Country, I rest  
London, 7 Aug. 1626. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

XXV. To the right Honble the Lord Conway, Principal Secretary of State to his Majesty, at Hampton Court.  
Right Honble,  
SInce I last attended your Lop. here, I summoned my thoughts to Counsel, and canvased to and fro within myself, the business you pleased to impart unto me, for going upon the King's Service to Italy; I considered therein many particulars, First the weight of the employment, & what maturity of judgement, discretion, and parts are required in him that will personat such a man; next, the difficulties of it, for one must send sometimes light out of darkness, and like the Bee suck Honey out of bad, as out of good Flowers; thirdly, the danger which the undertaker must convers withal, and which may fall upon him by interception of Letters or other cross casualties; lastly, the great expense it will require, being not to remain Sedentary in one place, as other Agents, but to be often in itinerary motion.  
Touching the first, I refer myself to your Honour's favourable opinion, and the Character which my Lord S. and others shall give of me▪ for the second, I hope to overcome it; for the third, I weigh it not, so that I may merit of my King and Country; for the last, I crave leave to deal plainly with your Lop. that I am a Cadet, and have no other patrimony or support, but my breeding, therefore I must breathe by the employment; And my Lord, I shall not be able to perform what shall be expected at my hands, under one hundred pounds a quarter, and to have bills of credit accordingly. Upon these terms, my Lord, I shall apply myself to this Service, and by God's blessing hope to answer all expectations. So referring the premises to your Noble consideration, I rest  
London, Sept. 8. 1626. My Lord, Your very humble and ready Servitor, J. H▪   

XXVI. To my Brother (after) Dr. Howell, now Bishop of Bristol.  
My brother,  
NExt to my Father, 'tis fitting you should have cognisance of my affairs and fortunes. You heard how I was in agitation for an employment in Italy, but my Lord Conway demurred upon the salary I propounded; I have now waved this course, yet I came off fairly with my Lord; for I have a stable home employment proffered me by my Lord Scroop, Lord Precedent of the North, who sent for me lately to Worcester House, though I never saw him before, and there the bargain was quickly made, that I should go down▪ with him to York for Secretary, and his Lordship hath promised me fairly; I will see you at your House in Horsley before I go, and leave the particular circumstances of this business till then.  
The French that came over with Her Majesty, for their petulancy, and some misdemeanours, and imposing some odd penancy's upon the Queen, are all cashiered this week, about a matter of sixscore, whereof the Bishop of Mende was one, who had stood to be Steward of Her Majesty's Courts, which Office my Lord of Holland hath; It was a thing suddenly done, for about one of the clock as they were at dinner, my Lord Conway, and Sir Thomas edmond's, came with an Order from the King, that they must instantly away to Somerset House, for there were Barges, and Coaches staying for them; and there they should have all their Wages paid them to a penny, and so they must be content to quit the Kingdom: This sudden, undreamed of Order, struck an astonishment into them all, both men and women; and running to complain to the Queen, His Majesty had taken her before into his Bedchamber, and locked the doors upon them, until he had told her how matters stood; the Queen fell into a violent passion, broke the Glass-Windows, and tore her Hair, but she was calmed afterwards: Just such a destiny happened in France some years since to the Queen's Spanish Servants there, who were all dismissed in like manner for some miscarriages; the like was done in Spain to the French, therefore 'tis no new thing.  
They are all now on their way to Dover, but I fear this will breed ill blood 'twixt us and France, and may break out into an ill-favoured quarrel.  
Master Montague is preparing to go to Paris as a Messenger of Honour, to prepossess the King and Counsel there, with the truth of things.  
So with my very kind respects to my Sister, I rest  
Lond. 15 Mar. 1626. Your loving brother, J. H.   

XXVII. To the Right Honble the Lord S.  
My Lord,  
I Am bound shortly for York, where I am hopeful of a profitable employment. There is fearful news come from Germany, that since Sir Charles Morgan went thither with 6●…00 men for the assistance of the King of Denmark, the King hath received an utter overthrow by Tilly, he had received a fall off a Horse from a Wall five yards high, a little before, yet it did him little hurt.  
Tilly pursueth his Victory strongly, and is got o'er the Elve to Holsteinland, insomuch that they write from Hamburgh, that Denmark is in danger to be utterly lost: The Danes and Germans seem to lay some fault upon our King, the King upon the Parliament, that would not supply him with Subsidies to assist his Uncle, and the Prince Palsgrave, both which was promised upon the rupture of the Treaties with Spain, which was done by the advice of both Houses▪  
This is the ground that His Majesty hath lately sent out privy Seals for Loan Moneys, until a Parliament may be called, in regard that the King of Denmark is distressed, the Sound like to be lost, the Eastland Trade, and the Staple at Hamborough in danger to be destroyed, and the English Garrison under Sir Charles Morgan at Sto●…d ready to be starved.  
These Loan moneys keep a great noise, and they are imprisoned that deny to conform themselves.  
I fear I shall have no more opportunity to send to your Lordship, till I go to York, therefore I humbly take my leave, and kiss your hands, being ever,  
My Lord, Your obedient and ready Servitor, J. H▪   

XXVIII. To Mr. R. L. Merchant.  
I Met lately with I. Harris in London, and I had not seen him two years before, and then I took him, and knew him to be a man of thirty, but now one would take him by his Hair to be near threescore, for he is all turned grey. I wondered at such a Metamorphosis in so short a time, he told me 'twas for the death of his Wife, that nature had thus antedated his years, 'tis true that a weighty settled sorrow is of that force, that besides the contraction of the Spirits, it will work upon the radical moisture, and dry it up, so that the Hair can have no moisture at the Root. This made me remember a Story that a Spanish Advocate told me, which is a thing very remarkable. When the Duke of Alva was in Brussels, about the beginning of the tumults in the Netherlands, he had sat down before Hulst in Flanders, and there was a Provost Martial in his Army, who was a Favourite of his; and this Provost had put some to death by secret Commission from the Duke: There was one Captain Bolea in the Army, who was an intimat friend of the Provosts, and one evening late, he went to the said Captain's Tent, and brought with him a Confessor, and an Executioner, as it was his custom; He told the Captain, that he was come to execute his Excellency's Commission, and Marshal Law upon him; the Captain started up suddenly, his hair standing at an end, and being struck with amazement, asked him wherein he had offended the Duke; the Provest answered, Sir I come not to expostulat the business with you, but to execute my Commission, therefore I pray prepare yourself, for there's your Ghostly Father and Executioner: so he fell on his knees before the Priest, and having done, the Hangman going to put the Halter about his neck, the Provost threw it away, and breaking into a laughter, told him, there was no such thing, and that he had done this to try his courage, how be could bear the terror of death, the Captain look●… ghastly up●… him, and said, than Sir get you out of my Tent, for you have done me ●… very ill office: The next morning the said Captain Bolea, though ●… young man of about thirty, had his hair all turned grav, to the admiration of all the world, and of the Duke of Alva himself, who questio●… him about it, but he would confess nothing. The next year the Du●… was revoked, and in his journey to the Court of Spain, he was to pas●… by Saragossa, and this Captain Bolea, and the Provost went alon●… with him as his Domestics: The Duke being to repose some days in S.. ragossa, the young▪ old Captain Bolea told him, that there was a thing in that Town worthy to be seen by His Excellency, which was a Casa de Locos, a Bedlam-house, for there was not the like in Christendom: Well said the Duke, go and tell the Warden I will be there to morrow in the afternoon, and wish him to be in the way. The Captain having obtained this, went to the Warden and told him, that the Duke would come to visit the House the next day, and the chiefest occasion that moved him to it, was, that he had an unruly Provost about him, who was subject oftentimes to fits of frenzy, and because he wisheth him well, he had tried divers means to cure him, but all would not do, therefore he would try whether keeping him close in Bedlam for some days, would do him any good: The next day the Duke came with ar●…ffling train of Captains after him, amongst whom was the said Provost, very shining brave; being entered into the house, about the Duke's person, Captain Bolea told the Warden, pointing at the Provost, that's the man; so he took him aside into a dark Lobby, where he had placed some of his men, who muffled him in his Cloak, seized upon his gilt Sword, with his Hat and Feather, and so hurried him down into a Dungeon: My Provost had lain there two nights and a day, and afterwards it happened that a Gentleman coming out of curiosity to see the house, peeped in at a small grate where the Provost was; The Provost conjured him as he was a Christian, to go and tell the Duke of Alva, his Provost was there clapped up, nor could be imagine why. The Gentleman did the Errand, whereat the Duke being astonished, sent for the Warden with his prisoner; so he brought my Provost en cuerpo Madman like, full of straws and Feathers before the Duke, who at the sight of him, breaking out into a laughter, asked the Warden, why he had made him his Prisener; Sir, said the Warden, 'twas by virtue of your Excellenci●…s Commission brought me by Captain Bolea: Bolea stepped forth and told the Duke; Sir, you have asked me oft, how these hairs of mine grew so suddenly grey, I have not revealed it yet to any soul breathing, but now I'll tell your Excellency, and so sell a relating the passage in Flanders. And Sir I have been ever since beating my Brains how to get an equal revenge of him, and I thought no revenge to be more equal or corresponding, now that you see he hath made me old before my time, than to make him mad if I could, and had he stayed some days longer close Prisoner in the Bedlam House, it might haply have wrought some impressions upon his pericranium: The Duke was so well pleased with the Story, and the wittiness of the revenge, that he made them both friends; and the Gentleman who told me this passage, said, that the said Captain Bolea was yet living, so that he could not be less than ninety years of age.  
I thank you a thousand times for the C●…phalonia Muscadel, and Botargo you sent me; I hope to be shortly quit with you for all courtesies, in the interim, I am  
York this 1 of May. 1626.. Your obliged friend to serve you, I H.  
Postscript.  
I Am sorry to hear of the trick that Sir john Airs put upon the Company by the Box of Hailshot, signed with the Ambassadors Seal, that he had sent so solemnly from Constantinople, which he made the world believe to be full of Chequins and Turkey gold.    

Familiar Letters.  
SECTION V.  

I. To Dan. Caldwall Esqr, from York.  
My dear D.  
THough I may be termed a right Northern man, being a good way this side Trent, yet my love to you is as Southern as ever it was, I mean it continueth still in the same degree of heat, not can this bleaker air, or Boreas' chilling blasts cool it a whit; I am the same to you this side Trent, as I was the last time we crossed the Thames together to see Smugg the Smith, and so back to the Still-yard: But I fear that your love to me doth not continue in so constant and intense a degree, and I have good grounds for this fear, because I never received one syllable from you, since I left London; if you rid me not of this scruple, and send to me speedily, I shall think, though you live under a hotter clime in the South, that your former love is not only cooled but frozen.  
For this present condition of life, I thank God, I live well contended, I have a fee from the King, diet for myself and two servants, liury for a horse, and a part of the King's house for my lodging, and other privileges which I am told no Secretary before me had▪ but I must tell you the perquisits are nothing answerable to my expectation yet. I have built me a new study since I came, wherein I shall amongst others meditat sometimes on you, and whence this present Letter comes. So with a thousand thanks for the plentiful Hospitality and Jovial farewell you gave me at your House in Essex, I rest  
York 30 julii. 1627. Yors, yors, yors, J. H.   

II. To Mr. Richard Let.  
Signior io, it is now a great while me thinks since any act of friendship, or other interchangeable offices of love hath passed between us, either by Letters, or other accustomed ways of correspondence; And as I will not accuse, so I go not about to clear myself in this point, let this long silence be termed therefore a cessation rather than neglect on both sides: A bow that lies awhile unbent, and a field that remains fallow for a time, grow never the worse, but afterwards the one sends forth and arrow more strongly, the other yields a better crop being recultivated: Let this be also verified in us, let our friendship grow more fruitful after this pause, let it be more active for the future: you see I begin and shoot the first shaft. I send you herewith a couple of red Dear pies, the one Sir Arthur Ingram gave me, the other my Lord Precedents Cook, I could not tell where to bestow them better; In your next let me know which is the best seasoned; I pray let the Sydonian Merchant Io. Bruckburst be at the eating of them, and then I know they will be well soaked. If you please to send me a barrel or two of Oysters which we want here, I promise you they shall be well eaten, with a cup of the best Claret, and the best Sherry, to which Wine this Town is altogether addicted, shall not be wanting.  
I understand the Lord Weston is Lo. Treasurer, we may say now, that we have Treasurers of all tenses, for there are four living, to wit, the Lord Manchester, Middlesex, Malborough, and the newly chosen; I hear also that the good old man (the last) hath retired to his lodgings in Lincoln's Inn, and so reduced himself to his first principles, which makes me think that he cannot bear up long, now that the staff is taken from him. I pray in your next send me the Venetian Gazetta. So with my kind respects to your Father, I rest  
York, 9 july. 1627. Yours, J. H.   

III. To Sir Ed. Sa. Knight.  
SIR, 'Twas no great matter to be a Prophet, and to have foretold his rupture 'twixt us and France upon the sudden renvoy of her Majesty's servants, for many of them had sold their estates in France, given money for their places, and so thought to live and die in England in the Queen's service, and so have pitifully complained to that King, thereupon he hath arrested above 100 of our Merchant men that went to this Vintage at Bourdeaux. We also take some stragglers of theirs, for there are Letters of Mart given on both sides.  
There are Writs issued out for a Parliament, and the Town of Richmond in Richmond shire hath made choice of me for their Burgess, though Master Christopher Wansford and other powerful men, and more deserving than I, stood for it. I pray God send fair weather in the House of Commons, for there is much murmuring about the restraint of those that would not conform to loan-monies. There is a great Fleet a preparing, and an Army of Land-men, but the design is uncertain whether it be against Spain or France, for we are now in enmity with both those Crowns. The French Cardinal hath been lately t'other side the Alps, and settled the Duke of Nevers in the Duchy of Mantova, notwithstanding the opposition of the King of Spain and the Emperor, who alleged that he was to receive his investiture from him, and tha●… was the chief ground of the War; but the French Arms have d●… the work, and come triumphantly back over the Hills again. No more now, but that I am as always  
Your true friend, J. H. March 2. 1627.   

IV. To the Worpˡˡ Mr Alderman of the Town of Richmond, and the rest of the worthy Members of that ancient Corporation.  
SIR,  
I Received a public Instrument from you lately, subscribed by yourself, and divers others, wherein I find that you have made choice of me to be one of your Burgesses for this now neer-approaching Parliament; I could have wished that you had not put by Master Wandesford, and other worthy Gentlemen that stood so earnestly for it, who being your neighbours, had better means, and more abilities to serve you. Yet since you have cast these high respects upon me, I will endeavour to acquit myself of the trust, and to answer your expectation accordingly: And as I account this Election an honour unto me, so I esteem it a great advantage, that so worthy, and well experienced a Knight as Sir Talbot Bowes is to be my Colleague and fellow Burgess; I shall steer by his compass, and follow his directions in any thing that may concern the welfare of your Town, and of the Precincts thereof, either for redress of any grievance, or by proposing some new thing that may conduce to the further benefit and advantage thereof, and this I take to be the true duty of a Parliamentary Burgess, without roving at randum to generals. I hope to learn of Sir Talbot what's fitting to be done, and I shall apply myself accordingly to join with him to serve you with my best abilities: So I rest  
Your most assured and ready friend to do you service, J. H. Lond. March 24: 1627.   

V. To the Right Honble the Lo: Clifford at Knasbrugh.  
My Lord,  
THe news that fill all mouths at present, is the return of the Duke of Buckingham from the Isle of Ree, or as so●… call it the I'll of Rue, for the bitter success we had there; for we had but a ●…t entertainment in that sal●… Island. Our first invasion was magnanimous & brave, whereat near upon 200 French Gentlemen perished, and divers Barons of quality. My Lord Newport had ill luck to disorder our Cavalry with an unruly Horse he had: His brother Sir Charles Rich was slain, and divers more upon the retreat, amongst others, great Golonell Grace fell into Salt-pit, and being ready to be drowned he cried out Cens mill escus pour ma rançon, a hundred thousand Crowns for my ransom, the Frenchmen hearing that, preserved him, though he was not worth a hundred thousand pence. Another merry passage a Captain told me, that when they were rifling the dead bodies of the French Gentlemen after the first invasion, they found that many of them had their Mistress' favours tied about their genitories. The French do much glory to have repelled us thus, and they have reason, for the truth is, they comported themselves gallantly; yet they confess our landing was a notable piece of courage, and if our Retreat had been answerable to the Invasion, we had lost no honour at all. A great number of gallant Gentlemen fell on our side, as Sir john Heyden, Sir Io. Burrowes, Sir George blundel, Sir Alex. Brett, with divers Veteran Commanders, who came from the Netherlands to this service.  
God send us better success the next time, for there is another Fleet preparing to be sent under the Command of the Lord Denbigh; so I kiss your hands, and am  
Lond. 24 of Sept, 1627. Your humble Servitor, J. H.   

VI To the Right Honble the Lord Scroop, Earl of Sunderland, Lord Precedent of the North.  
My Lord,  
MY Lord D●…nbigh is returned from attempting to relieve Rochel, which is reduced to extreme exigent; And now the Duke is preparing to go again, with as great power as was yet raised: notwithstanding that the Parliament hath flown higher at him than ever; which makes the people here hardly wish any good success to the Expedition, because he is General. The Spaniard stands at a gaze all this while, hoping that we may do the work, otherwise I think he would find some way to relieve that Town, for there is nothing conduceth more to the uniting and strengthening of the French Monarchy than the reduction of Rochel. The King hath been there long in person with his Cardinal, and the stupendious works they have raised by Sea and Land, are beyond belief, as they say. The Sea-works and booms were traced out by Marquis Spinola, as he was passing that way for Spain from Flanders.  
The Parliament is prorogued till Michaelmas term; their we●… five Subsidies granted, the greatest gift that ever Subjects gave their King at once; and it was in requital that his Majesty passed the Petition of Right, whereby the liberty of the freeborn subject is so strongly and clearly vindicated. So that there is a fair correspondence like to be 'twixt his Majesty and the two Houses. The Duke made a notable Speech at the Counsel Table in joy hereof, amongst other passages, one was, that hereafter his Majesty would please to make the Parliament his Favourite, and he to have the honour to remain still his servant. No more now but that I continue  
Lond. 25. Sept. 1628. Your Lordship's most dutiful Servant, J. H.   

VII. To the Right Honble the La: Scroop Countess of Sunderland, from Stamford.  
Madam,  
I Lay yesternight at the Post House at Stilton, and this morning betimes the Postmaster came to my bed's head and told me the Duke of Buckingham was slain; my faith was not then strong enough to believe it, till an hour ago I met in the way with my Lord of Rutland (your Brother) riding Post towards London, it pleased him to alight, and show me a Letter, wherein there was an exact relation of all the circumstances of this sad Tragedy.  
Upon Saturday last, which was but next before yesterday being Bartholomew yeeve, the Duke did rise up in a well disposed humour out of his bed, and cut a Caper or two, and being ready, and having been under the Barber's hands (where the Murderer had thought to have done the deed, for he was leaning upon the Window all the while) he went to breakfast attended by a great Company of Commanders, where Monsieur Soubize came unto him, and whispered him in the ear that Rochel was relieved, the Duke seemed to slight the news, which made some think that Soubize went away discontented; After Breakfast the Duke going out, Colonel Friar stepped before him, and stopping him upon some business, one Lieutenant Felton being behind, made a thrust with a common tenpeny knife over Friar's arm at the Duke, which lighted so fatally, that he slit his heart in two, leaving the knife sticking in the body; The Duke took out the knife, and threw it away, and laying his hand on his Sword, and drawn it half out said, the Villain hath killed me (meaning as some think Colonel Friar) for there had been some difference 'twixt them, so reeling against a Chimney he fell down dead; The Duchess being with child hearing the noise below, come in her night jeers from her Bed Chamber, which was in an upper room, to a kind of Rail, and thence beheld him weltering in his own blood. Felton had lost his Hat in the crowd, wherein there was a Paper sowed, wherein he declared that the reason which moved him to this act was no grudge of his own, though he had been far behind for his pay, and had been put by his Captain's place twice, but in regard he thought the Duke an enemy to the State, because he was branded in Parliament, therefore what he did was for the public good of his Country. Yet he got clearly down, and so might have gone to his horse which was tied to a hedge hard by, but he was so amazed that he missed his way, and so struck into the pastry, where though the cry went that some Frenchman had done't, he thinking the word was Felton, he boldly confessed 'twas he that had done the deed, and so he was in their hands, jack Stamford would have run at him, but he was kept off by Mr. Nicholas, so being carried up to a Tower Captain Min●…e toare off his spurs, and ask how he durst attempt such an act, making him believe the Duke was not dead, he answered boldly that he knew he was dispatched, for ●…was not he, but the hand of heaven that gave the stroke, and though his whole body had been covered over with armour of proof he could not have avoided it. Captain Charles Price went Post presently to the King four miles off, who being at prayers on his knees when it was told him, yet he never stirred, nor was he disturbed a whit till all divine service was done. This was the relation as far as my memory could bear, in my Lord of Rutland's Letter, who willed me to remember him unto your Ladyship, and tell you that he was going to comfort your niece (the Duchess) as fast as he could: and so I have sent the truth of this sad story to your Ladyship, as fast as I could by this post, because I cannot make that speed myself, in regard of some business I have to dispatch for my Lord in the way; So I humbly take my leave, and rest  
Stamford, Aug. 5. 1628. Your Lapps most dutiful Servant, J. H.   

IX. To the right Honble Sir Peter Wichts his Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople.  
My Lord,  
YOurs of the 2. of july came to safe hand, and I did all those particular recaudoes, you enjoined me to do to some of your ●…ends here.  
The Town of Rochel hath been fatal and infortunate to England, for this is the third time that we have attempted to relieve her, but our fleets and forces returned without doing any thing. My Lord of Linsey went thither with the same Fleet the Duke intended to go on, but he is returned without doing any good, he made some shots at the great Boom and other baricadoes at sea, but at such a distance, that they conld do no hurt. Insomuch that the Town is now given for lost, and to be passed cure, and they cry out, we have betrayed them: At the return of this Fleet two of the Whelps were cast away, and three ships more, and some five ships who had some of those great stones, that were brought to build Paul's, for ballast and for other uses within them, which could promise no good success, for I never heard of any thing that prospered which being once designed for the honour of God was alienated from that use. The Queen interposeth for the releasement of my Lord of Newport and others who are prisoners of War, I hear that all the colours they took from us are hung up in the great Church Notre dame as tropkeys in Paris. Since I began this letter there is news brought that Rochel hath yielded, and that the King hath dismantled the Town, and razed all the fortifications landward, but leaves those standing which are toward the Sea. It is a mighty exploit the French King hath done, for Rochel was the chiefest propugnacle of the Protestants there, and now questionless all the rest of their cautionary Towns which they kept for their own defence will yield, so that they must depend hereafter upon the King's mere mercy. I hear of an overture of Peace 'twixt us and Spain, and that my Lord Cottington is to go thither, and Don Carlos Coloma to come to us. God grant it, for you know the saying in Spanish Nunca vi tan mala paz, que no fuera mejor, que la mejor guerra. It was a bold thing in England, to fall out with the two greatest Monarches of Christendom, and to have them both her enemies at one time, a●…d as glorious a thing it was to bear up against them. God turn all to the best, and dispose of things to his glory; So I rest  
London, 1 Sept. 1628. Your Lordship's ready Servitor, J. H.   

X. To my Cousin Mr. Stgeon, at Christ-Church College in Oxford.  
Cousin, though you want no incitements to go on in that fair road of virtue▪ where you are now running your course, yet being lately in your noble Father's company, he did intimat unto me, that any thing which come from me would take with you very much. I hear so well of your proceedings, that I should rather commend than encourage you. I know you were removed to Oxford in full maturity, you were a good Orator, a good Poet, and a good Linguist for your time; I would not have that fate light upon you, which useth to befall some, who from golden Students, become silver Bachelors, and Leaden Masters, I am far from entertaining any such thought of you, that Logic with her quiddities, and Quae la vel Hips, can any way unpolish your human studies: As Logic is clubfisted and crabbed, so she is terrible at first sight, she is like a Gorgon's head to a young student, but after a twelve months' constancy and patience, this Gorgon's head will prove a mere buggbear; When you have devoured the Organon, you will find Philosophy far more delightful and pleasing to your palate: In feeding the soul with knowledge, the understanding requireth the same consecutif acts which nature useth in nourishing the body. To the nutrition of the body, there are two Essential conditions required assumption and retention, than there follows two more, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, concoction and agglutination or adhaesion; So in feeding your soul with Science, you must first assume, and suc●… in the matter into your apprehension, then must the memory retain and keep it in, afterwards by disputation, discourse, and meditation, it must be well concocted; then must it be agglutinate●… and converted to nutriment; All this may be reduced to these 〈◊〉 heads, tencre fideliter, & uti faeliciter, which are two of the happiest properties in a student; there is an other act required to goo●… concoction called the act of Expulsion, which puts off all that is unfound and noxious, so in study there must be an expulsive vert●… to shun all that is erroneous, and there is no science but is full 〈◊〉 such stuff, which by direction of Tutor, and choice of good Book must be excernd: Do not confound yourself with multiplicity of Authors, two is enough upon any Science, provided they be plenary and orthodox; Philosophy should be your substantial food, Poetry your banqueting stuff; Philosophy hath more of reality in it than any knowledge, the Philosopher can fathom the deep, measure Mountains, reach the Stars with a staff, and bless Heaven with a girdle.  
But amongst these studies you must not forget the unicum necessarium, on Sundays and Holidays, let Divinity be the sole object of your speculation, in comparison whereof all other knowledge is but cobweb learning; prae qua quisquiliae coetera.  
When you can make truce with study, I should be glad you would employ some superfluous hour or other to write unto me, for I much covet your good, because I am  
London 25 Octob. 1627. Your affectionate Cousin, J. H.   

XI. To Sir Sackvill Trevor Knight.  
Noble Onkle,  
I Send you my humble thanks for the curious Sea-chest of glasses you pleased to bestow on me, which I shallbe very chary to keep as a Monument of your love. I congratulat also the great honour you have got lately by taking away the Spirit of France, I mean by taking the third great Vessel of her Sea-Trinity, Her Holy Spirit, which had been built in the mouth of the texel for the service of her King; without complementing with you, it was one of the best exploits that was performed since these wars began, and besides the renown you have purchased, I hope your reward will be accordingly from his Majesty, whom I remember you so happily preserved from drowning in all probability at St. Anderas' road in Spain. Though Prince's guerdons come slow, yet they come sure; And it is oftentimes the method of God Almighty himself to be long both in his rewards and punishments.  
As you have bereavest the French of their Sain-Esprit, their Holy Spirit, so there is news that the Hollander have taken from Spain, all her Saints; I mean todos los santos, which is one of the chiefest staples of Sugar in Brasill. No more but that I wish you all health, honour, and hearts desire.  
London, 26 of Octob. 1627. Your much obliged Nephew and Servitor, J. H.   

XII. To Captain Tho. B. from York.  
NOble Captain, Yours of the first of March was delivered me by Sir Richard Scott, and I held it no profanation of this Sunday evening considering the quality of my subject, and having (I thank God for it) performed all Church duties, to employ some hours to meditat on you, and send you this friendly salute, though I confess in an unusual monitory way. My dear Captain, I love you perfectly well, I love both your person and parts which are not vulgar, I am in love with your disposition which is generous, and I verily think you were▪ never guilty of any Pusillanimous act in your life: Nor is this love of mine conferred upon you gratis, but you may challenge it as your due, and by way of correspondence, in regard of those thousand convincing Evidences you have given me of yours to me, which ascertain me, that you take me for a true friend: Now I am of the number of those, that had rather commend the virtue of an enemy, than soeth the vices of a friend; for your own particular, if your parts of virtue, and your infirmities were cast into a balance, I know the first would much out-poise the other; yet give me leave to tell you 〈◊〉 there is one frailty, or rather ill favoured custom that reigns in you, which weighs much, it is a humour of swearing in all your discours●…s, and they are not slight, but deep, far fetched Oaths that you are wont to rap out, which you use as flowers of Rhetoric to enforce a ●…aith upon the hearers, who believe you never the more, and you use this in cold blood when you are not provoked, which makes the humour far more dangerous; I know many, (and I cannot say I myself am free from it God forgive me) that being transported with choler, and as it were made drunk with passion, by some sudden provoking accident, or extreme ill fortune at play will let fall Oaths and deep Protestations▪ but to belch out, 〈◊〉 send forth, as it were, whole volleys of Oaths and Curses in a calm humour, to verify every trivial discourse is a thing of horror. I knew a King that being crossed in his game would amongst his Oaths fall on the ground, and bite the very earth in the rough of his passion; I heard of another King (Henry the fourth of France) that in his highest distemper would swear but Ventre de Saint Grissel, by the belly of Saint Grissel; I heard of an Italian, that having been much accustomed to blaspheme, was weaned from it by a pretty wile, for having been one night at play, and lost all his money, after many execrable Oaths, and having offered money to another to go out to face heaven and defy God, he threw himself upon a Bed hard by, and there fell asleep; The other Gamesters played on still▪ and finding that he was fast asleep, they put out the candles, and made semblance to play on still, they fell a wrangling, and spoke so loud, that he awaked, he hearing them play on still fell a rubbing his eyes, and his conscience presently prompted him that he was struck blind, and that God's judgement had deservedly fallen down upon him for his blasphemies, and so he fell to sigh and weep pitifully, a ghostly Father was sent for, who undertook to do some acts of penance for him, if he would make a vow never to play again or blaspheme, which he did, and so the candles were lighted again, which he thought were burning all the while; so he became a perfect Convert. I could wish this Letter might produce the same effect in you; There is a strong Text, that the curse of heaven hangs always over the dwelling of the swearer, and you have more fearful examples of miraculous judgements in this particular, than of any other sin.  
There is a little town in Languedoc in France that hath a multitude of the Pictures of the Virgin Mary up and down, but she is made to carry Christ in her right arm contrary to the ordinary custom, and the reason they told me was this, that two gamesters being at play, & one having lost all his money, and bolted out many blasphemies, ●…e gave a deep Oath that that whore upon the wall, meaning the picture of the blessed Virgin▪ was the cause of his ill luck, hereupon the child removed imperceptibly from the left arm to the right, and the man fell stark dumb ever after'●…, thus went the tradition there; This makes me think upon the Lady Southwells news from Utopia that he who sweareth when he playeth at dice, may challenge his damnation by way of purchase. This in●…andous custom of Swearing I observe reigns in England lately more than any where else, though the Germane in his highest puff of pas●…ion swear by a hundred thousand Sacraments, the Italian by the whore of God, the French by his death, the Spaniard by his flesh, the Westiman by his sweat, the Irish man by his five wounds, though the Scot commonly bids the devil hale his soul, yet for variety of Oaths the English Roarers put down all: Consider well what a dangerous thing it is to tear in pieces that dreadful name which makes the vast fabric of the world to tremble, that holy name wherein the whole Hierarchy of Heaven doth triumph, that blissful name wherein consists the fullness of all felicity. I know this custom in you yet, is but a light disposition, 'tis no habit I hope, let me therefore conjure you by that power of friendship, by that holy ligue of love which is between us, that you would suppress it before it come to that, for I must tell you that those who could find in their hearts to love you for many other things, do disrespect you for this, they hate your company, and give no credit to whatsoever you say, it being one of the punishments of a swearer as well as of a liar not to be believed when he tells truth.  
Excuse me that I am so free with you, what I write proceeds from the clear current of a pure affection, and I shall heartily thank you, and take it as an argument of love, if you tell me of my weaknesses, which are (God wot) too too many, for my body is but a Cargazon of corrupt humours, and being not able to overcome them all at once I do endeavour to do it by degrees, like Sertorius his soldier who when he could not cut off the Horse tail with his sword at one blow, fell to pull out the hair one by one: And touching this particular humour from which I dissuade you, it hath raged in me too often by contingent fits, but I thank God for it I find it much abated, and purged. Now the only Physic I used was a precedent fast and recours to the holy Sacrament the next day, of purpose to implore pardon for what was passed, and power for the future to quell those exorbitant motions, those rave and feavourish fits of the soul, in regard there are no infirmities more dangerous, for at the same instant they have being they become impieties. And the greatest symptom of amendment I find in me is, because whensoever I hear the holy name of God blasphemed by any other, it makes my heart to tremble within my breast: Now it is a penitential Rule that if sins present do not please thee, sins passed will never hurt thee. All other sins have for their object, either pleasure or profit, or some aim and satisfaction to body or mind, but this hath none at all, therefore fie upon't, my dear Captain t●…e whether you can make a conquest of yourself in subduing this execrable custom. Alexander subdued the World, Caesar his Enemies, Hercules▪ Monsters, but he that o●…ecomes himself is the true valiant Captain. I have herewith sent you a Hymn consonant to this subject; because I know you are Musical and a good Poet.  

A gradual Hymn of a double cadence, tending to the Honour of the Holy Name of GOD.  

1.  
LEt the vast universe,  
And therein every thing,  
The mighty acts rehearse  
Of their immortal King,  
His Name extol  
what to Nadir  
from Zenith stir  
'twixt Pole and Pole.   

2.  
Ye Elements that move,  
And alter every hour,  
Yet herein constant prove,  
And symbolise all sour,  
His praise to tell,  
mix all in one  
for air and tone  
To sound this peal.   

3.  
Earth which the centre art  
And only standest still,  
Yet move, and bear thy part,  
Resound with echoes shrill,  
Thy Mines of gold,  
with precious stones,  
and unions,  
His fame uphold.   

4.  
Let all thy fragrant flowers  
Grow sweeter by this 〈◊〉,  
Thy tallest trees and bowers  
Bud forth and blossom fair,  
Beasts wild and tame,  
whom lodgings yield▪  
House dens or field,  
Collaud his Name.   

5.  
Yet Seas with Earth that make  
One globe flow high and swell,  
Exalt your Maker's name,  
In deep his wonders tell,  
Leviathan,  
and what doth swim  
near bank or brim,  
His glory fcan.   

6.  
Yet airy Regions all  
join in a sweet consent,  
Blow such a Madrigal  
May reach the Firmament:  
Winds, hail, Ice, snow,  
and perly drops,  
that hang on crops,  
His wonders show.   

7.  
Pure element of fire  
With holy sparks inflame  
This sublunary choir,  
That all one Consort frame.  
Their spirits raise,  
to trumpet forth  
their Maker's worth,  
And sound his praise.   

8.  
Ye glorious Lamps that roul●…  
In your celestial Spheres  
All under his control,  
Who you on poles up bears  
Him magnify,  
yet Planets bright,  
and fixed lights  
That deck the sky.   

9  
O Heaven Crystalline,  
which by thy watery but  
Dost temper and refine  
the rest in azurd blue,  
His glory sound  
thou first Mobile,  
which mak'st all w●●●el  
In circle round.   

10.  
Ye glorious souls who reign  
In sempiternal joy,  
Free from those cares and pain  
which here did you annoy,  
And him behold  
in whom all bliss  
concentred is  
His laud unfold.   

11.  
Blessed maid which dost surmount  
all Saints and Seraphins,  
And raignst as Paramount,  
And chief of Cherubins,  
Chant out his praise  
who in thy womb,  
nine months took room,  
Though crowned with rays.   

12.  
Oh let my soul and heart,  
my mind and memory  
Bear in this Hymn a part,  
and join with earth and sky.  
Let every wight  
the whole world o'er  
làud and adore  
The Lord of light.    
All your friends here are well, Tom Young excepted, who I fear hath not long to live amongst us, so I rest,  
York, the 1 of Aug. 1628. Your true friend, J. H.   

XIII. To Will: Austin, Esqr.  
SIR,  
I Have many thanks to give you for that excellent Poem you sent me upon the Passion of Christ, surely you were possessed with a very strong spirit when you penned it, you were become a true Enthusiasist; for, jet me despair if I lie unto you, all the while I was perusing it, it committed holy rapes upon my soul, me ●…ought I felt my heart melting within my breast, and my thoughts transported to a true Elysium all the while, there were such flexanimous strong ravishing strains throughout it. To deal plainly with you, it were an injury to the public good, not to expose to open light such divine raptures, for they have an edifying power in them, and may be termed the very quintessence of devotion; you discover in them what a rich talon you have, which should not be buried within the walls of a private study, or pass through a few particular hands, but appear in public view, and to the sight of the world, to the enriching of others, as they did me in reading them. Therefore I shall long to see them pass from the Bankside to Paul's Churchyard, with other precious pieces of yours, which you have pleased to impart unto me  
Oxford, 20 Aug●… 1628. Your most affectionate Servito●…, J. H.   

XIV. To Sir I. S. Knight.  
SIR,  
YOu writ to me lately for a Footman, and I think this bearer will fit you; I know he can run well, for he hath run away twice from me, but he knew the way back again, yet though he hath a running head as well as running heels, (and who will expect a footman to be a stayed man?) I would not part with him, were I not to go ●…ost to the North. Ther be some things in him that answer for his waggeries, he will come when you call him, go when you bid him, and shut the door after him; he is faithful and stout, and a lover of his Master; He is a great enemy to all dogs, if they bark at him in his running, for I have seen him confront a huge mastif, and knock him down: When you go a Country journey, or have him run with you a hunting, you must spirit him with liquor, you must allow him also something extraordinary for socks, else you must not have him to wait at your table; for when his grease melts in running hard 'tis subject to fall into his toes. I send him you but for trial, if he be not for your turn, turn him over to me again when I come back,  
The best news I can send you at this time, is, that we are like to have peace, both with France and Spain, so that Harwich men your Neighbours, shall not hereafter need to fear the name of Spinola, who struck such an apprehension into them lately, that I understand they begin to fortify.  
I pray present my most humble service to my good Lady, and at my return from the North, I will be hold to kiss her hands, and yours, so I am  
London, 25 of May. 1628. Your much obliged Servito●…, J. H.   

XV. To my Father.  
SIR,  
OUr two younger brothers, which you sent hither, are disposed of; my brother Doctor hath placed the elder of the two with Mr. Hawes, a Mercer in Cheapside, and he took much pains in't, and I had placed my brother Ned, with Mr. Barrington, a Silk▪ man in the same street, but afterwards for some inconveniences, I removed him to one Mr. Smith at the Flower-de-Luce in Lumbard-street, a Mercer also; Their Masters are both of them very well to pass, and of good repute; I think it will prove some advantage to them hereafter, to be both of one trade; because when they are out of their time, they may join s●…ocks together; So that I hope, sir, they are well placed as any two youths in London, but you must not use to send them such large tokens in money, for that may corrupt them. When I went to bind my brother Ned apprentice in Draper's Hall, casting my eyes upon the Chimney piece of the great room I might spy a picture of an ancient Gentleman, and underneath Thomas Howell, I asked the Clerk about him, and he told me that he had been a Spanish Merchant in Henry the eighths' time, and coming home rich, and dying a Bachelor, he gave that Hall to the Company of Drapers, with other things, so that he is accounted one of their chiefest Benefactors. I told the Clerk, that one of the sons of Thomas Howell came now thither to be bound, he answered that if he be a right Howell, he may have when he is free three hundred pounds to help to set up, and pay no interest for five years. It may be hereafter we may make use of this. He told me also, that any Maid that can prove her Father to be a true Howell may come and demand fifty pounds towards her portion of the said Hall. I am to go post towards York to morrow, to my charge, but hope, God willing, to be here again the next Term; So with my love to my brother Howell, and my sister his wife, I rest  
London 30 Sept. 1629. Your dutiful Son, I. H.   

XVI. To my brother Dr. Howell at jesus College in Oxon.  
BRother, I have sent you here enclosed; Warrants for four brace of Bucks, and a Stag, the last Sir Arthur Manwaring procured of the King for you, towards the keeping of your Act, I have sent you also a Warrant for a brace of Bucks out of Waddon Chase; besides, you shall receive by this Carrier a great Wicker Hamper, with two Geoules of Sturgeon, six barrels of pickled Oysters, three barrels of Bologna Olives, with some other Spanish comodities.  
My Lord Precedent of the North hath lately made me Patron of a living hard by Henly, called Hambledon, it is worth five hundred pounds a year communibus onnis, and the now Incumbent Dr. Pilkington is very aged, valetudinary, and corpulent; My Lord by legal instrument hath transmitted the next Advouson to me for satisfaction of some arrearages; Dr. Dommlaw and two or three more have been with me about it, but I always intended to make the first proffer to you, therefore I pray think of it, a sum of money must be had, but you shall be at no trouble for that, if you only will secure it (and desire one more who I know will do it for you) and it shall appear unto you that you have it upon far better t●…rms than any other. It is as finely situated as any Rectory can be, for it is about the midway 'twixt Oxford and London, it lies upon the Thames, and the Glebeland house is very large and fair, and not dilapidated, so that considering all things it is as good as some Bishoprics; I know his Majesty is gracious unto you, and you may well expect some preferment that way, but such livings as these are not to be had every where. I thank you for inviting me to your Act, I will ●…e with you the next week, God willing; and hope to find my Father there; So with my kind love to Dr. Mansell, Mr. Watkins, Mr. Madocks and Mr. Napier at Allsoules, I rest  
London, 20 june. 1628. Your loving Brother, J. H.   

XVII. To my Father Mr. Ben: Johnson.  
FAther Ben. Nullum fit magnum ingenium sine mixtura dementi●…, thers no great wit without some mixture of madness, so saith the Philosopher, nor was he a fool who answered, nec parvum, sine mixtura stultiti●…, nor small wit without some allay of foolishn●…. Touching the first it is verified in you, for I find that you have been oftentimes mad, you were mad when you writ your Fox, and madder when you writ your Alchemist, you were mad when you writ Catiline, and stark mad when you writ Sej●…us; but when you writ your Epigrams, and the Magnetic Lady you were not so mad; Insomuch that I perceive there be degrees of madness in you; Excuse me that I am so free with you. The madness I mean is that divine fury, that heating and heighning Spirit which Ovid speaks of,  
Est Deus in nobis agitante calescimus illo, that true enthusiasm which transports, and elevates the souls of Poets, above the middle Region of vulgar conceptions, and makes them soar up to Heaven to touch the stars with their laurelld heads, to walk in the Zodiac with Apollo himself, and command Mercury upon their errand.  
I cannot yet light upon Doctor Davies his Welsh Grammar, before Christmas I am promised one; So desiring you to look better hereafter to your charcoal fire and chimney, which I am glad to be one that preserved from burning, this being the second time that Vulca●… hath threatened you, it may be because you have spoken ill of his wise and been too busy with his horns; I rest  
Westminster, 27 june, 1629. Your Son, and contiguous Neighbour, J. H.   

XVIII. To Sir Arthur Ingram at his House in York.  
SIR,  
I Have sent you herewith a hamper of Melons, the best I could find in any of Tothillfield gardens, and with them my very humble service and thanks for all favours, and lately for inviting me to your new noble House at Temple Newsam when I return to Yorkshire; To this I may answer you as my Lord Coke was answered by a N●…folk Countryman who had a suit depending in the Kings-Bench against some neighbours touching a River that used to annoy him, and Sir Edward Coke ask how he called the River, he answered, my Lord I need not call her, for she is forward enough to come of herself. So I may say that you need not call me to any house of yours, for I am forward enough to come without calling.  
My Lord Precedent is still indisposed at Dr. Nappiers, yet he writ to me lately that he hopes to be at the next sitting in York: So with a tender of my most humble service to my noble good Lady, I rest  
London, 25 jul. 1629. Your much obliged servant, J. H.   

XIX. To R. S. Esq.  
SIR,  
I Am one of them, who value not a courtesy that hangs long betwixt the fingers, I love not those viscosa beneficia, those birdl●…m'd kindnesses which Pliny speaks of; Nor would I receive money in a dirty clout, if possibly I could be without it; Therefore I return you the courtesy by the same hand that brought it, it might have pleasured me at first, but the expectation of it hat●… prejudiced me, and now perhaps you may have more need of it than  
Westminster 3 Aug. 1629. Your humble Servitor, J. H.   

XX. To the Countess of Sunderland at York.  
Madame,  
MY Lord continues still in course of Physic at Dr. Nappiers, I writ to him lately, that his Lordship would please to come to his own house here in St. Martin's lane, where there is a greater accommodation for the recovery of his health, Dr. Ma●…ern being on the one side, and the King's Apothecary on the other, but I fear there be some Mountebanks that carry him away, and I hear he intends to remove to Wickham to one Atkinson, a mere Quacksalver that was once Dr. Lopez his man.  
The little Knight that useth to draw up his breeches with a shooinghorn, I mean Sir Posthumus Hobby, slew high at him this Parliament, and would have inserted his name in the scroll of Recusants, that's shortly to be presented to the King, but I produced a Certificate from Linford under the Minister's hand that he received the Communion at Easter last, and so got his name out; Besides, the Deputy-Lieutenants of Buckinghamshire would have charged Biggin Farm with a light horse, but Sir Will. Allford, and others joined with me to get it off.  
Sir Thomas Wentworth, and Mr. Wansford, are grown great Courtiers lately, and come from We●…stminster-Hall to White-Hall: (Sir john Savill their Countryman having shown them the way with his white staff) The Lord Weston tamperd with the one, and my Lord Cottington took pains with the other, to bring them about from their violence against the Prerogative: And I am told the first of them is promised my Lord's place at York, in case his sickness continues.  
We are like to have peace with Spain and France; and for Germany, they say the Swedes are like to strike in to her, to try whether they may have better fortune than the Danes.  
My Lady Scroop (my Lords Mother) hath lain sick a good while, and is very weak. So I rest  
Westminst. 5 Aug. 1629. Madame, Your humble and dutiful Servitor, J. H.   

XXI. To Dr. H. W.  
SIR,  
IT is a rule in friendship, When distrust enters in at the foregate, love goes out at the Postern; It is as true a rule, that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, dubitation is the beginning of all knowledge; I confess this is true in the first election and co-optation of a friend, to come to the knowledge of him by quaeres and doubts; but when there is a perfect contract made, confirmed by experience, and a long tract of time, distrust then is mere poison to friendship; Therefore if it be as I am told, I am unfit to be your friend, but  
Westmin. 20 Oct. 1629. Your servant, J. H.   

XXII. To Dr. H. W.  
SIR,  
THey say in Italy, that deeds are men, and words are but women; I have had your word often to give me a visit; I pray turn your semal promises, to masculine performances, else I shall think you have lost your being, for you know 'tis a rule in law, Id●…m ●…st non esse, & non apparere.  
Westmin. 25 Sept. 1629. Your faithful Servitor, J. H.  
To Mr. B. Chaworth: On my Valentine Mrs. Francis Metcalf (now Lady Robinson) at York.  
A Sonnet.  

COuld I charm the Queen of Loves,  
To lend a quill of her white Doves;  
Or one of Cupid's pointed wings  
Dipped in the fair Castalian springs,  
Then would I write the all-divine  
Perfections of my Valentine.   

As amongst all flowers the Rose excels,  
As Amber amongst the fragrantst smells,  
As amongst all minerals the gold,  
As Marble amongst the finest mould,  
As Diamonds amongst jewels bright,  
As Cynthia amongst the lesser lights;  
So amongst the Northern beauties shine,  
So far excels my Valentine.   

In Rome and Naples I did view  
Faces of Celestial hue,  
Venetian Dames I have seen many,  
(I only saw them, touched not any)  
Of Spanish beauties, Dutch and French,  
I have beheld the quintessence,  
Yet saw I none that could outshine,  
Or parallel my Valentine.   

Th' Italians they are coy and acquaint,  
But they grossly daub and paint,  
The Spanish kind, and apt to please,  
But sav'ring of the same disease,  
Of Dutch and French some few are comely,  
The French are light, the Dutch are homely.  
Let Tagus, Po, the Loire and Rhine  
Then veil unto my Valentine.   

Here may be seen pure white and red,  
Not by feigned Art, but Nature wed,  
No simpering smiles, no mimic face,  
Affected gesture, or forced grace,  
A fair smooth front, free from least wrinkle,  
Her eyes (oy me) like stars do twinkle;  
Thus all perfections do combine,  
To beautify my Valentine.    

XXIII. To Mr. Tho. M.  
NOble Tom, You desired me lately to compose some lines upon your Mistresses black eyes, her becoming frowns, and upon her Mask. Though the least request of yours be a command unto me, the execution of it a contentment, yet I was hardly drawn to such a task at this time, in regard that many businesses puzzle my pericranium.— aliena negotia centum per caput & circa saliunt latus. Yet lest your Clorinda might expect such a thing, and that you might incur the hazard of her smiles (for you say her frowns are favours) and that she may take off her Mask unto you the next time you go to court her, I send you the enclosed Verses Sonet-wise, which haply may please her better, in regard I hear she hath some skill in Music.  

Upon black Eyes, and becoming Frowns, A Sonnet.  

BLack eyes, in your dark Orbs dothly  
My ill, or happy destiny,  
If with clear looks you me behold,  
You give me Mines and Mounts of Gold▪  
If you dart forth disdainful rays,  
To your own die you turn my days.  
Black eyes, in your dark Orbs by changes dwell,  
My bane or bliss, my Paradise or Hell.   

That Lamp which all the stars doth blind,  
Yields to your lustre in some kind,  
Though you do wear to make you bright  
No other dress but that of night,  
He glitters only in the day,  
You in the dark your beams display.  
Black eyes, in your two Orbs by changes dwell,  
My bane or bliss, my Paradise or Hell.   

The cunning thief that lurks for prize,  
At some dark corner watching lies,  
So that heart-robbing God doth stand  
In your black lobbies, shaft in band,  
To rifle me of what I hold  
More precious far than Indian Gold.  
Black eyes, in your dark Orbs by changes dwell,  
My bane or bliss, my Paradise or Hell.   

O powerful Negromantic eyes,  
Who in your circles strictly pries,  
Will find that Cupid with his dart  
In you doth practise the black art,  
And by th'enchantment I'm possessed,  
Tries his conclusions in by breast.  
Black eyes, in your dark Orbs by changes dwell,  
My bane or bliss, my Paradise or Hell.   

Look on me, though in frowning wise,  
Some kind of frowns become black eyes,  
As pointed Diamonds being set,  
Cast greater lustre out of jet,  
Those pieces we esteem most rare,  
Which in night shadows postured are:  
Darkness in Churches congregats the sight,  
Devotion strays in glaring light;  
Black eyes, in your dark Orbs by changes dweil,  
My bane or bliss, my Paradise or Hell.    

Touching her Mask, I will not be long about it.  

Upon Clorinda's Mask.  
SO have I seen the Sun in his full pride  
O'ercast with sullen clouds, and lose his light,  
So have I seen the brightest stars denied  
To show their lustre in some gloomy night,  
So Angels pictures have I seen veiled o'er,  
That more devoutly men should them adore;  
So with a Mask saw I Clorinda hide  
Her face more bright than was the Lemnian Bride.    
Whether I have hit upon your fancy, or fitted your Mistress I know no●…▪ I pray let me hear what success they have; So▪ wishing you your heart's desire, and if you have her, a happy conferreation, I rest in Verse and Prose,  
Westmin. 29. of Mar. 1629. Yours, J. H.   

XXIV. To the Right Honble my La: Scroop Countess of Sunderland at Langar.  
Madam,  
I Am newly returned from Hunsdon, from giving the Rites of burial to my Lord's Mother; She made my Lord sole Executor of all. I have all her Plate and household stuff in my custody, and unless I had gone as I did much had been embezeld. I have sent herewith the copy of a Letter the King writ to my Lord upon the ●…esignation of his place, which is fitting to be preserved for posterity amongst the Records of Bolton Castle. His Majesty expresseth ●…herin that he was never better served nor with more exactness of fidelity and Justice by any▪ therefore he int●…nds to set a special mark of his 〈◊〉 upon him, ●…hen his health will ●…erve him to co●… to Court, my Lord Carlet●…n delivered it me, and told me he never remembered that the King writ a more gracious Letter. I have lately bought in fee Farm Wanless Park of the King's Commissioners for my Lord, I got it for six hundred pound doubling the old rent, and the next day I was offered five hundred pound for the bargain, there were divers that put in for'●…, and my Lord of Anglesey thought himself sure of it, but I found means to frustrate them all. I also compounded with her Majesty's Commissioners for respite of homage for Rabbi Castle, there was 120 pound demanded, but I come off for 40 shillings. My Lord Wentworth is made Lord Deputy of Ireland, and carries a mighty stroke at Court, there have been some clashings 'twixt him and my Lord of Pe●…brock lately with others at Court, and divers in the North, and some as Sir David Fowler with others have been crushed.  
He pleased to give me the disposing of the next Attorneys place in York, and john Lister being lately dead, I went to make use of the favour, and was offered three hundred pound for it, but some got 'twixt me and home, so that I was forced to go away contented with one hundred pecces Mr. Ratcliff delivered me in his Chamber at Gray's Inn, and so to part with the legal instrument I had, which I did, rather than contest.  
The Duchess your Niece is well, I did what your La: commanded me at York House. So I rest  
Westminster, this first of july, 1629. Madame, Your Laps ready and faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXV. To D. C. Esqr. at his House in Essex.  
My D. D.  
I Thank you for your last Society in London, but I am sorry to have found jack T. in that pickle, and that he had so fa●… transgres●…'d the Fannian Law, which allows a chirping cup to satiat, not to sur●…t., to ●…irth, not to madness, and upon some extraordinary occasion of some rencounters, to give Nature a 〈◊〉 but not a knock as jack did, I am afraid he hath ta'en such a habit of it, that nothing but death will mend him, and I find that he is posting thither apace by this course. I have read of a King of Navarr (Charles le mauvais) who perished in strong waters, and of a Duke of Clarence that was drowned in a but of Malmsey, but jack T. I fear will die in a butt of Ca●…ary. Howsoever commend me unto him, and desire him to have a care of the main chance. So I rest  
York, 5 jul. 1629. Yours, J. H.   

XXVI. To Sir Thomas Lake Knight.  
SIR,  
I Have showed Sir Kenelm Digby both our translations of Marshal's, Vitam quae faci●…nt beatiorem, etc. and to tell you true he adjudged yours the better, so I shall pay the wager in the place appointed, and try whether I can recover myself at giocod' amore, which the Italian saith is a play to cozen the devil: If your pulse beats accordingly I will wait upon you on the River towards the evening, for a floundring fit to get some fish for our supper, so I rest  
3 july, 1629. Your true Servitor, I. H.   

XVII. To Mr. Ben. Johnson.  
FAther Ben, you desired me lately to procure you Dr. Davies Welsh Grammar to add to those many you have, I have lighted upon one at last, and I am glad I have it in so seasonable a time that it may serve for a New-year's gift, in which quality, I send it you; and because 'twas not you, but your Muse that desired it of me, ●…or your letter runs on feet, I thought it a good correspondence with you to accompagne it with what follows.  

Upon Dr. Davies British Grammar.  

'Twas a tough task believe it, thus to frame  
A wild and wealthy language, and to frame  
Grammatic toils to curb her, so that she  
Now speaks by rules, and sings by prosody;  
Such is the strength of Art rough things to shape ',  
And of rude Commons rich enclosures make.  
Doubtless much oil and labour went to couch  
Into methodic rules the rugged Dutch;  
The Rabbis pass my reach, but judge I can,  
Something of Clenard and Quintilian;  
And for those modern Dames I find they three 
Ital. Spanish. French.   
Are only lops cut from the Latian tree,  
And easy t●…as to square them into parts,  
The Tree itself so blossoming with Arts.  
I have been shown for Irish and Bascuence  
Imperfect rules couched in an Accidence:  
But I find none of these can take the start  
Of Davies, or that prove more men of art,  
Wh●… in exacter method, and short way,  
The Idioms of a language do display.   

This is the tongue, the Bards sung in of old,  
And Druids their dark knowledge did unfold,  
Merlin in this his prophecies did vent  
Which through the world of fame bear such extent:  
This spoke that son of Mars, that Britain bold  
Who first mongst Christian worthies is enrolled: 
Arthur.   
This Brennus, who, to his desire and glut,  
The Mistress of the world did prostitut.  
This Arviragus, and brave Catarac  
Sole free, when all the world was ●…n Rome's rack,  
This Lucius who on angel's wings did so●…r  
To Rome, and would wear diadem no more;  
And thousand Heroes more which should I tell  
This new-year scarce would serve me, so farewell▪    
Cal. Apr. 1629. Your son and servitor, J. H.   

XXVIII. To the right Honble the Earl of Bristol at Sherburn Castle.  
My Lord,  
I Attended my Lord Cottington before he went on his journey towards Spain and put him in mind of the old business against the Viceroy of Sardinia, to see whether any good can be done, and to learn whether the Conde or his son be Solvent; He is to land at 〈◊〉, one of the King's ships attends him, and some Merchant men take the advantage of this Convoy.  
The news that keeps greatest noise now is, that the Emperor hath made a favourable peace with the Dane, for Tilly had crossed the Elve, and entered deep into Holstein land, and in all probability might have carried all before him, yet that King had honourable terms given him, and a peace is concluded (though without the privity of England.) But I believe the King of Denmarc fared the better, because he is Granchild to Charles the Emperor's sister. Now it seems another spirit is like to fall upon the Emperor, for they write that Gustavus King of Sw●…thland is struck into Germany, and hath taken Meclenburgh; the ground of his quarrel as I hear is, that the Emperor would not acknowledge, much less give audience to his Ambassadors, he also gives out to come for the assistance of his Allies, the Dukes of Pomerland and Meclenburgh, nor do I hear that he speaks any thing yet of the Pr. Palsgraves' business.  
Don Carlos Coloma is expected here from Flanders about the sam●… time, that my Lord Cottington shall be arrived at the Court of Spain, God send us an Honourable peace, for as the Spaniard says, Nun●…avi tan mala paz que no fuesse mejor, que la mejor guerra.  
London, 20 May. 1629▪ Your Lordship's most humble and ready Servant, J. H.   

XXX. To my Cousin I. P. at Mr. Conradus.  
Cousin,  
A Letter of yours was lately delivered me, I made a shift to read the superscription, but within, I wondered what language it might be, in which 'twas written, at first I thought 'twas Hebrew, or some of her Dialects, and so went from the liver to the heart, from the right hand to the left to read it, but could ma●…e nothing of it; then I thought it might be the Chinese language, and went to read the words perpendicular, and the lines were so crooked and distorted, that no coherence could be made; Greek●… ●… perceived it was not, nor Latin or English; So I gave it for mere gibberish, and your characters to be rather Hieroglyphics than Letters. The best is, you keep your lines at a good distance, like those in Chancery-bills, who as a Clerk said, were made so wide of purpose, because the Clients should have room enough to walk between them without justling one another; yet this wideness had been excusable if your lines had been straight, but they were full of odd kind of Undulations and windings; If you can write no otherwise, one may read your thoughts as soon as your characters. It is some excuse for you, that you are but a young beginner, I pray let it appear in your next what a proficient you are, otherwise some blame may light on me that placed you there; Let me receive no more Gibberish or Hieroglyphics from you, but legible letters, that I may acquaint your friends accordingly of your good proceedings, So I rest  
Westminst. 20 Sept. 1629. Your very loving Cousin, J. H.   

XXXI. To the Lo. Viscount Wentworth Lo. Precedent of York.  
My Lord,  
MY last was of the first current, since which I received one from your Lordship, and your commands therein, which I shall ever entertain with a great deal of cheerfulness. The greatest news from abroad is, that the French King with his Cardinal are come again on this side the Hills, having done his business in Italy and Savoy, and reserved still Pignerol in his hands, which will serve him as a key to enter Italy at pleasure; Upon the highest Mountain amongst the Alps he left this ostentous inscription upon a great Marble pillar;  
A la memoire eternelle de Lovis treiziesme,  
Roy de France & de Navarre,  
Tres-Auguste, tres-victorieux, tres-heureux,  
Conquerant, tres-juste:  
Lequel apres avoir vaincu toutes les Nations  
de l'Europe,  
Il à encore triumphé les elements  
Du ciel & de la terre,  
Ayant passé deux fois ces-monts au mois  
de Mars avec son Armee  
Victorieuse pour remmettre les Princes  
d'Italie en leurs estates,  
Defendre & protegerses Alliez.  
To the eternal memory of Lewis the thirteenth King of France and Navarr, most gracious, most victorious, most happy, most just, a Conqueror; who having o'ercome all Nations of Europe, he hath also triumphed over the Elements of Heaven and Earth, having twice passed o'er these hills in the month of March with his victorious Army, to restore the Princes of Italy to their estates, and to defend and protect his Allies. So I take my leave for the present and rest,  
Westmin. 5 Aug. 1629. Your Lop▪ most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXXII. To Sir Keneime Digby Knight.  
SIR,  
GIve me leave to congratulat your happy return from the Levant, and the great honour you have acquired by your gallant comportment in Algiers in reescating so many English slaves; by bearing up so bravely against the Venetian Fleet in the bay of Scanderoon, and making the Pantaloni to know themselves and you better. I do not remember to have read or heard, that those huge Galleasses of Saint Mark were beaten afore. I give you the joy also, that you have born up against the Venetian Ambassador here, and vindicated yourself of those foul scandals he had cast upon you in your absence; Whereas you desire me to join with my Lord Cottington and others to make an Affidavit touching Bartholomew Spinola, whither he be, Vezino de Madrid, viz. free Denizen of Spain, I am ready to serve you herein, or to do any other office that may right you, and tend to the making of your prize good. Yet I am very sorry that our Aleppo Merchants suffered so much.  
I shall be shortly in London, and I will make the greater speed, because I may serve you. So I humbly kiss my noble Lady's hand, and rest  
Westmin, 25 Novemb. 1629. Your thrice-assured Servitor, J. H.   

XXXIII. To the Right Honble Sir Peter Wicths Ambr. at Constantple.  
SIR,  
MAster Simon Digby delivered me one from your Lordship of the first of june; and I was extremely glad to have it, for I had received nothing from your Lordship a twelvemonth before. Mr. Controller Sir Tho. edmond's is lately returned from France, having renewed the peace which was made up to his hands before by the Venetian Ambassadors, who had much laboured in it, and had concluded all things beyond the Alps when the King of France was at Susa to relieve Casal. The Monsieur that was to fetch him from Saint Denis to Paris, put a kind of jeering compliment upon him, viz. that his Excellency should not think it strange, that he had so few French Gentlemen to attend in this service to accompany him to the Court, in regard there were so many killed at the Isle of ●…hee. The Marquis of Chasteau neuf is here from France, and it was an odd speech also from him reflecting upon Mr. Controller, that the King of great Britain used to send for his Ambassadors from abroad to pluck Capons at home.  
Mr. Bu●…lemach is to go shortly to Paris to recover the other moiety of her Majesty's portion; whereof they say my Lord of Holland is to have a good share; The Lord Treasurer Weston is he who hath the greatest vogue now at Court, but many great ones have clashed with him: He is so potent, that I hear his eldest Son is to marry one of the blood Royal of Scotland, the Duke of Lenox Sister, and that with his Majesty's consent.  
Bishop La●…d of London is also powerful in his way, for he sits at the helm of the Church, and doth more than any of the two Arch bishops, or all the rest of his two and twenty brethren besides.  
In your next I should be glad your Lordship would do me the favour, as to write how the grand Signior is like to speed before Bagda●…, in this his Persian expedition.  
No more now but that, I always rest  
Westmin. 1 jan. 1629. Your Lordship's ready and most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXXIV. To my Father.  
SIR,  
SIr Tho. Wentworth hath been a good while Lord Precedent of York, and since is sworn Privy Counsellor, and made Baron and Viscount, the Duke of Buckingham himself flew not so high in so short a revolution of time; He was made Viscount with a great deal of high ceremony upon a Sunday in the afternoon at White-hall; My Lord Powis (who affects him not much) being told that the Heralds had fetched his Pedigree from the blood Royal, viz. from john of Gaunt, said, Dammy if ever he come to be King of England I will turn Rebel. When I went first to give him joy, he pleased to give me the disposing of the next Attorney's place that falls void in York, which is valued at three hundred pounds. I have no reason to leave my Lord of Sunderland, for I hope he will be noble unto me; the perquisits of my place, taking the Kings see away, ca●… far short of what he promised me at my first coming to him, in regard of his nonresidence at York, therefore I hope he will consider it some other way. This languishing sickness still hangs on him, and I fear will make an end of him; there's none can tell what to make of it, but he voided lately a strange Worm at Wickham; but I fear there's an imposthume growing in him, for he told me a passage, how many years ago my Lord Willoughby, and he, with so many of their servants (the gayete de c●…ur) played a match at football against such a number of Country men, where my Lord of Sunderland being busy about the ball, got a bruise in the breast, which put him in a swond for the present, but did not trouble him till three months after, when being at Bever Castle (his brothers-in-law house) a quaume took him on a sudden, which made him retire to his bedchamber, my Lord of Rutland following him, put a Pipe full of Tobacco in his mouth, and he being not accustomed to Tobacco, taking the smoke downwards, fell a casting and vomiting up divers little impostumated bladders of congealed blood, which saved his life then, and brought him to have a better conceit of Tobacco ever after; and I fear there is some of that clodded blood still in his body.  
Because Mr. Hawes of Che●…p-side is lately dead, I have removed my brother Griffith to the Hen and Chickens in Pater Noster Row, ●…o Mr. Tailors, as gentile a shop as any in the City, but I gave a piece of Plate of twenty Nobles price to his Wife. I wish the Yorkshire horse may be fit for your turn, he was accounted the best saddle Gelding about York, when I bought him of Captain Phillips the Mustar-master; and when he carried me first to London, there was twenty pounds offered for him by my Lady Carlisle. No more now but desiring a continuance of your blessing and prayers, I rest  
Lond. 3 Decem. 1630. Your dutiful Son, J. H.   

XXXV. To the Lord Cottington, Ambassador Extraordinary for his Majesty of great Britain in the Court of Spain.  
My Lord,  
I Received your Lordships lately by Harry Davies the Correo Santo, and I return my humble thanks, that you were pleased to be mindful (amongst so many high negotiations) of the old business touching the Viceroy of Sardinia, I have acquainted my Lord of Bristol accordingly. Our eyes here look very greedily after your Lordship, and the success of your Embassy, and we are glad to hear the business is brought to so good a pass, and that the capitulations are so honourable (the high effects of your wisdom.)  
For News: The Swedes do notable feat●… Germany, and we hope they cutting the Emperor and Bavarian so much work to do, and the good offices we are to expect from Spain upon this redintegration of Peace, will be an advantage to the Prince Palatin, and facilitat matters for restoring him to his Country.  
There is little news at our Court, but that there fell an ill-favoured quarrel 'twixt Sir Kenelm Digby, and Mr. Goring, Mr. Iermin, and others at St. james lately about Mrs Baker the Maid of honour, and Duels were like to grow of it, but that the business was taken up by the Lord Treasurer, my Lord of Dorset, and others appointed by the King. My Lord of Sunderland is still ill disposed; he willed me to remember his hearty service to your Lordship, and so did Sir Arthur Ingram, and my Lady, they all wish you a happy and honourable return, as doth  
Lond. 1 March, 1630. Your Lops' most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVI. To my Lo: Viscount Rocksavage.  
My Lord,  
Some say, the Italian loves no favour, but what's future; though I have conversed much with that Nation, yet I am nothing infected with their humour in this point: for I love favours passed as well, the remembrance of them joys my very heart, and makes it melt within me; when my thoughts reflect upon your Lordship. I have many of these fits of joy within me, by the pleasing speculation of so many most noble favours, and respects; which I shall daily study to improve and merit.  
My Lord, Your Lops' most humble and ready Servitor, J. H. Westmin. 22 Mar. 1630.   

XXXVII. To the Earl of Bristol.  
My Lord,  
I Doubt not but your ●…ordship hath had intelligence from time time what firm invasions the King of Swedes hath made into Germany, and by what degrees he hath mounted to this height, having but six thousand foot and five hundred horse, when he entered first to Meclenburg, and taken that Town while Commissioners stood treating on both sides in his tent; how thereby his Army much increased, and so rushed further into the heart of the Country, but passing near Magdenburg, being diffident of his own strength he suffered Tilly to take that great Town with so much effusion of blood, because they would receive no quarter; your Lordship hath also heard of the battle of Leipsick, where Tilly notwithstanding the Victory he had got o'er the Duke of Saxony a few days before, received an utter discomfiture, upon which victory the King sent Sir Thomas Roe a present of two thousand pounds and in his letter calls him his strenuum consultorem, he being one of the first who had advised him to this Germane war after he had made peace 'twixt him and the Polander. I presume also your Lordship heard how he met Tilly again near Auspurg, and made him go upon a wooden leg where of he died, and after sound plundered the Bavarian, and made him flee from his own house at Munchen, and rifled his very Closets.  
Now your Lordship shall understand, that the said King is at Mentz, & keeps a Court there like an Emperor, there being above twelve Ambassadors with him. The King of France sent a great Marquis for his Ambassador to put him in mind of his Articles, and to tell him that his Christian Majesty wondered he would cross the Rhine without his privity, and wondered more that he would invade the Church-lands, meaning the Archbishop of Mentz, who had put himself under the protection of France; The Swed answered, That he had not broke the least title of the Articles agreed on, and touching the said Archbishop, he had not stood Neutral as was promised, therefore he had justly set on his skirts. The Ambassador replied, in case of breach of Articles, his Master had eighty thousand men to pierce Germany when he pleased; The King answered that he had but twenty thousand, and those should be sooner at the walls of Paris, than his fourscore thousand should be on the frontiers of Germany. If this new Conqueror goes on with this violence, I believe it will cast the policy of all Christendom into another mould, and be get new maxims of State, for none can foretell where his monstrous progress will terminat; Sir Henry Vane is still in Germany, observing his motions, and they write that they do not agree well; as I heard the King should tell him that he spoke nothing but Spanish to him: Sir Robert Anstruther is also at Vienna, being gone thither from the Diet at Ratisbon.  
I hear the Infante Cardinal is designed to come Governor of the Netherlands, and passeth by way of Italy, and so through Germany: his brother Don Carlos is lately dead. So I humbly take my leave, and rest  
My Lord, Your Lops' most humble and ready Servitor, J. H. Westmin. 23 Apr. 1630.   

XXXVIII. To my noble Lady, the Lady Cor.  
Madam,  
YOu spoke to me for a Cook, who had seen the world abroad, and I think the bearer hereof will fit your Ladyship's ●…urn. He can marinat fish, make jellies, he is excellent for a pickant sauce, and the Haugou; besides Madam, he is passing good for an ollia; He will tell your Ladyship that the reverend Matron the olla podrida hath intellectuals and senses; Mutton, Beef, and Bacon, are to her, as the will, understanding, and Memory, are to the soul; Cabbage, Turnips, Artichokes, Potatoes and Dates, are her five senses, and Pepper the common sense; she must have Marrow to keep life in her, and some birds to make her light, by all means she must go adorned with chains of Sausages; He is also good at Larding of meat after the mode of France. Madame, you may make proof of him, and if your Ladyship find him too sawey, or wastfuli, you may return him whence you had him, So I rest  
Westmin. 2 jun. 1630. Madame, Your Laps most humble Servitor, J. H,   

XXXIX. To Mr. E. D.  
SIR,  
YOu write to me that T. B. intends to give money for such a place, if he doth, I fear it will be verified in him that a fool and his money is soon parted, for I know he willbe never able to execute it, I heard of a la●…e secretary of State that could not read the next morning his own hand writing, and I have read of Caligulas' horse that was made Consul, therefore I pray tell him from me, (for I wish him well) that if he thinks he is fit for that Office, he looks upon himself through a falls glass, a trotting horse is fit for a coach, but not for a Lady's saddle, and an ambler is proper for a Lady's saddle, but not for a coach. If Tom undertakes this place, he willbe as an ambler in a coach, or a trotter under a Lady's saddle, when I come to town, I will put him upon a far fitter and more feasable business for him, and so commend me to him, for I am his and  
Westmin. 5 june, 1630. Your true friend, J. H.   

XL. To my Father.  
SIR,  
There are two Ambassadors extraordinary to go abroad shortly, the Earl of Leycester, and the Lord M'eston, this latter goes to France, Savoy, Venice, and so returns by Florence a pleasant journey, for he carrieth presents with him from King and Queen: The Earl of Leycester is to go to the King of Denmark, and other Princes of Germany. The main of the Embassy is to condole the late death of the Lady Sophia Queen Dowager of Denmark our King's Grandmother: She was the Duke of Meclenburgs daughter, and her husband Christian the third dying young, her portion which was forty thousand pound was restored fire, and living a Widow forty four years after, she grew to be so great a huswife setting three or four hundred people at work, that she died worth near two millions of dollars, so that she was reputed the richest Queen of Christendom: By the constitutions of Denmark this estate is divisible amongst her children whereof she had five, the King of Denmark, the Duchess of Saxony, the Duchess of Brimswick, Queen Ann, and the Duchess of Holftein, the King being Male is to have two shares, our King and the Lady Elizabeth is to have that which should have belonged to Queen Anne, so he is to return by the Hague: It pleased my Lord of Leycester to send for me to Baynard's Castle, and proffer me to go Secretary in this Ambassage, assuring me that the journey shall tend to my profit and credit; So I have accepted of it, for I hea●… very nobly of my Lord, so that I hope to make a boon voyage of it. I desire as hitherto your prayers and blessing may accompany me, so with my love to my Brothers, and Sisters, I rest,  
London, 5 May, 1632. Your dutiful son, I. H.   

XLI. To Mr. Alderman Moulson Governor of the Merchant adventurers.  
SIR,  
THe Earl of Leicester, is to go shortly Ambassador extraordinary to the King of Denmark and he is to pass by Hamburgh; I understand by Mr. Skinner that the Staple hath some grievances to be redressed. If this Ambassage may be an advantage to the Company I will solicit my Lord that he may do you all the favour that may stand with his honour, so I shall expect your instructions accordingly, and rest,  
Westmin. 1 june, 1632. Yours ready to serve you J. H.   

XLII. To Mr. Alderman Clethero, Governor of the Eastland Company.  
SIR,  
I Am informed of some complaints that your Company hath against the King of Denmark's Officers in the Sound. The Earl of Leicester is nominated by his Majesty to go Ambassador extraordinary to that King and other Princes of Germany; If this Embassy may be advantageous unto you, you may send me your directions, and I will attend my Lord accordingly, to do you any favour, that may stand with his honour, and conduce to your benefit, and redress of grievances, so I take my leave and rest,  
Westmin. 1 of june, 1632. Yours ready to do you service, J. H.   

XLIII. To the Right Honble the Earl of Leicester at Pettworth.  
Mr Lord,  
SIR john Pennington is appointed to carry your Lordship and your company to Germany, and he intends to take you up at Marget's. I have been with Mr Bourlamach, and received a bill of exchange from him for ten thousand dollars payable in Hamburgh. I have also received two thousand pounds of Sir Paul Pinder for your Lordship's use, and he did me the favour to pay it me all in old gold, your allowance hath begun since the twenty five of july last at eight pound per diem, and is to continue so till your Lordship return to his Majesty. I understand by some Merchants to day upon the Exchange that the King of Denmark is at Luckstadt, and stays there all this summer, if it be so, 'twill save half the voyage of going to Copenhagen, for in lieu of the Sound we need go no further than the River of Elve, so I rest,  
Westmin. 13 Aug. 1632. Your Lopps most humble and faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XLIIII. To the Right Honble the Lord Mohun.  
My Lord,  
THough any command from your Lordship be welcome to me at all times, yet that, which you lately enjoined me in yours of the twelfth of August, that I should inform your Lordship of what I know touching the Inquisition, is now a little unseasonable, because I have much to do to prepare myself for this employment to Germany, therefore I cannot satisfy you in that fullness as I could do otherwise. The very name of the Inquisition is terrible all Christendom over, and the King of Spaint himself, with the chiefest of his Grandes tremble at it. It was sounded first by the Catholic King Ferdinand (our Henry the eighths' Father-in-law) for he having got Granada, and subdued all the Moors, who had had firm sooting in that Kingdom about 700. years, yet he suffered them to live peaceably a while in point of conscience; but afterwards he sent a solemn Mandamus to the Jacobin Friars to endeavour the conversion of them by preaching, and all other means; They finding that their pains did little good, (and that those whom they had converted turned Apostats) obtained power to make a research, which afterwards was called Inquisition, and it was ratified by Pope S●…xtus, that if they would not conform themselves by fai●…e m●…anes, they should be forced to it. The Jacobins being sound too severe herein, and for other abuses besides, this Inquisition was taken from them, and put into the hands of the most sufficient ecclesiastics. So a Counsel was established, and Officers appointed accordingly: Whosoever was found pendulous and branling in his Religion was brought by a Sergeant called Familiar, before the said Counsel of Inquisition, His accuser or delator stands behind a piece of Tapestry, to see whether he be the party, and if he be, than they put divers subtle and entrapping interrogatories unto him, and whether he confess any thing or no, he is sent to prison. When the said Familiar goes to any house, though it be in the dead of night (and that's the time commonly they use to come, or in the dawn of the day) all doors and trunks and chests fly open to him, and the first thing he doth he seizeth the party's breeches, searcheth his pockets, and take his keys, and so rummageth all his closerts and trunks: and a public Notary whom he carrieth with him, takes an Inventory of every thing, which is sequestered and despositated in the hands of some of his next neighbours; The party being hurried away in a close Coach, and clap●… in prison, he is there eight days before he makes his appearance, and then they present unto him the Cross, and the Missal book to swear upon; if he refuseth to swear, he convinceth himself, and though he swear, yet he is remanded to prison: This Oath commonly is presented before any accusation be produced; His Gaoler is strictly commanded to pry into his actions, his deportment, words, and countenance, and to ser spies upon him, and whosoever of his fellow prisoners, or others can produce any thing against him, he hath a reward for it: At last after divers appearances, examinations, and scrutinies, the Information against him is read, but the witnesses names are concealed, then is he appointed a Proctor and an Advocate, but he must not confer or advise with them privately, but in the face of the Court; The King's Attorney is a party in't, and the accusers commonly the solé witnesses. Being to name his own Lawyers oftentimes others are discovered and fall into trouble: while he is thus in prison, he is so abhorred, and abandoned of all the world, that none will, atleast none dare visit him. Though one clear himself, yet he cannot be freed, till an Act of ●…aith pass; which is done seldom, but very solemnly; There are few who having fallen into the gripes of the Inquisition do scape the rack; or the Sambenito which is a straight yellow coat without sleeves, having the portrait of the Devil painted up and down in black, and upon their heads they carry a Mi●…er of paper, with a man frying in the flames of hell upon't, they gag their mouths, and tie a great cord about their necks: The judges meet in some uncouth dark dungeon, and the Executioner stands by, clad in a close dark garment, his head and face covered with a Chaperon, out of which there are but two holes to look through, and a huge Link burning in his hand: When the Ecclesiastic Inquisitors have pronounced the Anathema against him, they transmit him to the secular judges to receive the sentence of death, for Churchmen must not have their hands imbrued in blood, the King can mitigat any punishment under death, nor i●… a Nobleman subject to the rack.  
I pray be pleased to pardon this rambling imperfect relation, and take in good part my Conformity to your Commands, for I am  
Westmin. 30 Aug. 1632. Your Lops' most ready and faithful Servitor, J. H.    

Familiar Letters.  
SECTION VI.  

I. To P. W. Esq at the Signet Office, from the English House in Hamburgh.  
WE are safely come to Germany, Sir john Penington took us aboard in one of His Majesty's Ships at Marget's; and the Wind stood so fair, that we were at the mouth of the Elve upon Monday following. It pleased my Lord I should Land first with two Footmen, to make haste to Glukstad, to learn where the King of Denmark was, and he was at Rensburgh, some two day's journey off, at a Richsdagh an Assembly that corresponds our Parliament: My Lord the next day Landed at Glukstad, where I had provided an accommodation for him, though he intended to have gone for Hamburgh, but I was bold to tell him, that in regard there were some ombrages, and not only so, but open and actual differences 'twixt the King and that Town, it might be ill taken, if he went thither first, before he had attended the King. So I left my Lord at Glukstad, and being come hither to take up 8000 rich Dollars upon Mr. Burlamac●… Bills, and fercht Mr. Avery our Agent here; I return to morrow to attend 〈◊〉 Lord again. I find that matters are much off the Hinges 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King of Denmark, and this Town.  
The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sweden is advancing apace to find out Wallestein, and Wallestein 〈◊〉 and in all appearance they will be shortly engaged.  
No more now, for I am interpelled by many businesses; when you write, deliver your Letters to Mr. Railton, who will see them safely conveyed, for a little before my departure, I brought him acquainted with my Lord▪ that he might negotiate some things at Court. So with my service and love to all at Westminster, I rest  
Hamburgh, Octo. 23. 1632. Your faithful servitor, J. H.   

II. To my Lord Viscount S. from Hamburgh.  
My Lord,  
SInce I was last in Town, my Lord of Leicester hath attended the King of Denmark at Rensburg in Holsteinland; he was brought thither from Glukstad in indifferent good equipage, both for Coaches and Wagons; but he stayed some days at Rensburg for Audience; we made a comely, gallant show in that kind, when we went to Court, for we were near upon a hundred all of one piece in mourning: It pleased my Lord, to make me the Orator, and so I made a long Latin Speech, alta voce, to the King in Latin, of the occasion of this Embassy, and tending to the praise of the deceased Queen; and I had better luck than Secretary Nanton had, some thirty years since, with Roger Earl of Rutland; for at the beginning of his Speech, when he had pronounced Serenissime Rex, he was dashed out of countenance, and so graveled, that he could go no further: I made another to Christian the fifth, his eldest Son, King elect of Denmark; for though that Crown be purely electif, yet for these three last Kings, they wrought so with the people, that they got their eldest Sons chosen, and declared before their death, and to assume the Title of Kings elect▪ At the same Audience, I made another Speech to Prince Frederic, Archbishop of B●…eme, the King's third Son, and he hath but one more (besides his natural Issue) which is Prince Ulri●…, now in the Wars with the Duke of Sax; and they say there is an alliance contracted already, 'twixt Christian the fifth, and the Duke of Sax his Daughter. This ceremony being performed, my Lord desired ●…o find his own diet, and then he fell to divers businesses, which is ●…ot fitting for me to forestall, or impart unto your Lordship now; 〈◊〉 we stayed there near upon a month: The King feasted my Lord once, and it lasted from eleven of the clock, till towards the Evening, during which time, the King began thirty five healths; the first to the Emperor, the second to his Nephew of England, and so went over all the Kings and Queens of Christendom, but he never remembered the Prince Palsgraves' health, or his Neece's all the while: The King was taken away at last in his Chair, but my Lord of Leicester bore up stoutly all the while, so that when there came two of the King's Guard to take him by the Arms, as he was going down the stairs, my Lord shook them off and went alone.  
The next morning I went to Court for some dispatches, but the King was gone a hunting at break of day; but going to some other of his Officers, their servants told me, without any appearance of shame, That their Masters were drunk over night, and so it would be late before they would rise.  
A few days after we went to Gothorp Castle in S●…eswickland, to the Duke of Holsteins' Court, where at my Lords first audience, I made another Latin Speech to the Duke, touching his Gran-mothers' death; our entertainment there was brave (though a little fulsome) my Lord was lodged in the Duke's Castle, and parted with Presents, which is more than the King of Denmark did; thence we went to Husem in Ditzmarsh, to the Duchess of Holsteins' Court (our Queen Ann's youngest Sister) where we had also very full entertainment, I made a speech to her also, about her Mother's death, and when I named the Lady Sophia▪ the tears came down her cheeks. Thence we came back to Rhensburg, and so to this Town of Hamburgh, where my Lord intends to repose some days after an abrupt, odd journey we had through Holsteinland, but I believe it will not be long, in regard Sir john Pennington stays for him upon the River. We expect Sir Robert Anstruther to come from Vi●… hither, to take the advantage of the Kings Ship.  
We understand that the Imperial and Swedish Army have made near approaches one to the other, and that some skirmishes and blows have been already 'twixt them; which are the forerunners of a battle. So my good Lord I rest  
Hamburgh, 9 Octo. 1632. Your most humble and faithful S●…vitor, J. H.   

III. To the Right Honble the Earl R. from Hamburgh.  
My Lord,  
THough your Lordship must needs think, that in the employment I am in (which requires a whole man) my spirits must be distracted by multiplicity of businesses; yet because I would not recede from my old method, and first principles of travel, when I came to any great City, to couch in writing what's most observable, I sequestered myself from other Affairs, to send your Lordship what followeth touching this great Hans-Town.  
The Hans or Hansiatic l●…gue is very ancient, some would derive the word from hand, because they of the society plight their faith by that action: Others derive it from Hansa, which in the Gothic tongue is Counsel: Others would have it come from Han der see, which signifies near or upon the Sea, and this passeth for the best Etymology, because their Towns are all seated so, or upon some navigable River near the sea. The extent of the old Hans was from the Nerve in Livonia to the Rhin, and contained 62 great Mercantil Towns, which were divided to four Precincts: The chiefest of the first Pr●…cinct was Lub●…ck, where the Archiss of their ancient Records, and their prime Chancery is still, and this Town is within that Verge: Cullen is chief of the second Precinct: Erurswic of the third: and Danzic of the fourth. The Kings of Peland and Sweden have sued to be their Protector, but they refused them, because they were not Princes of the Empire; they put off also the King of Denmark with a Compliment, nor would they admit the King of Spain when he was most potent in the Netherlands, though afterwards when 'twas too late, they desired the help of the Ragged Staff; nor of the Duke of Anjou, notwithstanding that, the world thought he should have married our Queen, who interceded for him, and so 'twas probable, that thereby they might recover their privileges in England; so that I do not find they ever had any Protector, but the great Master of Prussia; and their want of a Protector did do them some prejudice in that famous difference they had with our Queen.  
The old Hans had extraordinary immunities given them by our Henry the third, because they assisted him in his wars with so many ships, and as they pretend, the King was not only to pay them for the service of the said Ships, but for the Vessels themselves if they miscarried: Now it happened, that at their return to Germany, from serving Henry the third, there was a great Fleet of them cast away; for which, according to Covenant, they demanded reparation; Our King in lieu of money, amongst other Acts of Grace, gave them a privilege to pay but one per cent, which continued until Queen Mories reign; and she by advice of King Philip her husband, as 'twas conceived, enhanced the one to twenty per cent. The Hans not only complained, but clamoured loudly for breach of their ancient Privileges confirmed unto them, time out of mind, by thirteen successive Kings of England, which they pretended to have purchased with their money. King Philip undertook to accommode the business, but Queen Mary dying a little after, and he retiring, there could be nothing done▪ Complaint being made to Queen Elizabeth, she answered, That as she would not innovat any thing, so she would maintain them still in the same condition she found them: hereupon their Navigation and Trafic ceased a while: Wherefore the English tried what they could do themselves, and they thrive so well, that they took the whole trade into their own hands, and so divided themselves (though they be now but one) to Staplers, and Merchant Adventurers, the one residing constant in one place, where they kept their Magazine of Wool, the other stirring and adventuring to divers places abroad with Cloth, and other Manufactures; which made the Hans endeavour to draw upon them all the malignancy they could from all Nations: Moreover the Hans Towns being a body politic incorporated in the Empire, complained hereof to the Emperor, who sent over persons of great quality to mediate an accommodation, but they could effect nothing. Then the Queen caused a Proclamation to be punished, that the Easterlings or Merchants of the Hans, should be entreated and used as all other strangers were within her Dominions, without any mark of difference, in point of commerce. This nettled them more, thereupon they bent their Forces more eagerly, and in a Diet at Ratisbon, they procured, that the English Merchants who had associated themselves into Fraternities in Embd●…n, and other places, should be declared Monopolists; and so there was a comitial Edict publishd against them, that they should be exterminated, and banished out of all parts of the Empire, and this was done by the activity of one Suderman a great Civilian; There was there for the Queen Gilpin, as nimble a man as Suderman, and he had the Chancellor of Embden to second and countenance him, but they could not stop the said Edict wherein the Society of English Merchants Adventurers was pronounced to be a Monopoly; yet Gilpin played his game so well, that he wrought under hand, that the said Imperial Ban should not be published till after the dissolution of the Diet, and that in the interim, the Emperor should send Ambassadors to England, to advertise the Queen of such a Ban against her Merchants: But this wrought so little impression upon the Queen, that the said Ban grew rather ridiculous than formidable, for the Town of Embden harboured our Merchants notwithstanding, and afterwards Stood, but they not being able to protect them so well from the Imperial Ban, they settled in this Town of Hamburgh: After this, the Queen commanded another Proclamation to be divulged, that the Easterlings or Hansiatic Merchants should be allowed to Trade in England upon the same conditions, and payment of duties, as her own Subjects; provided, Tha●… the English Merchants might have interchangeable privilege, to reside and trade peaceably in Stood or Hamburgh, or any where else, within the precincts of the Hans: This incensed them more, thereupon they resolved to cut off Stood and Hamburgh from being members of the Hans, or of the Empire; but they suspended this dessein, till they saw what success the great Spanish Fleet should have, which was then preparing in the year eighty eight, for they had not long before had recours to the King of Spain▪ and made him their own, and he had done them some material good Offices; wherefore to this day the Spanish Counsel is taxed of improvidence, and imprudence, that there was no use made of the Hans Towns in that expedition.  
The Queen finding that they of the Hans would not be contented with that equality she had offered 'twixt them and her own Subjects, put out a Proclamation, that they should carry neither Corn, Victuals, Arms, Timber, Masts, Cables, Minerals, nor any other materials or Men to Spain or Portugal. And after the Queen growing more redoubtable and famous, by the overthrow of the Fleet of Eighty eight, the Osterlings fell to despair of doing any good: Add hereunto another disaster that befell them, the taking of sixty sails of their Ships about the mouth of Tagus in Portugal, by the Queen's Ships that were laden with Ropas de contrabando, viz. Goods prohibited by her former Proclamation into the dominions of Spain: And as these Ships were upon point of being discharged, she had intelligence of a great Assembly at Lub●…ck, which had met of purpose to consul of means to be revenged of her; thereupon she stayed and seized upon the said sixty Ships, only two were freed to bring news what became of the rest. Hereupon the Pole sent an Ambassador to her, who spoke in a high tone, but he was answered in a higher.  
Ever since our Merchants have beaten a peaceful and free uninterrupted Trade into this Town, and elsewhere within and without the Sound, with their Manufactures of Wool, and found the way also to the White-Sea to Archangel and Moscow: Insomuch, that the premises being well considered, it was a happy thing for England, that that clashing fell out 'twixt her and the Hans, for it may be said to have been the chief ground of that Shipping and Merchandising, which she is now come to, and wherewith she hath flourished ever since: But one thing is observable, that as that Imperial or Comitial Bat, pronounced in the Diet at Ratisbon against our Merchants and Manufactures of Wool, incited them more to industry: So our Proclamation upon Alderman Cockeins project of transporting no white clothes but Died, and in their full manufacture, did cause both Dutch and Germane to turn necessity to a virtue, and made them far more ingenious to find ways, not only to Die, but to make Cloth, which hath much impaired our Markers ever since; for there hath not been the third part of our Cloth sold since, either here or in Holland.  
My Lord, I pray be pleased to dispense with the prolixity of this Discourse, for I could not wind it up closer, nor on a lesser bottom; I shall be careful to bring with me those Furs I had instructions for: So I rest  
Hamburgh, 20 Octob. 1632. Your Lordship's most humble Servitor, J. H.   

IV. To Cap. J. Smith at the Hague.  
Captain,  
HAving so wishful an opportunity as this Noble Gentleman, Mr. james Crofts who comes with a Packet for the Lady Elizabeth from my Lord of Leicester, I could not but send you this friendly salute. We are like to make a speedier return than we expected from this Embassy; for we found the King of Denmark in He●…stein, which shortened our voyage from going to the Sound: The King was in an advantageous posture to give audience, for there was a Parliament then at Rhensburg, where all the Younkers met. Amongst other things, I put myself to mark the carriage of the Holstein Gentlemen, as they were going in and out at the Parliament House; and observing well their Physiognomies, their Complexions, and Gate, I thought verily I was in England, for they resemble the English more, than either Welsh or Scot, (though cohabiting upon the same Island) or any other people, that ever I saw yet; which makes me verily believe, that the English Nation came first from this lower circuit of Saxony; and there is one thing that strengtheneth me in this belief, that there is an ancient Town hard by, called Lunden, and an Island called Angles; whence it may well be that our Country came from Britannia to be Anglia.  
This Town of Hamburgh from a Society of Brewers, is come to be a huge wealthy place, and her new Town is almost as big as the old; There is a shrewd jar 'twixt her and her Protector, the King of Denmark.  
My Lord of Leicester hath done some good Offices to accommode matters: She chomps extremely, that there should be such a Bit put lately in her mouth, as the Fort at Luckstadit, which commands her River of Elve, and makes her pay what Toll he please.  
The King begins to fill his Chests apace, which were so emptied in his late marches to Germany: He hath set a new Toll upon all Ships that pass to this Town; and in the Sound also there be some extraordinary duties imposed, whereat all Nations begin to murmur, specially the Hollanders, who say, that the old Primitive Toll of the Sound was but a Rose-noble for every Ship, but by a new Sophistry, it is now interpreted for every Sail that should pass thorough, insomuch, that the Hollander though he be a Low-country man, begins to speak high-Dutch in this point, a rough language you know; which made the Italian tell a Germane Gentleman once, That when God Almighty thrust Adam out of Paradise, he spoke Dutch; but the Germane retorted wittily, Then Sir, if God spoke Dutch when Adam was ejected, Eve spoke Italian when Adam was seduced.  
I could be larger, but for a sudden auvocation to business; so I most affectionately send my kind respects unto you, desiring, when I am rendered to London, I may hear from you: So I am  
Hamburg 22 Octob. 1632. Your faithful Friend to serve you, J. H.   

V. To the Right Honble the Earl of Br.  
My Lord,  
I Am newly returned from Germany, whence there came lately two Ambassadors extraordinary in one of the Ships Royal, the Earl of Leicester, and Sir Robert Anstruther; the latter came from Vienna, and I know little of his negotiations; but for my Lord of Leicester, I believe there was never so much business dispatched in so short a compass of time, by any Ambassador, as your Lordship, who is best able to judge, will find by this short relation: When my Lord was come to the King of Denmark's Court, which was then at Rhensberg, a good way within Holstein: The first thing he did, was to condole the late Queen Dowagers death (our King's Grandmother) which was done in such an equipage, that the Danes confessed, there was never Queen of Denmark so mourned for: This ceremony being passed, my Lord fell to business; and the first thing which he propounded, was, That for preventing of further effusion of Christian blood in Germany, and for the facilitating a way to restore peace to all Christendom, His Majesty of Denmark would join with his Nephew of great Britain, to send a solemn Embassy to the Emperor, and the King of Sweden, (the ends of whose proceedings were doubtful) to mediate an accommodation, and to appear for him, who will be found most conformable to reason. To this, that King answered in writing (for that was the way of proceeding) that the Emperor and the Swede were come to that height, and heat of war, and to such a violence, that it is no time yet to speak to them of peace; but when the fury is a little passed, and the times more proper, he would take it for an Honour to join with his Nephew, and contribut the best means he could to bring about so good a Work.  
Then there was computation made, what was due to the King of great Britain, and the Lady Elizabeth, out of their Gran-mothers' Estate,: which was valued at near upon two Millions of Dollars, and your Lordship must think it was a hard task to liquidat such an account: This being done, my Lord desired that part which was due to his Majesty (our King) and the Lady his Sister, which appeared to amount unto eightscore thousand pounds sterling: That King answered, That he confessed there was so much money due, but his Mother's Estate was yet in the hands of Commissioners; and neither he, nor any of his Sisters, had received their portions yet, and that his Nephew of England, and his near of Holland, should receive theirs with the first; but he did intimat besides, that there were some considerable accounts 'twixt him and the Crown of England, for ready moneys he had lent his Brother King james, and for the thirty thousand pounds a month, that was by Covenant promised him for the support of his late Army in Germany. Then my Lord propounded, That His Majesty of Great Britain's Subjects were not well used by his Officers in the Sound: for though that was but a Transitory passage into the Baltic Sea, and that they neither bought nor sold any thing upon the place, yet they were forced to stay there many days to take up money at high interest, to pay divers Tolls for their Merchandise, before they had exposed them to vent: Therefore it was desired, that for the future, what English Merchant soever should pass through the Sound, it should be sufficient for him to Register an invoice of his Cargazon in the Customhouse Book, and give his Bond to pay all duties at his return, when he had made his Market. To this my Lord had a fair answer, and so procured a public Instrument under that King's Hand and Seal, and signed by his Counsellors, which he had brought over, wherein the Proposition was granted; which no Ambassador could obtain before. Then 'twas alleged, that the English Merchant Adventurers who trade into Hamburgh▪ have a new Toll lately imposed upon them at Luckstad, which was desired to be taken of●…. To this also, there was the like Instrument given, that the said Toll should be levied no more, Lastly, my Lord (in regard he was to pa's by the Hague) desired that Hereditary part which belonged to the Lady Elizabeth out of her Gran-mothers' Estate, because His Majesty knew well what Crosses and Afflictions she had passed, and what a numerous Issue she had to maintain; And my Lord of Leicester would engage his Honour, and all the Estate he hath in the World, That this should no way prejudice the accounts he is to make with his Majesty of Great Britain. The King of Denmark highly extolled the Nobleness of this motion; but he protested, that he had been so drained in the late Wars, that his Chests are yet very empty. Hereupon my Lord was feasted, and so departed.  
He went then to the Duke of Holstein to Sleswick, where he found him at his Castle of Gothorp, and truly I did not think to have found such a magnificent building in these bleak parts; Th●…e also my Lord did condole the death of the late Queen that Duke's Grandmother, and he received very Princely entertainment.  
Then he went to Husem, where the like ceremony of Condolement was performed at the Duchess of Holsteins' Court, His Majesties (our Kings) Ant.  
Then he came back to Hamburgh, where that instrument which my Lord had procured, for remitting of the new Toll at Gluckslad, was delivered the Company of our Merchant Adventurers; and some other good offices done for that Town, as matters stood 'twixt them and the King of Denmark.  
Then we came to Stood, where Lesly was Governor, who carried his foot in a scarf for a wound he had received at Bucks●…obo, and he kept that place for the King of Sweden: And some business of consequence was done there also.  
So we came to Broomsbottle, where we stayed for a Wind some days; and in the midway of our voyage, we met with a Holland ship, who told us, the King of Sweden was slain; and so we returned to London in less than three months: And if this was not business enough for such a compass of time, I leave your Lordship to judge.  
So craving your Lordship's pardon for this lame account, I rest,  
Lond. 1 Octo. 1632. Your Lordship's most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

VI To my Brother Dr. Howell, at his House in Horsley.  
My good Brother,  
I Am safely returned from Germany, thanks be to God, and the news which we heard at Sea by a Dutch Skipper, about the midst of our voyage from Hamburgh, it seems proves too true, which was of the fall of the King of Sweden. One jerbire, who says that he was in the very action, brought the first news to this Town, and every corner rings of it; yet such is the extravagancy of some, that they will lay wagers he is not yet dead, and the Exchange is full of such people. He was slain at Lutzen field battle, having made the Imperial Army give ground the day before; and being in pursuance of it, the next morning in a sudden Fog that fell, the Cavelry on both sides being engaged, he was killed in the midst of the Troops, and none knows who killed him, whether one of his own men or the enemy; but finding himself mortally hurt, he told Saxen Weimar, Cousin, I pray look to the Troops, for I think I have enough: His body was not only rescued, but his forces had the better of the day; Papenheim being killed before him, whom he esteemed the greatest Captain of all his enemies; for he was used to say, that he had three men to deal withal, a Pultron, a jesuit, and a Soldier; by the two first, he meant Walstein, and the Duke of Bavaria, by the last Papenheim.  
Questionless this Gustavus (whose anagram is Augustus) was a great Captain, and a gallant man, and had he survived that last victory, he would have put the Emperor to such a plunge, that some think he would hardly have been able to have made head against him to any purpose again. Yet his own Allies confess, that none knew the bottom of his designs.  
He was not much affected to the English, witness the ill usage Marquis Hamilton had with his 6000 men, whereof there returned not 600, the rest died of hunger and sickness, having never seen the face of an enemy; Witness also, his harshness to our Ambassadors, and the rigid terms he would have tied the Prince Palsgrave unto. So with my affectionate respects to Mr. Mouschamp, and kind commend●… to Mr. Bridger, I rest  
Westmin. 5 Decem. 1632. Your loving Brother, J. H.   

VII. To the R. R. Dr. Field, Lord Bishop of St. David's.  
My Lord,  
YOur late Letter affected me with two contrary passions, with gladness, and sorrow; the beginning of it dilated my spirits with apprehensions of joy, that you are so well recovered of your late sickness, which I heartily congratulat; but the conclusion of your Lordship's Letter, contracted my spirits, and plunged them in a deep sense of just sorrow, while you please to write me news of my dear Father's death. Permulsit initium, percussit finis. Truly my Lord, it is the heaviest news that ever was sent me; but when I recollect myself, and consider the fairness and maturity of his Age, and that it was rather a gentle dissolution than a death: When I contemplate that infinite advantage he hath got by this change and transmigration, it much lightens the weight of my grief; for if ever human soul entered heaven, surely his is there; such was his constant piety to God, his rare indulgence to his children, his charity to his neighbours, and his candour in reconciling disterences; such was the gentleness of his disposition, his unwearied course in actions of virtue, that I wish my soul no other felicity, when she hath shaken off these Rags of Flesh, than to ascend to his, and coinjoy the same bliss.  
Excuse me my Lord, that I take my leave at this time so abruptly of you; when this sorrow is a little digested, you shall hear further from me, for I am  
West. 1 of May. 1632. Your Lordship's most true and humble Servitor, J. H.   

VIII. To the Earl of Leicester at Penshurst●…  
My Lord,  
I Have delivered Mr. Secretary Coke an account of the whole legation, as your Lordship inordred me, which contained near upon twenty sheets; I attended him also with the Note of your extraordinaries, wherein I find him something difficult and dilatory yet. The Governor of the Eastland Company, Mr. Alderman Clethero, will attend your Lordship at your return to Court, to acknowledge your favour unto them. I have delivered him a Copy of the transactions of things that concerned their Company at Rhensberg.  
The news we heard at Sea of the King of sweden death is confirmed more and more, and by the computation I have been a little curious to make, I find that he was killed the same day your Lordship set out of Hamburgh. But there is other news come since, of the death of the Prince Palatin, who as they write, being returned from visiting the Duke De deux Ponts to Mentz, was struck there with the Contagion; yet by special ways of cure, the malignity was expelld, and great hopes of recovery, when the news came of the death of the King of Sweden, which made such impressions in him, that he died few days after, having overcome all difficulties by concluding with the Swede, and the Governor of Frankindall, and being ready to enter into a repossession of his Country: A sad destiny.  
The Swedes bear up still, being fomented and supported by the French, who will not suffer them to leave Germany yet. A Gentleman that came lately from Italy, told me, that there is no great joy in Rome, for the death of the King of Sweden: The Spaniards up and down, will not stick to call this Pope Lutherano, and that he had intelligence with the Swede. 'tis true, that he hath not been so forward to assist the Emperor in this quarrel, and that in open Consistory, when there was such a contrasto 'twixt the Cardinals for a supply from Saint Peter, he declared, That he was well satisfied that this war in Germany was no war of Religion; which made him dismiss the Imperial Ambassadors with this short answer, That the Emperor had drawn these mischiefs upon himself; for at that time when he saw the Swedes upon the Frontiers of Germany, if he had employed those men and moneys, which he consumed to trouble the peace of Italy, in making war against the Duke of Mantova against them, he had not had now so potent an enemy. So I take my leave for this time, being  
Westm. 3 june. 1632. Your Lordship's most humble, and obedient Servitor, J. H.   

IX. To Mr. E. D.  
SIR,  
I Thank you a thousand times for the Noble entertainment you gave me at Berry, and the pains you took in showing me the Antiquities of that place. In requital, I can tell you of a strange thing I saw lately here, and I believe 'tis true; As I passed by St. Dunstan's in Fleet street the last Saturday, I stepped into a Lapidary or Stone-cutters shop, to treat with the Master for a stone to be put upon my Father's Tomb: and casting my eyes up and down, I might spy a huge Marble with a large Inscription upon't, which was thus to my best remembrance:  Here lies John Oxenham, a goodly young man, in whose Chamber, as he was struggling with the pangs of death, a Bird with a white breast was seen fluttering about his Bed, and so vanished. Here lies also Mary Oxenham, the sister of the said John who died the next day, and the same Apparition was seen in the Room. 
Then another Sister is spoke of.  Then, Here lies hard by James Oxenham, the son of the said John, who died a child in his Cradle a little after, and such a Bird was seen fluttering about his head, a little before he expired, which vanished afterwards.▪ 
At the bottom of the Stone there is,  Here lies Elizabeth Oxenham, the Mother of the said John, who died sixteen years since, when such a Bird with a white breast was seen about hex Bed before her death. 
To all these ther be divers Witnesses, both Squires and Ladies, whose names are engraven upon the Stone: This Stone is to be sent to a Town hard by Exeter where this happened.  
Were you here, I could raise a choice Discourse with you hereupon. So hoping to see you the next Term, to requite some of your favours, I rest  
Westmin. 3 july. 1632. Your true friend to serve you▪ J. H.   

X. To W. B. Esq.  
SIR,  
THe upbraiding of a courtesy is as bad in the Giver, as ingratitude in the Receiver (though which you think I am loath to believe) be faulty in the first, I shall never offend in the second, while  
Westmin. 24. Octob. 1632. J. Howell.   

XI. To Sir Arthur Ingram at York.  
SIR,  
OUr greatest news here now, is, that we have a new Attorney General, which is news indeed, considering the humour of the man, how he hath been always ready to entertain any cause whereby he might clash with the Prerogative; but now as Judge Richardson told him, his head is full of Proclamations, and Divices, how to bring money into the Exchequer. He hath lately found out amongst the old Records of the Tower, some precedents for raising a tax called Ship-money, in all the Port Towns, when the Kingdom is in danger: Whether we are in danger or no, at present 'twere presumption in me to judge, that belongs to his Majesty, and his Privy Counsel, who have their choice Instruments abroad for Intelligence; yet one with half an eye may see, we cannot be secure, while such huge Fleets of men of War, both Spanish, French, Dutch, and Dunk●…rkers, some of them laden with Ammunition▪ Men, Arms, and Armies, do daily ●…ail on our Seas, and confront the Kings, Chambers; while we have only three or four Ships abroad to guard our Coasts and Kingdom, and to preserve the fairest Flower of the Crown, the Dominion of the Narrow-Seas, which I hear the French Cardinal begins to question, and the Hollander lately would not veil to one of his Majesty's ships that brought over the Duke of Lenox and my Lord Weston from Bullen, and indeed, we are jeered abroad, that we send no more ships to guard our Seas.  
Touching my Lord Ambassador Weston, he had a brave journey of it, though it c●…st dear; for 'tis thought 'twill stand his Majesty in 25000 pounds, which makes some Critics of the times, to censure the Lord Treasurer, That now the King wanting money so much, he should send his son abroad to spend him such a sum only for delivering of Presents and Compliments; but I believe they are deceived, for there were matters of State also in the Embassy.  
The Lord Weston passing by Paris, intercepted, and opened a Packet of my Lord of Hollands, wherein there were some Letters of Her Majesties, this my Lord of Holland takes in that scorn, that he defied him since his coming, and demanded the combat of him; for which he is confined to his House at Kensinton: So with my humble service to my Noble Lady, I rest,  
Westmin. 30 jan. 1633. Your much obliged Servitor, J. H.   

XII. To the Lord Viscount Wentworth, Lord Deputy of Ireland, and Lord Precedent of York, etc.  
My Lord,  
I Was glad to apprehend the opportunity of this Packet to convey my humble service to your Lordship.  
There are old doings in France, and 'tis no new thing for the French to be always a doing, they have such a stirring genius. The Queen Mother hath made an escape to brussels, and Monsieur to Lorain where they say, he courts very earnestly the Duke's sister, a young Lady under twenty; they say a Contract is passed already, but the French Cardinal opposeth it; for they say that Lorain Milk seldom breeds good blood in France: Not only the King, but the whole Gallican Church hath protest●… against it in a solemn Synod; for the Heir apparent of the Crown of France, cannot marry without the Royal consent. This aggravats a grudge the French King hath to the Duke, for siding with the Imperialists, and for things reflecting upon the Duchy of Bar; for which he is hommogeable to the Crown of France, as he is to the Emperor for Lorain: A hard task it is to serve two Masters; and an unhappy situation it is, to lie 'twixt two puissant Monarches; as the Dukes of Savoy and Lorain do: So I kiss your Lordship's hands, and rest  
My Lord, Your most humble and ready Servitor, J. H. Westmin. 1 of April. 1633.   

XIII. To my most Noble Lady, the Lady Cornwallis.  
Madam,  
IN conformity to your commands, which sway with me, as much as an Act of Parliament, I have sent your Ladyship this small Hymn for Christmas day, now near approaching; if your Ladyship please to put an Air to it, I have my reward.  

1.  
Hail holy T●…de,  
Wherein a Bride,  
A Virgin (which is more)  
Brought forth a Son,  
The like was done,  
ne'er in the world before.   

2.  
Hail spotless Maid,  
Who thee upbraid,  
To have been born in sin,  
Do little weigh,  
What in thee lay,  
Before thou didst Lie-in.   

3.  
Three months thy Womb,  
Was made the Dome  
Of Him, whom Earth nor Air,  
Nor the vast mould  
Of Heaven can hold,  
'Cause he's Ubiquitair.   

4.  
O, would ●…e deign  
To rest and reign  
I'th' centre of my heart:  
And make it still  
His domicile,  
And residence in part.   

5.  
But in so foul a Cell  
Can he abide to dwell?  
Yes when he please to move  
His Herbenger to sweep the Room,  
And with rich Odours it perfume,  
Of Faith, of Hope, of Love.   
So I humbly kiss your hands, and thank your Ladyship, that you would command in any thing that may conduce to your contentment.  
Westmin. 3 Feb. 1633. Your Lapps most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XIV. 〈◊〉 the Lord Clifford at Knasburgh.  
My Lord,  
I Received your Lordships of the last of june, and I return m●… most humble thanks for the choice Nag you pleased to send me, which came in very good plight. Your Lordship desires me to lay down what in my Travels▪ abroad I observed of the present condition of the jews, once an Elect people, but now grown contemptible, and strangely squandered up and down the World. Though such a Discourse, exactly framed, might make up a Volume, yet I will twist up what I know in this point, upon as narrow a Bottom as may be shut up within the compass of this Letter.  
The first Christian Country that expelled the jews, was England; France followed our example next, than Spain, and afterwards Portugal; nor were they exterminated these Countries for their Religion, but for Villainies and cheat; for clipping Coins, poisoning of Waters, and counterfeiting of Seals.  
Those Countries they are permitted to live now most in amongst Christians, are Germany, Holland, Bohemia, and Italy; but not in those parts where the King of Spain hath to do. In the Levant and Turkey, they swarm most, for the gran Vizier, and all other great Boshawes, have commonly some jew for their Counsellor or Spy, who inform them of the state of Christian Princes, possess them of a hatred of the Religion, and so incense them to a war against them.  
They are accounted the subtill'st and most subdolous people upon Earth; the reason why they are thus degenerated from their primitive simplicity, and innocence, is their often ●…ptivities, their desperate fortunes, the necessity and hatred to which they have been habituated, for nothing depraves ingenuous spirits, and corrupts clear wits more than want and indigence. By their profession they are for the most part Brokers, and Lombardeer, yet by that base and servile way of Frippery trade, they grow rich whersoever they nest themselves; and this with their multiplication of Children, they hold to be an argument that an extraordinary providence attends them still. Me thinks that so clear accomplishments of the Prophecies of our Saviour, touching that people, should work upon them for their conversion, as the destruction of their City and Temple; that they should become despicable, and the tail of all Nations; that they should be Vagabonds, and have no firm habitation.  
Touching the first, they know it came punctually to pass, and so have the other two; for they are the most hateful race of men upon earth; insomuch, that in Turkey where they are most valued, if a Musulman come to any of their houses, & leave his shoes at the door, the jew dare not come in all the while, till the Turk hath done what he would with his Wife: For the last, 'tis wonderful to see in what considerable numbers they are dispersed up and down the World, yet they can never reduce themselves to such a coalition and unity as may make a Republic, Principality, or Kingdom.  
They hold that the jews of Italy, Germany, and the Levant, are of Benjamins' Tribe; ten of the Tribes at the destruction of jeroboams Kingdom were led Captives beyond Euphrates, whence they never returned, nor do they know what became of them ever after; yet they believe they never became Apostats and Gentiles. But the Tribe of juda, whence they expect their Messias, of whom one shall hear them discourse with so much confidence, and self-pleasing conceit, they say, is settled in Portugal; where they give out to have thousands of their race, whom they dispense withal to make a semblance of Christianity, even to Church degrees.  
This makes them breed up their children in the Lusitanian Language; which makes the Spaniard have an odd saying, that El Portuguez se criò del pedo de un judia. A Portuguese was engendered of a jews Fart; as the Mahu●…ans have a passage in their Alcaro●…, That a Cat was made of a Lion's breath.  
As they are the most contemtiblest people, and have a kind of fulsome sent, no better than a stink, that distinguisheth them from others, so are they the most timorous people on earth, and so, utterly incapable of Arms, for they are made neither Soldiers nor Slaves: And this their Pusillanimity and cowardice, as well as their cunning and craft, may be imputed to their various thraldo us, contempt, and poverty, which hath cowed and dast●…rdiz'd their courage▪ Besides these properties, they are light and giddy headed, much symbolising in spirit with our Apolalypticall zealots, and fiery interpreters of Daniel and other Prophets, whereby they often sooth, or rather fool themselves into some illumination, which really proves but some egregious dorage.  
They much glory of their mysterious Cabal, wherein they make the reality of things to depend upon Letters, and Words: but they say that Hebrew only hath this privilege: This Cabal, which is nought else but Tradition, they say, being transmitted from one age to another, was in some measure a reparation of our knowledge lost in Adam, and they say ●…was revealed four times; First to Adam, who being thrust out of Paradise, and sitting one day very sad, and sorrowing for the loss of the knowledge he had of that dependence the creatures have with their Creator; the Angel Raguel was sent to comfort him, and to instruct him and repair his knowledge herein: And this they call the Cabal, which was lost the second time by the Flood, and ●…abell▪ then God discovered it to Moses in the bush. The third time to Solomon in a dream, whereby he came to know the beginning, m●…diety, and coasummati●… of times, and so wrote divers Books, which were lost in the gran captivity The last time they hold, that God restored the Cabal to Esdras (a Book they value extraordinarily) who by God's command withdrew to the Wilderness forty days with five Scribes, who in that space wrote two hundred and four Books: The first one hundred thirty and four, were to be read by all; but the other seventy were to pass privately amongst the Levites, and these they pretend to be Cabalistic, and not yet all lost.  
There are this day three Sects of jews; the Africans first, who besides the holy Scriptures, embrace the Talmud also for authentic; the second receive only the Scriptures; the third, which are called the Samaritans (whereof there are but few) admit only of the 〈◊〉, the five Books of Moses.  
The jews in general drink no Wine, without a dispensation; when they kill any creature, they turn his face to the East, saying, Be it sanctified in the great name of God; they cut the throat with a knife without a gap, which they hold very profane.  
In their Synagogs' they make one of the best sort to read a Chapter of Moses, than some mean Boy reads a piece of the Prophets; in the midst, there's a round place arched over, wherein one of their Rabbis walks up and down, and in Po●…tuguez magnifies the Messias to come, comforts their captivity, and rails at Christ.  
They have a kind of Cupboard to represent the Tabernacle, wherein they lay the Tables of the Law, which now and then, they take out and kiss; they sing many Tunes, and Adonai, they make the ordinary name of God: jehovah is pronounced at high Festivals; at Circumcision Boys are put to sing some of David's Psalms so loud, as drowns the Infant's cry: The Synagog is hung about with Glass. Lamps burning; every one at his entrance puts on a Linnen-Cope, first kissing it, else they use no manner of reverence all the while; their Elders sometimes fall together by the ears in the very Synagog, and with the Holy Utensiles, as Candlesticks, Incense-pans', and suchlike, break one another's Pates.  
Women are not allowed to enter the Synagog, but they sit in a Gallery without, for they hold they have not so divine a soul as men, and are of a lower creation, made only for sensual pleasure and propagation.  
Amongst the mahometans, there is no jew capable of a Turkish habit, unless he acknowledge Christ as much as Turks do, which is to have been a great Prophet, whereof they hold there are three only, Moses, Christ, and Mahomet.  
Thus my Lord, to perform your commands, which are very prevalent with me, have I couched in this Letter, what I could, of the condition of the jews, and if it may give your Lordship any satisfaction, I have my reward abundantly. So I rest  
Westmin. 3 of june. 1633. Your Lordship's most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XV. To Mr. Philip Warrick, at Paris.  
SIR,  
YOur last unto me was in French of the first current, and I am glad you are come so safe from Switzerland to Paris; as also, that you are grown so great a Proficient in the Language: I thank you for the variety of news you sent me so handsomely couched and knit together.  
To correspond with you, the greatest news we have here, is, that we have a gallant Fleet-Royall ready to set to sea, for the security of our Coasts and Commerce, and for the Sovereignty of our Seas. Hans said the King of England was asleep all this while, but now he is awake; nor do I hear, doth your French Cardinal tamper any longer with our King's Title and Right to the Dominion of the Narrow-Seas. These are brave fruits of the ship-monies.  
I hear that the In●…ante Cardinal having been long upon his way to brussels, hath got a notable Victory of the Swedes at Nordlinghen, where 8000 were slain, Gustavus Horn, and other of the prime Commanders taken prisoners. They write also that Monsieurs marriage with Madam of Lorain, was solemnly celebrated at Brussels; she had followed him from Nancy in Page's apparel, because there were forces in the way. It must needs be a mighty charge to the King of Spain, to maintain Mother, and Son in this manner.  
The Court affords little news at present, but that there is a Love called Platonic love, which much sways there of late; It is a love abstracted from all corporeal gross impressions, and sensual appetit, but consists in contemplation and Ideas of the mind, not in any carnal fruition: This love sets the wits of the Town on work; and they say there will be a Masko shortly of it, whereof Her Majesty, and her Maids of Honour will be part.  
All your friends here in Westminster are well, and very mindful of you, but none more often then  
Westmin. 3 june, 1634. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

XVI. To my brother Mr H. P.  
Brother,  
MY brain was o'er cast with a thick cloud of melancholy, I was become a lump I know not of what, I could scarce find any palpitation within me on the left side, when yours of the first of September was brought me, it had such a virtue, that it begot new motions in me, like the Loadstone, which by its attractive occult quality, moves the dull body of Iron, and makes it active; so dull was I then, and such a magnetic property your Letter had to quicken me.  
There is some murmuring against the Shipmon●…y, because the tax is indefinite; as also by reason, that it is levied upon the Country Towns, as well as Maritime, and for that, they say N●… himself cannot show any record: There are also divers Patents granted, which are muttered at, as being no better than Monopolies: Amongst others a Scotchman got one lately upon the Statute of levying twelve pence for every Oath, which the Justices of Peace, and Constables had power to raise, and have still: but this new Patentce is to quicken and put more life in the Law, and see it executed. He hath power to nominat one or two, or three, in some Parishes, which are to have Commission from him for this Public Service, and so they are to be exempt from bearing Office, which must needs deserve a gratuity; And I believe this was the main drift of the Scot Patentce, so that he intends to keep his Office in the Temple, and certainly, he is like to be mighty gainer by it; for who would not give a good piece of money to be freed from bearing all cumbersome Offices? No more now, but that with my dear love to my sister, I rest  
Westmin. 1 Aug. 1633. Your most affectionate Brother, J. H.   

XVII. To the Right Honble the Lord Viscount Savage, at Long-Melford.  
My Lord,  
THe old Steward of your Courts, Master Attorney-general Noy, is lately dead, nor could Tunbridg-waters do him any good: Though he had good matter in his brain, he had, it seems, ill materials in his body, for his heart was shriveled like a Leather peny-purse when he was dissected, nor were his lungs sound.  
Being such a great Clerk in the Law, all the World wonders he left such an odd Will, which is short, and in Latin: The substance of it is, that having bequeathed a few Legacies, and left his second son 100 Marks a year, and 500 pounds in Money, enough to bring him up in his Father's Profession; he concludes, Reliqua meorum omnia progenito meo Edoardo, dissipanda (nec meliùs unquam speravi) lego. I leave the rest of all my goods to my firstborn Edward, to be consumed or scattered (for I never hoped better.) A strange, and scarce a Christian Will, in my opini●…, for it argues uncharitableness. Nor doth the World wonder less▪ that he should leave no Legacy to some of your Lordship's children, considering what deep Obligations he had to your Lordship; for I am confident he had never been Attorney General else.  
The Vintner's drink Carouses of joy that he is gone, for now they are in hopes to dress Meat again, and sell Tobacco, Beer, Sugar and Faggots, which by a sullen Capricio of his he would have restrained them from. He had his humours, as other men; but certainly he was a solid rational man; and though no great Orator, yet a profound Lawyer, and no man better versed in the Records of the Tower. I heard your Lordship often say with what infinite pains and indefatigable study he came to this knowledge: And I never heard a more pertinent Anagram than was made of his name, William Noye, I moil in law. If ans be added, it may be applied to my Countryman Judge jones, an excellent Lawyer too, and a far more Gentile man. William jones, I moil in laws. No more now, but that I rest,  
Westmin. 1 Octo. 1635. Your Lops' most humble and obliged Servitor, J. H.   

XVIII. To the Right Honble the Countess of Sunderland.  
Madam,  
HEre enclosed I send your Ladyship a Letter from the Lord Deputy of Ireland, wherein he declares that the disposing of the Attorniship in York, which he passed over to me, had no relation to my Lord at all, but it was merely done out of a particular respect to me: your Ladyship may please to think of it accordingly, touching the accounts.  
▪ It is now a good while the two Nephew-Princes have been here, I mean the Prince Elector, and Prince Robert. The King of sweden death, and the late blow at Norlingen hath half blasted their hopes to do any good for recovery of the Palatinat by land; Therefore I hear of some new designs by Sea. That the one shall go to Madagascar, a great Island 800 miles long in the East Indies, never yet colonized by any Christian, and Captain Bo●…d is to be his Lieutenant; the other is to go with a considerable Fleet to the West Indies, to seize upon some place there that may countervail the Palatinat, and Sir Henry Mervin to go with him: But I hear my Lady Elizabeth opposeth it, saying, that she will have none of her sons to be Knights-errant. There is now professed actual enmity 'twixt France and Spain, for there was a Herald at Arms sent lately to Flanders from Paris, who by sound of Trumpet denounced and proclaimed open War against the King of Spain and all his Dominions; this Herald left and fixed up the Defiance in all the Towns as he passed: so that whereas before, the War was but collateral and auxiliary, there is now proclaimed Hostility between them, notwithstanding that they have one another's sister●… in their beds every night: What the reason of this War is, truly Madam I cannot tell, unless it be reason of state, to preve●… the further growth of the Spanish Monarchy; and there be multitude of examples how Preventive Wars have been practis●… from all times. Howsoever it is too sure that abundance of Christian blood will be spilt. So I humbly take my leave, and rest,  
Westminster, 4 june, 1635. Madame, Your Ladyship's most obedient and faithful Servitor, I. H.   

XIX. To the Earl of Leicester at Penshurst.  
My Lord,  
I Am newly returned out of France, from a flying Journey as far as Orleans, which I made at the request of Mr. Secretary Wind●…. bank, and I hope I shall receive some fruits of it hereafter. There is yet a great resentment in many places in France, for the beheading of Montmorency, whom Henry the fourth was used to say to be a better Gentleman than himself, for in his Colours he carried this Motto, Dieu ayde le premier Chevalier de France: God help the first Knight of France. He died upon a Sca●…told in Tholouze, in the flower of his years, at 34, and hath left no Issue behind, so that noble old Family extinguished in a snust: His Treason wa●… very foul, having received particular Commissions from the King to make an extraordinary Levy of men and money in Languedoc, which he turned afterwards directly against the King, against whose person he appeared armed in open field; and in a hostile posture, for fomenting of Monsieurs Rebellion.  
The Insante Cardinal is come to brussels at last, thorough many difficulties: and some few days before, Monsieur made semblance to go a Hawking, and so fled to France, but left his mother behind, who since the arch-duchess death is not so well looked on as formerly in that Country.  
Touching your business in the Exchequer, Sir Robert Pie we●… with me this morning of purpose to my Lord Treasurer about it, and told me with much earnestness and assurance, that there shall be a speedy course taken for your Lordship's satisfaction.  
I delivered my Lord of Lins●…y the Manuscript he lent your Lordship of his Father's Embastie to Denmark: and herewith I present your Lordship with a complete Dia●…y of your own late legation, which hath cost me some oil and labour. So I rest always,  
Westm. 19 june 1635. Your Lops' most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XX. To my Honoured Friend and Fa. Mr. Ben: John●…n.  
Fa. B●…n,  
BEing lately in France, and returning in Coach from Paris to Roüen, I lighted upon the Society of a knowing Gentleman, who related unto me a choice Story, wher●…f peradventure you may make some use in your way.  
Some hundred and odd years since, there was in France one Captain Coucy a gallant Gentleman of an ancient extraction, and▪ Keeper of Coucy▪ Castle, which is yet standing and in good repair. He fell in love with a young Gentlewoman, and courted her for his wife: there was reciprocal love between them, but her parents understanding of it, by way of prevention they shuffled up a forced Match 'twixt her and one Monsieur Fai●…l, who was a great Heir: Captain Coucy hereupon quitted France in discontent, and went to the wars in Hungary against the Turk, where he received a mortal wound, not far from Buda. Being carried to his lodging, he languished some days; but a little before his death, he spoke to an ancient Servant of his, that he had many profs of his fidelity and truth, but now he had a great business to intrust him with, which he conjured him by all means to do, which was, That after his death, he should get his body to be opened, and then to take his heart out of his breast, and put it in an earthen Pot to be baked to powder, then to put the powder into a handsome Box, with that Bracelet of hair he had worn long about his left wrist, which was a lock of Madamois●…lle Faiels hair, and put it amongst the powder, together with a little Note he had written with his own blood to her; and after he had given him the Rites of Burial, to make all the speed he could to France, and deliver the said box to Madamoiselle Faiel. The old Servant did as his Master had commanded him, and so went to France, and coming one day to Monsieur Faiels house, he suddenly met him with one of his servants, and examined him, because he knew he was Captain Coucy's servant, and finding him timorous, and faltering in his speech, he searched him, and sound the ●…aid Box in his pocket, with the Note which expressed what was therein: He dismissed the Bearer with menaces that he should come no more near his house. Monsieur Faiel going in, sent for his Cook and delivered him the Powder, charging him to make a little well-relished dish of it, without losing a jot of it, for it was a very costly thing; and commanded him to bring it in himself, after the last course at Supper. The Cook bringing in the Dish accordingly, Monsieur Faiel commanded all to void the room, and began a serious discourse with his wife, how ever since he had married her, he observed she was always melancholy▪ and he feared she was inclining to a Consumption, therefore he had provided for her a very precious Cordial, which he was well assured would cure her: Thereupon he made her eat up the whole dish; and afterwards much importuning him to know what it was, he told her at last she had eaten Coucy's heart, and so drew the Box out of his pocket, and showed her the Note and the Bracelet: in a sudden exultation of joy, she with a far-fetched sigh said, This is a precious Cordial indeed, and so licked the Dish saying, It is so precious, that 'tis pity to put ever any meat upon't. So she went to bed, and in the morning she was found stone-dead.  
This Gentleman told me that this sad story is painted in Coucy-Castle, and remains fresh to this day.  
In my opinion, which vails to yours. this is choice and rich stuff for you to put upon your Loom, and make a curious Web of.  
I thank you for the last regalo you gave me at your Musaeum, and for the good company. I heard you censured lately at Court, that you have lighted too foul upon Sir Inigo, and that you write with a Porcupins quill dipped in too much Gall. Excuse me that I am so free with you, it is because I am in no common way of friendship,  
Westmin. 3 of May. 1635. Yours, I. H.   

XXI. To Captain Thomas Porter.  
Noble Captain,  
YOu are well returned from Brussels, from attending your Brother in that noble employment of congratulating the Infante Cardinals coming thither. It was well that Monsieur went a Hawking away before to France, for I think those two young spirits would not have agreed. A Frenchman told me lately, that was at your Audience, that he never saw so many complete Gentlemen in his life, for the number, and in a neater equipage. Before you go to Sea I intent to wait on you, and give you a frolic. So I am,  
De todas mis entranas.  
Yours to dispose of, I. H. Westmin. 1 Novemb. 163●….  
To this I'll add the Duke of Ossuna's Compliment,  
Quisiere aunque soy chico  
Ser, enserville Gigante.  
Though of the tallest I am none you see,  
Yet to serve you I would a Giant be.   

To my Cousin Captain Saintgeon.  
Noble Cousin,  
THe greatest news about the Town, is of a mighty Prize that was taken lately by Peter van Heyn of Holland, who had met some straggling Ships of the Plate-fleet, and brought them to the ●…exel: they speak of a Million of Crowns. I could wish you had been there to have shared of the Booty, which was the greatest ●…n money that ever was taken.  
One sent me lately from Holland this Distic of Peter van Heyn, ●…hich savours of a little profaneness.  
Roma sui sileat posthàc miracula Petri,  
Petrus apud Batavos plura stupenda facit.  
Let Rome no more her Peter's Wonders tell,  
For Wonders, Holland's Peter bears the bell.  
To this Distic was added this Anagram, which is a good one▪  
PETRUS HAINU'S.  
HISPANUS RUET.  
So I rest,  
Totus tuus, Yours whole, I. Howell. Westmin. 10 july.   

XXIII. To my Lord Viscount S.  
My Lord,  
HIs Majesty is lately returned from Scotland, having given that Nation satisfaction to their long desires, to have him come thither to be Crowned: I hear some mutter at Bishop laud's carriage there, that it was too haughty and Pontifical.  
Since the death of the King of Sweden, a great many Scotch Commanders are come over, and make a shining show at Court, what trade they will take hereafter, I know not, having been so inur'd to the Wars; I pray God keep us from commotions at home, 'twixt the two Kingdoms, to find them work: I hear one Colonel Lesley is gone away discontented because the King would not 〈◊〉 him.  
The old rotten Duke of Bavaria, for he hath divers Issues abo●… his body, hath married one of the Emperor's Sisters, a young Lady little above twenty, and he near upon fourscore; there's another remaining, who they say is intended for the King of Poland, notwithstanding his pretences to the young Lady Elizabeth; about which Prince Razevill, and other Ambassadors have been here lately but that King being Electif must marry as the Estates will have him His Mother was the Emperor's sister, therefore sure he will not offe●… to marry his Cousin German; but 'tis no news for the House 〈◊〉 Austria to do so, to strengthen their race. And if the Bavarian hath Male-Issue of this young Lady, the Son is to succeed him in the Electorship, which may conduce much to strengthen the continuance of the Empire in the Austrian Family. So with a constant perseverance of my hearty desires to serve your Lordship, I rest,  
My Lord, Your most humble Servitor, J. H. Westmin. 7 Sep.   

XXIV. To my Cousin Mr. Will. Saint Geon, at St. Omer.  
Cousin,  
I Was lately in your Father's Company, and I found him much discontented at the course you take, which he not only protests against, but he vows never to give you his blessing, if you perseve●… in't; I would wish you to descend into yourself, and seriously ponder, what a weight a Father's blessing, or curse, carries with it; for there is nothing conduceth more to the happiness or infelicity of the child: Amongst the ten Commandments in the Decalog, that which enjoins obedience from Children to Parents, hath only a benediction (of Longaevity) added to it: There be Clouds of examples for this, but one I will instance in; When I was in Valentia in Spain, a Gentleman told me of a miracle which happened in that Town; which was, That a proper young man under twenty, was executed there for a crime, and before he was taken down from off the Tree, there were many grey and white Hairs had budded forth of his Chin, as if he had been a man of sixty. It struck amazement in all men, but this interpretation was made of it, That ●…he said young man might have lived to such an age, if he had been dutiful to his Parents, unto whom he had been barbarously disobedient all his life-time.  
There comes herwith a large Letter to you from your Father, let me advise you to conform your courses to his Counsel, otherwise it is an easy matter to be a Prophet what misfortunes ●…il inevitably befall you, which by a timely obedience you may Prevent, and I wish you may have grace to do it accordingly: So I rest  
Your loving, well-wishing Cousin, J. H. Lond. 1 of May. 1634.   

XXV. To the Lord Deputy of Ireland.  
My Lord,  
THe Earl of Arundel is lately returned from Germany, and his gallant comportment in that Embassy deserved to have had better success; He found the Emperor conformable, but the old Bavarian froward, who will not part with any thing, till he have moneys reimboursed, which he spent in these wars, and for which he hath the upper Palatinat in deposito; insomuch, that in all probability all hopes are cut off of ever recovering that Country, but by the same means that it was taken away, which was by the Sword▪ Therefore they write from Holland of a new Army, which the Prince Palatin is like to have shortly, to go up to Germany, and push o●… his fortunes with the Swedes.  
The French King hath taken Nancy, and almost all Lorain lately, but he was forced to put a Fox-tail to the Lions-skin, which his Cardinal helped him to, before he could do the work. The quarrel is, that the Duke should marry his sister to Monsieur, contrary to promise; that he sided with the Imperialists, against his confederan●… in Germany, that he neglected to do homage for the Duchy o●… Bar.  
My Lord Viscount Savage is lately dead, who is very much lamented by all that knew him; I could have wished, had it pleased God, that his Father in law, who is riper for the other worl●… had gone before him. So I rest  
Westmin. 6 Apr. Your Lops' most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXVI. To his honoured Friend M is C. at her House in Essex.  
There was no sorrow sunk deeper into me a great while, than that which I conceived upon the death of my dear friend your Husband: The last Office I could do him, was to put him in his grave; and I am sorry, to have met others there, (who had better means to come in a Coach with six horses, than I) in so mean equipage to perform the last act of respect to so worthy a Frend. I have sent you herewith an Elegy, which my melancholy muse hath breathed out upon his Hearse. I shall be very careful about the Tomb you intent him, and will think upon an Epiraph. I pray present my respects to Mistress Anne maine. So wishing you all comfort and contentment, I rest  
Lond. 5 Mar. Yours most ready to be commanded, J. H.   

XXVII. To Mr. james Howard, upon his Banished Virgin, translated out of Italian.  
SIR,  
I Received the Manuscript you sent me, and being a little curious to compare it with the Original, I find the version to be very exact and faithful: So according to your Friendly request I have sent you this Decastic.  

Some hold translations not unlike to be,  
The wrong-side of a Turkey Tapestry.  
Or Wine drawn off the Lees, which filled in Flask,  
Lose somewhat of the strength they had in Cask.   

'tis true, each language hath an Idiom,  
Which in another couched comes not so home:  
Yet I ne'er saw a piece from Venice come,  
Had fewer thrums set on our Country Loom.  
This Wine is still one-eard, and brisk, thought put  
Out of Italian Cask in English Butt.   

Upon your Eromena.  
Fair Eromena in her Toscan tire  
I viewed, and liked the fashion wondrous well,  
But in this English habit I admire,  
That still in her the same good grace should dwell:  
So I have seen trans- Alpin Cions grow,  
And bear rare fruit, removed to Thames from Po.   
Lond. 6 Octo. 1632. Your true Servitor and Compatriot, J. H.   

XXVIII. To Edward Noy Esq at Paris.  
SIR,  
I Received one of yours lately, and I am glad to find the delight that Travel begins to instill into you.  
My Lord Ambassador Aston reckons upon you, that you will be one of his train at his first Audience in Madrid, and to my knowledge he hath put by some Gentlemen of quality: Therefore I pray let not that dirty Town of Paris detain you too long from your intended journey to Spain, for I make account my Lord Aston will be there a matter of two months hence. So I rest  
London, 5 May. 1633, Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

XXIX. To the right Honble Sir Peter Wicks, Lo: Ambassador at Constantinople.  
My Lord,  
IT seems there is some angry Star that hath hung over the business of the Palatinat from the beginning of these Germane Wars to this very day; which will too evidently appear, if one should mark and deduce matters from their first rise.  
You may remember how poorly Prague was lost: The Bishop of Halverstat and Count Mansfelt shuffled up and down a good while, and did great matters, but all came to nothing at last. You may remember how one of the Ships-Royall was cast away in carrying over the last, and the 12000 men he had hence perished many of them very miserably, and he himself, as they write, died in a poor Hostrey with one Laquay, as he was going to Venice to a bank of money he had stored up there for a dead lift. Your Lordship knows what success the King of Denmark had (and our 6000 men under Sir Charles Morgan) for while he thought to make new acquests, he was in hazard to lose all that he had, had not he had favourable Propositions tendered him. There were▪ never poor Christians perished more lamentably than those 6000 we sent under M. Hamilton for the assistance of the King of Sweden, who did much, but you know what became of him at last: How disastrously the Prince Palatin himself fell, and in what an ill conjuncture of time, being upon the very point of being restored to his Country.  
But now we have as bad news as any we had yet; for the young Prince Palatin, and his Brother Prince Rupert, having got a jolly considerable Army in Holland, to try their fortunes in Germany with the Swedes, they had advanced as far as Munsterland, and Westphalia, and having lain before Lengua, they were forced to raise the siege; and one General Ha●…zfield pursuing them, there was a fore battle fought, wherein Prince Rupert, my Lord Craven, and others were taken prisoners. The Prince Palatin himself, with Major King, thinking to get over the Weser in a Coach, the Water being deep and not sordable, he saved himself by the help of a Willow, and so went a foot all the way to Minden, the Coach and the Coachman being drowned in the River: There were near upon 2000 slain on the Palsgraves' side, and scarce the twentieth part so many on Ha●…zfields, Major Gaeuts, one of the chief Commanders, was killed.  
I am sorry I must write unto you this sad story; yet to countervail ●…t something, Saxen Weymar thrives well, and is like to get B●…isac by help of the French forces. All your friends here are well, and remember your Lordship often, but none more oft than  
Lond. 5 jun. 1635. Your most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXX. To Sir Sackvill C. Knight.  
SIR,  
I Was as glad that you have lighted upon so excellent a Lady, as if an Astronomer by his Optics had found out a new Star; and if a wi●…e be the best or worst fortune of a man, certai●… you are one of the fortunat'st men in this Island.  
The greatest news I can write unto you is, of a bloody Banquet that was lately at Liege; where a great faction was a fomenting 'twixt the Imperialists, and those that were devoted to France, amongst whom, one Ruelle a popular Bourgue-master was chief: The Count of Warfuzée a vassal of the King of Spain's, having fled thither from Flanders for some offence, to ingratiat himself again into the King of Spain's favour, invited the said Ruelle to a Feast, and after brought him into a private Chamber, where he had provided a ghostly-father to confess him, and so some of the Soldiers whom he had provided before to guard the House, dispatched the Bourgue-master; The Town hearing this, broke ●…nto the House, cut to pieces the said Count, with some of his Soldiers, and dragged his body up and down the Streets. You know such a fate befell Walstein in Germany of late years, who having got all the Emperor's Forces into his hands, was found to have intelligence with the Swede, therefore the Imperial Ban was not only pronounced against him, but a reward promised to any that should dispatch him; some of the Emperor's Soldiers at a great Wedding in Egra, of which Band of Soldiers, Colonel Buttler an Irishman was chief, broke into his lodging when ho was at dinner, killed him, with three Commanders more that were at Table with him, and threw his body out at a Window into the streets.  
I hear Buttler is made since Count of the Empire. So humbly kissing your noble Lady's hand, I rest  
Lond. 5 jun. 1634. Your faithful servitor, J. H.   

XXXI. To Dr. Duppa, L. B. of Chichester, his Highness' Tutor at St. james.  
My Lord,  
IT is a welbecoming, and very worthy work you are about, not 〈◊〉 suffer Mr. Ben. johnson to go so silently to his grave, or rot so su●…ly: Being newly come to Town, and understanding that your johnsonus Virbius was in the Press, upon the solicitation of Sir Thomas Hawkins, I suddenly fell upon the ensuing Decastic, which if your Lordship please, may have room amongst the rest.  

Upon my honoured Friend and F. Mr. Ben. johnson.  
ANd is thy Glass run out, is that Oil spent  
Which light to such strong Sinewy labours lent?  
Well Ben; I now perceive that all the nine,  
Though they their utmost forces should combine,  
Cannot prevail against Nights three Daughters, but  
One still must spin, one wind, the other cut.  
Yet in despite of distaff, clue, and knife,  
Thou in thy strenuous lines hast got a life,  
Which like thy Bays shall flourish every age,  
While ●…oc or bu●…kin shall ascend the Stage.  
— Sic vaticinatur Hoellus.   
So I rest with many devoted respects to your Lordship, as being  
Lond. 1 of May, 1636. Your very humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXXII. To Sir Ed. B. Knight.  
SIR,  
I Received yours this Maunday-Thursday: and whereas amongst other passages, and▪ high endearments of love, you desire to know what method I observe in the exercise of my devotlons, I thank you for your request, which I have reason to believe doth proceed from an extraordinary respect unto me; and I will deal with you herein, as one should do with his Confessor.  
'tis true, though there be rules and rubrics in our Liturgy sufficient to guide every one in the performance of all holy duties, yet I believe every one hath some mode and model or formulary of his own, specially for his private cubicular devotions.  
I will begin with the last day of the week, and with the latter end of that day, I mean Saturday evening, on which I have fasted ever since I was a youth in Venice, for being delivered from a very great danger: This year I use some extraordinary acts of devotion to usher in the ensuing Sunday in Hymns, and various prayers of my own penning, before I go to bed. On Sunday Morning I rise earlier than upon other days, to prepare myself for the Sanctifying of it; nor do I use Barber, Tailor, Shoemaker, or any other Mechanic that morning; and whatsoever diversions, or lets, may hinder me the week before, I never miss, but in case of sickness, to repair to God's holy House that day, where I come before prayers begin, to make myself fitter for the work by some praevious Meditations, and to take the whole Service along with me; nor do I love to mingle speech with any in the interim about news or worldly negotiations. In God's holy House I prostrate myself in the humblest and decent'st way of genuflection I can imagine; nor do I believe there can be any excess of exterior humility in that place; therefore I do not like those squatting unseemly bold postures upon one's tail, or muffling the face in the Hat, or thrusting it in so●… hole, or covering it with one's hand; but with bended knee, and an open confident face, I fix my Eyes on the East part of the Church, and Heaven. I endeavour to apply every tir●…le of the Service to my own Conscience and Occasions; and I believe the want of this, with the huddling up, and careless reading of some Ministers, with the commonness of it, is the greatest cause that many do undervalue and take a Surfeit of our public Service.  
For the reading and singing Psalms, whereas most of them are either Petitions or Eucharistical ejaculations, I listen to them more attentively, and make them mine own: When I stand at the creed, I think upon the custom they have in Poland, and elsewhere, for Gentlemen to draw their Swords all the while, intimating thereby, that they will defend it with their lives and blood; And for the Decalog, whereas others use to rise, and sit, I ever kneel at it in the humblest and trembling'st posture of all, to crave remission for the breaches passed of any of God's holy Commandments (specially the week before) and future grace to observe them.  
I love a holy devout Sermon, that first checks and then cheers the Conscience, that begins with the Law and ends with the Gospel; but I never prejudicated or censure any Preacher, ●…aking him as I find him.  
And now that we are not only Adulted but ancient Christians, I believe the most acceptable Sacrifice we can send up to Heaven, is prayer and praise, and that Sermons are not so essential as either of them to the true practice of devotion. The rest of the holy Sabbath, I sequester my body and mind as much as I can from worldly affairs.  
Upon Monday morn, as soon as the Cinq-ports are open, I have a particular prayer of thanks, that I am reprieved to the beginning of that week; and every day following, I knock thrice at Heaven's gate, in the Morning, in the Evening, and at Night; besides, Prayers at Meals, and some other occasional ejaculations, as upon the putting on of a clean Shirt, washing my hands, and at lighting of Candles, which because they are sudden, I do in the third person.  
Tuesday morning I rise Winter and Summer as soon as I awake, and send up a more particular sacrifice for some reasons; and as I am disposed, or have business, I go to bed again.  
Upon Wednesday night, I always fast, and perform also some extraordinary acts of Devotion, as also upon Friday night; and Saturday morning, as soon as my senses are unlocked I get up. And in the Summer time, I am oftentimes abroad in some private field, to attend the Sunrising: And as I pray thrice every day, so I fast thrice every week, at least I eat but one meal upon Wensdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, in regard I am jealous with myself, to have more infirmities to answer for, than other.  
Before I go to bed, I make a scrutiny what peccant humours have reigned in me that day, and so I reconcile myself to my Creator, and strike a tally in the Exchequer of Heaven for my quie●…us est, ere I close my eyes, and leave no burden upon my Conscience.  
Before I presume to take the Holy Sacrament, I use some extraordinary acts of Humiliation to prepare myself some days before, and by doing some deeds of Charity; and commonly I compose some new Prayers, and divers of them written in my own blood.  
I use not to rush rashly into prayer without a trembling precedent Meditation, and if any odd thoughts intervene, and grow upon me, I check myself, and recommence; and this is incident to long prayers, which are more subject to man's weakness, and the devil's malice.  
I thank God I have this fruit of my foreign Travels, that I can pray unto him every day of the week in a several Language, and upon Sunday in seven, which in Orisons of my own I punctually perform in my private Pomeridian devotions.  Et sic aeternam contendo attingere vitam. 
By these steps I strive to climb up to heaven, and my soul prompts me I shall thither; for there is no object in the world delights me more, than to cast up my eyes that way, specially in a Starlight night; and if my mind be overcast with any odd clouds of melancholy, when I look up and behold that glorious Fabric, which I hope shall be my Country hereafter, there are new spirits begot in me presently, which make me scorn the World, and the pleasures thereof, considering the vanity of the one, and the inanity of the other.  
Thus my soul still moves Eastward, as all the Heavenly bodies do; but I must tell you, that as those bodies are overmastered, and snatched away to the West, raptu primi mobilis, by the general motion of the tenth sphere, so by those Epidemical infirmities which are incident to man, I am often snatched away a clean contrary course, yet my soul persists still in our own proper motion: I am often at variance, and angry with myself (nor do I hold this anger to be any breach of charity) when I consider, That whereas my Creator intended this body of mine, though ●… lump of Clay, to be a Temple of his holy Spirit, my affections should turn it often to a Brothell-house, my passions to a Bedlam, and my excesses to an Hospital.  
Being of a Lay profession, I humbly conform to the Constitutions of the Church, and my spiritual Superiors; and I hold this obedience to be an acceptable Sacrifice to God.  
Difference in opinion may work a disaffection in me, but not a detestation: I rather pity, than hate, Turk or infidel, for they are of the same metal, and bear the same stamp as I do, though the Inscriptions differ. If I hate any, 'tis those Scismatics that puzzle the sweet peace of our Church, so that I could be content to see an Anabaptist go to Hell on a Brownists back?  
Noble Knight, now that I have thus eviscerated myself, and dealt so clearly with you, I desire by way of correspondence that you would tell me, what way you take in your journey to Heaven; for if my Breast lie so open to you, 'tis not sitting yours should be shut up to me; therefore I pray let me hear from you when it may stand with your Convenience.  
So I wish you your hearts desire here, and Heaven hereafter, because I am  
Yours in no vulgar way of friendship, J. H. London, 25 july, 1635.   

XXXIII. To Simon Digby Esquire, at Moscow, the Emperor of Russia's Court.  
SIR,  
I Received one of yours by Mr. Pickhurst, and I am glad to find, that the rough clime of Russia agrees so well with you; so well, as you write, as the Catholic air of Madrid, or the Imperial air of Vienna, where you had such honourable employments.  
The greatest News we have here is, that we have a Bishop Lord Treasurer, and 'tis News indeed in these times, though 'twas no news you know in the times of old to have a Bishop Lord Treasurer of England. I believe he was merely passive in this business; the active instrument that put the white Staff in his hands, was the Metrapolitan at Lambeth.  
I have other News also to tell you, we have a brave new Ship, a Royal Galeon, the like, they say, did never spread Sail upon Salt-water, take her true and well compacted Symmetry, with all dimensions together; for her burden, she hath as many Tuns as there were years since the Incarnation, when she was built, which are sixteen hundred thirty and six; she is in length one hundred twenty and seven foot; her greatest breadth within the planks, is forty six foot, and six inches; her depth from the breadth is nineteen foot, and four inches: she carrieth a hundred Pieces of Ordnance wanting four, whereof she hath three tire; half a score men may stand in her Lantern; the charges His Majesty hath been at in the building of her, are computed to be fourscore thousand pounds, one whole years Ship-money: Sir Robert Mansell lanced her, and by his Majesties command called her, The Sovereign of the Sea: Many would have had her to be named the Edgar; who was one of the most famous Saxon Kings this Island had, and the most potent at sea: Ranulphus Cestrensis writes, that he had four hundred ships, which every year after Easter, went out in four Fleets to scour the Coasts. Another Author writes, that he had four Kings to row him once upon the Dee. But the Title he gave himself, was a notable lofty one, which was this▪ Altitonantis Dei largiflua clementia qui est Rex Regum, Ego Edgarus Anglorum Basileus, omnium Regum Insularum Oceanique Britanniam circum●acent is, cunctarumque Nationum quae infra eam includuntur, Imperator & Dominus, etc. I do not think your gran Emperor of Russia hath a loftier title; I confess the Sophy of Persia hath a higher one, though profane and ridiculous in comparison of this▪ For he calls himself, The Star high and mighty, whose head is covered with the Sun, whose motion is comparable to the aethereal Firmament, Lord of the Mountains, Caucasus and Taurus, of the four Rivers, Euphrates, Tigris, Araxis and Indus; Bud of honour, Mirror of virtue, Rose of delight, and Nutmeg of comfort; It is a huge descent methinks to begin with a Star, and end in a Nutmeg.  
All your friends here in Court and City are well, and often mindful of you, with a world of good wishes, and you cannot be said to be out of England, as long as you live in so many noble memories: Touching mine, you have a large room in't, for you are one of my chief inmates: So with my humble Service to your Lady I rest  
Lond. 1 july, 1635. Your most faithful Servitor while J. H.   

XXXIV. To Dr. Tho: Prichard.  
Dear Dr.  
I Have now had too long a supersede as from employment, having engaged myself to a fatal man at Court (by his own seeking) who I hoped, and had reason to expect (for I waved all other ways) that he would have been a Scale towards my rising, but he hath rather proved an instrument to my ruin: it may be he will prosper accordingly.  
I am shortly bound for Ireland, and it may be the Stars will cast a more benign Aspect upon me in the West; you know who got the Persian Empire by looking that way for the first beams of the Sunrising, rather than towards the East.  
My Lord Deputy hath made often professions to do me a pleasure, and I intent now to put him upon't,  
I purpose to pass by the Bath, for a pain I have in my Arm, proceeding from a Defluxion of Rheum, and then I will take Brecknock in my way, to comfort my Sister Penry, who I think hath lost one of the best husbands in all the thirteen shires of Wales.  
So with apprecation of all happiness to you, I rest  
London, 10 Feb. 1637. Yours while J. H.   

XXXV. To Sir Kenelm Digby Knight, from Bath.  
SIR,  
YOur being then in the Country, when I began my journey for Ireland, was the cause I could not kiss your hands, therefore I shall do now from Bath, what I should have done at London.  
Being here for a distillation of Rheum that pains me in one of my Arms, and having had about three thousand strokes of a pump upon me in the Queen's Bath:▪ And having been here now divers days and viewed the several qualities of these Waters, I fell to contemplate a little what should be the reason of such an extraordinary actual heat, and medicinal virtue in them. I have seen and read of divers Baths abroad, as those of Caldanel and Avinian in agro Senensi, the Grotta in Viterbio, those between Naples and Puteolum in Campania; And I have been a little curious to know the reason of those rare Lymphaticall properties in them above other waters. I find that some impute it to Wind, or Air, or some Exhalations shut up in the Bowels of the Earth, which either by their own nature, or by their violent motion and agitation, or attrition upon Rocks, and narrow passages do gather heat, and so impart it to the Waters.  
Others attribute this balneal heat unto the Sun, whose all-searching Beams penetrating the Pores of the Earth, do heat the Waters.  
Others think this heat to proceed from quicklime, which by common experience we find to heat any Water cast upon't, and also to kindle any combustible substance put upon't.  
Lastly, there are some that ascribe this heat to a subterranean fire kindled in the bowels of the Earth upon sulphury and bituminous matter.  
'Tis true, all these may be general concurring causes, but not the adaequat proper and peculiar reason of balneal heats; and herein truly our learned Countryman Dr. Iorden hath got the start of any that ever writ of this subject, and goes to work like a solid Philosopher; for having treated of the generation of minerals, he finds that they have their Seminaries in the Womb of the Earth replenished with active spirits; which meeting with apt matter and adjuvant causes, do proceed to the generation of several species, according to the nature of the efficient, and fitness of the matter: In this work of generation, as there is generatio unius, so there is corruptio alterius; and this cannot be done without a superior power, which by moisture dilating itself, works upon the matter like a leav'ning and ferment, to bring it to its own purpose.  
This motion 'twixt the agent spirit, and patient matter, produceth an actual heat; for motion is the fountain of heat, which serves ●…s an instrument to advance the work; for as cold dulls, so heat quickeneth all things: Now for the nature of this heat, it is not a destructive violent heat, as that of fire, but a generative gentle heat joined with moisture, nor needs it air for eventilation: This natural heat is daily observed by Digg●…n in the Ours; so than while Minerals are thus engendering, and in solutis principiis, in their liquid forms, and not consolidated into hard bodies, (for then they have not that virtue) they impart heat to the neighbouring Waters. So than it may be concluded, that this soil about the Bath is a mineral vein of earth, and the fermenting gentle temper of generative heat that goes to the production of the said Minerals, do impart and actually communicate this balneal virtue and medicinal heat to these Waters.  
This subject of Mineral Waters would afford an Ocean of matter, were one to compile a solid discourse of it: And I pray excuse me, that I have presumed in so narrow a compass as a Letter, to comprehend so much, which is nothing I think, in comparison of what you know already of this matter.  
So I take my leave, and humbly kiss your hands, being always  
From the Bath ●…3 july, 1638. Your most faithful and ready Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVI. From Dublin, to Sir Ed: Savage Knight, at Tower-Hill.  
SIR,  
I Am come safely to Dublin, over an angry boisterous Sea; whether 'twas my voyage on Salt-water, or change of Air, being now under another clime, which was the cause of it, I know not, but I am suddenly freed of the pain in my Arm; when neither Bath, nor Plasters, and other remedies could do me good.  
I delivered your Letter to Mr. james Dillon, but nothing can be done in that business till your brother Pain comes to Town. I meet here with divers of my Northern friends, whom I knew at York: Heer is a most splendid Court kept at the Castle, and except that of the Viceroy of Naples, I have not seen the like in Christendom, and in one point of Grandeza, the Lord Deputy here goes beyond him, sor he can confer honours and dub Knights, which that Viceroy cannot, or any other I know of. Trafic increaseth here wonderfully, with all kind of bravery, and buildings.  
I made an humble motion to my Lord, that in regard businesses of all sorts did multiply here daily, and that there was but one Clerk of the Counsel (Sir Paul Davis) who was able to dispatch business, (Sir Will. Usher his Colleague being very aged and bedrid) his Lordship would please to think of me, My Lord gave me an answer full of good respects to succeed Sir William after his death.  
No more now, but with my most affectionate respects unto you, I rest  
Dublin, 3 May, 1639. Your faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVII. To Dr. Usher Lo: Primate of Ireland.  
MAy it please your Grace to accept of my most humble Acknowledments for those Noble favours I received at Droghedah, and that you pleased to communicate unto me those rare Manuscripts in so many Languages, and divers choice Authors in your Library.  
Your learned Work, De primordiis Ecclesiarum Britannicarum which you pleased to send me, I have sent to England, and so it shall be conveyed to jesus College in Oxford, as a gift from your Grace.  
I hear that Cardinal Barberino, one of the Pope's Nephews, is setting forth the works of Fastidius a British Bishop, called, De vita Christiana. It was written 300 years after our Saviour, and Holstenius hath the care of the Impression.  
I was lately looking for a word in S●…idas, and I lighted upon a strange passage in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: That in the Reign of justinian the Emperor, one Theodosius a Jew, a man of great Authority, lived in jerusalem, with whom a rich Goldsmith, who was a Christian, was in much favour, and very familiar. The Goldsmith, in private discourse, told him one day, that be wondered, ●…e being a man of such a great understanding, did not turn▪ Christian, considering how he found all the Prophecies of the Law so evidently accomplished in our Saviour, and our Saviour's Prophecies accomplished since. Theodosius answered, That it did not stand with his security and continuance in Authority to turn Christian, but he had a long time a good opinion of that Religion; and he would discover a secret unto him which was not yet come to the knowledge of any Christian: It was, That when the Temple was founded in jerusalem, there were 22 Priests, according to the number of the Hebrew letters, to officiat in the Temple; and when any was chosen, his name, with his fathers and mothers, were used to be registered in a fair Book. In the time of Christ, a Priest died, and he was chosen in his place; but when his name was to be entered, his father joseph being dead, his mother was sent for, who being asked who was his father, she answered, that she never knew man, but that she conceived by an An●…: So his name was registered in these words: JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD, AND OF THE VIRGIN MARY. This Record at the destruction of the Temple was preserved, and is to be seen in Tyberias to this day. I humbly desire your Grace's opinion hereof in your next.  
They write to me from England of rare news in France, which is, that the Queen is delivered of a Dauphin, the wonderfull'st thing of this kind that any Story can parallel; for this is the three and twentieth year since she was married, and hath continued childless all this while; so that now Monsieurs cake is dough, and I believe he will be more quiet hereafter. So I rest  
Dublin, 1 March, 1639. Your Grace's most devoted, Servitor, J. H.   

XXXVIII. To my Lord Clifford, from Edinburgh.  
My Lord,  
I Have seen now all the King of Great Britain's Dominions; & he is a good Traveller that hath seen all his Dominions. I was born in Wales, I have been in all the four corners of England; I have trave●…sed the Diameter of France more than once, and now I am come thorough Ireland into this Kingdom of Scotland. This Town of Edinburgh is one of the fairest streets that ever I saw (exepting that of Palermo in Sicily) it is about a mile long, coming sloping down from the Castle (called of old the Castle of Virgins, and by Pliny, Castrum alatum) to Holy-Rood-House, now the Royal Palace; and these two begin and terminat the town. I am come hither in a very convenient time, for here's a national Assembly and a Parliament, my Lord Traquair being His Majesty's Commissioner. The Bishops are all gone to w●…ack, and they have had but a sorry Funeral; the very name is grown so contemptible, that a black Dog, if he have any white marks about him, is called Bishop. Our Lord of Canterbury is grown here so odious, that they call him commonly in the Pulpit The Priest of Baal, and the son of Belial. I'll tell your Lordship of a passage which happened lately in my lodging▪ which is a Tavern: I had sent for a Shoemaker to make me a pair of Boots, and my Landlord, who is a pe●…t smart man, brought up a chopin of Whitewine (and for this particular, there are bette●… French-wines here than in England, and cheaper; for they are but at a Groat a quart; and it is a crime of a high nature, to mingle or sophisticat any Wine here.) Over this Chopin of White wine, my Vintner and Shoemaker fell into a hot Dispute about Bishops: The Shoemaker grew very furious, and called them The firebrands of hell, the Pamlers of the Whore of Babylon, and the Instruments of the d●…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 inv●…igh so bitterly against them? The Shoemaker answered, I know the Name and Office to be good, but they have abused it. My Vintner replies, Well then, you are a Shoemaker 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 we therefore go barefoot? must the Gentle-cra●…t of Shoemakers fall therefore to the ground? It is the fault of the Men, not of the Calling. The Shoemaker was so graveled at this, that he was put to his Last; for he had not a word more to say: so my Vintner got the day.  
There is a fair Parlement-house built here lately, and 'twas hoped His Majesty would have ta'en the maidenhead of it, and come hither to sit in person; and they did ill who advised him otherwise.  
I am to go hence shortly back to Dublin, and so to London, where I hope to find your Lordship, that, according to my accustomed boldness, I may attend you: In the interim I rest  
Edinburgh. 1639. Your Lordship's 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. 'Tis you that have parts enough to complete a whole Jury of men. Those small perquisits that I have, are thrust up into a little narrow lobby; but those perfections that beautify your noble soul, have a spacious Palace to walk in, more sumptuous than either the Lovure, Seralio, or Escurial. So I most affectionately kiss your hands, being always  
Westmin. 3 Decem. 1639. Your most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XL. To Sir Sackvill Crow, His Majesty's Ambassador, at the Post of Constantinople.  
Rigl●… Honble Sir,  
THe greatest news we have here now, is a notable naval fight that was lately 'twixt the Spanierd and Hollander in the Downs; but to make it more intelligible, I will deduce the business from the beginning.  
THe King of Spain had provided a 〈◊〉 Fleet of galleons, whereof the vice-admirals of Naples and Portugal were two, (whereof 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 some treasure at Dunkirk, with a recruit of Spaniards which were grown very thin in Flanders. These recruits were got by an odd trick; for some of the Fleet being at Saint Anderas, a report was blown up of purpose, that the French were upon the Coasts; heerupon all the young men of the Country came to the Seaside, and so a great number of them were tumbled a shipboard, and so they set sai●…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, whereof they sunk and took two, and the rest got away to Holland, to give an alarm to the States, who in less than a month, got together a Fleet of about one hundred sail, and the wind being a long time Easterly, they came into the Downs, where Don Antonio d' Oquéndo, the Spanish Admiral had stayed for them all the while. Sir john Pennington was then abroad with seven of His Majesty's Ships: and Don Antonio being daily warned what forces were preparing in Zealand and Holland, and so advised to get over to the Flemish Coasts: in the interim with a haughty spirit, he answered, Tengo de quedarme aqui para castigar estos Rebeldes: I will stay here to chastise these Rebels. There were ten more of His Mastiffs Ships appointed to go join with Sir john 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, Victuals, and other necessaries from our Coasts for their money, according to the capitulations of peace, all this while; at last, being half surprised by a cloud of Hollanders, consisting of one hundred and fourteen ships, the lanced out from our Coasts, and a most furious fight began, our ships having retired hard by all the while: The Vice-admiral of Portugal, a famous Sea Captain, Don Lope de Hozes, was engaged in close fight with the Vice-admiral of Holland, and after many tough rencounters 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 perished. Oquendo then crossed over to Nardic, and so back to Spain, where he died before he came to the Court; and 'tis thought, had he lived, he had been questioned for some miscarr●…ages; for if he had suffered the Dunkirk, who are nimbler and more fit for fight, to have had the Van and dealt with the Hollander, 'tis thought matters might have gone better with him; but his ambition was, that the great spa●…ish galleons 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 treasure to Flanders, while he lay hover on our Coasts.  
One thing is herein very observable, what a mighty Navigable power the Hollander is come to, that in so short a compass of time, he could appear 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, therefore with a tender of my most humble service to my noble Lady, and my thankful acknowledgement for those great favours which my Brother Edward writes to me he hath received 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 Lopps most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XLI. To Sir J. M. Knight.  
SIR,  
I Hear that you begin to blow the coal, and offer sacrifice to Demogorgon, the God of Minerals: Be well advised before you engage yourself too deep; Chemistry, I know, by a little experience, is wonderful pleasing for the trial of so many rare conclusions it carries with it, but withal 'tis costly, and an enchanting kind of thing; for it hath melted many a fair Manor in crusibles, and turned them to smoke▪ One presented Sixtus quintuses (Sice-cinq, as Queen Elizabeth called him) with a Book of Chemistry, and the Pope gave him an empty purse for a reward.  
There be few whom Mercury the father of miracles doth favour: The Queen of Sbeba, and the King Crowned with fire, are not propitious to many: He that hath water turned to ashes, hath the Magistery, and the true Philosopher's stone; there be few of those: There be some that commit fornication in Chemistry, by Heterogentous and Sophistical citrinations; but they never come to the Phoenix nest.  
I know you have your share of wisdom, therefore I confess it a presumption in me, to give you Counsel. So I rest  
Westm. 1 Feb. 1638. Your most faithful Servitor, J. H   

XLII. To Simon Digby Esquire, at the gran Moseo in Russia.  
SIR,  
I Return you many thanks for your last of the first of I●…ne, and that you acquaint me with the state of things in that Country.  
I doubt not but you have heard long since of the revolt of Catala●…nia from the King of Spain; it seems the sparkles of those fires are flown to Portugal, and put that Country also in combustion. The Duke of Braganza, whom you may well remember about the Court of Spain, is now King of Portugal, by the name of El Rey Don juan, and he is as generally obeyed, and quietly settled, as if he had been King these twenty years there; for the whole Country fell suddenly to him, not one Town standing out. When the King of Spain told Olivares of it first, he slighted it, saying, That he was but Rey de Havas, a Bean-cake King. But it seems strange to me, and so strange, that it transforms me to wonder, that the Spaniard being accounted so politic a Nation, and so full of precaution, could not foresee this; specially, there being divers intelligences given, and evident symptoms of the general discontentment of that Kingdom (because they could not be protected against the Hollander in Brasil) and of some designs a year before, when this Duke of Braganza was at Madrid. I wonder I say, they did not secure his person by engaging him in some employment out of the way: Truly, I thought the Spaniard was better sighted, and could could see further off than so. You know what a huge limb the Crown of Portugal was to the Spanish Monarchy, by the Islands in the Atlantic Sea; the Towns in Afric; and all the East-Indies, insomuch, that the Spaniard hath nothing now left beyond the Line.  
There is no offensive war yet made by Spain against King john, she only stands upon the defensive part, until the Catalan be reduced; and I believe, that will be a long-winded business; for this French Cardinal stirs all the devils of Hell against Spain, insomuch, that most men say, that these formidable fires which are now raging in both these Countries, were kindled at first by a G●…anado hurled from his brain: Nay, some will not stick to say, that this breach 'twixt us and Scotland is a reach of his.  
There was a ruthful disaster happened lately at Sea, which makes our Merchants upon the Exchange hang down their heads very sadly. The Ship Swan, whereof one Limery was Master, having been four years abroad about the straits, was sailing home with a Cargazon, valued at eight hundred thousand pounds, whereof four hundred and fifty thousand was in Money, the rest in Jewels and Merchandise; but being in sight of shore, she sprung a leak, and being ballasted with Salt, it choked the Pump, so that the Swan could swim no longer: Some sixteen were drowned, and some of them with ropes of Pearl about their necks, the rest were saved by an Hamburgber not far off. The King of Spain loseth little by it (only his affairs in Flanders may suffer) for his Money was insured, and few of the Principals, but the Insurers only, who were most of them Genoese and Hollanders: A most infortunate chance, for had she come to safe port, she had been the richest ship that ever came into the Thames; so that Neptun never had such a morfell at one bit.  
All your friends here are well, as you will understand more particularly by those Letters that go herewith. So I wish you all health and comfort in that cold Country, and desire that your love may continue still in the same degree of heat towards  
Lond. 5 of Mar. 1639. Your faithful servitor, J. H.   

XLIII. To Sir K. D. Knight.  
SIR,  
IT was my fortune to be in a late communication where a Gentleman spoke of a hideous thing that happened in High Holborn, how one john Pennant a young man of 21, being dissected after his death, there was a kind of Serpent with divers tails found in the left Ventricle of his heart, which you know is the most defended part, being thrice thicker than the right, and in the Cell which holds the purest and most illustrious liquor, the arterial blood, and the vital spirits. This Serpent was it seems three years engendering, for so long time he found himself indisposed in the breast; and it was observed, that his eye in the interim grew more sharp▪ and fiery, like the eye of a Cock, which is next to a Serpent's eye in redness; so that the symptom of his inward Disease might have been told by certain exterior Rays and Signatures.  
God preserve us from public calamities; for Serpentin Monsters have been often ill favoured presages. I remember in the Roman story, to have read how, when Snakes or Serpents were found near the statues of their gods, as one time about jupiters' neck, another time about Minerva's thigh, there followed bloody Civil War after it.  
I remember also, few years since, to have read the relation and deposition of the Carrier of Tewxbury, who, with divers of his servants, passing a little before the dawn of the day with their packs over Cots-hill, saw most sensibly and very perspicuously in the air, Musketeers, harnessed men, and horsemen, moving in Battle-array, and assaulting one another in divers furious postures. I doubt not but that you heard of those fiery Metcors and Thunderbolts that have fallen upon sundry of our Churches, and done hurt. Unless God be pleased to make up these ruptures 'twixt us and Scotland, we are like to have ill days. The Archb. of Canterbury was lately outraged in his House by a pack of common people: and Captain Ma●…un was pitifully massacred by his own men lately; so that the common people, it seems, have strange principles infused into them, which may prove dangerous: for I am not of that Lords mind who said, That they who fear any popular Insurrection in England, are like boys and women, that are afraid of a Turnip 〈◊〉 like a Death's head with a candle in't.  
I am shortly for France, and I will receive your Commands before I go. So I am  
Lond. 2 May▪ 1640. Your most humble Servitor, J. H.   

XLIV. To my Lord Herbert of Cherbery, from Paris.  
My Lord,  
I Send herewith Dodonas Grove couched in French, and in in the newest French, for though the main version be mine, yet I got one of the Academy des beaux Esprits here to run it over, to correct and refine the language, and reduce it to the most modern Dialect. It took so here, that the new Academy of wits have given a public and far higher Elogium of it than it deserves. I was brought to the Cardinal at Ruelle, where I was a good while with him in his private Garden, and it were a vanity in me, to insert here what Propositions he made me. There be some sycophants here that idolise him, and I blush to read what profane Hyperboles are Printed up and down of him; I will instance in a few.  
Cedite Richelio mortales, cedite Divi,  
Ille homines vincit, vincit & ille Deos.  
Then  
Et si nous faisons des ghirlandes,  
C'est pour en couronner un Dieu,  
Qui soubs le nom de Richelieu,  
Resoit nos ●…oeus & nos offrandes.  
Then  
Richelii adventu Rupellae porta patescit,  
Christo Infernales ut patuere fores.  
Certainly he is a rare man, and of a transcendent reach, and they are rather miracles than exploits that he hath done, though those miracles be of a sanguine Die (the colour of his habit) steeped in blood; which makes the Spaniard call him the gran Caga-fuego of Christendom. Divers of the scientific all'st, and most famous win here, have spoken of your Lordship with admiration, and of your great work De veritate; and were those excellent notions and theorical precepts actually applied to any particular Science, it would be an infinite advantage to the Commonwealth of learning all the▪ World over. So I humbly kiss your hands, and rest  
Paris, April 1. 1641. Your Lordship's most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XLV. To the Right Honble M ● Elizabeth Altham, now Lady Digby.  
Madam,  
There be many sad hearts for the loss of my Lord Robert Digby; but the greatest weight of sorrow falls upon your Ladyship. Amongst other excellent virtues, which the world admires you for, I know your Ladyship to have that measure of high discretion, that will check your passions; I know also, that your patience hath been often exercised, and put to trial in this kind: For besides the Baron your Father, and Sir james, you lost your Brother, Master Richard Altham, in the verdant'st time of his age, a Gentleman of rare hopes, and I believe this sunk deep into your heart; you lost Sir Francis Astl●…y since, a worthy virtuous Gentleman: And now you have lost a noble Lord. We all owe nature a debt, which is payable some time or other, whensoever she demands it; nor doth Dame Nature use to seal Indentures, or pass over either Lease or Patent for a set term of years to any; For my part I have seen so much of the world, that if she offered me a lease, I would give her but a small fine for't; specially now that the times are grown so naught, that people are become more than half mad: But Madam, as long as there are men, there must be malignant humours, there must be vices, and vicissitudes of things; as long as the world wheels round, there must be toss and tumblings, distractions and troubles, and bad times must be recempenced with better. So I humbly kiss your Ladyship's hands, and rest,  
Madam, Your constant Servant, J. H. York 1 of Aug. 1642.   

XLVI. To the Honourable Sir P. M. in Dublin.  
SIR,  
I Am newly returned from France, and now that Sir Edw. Nicholas is made Secretary of State, I am put in fair hopes, or rather assurances to succeed him in the Clerkship of the Counsel.  
The Duke de la Valette is lately fled hither for sanctuary▪ having had ill luck in Fontarabia, they say his Process was made, and that he was executed in Effigy in Paris. 'tis true, he could never square well with his Eminency, the Cardinal, (for this is a peculiar Title he got long since from Rome, to distinguish him from all othér) nor his father neither, the little old Duke of Espernon, the ancientest Soldier in the world, for he wants but one year of a hundred.  
When I was last in Paris, I heard of a faceti●…us passage ' 〈◊〉 him, and the Archbishop of Bourdeaux, who in effect is Lord High Admiral of France, and 'twas thus: The Archbishop was to go General of a great Fleet, and the Duke came to his House in Bourdeaux one morning to visit him; the Archbishop sent some of his Gentlemen to desire him to have a little patience, for he was dispatching away some Sea-Commanders, and that he would wait on him presently: The little Duke took a pett at it, and went away to his house at Cad●…llac some fifteen miles off: The next morning the Archbishop came to pay him the visit, and to apologise for himself; being come in, and the Duke told of it, he sent his Chaplain to tell him, that he was newly fallen upon a Chapter of Saint Augustine's de civitate Dei, and when he had read that Chapter, he would come to him.  
Some years before, I was told he was at Paris, and Richelieu came to visit him, he having notice of it, Richelieu found him in a Cardinal's Cap, kneeling at a Table Altarwise, with his Book and Beads in his hand, and Candles burning before him.  
I hear the Earl of Leicester is to come shortly over, and so over to Ireland to be your Deputy. No more now, but that I am  
Lond. Sept. 7. 1641. Your most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XLVII. To the Earl of B. from the Fleet.  
My Lord,  
I Was lately come to London upon some occasions of mine own, and I had been divers times in Westminster-Hall, where I conversed with many Parliament men of my acquaintance; but one morning betimes, there rushed into my Chamber five armed men with Swords, Pistols and Bills, and told me they had a Warrant from the Parliament for me; I desired to see their Warrant, they denied it, I desired to see the date of it▪ they denied it, I desired to see my name in the Warrant, they denied all, at last one of them pulled out a greasy Paper out of his Pocket, and showed me only three or four names subscribed, and no more; so they rushed presently into my Closet, and seized on all my Papers, and Letters, and any thing that was Manuscript, and many Printed Books they took also, and hurled all into a great Hair Trunk, which they carried away with them: I had taken a little Physic that morning, and with very much ado, they suffered me to stay in my Chamber with two Guards upon me till the Evening; at which time they brought me before the Committee for Examination, where I confess I found good respects; and being brought up to the close Committee, I was ordered to be forthcoming, till some Papers of mine were perused, and Mr. Corbet was appointed to do it: Some days after, I came to Mr. Corbet, and he told me he had perused them, and could find nothing that might give offence; heerupon, I desired him to make a report to the House accordingly; which (as I was told) he did very fairly, yet such was my hard hap, that I was committed to the Fleet, where I am now under close restraint: and as far as I see, I must lie ●…t dead anchor in this Fleet a long time, unless some gentle gale blow thence to make me la●…nce out. God's will be done, and amend the times, and make up these ruptures which threaten so much calamity. So I am  
Fleet. Nou. 20. 1643. Your Lops' most faithful (though now afflicted) Servitor, J. H.   

XLVIII. To Sir Bevis Thelwall Knight (Petri ad vincula) at Peter- House in London.  
SIR,  
THough we are not in the same prison, yet are we in the same predicament of sufferance; therefore I presume you are subject to the like fits of melancholy as I: The fruition of liberty is not so pleasing, as a conceit of the want of it is irksome, specially to one of such freeborn thoughts as you. Melancholy is a black noxious humour, and much annoys the whole inward man; if you would know what cordial I use against it in this my sad condition, I'll tell you, I poor sometimes on a Book, and so I make the dead my companions, and this is one of my chiefest solaces: If the humour work upon me stronger, I rouse my spirits, and raise them up towards Heaven, my future Country; and one may be on his journey thither, though shut up in Prison, and haply go a straighter way, than if he were abroad: I consider, that my soul while she is cooped up within these walls of flesh, is but in a kind of perpetual prison. And now my body corresponds with her in the same condition; my body is the prison of the one, and these brick-walls the prison of the other: And let the English people flatter themselves as long as they will, that they are free, yet are they in effect, but prisoners, as all other Islanders are; for being surrounded and closed about with Salt-water (as I am with these Walls) they cannot go where they list, unless they ask the Winds leave first, and Neptun must give them a pass.  
God Almighty amend the times, and compose these woeful divisions, which menace nothing but public ruin, the thoughts whereof drown in me the sense of mine own private affliction.  
So wishing you courage (whereof you have enough, if you put it in practice) and patience in this sad sad condition, I rest  
From the Fleet, Aug. 2, 1643. Your true Servant and Compatriot, J. H.   

LIX. To Mr. E. P.  
SIR,  
I Saw such prodigious things daily done these few years, that I had resolved with myself to give over wondering at any thing; yet a passage happened this week, that forced me to wonder once more, because it is without parallel. It was, that some odd fellows went skulking up and down London-streets, and with Figs and Reasons allured little Children, and so pourloyned them away from their Parents, and carried them a Shipboard for beyond Sea, where by cutting their hair, and other devises, they so disguised them, that their Parents could not know them. This made me think upon that miraculous passage in Hamelen, a Town in Germans, which I hoped to have passed through when I was in Hamburgh, had we returned by Holland; which was thus, (nor would I relate it unto you were there not some ground of truth for it.) The said Town of Hamelen was annoyed with Rats and Mice; and it chanced, that a Pied-coated Piper came thither, who covenanted with the chief Burghers for such a reward, if he could free them quite from the said Vermin, nor would he demand it, till a twelvemonth, and a day after: The agreement being made, he began to play on his Pipes, and all the Rats, and the Mice followed him to a great Lough hard by, where they all perished; so the Town was infected no more. At the end of the year, the Pied-Piper returned for his reward, the Burghers put him off with slight, and neglect; offering him some small matter, which he refusing, and staying some days in the Town, on Sunday morning at High Mass, when most people were at Church, he fell to play on his Pipes, and all the children up and down, followed him out of the Town, to a great Hill not far off, which rend in two, and opened, and let him and the children in, and so closed up again: This happened a matter of two hundred and fifty years since; and in that Town, they date their Bills and Bonds, and other Instruments in Law, to this day, from the year of the going out of their children: Besides, there is a great pillar of stone at the foot of the said Hill, whereon this story is engraven,  
No more now, for this is enough in conscience for one time: So I am  
Fleet. 1 Octo. 1643. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

L. To my Lord G. D.  
My Lord,  
There be two weighty sayings in Seneca, Nihil est infaelicius ●…o, cui nil unquam contigit adversi: There is nothing more unhappy than he, who never felt any adversity: The other is, Nullum est majus malum, quam non posse ferre malum: There is no greater cross, than not to be able to bear a cross. Touching the first, I am not capable of that kind of unhappiness; for I have had my share of adversity, I have been hammered, and dilated upon the Anvil, as our Countryman Breakspear (Adrian the fourth) said of himself; I have b●…n strained through the limbic of affliction. Touching the second, I am also free of that cross; for, I thank God for it, I have that portion of Grace, and so much Philosophy, as to be able to endure, and confront any misery: 'tis not so tedious to me, as to others to be thus immured, because I have been inur'd, and habituated to troubles. That which sinks deepest into me, is the sense I have of the common calamities of this Nation; there is a strange Spirit hath got in amongst us, which makes the Idea of holiness, the formality of good, and the very faculty of reason to be quite differing from what it was. I remember to have read a tale of the Ape in Paris, who having got a child out of the cradle, & carried him up to the top of the tiles, and there sat with him upon the ridg; The parents beholding this ruthful spectacle, gave the Ape fair and smooth language, so he gently brought the child down again, and replaced him in the cradle. Our Country is in the same case this child was in, and I hope there will be sweet and gentle means used to preserve it from precipitation.  
The City of London sticks constantly to the Parliament, and the Common-council sways much, insomuch, that I believe, if the Lord Chancellor Egerton were now living, he would not be so pleasant with them, as he was once to a new Recorder of London, whom he had invited to dinner to give him joy of his office, and having a great Woodcock▪ Pyserved in about the end of the repast, which had been sent him from Cheshire, he said, Now Master Recorder you are welcome to a Common-council.  
There be many discreet brave Patriots in the City, and I hope they will think upon some means to preserve us and themselves from ruin: Such are the prayers, early and late, of  
Fleet, a jan. 1643. Your Lops' most humble Servi●…or, J. H.   

LI. To Sir Alex. R. Kt.  
SIR,  
SUrely, God Almighty is angry with England, and 'tis more sure, that God is never angry without cause: Now to know this cause the best way is, for every one to lay his hand on his Breast, and examine himself throughly, to summon his thoughts, and win now them, and so call to remembrance how far he hath offended Heaven, and then it will be found, that God is not angry with England, but with Englishmen. When that doleful charge was pronounced against Israel, Perditio tua ex te Israel, It was meant of the concrete, (not the abstract;) Oh Israelites, your ruin comes from your selus. When I make this serutiny within myself, and enter into the closest cabinet of my soul, I find (God help me) that I have contributed as much to the drawing down of these judgements on England, as any other: when I ransack the three Cells of my Brain, I find that my imagination hath been vain and extravagant; my memory hath kept the bad, and let go the good, like a wide Sieve that retains the Bran, and parts with the Flour; my understanding hath been full of error and obliquities; my will hath been a rebel to reason; my reason a rebel to Faith, (which I thank God I have the grace to quell presently with this caution,  Succumbat Ratio Fidei, & captiva quiescat.) 
When I descend to my heart, the centre of all my affections, I find 〈◊〉 hath swelled often with Timpanies of vanity, and Tumours of wrath: when I take my whole self in a lump, I find that I am nought else but a Cargazon of malignant humours, a rabble of unruly passions, amongst which my poor soul is daily crucified, as 'twixt so many thiefs. Therefore as I pray in general, that God would please not to punish this Island for the sins of the people, so more particularly I pray, that she suffer not for me in particular; who, if one would go by way of Induction, would make one of the chiefest instances of the argument. and as I am thus conscious to myself of my own demerits, so I hold it to be the duty of every one, to contemplate himself this way, and to remember the saying of a noble English Captain, who, when the Town of Calis was lost (which was the last footing we had in France) being jeered by a Frenchman, and asked, Now Englishman, when will you come back to France? answered, Oh, Sir, mock not, when then the sins of France are greater than the sins of England, the Englishmen will come again to France,  
Before the Sac of Troy, 'twas said and sung up and down the streets.  
Iliacoes intra muros peccatur & extra.  
The vers is as true for sense and feet,  
Intra Londini muros peccatur & extra.  
Without and eke within  
The walls of London there is sin.  
The way to better the times, is for every one, to mend one. I will conclude with this serious invocation. I pray God ave●… those further judgements (of Famine and pestilence) which are hover over this populous, and once-flourishing City, and dispose of the Brains and Hearts of this people, to seek and serve him a▪ right.  
I thank you for your last visit, and for the Poem you sent 〈◊〉 since. So I am  
Fleet 3 jun. Your most faithful servitor, J. H.   

LII. To Mr john Batty Merchant.  
SIR,  
I Received the Printed discourse you pleased to send me, called the Merchant's Remonstrance, for which I return you due and deserved thanks.  
Truly Sir, it is one of the most material and solid pieces I have read of this kind: And I discover therein two things; first, the affection you bear to your Country, with the resentment you have of these woeful distractions; then, the judgement and choice experience you have purchased by your negotiations in Spain and Germany. In you may be verified the tenet they hold in Italy, That the Merchant bred abroad, is the best Commonwealths man being properly applied: For my part, I do not know any profession of life (specially in an Island) more to be cherished and countenanced with honourable employments than the Marchant-Adventurer, (I do not mean only the Staplers of Hambo●…ough and Rotterdam) for if valiant and dangerous actions do ennoble a man, and make him merit, surely, the Merchant-Adventurer deserves more honour than any, for he is to encounter not only with men of all tempers and humours (as a French Counsellor hath i●…) but he contests and tugs oftimes with all the Elements: Nor do I see how some of our Country Squires who sell Calves, and Runts, and their Wives perhaps Cheese and Apples, should be held more gent●…le than the noble Marchant-Adventurer, who sells Silks and Satins, Tissues and cloth of Gold, Diamonds and Pearl, with Silver and Gold.  
In your discourse, you fore tell the sudden calamities which are 〈◊〉 to be fall this poor Island, if Trade decay; and that this decay 〈◊〉 inevitable, if these commotions last: Herein you are proved 〈◊〉 a Prophet already, and I fear your Prophecy will be fully ac●…omplish'd if matters hold thus. Good Lord! was there ever pee●… so active to draw on their own ruin, which is so visible, that a 〈◊〉 man may take a prospect of it. We all see this appa●…ently, and hear it told us every minute; but we are fallen to the ●…ondition of that foolish people the Prophet speaks of, Who had eyes 〈◊〉 would not see, and ears but would not hear. All know there is nothing imports this Island more than Trade; it is that great Wheel of Industry, which sets all other a going; it is that which preserves the chiefest Castles and Walls of this Kingdom, I mean the Ships; and how these are impaired within these four years, I believe other Nations (which owe us an invasion) observe and know better than we; For truly, I believe a million (I mean of Crowns) and I speak within compass, will not put the Navy Royal in that strength as it was four years since, besides the decay of merchants ships. A little before Athens was o'ercome, the Oracle told one of the Areopagitas, that Athens had seen her best days, for her Wooden walls (meaning her ships) were decayed. As I told you before, there is a Nation or two, that owe us an invasion.  
No more now, but that with my most kind and friendly respects unto you, I rest always  
Fleet 4 May, 1644. Yours to dispose of, J. H.   

LIII. To my honoured friend Mr. E. P.  
SIR,  
THe times are so ticklish, that I dare not adventure to send you any London intelligence, she being now a Garrison Town, and you know, as well as I, what danger I may incur; but for foreign, indifferent news, you shall understand that Pope U●…ban the eighth is dead, having sat in the chair above twenty 〈◊〉 a rare thing; for it is observed, that no Pope yet arrived to th●… years of St. Peter, who they say was Bishop of Rome twenty an●… five. Cardinal Pamfillo, a Roman born, a knowing man, and ●… great Lawyer, is created Pope by assumption of the name of In●…cent the tenth: There was tough canvasing for voices, and a grea●… contrasto in the Conclave, 'twixt the Spanish and French faction, wh●… with the Barberini, stood for Sachetri, but he was excluded, as 〈◊〉 so another 〈◊〉; by these exclusions, the Spanish party, whe●… of the Cardinal of 〈◊〉 was chief, brought about Barberio●… 〈◊〉 join with them for 〈◊〉, as being also a creature of the dece●…sed Pope. He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nuncio in Spain eight years, so that it conceived he is much devoted to that Crown, as his Predecess●… was to the French, who had been Legate there near upon twenty years, and was Godfather to the last King, which made him to be Fleurdelizé, to be Flowerdeluced all over. This new Pope hath already passed that number of years which the Prophet assigns to man, for he goes upon seventy one, and is of a strong promising constitution to live some years longer. He hath but one Nephew, who is but eighteen, and so not capable of business; he hath therefore made choice of some Cardinals more, to be his Coadjutors; Pancirellio is his prime confident, and lodged in Saint Peter. 'tis thought he will presently set all wheels a going to mediate an universal peace. They write of one good augury amongst the rest, that part of his Arms is a Dove, which hath been always held for an emblem of peace; but I believe it will prove one of the knottiest, and difficult'st tasks that ever was attempted, as the case stands 'twixt the House of Austria and France, and the roughest and hardest knot I hold to be, that of Portugal; for it cannot yet enter into any man's imagination, how that may be accommodated, Though many Politicians have beaten their brains about it. God almighty grant, that the appeasing of our civil wars prove not so intricat a work, and that we may at last take warning by the devastations of other Countries, before our own be past cure.  
The write from Paris, that Sir Kenelm Digby is to be employed to Rome from Her Majesty in quality of a high Messenger of Honour, to congratulat the new Pope, not of Ambassador, as the vulgar give out; for none can give that character to any, but a Sovereign independent Prince; and all the World knows, that Her Majesty is under Couvert Baron, notwithstanding, that some cry her up for Queen Regent of England, as her Sister is of France. The Lord Aubeny hath an Abbacy of one thousand five hundred Pistols a year given him yearly there, and is fair for a Cardinals Har.  
I continue still under this heavy pressure of close restraint, nor do I see any hopes (God help me) of getting forth, till the wind shift out of this unlucky hole: Howsoever, I am resolved, that if Innocence cannot free my body, yet Patience shall preserve my mind still in its freeborn thoughts: Nor shall this storm slacken a whit that firm ligue of love, wherein I am eternally tied unto you. I will conclude with a Distic, which I found amongst those excellent Peems of the late Pope.  
Quem validè strinxit praestanti pollice virtus,  
Nescius est solvi nodus Amicitiae,  
Fleet, 1 jun. 1644. Your constant Servitor, J. H.   

LIV. To the L. Bishop of London, late Lord Treasurer of England.  
My Lord,  
YOu are one of the miracles of these times, the greatest miror of moderation our age affords; and as heretofore when you carried the white Staff, with such clean incorrupted hands, yet the Crosier was still your chief care; nor was it perceived that that high all-obliging office did alter you a jot, or alienat you from yourself, but the same candour, and countenance of meekness appeared still in you, as whosoever had occasion to make their address to your Gates, went away contented, whether they sped in their business, or not (a gift your Predecessor was said to want.) So since the turbulence of these times, the same moderation shines in you, notwithstanding that the Mitre is so trampled upon, and that there be such violent factions a foot, insomuch, that you live not only secure from outrages, but honoured by all parties: 'tis true, one thing fell out to your advantage, that you did not subscribe to that Petition which proved so fatal to Prelacy: But the chief ground of the constant esteem the distracted world hath still of you, is your wisdom and moderation, passed and present: This puts me in mind of one of your Predecessors (in your late office) Marquis Pawlet, who it seems sailed by the same Compass, for there being divers bandings, and factions at Court in his time, yet was he beloved by all parties, and being asked how he stood so right in the opinion of all, he answered, By being a Willow, and not an Oak.  
I have many thanks to give your Lordship for the late visits I had, and when this cloud is scattered, that I may respite f●…ee air, one of my first journeys shall be to kiss your Lordship's hands: In the interim, I rest▪  
The Fleet, 3 Sept. 1644. Your most devoted and ready Servitor, I▪ H.   

LV. To Sir E. S. Knight.  
SIR,  
THough I never had the least umbrage of your love, or doubted of the reality thereof, yet since I tell into this plunge, it hath been much confirmed unto me. It is a true observation, that amongst other effects of affliction, one is, to try a friend; for those proofs that are made in the fawn, and dazzling Sunshine of prosperity, are not so clear, as those which break out, and transpeer through the dark clouds of adversity. You know the difference the Philosophers make 'twixt the two extreme colours black and write, that the one is congregativum, the other disgregativum visus: Black doth congregate, unite, and fortify the sight; the other doth disgregat, scatter, and enfeeble it, when it fixeth upon any object: So, through the Sable clouds of advers fortune, one may make a truer inspection into the breast of a friend. Besides this, affliction produceth another far more excellent effect, it brings us to a better, and a more clear knowledge of our Creator; for as the rising, and setting Sun, appears bigger unto us, than when he is in the Meridian (though the distance be still the same) the cause whereof is ascribed to the interposition of mists, which lie 'twixt our eyes and him; so through the thick fogs of adversity (which in this point are as pellucid and diaphanous as any Crystal) we come to see God, and the immensity of his love in a fuller proportion. There cannot be clearer evidences of his care, than his corrections; when he makes the world to frown, than he smiles most upon us, though it be through a mask; besides, it is always his method, to struck them whom he strikes. We have an ordinary salute in English, God bless you; and though the verb be radically derived from the Dutch word, yet it would bear good sense, and be very pertinent to this purpose, if we would fetch it from the French word blesser, which is to hurt: This speculation raiseth my spirits to a great height of comfort, and patience, that notwithstanding they have been a long time weighed down and quashd, yet I shall at last ore●…om all these pressures, survive my debts, and surmount my enemies.  
God pardon them, and preserve you, and take it not ill, that in this my conclusion, I place you so near my enemies: Whatsoever Fortune light on me, come fair or foul Wether, I shall be still  
Fleet, 5 of Aug. 1644. Your constant Servitor, J. H.   

LVI. To Tho. Ham. Esqr.  
SIR,  
There is no such treasure as a true friend, it is a treasure far above that of Saint Marks in Venice; a treasure that is not liable to those casualties, which others are liable unto, as to plundering and burglary, to bankrups and ill debtors, to firing and shipwrecks; for when one hath lost his fortunes by any of these disasters, he may recover them all in a true friend, who is always a set and staple commodity: This is verified in you who have stuck so close unto me in these my pressures; Like a Glow-worm (the old emblem of true friendship) you have shined unto me in the dark: Nor could could you do offices good to any that wisheth you better; for I always loved you for the freedom of your genius, for those choice parts and fancies I found in you, which I confess, hath made me more covetous of your friendship, than I use to be of others; And to deal clearly with you, one of my prime errands to this Town (when this disaster fell upon me) was to see you.  
God put a speedy period to these sad distempers; but this wish, as I was writing it, did vanish in the impossibility of the thing, for I fear they are of a long continuance: So I pray God keep you, and comfort me, who am  
The Fleet, May 5. 1643▪ Your true friend to serve you, J. H.   

LVII. To Phil. Warwick Esquire.  
SIR,  
THe earth doth not always produce Roses and Lilies, but she brings forth also Nettles and Thistles: So the world affords us not always contentments and pleasure, but sometimes afflictions and trouble; Ut illa tribulos, sic iste tribulationes producit: The Sea is not more subject to contrary blasts, nor the Surges thereof to toss and tumblings, as the actions of men are to encumbrances and crosses: The Air is not fuller of meteors, than man's life is of miseries; but as we find that it is not a clear sky, but the clouds that drop fa●…es, as the holy Text tells us, so adversity is far more fertile than prosperity, it useth to water and mollify the heart, which is the centre of all our affections, and makes it produce excellent fruit, whereas the glaring Sunshine of a continual prosperity would enharden and dry it up, and so make it barren.  
There is not a greater evidence of God's care and love to his creature than affliction; for as a French Author doth illustrat it by a familiar example, If two Boys should be seen to fight in the streets, and a ring of people about them, one of the standers by parting them, le's the one go untouched, but he falls a correcting the other, whereby the beholders will infer, that he is his child, or at least one whom he wisheth well unto: So the strokes of adversity which fall upon us from heaven, show that God is our Father, as well as our Creator: This makes this bitter cup of ●…ffliction become Nectar, and the bread of carefulness I now eat, to be true Ambrosia unto me. This makes me esteem these walls, wherein I have been immured these thirty months, to be no other than a College of instruction unto me; and whereas Varro said, That the great World was but the House of little man, I hold this Fl●…ct to be one of the best lodgings in that House.  
There is a people in Spain called Los Pattuecos who some threescore and odd years since were discovered by the flight of a Hawk of the Duke of Alva's; this people, than all Savage (though they dwelled in the centre of Spain, not far from Toledo, and are yet held to be part of those Aborigines that Tubal Cain brought in) being hemmed in, an●… imprisoned, as it were, by a multitude of craggy huge mountains, thought that behind those Mountains there was no more Earth: I have been so habituated to this prison, and accustomed to the walls thereof so long, that I might well be brought to think, that there is no other world behind them. And in my extravagant imaginations, I often compare this Fleet to Noah's Ark, surrounded with a vast Sea, and huge deluge of calamities, which hath overwhelmd this poor Island. Nor although I have been so long aboard here, was I yet under Hatches, for I have a Cabin upon the upper Deck, whence I breathe the best air the place affords; Ad hereunto, that the society of Master Hopkins the Warden is an advantage to me who is is one of the knowingst, and most civil Gentlemen that I have conversd withal. Moreover there are here some choice Gentlemen who are my Co-Martyrs, for a Prisoner and a Martyr are the same thing, save, that the one is buried before his death, and the other after.  
God Almighty amend these times, that make imprisonment to be preferred before liberty, it being more safe, and desirable by some, though not by  
From the Fleet, Nou. 3. 1643. Your affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

LVIII. To Sir Ed. Sa. Knight.  
SIR,  
Were there a Physician that could cure the maladies of the mind, as well as those of the body, he needed not to wish the Lord Major, or the Pope for his Uncle, for he should have Patients without number: It is true, that there be some distempers of the mind that proceed from those of the body, and so are curable by Drugs and Diets; but there are others that are quite abstracted from all corporeal impressions, and are merely mental; these kind of Agonies are the more violent of the two, for a●… the one use to drive us into Fevers, the other precipitat us oftentimes into Frenzies: And this is the ground I believe, which made the Philosopher think, that the rational soul was infused into man partly for his punishment, and the understanding for his executioner, unless wisdom sit at the Helm, and steer the motions of his Will.  
I thank God I have felt both (for I am not made of stone or steel) having had since I was shut in here a shrewd fit of the new disease; and for the other, you must needs think that thirty one months close restraint, and the barbarousness of the times, must discompose and torture the imagination, sometimes with gripe of discontent and anguish, not as much for my own sad condition, as for my poor Country and friends, who have a great share in my Nativity, and particularly for yourself, whose gallant worth I highly honour; and who have not been the least sufferer.  
The Moralist tells us, that a quadrat solid wise man, should involve and tackle himself within his own virtue, and slight all accidents that are incident to man, and be still the same Etiam si fractus illabatur Orbis; t●…er may be so much virtue and valour in you, but I profess to have neither of them in that proportion. The Philosopbers often prescribe us Rules, that they themselves, nor any flesh and blood can observe: I am no statue, but I must resent the calamities of the time, and the desperate case of this Nation, who seem to have fallen quite from the very faculty of reason, and to be possessed with a pure Lycanchropy, with a Wolvish kind of disposition to tear one another in this manner, insomuch, that if ever the old saying was verified, Homo homini lup●…, it is certainly now: I will conclude with this Distic,  
They err, who write no Wolves in England range,  
Her Men are all turned Wolves, O monstrous change!  
No more, but that I wish you Patience, which is a Flower that grows not in every Garden;  
Your faithful Servitor, J. H. From the Fleet, Decem. 1. 1644.   

LIX. To my Noble friend Mr. E. P.  
SIR,  
I Have no other news to write to you hence, but that Levantanse los muladares, y abaxanse los adarues, The World is turned topsey turvey.  
From the Fleet, Jan. 2. 1644. Yours, J. H.   

LX. To Tho. Young Esq  
SIR,  
I Received yours of the fifth of March, and 'twas as welcome to me as flowers in May, which are now coming on apace▪ You seem to marvel I do not marry all this while, considering that I am passed the Meridian of my age, and that to your knowledge there have been overtures made me of parties above my degrees. Truly in this point I will deal with you as one should do with his Confessor; Had I been disposed to have married for wealth without affection, or for affection without wealth, I had been in bonds before now; but I did never cast my eyes upon any yet, that I thought I was born for, where both these concurred. 'tis the custom of some (and 'tis a common custom) to choose Wives by the weight, that is, by their wealth: Others fall in love with light wives, I do not mean Venerean lightness, but in reference to portion: The la●…e Earl of Salisbury gives a caveat for this, That beauty without a Dowry (without that unguentum Indicum) is as a gilded shell without a kernel; therefore he warns his son to be sure to have something with his Wife, and his reason is, Because nothing can be bought in the Market without money. Indeed 'tis very fitting that He or She should have wherewith to support both, according to their quality, at least to keep the Wolf from the door, otherwise 'twere a mere madness to marry: But he who hath enough of his own to maintain a Wife, and marrieth only for money, discovereth a poor sordid disposition. There i●… nothing that my nature disdains more, than to be a slave to silver or gold; for though they both carry the King's face, yet they shall never reign over me, and I would I were free from all other infirmities as I am from this: I am none of those Ma●…monists who adore white and red earth, and make their Prince's picture their Idol that way; such may be said to be under a perpetual eclipse, for the earth stands always 'twixt them, and the fair face of Heaven. Yet my genius prompts me, that I was born under a Planet, not to die in a Lazaretto. At my nativity, my ascendant was that hot constellation of Cancer about the midst of the Dog-days, and as my Ephemerideses tells me, Mars was then predominant: Of all the Elements fire sways most in me; I have many aspire▪ and airy odd thoughts swell often in me, according to the quality of the ground whereon I was born, which was the belly of a huge Hill situated Southeast, so that the house I came from (besides my Father and Mother's Coat) must needs be Illustrious, being more obvious to the Sunbeams than ordinary. I have upon occasion of sudden distemper, sometimes a madman, sometimes a fool, sometimes a melancholy odd fellow to deal withal, I mean myself, for I have the humours within me that belongs to all three, therefore who would cast herself away upon such a one? Besides, I came tumbling out into the World a pure Cadet, a true Cosmopolite, not born to Land, Lease, House or Office; 'tis true, I have purchased since, a small spot of ground upon Parnassus, which I hold in fee of the Muses, and I have endeavoured to man●…e it as well as I could, though I confess it hath yielded me little fruit hitherto: And what woman would be so mad, as to take that only for her jointure?  
But to come to the point of Wiving, I would have you know, that I have, though never married, divers children already; some French, some Latin, one Italian, and many English; and though they be but poor bra●…s of the brain, yet are they legitimat, and Apollo himself vouchsafed to cooperat in their production: I have exposed them to the wide world, to try their fortunes; and some (out of compliment) would make me believe they are long lived.  
But to come at last to your kind of Wiving, I acknowledge, that marriage is an honourable condition, nor dare I think otherwise without profaneness, for it is that Epithet the Holy Text gives it: Therefore it was a wild speech of the Philosopher to say, That if 〈◊〉 co●…rsasition could be without women, Angels would come down and dwell amongst us; And a wilder speech it was of the Cynic, whe●… passing by a Tree where a Maid had made herself away, wished, That all Trees might bear such fruit. But to pass from these mothe●…▪ ten Philosophers, to a modern Physician of our own, it was a mo●… unmanly thing in him, while he displays his own Religion, to wish that there were a way to propagat the world otherwise than by conjunction with women, (and Paracelsus undertakes to show him the way) whereby he seems to repine (though I understand he wa●… Wived a little after) at the honourable degree of marriage, which I hold to be the prime Link of human society, the chiefest happiness of Mortals, and wherein heaven hath a special hand.  
But I wonder why you write to me of Wiving, when you know I have much ado to man or maintain myself, as I told you before; yet, notwithstanding, that the better part of my days are already threeded upon the string of time, I will not despair, but I may have a Wife at last, that may perhaps enable me to build Hospitals; for although nine long lustres of years have now passed ●…re my head, and some winters more, (for all my life, considering the few Sunshines I have had, may be called nothing but winters) yet, I thank God for't, I find no symptom of decay, either in body, senses, or intellectuals. But writing thus extravagantly, me thinks I hear you say, That this Letter shows I begin to dote, and grow idle, therefore I will display myself no further unto you at this time.  
To tell you the naked truth my dear Tom; The highest pitch of my aim is, that by some condition or other, I may be enabled at last (though I be put to sow, the time that others use to reap) to quit scores with the World, but never to cancel that precious obligation, wherein I am indissolubly bound to live and die  
From the Fleet, 28 of April, 1645. Your true constant Friend, J. H.     


AD LIBRUM  
— Sine me, Liber, ibis in Aulam,  
Hei mihi, quòd Domino non licet ire tuo.   Ovid. 

To his Book.  
Thou mayest to Court, and progress too and fro,  
Oh, that thy captived Master could do so.    

A New VOLUME OF FAMILIAR LETTERS,  
Partly ;hilosophical, Political, Historical.  
The second Edition, with Additions.  
By JAMES HOWELL Esq.  Ut clavis portam, sic pandit Epistola pectus. 
LONDON,  
Printed by W. H. for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Prince's Arms in St, Paul's Churchyard. 1650.   

To His Highness JAMES Duke of YORK; A Star of the greatest Magnitude in the Constellation of CHARLES-WAYN.  
SIR,  
THis Book was engendered in a Cloud, born a Captive, and bred up in the dark shades of Melancholy; He is a true Benoni the son of sorrow, nay, which is a thing of wonderment, He was begot in the Grave by one who hath been buried quick any time these five and fifty months: Such is the hard condition of the Author, wherein he is like to continue, until some good Angel roll off the stone, and raise him up, for Prisoners are capable of a double Resurrection; my Faith acertains me of one, but my fears make me doubtful of the other, for, as far as I see yet, I may be made to moulder away solong among these walls, till I be carried hence with my feet forward: Welcome be the will of God and the Decrees of Heaven.  
Your Highnesses, most humble and most obedient Servitr. JAMES HOWELL. From the Prison of the Fleet. this May day 1647.   

THE STATIONER to the Reader.  
IT pleased the Author to send me these ensuing Letters as a supplement to the greater volume of Epistolae Ho-Elianae, where they could not be inserted then, because most of his papers, whence divers of these letters are derived, were under sequestration: And thus much I had in Commission to deliver.  
Humphrey Moseley.   

A New Volume of FAMILIAR LETTERS.  

I. To Master Tho. adam's.  
SIR,  
I Pray stir nimbly in the business you imparted to me last, and let it not languish; You know how much it concerns your credit, and the conveniency of a friend who deserves so well of you: I fear you will meet with divers obstacles in the way, which if you cannot remove, you must overcome: A lukewarm irresolute man did never any thing well, every thought entangles him; therefore you must pursue the Point of your design with heat, and set all wheels a going: 'tis a true badge of a generous nature being once embarked in a business to hoist up, and spread every sail, Main, ●…isen, spirit!, and top sail, by that means he will sooner arrive at his Port: If the winds be so cross, and that there be such a fate in the thing, that it can take no effect, yet you shall have wherewith to satisfy an honest mind, that you left nothing unattempted to compassit, for in the conduct of human affairs 'tis a rule, That a good conscience hath always withi●…dores enough to reward itself, though the success fall not out according to the merit of the endeavour.  
I was according to your desire, to visit the late new married couple more than once, and to tell you true, I never saw such a disparity between two that were made one flesh in all my life; He, handsome outwardly, but of odd conditons; she excell●…otly qualified, but hard favoured; so that the one may be compared to a cloth of Tissue Doublet, cut upon course Canvas; the other to a Buckram Pettico●…t lined with Satin: I think Cloth●… had her fingers smutted in snuffing the candle, when she began to spin the thread of her life, and Lachesis frowned in twisting it up, but Aglaia with the rest of the Graces were in a good humour, when they formed her inner parts: A blind man is fittest to hear her sing, one would take delight to see her dance if masked, and it would please you to discourse with her in the dark, for there she is best company, if your imagination can forbear to run upon her face: when you marry, I wish you such an inside of a wife, but from such an outward Phisnomy the Lord deliver you, and  
Westm. 25 of Aug. 1633. Your faithful friend to serve you, J. H.   

II. To Mr. B. J.  
F. B. The fangs of a Bear, and the Tusks of a wild Boar, do no●… bite worse, and make deeper gashes than a Goose-quill sometimes, no not the Badger himself, who is said to be so tenac●…s of his bite, that he will not give over his hold, till he feels his teeth meet, and the bone crack: your quill hath proved so to Mr. In-Iones but the pen wherewith you have so gashed him, it seems was made rather of a Porcupine, than a Goose quill, it is so keen and firm: You know  Anser, Apis, Vitulus, populos & Regna gubernant; 
The Goose, the Bee, and the Calf (meaning Wax, Parchment, and the Pen) rule the world, but of the three, the Pen is most predominant; I know you have a commanding one, but you must no●… let it tyrannize in that manner, as you have done lately; some give out there was a hair in't, or that your in●… was too thick with Gall, else it could not have so bespartered and shaken the reputation of ●… Royal Architect, for reputation, you know is like a fair struct●… long time a rearing, but quickly ruined: If your spirit will not let you retract, yet you shall do well to repress any more copies of the satire, for to deal plainly with you, you have lost some ground at Court by it, and as I hear from a good hand, the King who hath so great a judgement in Poetry (as in all other things else) is not well pleased therewith. Dispense with this freedom of  
Westmin. 3 july, 1635. Your respectful S. and Servitor, J. H.   

III. To D. C. Esqr.  
SIR,  
IN my last I writ to you that Ch. Mor. was dead, (I meant in a moral sense) He is now alive again, for he hath abjured that Club which was used to knock him in the head so often, and drown him commonly once a day: I discover divers symptoms of regeneration in him, for he rails bitterly against Bacchus, and swears there's a devil in every berry of his grape, therefore he resolves hereafter, though he may dabble a little sometimes, he will be never drowned again: you know Kit hath a Poetic fancy, and no unhappy one, as you find by his compositions, you know also that Poets have l●…rge souls, they have sociable free generous spirits, and the●… are few who use to drink of H●…licons waters, but they love to mingle it with some of Lyaeus' liquor to heighten their spirits. there's no Creature that's kneaded of Clay, but hath his frailties, extravagancies and excesses some way or other, for you must not think that man can be better out of Paradise than he was within't: Nemo fine crimine, He that censures the goodfellow commonly makes no conscience of gluttony, and gormandising at home, and I believe more men do dig their graves with their teeth than with the t●…kard. They who tax others of vanity and pride, have commonly that fordid vice of covetousness attends them, and he who traduceth others of being a servant to Ladies, doth base things: We are no Angels upon earth, but we are transported with some infirmity or other, and 'twill be so while these frail, fluxible humours reign within us, while we have ●…luces of warm blood running through our veins, there must be ofttimes some irregular motions in us.  
This as I conceiye is that black bean which the Turks Koran speaks of when they feign, that Mahomet being asleep among the mountains of the Moon, two Angels descended, and ripping his breast, they took his heart, and washed it in snow, and after pulled out a black bean, which was the portion of the devil, and so replaced the heart.  
In your next you shall do well to congratulat his resurrection or regeneration, or rather emergency from that course he was plunged in formerly you know it as well as I; and truly I believe he will grow newer and newer every day; we find that a stumble makes one take firmer footing, and the base suds which vice useth to leave behind it, makes virtue afterward far more gustful, no knowledge is like that of contraries: Kit hath now o●…e-com himself, therefore I think he will be too hard for the Devil hereafter. I pray hold on your resolution to be here the next Term, that we may tattle a little of Tom Thumb, mine Host of Andover, or some such matters, so I am  
West. 15. Aug. 1636. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

IV. To T. D. Esquire.  
SIR,  
I Had yours lately by a safehand, wherein I find you open unto me all the boxes of your breast; I perceive you are sorehurt, and whereas all other creatures run away from the instrument, and hand that wounds them, you seem to make more and more towards b●…th; I confess such is the nature of love, and which is worse, the nature of Women is such, That like shadows the more you follow them, the faster they fl●… from you. Nay some Females are of that odd humour, that to feed their pride, they will famish affection, they will starve those natural passions which are owing from them to Man; I confess coins becomes some beauties if handsomely acted, a frown from some faces penetrats more and makes deeper impression than the fawning, and soft glances of a mincing smile, yet if this coins and these frowns savour of Pride they are odious, and 'tis a rule that where this kind of pride inhabits Honour sits not long Porter at the Gate. There are some beauties so strong that they are leagerproof, they are so barricadoed that no battery, no Petard, or any kind of Engine sapping or mining can do good upon them; There are others that are tenable a good while, and will endure the brunt of a siege, but will incline to parley at last, and you know that Fort and Female which begins to parley is half won; for my part, I think of beauties as Philip King of Macedon thought of Cities, there is none so inexpugnable but an Ass laden with gold may enter into them; you know what the Spaniard saith, Dadivas quebrant anpeñas, presents can rend rocks; Pearl and golden bullets may do much upon the impregnablest beauty that is; It must be partly your way: I remember a great Lord of this Land sent a puppy with a rich collar of Diamonds to a rare French Lady Madam St. L. that had come over hither with an Ambassador, she took the dog, but returned the collar, I will not tell you what effect it wrought afterwards: 'Tis a powerful sex, they were too strong for the first, the strongest, and wisest man that was; they must needs be strong when one hair of a woman can draw more than a hundred pair of oxen, yet for all their strength, in point of value, if you will believe the Italian, A man of straw is worth a woman of gold; Therefore if you find the thing pervers, rather than to undervalue your sex (your manhood) retire handsomely, for there is as much honour to be won as an handsome retreat as at a hot onset, it being the difficultest piece of War; by this retreat you will get a greater victory than you are aware of, for thereby you will overcome yourself which is the greatest conquest that can be; without seeking abroad, we have enemies enough within doors to practise our valour upon, we have tumultuary and rebellious passions with whole hosts of humor●… within us, He who can discomfit them is the greatest Captain and may defy the Devil; I pray recollect yourself, and think on this advice of your true and most affectionate servitor,  
Westm. 4 Decem. 1637. J. H.   

V. To G. G. Esq at Rome.  
SIR,  
I Have more thanks to give you then can be folded up in this narrow paper, though it were all writ in the closest kind of Stenography, for the rich and acurat account you please to give me of that renowned City wherein you now sojourn: I find you have most judiciously pried into all matters both civil and clerical, especially the latter, by observing the poverty and penances of the Friar, the policy and power of the jesuit, the pomp of the Prelate and Cardinal: Had it not been for the two first, I believe the two last, and that See had been at a low ebb by this time; for the learning, the prudential state, knowledge and austerity of the one, and the venerable opinion the people have of the abstenious and rigid condition of the other, specially of the Mendicants, seem to make some compensation for the lux and magnificence of the two last: Besides, they are more beholden to the Protestant then they are aware of, for unless he had rise up about the latter end of the last century of years, which made them more circumspect and wary of their ways, life, and actions, to what an intolerable high excess that Court had come to by this time, you may easily conjecture. But out of my small reading I have observed that no age ever since Gregory the great hath passed, wherein some or other have not repined and murmured at the pontifical pomp of that Court, yet for my part I have been always so charitable as to think that the Religion of Rome, and the Court of Rome were different things. The counterbuff that happened 'twixt Leo the tenth, and Francis the first of France is very remarkable, who being both met at Bolonia, the King seemed to give a light touch at the Pope's pomp, saying, ' 'twas not used to be so in former time. It may be so, said Leo, but it was then when Kings kept sheep, (as we read in the old Testament.) no, the King replied, I speak of times under the Gospel, then, rejoind the Pope, ' 'twas than when Kings did visit Hospitals, hinting by those words at St. Lewis who used oft to do so. It is memorable what is recorded in the life of Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincoln who lived in the time of one of the Leo's, That he feared the same sia would overthrow L●…o, as overthrew Lucifer.  
For news hence, I know none of your friends but are at well as you left them, Hombres y Hembras: you are fresh and very frequent in their memory, and mentioned with a thousand good wishes and benedictions; Amongst others you have a large room in the memory of my Lady Elizabeth Cary, and I do not think all Rome can afford you a fairer lodging. I pray be cautious of your carriage under that meridian, it is a searching (Inquisitive) air, you have two eyes, and two ears, but one tongue, you know my meaning; This last you must imprison (as nature hath already done with a double fence of teeth and lips) or else she may imprison you, according to our Countryman Mr. Hoskins advice when he was in the Tower.  Vincula da linguae, vel tibi lingua dabit. 
Have a care of your health, take heed of the seren's, of excess in fruit, and be sure to mingle your wine well with water: no more now, but that in the large cate-log of friends you have left behind here, there's none who is more mindful of you then  
Your most affectionate and faithful Servitor, J. H.   

VI To Dr. T. P.  
SIR,  
I Had yours of the tenth current, wherein you write me tidings of our friend Tom D. and what his desires tend unto; in my opinion they are somewhat extravagant. I have read of one, that loving honey more than ordinary, seemed to complain against nature, that she made not a Bee, as big as a Bull, that we might have it in greater plenty, another who was much given to fruit wished that Pears and Plums were as big as Pumpions, these were but silly vulgar wishes; for if a Bee were as big as a Bull, it must have a sting proportionable, and what mischiefs do you think such stings would do, when we can hardly endure the sting of that small insected animal as now it is? and if Pears and Plums were as big as Pumpions 'twere dangerous walking in an Orchard about the aurumnall equinoctial, (at which time they are in their full maturity) for fear of being knocked in the head▪ Nature the hand maid of God Almighty doth nothing but with good advice i●… we make researches into the true reason of things, you know wha●… answer the Fox gave the Ape when he would have borrowed par●… of his tail to cover his posteriors.  
The wishes you write that T. D. lately made, were almost a●… extravagant in civil matters, as the afore mentioned were in natural, for if he were partaker of them, they would draw more inconveniences upon him then benefit, being nothing sortable either to his disposition or breeding, and for other reasons besides, which I will reserve till my coming up, and I pray let him know somuch from me, with my commendations, so I rest  
Westmin. 5 Sept. 1640. Yours in the perfectest degree of friendship, J. H.   

VII. To Mr T. B. Merchant in Sevill.  
SIR,  
THough I have my share of infirmities as much as another man, yet I like my own nature in one thing, that requitals to me are as sweet as revenges to an Italian; I thank my stars I find myself far proner to return a courtesy then to resent an injury: This made me most gladly apprehend the late occasion of serving you (notwithstanding the hard measure I have received from your brother) and to make you some returns of those frequent favours I received from you in Spain, I have ta'en away (as you may perceive by the enclosed papers) the weights that hung to that great business in this Court, it concerns you now to put wings unto it in that, and I believe you will quickly obtain, what useth to be first in intention though last in execution, I mean your main end: I heartily wish the thing may be prosperous unto you, and that you may take as much pleasure in the fruition of it, as I did in following of it for you, because I love you dearly well, and desire you so much happiness, that you may have nothing but heaven to wish for; In which desires I rest.  
White-Hall, 3 May, 1633. Your constant true friend to serve you, J. H.   

VIII. To Doctor B.  
SIR,  
Whereas upon the large theorical discourse and bandings of opinions we had lately at Gresham College, you desired I should couch in writing what I observed abroad of the extent and amplitude of the Christian Commonwealth in reference to other Religions, I obtained leave of myself to put pen to paper, rather to obey you then oblige you with any thing that may add to your judgement or enrich that rare knowledge I find you have already tresured up; but I must begin with the fulfilling of your desire in a preambular way for the subject admits it.  
〈◊〉 a principle all the earth over, except amongst Atheists, that 〈◊〉 verum est a Deo, omne falsum est a diabolo, & omnis error ab homine; All truth is from God, all falsehood from the devil, and all error from man; the last goes always under the vizard of the first, but the second confronts truth to the face and stands in open defiance of her, Error and sin are contemporary, when one crept first in at the foredoor, the other came in at the postern, this made Trismegistus, one of the great Lords of Reason, to give this character of man, homo est imaginatio quaedam, & imaginatio est supremum mendacium; Man is nought else but a kind of imagination, and imagination is the greatest lie; Error therefore entering into the world with sin among us poor Adamites, may be said to spring from the tree of knowledge itself, and from the rotten kernels of that fatal Apple: This, besides the infirmities that attend the body, hath brought in perversity of will, depravation of mind, and hath cast a kind of cloud upon our intellectuals that they cannot discern the true essence of things with that clearness as the protoplast our first Parent could, but we are involved in a mist, and grope as it were ever since in the dark, as if truth were got into some dungeon, or as the old wizard said into some deep pit which the shallow apprehension of men could not fathom: Hence comes it that the earth is rend into so many religions, and those religions torn into so many schisms, and various forms of devotion, as if the heavenly Majesty were delighted as much in diversities of worship as in diversities of works.  
The first Religion that ever was reduced to exact rules and ●…iruall observances was that of the Hebrews, the ancient people of God, called afterwards judaism, the second Christianity, the third Mahometism which is the youngest of all religions; Touching Paganism, and heathenish Idolatry they scarce deserve the name of Religion, but for the former three there is this analogy between them, that they all agree in the first person of the Trinity and all his attributes; What kind of Religion there was before the Flood, it is in vain to make any researches, there having been no monuments at all left, (besides that little we find in Moses and the Phaenician story) but Seths pillars, and those so defaced, that nothing was legible upon them, though josephus saith that one was extant in his days: as also the oak under which Abraham feasted God Almighty, which was 2000 years after. The religion (or Cab●…l) of the Hebrews was transferred from the Patriarches to Moses and from him to the Prophets. It was honoured with the apearance, and promulgations of God himself, specially the better part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I mean the decalogue containing the ten Commandments, 〈◊〉 being most of them moral and agreeing with the common notions of man are in force all the world over.  
The Jews at this day are divided to three Sects, the first, which is the greatest, are called the Talmudists, in regard that besides the Holy Scriptures they embrace the Talmud, which is stuffed with the traditions of their Rabbins and Ca●…ams; The second receive the Scripture alone; The third the Pentateuch only, viz. the five Books of Moses which are called Samaritans. Now touching what part of the earth is possessed by Jews, I cannot find they have any at all peculiar to themselves, but in regard of their murmurings, their frequent Idolatries, defections, and that they crucified the Lord of life, this once select Nation of God, and the Inhabitants of the Land flowing with milk and honey, is become now a scorned squandered people all the earth over, being ever since incapable of any coalition or reducement into one body politic; There where they are most without mixture is Tiberias in Palestine which Amurath gave Mendez the Jew, whither, and to jerusalem, upon any conveniency they convey the bones of their dead friends from all places to be reinterred: They are to be found in all Mercantile Towns and great Marts, both in afric, Asia, and Europe, the dominions of England, of the Spaniard and French excepted, and as their persons so their profession is despicable, being for the most part but Brokers every where: Among other places they are allowed to be in Rome herself near St. Peter's chair, for they advance trade whersoever they come; with the banks of money, and so are permitted as necessary evils: but put case the whole Nation of the Jews now living were united into one collective body, yet, according to the best conjecture and exactest computation that I could hear made by the knowingst men, they would not be able to people a country bigger than the seventeen Provinces: Those that are dispersed now in Christendom, and Turkey, are the remnants only of the Tribes of juda, and Benjamin with some Levites which returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel: The common opinion is, that the other ten are utterly lost, but they themselves fancy that they are in India a mighty nation environed with stony rivers, which always cease to run their course on their Sabbath, from whence they expect their Messias who shall in the fullness of time o'er run the world with fire and sword, and re-establish them in a temporal glorious state; But this opinion sways most among the Oriental Jews, whereas they of the West attend the coming of their Messias from Portugal; which language is more common among them then any other: and thus much in brief of the Jews as much as I could digest, and comprehend within the compass of this paper-sheet and let it serve for the accomplishment of the first part of your desire; In my next I shall give you the best satisfaction I can concerning the extent of Christianity up and down the globe of the earth, which I shall speedily send, for now that I have undertaken such a task my pen shall not rest till I have finished it, so I am  
Westmin. 1 Aug. 1635. Your most affectionate ready Servant, J. H.   

IX. To Doctor B.  
SIR,  
HAving in my last sent you something touching the state of judaisin up and down the world, in this you shall receive what extent Christianity hath, which is the second Religion in succession of time and truth; A Religion that makes not sense so much subject to reason, as reason succumbent to Faith: There is no Religion so harsh and difficult to flesh and blood, in regard of divers mysterious positions it consists of, as the Incarnation, Resurrection, the ●…nity, etc. which as one said, are bones to Philosophy, but milk to Faith. Ther is no Religion so purely spiritual and abstracted from common natural ideas, and sensual happiness as the Christian: No Religion that excites man more to the love and practise of virtue, and hatred of vice, or that prescribes greater rewards for the one, and punishments for the other: A Religion that in a most miraculous manner did expand herself and propagat by simplicity, humbleness, and by a mere passive way of fortitude, growing up like the palm tree under the heavy weight of persecution; for never any Religion had more powerful opposition, by various kinds of punishments, oppressions and tortures which may be said to have deckd her with rubies in her very cradle; In so much that it is granted by her very enemies, that the Christian in point of passive valour hath exceeded all other nations upon earth: And▪ 'tis a thing of wonderment how at her very first growth, she flew over the heads of so many interjacent vast Regions into this remote Isle so soon, that her rays should shine upon the Crown of a British King first of any, I mean King Lucius, the true Proto Christian King in the days of Eleutherius, at which time she received her propagation; but for her plantation she had it long before by some of the Apostles themselves. Now, as Christian Religion hath the purest and most abstracted, the hardest and highest spiritual notions, so it hath been most subject to differences of opinions and distractions of conscience, the purer the wheat is the more subject 'tis to tares, and the most precious gems to flaws. The first bone that the Devil flung was into the Eastern Churches, then 'twixt the Greek and the Roman, but it was rather for jurisdiction and power then for the fundamentals of faith, and lately 'twixt Rome and the Northwest Churches: Now the extent of the Eastern Church is larger far than that of the Roman (excluding America) which makes some accuse her as well of uncharitableness as of arrogance that she should positively damn so many millions of Christian souls who have the same common simboll of faith with her, because they are not within the close of her fold.  
Of those Eastern and Southeast Churches, there are no less the●… eleven Sects, whereof the three principallest are the Grecian, th●… jacobite, and the Nestorian, with whom the rest have some dependence or conformity, and they acknowledge canonical obedience either to the Patriarch of Constantinople, of Alexandria, of Ierus●…lem, or Antioch: They concur with the Western Reformed Churches in divers positions against Rome, as in denial of Purgatory; in rejecting extremeunction, and celebrating the Sacrament under both kinds; in admitting their Clergy to marry▪ in abhorring the use of massy statues, and celebrating their Liturgy in the vulgar language; Among these the Ruff, and the Habassi●… Emperors are the greatest, but the latter is a jew also from the girdle downward, for he is both circumcised and christened, having received the one from Solomon, and the other from the Apostle Saint Thomas; They observe other rites of the levitical Law; they have the cross in that esteem that they imprint the sign of it upon some part of the child's body wh●…n he is baptised; that day they take the holy Sacrament they spit not till after sunset, and the Emperor in his progresses as soon as he comes to the fight of a Church, lights off his camel, and feet it all along, till he loseth the sight of it.  
Now touching that proportion of ground that the Christians have on the habitable earth, (which is the main of our task) I find that all Europe with her adjacent Isles is peepled with Christians, except that ruthful Country of Lapland where Idolaters yet inhabit; towards the East also that Region which lieth 'twixt Tana●… and Boristhenes the ancient Country of the Goths is possessed by Mahometan Tartars; but in these Territories which the Turk hath 'twixt the Danube and the sea, and 'twixt Ragusa, and Buda, Christians are intermixed with Mahometans, yet in this cohabitation Christians are computed to make two third parts at least, for here and elsewhere, all the while they pay the Turk the quarter of their increase, and a Sulta●…y for every poll, and speak nothing in derogation of the Alcoran, they are permitted to enjoy both their religion and lives securely. In Constantinople herself under the Grand signiors nose, they have twenty Churches, in Saloni●…e (or Thessa●…onica) 30. There are 150 Churches under the Metropolitan of Philippi, as many under him of Atheus, and he of Corinth hath about an hundred suffragan Bishops under him.  
But in afric (a thing which cannot be too much lamented) that huge extent of Land which Christianity possessed of old 'twixt the Mediterranean Sea, and the Mountain Atlas, yea as far as Egypt, with the large Region of Nubia, the Turks have overmastered: We read of 200 Bishops met in Synods in those parts; and in that Province where old Carthage stood, there were 164 Bishops under one Metropolitan; but Mahometism hath now overspread all there about, only the King of Spain hath a few Maritime ●…ownes under Christian subjection, as Septa, Tonger, Oran and others. But through all the huge continent of Afric, which it estimated to be thrice bigger than Europe, there is not one Region entirely Christian, but Habassia or Ethiopia, besides there is in Egypt a considerable number of them yet sojourning: Now Habassia according to the itineraries of the observingst travellers in those parts, is thought to be in respective magnitude as big as Germany, Spain, France, and Italy conjunctly; an estimate which comes nearer truth than that which some make, by stretching it from one tropic to the other, viz. from the Red Sea to the Western Ocean; there are also divers Isles upon the Coast of Afric that are colonized with Christians, as the Madera, the Canari●…, Cape Verd, and Saint Thomas; but on the Eastside there's none but Zoeotora.  
In Asia there's the Empire of Russia that's purely Christian, and the Mountain Libanus in Syria; in other parts they are mingled with mahometans, who exceed them one day more than another in numbers specially in those Provinces (the more's the pity) where the Gospel was first preached, as Anatolia, Armenia, Siris, Mesopotamia, Palestina, Chaldea, Assiria, Persia, the north of Arabia, and south of India; in some of these parts I say, specially in the four first, Christians are thick mixed with mahometans, a●… also in East India since the portugals discovery of the passage by the cape of good hope, christians by God's goodness have multiplied in considerable numbers, as likewise in Goa since it was made a●… Archbishopric, and the Court of a Viceroy: They speak also of a Christian Church in Quinsay in China the greatest of all earthly Cities; but in the Islands thereabouts called the Philippinas, which they say are above 1100 in number, in thirty whereof the Spaniard hath taken firm footing. Christianity hath made a good progress, as also in japonia: in the North-east part of Asia some 400 years since, Christianity had taken deep root under the King of Tenduc, but he was utterly overthrown by Chingis one of his ow●… vassals, who came thereby to be the first founder of the Tartarias Empire, this King of Tenduc was the true Prester john, not the Ethiopian King of the Habassins, as Scaliger would have it, whose opinion is as far distant from truth in this point, as the Southernest part of Afric from the North-east part of Asia, or as a jecobite is from a Nestorian: Thus far did Christianity find entertainment in the old world, touching the new, I mean America▪ which is conjectured to equal, well near, the other three parts i●… magnitude, the Spanish Authors and Merchants (with whom ●… have conve●…sed) make report of a marvellous growth that Christianity hath made in the Kingdoms of Mexico, Peru, Brasil, & Castilia delore, as also in the greater Islands adjoining, as Hispaniola, Cuba, Portoric●…, and others, insomuch that they write of one ancient Priest who had christened himself 700 Savages some years after the first discovery; but there are some who seeming to be no friends to Spain, report that they did not baptise half so many as they butchered.  
Thus have you as compendiously as an epistle could make it, an account of that extension of ground which Christians possess upon earth, my next shall be of the Mahometan, wherein I could wish I had not occasion to be so large as I fear I must be; So I am Sir,  
Westmin. 9 Aug. 1635. Your respectful and humble Servant, J. H.   

X. To Doctor B.  
SIR,  
MY two former were of judaism and Christianity, I▪ come now to the Mahometan the modernst of all Religions, and the most mischievous, and destructive to the Church of Christ, for this fatal sect hath justled her out of divers large Regions in Afric, in Tartary, and other places, and attenuated their number in Asia which they do whersoever they come; having a more politic and per●…icious way to do it then by fire and faggot, for they having understood well that the dust of Martyrs were the thrivingst seeds of Christianity, and observed that their r●…ignes naturally in mankind, being composed all of one lump, and carrying the same stamp, a general kind of compassion and sympathy, which appears most towards them who lay down their lives, and postpose all worldly things for the preservation of their consciences, (and never any diedso, but he drew followers after him) therefore the Turk goes a more cunning way to work, he meddles not with life ●…nd limb to prevent the sense of compassion which may arise that ●…ay, but he grinds their faces with Taxes, and makes them inca●…able of any offices either of authority, profit or honour, by which means he renders them despicable to others, and makes their ●…yes irksome to themselves: yet the Turks have a high opinion of Christ that he was a greater Prophet than Moses; that he was the S●… of a Virgin who conceived by the smell of a Rose presented to her by Gabriel the Angel, they believe he never sinned, nay in their Alcoran they term him the breath and word of God, they punish all that blasphem●… him, and no jew is capable to be a Turk but he must be first an ABDULA a Christian, he must eat hog's flesh, and do other things for three days, than he is made a Mahometan, but by abjuring of Christ to be a greater Prophet than Mahomet.  
It is the Alfange that ushers in the faith of Mahomet every where, nor can it grow in any place, unless it be planted and sown with Gunpowder intermixed; when planted, there are divers ways of policy to preserve it, they have their Alcoran in one only language, which is the Arabic, the mother tongue of their Prophet, 'tis as bad as death for any to raise scruples of the Alcoran; Thereupon there is a restraint of the study of Philosophy, and other learning, because the impostors of it may not be di●…cernd; the Mus●… is in as great reverence among them, as the Pope is among the Romanists; For they hold it to be a true principle in divinity, that no one thing preserves and improves Religion more than a venerable big●… pious esteem of the chiefest ministers; They have no other guide o●…●…aw both for temporal and Church-affairs than the Alcoran which they hold to be the rule of civil justice, as well as the divine cha●… of their salvation; so that their Judges are but expositors of tha●… only, nor do they trouble themselves, or puzzle the plaintiff with any moth-eaten records, or precedents to entangle the business, but they immediately determine it, according to the fresh circumstances of the action, & secundum allegata, & probata by witnesses; They have one extraordinary piece of humanity to be 〈◊〉 tender of the rational soul, as not to put Christian, Jew, Gree●… or any other to his Oath, in regard that if for some advantage 〈◊〉 gain or occasion of inconvenience and punishment any should 〈◊〉 swear himself, they hold the imposers of the Oath to be accessary to the damnation of the perjured man; By these and divers oth●… reaches of policy (besides their arms) not practised elsewhere they conserve that huge bulk of the Ottoman Empire which exten●… without interruption (the Hell●…spont only between) in one cont●…-nued piece of earth two and thirty hundred miles, from Buda 〈◊〉 Hungary to a good way into Persia; by these means they keep al●… their Religion from distracting opinions, from every vulgar fa●…cy, and Schisms in their Church, for there's no where fewer th●… here; the difference that is, is only with the Persian, and that 〈◊〉 in fundamentals of faith, but for priority of Government in 〈◊〉 of Religion. This so universal conformity in their Religion, is ascribed as to other politic institutions, so specially to the rigorous inhibition they have of raising Scruples and disputes of the Alcoran under pain of death, specially among the laity and common people, whose zeal commonly is stronger than their judgement.  
That part of the world where Mahomet hath furthest expanded himself is Asia, which as I said before, exceeds Afric in greatness, and much more in people; he hath firm footing in Persia, Tartary (upon the latter of which the Musulman empire is entailed) in Turcomania itself, and Arabia, four mighty Kingdoms; the last of these was the nest where that Cockatrice egg was hatched, which hath diffused its poison so far and near, through the veins of so many Regions; All the Southerly coasts of Asia, from the Arabian Bay to the river Indus is infected therewith, the vast Kingdom of Cambaia and Bengula, and about the Southpart of the inhabitants of Malabar have drank of this poison; insomuch that by no wrong computation it may well be said that Mahometism hath dispersed itself over almost one half of the huge continent of Asia, besides those multitudes of Isles, specially seven, Moldivia, and Ceylan, the sea coasts of Sumatra, java, Sunda, the ports of Banda, Borneo, with divers other whereof there are many thousands about Asia, who have entertained the Alcoran: In Europe the mahometans possess all the Region 'twixt Don and Meper, called of old Tanais, and 〈◊〉, being about the twentieth part of Europe, the King of Poland dispenceth with some of them in Lituania: Touching Greece, Macedon, Thracia, Bulgaria, Servia, Bosnia, Epire, the greatest part of Hungary and Dalmatia, although they be wholly under Turk's obedience, yet Mahometans scarce make the third part of the Inhabitants. In Afric this contagion is further spread; It hath intoxicated all the shore of Ethiopia as far as Mosumbic, which lieth opposite to the midst of Madagascar; 'Tis worse with the firm Land of Afric on the North and West parts, For from the Mediterranean Sea to the great River Niper, and along the banks of Nile all Egypt and Barbary, with Lybia and the Negro's Country, are tainted and tanned with this black Religion.  
The vast propagation of this unhappy Sect may be ascribed first to the Sword, for the conscience commonly is apt to follow the Conqueror; Then to the loose reins it gives to all sensual liberty, as to have eight wives and as many concubines as one can maintain, with the assurance of Venerean delights in a far higher degree to succeed after death to the religious observers of it, as the fruition of beautiful damsels, with large rolling eyes, whose virginity shall renew after every act, their youth shall last always with their lust, and love shall be satiared with only one, where it shall remain inalienable. They concu●… with the Christian but only in the acknowledgement of one God, and in his attrib●…tes: With the jew they symbolise in many things more, as in circumcision, in refraining from swine's flesh, in detestation of images, and somewhat in the quality of future happiness, which, as was said before, they place in Venerean pleasure, as the Jew doth in feasting and banquet, so that neither of their laws have punishment enough to deter mankind from wickedness and vice, nor do they promise adaequat rewards for virtue and piety; for in the whole Alcoran, and through all the writings of Moses there's not a word of Angelical joys and eternity: And herein Christianity far excels both these Religions, for she placeth future happiness in spiritual, everlasting and unconceivable bliss, abstracted from the fading and faint grossness of sense; The Jew and Turk also agree in their opinion of women, whom they hold to be of an inferior creation to man, which makes the one to exclude them from his Moscoes, and the other from his Synagogues.  
Thus far have I rambled through the vast Ottoman Empire, and taken a cursary survey of Mahomet's Religion; In my next I shall taken the best view I can of Pagans and Idolaters, with those who go for Atheists; And in this particular, this earth may be said to be worse than Hell itself, and the Kingdom of the Devil, in regard there are no Atheists there, for the very damned souls find and feel in the midst of their tortures that there is a God by his justice and punishments; nay the Prince of darkness himself and all the cacadaemons by an historical faith believe there is a God; whereunto the Poet alludes very divinely;  Nullos in Inferno est Atheos', ante fuit. 
So I very affectionately kiss your hand, and rest,  
westmin. 17. Aug. 1635. Your faithful ready Servitor, J. H.   

XI. To Doctor B.  
SIR,  
HHaving in my three former letters washed my hands of the Mahometan and the jew, and attended Christianity up and down the earth, I come now to the Pagan, Idolater, or Heathen, who (the more to be lamented) make the greatest part of mankind; Europe herself, though the beams of the cross have shined upon her above these sixteen ages, is not free of them; for they possess to this day Lappia, Corelia, Biarmia, Scrifinnia, and the north parts of Finmark, there are also some shreds of them to be found in divers places of Lutuania, and Somogitia which make a region nine hundred miles in compass.  
But in Afric their number is incredible, for from cape Blanc the most westerly Point of Afric all southward to the Cape of good Hope, and thence turning by the back of Afric to the Cape of Mozambric, all these coasts being about the one half of the circumference of Afric is peepled by Idolaters, though in some places intermixed with Mahometans and Christians, as in the Kingdom of Congo and Angola: But if we survey the inland territories of Afric between the river of Nile, and the west sea of Ethiopia, even all that Country from about the north parallel of ten degrees, to the south parallel of six degrees, all is held by Idolaters, besides, the Kingdom of Borno, and a great part of Nubia and Lybia, continue still in their old Paganism, so that by this account above one half of that immense continent of Afric is peepled by Idolaters. But in Asia, which is far more spacious and more populous than Afric, Pagans, Idolaters, and Gentiles, Swarm in greater numbers, for from the River Pechora Eastward to the Ocean, and thence Southward to the Cape of Cincapura, and from that point returning Westward by the South coasts to the outlets of the River Indus, all that maritine tract which makes a good deal more than half the circumference of Asia is inhabited by Idolaters; so are the inland parts: There are two mighty mountains that traverse all Asia, Taurus and Imaus, the first runs from West to East, the other from North to South, and 〈◊〉 quarter and cut that huge mass of earth into equal parts, this side those mountains most of the people are Mahometans, but t'other side, they are all Idolaters: And as on the firm continent Paganism thus reigns, so in many thousand Islands that lie squandered in the vast Ocean, on the East and South east of Asia, Idolatry orespreads all, except in some few Islands that are possessed by Spaniards and Arabs.  
Lastly if one take a survey of America (as none hath done yet exactly) which is estimated to be as big as all the old earth, Idolaters there possess four parts of five; 'Tis true some years after the first Navigation thither, they were converted daily in great multitudes, but afterwards observing the licentious lives of the Christians, their greediness for gold, and their cruelty, they came not in so fast: which made an Indian answer a Spanish Friar who was discoursing with him of the joys of Heaven, and how all Spaniards went thither after this life, Then said the Pagan, I do not desire to go thither if Spaniards be there, I had rather go to Hell to be free of their Company: America differs from the rest of the earth in this, that she hath neither jew nor Mahometan in her, but Christians and Gentiles only: There are besides all those Religions and people before mentioned, an irregular confused nation in Europe called the Morduits; which occupy the middle confines betwixt the Tartars and the Ruff, that are mingled in Rites of Religion with all those that have been fore-spoken; for from the privy members upward they are Christians in regard they admit of Baptism, from the Navel downward they are Mahometans or jews for they are circumcised, and besides they are given to the adoration of heathenish Idols: In Asia there are the Card●… which inhabit the mountainous Country about Mozall, between Armenia and Mesop●…tamia, and the Druci in Syria who are demi Mahometans, and Christians.  
Now concerning Pagans and heathenish Idolaters whereof there are innumerable sorts up and down the surface of the earth, in my opinion those are the excusablest kind who adore the Sun and Moon with the Host of Heaven, and in Ireland, the kerns of the mountains, with some of the Scotch Isles, use a fashion of adoring the new Moon to this very day, praying she would leave them in as good health as she found them, this is not so gross and Idolatry as that of other Heathens; for the adoration of those glorious Celestial bodies is more excusable than that of Garlic, and Onions with the Egyptian, who I think (with the Sicyonian) was the ancientest Idolater upon earth which he makes thrice older than we do, for Diodorus S●…culus reports that the Egyptian had a Religion and Kings, eighteen thousand years since: yet for matter of Philosophy and Science, he had it from the Chaldean, He from the Gymnotophists and brahmin's of India, which Country as she is the next neighbour to the rising Sun, in reference to this side of the Hemisphere, so the beams of learning did first enlighten her: Egypt was the Nurse of that famous Hermes Trismagistus, who having no other scale but that of natural reason, mounted very high towards heaven, for he hath many very divine sayings, whereof I think it not impertinent to insert here a few, first he saith, that all humane sins are venial with the Gods, impiety excepted. 2. That g●…odnes belongs to the Gods, piety to men, revenge and wickedness to the devils. 3. That the Word is lucens Dei silius, the bright Son of God, etc.  
From Egypt Theorical knowledge came down the Nile and landed at some of the Greek Islands, where 'twixt the 33, 34, and the 35 Century of years after the Creation, there flourished all those renowned Philosophers that sway now in our Schools; Plato flew highest in divine notions, for some call him another Moses speaking athenian; In one of his Letters to a friend of his, he writes thus, When I seriously salute thee, I begin my Letter with one God, when otherwise with many, his Scholar Aristotle commended himself at his death to the Being of Being's; and Socrates may be said to be a Martyr for the first Person of the Trinity: these great Secretaries of Nature by studying the vast Volume of the World came by main strength of reason to the knowledge of one Deity or primus motor, and of his attributes; they found by undeniable consequences that he was infinite, eternal, ubiquitary, omnipotent, and not capable of a definition; which made the Philosopher, being commanded by his King to define God, to ask the respite of a day to meditat thereon, then two, then four, at last he ingeniously confessed that the more he thought to dive into this mystery, the more he was ingulph'd in the speculation of it: for the quiddity and essence of the incomprehensible Creator, cannot imprint any formal conception upon the finite intellect of the Creature, to this I might refer the Altar which Saint Paul found among the Greeks, with this Inscription, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ To the unknown God.  
From the Greek Isles, Philosophy came to Italy, thence to this Western world among the druids, whereof those of this Isle were most celebrous, for we read that the Gauls (now the French) came to Britanny in great numbers to be instructed by them. The Romans were mighty great Zelots in their Idolatry, and their best Authors affirm, that they extended their Monarchy so far and near, by a particular reverence they had of their Gods, (which the Spaniard seems now to imitate) though those Gods of theirs were made of men, and of good fellows at first, besides in the course of their conquest, they adopted any strange Gods to the society of theirs, and brought them solemnly to Rome, and the reason as one saith was, that they believed the more Gods they had the safer they were, a few being not sufficient to conserve and protect so great an Empire: The Roman Gentiles had their Altars and Sacrifices, their Archflamins, and vestal Nuns; And it seems the same genius reigns still in them, for in the Primitive Church, that which the Pagans misliked most in Christianity was, that it had not the face and form of a religion, in regard it had no Oblations, Altars & Images, which may be a good reason why the Sacrifices of the Mass and other Ceremonies were first instituted to allure the Gentiles to Christianity. But to return a little further to our former subject in the condition that mankind stands now, if the Globe of the earth were divided to thirty parts, 'tis thought that Idolaters (with horror I speak it) having as I said before, the one half of Asia and Afric, both for the inland Country and Maritime Coasts with four parts of five in America inhabit twenty parts of those Regions that are already found out upon earth, besides in the opinion of the knowingst and most inquisitive Mathematitions, there is towards the southern clime as much land yet undiscovered as may equal in dimension the late new world, in regard, as they hold there must be of necessity such a portion of earth to balance the Centre on all sides, and 'tis more than probable, that the Inhabitants there must be Pagans. Of all kind of Idolaters those are the horridest, who adore the Devil whom they call Tantara, who appears often unto them specially in a Haraucane though he be not visible to others; In some places they worship both God and the Devil, the one, that he may do them good, the other, that they may do them no hurt; the first they call tantum, the other squantum. 'Twere presumption beyond that of Lucifers or Adam's for man to censure the justice of the Creator in this particular, why he makes daily such innumerable vessels of dishonour; It is a wiser and safer course far to sit down in an humble admiration and cry out, on the profound inscrutable judgements of God his ways are past finding out, and so to acknowledge with the divine Philosopher, Quod oculus vespertilionis ad solemn, idem est omnis intellectus humanus ad Deum, what the Eye of a Bat is to the Sun, the same is all human understanding to God-wards.  
Now to draw to a Conclusion, touching the respective largnes of Christianity and Mahometism upon the earth, I find the first to exceed, taking the new world with the old, considering the spacious Plantations of the Spaniard in America, the Colonies the English have there in Virginia, New-England and Charibbi Islands; with those of the French in Canada, and of the Hollander in East India: nor do I find that there is any region purely Mahometan without intermixtures, as Christianity hath many: which makes me to be of a differing opinion to that Gentleman, who held that Christianity added little to the general religion of mankind.  
Now touching the latitude of Christian faith, in reference to the differing Professors thereof, as in my former I showed that the Eastern Churches were more spacious than the Latin or Roman (excepting the two Indies) so they who have fallen off from her in the Western parts are not so far inferior to her in Europe as some would make one believe; which will appear if we cast them in counterbalance.  
Among Roman Catholics there is the Emperor, and in him the King of Hungary, the three Kings of Spain, France, and Poland; all Italy, the Dukes of Savoy, Bavaria, and Lorain, the three spiritual Electors with some few more; Touching them who have renounced all obedience to Rome, there are the three Kings of great Britain, Denmark and Swethland, the Duke of Saxon, Holstein, and Wittenberg: the Marquis of Brandenburg, and Baden, the Landgrave of Hesse; most of the Hansiatic Towns which are 88 in number▪ some whereof are equal to Republics, the (almost) seven Provinces the Hollander hath. The five Cantons of Swiss and Geneva, They of France who are reputed the fifth part of the Kingdom; the Prince of Transylvania, They of Hungary, and of the large Kingdom of Bohemia, of the Marchisats of Lusatia, M●…ravia, and the Dukedom of Silesia; As also they of the huge Kingdom of Poland, wherein Protestant's are diffused through all quarters in great numbers, having in every Province their public Churches and Congregations orderly severed and bounded with Dioceses, whence are sent some of the chiefest and most principal men of worth, unto their General Synods: For although there are divers sorts of these Polenian Protestants, some embracing the Waldensian or the Bohennic, others the Augustane, and some the Helvetian Confession; yet they all concur in opposition to the Roman Church; as also they of the Anglitan, Scotican, Gallic, Argentine, Saxonick, Wirtinbergick, Palatin, and ●…elgick Confessions: They also harmoniously symbolise in the principal Atticles of Faith, and which mainly concern eternal salvation, as in the infallible verity and full sufficiency of the Scriptures, divine Essence, and unity of the Everlasting Godhead, the sacred Trinity of the three glorious Persons, the blessed Incarnation of Christ, the Omnipotent Providence of God, the absolute supreme head of the Church, Christ himself, justification by Faith through his merits, and touching the nature of lively faith, repentance, regeneration, and sanctification, the difference between the Law and the Gospel, touching free will, sin, and good works, the Sacraments, their number, use and efficacy, the marks of the Church,, the resurrection and state of souls deceased: It may seem a rambling wild speech at first view, of one who said that to make one a complete Christian, he must have the works of a Papist, the words of a Puritan, and the Faith of a Protestant, yet this wish if well expounded, may bear a good sense, which were unfitting for me to give, you, being better able to put a gloss upon it yourself.  
Thus learned Sir, have I exercised my pen, according to my small proportion of knowledge, and conversation with books, men and maps, to obey your desire, though in comparison of your spacious literature I have held all this while but a candle to the Sun, yet by the light of this small candle you may see how ready I am to show myself  
Westmin. 25 Aug. 1635. Your very humble and affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

XII. To Mr. T. W.  
SIR,  
I Am heartily glad you have prevailed so far with my Lady your Mother as to have leave to travel a while, and now that you are bound for France and Italy, let me give you this caution to take heed of a speedy friend in the first, and of a slow enemy in the second; The courtesies of an Italian, if you suspect him jealous of you, are dangerous and so are his compliments, he will tell you that he kisseth your hand a thousand times over, when he wisheth them both cut off.  
The French are a free and debonnaire acostable people, both men and women; Among the one, at first entrance one may have acquaintance, and at first acquaintance one may have entrance; For the other, whereas the old rule was, that there could be no true friendship without commessation of a bushel of salt, one may have enough there before he eat a spoonful with them. I like that friendship which by soft gentle pauses steals upon the affection, and grows mellow with time, by reciprocal offices and trials of love, that friendship is like to last long, and never to shrink in the wetting.  
So hoping to enjoy you before you go, and to give you a friendly joy, I rest  
Westmin. 28 Feb. 1634. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

XIII. To Sir Tho. Hawk. Knight.  
SIR,  
I Was invited yesternight to a solemn supper by B. I. where you were deeply remembered, there was good company, excellent cheer, choice wines, and jovial welcome; one thing intervened which almost spoilt the relish of the rest, that B. began to engross all the discourse, to vapour extremely of himself, and by vilifying others to magnify his own muse; T. Ca buzzed me in the ear, that though Ben had barrelled up a great deal of knowledge, yet it seems he had not read the Ethiques, which among other precepts of morality forbid self-commendation, declaring it to be an ill favoured solecism in good manners; It made me think upon the Lady (not very young) who having a good while given her guests neat entertainment, a capon being brought upon the table, instead of a spoon she took a mouthful of claret and spouted it into the poop of the hollow bird; such an accident happened in this entertainment you know— Proprio laus sordet in ore; be a man's breath never so sweet, yet it makes one's praises stink, if he makes his own mouth the conduit pipe of it; But for my part I am content to dispense with this Roman infirmity of B. now that time hath snowed upon his pericranium. You know Ovid, and (your) Horace were subject to this humour, the first bursting out into,  jamque opus exegi quod nec jovis ira, nec ignis, etc. 
The other into,  Exegi monumentum ae're perennius, etc. 
As also Cicero while he forced himself into this Exameter; O fortunatam natam me consul Romam. There is another reason that excuseth B. which is, that if one be allowed to love the natural issue of his body, why not that of the brain, which is of a spiritual and more noble extraction; I preserve your manuscripts safe for you till your return to London, what news the times afford this bearer will impart unto you. So I am,  
Westmin. 5 Apr. 1636. Sir, Your very humble and most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XIV. To my Cousin Mr. I. P. at Gravesend.  
Cousin,  
GOd send you a good passage to Holland, and the world to your mind when you are there; Now, that you intent to trail a pike and make profession of arms, let me give you this caveat, that nothing must be more precious to you then your reputation; As I know you have a spirit not to receive wrong, so you must be careful not to offer any, for the one is as base as the other, your pulls will be quickly felt, and trial made what mettle you are made of after your first coming, If you get but once handsomely off, you are made ever after, for you will be free from all baffles and affronts. He that hath once got the same of an early riser, may sleep till noon; Therefore be wondrous wary of your first comportments, get once a good name, and be very tender of it afterwards, for 'tis like venice glass quickly cracked, never to be mended, patched it may be; To this purpose take along with you this Fable: It happened that Fire, water and Fame went to travel together (as you are going now) they consulted, that if they lost one another, how they might be retreeud and meet again; Fire said where you see smoke there you shall find me, Water said where you see marsh and morish low grounds, there you shall find me; but Fame said, take heed how you lose me, for if you do, you will run a great hazard never to meet me again, there's no retreeving of me.  
It imports you also to conform yourself to your Commanders, and so you may more confidently demand obedience, when you come to command yourself, as I doubt not but you may do in a short time: The Hoghen Moghen are very exact in their polemical government, their pay is sure though small, 4. s. a week being too little a hire, as one said, to kill men. At your return I hope you will give a better account of your doings than he who being asked what exploits he had done in the Low Countries, answered that he had cut off a Spaniards legs, reply being made that that was no great matter, it had been something if he had cut off his head, O said he, you must consider his head was off before; excuse me that I take my leave of you so pleasantly, but I know you will take any thing in good part from him who is so much  
Westmin. 3. Aug. 1634. Your truly affectionate Cousin, J. H.   

XV. To Cap. B.  
Much endeared Sir,  
There is a true saying that the spectator oft times sees more than the gamester; I find that you have a very hazardous game in hand therefore give it up and do not vie a farthing upon't. Though you be already embarked, yet there is time enough to strike sail, and make again to the port, otherwise, 'tis no hard matter to be a Prophet what will become of you; there be so many ill favoured quicksands, and rocks in the way, (as I have it from a good hand) that one may easily take a prospect of your shipwreck if you go on; therefore desist as you regard your own safety, and the seasonable advice of your  
Westminst. 1 May, 1635. J. H.   

XVI. To Mr. Thomas W. at his chamber in the Temple.  
SIR,  
YOu have much straightened that knot of love which hath been long tied between us, by those choice manuscripts you sent me lately, amongst which I find divers rare pieces, but that which afforded me most entertainment in those miscellanies, was Doctor Henry Kings Poems, wherein I find not only heat and strength, but also an exact concinnity and evennes of fancy: they are a choice race of brothers, & it seems the same Genius diffuseth itself also a▪ among the sisters: It was my hap to be lately where Mistress A. K. was, and having a paper of verses in her hand I got it from her, they were an Epitaph and an Anagram of her own composure and writing, which took me so far that the next morning, before I was up, my rambling fancy fell upon these lines.  

For the admitting of Mistress Anne King to be the tenth Muse.  
Ladies of Helicon do not repine  
I add one more unto your number nine,  
To make it even, I among you bring,  
No meaner than the daughter of a King,  
Fair Basil-Ana, quickly pass your voice,  
I know Apollo will approve the choice,  
And gladly her install, for I could name,  
Some of less merit Goddesses became.   
〈◊〉 Anna King.  
F. C. soars higher and higher every day in pursuance of his platonic love, but T. Man. is out with his, you know whom, he is fallen to that averseness to her, that he sw●…ares he had rather see a Basilisk than her. This shows that the sweetest wines, may turn to the tartest vinegar; no more till we meet,  
Westmin. 3 Feb. 1637. Yours inviolably, J. H.   

XVII. To the Lord C.  
My Lord,  
There are two sayings which are fathered upon Secretary Walsingham and Secretary Cecil, a pair of the best weighed Statesmen this Island hathbred: one was used to say at the Council Table, My Lords stay a little, and we shall make an end the sooner: the other would ofttimes speak of himself, It shall never be said of me that I will d●…fer till to morrow what I can do to day: At first view these sayings seemed to clash with one another, and to be diametrically opposite, but being rightly understood, they may be very well reconciled: Touching the first, 'Tis true, that hast and choler are enemies to all great actions; for as it is a principle in Chemistry that omnis festinatio est a Diabolo, all haste comes from Hell; so in the consultations, contrivings and conduct of any business of State, all rashness and precipitation comes from an ill spirit: There cannot be a better pattern for a grave and considerate way of deliberation than the ancient course of our High Court of Parliament, who when a Law is to be made, which concerns the welfare of so many thousands of men, after a mature debate and long discussion of the point beforehand, cause the bill to be read solemnly three times in the House, ere it be transmitted to the Lords, and there also 'tis so many times canvased and then presented to the Prince: That which must stand for law, must be long stood upon, because it imposeth an universal obedience, and is like to be everlasting according to the Ciceronian maxim, Deliberandum est diu quod stat●…endum est semel: such a kind of cunctation, advisedness, and procrastination is allowable also in all Counsels of State and War, for the day following may be able commonly to be a master to the day passed, such a world of contingencies human actions are subject unto: yet under favour I believe this first saying to meant of matters while they are in agitation and upon the anvil, but when they have received form and are fully resolved upon, I believe then nothing is so advantageous as speed; And at this, I am of opinion, the second saying aims at, for when the weights that use to hang to all great businesses are taken away, 'tis good then to put wings unto them, and to take the ball before the bound, for Expedition is the life of action, otherwise Time may show his bald occiput and shake his posteriors at them in de●…ision: Among other Nations the Spaniard is observed to have much phlegm, and to be most dilatory in his proceedings; yet they who have pried narrowly into the sequel and success of his actions, do find that this gravity, reservedness, and tergiversations of his, have turned rather to his prejudice than advantage, take one time with another: The two last matrimonial treaties we had with him, continued long, the first 'twixt Ferdinand and Henry the seventh for Catherine of Arragon seven years; That 'twixt King james, and the now Philip the fourth for Mary of Austria lasted eleven years (and seven and eleven's eighteen) the first took effect for Prince Arthur, the latter miscarried for Prince Charles, and the Spaniard may thank himself and his own slow pace for it, for had he mended his pace to perfect the work, I believe his Monarchy had not received so many ill favoured shocks since. The late revolt of Portugal was foreseen, and might have been prevented, if the Spaniard had not been too slow in his purpose to have sent the duke of Braganza out of the way upon some employment as was projected.  
Now will I reconcile the former save of those two renowned Secretaries, with the gallant comparison of Charles the Emperor (and he was of a more temperate mould, than a Spaniard, being a Flemin born) he was used to say, that while any great business of State was yet in consultation we should observe the motion of Saturn which is plumbeous long and heavy, but when it is once absolutely resolved upon, than we should observe the motion of Mercury the nimblest of all the planets, ubi desinit Saturnus ibi in●…ipiat Mercurius. Whereunto I will add, that we should imitate the Mulberry, who of all trees casts out her buds latest, for she doth it not till all the cold weather be passed, 
Quodan cum Streptu as Pliny saith.  and then she is sure they cannot be nipped, but then she shoots them all out in one night, so though she be one way the slowest, she is another way the nimblest of 〈◊〉.  
Thus have I obeyed your Lordship's command in expounding the sense of these two sayings according to my mean apprehension but this exposition relates only to public affairs, and political●… negotiations, wherein your Lordship is so excellently versed; 〈◊〉 shall most willingly conform to any other injunctions of yo●… Lordships, and esteem them always as favours, while I am  
Westmin. 5 Sept. 1633. J. H.   

XVIII. To Sir I. Browne Kt.  
SIR,  
ONE would think that the utter falling off of Catalonia and Portugal in so short a compass of time should much lessen the Spaniard, the people of both these Kingdoms being from subjects become enemies against him, and in actual hostility: without doubt it hath done so, yet not so much as the world imagines; 'tis true in point of Regal power, and divers brave subordinat commands for his servants, he is a great deal lessened thereby, but though he be less powerful, he is not a penny poo●…er thereby, for there comes not a farthing less every year into his Exchequer, in regard that those countries were rather a charge than benefit unto him, all their Revenue being drunk up in pensions, and payments of Officers and Garrisons; For if the King of Spain had lost all except the West Indies, and all Spain except Castille herself, it would little diminish his treasury; Touching Catalonia, and Portugal, specially the latter, 'tis true they were mighty members of the Castilian Monarchy, but I believe they will sooner want Castille than Castille them; because she filled them with treasure; Now that Barcelona and Lisbon hath shaken hands with Sevill, I do not think that either of them hath the tith of that treasure they had before; in regard the one was the scale whereby the King of Spain sent his money to Italy, the other, because all her East Indian commodities were bartered commonly in Andal●…zia and elsewhere for Bullion; Catalonia is fed with money from France, but for Portugal she hath little or none; therefore I do not see how she could support a war long to any purpose if Castille were quiet, unless soldiers would be contented to take cloves and pepper-corns, for Patacoon●… and Pistols. You know Money is the sinew and soul of War: This makes me think on that blunt answer which Captain Talbot returned Hen. the 8 from Calais, who having received special command from the King, to erect a new fort at the water gate, and to see the townwell fortified, sent him word that he could neither fortify nor fi●…ifie without money. There is no news at all stirring here now, and I am of the jalians mind that said Nulla nuova, buona nuova, no news good news. But it were great news to see you here, whence you have been an Alien so long to  
Holborn, 3 june. 1640. Your most affectionate friend, J. H.   

XIX. To Captain C. Price.  
Cousin,  
YOu have put me upon such an odd intri●…t piece of business, that I think there was never 〈◊〉 ●…ike of it, I am more puzzled, and entangled with it, than oft times▪ use t●… be with my Bandstrings when I go hastily to bed, and wan●…●…u a fair female hand as you have to untie them▪ I must imput●… 〈◊〉 this to the peevish humour of the people I deal withal; I find it true now that one of the greatest tortures that can be in the negotiation of the world is, to have to do with perverse irrational half-witted men, and to be worded to death with nonsense; besides as much brain as they have, is as full of scruples, as a Burr is of prickles, which is a quality incident to all those, that have their heads lightly ballasted, for they are like buys in a barred Port, waving perpetually up and down. The Father is scrupulous of the Son, the Son of the Sisters▪ and all three of me, to whose award they referred the business three several times: It is as hard a task to reconcile the Fan●…s of St. Sepulchers steeple which never look all four upon one point of the Heavens, as to reduce them to any conformity of reason; I never remember to have met with Father and Children, or Children among themselves of a more differing genius and contrariety of humours, insomuch that there cannot be a more pregnant instance to prove that human souls come not ex traduce, and by seminal production from the parents. For my part I intent to spend my breath no longer upon them, but to wash my hands quite of the business, and so I would wish you to do, unless you love to walk in a labyrinth of Briers, so expecting with impatience your return to London, I rest  
Westmin. 27 Apr. 1632. Your most faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XX. To my Cousin Mr. I. P. at Lincoln's Inn.  
Cousin,  
THe last week you sent me word, that you were so crampd with Business, that you could not put Pen to Paper; if you write not this week, I shall fear you are not only crampd but crippled; at least I shall think you are crampd in your affection rather than your fingers, and that you have forgot how once it was my good fortune to preserve you from drowning when the cramp took you in St. john's Pool at Oxford. The Cramp, as I take it, is a sudden Convulsion of the Nerves. For my part the ligaments and sinews of my love to you have been so strong, that they were never yet subject to such spasmaticall shrink and Convulsions. Now, letters are the very Nerves and Arteries of friendship, nay, they are the vital sp●…rits and elixir of love, which in case of distance and long absence would be in hazard to languish, and quite moulder away without them. Amongst the Italians and Spaniards 'tis held one of the greatest solecisms that can be in good manners, not to answer a Letter with like civility, by this they use to distinguish a Gentleman from a Clown; besides they hold it one of the most ●…ertuous ways to employ time. I am the more covetous of a punctual correspondence with you in this point, because I commonly gain by your Letters, your stile is so polite, your expressions so gallant, and your lines interspersed with such dainty flowers of Poetry and Philosophy. I understand there is a very able Doctor that reads the Anatomy Lecture this term, if Ploydon will dispense with you, you cannot spend your hours better than to hear him. So I end for this time, being crampd for want of more matter, and rest  
West. 3 jul. 1631. Your most affectionate loving Cousin, J. H.   

XXI. To my Nephew J. P. at St. John's in Oxford.  
Nephew,  
I Had from you lately two Letters, the last was well freighted with very good stuff, but the other, to deal plainly with you, was no●… so; There was as much difference between them, as 'twixt a Scots▪ Pedlars pack in Poland, and the Magazine of an English Merchant in Naples, the one being usually full of Taffeta, Silks and Satins; the other of Calicoes, threed-ribbands, and such polldavy ware; I perceive you have good Comoditieses to vent, if you take the pains: your trifles and bagatells are ill bestowed upon me, therefore hereafter I pray let me have of your best sort of wares: I am glad to find that you have stored up so much already; you are in the best Mart in the world to improve them; which I hope you daily do, and I doubt not when the time of your apprenticeship there is expired, but you will find a good Market to expose them for your own and the public benefit abroad. I have sent you the Philosophy Books you writ to me for; any thing that you want of this kind for the advancement of your studies, do but write and I shall furnish you: When I was a student as you are, my practice was to borrow rather than buy some sort of Books, and to be always punctual in restoring them upon the day assigned, and in the interim to swallow of them as much as made for my turn; this obliged me to read them thorough with more haste to keep my word, whereas I had not been so careful to peruse them had they been my own Books, which I knew were always ready at my dispose. I thank you heartily for your last Letter, in regard I found it smelled of the Lamp, I pray let your next do so, and the oil and labour shall not be lost which you expend upon  
Westm. 1 Aug. 1633. Your assured loving Uncle, J. H.   

XXII. To Sir Tho. Haw.  
SIR,  
I Thank you a thousand times for the choice Stanzas you pleased to send me lately: I find that you were throughly heated, that you were inspired with a true enthusiasm when you composed them; And whereas others use to flutter in the lower Region, your Muse soars up to the upper, and transcending that too, takes her flight among the Celestial bodies to find a fancy: your desires, I should do something upon the same subject, I have obeyed, though I fear not satisfied, in the following numbers.  

1.  
Could I but catch those beamy Rays,  
Which Phoebus at high noon displays,  
I'd set them on a Loom, and frame  
A Scarf for Delia of the same.   

2.  
Could I that wondrous black come near,  
Which Cynthia▪ when eclipsed, doth wear,  
Of a new fashion I would trace  
A Mask thereof for Delia's face.   

3.  
Could I but reach that green and blue,  
Which Iris decks in various hue,  
From her moist Bow I'd drag them down,  
And make my Delia a Summer Gown.   

4.  
Could I those whitely Stars go nigh,  
Which make the milky way in sky,  
I'd poach them, and at Moonshine dress  
To make my Delia a curious mess.   

5.  
Thus would I diet, thus attire  
My Delia Queen of hearts and fire,  
She should have every thing divine  
That would befitt a Seraphin.  
And 'cause ungirt unblessed we find,  
One of the Zones her waist should bind.   
They are of the same cadence as yours and aireable, so I am  
Westm. 5 Sept▪ 1633. Your humble Servitor, J. H.   

XXIII. To the R. H. the Lady Eliz. Digbye.  
Madame,  
IT is no improper comparison, that a thankful heart is like a box of precious ointment, which keeps the smell long after the thing is spent: Madam, (without vanity be it spoken) such is my heart to you, and such are your favours to me, the strong aromatic odor they carried with them, diffused itself through all the veins of my heart, specially through the left Ventricle, where the most illustrious blood lies, so that the presume of them remains still fresh within me, and is like to do, while that triangle of flesh dilates and shuts itself within my breast; nor doth this perfume stay there, but as all smells naturally tend upwards, it hath ascended to my brain, and sweetened all the cells thereof specially the memory, which may be said to be a Cabinet also to preserve courtesies, for though the heart be the box of love, the memory is the box of lastingness, the one may be termed the source whence the motions of gratitude flow, the other the cistern that keeps them.  
But your Ladyship will say, these are words only; I confess it, 'tis but a verbal acknowledgement; but, Madam, if I were made happy with an opportunity, you should quickly find these words ●…urnd to actions, either to go, to run or ride upon your errand; In expectation of such a favourable occasion, I rest,  
Madam, Your Ladyship's most humble and enchained Servitor, J. H. West. 5 Aug. 1640.   

XXIV. To Sir I. B.  
Noble Sir,  
THat odd opinion the Jew and Turk have of women, that they are of an inferior Creation to man, and therefore exclude them, the one from their Synagogues, the other from their Meskeds, is in my judgement not only partial, but profane; for the Image of the Creator shines as clearly in the one as in the other, and I believe there are as many female-Saints in heaven as male, unless you could make me adhere to the opinion that women must be all Masculine before they be capable to be made Angels of. Add hereunto that there went better and more refined stuff to the creation of woman than man; 'Tis true, 'twas a weak part in Eve to yield to the seducements of Satan, but it was a weaker thing in Adam to suffer himself to be tempted by Eve being the weaker vessel.  
The ancient Philosophers had a better opinion of that Sex, for they ascribed all Sciences to the Muses, all sweetness and morality to the Graces, and Prophetic Inspirations to the Sibyls. In my small revolving of Authors I find as high examples of virtue in Women as in Men, I could produce here a whole Regiment of them, but that a Letter is too narrow a field to muster them in, I must confess, there are also counter instances of this kind: if Cue▪ ●…bia was such a precise pattern of continency, that after the act of Conception, she would know her husband no more all the ●…me of her pregnancy till she had been delivered; there is another example of a Roman Empress, that when she found the vessel f●…ugheed, would take in all passengers, when the Barn was▪ bookful any one might thresh in the haggard but not till then▪ for fear the right Father should be discovered by the countenance of the child▪ But what need I go so far off to ●…ake the ashes of the dead, there are living examples enough pro and con of both Sexes, yet woman, being as I said before, the weaker vessel, her failings are more ve●…iall than those of man, though man indeed being more conversant with the world, and meeting more opportunities abroad (and opportunity is the greatest Bawd) of falling into infirmities as he follows 〈◊〉 worldly negotiations, may on the t'other side be judged the ●…ore excusable.  
But you are far fitter than I, to discourse of this subject, being better versed in the theory of women, having had a most vertuou●… Lady of your own before, and being now linked to another. 〈◊〉 wish a thousand benedictions may fall upon this your second choice▪ and that— tam bona sit quam bona prima fuit. This option shall be my conclusion for the present, whereunto I add that I am in no vulgar degree of affection  
West. 5. Aug. 1632. Your most humble and faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXV. To Mr. P. W.  
SIR,  
There are two things which add much to the merit of courtesies, viz. cheerfulness and speed, and the contraries of these lessen the value of them; that which hangs long 'twixt the fingers, and is done with difficulty and a sullen supercilious look, makes the obligation of the receivers nothing so strong, or the memory of the kindness half so grateful: the best thing the gods themselves liked of in the entertainments they received of those poor wretches Baucis and Philemon, was open hearty looks,  
— Super omnia vultus,  
Accessere boni—  
A clear unclouded countenance makes a Cottage appear like a Castle in point of hospitality, but a beetle-browed sullen face makes a Palace as smoky as an Irish Hut: There is a mode in giving entertainment, and doing any courtesy else, which trebly binds the receiver to an acknowledgement, and makes the remembrance of it far more acceptable. I have known two Lord high Treasurer's of England of quite contrary humours, one successively after the other, the one though he did the suitors business, yet he went murmuring, the other, though he did not, was used to dismiss the party with some satisfaction: 'tis true, money is welcome, though it be in a dirty Clout, but 'tis far more acceptable if it come in a clean handkerchief.  
Sir, you may sit in the chair, and read Lectures of Morality to all mankind in this point, you have such a dextrous discreet way to handle suitors in that troublesome Office of yours, wherein as you have already purchased much, I wish you all increase of honour and ●…ppines,  
Your humble and much obliged Servitor, J. H.   

XXVI. To Master F. Coll. at Naples.  
SIR,  
'tIS confessed I have offended by my overlong filence, and abused our maiden friendship; I appear before you now in this white, sheet to do penance, I pray in your next to send me an absolution; Absolutions they say are as cheap in that Town, as courtesans, whereof 'twas said there were 20000 on the common list, when I was there, at which time I remember one told me a tale of a Cal●…brian who had buggered a Goat, and having bought an Absolution of his Confessor, he was asked by a friend what it cost him, he answered, I procured it for four P●…stolets, and for the other odd one, I think I might have had a dispensation to have married the beast.  
I thank you for the exact relation you sent me of the fearful Earthquakes and fires which happened lately in that Country, and particularly about Vesuvius; It seems the huge Giant whom the Poets say was hurled under the vast mountain by the gods for thinking to scale heaven, had a mind to turn from one side to the other, which he useth to do at the revolution of every hundred years, and stirring his body by that action, he was taken with a ●…t of the cough, which made the hill shake, and belch out fire in that hideous manner. But to repay you in the like coin, they send us stranger news from Lisbon, for they write of a spick and span new Island that hath peeped up out of the Atlantic Sea, near the Tarc●…ras, which never appeared before, since the Creation, and it begins to be peepled already; me thinks the King of Spain needs no more Countries, he hath too many already, unless they were better united. All your friends here are well, and mind you often in Town and Country, as doth  
Westmin. 7 Apr. 1629. Your true constant Servitor, J. H.   

XXVII. To Mr T. Lucy in Venice.  
SIR,  
YOur last you sent me was from Genoa, where you write that gli mariti ingravidano l●…r moglie cento miglia lontano, Husbands get their wives with child a hundred miles off; 'Tis a great virtue I confess, but 'tis nothing to what our East India Mariners can do here, because they can do so, forty times further, for though their wives be at Ratcliff, and they at the Red Sea, though they be at Madagasca●…, the Magors Court, or japan, yet they use to get their wives bellies up here about London, a strange virtue at such a huge distance, but I believe the active part is in the wives, and the husbands are merely passive, which makes th●…m among other wares to bring home with them a sort of precious horns, the powder whereof, could one get some of it, would be of an invaluable virtue; This operation of our Indian Mariner at such a distance is more admittable in my judgement than that of the weapon salve, the ung●…entum armarium, for that can do no good unless the surgeon have the instrument, and blood, but this is done without both, for the husband contributes neither of them.  
You are now I presume in Venice, there also such things are done by proxy, while the husband is abroad upon the Galleys, there be others th●…t shoot his gulf at home. You are now in a place where you may feed all your senses very cheap, I allow you the pleasing of your eye, your ear, your smell and taste, but take heed of being too indulgent of the fist sense: The Poets feign that Venus the goddess of pleasure, and therefore called Aphrodite, was engendered of the froth of the sea (which makes fish more salacious commonly, than flesh) it is not improbable that she was got and coagulated of that foam which Neptune useth to disgorge upon those pretty Islands whereon that City st●…nds. My Lady Miller commends her kindly unto you, and she desires you to send her a complete cupboard of the best crystal glasses Murano can afford by the next shipping, besides she entreats you to send her a pot of the best mithridate, and so much of treacle.  
All your friends here are well and jovial, T. T. drank your health yesternight, and wished you could send him a handsome Venetia●… Cour●…isan enclosed in a letter, he would willingly be at the charge of the postage, which he thinks would not be much for such a light commodity. Farewell my dear Tom, have a care of your courses, and continue to love him who is  
Westmin. 15 jan. 1635. Yours to the altar, J. H.   

XVIII. To Mr. T. Jackson. at Madrid.  
SIR,  
THough a great sea severs ●…s now, yet 'tis not all the water of the Ocean can drown the remembrance of you in me, but that it floats and flows daily in my brain; I must confess (for 'tis impossible the mind of man should fix itself always upon one object) it hath sometimes its ebbs in me, but 'tis to rise up again with greater force; At the writing hereof 'twas flood, 'twas springtide which swelled so high, that the thoughts of you overwhelmed all others within me, they ingross'd all my intellectuals for the time.  
You write to me fearful news ●…ouching the revolt of the Catalan from Castillia, of the tragical murdering of the Viceroy, and the burning of his House; Those mountaineers are mad Lads. I fear the sparkles of this fire will fly further, either to Portugal or to Sicilia and Italy, all which Countries, I observed the Spaniard holds as one would do a Wolf by the ●…ar, fearing they should run a●…ay ever and anon from him.  
The news here is that Lambeth House bears all the sway at White-Hall, and the Lord Deputy Kings it notably in Ireland, some that love them best, could wish them a little more moderation.  
I pray buy Suarez works for me of the last edition, Mr. William Pawley, to whom I desire my most hearty commends may be presented, will see it safely sent by way of Bil●…ao; your friends here are all well, as is thanks be to God,  
Holborn, 3 Mar. 1638. Your true friend to serve you, J. H.   

XXIX. To Sir Edward Sa. Knight.  
Sir Edward,  
I Had a shrewd disease hung lately upon m●…, proceeding as the Physicians told me from this long reclused life, and close restraint, which had much wasted my spirits and brought me low: when the Crisis was past, I began to grow doubtful, that I had but a short time to breath in this elementary world, my fever still increasing, and finding my soul weary of this muddy mansion, and me thought more weary of this prison of flesh, than this flesh was of this prison of the Fleet. Therefore after some gentle slumbers, and unusual dreams about the dawnings of the day, I had a lucid interval, and so I fell a thinking how to put my little house in order, and to make my last will. Heerupon my thoughts ran upon Grunnius' sophistas last Testament, who having nothing else to dispose of but his body, he bequeathed all the parts thereof in Legacies, as his skin to the Tanners, his bones to the Dice makers, his guts to the Musicians, his fingers to the Scriveners, his tongue to his fellow sophisters, (which were the Lawyers of those times) and so forth: as he thus dissected his body so I thought to divide my mind into legacies, having as you know little of the outward pelf and gifts of fortune to dispose of, for never any was less beholden to that blind baggage. In the highest degree of Theorical contemplation, I made an entire sacrifice of my soul to her maker, who by infusing created her, and by creating infused her to actuate this small bulk of fl●…sh, with an unshake●… confidence of the redemption of both in my Saviour, and consequently of the salvation of the one, and resurrection of the other: my thoughts then reflected upon divers of my noble friends, and I ●…ell to proportion unto them what Legacies I held most proper▪ I thought to bequeath unto my Lord of Cherbery, and Sir K. Dig●…y that little Philosophy and knowledge I have in the Mathematics; My historical observations and critical researches I made into antiquity, I thought to bequeath unto Dr. Usher Lord Primate of Ireland; My observations abroad, and inspection into foreign States, I thought to leave to my Lord G. D.: My poetry such as it is, to Mistress A. K. who I know is a great minion of the Muses: School languages I thought to bequeath unto my dear mother the University of Oxford: My Spanish to Sir Lewis Dives, and Master Endymion Porter, for though they are great masters of that language, yet it may stead them something when they read la picara justina: My Italian to the worthy company of Turkey and Levantine Merchants, from divers of whom I have received many noble favours: My French to my most honoured lady the Lady Cor, and it may help her something to understand Rabelais: The little smattering I have in the Dutch, British, and my English I did not esteem worth the bequeathing: My love I had bequeathed to be duf●…'d among all my dear friends, specially those that have stuck unto me this my long affliction; My best natural ●…ffections, betwixt the Lord B: of Br. my brother Howell, & my three dear Sisters, to be transferred by them to my cousins their children: This little sackful of bones, I thought to bequeath to Westminster Abbey, to be interred in the cloister within the Southside of the Garden, close to the wall, where I would have desired Sir H. F. (my dear Friend) to have inlaid a small piece of black marble, and caused this motto to have been ensculpt upon it, Huc usque peregrinus, heic domi, or this, which I would have left to his choice, Huc usque Erraticus, beie fixus; and instead of strewing my grave with flowers, I would have desired him to have grafted thereon some little Tree of what sort he pleased, that might have taken root downward to my dust, because I have been always naturally affected to woods and groves, and those kind of vegetables, insomuch that if there were any such thing as a Pythagorean Metempsuchosis, I think my soul would transmigrat into some Tree, when she bids this body farewell.  
By these extravagancies, and odd Chimeras of my brain, you may well perceive that I was notwell, but distempered, specially in my intellectuals, according to the Spanish proverb siempre desvarios 〈◊〉 la calentura, fevers have always their fits of dotage. Among those to whom I had bequeathed my dearest love, you were one, to whom I had intended a large proportion, and that love which I would have left you then in legacy, I send you now in this letter, for it hath pleased God to reprieve me for a longer time to creep upon this earth, and to see better days I hope when this black dismal cloud is dispelled; but come foul or fair weather, I shall be as formerly  
Fleet, 26 Mar. 1643. Your most constant faithful Servitor, J. H.   

XXXI. To the Right Honourable the Lady Wichts.  
Madam,  
SInce I was hurled amongst these walls, I had divers fits of melancholy, and such turbid intervals that use to attend close prisoners, who for the most part, have no other companions, but confused troops of wand'ring cogitations; Now, Melancholy it far more fruitful of thoughts than any other humour, for it is like the mud of Nile, which, when that Enigmatical vast River is got again to her former bed, engendereth divers sorts of new creatures, and some kind of Monsters; my brain in this Fleet hath been often thus overwhelmd, yet I never found it so muddy, nor the Region of my mind so much clouded, as it was lately after notice had of the sad tidings of Master Controulers death; The news hereof struck such a damp into me, that for s●…m space me thought, the very pulse of my blood, and the motions of my heart were at a stand; for I was surprised with such a consternation that I felt no pulsations in the one, or palpitations in the other. Well Madam, he was a brave solid wise man, of a noble free disposition, and so great a controller of his passions, that he was always at home within himself, yet I much fear, that the sense of these unhappy times made too deep impressions in him.  
Truly Madam, I loved and honoured him in such a perfection that my heart shall wear a broad black ribbon for him while I live, as long as I have a retentive faculty to remember any thing, his memory shallbe fresh within me.  
But the truth is, that if the advantageous exchange which he hath made were well considered, no friend of his should be sorry; for in lieu of a white staff in an earthly Court, he hath got a sceptre of immortality; He that had been Ambassador at the Port to the greatest Monarch upon earth where he resided so many years an honour to his King and Country, is is now arrived at a far more glorious port than that of Constantinople, though as I intimated before, I fear that this boisterous weather hath blown him thither before his time. God Almighty give your Ladyship patience for so great a loss, and comfort in your hopeful issue; with this prayer I conclude myself,  
Madam, Your Lapps most humble and sorrowful servant, J. H. From the Fleet, 15 April.   

XXXII. To Mr. ES. Counsellor, at the middle Temple.  
SIR,  
I Had yours this morning, and I thank you for the news you send me that divers of my fellow sufferers are enlarged out of Lambeth, Winchester, London, and Ely House: whereunto I may answer you as the Cheapside Porter did one that related Court news unto him, how such a one was made Lord Treasurer, another Chancellor of the Exchequer, another was made an Earl, another sworn privy Counsellor, I, said he, yet I am but a Porter still; So I may say, I am but a prisoner still notwithstanding the releasement of so many: Mistake me not as if I repined hereby at any one's liberty; for I could heartily wish that I were the Unic Martyr in this kind, that I were the figure of one with never a cipher after it, as God wot there are two many, I could wish that as I am the least in value, I 〈◊〉 the last in number. A day may come that a favourable wind may blow that I may launch also out of this Fleet, in the mean time and always after I am  
Fleet, 1 Feb. 1645. Your true constant Serv●…tor, J. H.   

XXXIII. To Mr. R. B. at Ipswich,  
Gentle Sir,  
I Value at a high rate the sundry respects you have been pleased to show me; for as you obliged me before by your visits, so you have much endeared yourself unto me since by your late letter of the 11 current: Believe it Sir, the least scruple of your love is not lost (because I perceive it proceeds from the pure motions of virtue) but returned to you in the same full proportion; But what you please to ascribe unto me in point of merit, I dare not own: you look upon me through the wrong end of the prospective, or rather through a multiplying glass, which makes the object appear far bigger than it is in real dimension; such glasses as Anatomists use in the dissection of bodies which can make a flea look like a cow, or a fly as big as a vulture.  
I presume you are constant in your desire to travel, if you intent it at all you cannot do it in a better time, there being little comfort, God wot, to breathe English air, as matters are carried: I shall be glad to steed you in any thing that may tend to your advantage; for to tell you truly, I take much contentment in this inchoation of friendship, to improve and perfect which, I shall lie centinel to apprehend all occasions.  
If you meet Master R, Brownrigg in the Country, I pray present my very kind respects unto him, for I 〈◊〉 myself to be both his, and  
Fleet, 15 Aug. 1646. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

XXXIV. To Cap. C. Price Prisoner at Coventry.  
Cousin,  
YOu, whom I held always as my second self in affection, 〈◊〉 now so in affliction, bei●…g in the same predicament of sufferance though not in the same prison as I; There is nothing sweeteneth friendship more than a participation and identity of danger and durance: The day may come that we may discourse with comfort of these sad times, for adversity hath the advantage of prosperity itself in this point, that the commemoration of the one, is ofttimes more delightsom than the fruition of the other: Moreover adversity and prosperity, are like virtue and vice; the two foremost of both which, begin with anxieties and pain, but they end comically in contentment and joy; the other two quite contrary, they begin with pleasure, and end in pain, there's a difference in the last scene.  
I could wish if there be no hopes of a speedy releasement you would remove your body hither, and rather than moulder away in idleness, we will devoutly blow the coal, and try if we can ex●…lt gold, and bring it o'er the helm in this Fleet; we will transmute metals, and give a resurrection to mortified vegetables, to which end the green Lion and the dragon, ye Demogorgon and Mercury himself with all the Planets shall attend us, till we come to the Elixir, the true powder of projection which the vulgar call the Philosopher's stone: If matters hit right we may hereby get better returns than Cardigan silver mine's afford: but we must not melt ourselves away as I. Meridith did, nor do as your Countryman Morgan did. I know when you read these lines, you'll ' say I am grown mad, and that I have taken Opium in lieu of Tobacco: If I be mad, I am but sick of the disease of the time which reigns more among the English, than the sweeting si●…knes did some six score years since amongst them, and only them, both at home and abroad.  
there's a strange Maggot hath got into their brains, which possesseth them with a kind of vertigo, and it reigns in the pulpit more than any where else; for some of our Preachmen are grown dog mad, there's a worm got into their tongues, as well as their heads.  
Hodge powel commends him unto you, he is here under hatches as well as I; howsoever I am still in fair or foul weather,  
Fleet, 3 jan. 1643. Your truly affectionate Cousin to serve you, J. H.   

XXXV. To the Right Honourable the Lord of Cherberry.  
My Lord,  
GOd send you joy of your new habitation, for I understand your Lordship is removed from the Kings-street to the Queens: It may be with this enlargement of dwelling, your Lordship may need a recruit of Servants: The bearer hereof hath a desire to devote himself to your Lordship's service, and I find that he hath a concurrence of such parts that may make him capable of it; He is well studied in men, and books, versed in business of all sorts, and writes a very fair hand; He is well extracted, and hath divers good friends that are dwellers in the Town, who will be responsible for him: Moreover besides this Letter of mine your Lordship will find that he carrieth one in his countenance, for an honest ingenious look is a good Letter of recommendation of itself; If your Lordship hath not present occasion to employ him, he may be about you a while like a spare Watch, which your Lordship may wind up at pleasure. So my aim being to do your Lordship service, as much as him a pleasure by this recommendation, I rest  
Fleet, 13 jul. 1646. Your L●…pps most humble Servant, J. H.   

XXXVI. To Mr. R. Br.  
Gentle Sir,  
YOurs of the fourth current come safely to hand, and I acknowledge with much contentment, the fair respects you please to show me; you may be well assured that the least grain of your love to me is not lost but counterbalanced with the like in full weight; For although I am as frail a piece, and as full of infirmities as another man, yet I like my own nature in one thing, that I could never endure to be in the arrear to any for love; where my hand came short, my heart was bountiful, and helped to make ●…n equal compensation:  
I hope you persist in your purpose for foreign travel to study a while the world abroad; It is the way to perfect you, and I have already discovered such choice ingredients, and parts of ingenuity in you, that will quickly make a complete Gentleman. No more now, but that I am seriously  
Fl●…t, 3 july. 1646. Yours to dispose of J. H.   

XXXVII. To Sir L. D. in the Tower.  
SIR,  
TO help the passing away of your weary hours between those disconsolat Walls, I have sent you a King of your own name to bear you company Lewis the thirteenth, who, though dead three yeer●… since, may peradventure afford you some entertainment, and I think that dead men of this nature are the fittest companions, for such that are buried alive as you and I are. I doubt not but you who have a spirit to overcome all things, will overcome the sense of this hard condition, that you may survive these sad times and see better days, I doubt not, as weak as I am, but I shall be able to do it myself, in which confidence I style myself,  
Fl●…t, 15 Feb. 1646. Your most obliged and ever faithful Servant, J. H. My most humble Service to Sir J. St: and Sir H. V.   

XXXVIII. To Master R. B.  
Gentle Sir,  
I Had yours of the second current by Master Bloys, which obligeth me to send you double thanks, first for your Letter, then for the choice hand that brought it me.  
When I had gone through it, me thought your lines were as leaves, or rather so many branches, amongst which there sprouted divers sweet blossoms of ingenuity, which I find may quickly come to a rare maturity; I confess this clime (as matters go) is untoward to improve such buds of virtue, but the times may mend, now that our King with the Sun; makes his approach unto us more and more, yet I fear we shall not come yet a good while to our former serenity, therefore, it were not amiss in my judgement if some foreign air did blow upon the foresaid blossoms, to ripen them under some other Meridian in the interim, it is the opinion of  
Fleet, 3 Aug. 1645. Your very respectful friend to dispose of J. H.   

XXXIX. To Mr. G: C. at Dublin.  
SIR,  
THe news of this week, have been like the waves of that boisterous Sea, through which this Letter is to pass over unto you; Divers reports for peace have swollen high for the time, but they suddenly fell low, and flat again. Our relations here, are like a peal of bells in a windy blustering weather, sometimes the sound is strong on this side, sometimes on that side of the steeple, so our Relations sound diversely as the ●…yr of affection carries them, and sometimes in a whole volley of news, we shall not find one true report.  
There was in a Dunkirk ship taken some months ago, hard by Ar●…ndell Castle, amongst other things a large Picture seized upon, and carried to Westminster Hall, and put in the Star-Chamber to be publicly seen; It was the legend of Conanus a British Prince in the time of Gratian the Emperor, who having married Ursula the King of Cornwall's daughter, were embarked with 11000 Virgins for Brittany in France to colonize that part with Christians, but being by distress of weather beaten upon the Rhine, because they would not yield to the lusts of the Infidels, after the example of Ursula they were all slain, their bodies wèr carried to Colen where there stands to this day a stately Church built for them: this is the Story of that picture, yet the Common people here takes Conanus for our King, and Ursula for the Queen, and the Bishop which stands hard by to be the Pope, and so stare upon it accordingly, notwithstanding that the Prince there represented, hath Sandals on his feet after the old fashion, that the Coronets on their heads resemble those of Dukes and Earls, as also that there are Rays about them, which never use to be applied to living persons, with divers other incongruities: yet it cannot be beaten out of the belief of thousands here, but that it was intended to represent our King and Queen, which makes me conclude with this interjection of wonder, Oh the ignorance of the common people?  
Fleet, 12 Aug. 1644. Your faithful friend to command, J. H.   

XL. To Master End. Por. at Paris.  
SIR,  
I Most affectionately kiss your hands for the account (and candid opinion) you please to give me of the History I sent Her Majesty of the late K. her brother's reign, I return you also a thousand thanks for your comfortable advice, that having been so long under hatches in this Fleet I should fancy myself to be in a long voyage at Sea: 'tis true, opinion can do much, & indeed she is that great Lady which rules the world; There is a wise saying in that Country where you sojourn now, that c●…st nest pas la place, mais la pensée qui sait la prison, 'Tis not the place but opinion that makes the prison, the conceit is more than the condition: you go on to prefer my Captivity in this Fleet to that of a Voyager at Sea, in regard that he is subject to storms and springing of Leaks, to pirates and Pica●…oons, with other casualties; you write I have other advantages also, to be free from plundering, and other Barbarismes, that reign now abroad; 'tis true I am secured from all these, yet touching the first, I could be content to expose myself to all those chances, so that this were a floating Fleet, that I might breathe free air, for I have not been suffered to stir o'er the threshold of this House this four years; whereas you say I have a Book for my companion, 'tis true, I convers sometimes with dead men, and what fitter associates can there be for one that is buried alive (as I am) than dead men, and now will I adventure to send you a kind of Epitaph I made of myself this morning, as I was lolling a bed,  
Here lies entombed a walking thing,  
Whom Fortune (with the States) did fling  
Between these Walls; Why? ask not that,  
That blind whore doth she knows not, what.  
'tis a strange world you'll say, when men make their own Epitaphs in their graves, but we that are thus buried alive, have one advantage above others, that we are like to have a double resurrection; I am sure of one, but if these times hold, I cannot ascertain myself of the other, for I may be suffered to rot here for aught I know: It being the hard destiny of some in these times, when they are once clapped up, to be so forgotten as if there were no such men in the world.  
I humbly thank you for your avisos, I cannot correspond with you in that kind as freely as I would, only in the general I must tell you, that we are come to such a pass, that the Posy which a young couple did put upon their wedding ring, may fit us in the general, which was, God knows what will become of us. But I trust these bad times will be recompensed with better; for my part that which keeps me alive is your Motto there of the house of Bourbon, and 'tis but one word, L'Sperance. So I pray God preserve you, and  
Fleet, 2 jan. 1646. Your most faithful humble Servitor, J. H.   

XLI. To Master J. H. at Saint John's College in Cambridge.  
Master Hall,  
YOurs of the thirteenth of this instant come safely, though slowly, to hand, for I had it not till the twentieth of the same, and the next day your Essays were brought me; I enterrained both with much respect, for I found therein many choice and ripe notions, which I hope proceeds from a pregnancy rather than precocity of spirit in you.  
I perceive you have entered the Suburbs of Sparta already, and that you are in a fair way to get the Town itself, I know you have wherewith to adorn her; nay you may in time gain Athens herself, with all the knowledge she was ever Mistress of, if you go on in your Career with constancy; I find you have a genius for the most solid and ●…everest sort of studies, therefore, when you have passed through the Briers of Logic, I could wish you to go strongly on in the fair fields of Philosophy and the Mathematics, which are true Academical studies, and they will afford rich matter of application for your inventive spirit to work upon; by all means understand Aristotle in his own Language, for it is the Language of Learning; Touching Poetry, History, and other humane studies, they may serve you for recreation, but let them not by any means allure your affections from the first. I shall delight to hear sometimes of your proceedings, for I profess a great deal of good will unto you, which makes me rest  
Your respectful friend to serve you, J. H. Fleet 3 Decem.   

XLII. To my B. the L. B. of B. in France.  
My good Lord and Br.  
ALthough the sense of my own hard condition be enough to make me melancholy, yet when I contemplate yours, (as I often do) and compare your kind of banishment with my imprisonment, I find the apprehension of the first wherein so many have a share, adds a double weight unto my sufferings, though but single; Truly these thoughts to me are as so many corrosives to one already in a Consumption. The World cries you up to be an excellent Divine and Philosopher, now is the time for you to make advantage of both; Of the first, by calling to mind that afflictions are the portion of the best Theophiles; Of the other, by a well weighed consideration that crosses and troubles are entailed upon mankind, as much as any other inheritance: In this respect I am no Cadet, for you know I have had a double if not a treble share, and may be rather called the elder brother, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I hope I shall not sink under the burden, but that we shall be both reserved for better days, specially now that the King (with the Sun and the Spring) makes his approach more and more towards us from the North.  
God Almighty (the God of our good old Father) still guard you and guide you, that after so long a separation we may meet again with comfort to confer notes and recount matters passed; for advers fortune, among other properties, hath this for one, that her present pressures are not so irksome, as the remembrance of them being passed are delightsom. So I remain  
Your most loving brother, J. H. Fleet, 1 Maii. 1645.   

XLIII. To Sir L. Dives in the Tower.  
SIR,  
AMong divers other properties that attend a long captivity, one is that it purgeth the humours, specially it correcteth chol●…r, and attempters it with phlegm, which you know in Spanish is taken for patience: It hath also a chemical kind of quality to refi●…e the dross and feculency of a corrupt nature, as fire useth to purifié metals, and to destroy that terram Adamicam in them as the chemist calls it, for Demogorgon with his vegetables partaked of Adam's malediction as well as other creatures, which makes some of them so foul and imperfect, nature having designed them all for gold and silver at first,, and 'tis fi●…e can only rectify, and reduc●… them towards such a perfection. This Fleet hath been such a furnace to me, it hath been a kind of Perillus Bull, or rather to use the paracelsian phrase, I have been here in ventre equino in the limbec and crusible of affliction: And whereas the chemist commonly requires but 150 days antequam corvus in columba●… vertatur, before the crow turns to a dove; I have been here five times so many days, and upward. I have ●…een here time enough in conscience to pass all the degrees and effects of fire, as distillation, sublimation, mortification, calcination, solution, descension, dealbation, rubification, and fixation, for I have been fastened to the walls of this prison any time these fifty five months; I have been here long enough, if I were matter capable thereof, to be made the Philosopher's stone, to be converted from water to powder which is the whole Magistery: I have been besides, so long upon the anvil, that me thinks I am grown malleable, and hammer proof, I am so habituated to hardship: But indeed you that are made of a choicer mould, are fitter to be turned into the Elixir than I who have so much dross and corruption in me, that it will require more pains and much more expense, to be purged and defecated: God send us both patience to bear the brunt of this fiery trial, and grace to turn these decoctions into aquam vitae, to make sovereign treacle of this viper. The Trojan Prince was forced to pass over Phlegeton, and pay Charon his freight, before he could get into the Elyzian fields, you know the moral, that we must pass through hell to heaven, and why not as well through a prison to Paradise, such may the Tower prove to you, and the Fleet to me, who am  
From the prison of the Fleet, 23 Feb. 1645. Your humble and hearty Servitor, J. H.   

XLIV. To the right Honble the Lord R.  
My Lord,  
SUre ther is some angry planet hath lowered long upon the Catholic King; and though one of his titles to Pagan Princes be, that he wears the sun for his helmet, because it never sets upon all his dominions, in regard some part of them he on the tother side of the Hemisphere among the Antipodes, yet me thinks that neither that great star, or any of the rest are now propitious unto him▪ they cast it seems more benign influxes upon the flower de lu●… which thrives wonderfully, but how long these favourable aspects will last, I will not presume to judge, This among divers others of late, hath been a fatal year to the said King, for Westward he hath lost Dunkirk; Dunkirk which was the terror of this part of the world, the scourge of the occidental seas, whose name was grown to be a bugbear for so many years, hath now changed her master, and thrown away the ragged staff; doubtless a great exploit it was to take this town: But whether this be advantageous to Holland? (as I am sure it is not to England) time will show; It is more than probable that it may make him careless at sea, and in the building and arming of his ships, having no enemy now near him; besides I believe it cannot much benefit Hans to have the French 〈◊〉 contiguous to him, the old saying was Ayezle Francois pour ton 〈◊〉 non pas pour ton Voison: Have the Frenchman for thy friend, not 〈◊〉 ●…hy neighbour.  
Touching England, I believe these distractions of ours have bi●… one of the greatest advantages that could befall France, and they happened in the most favourable conjuncture of time that migh●… be, else I believe he would never have as much as attempted Dunkirk; for England in true reason of State had reason to prevent nothing more, in regard no one place could have added more to the naval power of France; this will make his s●…iles swell bigger, and I ●…car make him claim in time as much regality in these narrow sea●… as England herself.  
In Italy the Spaniard hath also had ill successes at Piombino, and Porto longone: Besides they write that he hath lost I'll prete, & i'll medico, the Priest and the Physician, to wit the Pope, and the Duke of Florence (the House of Medici) who appear rather for the French than for him.  
Ad to all these disasters that he hath lost within the revolution of the same year the Prince of Spain his unic Son in the very flower of his age being but seventeen years old. These with the falling off of Catalonia and Portugal, with the death of his Queen not above forty, are heavy losses to the Catholic King, and must needs much enfeeble the great bulk of his Monarchy, falling out in so short a compass of time one upon the neck of another, and we are not to enter into the secret Counsels of God Almighty for a reason. I have read 'twas the sensuality of the flesh that drove the Kings out of Rome, the French out of Sicily, and brought the Moors into Spain, where they kept firm footing above seven hundred years: I could tell you how not long before her death the late Queen of Spain took off one of her chapines, and clouted Olivares about the noddle with it, because he had accompanied the King to a Lady of pleasure, telling him, that he should know, she was Sister to a King of France, as well as wife to a King of Spain; For my part, France and Spain is all one to me in point of affection. I am one of those indifferent men that would have the scales of power in Europe kept even: I am also a Philerenus a lover of peace, and I could wish the French were more inclinable to it, now that the common enemy hath invaded the territories of Saint Mar●…. Nor can I but admire that at the same time the French should assail Italy at one side, when the Turk was doing it on the other: But had that great naval power of Christians which were this summer upon the coasts of Toscany gone against the Mahometan Fleet which was the same time setting upon Candie, they might in all likelihood have achieved a glorious exploit, and driven the Turk into the Hellespont. Nor is poor Christendom torn thus in pieces by the Germane, Spaniard, French and Swedes, but our three Kingdoms have also most pitifully scratched her face, wasted her spirits, and let out some of her illustrious blood, by our late horrid distractions: Whereby it may be inferred that the Musti and the Pope seem to thrive in their devotion one way, a chief part of the prayers of the one being, that discord should still continue 'twixt Christian Princes, of the other, that division should still increase between the Protestants▪ This poor Island is a woeful example th●…of  
I hear the peace 'twixt Spain and Holland is absolutely concluded by the plenipotentiary Ministers at Munster, who have beat their heads so many years about it, but they write that the French and Swed do mainly endeavour, and set all the wheels of policy a going to puzzle and prevent it; If it take effect, as I do not see how the Hollander in common honesty can evade it, I hope it will conduce much to an universal peace, which God grant, for Wa●… is a fire struck in the Devil's tinder box. No more now but that I am,  
My Lord, Your most humble Servitor, J. H. Fleet, 1 Decem. 1643.   

XLV. To Mr. E. O. Counsellor, at Gray's Inn.  
SIR,  
THe sad tidings of my dear friend Doctor Prichards' death sunk deep into me, and the more I ruminat upon't, the more I resent it: But when I contemplate the order, and those Adamantine laws which nature put in such strict execution throughout this elementary world; When I consider that up and down this frail globe of earth we are but strangers, or sojourners at best, being designed for an infinitely better Country; when I think that our egress out of this life, is as natural to us as our ingress (all which he knew as much as any,) these thoughts in a checking way turn my melancholy to a counter passion, they beget another spirit within me: You know that in the disposing of all sublunary things, Nature is God's Handmaid, Fate his Commissioner, Time his Instrument, and Death his Executioner; By the first we have generation, by the second, successes good or bad, And the two last▪ bring us to our end; Time with his vast sith mows down all things, and Death sweeps away those mowings: Well, he was a rare, and a complete judicious Scholar, as any that I have known born under our Meridian, He was both solid and acute, nor do I remember to have seen soundness and quaintness with such sweet strains of morality concur so in any. I should think that he fell ●…ick of the times, but that I knew him to be so good a Divine and Philosopher, and to have studied the theory of this world so much, that nothing could take impression in him to hurt himself, therefore I am content to believe, that his glass ran out without my jogging: I know you loved him dear well, which shall make ●…e the more  
Fleet, 3 Aug. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

XLVI. To I. W. Esq at Gray's Inn.  
Gentle Sir,  
I Value at a high rate the fair respects you show me, by the late ingenious expressions of your Letter; But the merit you ascribe unto me in the superlative, might have very well served in the positive, and 'tis well if I deserve in that degree. You write that you have singular contentment and profit, in the perusal of some things of mine, I am heartily glad they afforded any entertainment to a Gentleman of so choice a judgement as yourself.  
I have a foolish working brain of mine own, in labour still with something, and I can hardly keep it from superfetations, though oftimes it produce a Mouse in lieu of a Mountain; I ●…ust confess its best productions are but homely and hard fa●…our'd, yet in regard they appear handsome in your eyes, I shall 〈◊〉 them the better, So I am,  
Sir, Yours most obliged to serve you, J. H. Fleet, 3 jan. 1644.   

XLVII. To Mr. Tho. H.  
SIR,  
THough the times abound with Schisms more than ever (〈◊〉 more is our misery) yet, I hope, you will not suffer any 〈◊〉 creep into our friendship, though I apprehend some fears thereof b●… your long silence, and cessation of literal correspondence; Yo●… know there is a peculiar Religion attends friendship, there is according to the Etymology of the word, a ligation and solemn 〈◊〉 the res●…inding whereof may be truly called a Schism, or a 〈◊〉 which is more; There belongs to this Religion of friendship 〈◊〉 due rites, and decent ceremonies, as visits, messages and 〈◊〉 sives; Though I am content to believe that you are firm in th●… fundamentals, yet I find under favour, that you have lately 〈◊〉 ●…en short of performing these exterior offices, as if the ceremo●…●…ll law were quite abrogated with you in all things: Frends●… also allows of merits, and works of supererogation sometimes 〈◊〉 make her capable of Eternity: You know that pair which were 〈◊〉 ken up into the heaven, and placed amongst the brightest stam●… for their rare constancy and fidelity one to the other; you kno●… also they are put among the fixed stars not the ●…ratices, to 〈◊〉 ●…her must be no inconstancy in love; Navigators steer their cour●… by them, and they are their best friends in working Seas, 〈◊〉 nights, and distresses of weather, whence may be inferred that 〈◊〉 friends should shine clearest in adversity, in cloudy and doubtf●… times. On my part this ancient friendship is still pure, 〈◊〉 dox and incorrupted, and though I have not the opportunity (〈◊〉 you have) to perform all the ●…ites thereof in regard of this rec●… life, yet I shall never err in the essentials, I am still yours 〈◊〉 though I cannot be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, for in statu quo nunc I am grown 〈◊〉 less and good for nothing, yet in point of possession I am as 〈◊〉 as ever  
Fleet, 7 Novem. 1643. Your firm inalterable Servitor, J. H.   

XLVIII. To Mr. S. B. Merchant, at his house in the old Jury.  
SIR,  
I Return you those two famous speeches of the late Queen Elizabeth, with the addition of another from Ba●…dius at an Embassy here from Holland; It is with languages as 'tis with li●…uors which by transfusion use to take wind from one vessel to another, so things translated into another tongue lose of their primative vigour and strength, unless a paraphrastical version be permitted, and then the traduct may exceed the Original, not otherwise though the version be never so punctual, specially in these Orations which are framed with such art, that like Vitruvius his palace, there is no place left to add one stone more without defacing, or to take any out without hazard of destroying the whole fabric.  
Certainly she was a Princess of rare endowments for learning and languages, she was blessed with a long life, and triumphant reign attended with various sorts of admirable successes, which will be taken for some Romance a thousand winters hence, if the world lasts so long: She freed the Scot from the French, and gave her successor a royal pension to maintain his Court; She helped to settle the Crown on Henry the greats head; She gave essence to the state of Holland; She civilised Ireland, and suppresed divers insurrections there; She preserved the dominion of the Narrow Seas in greater glory than ever; She maintained open War against Spain when Spain was in her highest flourish for divers years together, yet She left a mighty treasure behind, which shows that she was a notable good huswife; Yet I have read divers censures of her abroad; that she was ingrateful to Her Brother of Spain, who had been the chiefest instrument under God to preserve her from the block, and had left her all Queen Maries jewels without diminution, accusing her that afterwards She should first infringe the peace with him, by intercepting his treasure in the Narrow Seas, by suffering her Drake to swim to his Indies, and rob him there, by fomenting and supporting his Belgic Subjects against him then when he had an Ambassador resident at her Court: But this was the censure of a Spanish Author, and Spain had little reason to speak well of her; The French handle her worse, by terming her, among other contumelies, l' 〈◊〉 de ses propres vassaux.  
Sir, I must much value the frequent respects you have shown me, & am very covetous of the improvement of this acquaintance, for I do not remember at home or abroad to have seen in the person of any, a Gentleman and a Merchant so equally met, as in your, which makes me style myself,  
Fleet 3 May, 1645. Your most affectionate friend to serve you, J. H.   

XLIX. To Dr. D. Featley.  
SIR,  
I Received your answer to that futilous pamphlet, with your desire of my opinion touching it. Truly Sir, I must tell you that never poor Cur was tossed in a blanket, as you have tossed that poor coxcomb in the sheet you pleased to send me, For whereas 〈◊〉 fillip might have felled him, you have knocked him down with a kind of Herculean club sans resource. These times (more's the pity) labour with the same disease that France did during the Ligue, 〈◊〉 a famous Author hath it prurig●… scripturi●…ntium erat scabies temp●…rum. The itching of scribblers, was the scab of the time; It i●… just so now, that any triobolary pasquiller, every tr●…ssis agas●… any sterquilinious rascal, is licenc'd to throw dirt in the faces 〈◊〉 Sovereign P●…inces in open printed language: But I hope t●… times will mend, and your man also if he hath any grace, you ha●… so well corrected him, So I rest  
Fleet, 1 Aug. 1644. Yours to serve and reverence you, J. H.   

L. To Captain T. L. in Westchester.  
Captain L.  
I Could wish that I had the same advantage of speed to send unto you at this time, that they have in Alexandre●…ia, now called Scanderoon, when upon the arrival of any ships into the Bay, or any other important occasion, they use to send their Letters by Pigeons, trained up purposely for that use, to Aleppo and other places; such an airy Messenger, such a volatile postillon would I desire now to acquaint you with the sickness of your mother in law, who I believe will be in another world (and I wish it may be heaven) before this paper comes to your hands; for the Physicians have forsaken her, and Doctor Burton told me 'tis a miracle, if she lasts a natural day to an end, therefore you shall do well to post up as soon as you can, to look to your own affairs, for I believe you will be no more sick of the Mother; Master Davies in the mean time told me he will be very careful, and circumspect that you be not wronged. I received yours of the tenth current, and I return a thousand thanks for the warm and melting sweet expressions you make of your respects unto me; All that I can say at present in answer, is, that I extremely please myself in loving you, and I like my own affections the better, because they tell me that I am  
Westm. 10 Decem. 1631. Your entirely devoted friend, J. H.   

LI. To my Honourable friend Sir C. C.  
SIR,  
I Was upon point of going abroad to steal a solitary walk, when yours of the twelfth current came to hand, the high researches, and choice abstracted Notions I found therein seemed to heighten my Spirits, and make my fancy fitter for my intended retirement and meditation; ad hereunto that the countenance of the weather invited me, for it was a still evening, it was also a clear open sky, not a speck, or the least wrinkle appeared in the whole face of heaven, 'twas such a pure deep azure all the Hemisphere over that I wondered what was become of the three Regions of the air with their Meteors; So having got into a close field, I cast my face upward, and tell to consider what a rare prerogative the optic virtue of the eye hath, much more the intutitive virtue of the thought, that the one in a moment can reach heaven, and the other go beyond it: Therefore sure that Philosopher was but a kind of frantic fool, that would have plucked out both his eyes because, they were a hindrance to his speculations: Moreover I began to contemplate as I was in this posture the vast magnitude of the Univers, and what proportion this poor globe of earth might bear with it, for if those numberless bodies which stick in the vast roof of heaven, though they appear to us but as spangles, be, some of them, thousands of times bigger than the earth take the sea with it to boot, for they both make but one Sphere, surely, the Astronomers had reason to term this sphere an indivisible point, and a thing of no dimension at all being compared to the whole world; I fell then to think that at the second general destruction it is no more for God Almighty to fire this earth, than for us to blow up a small Squibb, or rather one grain of Gunpowder: As I was musing thus, I spied a swarm of Gnats waving up and down the air about me, which I knew to be part of the Univers as well as I, and me thought it was a strange opinion of our Aristotle to hold that the least of those small insected ephemerans should be more noble than the Sun, because it had a sensitive soul in it, I fell to think that the same proportion which those animalillios bore with me in point of bigness, the same I held with those glorious Spirits which are near the Throne of the Almighty: what then should we think of the magnitude of the Creator himself, doubtless 'tis beyond the reach of any human imagination to conceive it; In my private devotions I presume to compare him to a great mountain of light, and my soul seems to discern some glorious form therein, but suddenly as she would fix her eyes upon the object, her sight is presently dazzled and disgregated with the ●…efulgency and coruscations thereof.  
Walking a little further I spied a young boisterous Bull breaking over hedge and ditch to a heard of kine in the next pasture, which made me think that if that fierce strong Animal, with others of that kind knew their own strength, they world never suffer man to be their Master; Then looking upon them quietly grazing up and down, I fell to consider that the flesh which is daily dished upon our Tables is but concocted grass, which is recarnified in our stomaches, and transmuted to another flesh; I fell also to think what advantage those innocent Animals had of man, who, as soon as nature casts them into the world, find their meat dressed, the cloth laid, and the table covered, they find their drink brewed and the buttery open, their beds made, and their clothes ready; And though man hath the faculty of reason to make him a compensation for the want of these advantages, yet this reason brings with it a thousand perturbations of mind, and perplexities of spirit, griping cares, and anguishs of thought, which those harmless silly creatures were exempted from: Going on, I came to repose myself upon the trunk of a tree, and I fell to consider further what advantage that dull vegetable had of those feeding Animals, as not to be so troublesome and beholding to nature, nor to be so subject to starving, to diseases, to the inclemency of the weather, and to be far longer lived: I than spied a great stone, and sitting a while upon't, I fell to weigh in my thoughts that that stone was in a happier condition in some respects, than either those sensitive creatures or vegetables I saw before, in regard that that stone, which propagates by assimilation as the Philosophers say, needed neither grass nor hay, or any aliment for restauration of nature, nor water to refresh its roots, or the heat of the Sun to attract the moisture upwards to increase growth as the other did: As I directed my pace homeward, I spied a Kite soa●…ing high in the air, and gently gliding up and down the clear Region so far above my head, I fell to envy the Bird extremely, and ●…epine at his happiness that he should have a privilege to make a nearer approach to heaven than I  
Excuse me that I trouble you thus with these rambling meditations, they are to correspond with you in some part for those accurate fancies of yours you lately sent me. So I rest  
Holborn, 17 Mar. 1639. Your entire and true Servitor. J. H   

LII. To master Sergeant D. at Lincoln's▪ Inn.  
SIR,  
I Understand with a deep sense of sorrow of the indisposition of your son: I fear he hath too much mind for his body, and that he superabounds with fancy, which brings him to these fits of distemper proceeding from the black humour of Melancholy: Moreover I have observed that he is too much given to his study and self-society, specially to convers with dead men, I mean Books: you know any thing in excess is naught: Now Sir were I worthy to give you advice, I could wish he were well married, and it may wean him from that bookish and thoughtful humour; women were created for the comfort of men, and I have known that to some they have proved the best Heleborum against Melancholy: As this course may beget new spirits in him, so it must needs add also to your comfort. I am thus bold with you, because I love the Gentleman dearly well, and honour you, as being  
West. 13 june, 1632. Your humble obliged servant, J. H.   

LIII. To my noble Lady, the Lady M. A.  
Madame,  
There is not any thing wherein I take more pleasure, than in the accomplishment of your commands, nor had ever any Queen more power o'er her Vassals, than you have o'er my intellectuals; I find by my inclinations, that it is as natural for me to do your will, as it is for fire to fly upward, or any body else to rend to his centre; but touching the last command your Ladyship was pleased to lay upon me (which is the following Hymn) if I answer not the fullness of your expectation, it must be imputed to the suddenness of the command, and the shortness of time.  

A Hymn to the Blessed Trinity.  

To the First Person.  
To thee dread Sovereign, and dear Lord,  
Which out of nought didst me afford  
Essence and life, who mad'st me man,  
And, oh, much more a Christian,  
Lo, from the centre of my heart  
All laud and glory I impart.  
Hallelujah.   

To the Second.  
To thee blessed Saviour who didst free  
My soul from Satan's tyranny,  
And mad'st her capable to be  
An Angel of thy Hierarchy,  
From the same centre I do raise,  
All honour and immortal praise.  
Hallelujah.   

To the Third.  
To thee sweet Spirit I return  
That love wherewith my heart doth burn,  
And these blessed notions of my brain  
I now breathe up to thee again,  
O let them redescend, and still  
My soul with holy raptures fill.  
Hallelujah.    
They are of the same measure, cadence, and air, as was that angelical Hymn your Ladyship pleased to touch upon your instrument, which as it so enchanted me then that my soul was ready to come out at my ears, so your voice took such impressions in me, that me thinks the sound still remains fresh with  
Westm. 1 Apr. 1637. Your Ladyship's most devoted Servitor, J. H.   

XLIV. To Master P. W. at Westminster.  
SIR,  
THe fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom, and the Love of God is the end of the Law; the former saying was spoke by no meaner man than Solomon; but the latter hath no meaner Author than our Saviour himself; Touching this beginning, and this end, there is a near relation between them, so near, that the one begets the tother; a harsh mother may bring forth sometimes a mild daughter, so fear begets love, but it begets knowledge first, for— Ign●…ti nulla cupido, we cannot love God, unless we know him before; both fear and love are necessary to bring us to heaven, the one is the fruit of the Law, the other of the Gospel; when the clouds of fear are vanished, the beams of love then begin to glance upon the heart, and of all the members of the body, which are in a manner numberless, this is that which God desires, because, 'tis the centre of Love, the source of our affections, and the cistern that holds the most illustrious blood; and in a sweet and well devoted harmonious soul, cor is no other than Camera Omnipotentis Regis, 'tis one of God's closerts, and indeed nothing can fill the heart of man whose desires are infinite, but God who is infinity itself: Love therefore must be a necessary attendant to bring us to him; but besides Love there must be two other guides that are required in this journey, which are Faith and Hope, now that fear which the Law enjoins us, turns to faith in the Gospel, and knowledge is the scope and subject of both, yet these last two bring us only towards the haven, but love goes along with us to heaven, and so remains an inseparable sempiternal companion of of the soul: Love therefore is the most acceptable Sacrifice which we can offer our Creator, and he who doth not study the Theory of it here, is never like to come to the Practice of it hereafter: It was a high hyper physical expression of St. Austustine when he fell into this rapture, that if he were King of Heaven, and God Almighty Bishop of Hippo, he would exchange places with him, because he loved him so well. This Vote did so take me, that I have turned it to a paraphrastical Hymn, which I send you for your Viol, having observed often that you have a harmonious soul within you.  

The Vote.  

Oh God who can those passions tell  
Wherewith my heart to thee doth swell!  
I cannot better them declare  
Than by the wish made by that rare  
Au●…elian Bishop who of old  
Thy Orac●…es in Hippo told.   

If I were Thou and thou wert I,  
I would resign the Deity,  
Thou shouldst be God, I would be man,  
Is't possible that love more can?  
Oh pardon, that my soul hath ta'en  
So high a flight and grows profane:    
For myself my dear Phil, because I love you so dearly well, I will display my very intrinsecalls to you in this point, when I exmine the motions of my heart, I find that I love my creator a thousand degrees more than I fear him, me thinks I feel the little needle of my soul touched with a kind of magnetical attractive virtue, that 〈◊〉 always moves towards him, as being her sum mum bonum, the ●…rue centre of her happiness: For matter of fear, there's none that 〈◊〉 fear more than myself, I mean those frailti●… which lodge within 〈◊〉 and the extravagancies of my affections and thoughts, in this particular I may say, that I fear myself more than I fear the Devil 〈◊〉 death who is the King of fears. God guard us all, and guide us 〈◊〉 our last home through the briers of this cumbersome life; in this ●…yer I rest  
Holborn, 21 Mar. 1639. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

LV. To the Right Honourable the Lord Cliff.  
My Lord,  
SInce among other passages of entertainment we had lately at the Italian ordinary (where your Lordship was pleased to honour us with your presence) their happened a large discourse of wines, and of other drinks that were used by several Nations of the earth, and that your Lordship desired me to deliver what I observed therein abroad, I am bold now to confirm and amplify in this letter what I then let drop extempore from me, having made a recollection of myself for that purpose.  
It is without controversy that in the nonage of the world, men and beasts had but one buttery which was the fountain and river, nor do we read of any vines or wines till two hundred years after the flood, but now I do not know or hear of any nation that hath water only for their drink except the Iaponois●…, and they drink it hot too; but we may say that what beverage soever we make either by brewing, by distillation, decoction, percolation or pressing, it is but water at first, nay wine itself is but water sublimed, being nothing else but that moisture and sap which is caused either by rain or other kind of irrigations about the roots of the vine and drawn up to the branches and berries by the virtual attractive heat of the Sun, the bowels of the earth serving as a limbec to that end, which made the Italian vineyard-man (after a long drought, and an extreme hot summer, which had parched up all his grapes,) to complain that per mancamento d'acqua, bevo del'acqua, se io havessi acqua, beverei el vino, for want of water, I am forced to drink water, if I had water I would drink wine; it may be also applied to the Miller when he hath no water to drive his mills.  
The vine doth so abhor cold, that it cannot grow beyond the 49 degree to any purpose; Therefore God and nature hath furnished the Northwest Nations with other inventions of beverage. In this Island the old drink was Ale, noble Ale, than which, as I heard a great foreign Doctor affirm, there is no liquor that more increaseth the radical moisture, and preserves the natural heat, which are the two pillars that support the life of man; but since Beer hath hopped in among us, Ale is thought to be much adulterated, and nothing so good as Sir john Old Castle and Smug the Smith was used to drink: Besides Ale and Beer, the natural drink of part of this Isle may be said to be Metheglin, Braggot, and Mead, which differ in strength according to the three degrees of comparison: The first of the three, which is strong in the superlatif, if taken immoderately, doth stupefy more than any other liquor, and keeps a humming in the brain, which made one say that he loved not Metheglin because he was used to speak too much of the house he came from, meaning the hive: Cider and Perry are also the natural drinks of part of this Isle; But I have read in some old Authors of a famous drink the ancient Nation of the Picts, who lived 'twixt Trent and Tweed and were utterly extinguished by the overpowering of the Scot, were used to make of decoction of flowers, the receipt whereof they kept as a secret and a thing sacred to themselves, so it perished with them: These are all the common drinks of this Isle, and of Ireland also, where they are more given to milk and strong waters of all colours, the Prime is Vsquebagh which cannot be mado any where in that perfection, and whereas we drink it here in aqua vitae measures, it goes down there by beer glassfulls, being more natural to the nation.  
In the seventeen Provinces hard by, and all low Gernmany, beer is the common natural drink, and nothing else, so is it in Westfalia, and all the lower circuit of Saxony, in Denmark, Swethland, and Norway; The pruss hath a beer as thick as honey, in the Duke of Saxes Country, there is beer as yellow as gold made of wheat, and it inebriates as soon as Sack. In some parts of Germany they use to spice their beer, which will keep many years, so that at some weddings there will be a but of beer drunk out as old as the Bride. Poland also is a beer Country, but in Russia, Muscovie, and Tartary they use mead, which is the naturallest drink of the Country, being made of the decoction of water, and honey, this is that which the Ancients called Hydromel; Mares milk is a great drink with the Tartar, which may be a cause why they are bigger than ordinary, for the Physicians hold, that milk enlargeth the bones, Beer strengtheneth the nerves, and wine breeds blood sooner than any other liquor. The Turk when he hath his tripe full of pelaw, or of Mutton and Rice, will go to nature's cellar, either to the next Well or River to drink water, which is his natural common drink, for Mahomet taught them, that there was a devil in every berry of the grape, and so made a strict inhibition to all his sect from drinking of wine as a thing profane; he had also a reach of policy therein, because they should no●… b●… in●…umbred with luggage when they went to war as other Nation●… do, who are so troubled with the carriage of their wine and beverages: yet hath the Turk peculiar drinks to himself besides, ●… Sherbet made of juice of lemon, sugar, amber and other ingredients; he hath also a drink called Cauphe, which is made of a brow●… berry, and it may be called their clubbing drink between meale●… which though it be not very gustful to the palate, yet it is ver●… comfortable to the stomach, and good for the sight; but notwithstanding their prophet's Anathema, thousands of them will venture to drink wine, and they will make a precedent prayer to thei●… souls to depart from their bodies in the interim, for fear she partake of the same pollution: nay, the last Turk died of excess o●… wine, for he had at one time swallowed three and thirty oaks ●… which is a measure near upon the bigness of our quart, and tha●… which brought him to this, was the company of a Persian Lor●… that had given him his daughter for a present, and came with him from Bagdat; besides one accident that happened to him was, th●… he had an Eunuch who was used to be drunk, and whom he had commanded twice upon pain of life to refrain, swearing by Mahomet that he would cause him to be strangled if he found him the third time so, yet the Eunuch still continued in his drunkenness▪ heerupon the Turk conceiving with himself that there must needs be some extraordinary delight in drunkenness because this man preferred it before his life, fell to it himself, and so drunk himself to death  
In Asia there is no beer drunk at all, but Water, Wine, and an incredible variety of other drinks made of Dates, dried Raisins, Rice, divers sorts of Nuts, fruits and roots: In the Oriental Countries as Cambaia, Calicut, Narsingha, there is a drink called Banque, which is rare and precious, and 'tis the height of entertainment they give their guests before they go to sleep, like that Nepenthe which the Poets speak so much of, for it provokes pleasing dreams, and delightful fantasies, it will accommode itself to the humour of the sleeper, as if he be a soldier he will dream of victories and taking of towns, if he be in love he will think to enjoy his mistress, if he be covetous he will dream of mountaine●… of Gold, etc. In the Moluccas and Philippines there is a curious drink called Tampoy, m●…de of a kind of Gillyflowers, and another drink called Otraqua that comes from a Nut, and is the more general drink. In China they have a holy kind of liquor made of such sort of flowers for ratifying and binding of bargains, and having drunk thereof, they hold it no less than perjury to break what they promise, as they write of a River in Bythinia, whose water hath ●… peculiar virtue to discover a perjurer, for if he drink thereof, it will presently boil in his stomach, and put him to visible tortures; this makes me think of the River Styx among the Poets which the Gods were used to swear by, and it was the greatest oath for performance of any thing.  Nubila promisse Styx mihi testis erit. 
It puts me in mind also of that which some write of the River of Rhine for trying the legitimation of a child being thrown in, if he be a bastard he will sink, if otherwise he will not.  
In China they speak of a tree called Maguais, which affords not only good drink being pierced, but all things else that belong to the subsistence of man; they bore the trunk with a n●…wger, and there issueth out sweet potable liquor; 'twixt the rind and the tree there is a cotton or hempie kind of moss which they wear for their clothing; it bears huge nuts which have excellent food in them; it shoots out hard prickles above a fathom long, and those arm them, with the bark they make Tents, and the dotard trees serve for firing.  
Afric also hath a great diversity of drinks, at having more need of them being a hotter Country far: In Guiney or the lower Ethiopia there is a famous drink called Mingol, which issueth out of a tree much like the Palm, being bored; But in the upper Ethiopia or the Habassi●… country, they drink Mead decocted in a different manner, there is also much wine there; the common drink of Barbary, after water, is that which is made of Dates: But in Egypt in times passed there was beer drunk, called Zithus in latin, which was no other than a decoction of Barley and water, they had also a famous composition (and they use it to this day) called Chiffi, made of divers cordials and provocative ingredients, which they throw into water to make it gustful, they use it also for fumigations, But now the general drink of Egypt is Nile water, which of all waters may be said to be the best, insomuch that Pindars words might be more appliable to that than to any other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. It doth not only fertilise, and extremely fatten the soil which it covers, but it helps to impregnat barren women, for there is no place on earth where people increase and multiply faster; 'tis yellowish and thick, but if one cast a few Almonds into a potfull of it, it will become as clear as rock water, it is also in a degree of lukewarmness as Marshal's boy  Tolle puer calices tepidique toreumata Nili. 
In the new world they have a world of drinks, for their i●… no root, flower, fruit or pulse but is reducible to a potable liquor, as in the Barbado Island the common drink among the English, is Mobbi made of Potato roots: In Mexico, and Peru which is the great continent of America, with other parts, it is prohibited to make Wines under great penalties for fear of starving of trade, so that all the Wines they have are sent from Spain.  
Now for the pure Wine Countries, Greece with all her Islands, Italy, Spain, France, one part of four of Germany, Hungary, with divers Countries thereabouts, all the Islands in the mediterranean and Atlantic sea, are Wine Countries.  
The most generous wines of Spain, grow in the midland parts of the continent, and Saint Martin bears the bell which is near the Court; Now as in Spain so in all other wine Country's one cannot pass a day's journey but he will find a differing race of wine▪ those kinds that our Merchants carry over are those only that grow upon the seaside, as Malagas, Sheries, Tents, and Aligants; of this last there's little comes over right, therefore, the Vintner's make Tent (which is a name for all Wines in Spain except white) to supply the place of it; There is a gentile kind of white wine grows among the mountains of Galicia, but not of body enough to bear the sea, called Ribadavia; Portugal affords no wines worth the transporting; they have an odd stone we call Yef which they use to throw into their Wines, which clarifieth it, and makes it more lasting. there's also a drink in Spain called Al●…sha, which they drink between meals in hot weather, and 'tis a Hydromel made of water and honey, much of the taste of our Mead: In the Court of Spain there's a Germane or two that brews beer; but for that ancient drink of Spain which Pliny speaks of, composed of flowers, the receipt thereof is utterly lost.  
In Greece there are no wines that have bodies enough to bear the sea for long voyages, some few Muscadells, and Malm●…es are brought over in small Casks; nor is there in Italy any wine transported to England but in bottles, as Verdé and others, for the length of the voyage makes them subject to pricking and to lose colour, by reason of their delicacy.  
France participating of the climbs of all the Countries about her, affords wines of quality accordingly, as towards the Alps and Italy she hath a luscious rich wine called Frontiniac; In the Country of Province toward the Pyr●…nies in Languedoe there are wines congustable with those of Spain; one of the prime sort of white wines is that of Beaume, and of Clarets that of Orleans, though it be interdicted to wine the King's Cellar with it in regard of the corrosivenes it carries with it; As in France so in all other wine Countries the white is called the female, and the Claret or red wine is called the male, because commonly it hath more sulphur, body and heat in't: The wines that our Merchants bring over upon the River of Garond near Bourdeaux in Gascogny which is the greatest Mart for wines in all France; The Scot because he hath always been an useful confederate to France against England hath (among other privileges) right of preemption or first choice of wines in Bourdeaux; he is also permitted to carry his Ordnance to the very walls of the Town, whereas the English are forced to leave them at Blay a good way distant down the river: There is a hard green wine that grows about Roch●…ll and the Islands thereabouts, which the cunning Hollander sometime used to fetch, and he hath a trick to put a bag of herbs, or some other infusions into it (as he doth b●…imstone in Rhenish) to give it a whiter tincture, and more sweetness, than they reimbark it ●…or England, where it passeth for good B●…hrag, and this is called stooming of wines; In Normandy there's little or no wine at all grows, therefore the common drink of that Country is cider, specially in low Normandy; There are also many beer houses in Paris and elsewhere, but though their barley and water be better than ours, or that of Germany, and though they have English and Dutch brewers amongst them, yet they cannot make beer in that perfection,  
The prime wines of Germany grow about the Rhine specially in the Pfalts or lower Palatinat about Backrag, which hath its Etymology from Bacchi a●…a, for in ancient times there was an Altar erected there to the honour of Bacchus, in regard of the richness of the wines. Here and all France over 'tis held a great part of incivility for maidens to drink wine until they are married, as it is in Spain for them to wear high shoes or to paint till than; The german mothers, to make their sons fall into hatred of wine, do use when they are little to put some owls eggs into a cup of Rhenish, and sometimes a little living eel which twingling in the wine while the child is drinking so scares him that many come to abhor and have an antipathy to wine all their lives after. From Backrag the fi●…st stocks of vines which grow now in the grand Canary Island were brought, which with the heat of the Sun and the Soil, is grown now to that height of perfection, that the wine which they afford are accounted the richest, the most firm, the best bodied and lastingst wine, and the most defecated from all earthly grossness of any other whatsoever, it hath little or no sulphur at all in't, and leaves less dregs behind, though one drink it to excess; French wines may be said but to pickle meat in the stomach, but this is the wine that digests, and doth not only breed good blood, but it nutrifieth also, being a glutinous substantial liquor; of this wine, if of any other, may be verified that merry induction, That good wine makes good blood, good blood causeth good humours, good humours cause good thoughts, good thoughts bring forth good works, good works carry a man to heaven, ergo good wine carrieth a man to heaven; if this be true surely more English go to heaven this way then any other, for I think there's more Canary brought into England then to all the world besides, I think also there is a hundred times more drunk under the name of Canary wine then there is brought in, for Sherries and Malagas well mingled pass for Canaries in most Taverns more often then Canary itself, else I do not see how 'twere possible for the Vintner to save by it; or to live by his calling unless he were permitted sometimes to be a Brewer. When Sacks and Canaries were brought in first among us, they were used to be drunk in Aquavita measures, and 'twas held fit only for those to drink of them who used to carry their legs in their hands, their eyes upon their noses, and an Almanac in their bones; but now they go down every one's throat both young and old like milk.  
The Countries that are freest from excess of drinking are Spain and Italy; If a Woman can prove her Husband to have been thrice drunk, by the the ancient laws of Spain she may plead for a divorce from him: Nor indeed can the Spaniard being hot brain●… bear much drink, yet I have heard that Gondamar was once too hard for the King of Denmark when he was here in England; But the Spanish Soldiers that have been in the Wars of Flanders will take their cups freely, and the Italians also; when I lived to ' 〈◊〉 side the Alps, a Gentleman told me a merry tale of a Liguria●… Soldier who had got drunk in Genoa, and Prince Doria going horseback to walk the round one night, the Soldier took his horse by the bridle, and asked what the price of him was for he wanted horse, the Prince seeing in what humour he was, caused him 〈◊〉 be taken into a house and put to sleep: In the morning he 〈◊〉 for him and asked him what he would give for his horse, Sir, 〈◊〉 the recovered Soldier, the Merchant that would have bought 〈◊〉 yyesternight of your Highness, went away betimes in the morning The boonest compagnions' for drinking are the Greeks and Germans; But the Greek is the merrier of the two, for he will sing and dance and kiss his next companion; but the other will drink as deep as he; if the Greek will drink as many glasses as there be letters in his Mistress' name, the other will drink the number of his years, and though he be not apt to break out into singing, being not of so airy a constitution, yet he will drink often musically a health to every one of these 6. notes, Ut, Re, Mi, ●…a, Sol, Lafoy; which, with his reason, are all comprehended in this Exameter.  Ut Relevet Miserum Fatum Solitosque Labores. 
The fewest draughts he drinks are three, the first to quench the thirst passed, the second to quench the present thirst, the third to prevent the future: I heard of a company of low Dutchmen that had drunk so deep, that beginning to stagger and their heads turning round they thought verily they were at Sea, and that the upper chamber, where they were, was a ship, insomuch that it being soul windy weather they fell to throw the stools, and other things out of the window to lighten the vessel for fear of suffering shipwreck.  
Thus have I sent your Lordship a dry discourse upon a fluent subject, yet I hope your Lordship will please to take all in good part▪ because it proceeds from  
Westmin. 17 Octo. 1634. Your most humble and ready Servitor, J. H.   

LVI. To the R. H. the E. R.  
My Lord,  
YOur desires have been always to me as commands, and your commands as binding as Acts of Parliament; Nor do I take pleasure to employ head or hand in any thing more than in the exact performance of them; Therefore if in this crabbed difficult task, you have been pleased to impose upon me about languages, I come short of your Lordship's expectation, I hope my obedience will apologise for my disability: But whereas your Lordship desires to know what were the original Mother Tongues of the Countries of Europe, and how these modern speeches that are now in use were first introduced, I may answer hereunto, that it is almost as easy a thing to discover the source of Nile, as to find out the original of some languages, yet I will attempt it as well as I can, and I will take my first rise in these Islands of great Britain and Ireland; for to be curious and Eagle-eyed abroad, and to be blind and ignorant at home (as many of our Travellers are now a days) is a curiosity that carrieth with it more of affectation than any thing else.  
Touching the Isle of Albion or great Brittany, the Cambrian or Cymraccan tongue commonly called Welsh (and Italian also is so called by the Dutch) is without controversy the prime maternal tongue of this Island, and connatural with it, nor could any of the four conquests that have been made of it by Roman, Saxon, Dane or Norman ever extinguish her, but she remains still pure and incorrupt; of which language there is as exact and methodical a Grammar, with as regular precepts, rules, and institutions both for prose and verse compild by Doctor David Rice as I have read in any tongue whatsoever: some of the authentiquest Annalists report that the old Gauls (now the French) and the Britain's understood one another, for they came thence very frequently to be instructed here by the British druids which were the Philosophers and Divines of those times, and this was long before the latin tongue came a this side the Alps, or books written, and there is no meaner man 〈◊〉 Caesar himself records this.  
This is one of the fourteen vernacular and independent tongues of Europe, and she hath divers dialects; the first is the Cornish, the second the Armonicans or the inhabitants of Brittany in France, whither a colony was sent over hence in the time of the Romans. There was also another dialect of the British language among the Picts, who kept in the North parts in Northumberland, Westme●…land, Cumberland, and some parts beyond Tweed, until the whole Nation of the Scot poured upon them with such multitudes that they utterly extinguished both them and their language. There are some which have been curious in the comparison of tongues, who believe that the Irish is but a dialect of the ancient British, and the learnedst of that Nation in a private discourse I happened to have with him, seemed to incline to this opinion; but this I can assure your Lordship of, that at my being in that Country I observed by a private collection which I made, that a great multitude o●… their radical words are the same with the Welsh, both for seal and sound, the tone also of both the Nations is consonant, ●…or when I first walked up and down Dublin markets, me thought verily I was in Wales, when I listened unto their speech; but I found that the Irish tone is a little more querulous and whining than the British, which I conjecturd with myself proceeded from their often being subjugated by the English. But my Lord you would think it strange that divers pure Welsh words should be found in the new found World in the West Indies, yet it is verified by some Navigators, as Grando, (hark) N●…f (heaven) Lluynog (a fox) Pengwyn (a bird with a white head) with sundry others, which are pure British, nay I have read a Welsh Epitaph which was found there upon one Madoc a British Prince, who some years before the Norman conquest not agreeing with his brother then Prince of South- Wales went to try his fortunes at sea, embarking himself at Milford haven▪ and so carried on those coasts: This if well proved might well entitle out crown to America, if first discovery may claim a right to any country.  
The Romans though they continued here constantly above 300 years, yet could they not do as they did in France, Spain and other Provinces, plant their language as a mark of Conquest, but the Saxons did, coming in far greater numbers under Hengist from Holstein land in the lower circuit of Saxony, which people resemble the English more than any other men upon earth, so that 'tis more than probable that they came first from thence, besides there is a town there called Lund●…n, and another place named Angles, whence it may be presumed that they took their new denomination here; Now the English though as Saxons (by which name the Welsh and Irish call them to this day) they and their language is ancient, yet in reference to this Island they are the modernst nation in Eu●…pe both for habitation, speech and denomination; which makes ●…e smile at Mr Fox his error in the very front of his Epistle before the Book of Martyrs, where he calls Constantine the first Christian Emperor, the son of Helen an English woman, whereas she was 〈◊〉 British, and that there was no such Nation upon earth cal●…ed English at that time, nor above 100 years after, till Hengist invaded this Island and settling himself in it, the Saxons who came with him, took the appellation of English men. Now the English speech though it be rich, copious, and significant, and that there be di●…ers Dictionaries of it, yet under favour, I cannot call it a regular language in regard though often attempted by some choice ●…its, ther could never any Grammar or exact Syntaxis be made of it; yet hath she divers subdialects, as the Western and Northern English, but her chiefest is the Scotic which took footing beyond Tweed about the law conquest; but the ancient Language of Scotland is Irish, which the mountaineers and divers of the plain, retain to this day. Thus my Lord, according to my small model of observation, have I endeavoured to satisfy you in part, I shall in my next go on, for in the pursuance of any command from your Lordships my mind is like a stone thrown into a deep water, which never rests till it goes to the bottom; so for this time and always I rest,  
My Lord, Your most humble and ready Servitor, J. H. West. 9 Aug. 1630,   

LVII. To the Right Hon. the Earl R.  
My Lord,  
IN my last I fulfilled your Lordship's commands, as far as my reading and knowledge could extend, to inform you what were the radical primitive Languages of those Dominions that belong to the Crown of great Britain, and how the English, which is now predominant, entered in first, I will now hoist sail for the Netherlands, whose language is the same dialect with the English, and was so from the beginning, being both of them derived from the high Dutch; The Danish also is but a branch of the same tree, no more is the Swedish and the speech of them of Norway and Island▪ Now, the high Dutch or Teutonic Tongue is one of the prime and most spacious maternal languages of Europe, for besides the vast extent of Germany itself with the Country's and Kingdoms before mentioned whereof England and Scotland are two, it was the Language of the Goths and Vandals, and continueth yet of the greatest part of Poland and Hungary, who have a dialect of hers for their vulgar tongue; yet though so many dialects and subdialects be derived from her, she remains a strong sinewy Language pur●… and incorrupt in her first centre towards the heart of Germany: Some of her Writers would make the World believe that she was the Longuage spoken in Paradise for they produce many Words and proper names in the five books of Moses which fetch their Etymology from her, as also in Persia to this day divers radical words are the same with her, as Fader, Mocder, Brother, Star: And a german Gentleman speaking hereof one day to an Italian, that she was the Language of Paradise, sure said the Italian (alluding to her roughness) than it was the tongue that God Almighty chid Adam in; It may be so, replied the german, but the devil had tempted Eve in Italian before: A full mouthed language she is, and pronounced with that strength as if one had bones in his tongue instead of nerfs.  
Those Countries that border upon Germany as Bohemia, Silesia, Poland, and those vast Country's Northeastward as Russia and Muscovia speak, the Slavonic Language; And it is incredible what I have heard some Traveller's report of the vast extent of that language, for besides Slavonia itself, which properly is Dalmatia and Libin●…ia, it is the vulgar speech of the Macedonians, Epirots, Bosnians, Servians, Bulgarians, Moldavians, Rascians, and Podolians, nay it spreads herself over all the Eastern parts of Europe, Hungary and Walachia excepted, as far as Constantinople, and is frequently spoken in the Seraglio among the janissaries; nor doth ●…e rest there, but crossing the Hellespont divers nations in Asia have her for their popular tongue, as the Circassians, Mongrelians and Gaza●…ites: Southward, neither in Europe or Asia doth she extend herself further to the North parallel of forty Degrees; But those Nations which celebrate divine Service after the Greek Ceremony, and profess obedience to the Patriarch of Constantinople, as the Russ, the Muscovit, the Moldavian, Ruscian, Bosnian, Servian, and Bulgarian, with divers other Eastern, and North-East people that speak Slavonic, have her in a different Character from the Dalmatian, Croation, Istrian, Polonian, Bohemian, Silesian, and other Nations towards the West: these last have the Illirian Character, and the invention of it is attributed to St. jerom, the other is of Cyrists devising, and is called the Servian Character; Now, although there be above threescore several Nations that have this vast extended language for their vulgar speech, yet the pure primitive Slavonic dialect is spoken only in Dalmatia, Croatia, Liburnia and the Country's adjacent, where the ancient Slavonians yet dwell, and they must needs be very ancient, for there is in a Church in Prague an old Charter yet extant given them by Alexander the great, which I thought not amiss to insert here. We Alexander the great of King Philip founder of the Grecian Empire, Conqueror of the Persians, Medes, etc. and of the whole world from East 〈◊〉 West, from North to South, Son of great Jupiter by, etc. so called; T●… you the noble stock of Slavonians, and to your Language because 〈◊〉 have been unto us a help, true in faith, and valiant in war, we confi●… all that tract of earth from the North to the South of Italy from 〈◊〉 and our Successors, to you and your posterity for ever; And if any other Nation be found there let them be your slaves. Dated at Alexandria th●… 12. of the Goddess Minerva, witness Ethra and the eleven Princ●… whom we appoint our Successors: With this rare and one of th●… ancientest record in Europe, I will put a period to this second account I send your Lordship touching Languages; My next shall be of Greece, Italy, Fance and Spain, and so I shall shake hands with Europe, till when, I humbly kiss your hands, and rest,  
West▪ 2 of Aug. 1630. My Lord, Your most obliged Servitor, J. H.   

LVIII. To the Right Hon. the E. R.  
My Lord,  
HAving in my last rambled through high and low Germa●… Bohemy, Denmark, Poland, Russia; and those vast North-Ea●… Regions, and given your Lordship a touch of their Languages, (fo●… 'twas no Treatise I intended at first, but a cursory short literal account) I will now pass to Greece and speak something of that large and learned Language, for 'tis she indeed upon whom the bean●… of all scientifical knowledge did first shine in Europe, which she afterward diffused through all the Western world.  
The Greek tongue was first peculiar to helas alone, but i●… tract of time the Kingdom of Macedon, and Epire had her, than sh●… arrived on the Isles of the Egean Sea, which are interjacent and divide Asia and Europe that way; then she got into the fifty thre●… Isles of the Cycladeses that lie 'twixt Negrepont and Candy, and so go up to the Hellespont to Constantinople; She then crossed over to Anatolia, where though she prevailed by introducing multitudes of Colonies, yet she came not to be the sole vulgar speech any where ther●… as far as to extinguish the former languages: Now Anatolia is th●… most populous part of the whole earth, for Strabo speaks of sixteen several nations that slept in her bosom, and 'tis thought the two and twenty Languages which Mithrydates the great Polyglot King of P●…ntus did speak were all within the circumference of Anatolia in regard his dominions extended but a little further: She glided then along the Maritime coasts of Thrace, and passing Byzantium got into the outlets of Danube and beyond her also to Taurica, yea beyond that to the River Phosis and thence compassing to Trebizond she took footing on all the circumference of the Euxine Sea: This was her course from East to North, whence we will return to Candy, Cyprus and Sicily, thence crossing the Phare of Messina, she got all along the Maritime Coasts of the Tirrh●…ne Sea to Calabria: she rested herself also a great while in Apulia; There was a populous Colony of Greeks also in Marseilles in France, and along the Sea Coasts of Savoy: In Afric likewise Cyr●…ne, Alexandria, and Egypt with divers other, were peepled with Greeks: and three causes may be alleged why the Greek tongue did so expand herself, First it may be imputed to the Conquests of Alexander the Great, and the Captains he left behind him for Successors; Then the love the people had to the Sciences, speculative learning, and civility whereof me Greeks accounted themselves to be the grand Masters, accounting all other Nations Barbarians besides themselves; Thirdly, the natural inclination and dexterity the Greeks had to commerce, whereunto they employed themselves more than any other Nation except the Phaenician and Armenian, which may be a reason why in all places most commonly they colonized the Maritime parts, for I do not find they did penetrate far into the Bowels of any Country, but ●…iek'd on the Sea side in obvious mercantile places, and accessible Ports.  
Now many ages since the Greek tongue is not only impaired, and pitifully degenerated in her purity and eloquence, but extremely decayed in her amplitude and vulgarnes: For first there is no trace at all left of her in France or Italy, the Slavonic tongue hath abolished her in Epire and Macedon, the Turkish hath outed her from most parts of Anatolia, and the Arabian hath extinguished her in Sir a, Palestine, Egypt, and sundry other places; Now touching her degeneration from her primitive suavity and elegance, it is not altogether so much as the deviation and declension of the Italian from the Latin, yet it is so far that I could set foot on no place, nor hear of any people, where either the Attic, Doric, Eoli●… or Bucolic ancient Greek is vulgarly spoken; only in some places near Heraclea in Anatolia and in P●…loponesus (now called the Morea) ▪ hay speak of some Towns called the Lacocones which retain yet and vulgarly speak the old Greek but incongruously, yet though they cannot themselves speak according to rules, they understand thos●… that do: Nor is this corruption happened to the Greek Language, as it useth to happen to others, either by the Law of the Conqueror, or inundation of strangers, but it is insensibly crept in by their own supin●… negligence, and fantasticknes: specially by that common fatality and changes which attend time and all other sublunary things: nor is this ancient Scientifical Language decayed only but the nation of the Greeks itself, is as it were mouldered away and brought in a manner to the same condition, and to 〈◊〉 contemptible a pass as the Jew is: insomuch that there cannot be two more pregnant instances of the lubricity and instablenes of mankind as the decay of these two ancient Nations, the one the select people of God, the other the most famous, that ever was for Arts, Arms, Civility and Government; so that in statu quo nunc they who termed all the world Barbarians in comparison of themselves in former times, may be now termed more than any other Barbarians themselves, as having quite lost not only all inclination and aspire to Knowledge and Virtue, but likewise all courage and bravery of mind to recover their ancient freedom and honour.  
Thus have you my Lord, as much of the Greek Tongue as I could comprehend within the bounds of a Letter, a Tongue that both for knowledge, for commerce, and for copiousness was the principallest that ever was; in my next I will return nearer home, and give your Lordship account of the Latin Tongue, and of her three daughters the French, Italian and Spanish, in the interim you find that I am still  
West. 25 jul. 1630 My Lord, Your most obedient Servitor, J. H.   

LIX. To the Right Honourable the E. R.  
My Lord,  
MY last was a pursuit of my endeavours to comply with your Lordship's desires touching Languages, And I spent more Oil and Labour than ordinary in displaying the Greek Tongue, because we are more beholden to her for all Philosophical and Theori●… knowledge, as also for rules of commerce and commutative justice, than unto any other, I will now proceed to the latin Tongue, which had her source in Italy, in Latium called now ●…ompagna di Roma, and received her growth with the monstrous en●…ase of the City and Empire; Touching the one, she come from poor mud walls at Mount Palatine which were scarce a mile about it first, to be afterward fifty miles' compass, (as she was in the reign of Aurelianus) and her Territories which were hardly a days jour●…eys extent, come by favourable successes and ●…ortune of War to be above three thousand in length, from the banks of Rhine, or rather fr●…m the shores of this Island to Euphrates, and sometimes to the Ri●…er Tigris: with this vast expansion of Roman Territories the Tongue also did spread, yet I do not find by those researches I have made into Antiquity that she was vulgarly spoken by any nat●…on or in any entire Country but in Italy itself; For notwithstanding that it was the practice of the Roman with the Lance to usher in his Laws and Language as marks of Conquest; yet I believe his Tongue never took such firm impression any where, as to become the vulgar epedemic speech of any people else▪ or that she was able to null and extinguish the native Languages she found in those places where she planted her Standard: nor can there be a more pregnant instance hereof than this Island, for notwithstanding that she remained a Roman Province four hundred years together, yet the Latin Tongue could never have the vogue here so far as to abolish the British or Cambrian tongue.  
'Tis true that in France and Spain she made deeper impressions, the reason may be in regard there were far more Roman Colonies planted there, for whereas there were but four in this Isle, there were nine and twenty in France, and fifty seven in Spain, and the greatest entertainment the Latin Tongue found out of Italy herself, wa●… in these two Kingdoms; yet I am of opinion that the pure congruous grammatical Latin was never spoken in either of them a●… a vulgar vernacular Language common amongst women and children; no nor in all Italy itself except Latium: In Afric, though there were sixty Roman Colonies dispersed upon that continent, yet the Latin Tongue made not such deep impressions there nor in Asia either, nor is it to be thought that in those Colonies themselves did the common Soldier speak in that congruity as the Flamens, the Judges, the Magistrates and chief Commanders did: When the Romans sent Legions, and planted Colonies abroad 'twas for divers political considerations, partly to secure their new acquests, partly to abate the superfluous numbers and redundancy of Rome, then by this way they found means to employ and reward men of worth, and to heighten their minds, for the Roman spirit did rise up, and take growth with his good successes, conquests, commands and employments.  
But the reason that the Latin Tongue found not such entertainment in the oriental parts, was that the Greek had forestalled her, which was of more esteem among them because of the learning that was couched in her, and that she was more useful for negotiation and trafic, whereunto the Greeks were more addicted than any people: therefore though the Romans had an ambition to make those foreign Nations that were under their yoke to speak as well as to do what pleased them, and that all orders, edicts, letters, and the Laws themselves civil as well as martial, were published and executed in Latin, yet I believe this Latin was spoken no otherwise among those Nations than the Spanish or castilian Tongue is now in the Netherlands, in Sicily, Sardinia, Naples, the two Indies, and other Provincial Countries which are under that King: Nor did the pure Latin Tongue continue long at a stand of perfection in Rome and Latium itself among all sorts of people, but she received changes and corruption, neither do I believe that she was born a perfect Language at first, but she received nutriment, and degrees of perfection with time, which matures, refines and finisheth all things: The verses of the Salii composed by Numa Pompilius were scarce intelligible by the Flamens and Judges themselves in the wane of the Roman Commonwealth, nor the Laws of the Decemviri: And if that Latin wherein were couched the capitulations of peace 'twixt Rome and Carthage a little after the expulsion of the Kings, which are yet extant upon a pillar in Rome, were compared to that which was spoken in Caesar's reign 140. after, at which time the Latin Tongue was mounted to the Meridian of her perfection she would be found a●… differing as Spanish now differeth from the Latin: After Caesar and Cicero's time, the Latin Tongue continued in Rome and Italy in her purity four hundred years together, until the Goths▪ rushed into Italy first under Alaric, than the Hunns under Attila, than the V●…ndalls under Gensericus, and the Heruli under Odoacer who was proclaimed King of Italy, but the Goths a little after under Theoderic thrust out the Heruli, which Theodoric was by Zeno the Emperor formally invested King of Italy, who with his successor reigned there peaceably sixty years and upwards; so that in all probability the Go●…hs cohabiting so long among the Italians must adulterate their language as well as their women.  
The last barbarous people that invaded Italy about the year 570▪ were the Lombard's, who having taken firm rooting in the very bowels of the Countr●…y above 200 years without interruption during the reign of twenty Kings, must of necessity alter and deprave the general speech of the natural inhabitants, and among others one argument may be that the best and midland part of Italy changed its name and took its appellation from these last Invaders, calling itself Lombardy, which name it retains to this day: yet before the intrusions of these wand'ring and warlike people into Italy, there may be a precedent cause of some corruption that might creep into the Latin Tongue in point of vulgarity; first the incredible confluence of forreners that came daily far and near, from the colonized Provinces to Rome, than the infinite number of slaves which surpassed the number of free Citizens, might much impair the purity of the Latin Tongue, and lastly those inconstancies and humour of novelty, which is naturally inherent in man who according to those frail elementary principles and ingredients whereof he is composed, is subject to insensible alterations and apt to receive impressions of any change.  
Thus, my Lord, as succinctly as I could digest it into the narrow bounds of an Epistle, have I sent your Lordship this small survey of the Latin, or first Roman Tongue; In my next I shall fall aboard of her three daughters, viz. the Italian, the Spanish, and the French, with a diligent investigation what might be the original native Languages of those Countries from the beginning before the Lat●…ne gave them the Law; in the interim I crave a candid interpretation of what is passed, and of my ●…udiousnes in executing your Lordship's Injunctions, so I am  
West. jul. 16. 1630. My Lord, Your most humble obedient Servant, J. H.   

XL. To the right Honble the E R.  
My Lord,  
MY last was a discourse of the Latin or Primitive Roman tongue, which may be said to be expired in the mark●… though living yet in the Schools, I mean she may be said to be defunct in point of vulgarity any time these 1000 years passed: Out of her urn have sprung up the Italian, the Spanish and the French, whereof I am now to treat, but I think it not improper to make a research first what the radical prime mother tongues of these Country's were before the Roman Eagle planted her talons upon them.  
Concerning Italy, doubtless there were divers before the Latin did spread all over that Country, the Portuguese and Apulian spoke Greek, whereof some relics are to be found to this day, but it was an adventitious no mother language to them; 'tis confessed that Latium itself and all the territory about Rome had the Latin for its maternal and common first vernacular tongue, but Toscany and Lig●…ria had others quite discrepant, viz. the Hetruscane and Mesapian, whereof though there be some records yet extant, yet there are none alive that can understand them; the Oscan, the Sabin and Tusculan, are thought to be but dialects to these.  
Now the Latin Tongue with the coincidence of the Goths language, and other Northern people, who like waves tumbled off one another, did more in Italy then any where else, for she utterly abolished (upon that part of the continent) all other maternal tongues as ancient as herself, and thereby her eldest daughter the Italian came to be the vulgar universal tongue to the whole Country; yet the Latin tongue had not the sole hand in doing this, but the Goths and other septentrional Nations who rushed into the Roman dition, had a share in't as I said before, and pegged in some words which have been ever since irremovable not only in the Italian, but also in her two younger sisters the Spanish and the French who felt also the fury of those people: Now the Italian is the smoothest and softest running language that is, for there is not a word except some few Monosyllables Conjunctions and Propositions, that ends with a Consonant in the whole language, nor is there any vulgar speech which hath more subdialects in so small a tract of ground, for Italy itself affords above eight. There you have the Roman, the Toscane, the Venetian, the Mil●…tz, the Neapolitan●…, the Calabresse, the Genoevais, the Picmonlez, you have the Corsican, Sicilian, with divers other neighbouring Islands; and as the cause why from the beginning there were so many differing dialects in the Greek tongue was because it was sliced into so many Islands; so the reason why there be so many subdialects in the Italian is the diversity of governments that the Country is squandered into, there being in Italy at this day two Kingdoms, viz. that of Naples and Calabria; Three Republics, viz. Venice, Genoa and Luca, and divers other absolute Princes.  
Concerning the original language of Spain it was without any controversy, the Bascuence or Cantabrian, which tongue and territory neither Roman, Goth, (whence this King hath his pedigree, with divers of the Nobles) or Moor, could ever conquer; though they had overrun and taken firm footing in all the rest for many ages, therefore as the remnant of the old Britain's here, so are the ●…scainers accounted the ancientest and unquestionablest Gentry of Spain; insomuch that when any of them is to be dubbed Knight, there is no need of any scrutiny to be made whether he be clear of the blood of the Moriscoes who had mingled and incorporated with the rest of the Spaniards about 700 years: And as the Arcadians and Attiques in Greece for their immemorial antiquity, are said to vaunt of themselves, that the one are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Moon; the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 issued of the earth itself, so the ●…iscayner hath such like Rodomontadoes.  
The Spanish or Castilian language hath but few subdialects, the Portuguese is most considerable touching the Catalan, and Valentiane; they are rather dialects of the French, Gascon or Aquitani●…; The purest dialect of the Castilian tongue is held to be in the Town of Toledo, which above other Cities of Spain hath this privilege to be arbitress in the decision of any controversy that may arise touching the interpretation of any Castilian word.  
It is an infallible rule to find out the mother and ancientest tongue of any Country, to go among those who inhabit the barrenest and most mountainous places, which are posts of security and fastness, whereof divers instances could be produced, but let the Biscayner in Spain, the Welsh in great Britain, and the Mountaineers in Epire serve the turn, who yet retain their ancient unmixed mother tongues, being extinguished in all the Country besides.  
Touching France it is not only doubtful, but left yet undecided what the true genuine Gallic tongue was, some would have it to be the German, some the Greek, some the old British or Welsh, and the last opinion carrieth away with it the most judicious Antiquaries; Now all Gallia is not meant by it, but the Country of the Celtaes that inhabit the middle part of France, who are the true Gauls; Caesar and Tacitus tell us that these Celtaes, and the old Britain's (whereof I gave a touch in my first letter) did mutually understand one another, and some do hold that this Island was tied to France, as Sicily was to Calabria, and Denmark to Germany by an Istmos or neck of land 'twixt Dover and Bullen, for it one do well observe the rocks of the one, and the cliffs of the other, he will judge them to be one homogeneous piece, and that they were cut and shivered asunder by some act of violence.  
The French or Gallic tongue hath divers dialects, the Picard, that of jersey and Garnsey (appendices once to the Duchy of Normandy) the Provensall, the Gascon or speech of Languedoc, which Scaliger would etymologize from Languedo'uy, whereas it comes rather from Langue de God, for the Saracens and Goths who by their incursions and long stay in Aquitain corrupted the language of that part of Gallia: Touching the Britain and they of Bearn, the one is a dialect of the Welsh, the other of the Bascuence; The Wall●…n who is under the King of Spain, and the Liegois is also a dialect of the French, which in their own Country they call Romand: The Spaniard also terms his Castilian Roman, whence it may be inferred that the first rice and derivation of the Spanish and French were from the Roman tongue, not from the Latin, which makes me think that the language of Rome might be degenerated and become a dialect to our own mother tongue (the Latin) before she brought her language to France and Spain.  
There is besides these subdialects of the Italian, Spanish and French another speech that hath a great stroke in Greece and Turkey called Franco, which may be said to be composed of all the three, and is at this day the greatest language of commerce and negotiation in the Levant.  
Thus have I given your Lordship the best account I could of the sister dialects, of the Italian, Spanish, and French; In my next I shall cross the Mediterranean to Afric and the Hellespont to Asia, where I shall observe the generall'st languages of those vast continents where such numberless swarms and differing sorts of Nations do crawl up and down this earthly Globe, therefore it cannot be expected that I should be so punctual there as in Europe, so I am still,  
My Lord, Your obedient Servitor, J. H. Wystmin. 7. jul. 1630.   

LXI. To the Right Hon. the E. R.  
My Lord,  
HAving in my former letters made a flying progress through the European world, and taken a view of the several languages, dialects, and subdialects whereby people convers one with another, and being now windbound for Afric, I held it not altogether supervacaneous to take a review of them, and inform your Lordship what languages are Original independent mother tongues of Christendom, and what are dialects, derivations, or degenerations from their originals.  
The mother tongues of Europe are thirteen, though Scaliger would have but eleven; There is the Greek 1, the Latin 2, the Dutch 3, the Slavonian 4, the Welsh or Cambrian 5, the Bascuence or Cantabrian 6, the Irish 7, the Albanian in the Mountains of Epire 8, the Tartarian 9, the old Illirian 10, remaining yet in Liburnia, the jazrgian 11, on the North of Hungary, the Cauchian 12, in East Frizeland, the Finnic 13, which I put last with good reason, because they are the only heathens of Europe; all which were known to be in Europe in the time of the Roman Empire; There is a learned antiquary that makes the Arabic to be one of the mother tongues of Europe, because it was spoken in some of the mountains of South Spain, 'tis true 'twas spoken for divers hundred years all Spain over after the conquest of the Moors, but yet it could not be called a mother tongue, but an adventitious tongue in reference to that part of Europe.  
And now that I am to pass to Afric which is far bigger than Europe, and to Asia which is far bigger than Afric, and to America which is thought to be as big as all the three, if Europe herself hath so many mother languages quite discrepant one from the other, besides secondary tongues and dialects which exceed the number of their mothers, what shall we think of the other three huge continents in point of differing languages? Your Lordship knows that there be divers meridians and climbs in the heavens whence influxes of differing qualities fall upon the inhabitants of the earth, and as they make men to differ in the ideas and conceptions of the mind, so in the motion of the tongue, in the tune and tones of the voice, they come to differ one from the other: Now, all languages at first were imperfect confused sounds, than came they to be syllables, than words, than speeches and sentences, which by practice, by tradition, and a kind of natural instinct from Parents to children, grew to be fixed. Now to attempt a survey of all the languages in the other three parts of the habitable earth were rather a madness than a presumption, it being a thing of impossibility, and not only above the capacity, but beyond the search of the activ'st, and knowingst man upon earth: Let it therefore suffice while I behold those Nations that read and write from right to left, from the Liver to the heart, I mean the Africanes, and Asians, that I take a short view of the Arabic in the one, and the Hebrew or Syriac in the other, for touching the Turkish language, 'tis but a dialect of the Tartarian though it have received a late mixture of the Armenian, the Persian, and Greek tongues, but specially of the Arabic, which was the mother tongue of their Prophet, and is now the sole language of their Koran, it being strictly inhibited, and held to be a profaneness to translate it to any other, which they say preserves them from the encroachment of Schisms.  
Now the Arabic is a tongue of vast expansion, for besides the three Arabia's it is become the vulgar speech of Syria, Mesoptoamia, Palestine and Egypt, from whence she stretcheth herself to the straight of Gibraltar, through all that vast tract of earth, which lieth 'twixt the Mountain Atlas and the Mediterranean Sea, which is now called Barbary, where Christianity and the Latin tongue with divers famous Bishops once flourished. She is spoken likewise in all the Northern parts of the Turkish Empire, as also in petty Tartary, and she above all other hath a reason to learn Arabic, for she is in hope one day to have the Crescent and the whole Ottoman Empire, it being entailed upon her in case the present race should fail, which is now in more danger than ever, in 〈◊〉 whersoever the Mahometan Religion is professed, the Arabic is either spoken or taught.  
My last view shall be of the first language of the earth, the ancient language of Paradise, the language wherein God Almighty himself pleased to pronounce and publish the Tables of the Law, the language that had a benediction promised her because she would not consent to the building of the Babylonish Tower; yet this holy tongue hath had also her Eclipses, and is now degenerated to many dialects, nor is she spoken purely by any Nation upon the earth, a fate also which is befallen the Greek and Latin; The most spacious dialect of the Hebrew is the Syriac which had her beginning in the time of the captivity of the Jews at Babylon, while they cohabited, and were mingled with the Chaldeans, in which tract of seventy years' time the vulgar sort of Jews neglecting their own matern●…ll tongue (the Hebrew) began to speak the Chaldee, but not having the right accent of it, and fashioning that new learned language to their own innotation of points, affixes and conjugations, out of that intermixture of Hebrew and Chaldee, resulted a third language called to this day the Syri●…c, which also after the time of our Saviour began to be more adulterated by admission of Greek, Roman, and Arabic: in this language is the Talmud and Targum couched, and all their Rabbins, as Rabbi jonathan, and Rabbi Oakelos with others have written in it: Insomuch that as I said before, the ancient Hebrew had the same fortune that the Greek and Latin tongues had, to fall from being naturally spoken any where, to lose their general communicableness and vulgarity, & to become only School & book languages.  
Thus we see, that as all other sublunary things are subject to corruption and decay, as the poten'st Monarchies, the proudest Republics, the opulentest Cities have their growth, declinings, and periods; As all other elementary bodies likewise by reason of the frailty of their principles, come by in sensible degrees to alter and perish, and cannot continue long at a stand of perfection; so the learnedst and more eloquent languages, are not free from this common fatality, but they are liable to those alterations and resolutions, to those fits of inconstancy, and other destructive contingencies which are unavoidably incident to all earthly things.  
Thus my noble Lord have I evertuated myself, and stretched all my sinews, I have put all my small knowledge, observations and reading upon the tenter to satisfy your Lordship's desires touching this subject; If it afford you any contentment I have hit the white I aimed at, and hold myself abundantly rewarded for my oil and labour: so I am,  
My Lord, Your most humble and ever obedient Servitor, J. H. Westm. 1 jul. 1630.   

XLIII. To the Hon. Master Car. Ra.  
SIR,  
YOurs of the 7th current was brought me, whereby I find that you did put yourself to the penance of perusing some Epistles, that go imprinted lately in my name; I am bound to you for your pains and patience (for you write, you read them all thorough) much more for your candid opinion of them, being right glad that they should give entertainment to such a choice and judicious Geetleman as yourself: But whereas you seem to except against something in one Letter, that reflects upon Sir Walter Raleighs voyage to Guyana, because I term the gold Mine he went to discover, an airy and supposititious Mine, & so infer that it toucheth his honour; Truly sir, I will deal clearly with you in that point, that I never harboured in my brain the least thought to expose to the world any thing that might prejudice, much less traduce in the least degree that could be, that rare and renowned Knight, whose fame shall contend in longaevity with this Island itself, yea with that great World which he Historiseth so gallantly; I was a youth about the Town when he undertook that expedition, and I remember most men suspected that Mine then to be but an imaginary politic thing, but at his return, and missing of the enterprise, these suspicions turned in most to real beliefs that 'twas no other. And king james it that Declaration which he commanded to be printed and published afterwards touching the circumstances of this action (upon which my Letter is grounded, and which I have still by me) terms it no less; And if we may not give faith to such public regal instruments, what shall we credit? besides, there goes another p●…inted kind of Remonstrance annexed to that Declaration which intimates as much; And there is a worthy Captain in this Town, who was a coadventurer in that expedition, who, upon the storming of St. Thoma, heard young Mr. Raleigh encouraging his men in these whods, come on my noble hearts, this i●… the Mine we come for, and they who think there is any other, are fo●…lt. Add hereunto that Sir Richard Baker in his last Historical collections intimates so much, therefore 'twas far from being any opinion broached by myself, or bottomed upon weak grounds, for I was careful of nothing more, than that those Letters, being to breathe open air, should relate nothing but what should be derived from good fountains; And truly sir, touching that Apology of Sir Walter Raleigh's you write of, I never saw it, and I am very sorry I did not, for it had let in more light upon me of the carriage of that great action, and then you might have been well assured that I would have done that noble Knight all the right that could be.  
But sir, the several arguments that you urge in your Letters are of that strength, I confess, that they are able to rectify any indifferent man in this point, and induce him to believe that it was no Chimaera, but a real Mine; for you write of divers pieces of gold brought thence by Sir Walter himself, and Captain Kemies, and of some Ingots that were found in the Governors' Closet at St. Thoma, with divers crusibles, and other refining instruments; yet, under favour, that might be, and the benefit not countervail the charge, for the richest Mines that the King of Spain hath upon the whole Continent of America, which are the Mines of Potos●…, yield him but six in the hundred all expenses defrayed, You write how King james sent privately to sir Walter being yet in the Tower, to entreat and command him, that he would impart his whole design unto him under his hand, promising upon the word of a King to keep it secret, which being done accordingly by Sir Walter Raleigh, that very original paper was found in the said Spanish Governors' closet at St. Thoma; whereat, as you have just cause to wonder, and admire the activeness of the Spanish Agents about our Court at that time, so I wonder no less at the miscarriage of some of His late Majesty's Ministers, who notwithstanding that he had passed his royal word to the contrary, yet they did help Count Gondamar to that paper, so that the reproach lieth more upon the English than the Spanish Ministers in this particular: Whereas you allege that the dangerous sickness of Sir Watler being arrived near the place, and the death of (that rare spark of courage) your brother upon the first landing, with other circumstances discouraged Captain Kemies from discovering the Mine, but to reserve it for another time, I am content to give as much credit to this as any man can; as also that Sir Walter, if the rest of the Fleet according to his earnest motion had gone with him to revictual in Virginia (a Country where he had reason to be welcome unto, being of his own discovery) he had a purpose to return to Guyana the Spring following to pursue his first design: I am also very willing to believe that it cost Sir Walter Raleigh much more to put himself in equipage for that long intended voyage, than would have paid for his liberty, if he had gone about to purchase it for reward of money at home, though I am not ignorant that many of the co-adventurers made large contributions, and the fortunes of some of them suffer for it at this very day. But although Gondamar, as my Letter mentions, calls Sir Walter Pirate, I, for my part am far from thinking so, because as you give an unanswerable reason, the plundering of St. Thoma, was an act done beyond the Equator, where the Articles of Peace 'twixt the two Kings do not extend; yet, under favour, though he broke not the Peace, he was said to break his Patent by exceeding the bounds of his Commission, as the foresaid Declaration relates, for King james had made strong promises to Count Gondamar, that this Fleet should commit no outrages upon the King of Spain's Subjects by Land, unless they began first, and I believe that was the main cause of his death, though I think if they had proceeded that way against him in a legal course of trial, he might have defended himself well enough.  
Whereas you allege that if that action had succeeded, and afterwards been well prosecuted, it might have brought Gondamar's great Catholic Master to have been begged for at the Church doors by Friars, as he was once brought in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's days; I believe it had much damnified him, and interrupted him in the possession of his West Indies, but not brought him, under favour, to so low an ebb; I have observed that it is an ordinary thing in your Popish Countries for Princes to borrow from the Altar, when they are reduced to any straits, for they say, the ●…iches of the Church are to serve as anchors in time of a storm; divers of our Kings have done worse, by pawning their Plate and Jewels: Whereas my Letter makes mention that Sir Walter Raleigh mainly laboured for his Pardon before he went, but could not compass it, this is also a passage in the foresaid printed Relation, but I could have wished with all my heart he had obtained it, for I believe, that neither the transgression of his Commission, nor any thing that he did beyond the Line, could have shortened the line of his life otherwise, but in all probability we might have been happy in him to this very day, having such an Heroic heart as he had, and other rare helps, by his great knowledge, for the preservation of health; I believe without any scruple what you write, that Sir William St. geon made an overture unto him of procuring his pardon for 1500 l. but whether he could have effected it I doubt a little, when he had come to negotiate it really: But I extremely wonder how that old sentence which had lain dormant above sixteen years against Sir Walter Raleigh could have been made use of to take off his head afterwards, considering that the Lord Chancellor Verulam, as you write, told him positively (as Sir Walter was acquainting him with that proffer of Sir William St. geons for a pecunia●…y pardon) in these words, Sir, the knee timber of your voyage is money, spare 〈◊〉 purse in this particular, for upon my life you have a sufficient par●… for all that is passed already, the King having under his broad Seal made you Admiral of your Fleet, and given you power of the Martial Law over your Officers and Soldiers: One would think that by this Royal Patent, which gave him power of life and death over the King's liege people, Sir Walter Raleigh should become Rectus in ●…ia, and free from all old convictions; but Sir, to tell you the plain truth, Count Gondamar at that time had a great stroke in our Court, because there was more than a mere ●…verture of a match with Spain, which makes me apt to believe that▪ that great wise Knight being such an Anti-Spaniard, was made a Sacrifice to advance the Matrimonial Treaty: But I must needs wonder, as you justly do, that one and the same man should be condemned for being a friend to the Spaniard, (which was the ground of his first condemnation) should afterwards lose his head for being their enemy by the same sentence: Touching his return I must confess I was utterly ignorant that those two noble Earls Thomas of Arundel and William of Pemb●…oke were engaged for him in this particular, nor doth the prin●…ed Relation, make any mention of them at all, therefore I must say that envy herself must pronounce that return of his, for the ●…quitting of his fiduciary pledges to be a most noble act, and wa●…ing that of King Alphonso's Moor, I may more properly compare it to the act of that famous Roman Commander (Regulus as I take 〈◊〉) who to keep his promise and faith returned to his enemy's ●…her he had been prisoner, though he knew he went to an inevi●…able death: But well did that faithless cunning Knight who betray●…d Sir Walter Raleigh in his intended escape being come ashore, fall to that contemptible end, as to die a poor distracted Beggar in the 〈◊〉 of Lyndey having for a bag of money falsified his Faith, confirmed by the tye of the holy Sacrament as you write, as also before the year came about to be found clipping the same coin in the Kings own house at Whitehall which he had received as a reward for his perfidiousness, for which being condemned to be hanged, he was driven to sell himself to his shirt, to purchase his pardon of two Knights.  
And now Sir, let that glorious and gallant Cavalier Sir Walter Raleigh (who lived long enough for his own honour though not for his Country, as it was said of a Roman Consul) rest quietly in his grave and his virtues live in his posterity, as I find they do strongly, and very eminently in you; I have heard his enemies confess that he was one of the weightiest and wisest men that this Island ever bred, Mr. Nath. Carpenter a learned and judicious Author was not in the wrong when he gave this discreet Character of him, who hath not known or read of that Prodigy of wit and fortune, Sir Walter Raleigh, a man infortunate in nothing else but in the grea●… of his wit and advancement, whose eminent worth was such both in domestic Policy, foreign Expeditions and Discoveries, in Arts and Literature, both practic and contemplative, that it might seem at once to conq●… bo●… example and imitation.  
Now Sir, hoping to be rectified in your judgement touching my opinion of that illustrious Knight your father, give me leave to kiss your hands very affectionately for the respectful mention you please to make of my brother once your neighbour; he suffers, good soul, as well as I, though in a differing manner; I also much value that favourable censure you give of those rambling Letters of mine, which indeed are nought else than a Legend of the cumbersome lif●… and various fortunes of a Cadet; but whereas you please to say, that the world of learned men is much beholden to me for them, and that son of them are freighted with many excellent and qaaint passages delivered in a masculine and solid stile, adorned with much eloquence, a●… stuck with the choicest flowers picked from the Muse's garden; whereas you also please to write that you admire my great Travels, my stren●…ous endeavours, at all times and in all places to accumulate knowledge, ●…y active laying hold upon all occasions, and on every handle that mig●… (with reputation) advantage either my wit or fortune: These high gallant strains of expressions, I confess, transcend my merit, and are a garment too gaudy for me to put on, yet I will lay it up among by best Relics, whereof I have divers sent me of th●… kind: And whereas in publishing these Epistles at this time you please to say, That I have done like Hezekiah when he shewedhis Treasures to the Babylonians, that I have discovered my riches to theev●… who will bind me fast and share my goods; To this I answer, that i●… those innocent Letters (for I know none of them but is such) fall among such thiefs they will have no great prize to carry away, it will be but pettylarceny; I am already, God wot, bound fast enough, having been a long time cooped up between these Walls▪ bere●…t of all my means of subsistence and employment, nor do I know wherefore I am here, unless it be for my sins; For I bear as upright ●… heart to my King and Country, I am as conformable and well affected to the government of this land, specially to the high Court of Parliament as any one whatsoever that breath's air under this Meridian, I will except none: And for my Religion I defy any creature 'twixt heaven and earth that will say, I am not a true English Protestant. I have from time to time employed divers of my best friends to get my liberty, at leastwise leave to go abroad upon Bail (for I do not expect, as you please also to believe in your Letter, to be delivered hence as Saint Peter was by miracle) but nothing will yet prevail.  
To conclude, I do acknowledge in the highest way of recognition, the free and noble proffer you please to make me of your endeavours to pull me out of this doleful Sepulchre, wherein you say I am entombed alive; I am no less obliged to you for the opinion I find you have of my weak abilities, which you please to wish heartily may be no longer eclipsed, I am not in despair, but a day will shine that may afford me opportunity to improve this good opinion of yours (which I value at a very high rate) and let the world know how much I am,  
Fleet, 5 May, 1645. Sir, Your real and ready Servitor, J. H.   

LXIIII To Mr. T. V. at brussels.  
My dear Tom,  
Who would have thought poor England had been brought to this pass? could it ever have entered into the imagination of man that the Scheme and whole frame of so ancient and well-molded a government should be so suddenly struck off the hinges, quite put out of joint, and tumbled into such a horrid Confusion? who would have held it possible that to fly from Babylon, we should fall into such a Babel? that to avoid superstition some people should be brought to belch out such horrid profaneness, as to call the Temples of God the Tabernacles of Satan; The Lord's Supper a Twopenny Ordinary; to make the Communion Table a Manger, and the Font a Trough to water their Horses in; to term the white decent Robe of the Presbyter the Whore's Smock; the Pipes through which nothing came but Anthems and holy Hymns, the Devil's Bagpipes; the Liturgy of the Church, though extracted most of it out of the Sacred Text, called by some another kind of Koran, by others raw Porridge, by some a piece forged in Hell; Who would have thought to have seen in England the Churches shut and the Shops open upon Christmas day? Could any soul have imagined that this Isle would have produced such Monsters, as to rejoice at the Turks good successes against Christians, and wish he were in the midst of Rome? Who would have dreamt ten years since, when Archbishop Lawd did ride in state through London streets, accompanying my Lord of London to be sworn Lord high Treasurer of England, that the Mitre should have now come to such a scorn, to such a national kind of hatred, as to put the whole Island in a combustion; which makes me call to memory a saying of the Earl of Kildare in Ireland, in the reign of Henry the eighth, which Earl, having deadly feud with the Bishop of Cass●…es, burned a Church belonging to that Diocese, and being asked upon his Examination before the Lord Deputy at the Castle of Dublin, why he had committed such a horrid Sacrilege as to burn God's Church? he answered, I had never burnt the Church unless I had thought the Bishop had been in't. Lastly, who would have imagined that the Accise would have taken footing here? a word I remember in the last Parliament save one, so odious, that when Sir D. Carleton then Secretary of State, did but name it in the House of Commons, he was like to be sent to the Tower; although he named it to no ill s●…nse but to show what advantage of happiness the people of England had o'er other Nations, having neither the Gabells of Italy, the Tallies of France, or the Accise of Holland laid upon them, yet upon this he was suddenly interrupted, and called to the Bar; Such a strange Metamorphosis poor England is now come unto, and I am afraid our Miseries are not come to their height, but the longest shadows stay till the Evening.  
The freshest News that I can write unto you is, that the Kentish Knight of your acquaintance whom I writ in my last had an apostasy in his Brain, died suddenly this week of an Impostume in his breast, as he was reading a Pamphlet of his own that come from the Press, wherein he showed a great mind to be nibbling with my Trees; but he only showed his Teeth, for he could not bite them to any purpose.  
Willi. Ro: is returned from the Wars, but he is grown lame in one of his Arms, so he hath no mind to bear Arms any more, he confesseth himself to be an egregious fool to leave his Mercership, and go to be a Musqueteer: It made me think upon the Tale of the Gallego in Spain, who in the Civil Wars against Arragon being in the field he was shot in the forehead, and being carried away to a Tent, the Surgeon searched his wound and found it mortal; so he advised him to send for his Confessor, for he was no man for this world in regard the Brain was touched; the Soldier wished him to search it again, which he did, and told him that he found he was hurt in the Brain and could not possibly scape, whereupon the Gallego●…ell ●…ell into a chafe, and said he lied, for he had no brain at all por que si tuviera seso, nunca huniera venido a esta guerra, for if I had had any brain, I would never have come to this War: All your friends here are well, except the maimed Soldier, and remember you often, specially Sir I. Brown, a good gallant Gentleman, who never forgets any who deserved to have a place in his memory. Farewell my dear Tom: and God send you better days than we have here, for I wish you as much happiness as possibly man can have, I wish your mornings may be good, your noons better, your evenings and nights best of all; I wish your sorrows may be short, your joys lasting, and all your desires end in success; let me hear once more from you before you remove thence, and tell me how the squares go in Flanders: So I rest,  
Fleet, 3 Aug. 1644. Your entirely affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

LXV. To His Majesty at Oxon.  
SIR,  
I Prostrate this Paper at your Majesty's feet, hoping it may find way thence to your eyes, and so de●…cend to your Royal heart.  
The foreign Minister of State, by whose conveyance this com●…, did lately intimat unto me, that among divers things which go abroad under my name reflecting upon the times, there are some which are not so well taken, your Majesty being informed that they discover a spirit of Indifferency, and lukewarmness in the Author▪ This added much to the weight of my present sufferances; and exceedingly imbittered the sense of them unto me, being no other than a corrosif to one already in a hestic condition: I must confess that some of them were more moderate than others; yet (most humbly under favour) there were none of them but displayed the heart of a constant true loyal Subject, and as divers of those who are most zealous to your Majestics Service told me, they had the good success to rectify multitudes of people in their opinion of some things; Insomuch that I am not only not conscious, but most confident that none of them could tend to your Majesty's disservice any way imaginable: Therefore I humbly beseech, that your Majesty would 〈◊〉 to conceive of me accordingly, and of one who by this recluse passive condition hath his share of this hideous storm▪ yet he is in assurance, rather than hopes, that though divers cross-winds have blown, these times will bring in better at last. 〈◊〉 have been divers of your Royal Progenitors who have had as shrewd shocks; And 'tis well known, how the next transmarine Kings have been brought to lower ebbs: At this very day he of Spain is in a far worse condition, being in the midst of two sorts of people, (the Catalan and Portuguais) which were lately his Vassals, but now have torn his Seals, renounced all bonds of allegiance, and are in actual hostility against him: This great City I may say is like a Chessboard chequered, inlaid with white and black spots, though I believe the white are more in number, and your Majesty's countenance by returning to your great Counsel and your Court at White-Hall would quickly turn them all white: That Almighty Majesty who useth to draw light out of darkness, and strength out of weakness▪ making man's extremity his opportunity, preserve and prosper your Majesty according to the Prayers early and late of your Ma●…esties most loyal Subject, Servant▪ and Martyr,  
Fleet 3. Septem. 1644. Howell,   

LXVI. To E. Benlowes Esqr. upon the receipt of a Table of exquisite Latin Poems.  
SIR,  
I Thank you in a very high degree for that precious Table of Poems you pleased to send me: When I had well viewed them, I thought upon that famous Table of Proportion, which Ptolemy is recorded by Aristaeus to have sent Eleazar to Jerusalem, which was counted a stupendious piece of▪ Art, and the wonderment of those times: what the curiosity of that Table was, I have not read, but I believe it consisted in extern mechanical artifice only: The beauty of your Table is of a far more noble extraction being a pure spiritual work, so that it may be called the Table of your soul, in confirmation of the opinion of that divine, though Pagan Philosopher, the high winged Plato, who fancied that our souls at the first infusion were as so many Tables, they were abrasae Tabulae, and that all our future knowledge was but a reminiscence; But under favour these rich and elaborate Poems which so loudly echo out your worth and ingenuity deserve a far more lasting monument to preserve them from the injury of time than such a slender board, they deserve to be engraven in such durable dainty stuff that may be fit to hang up in the Temple of Apollo; your Echo deserves to dwell in some marble or porphyry grot, cut about Parnassus Mount near the source of Helicon, rather than upon such a slight suprfiecies.  
I much thank you for your visits, and other fair respects you show me; specially that you have enlarged my quarters 'mong these melancholy Walls, by sending me a whole Isle to walk in, I mean that delicate purple Island I received from you, where I meet with Apollo himself and all his daughters, with other excellent society; I stumble also there often upon myself, and grow better acquainted with what I have within me and without me: Insomuch that you could not make choice of a fitter ground for a Prisoner, 〈◊〉 I am, to pass over, than of that purple Isle, that Isle of man you see●… me, which as the ingenious Author▪ hath made it, is a far more dainty soil than that Scarlet Island which lies near the Baltic sea.  
I remain still wind-bound in this Fleet, when the weather mend●… and the wind sifts that I may launch forth, I will repay you your visits, and be ready to correspond with you in the reciprocation of any other offices of friendship, for I am,  
Sir, Your affectionate Servitor, J. H. Fleet, 25 Aug. 1645.   

LXVII. To my Honourable La: the La: A. Smith.  
Madame,  
Whereas you were pleased lately to ask leave, you may now take authority to command me; And did I know any of the faculties of my mind, or limbs of my body that were not willing to serve you, I would utterly renounce them, they should be no more mine, at least I should not like them near so well; but I shall not be put to that, for I sensibly find that by a natural propensity they are all most ready to obey you, and to stir at the least beck of your commands as Iron moves towards the loadstone; Therefore Madam if you bid me go, I will run; If you bid me run, I'll fly, (if I can) upon your errand; But I must stay till I can get my heels at liberty from among these Walls, till when, I am as perfectly as man can be,  
Madame, Your most obedient humble Servitor, J. H. Fleet, 5 May. 1645.   

LXVIII. To Master G. Stone.  
SIR,  
I Heartily rejoice with the rest of your friends, that you are safely returned from your Travels, specially that you have made so good returns of the time of your Travel; being as I understand, come home freighted with observations and languages; your Father tells me than the finds you are so wedded to the Italian & French, that you utterly neglect the Latin Tongue, That's not well, though you have learned to play at Baggammon, you must not forget Irish, which is a more serious and solid game; but I know you are so discreet in the course and method of your studies, that you will make the daughters to wait upon their mother, & love still your old friend: To truck the Latin for any other vulgar Language, is but an ill ba●…ter, it is as bad as that which Glaucus made with Diomedes when he parted with his golden Arms for brazen ones; the proceed of this exchange will come far short of any Gentleman's expectations, though haply it may prove advantageous to a Merchant, to whom common Languages are more useful. I am big with desire to meet you, and to mingle a days discourse with you, if no●… two, how you escaped the claws of the Inquisition, whereunto I understand you were like to fall, and of other Traverses of your Pe●…egrination: Farewell my precious Stone, and believe it, the least grain of those high respects you please to profess unto me▪ 〈◊〉 not lost, but answered with so many Cara●…ts: So I rest,  
〈◊〉. 30 Novem. 163●…. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

XLIX. To Mr. J. J. Esq.  
SIR,  
I Received those sparks of piety you pleased to send me in a manuscript, and whereas you favour me with a desire of my opinion concerning the publishing of them; Sir I must confess that I found among them many most fervent and flexanimous strains of devotion; I found some prayers so piercing and powerful that they are able to invade Heaven, and take it by violence, if the heart doth its office as well as the tongue: But Sir, you must give me leave (and for this leave you shall have authority to deal with me in such a case) to tell you, that whereas they consist only of requests being all supplicatory prayers, you should do well to intersperse among them some eucharistical ejaculations, and doxologies, some oblation●… of thankfulness; we should not be always whining in a puling petitionary way (which is the tone of the time now in fashion) before the gates of Heaven with our fingers in our eyes, but we should lay our hands upon our hearts and break into raptures of joy and praise, a soul thus elevated is the most pleasing sacrifice that can be offered to God Almighty, it is the best sort of in●…ense: Prayer causeth the first shower of rain, but praise brings down the second, the one fructifieth the earth, the other makes the Hills to skip; all prayers aim at our own ends and interest, but praise proceeds from the pure motions of love and gratitude, having no other object but the glory of God, that soul which rightly dischargeth this part of devotion may be said to do the duty of an Angel upon earth. Among other attributes o●… God, prescience or foreknowledge is one, for he knows ou●… thoughts, our desires, our wants long before we propound them▪ And this is not only one of his attributes but prerogative royal, therefore to use so many iterations, inculcating, and tautologie●…, as it is no good manners in moral Philosophy, no more is it i●… divinity, it argues a pusillanimou●… and mistrustful soul: of the two, I had rather be overlong in praise, than prayer: yet I wou●… be careful it should be free from any Pharisaical babbling; prayer compared with praise, is but a fuliginous smoke issuing fro●… the sense of sin, and human infirmities, praises are the true clear sparks of piety, and sooner fly upwards.  
Thus have I been free with you in delivering my opinion touching that piece of devotion you sent me, whereunto I add my humble thanks to you for the perusal of it, so I am  
Fleet, 8 Sept. 1645. Yours most ready to be commanded, J. H.   

LXX. To Captain William Bridges in Amsterdam.  
My noble Captain,  
I Had yours of the tenth current, and besides your avisos, I must thank you for those rich flourishes wherewith your letter was embroidered every where; The news under this clime is that they have mutinied lately in divers places about the Excise, a bird that was first hatched there first amongst you; here in London the tumult came to that height that they burned down to the ground the Excise house in Smithfield, but now all is quiet again; God grant our Excise here have not the same fortune as yours there, to become perpetual; or as that new gabelle of Orleans, which began in the time of the Ligue, which continueth to this day, notwithstanding the cause ceased about threescore years since; touching this I remember a pleasant tale that is recorded of Henry the Great, who some years after peace was established throughout all the whole body of France, going to his town of Orleans, the Citizens petitioned him that his Majesty would be pleased to abolish that new tax; the King asked who had imposed it upon them, they answered Monsieur de la Chatre, (during the civil Wars of the Ligue) who was now dead; the King replied Monsieur de la Cha'tre vous a liguè qu'il vous desligue, Monsieur dela Chatre ligued you, let him then unligue you for my part; now that we have a kind of peace, the goals are full of soldiers, and some gentlemen's sons of quality suffer daily, the last week Judge Riv●…s condemned four in your County at Maidstone Assizes, but he went out of the world before them though they were executed four days after; you know the saying in France, that la guerre sait les larrons, & la paix les ameine an gibbet, War makes thiefs, and peace brings them to the gallows. I lie still here in limbo, in limbo innocentium, though not in limbo infantion, and I know not upon what star to cast this misfortune; Others are here for their good conditions, but I am heat for my good qualities as your cousin Fortescue jeered me not long since, I know none I have, unless it be to love you, which I would continue to do, though I tugged at an oar in a Galley, much more as I walk in the Galleries of this Fleet: In this resolution I rest  
Fleet, 2 Sept. 1645. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

LXXI. To Mr. W. B. at Grundesburgh.  
Gentle Sir,  
YOurs of the seventh I received yesternight, and read o'er with no vulgar delight; in the perusal of it me thought to have discerned a gentle strife 'twixt the fair respects you pleased to show me therein, and your ingenuity in expressing them, who should have superiority; so that I knew not to which of the two I should adjudge the Palm.  
If you continue to wrap up our young acquaintance, which you say is but yet in fasciis, in such warm choice swadlings, it will quickly grow up to maturity, and for my part I shall not be wanting to contribute that reciprocal nourishment which is due from me.  
Whereas you please to magnify some pieces of mine, and that you seem to spy the Muses perching upon my Trees, I fear 'tis but deceptio visus, for they are but Satyrs, or happily some of the homelier sort of Wood Nymphs, the Muses have choicer walks for their recreation.  
Sir, I must thank you for the visit you vouchsafed me in this simple cell, and whereas you please to call it the cabinet that holds the jewel of our times, you may rather term it a wicker casknet that keeps a jet ring, or a horn lantern that holds a small taper of course wax; I hope this taper shall not extinguish here, and if it may afford you any light, either from hence or hereafter, I should be glad to impart it in a plentiful proportion, because I am Sir  
Fleet, 1 july, 1646. Your most affectionate friend to serve you, J. H.   

LXXII. To I. W. of Gray's Inn, Esquire  
SIR,  
I Was yours before in a high degree of affection, but now I am much more yours since I perused that parcel of choice Epistles you sent me; they discover in you a knowing and a candid clear soul, for familiar letters are the keys of the mind, they open all the 〈◊〉 of ones breast, all the cells of the brain, and truly set forth the inward man, nor can the pencil so lively represent the face, as the pen 〈◊〉 the Fancy: I much thank you that you would please to impart them unto  
Fleet, 1 April, 1645. Your most faithful servitor, J. H.   

LXXIII. To Cap. T. P. from Madrid.  
Captain Don Tomas,  
COuld I write my love unto you, with a ray of the Sun, as once Aurelius the Roman Emperor wished to a friend of his, you ●…ow this clear horizon of Spain could afford me plenty, which cannot be had so constantly all the seasons of the year in your cloudy ●…yme of England; Apollo with you makes not himself so common, 〈◊〉 keeps more State, and doth not show his face, and shoot his ●…ams so frequently as he doth here, where 'tis Sunday all the 〈◊〉: I thank you a thousand times for what you sent by Mr Gres●… and that you let me know how the pulse of the times bears with you; I find you cast not your eyes so much southward as you were used to do towards us here, and when you look this way you cast a cloudy countenance, with threatening looks; which maket me apprehend some fear that it will not be safe for me to be longer under this meridian. Before I part I will be careful to send you those things you writ for, by some of my L. Ambassador Aston's Gentlemen; I cannot yet get that Grammar which was made for the Constable of Castille, who you know was born dumb, wheri●… an Art is invented to speak with hands only, to carry the Alphab●…t upon one's joints, and at his finger's ends, which may be learned without any great difficulty by any mean capacity, and whereby one may discourse and deliver the conceptions of his mind witho●… ever wagging of his tongue, provided there be reciprocal knowledge, and co-understanding of the art 'twixt the parties, and it i●… a very ingenious piece of invention. I thank you for the copy of verses you sent me glancing upon the times; I was lately perusing some of the Spanish Poets here, and lighted upon two Epigrams, or Epitaphs more properly, upon our▪ Henry the eighth, and upon his daughter Queen Elizabeth, which in requital I thought worth the sending you:  

A Henrique octavo Rey de Ingalatierra  
Mas de esta losa fria  
Cubre Henrique tu valour,  
De una Muger el amor,  
Y de un Error la porsia  
Como cupo en tu grandeza,  
Dezidme enzañado Ingles  
Querer una muger a lospies,  
Ser de la yglesia cabesa?   
Prosed thus in English, for I had no time to put it on feet.  
O Henry more than this cold pavemeut covers thy worth, th●… love of a woman and the pertinacy of error; How could it sub●… with thy greatness, tell me O cozened English man, to cast th●… self at a woman's feet, and yet to be head of the Church? That upon Queen Elizabeth was this.  

De Isabella Reyna de Ingalatierra  
Aqui yaze jesabel,  
Aqui lanueva Athalia,  
Del oro Antartico Harpia,  
Del mar incendio cruel:   

Aqui el ingenio, mas dino  
De loor que ha tenido el suelo,  
Si para llegar all cielo  
No hwiera errado el camino.   
Here lies jesabel, here lies the new Athalia, the Hrapy of the Western gold, the cruel firebrand of the Sea; Heer lies a wit the most worthy of fame which the earth had, if to arrive to heaven she had not missed her way.  
You cannot blame the Spaniard to be Satirical against Queen Elizabeth, for he never speaks of her, but he fetcheth a shrink in the thoulder; since I have begun I will go on with as witty an Anagram as I have heard or read, which a Gentleman lately made upon his own name Tomas, and a Nun called Maria, for she was his devota; the occasion was, that going one evening to discourse with her at the grate, he wrung her by the hand, and joined both their names in this Anagram, To Maria mass, I would take more; I know I shall not need to expound it to you; here unto I will add a strong and deep fetched character, as I think you will confess when you have read it, that one made in this Court of a Cour●…san.  
Eres put a tan arte●●  
Qu'en el vientre de tu madre  
Tu tuvistes de manera  
Que te cavalgue el padre,  
To this I will join that which was made of de Vaca husband to jusepe de Vaca the famous Comedian, who came upon the Stage with a cloak lined with black plush and a great chain about his neck, whereupon the Duke of Mediana broke into these witty lines.  
Con tanta selpa en la Capa  
Y tanta cadena de oro,  
El marido de la Vaca  
Que puede ser sino toro?  
The conclusion of this rambling letter shall be a rhyme of certain hard throaty words which I was taught lately, and they are accounted the difficulst in all the whole Castilian language, insomuch that he who is able to pronounce them, is accounted Buen Romancista, a good speaker of Spanish: Abcia y oveia y piedra que rabeia, y pendola ●…as oreia, y lugar en la ygre●…a, dessea a su hijo la vieia. A be and a sheep, ●… mill, a jewel in the ear, and a place in the Church, the old woman desires her son. No more now, but that I am, and will ever be, my noble Captain in the front of  
Madrid, 1 Aug. 1622. Your most affectionate Servitors, J. H.   

LXXIV. To Sir Tho. Luke, Knight.  
SIR  
HAd you traversed all the world over, specially those large continents, and Christian Countries which you have so exactly surveyed, and whence you have brought-over with you such useful observations and languages, you could not have lighted upon a choicer piece of womankind for your wife; the earth could not have afforded a Lady, that by her discretion and sweetness could better quadrate with your disposition: as I heartily congratulat your happiness in this particular, so I would desire you to know that I did no ill offices towards the advancement of the work, upon occasion of some discourse with my Lord George of Rutland not long before at Hambledon.  
My thoughts are now puzzled about my voyage to the Baltie sea upon the King's service, otherwise I would have ventur'●… upon an Epithalamium, for there is matter rich enough to work upon: and now that you have made an end of wooing, I could wish you had made an end of wrangling, I mean of lawing, specially with your mother, who hath such resolutions where she once takes: law is not only a pickpurse, but a Purgatory; you know the saying they have in France, les plaideurs sont les oyséaux, le palais le Champ. les Iuges les rets, les Advocats les Rats, les procureurs les souris del' estate, The poor clients are the birds, Westminster Hall the field, the Judge the net, the Lawyers the rats, the Attorneys the mice of the common wealth; I believe this saying was spoken by an angry client; for my part I like his resolution who said he would never use Lawyer nor Physician but upon urgent necessity: I will conclude with this rhyme  
Puvure playdeur,  
jay gran pity de ta douleur.  
Westmin. 1 May, 1629. Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H.   

LXXV. To Mr. R. K.  
Dear Sir,  
YOu and I are upon a journey, though bound for several places, I for Hamborough, you for your last home, as I understand by Doctor Baskervill, who tells me much to my grief, that this hectieall disease will not suffer you to be long among us: I know by some experiments which I have had of you, you have such a noble soul within you, that will not be daunted by those natural apprehensions which death doth usually carry along with it among vulgar spirits: I do not think that you fear death as much now (though it be to some) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as you did to go into the dark when you were a child; you have had a fair time to prepare yourself, God give you a boon voyage to the haven you are bound for (which I doubt not will be heaven) and me the grace to follow, when I have passed the boisterous sea, and swelling billows of this tumultuary life, wherein I have already shot divers dangerous gulfs, passed o'er some quick sands, rocks, and sundry ill favoured reaches, while others sail in the sleeve of fortune; you and I have eaten a great deal of salt together, and spent much oil in the communication of our studies by literal correspondence and otherwise both in verse and prose, therefore I will take my last leave of you now in these few stanza's.  

1.  
Weak crazy Mortal, why dost fear  
To leave this earthly Hemisphere?  
Where all delights away do pass,  
Like thy effigies in a glass;  
Each thing beneath the Moon is frail and sickle,  
Death sweeps away what time cuts with his sickle,   

2.  
This life, at best, is but an Inn,  
And we the passengers, wherein  
The cloth is laid to some, before  
They peep out of dame nature's door,  
And warm lodgings left, Others there are  
Must trudg to find a room, and shift for far?   

3.  
This life's, at longest, but one day,  
He who in youth posts hence away,  
Leave's us i'●…h Morn, He who hath run  
His race till Manhood, part's all noon,  
And who at seventy odd forsakes this light,  
He may be said to take his leave at night.   

4.  
One past makes up the Prince and peasan,  
Though one eat roots, the other seasan,  
They nothing differ in the stuff,  
But both extinguish like a snuff;  
Why then fond man should thy soul take dismay,  
To sally out of these gross walls of clay?   
And now my dear friend adieu, and live eternally in that world o●… endless bliss where you shall have knowledge as well as all things else commensurat to your desires; where you shall clearly see the real causes, and perfect truth of what we argue with that incertitude, and beat our brains about here below, yet though you be gone hence, you shall never die in the memory of  
Westmi. 15 Aug. 1630. Your J. H.   

LXXVI. To Sir R. Gr. Knight and Bar.  
Noble Sir,  
I Had yours upon Maunday Thursday late, and the reason that I suspended my answer till now, was, that the season engaged me to sequester my thoughts from my wont negotiations to contemplate the great work of man's Redemption, so great, that were it cast in counterbalance with his creation, it would out-poyze it far, I summoned all my intellectuals to meditat upon those passions, upon those pangs, upon that despicable and most dolorous death, upon that cross whereon my Saviour suffered, which was the first Christian altar that ever was, and I doubt that he will never have benefit of the sacrifice who hates the harmless resemblance of the altar whereon it was offered; I applied my memory to fasten upon't, my understanding to comprehend it, my will to embrace it; from these three faculties, me thought I found by the mediation of the fancy some beams of love gently gliding down from the head to the heart, and inflaming all my affections▪ If the human soul had far more powers than the Philosophers afford her, if she had as many faculties within the head as there be hairs without, the speculation of this mystery would find work enough for them all; Truly the more I screw up my spirits to reach it, the more I am swallowed in a gulf of admiration, and of a thousand imperfect notions, which makes me ever and anon to quarrel my soul that she cannot lay hold on her Saviour, much more my heart, that my purest affections cannot hug him as much as I would.  
They have a custom beyond the Seas (and I could wish it were the worst custom they had) that during the passion week divers of their greatest Princes, and Ladies will betake themselves to some covent or reclused house to wean themselves from all worldly encumbrances, and convers only with heaven, with performance of some kind of penances all the week long; A worthy Gentleman that came lately from Italy, told me that the Count of Byren now Marshal of France, having been long persecuted by Cardinal Richelieu, put himself so into a Monastery, and the next day news was brought him of the Cardinal's death, which I believe made him spend the rest of the week with the more devotion in that way. France brags that our Saviour had his face turned towards her when he was upon the Cross, there is more cause to think that it was towards this Island, in regard the rays of Christianity first reverberated upon her, her King being Christian 400 years before him of France, (as all Historians concur) notwithstanding that he arrogates to himself the title of the first Son of the Church.  
Let this serve for part of my Apology: The day following, my Saviour being in the grave, I had no list to look much abroad, but continued my retiredness; there was another reason also why, because I intended to take the holy Sacrament the Sunday ensuing, which is an act of the greatest consolation, and consequence that possibly a Christian can be capable of; it imports him so much that he is made or marred by it, it tends to his damnation, or salvation, to help him up to heaven, or tumble him down headlong to hell: Therefore it behoves a man to prepare and recollect himself, to winnow his thoughts from the chaff and tares of the world beforehand; This than took up a good part of that day to provide myself a wedding garment, that I might be a fit guest at so precious a banquet, so precious, that manna and angels food are but course viands in comparison of it.  
I hope that this excuse will be of such validity that it may procure my pardon for not corresponding with you this last week. I am now as freely as formerly▪  
Fleet, 30. April, 1647. Your most ready and humble Servitor, J. H.   

LXXVII. To Mr. R. Howard.  
SIR,  
There is a saying that carrieth with it a great deal of caution, from him whom I trust God defend me, for from him whom I trust not, I will defend myself. There be sundry sorts of musts, but that of a secret is one of the greatest; I trusted T. P. with a weighty one, conjuring him that it should not take air and go abroad, which was not done according to the rules and religion of friendship, but it went out of him the very next day; Though the inconvenience may be mine, yet the reproach is his, nor would I exchange my damage for his disgrace; I would wish you take heed of him, for he is such as the Comic Poet speaks of plenus rimarum, he is full of Chinks, he can hold nothing; you know a secret is too much for one, too little for three, and enough for two, but Tom must be none of those two, unless there were a trick to sodder up his mouth: If he had committed a secret to me, and enjoined me silence, and I had promised it, though I had been shut up in Perillus brazen Bull, I should not have bellowed it out; I find it now true that he who discovers his secrets to another, sells him his Liberty, and becomes his slave: well, I shall be warier hereafter, and learn more wit, In the interim the best satisfaction I can give myself is to expunge him quite ex alb●… amicorum, to raze him out of the catalogue of my friends, (though I cannot of my acquaintance) where your name is inserted in great golden Characters; I will endeavour to lose the memory of him, and that my thoughts may never run more upon the fashion of his face, which you know he hath no cause to brag of, I hate such blat●…roons  Odi illos seu claustra Erebi▪— 
I thought good to give you this little mot of advice, because the times are ticklish, of committing secrets to any; though not to  
From the Fleet, 14. Febr. 1647. Your most affectionate friend to serve you, J. H.   

LXVIII. To my Hon. friend, Mr. E. P. at Paris.  
SIR,  
LEt me never sally hence, from among these discon●…olat Walls, if the literal correspondence you please to hold so punctually with me be not one of the greatest solaces I have had in this sad condition; for I find so much salt, such endearments and flourishes, such a gallantry and nea●…nes in your lines, that you may give the law of lettering to all the world: I had this week a twin of yours, of the 10 and 15 current, I am sorry to hear of your achaques, and so often indisposition there, it may be very well (as you say) that the air of that dirty Town doth not agree with you because you speak Spanish, which language you know is used to be breathed out under a clearer clime, I am sure it agrees not with the sweet breezes of peace, for 'tis you there that would keep poor Christendom in perpetual whirlwinds of war; but I fear, that while France sets all wheels a going, and stirs all the Cacodaemons of hell to pull down the house of Austria, she may chance at last to pull it upon her own head: I am sorry to understand what they write from Venice this week, that there is a discovery made in Italy, how France had a hand to bring in the Turk, to invade the Territories of Saint Mark, and puzzle the peace of Italy, I want faith to believe it yet, nor can I entertain in my breast any such conceit of the most Christian King, and first Son of the Church, as he terms himself: yet I pray in your next to pull this thorn out of my thoughts, and tell me whether one may give any credit to this report.  
We are now ●…ot-free as touching the Northern Army, for our dear Brethren have trussed up their Baggage, and put the Tw●…d 'twixt us and them once again, deer indeed, for they have cost us first and last, above nineteen hundred thousand pound Sterling, which amounts to near upon eight Millions of Crowns with you there: yet if reports be true, they left behind them more than they lost, if you go to number of men, which will be a brave race of mestisos hereafter, who may chance meet their Fathers in the field, and kill them unwittingly; he will be a wise child that knows his right father▪ Here we are like to have four and twenty Seas emptied shortly, and some do hope to find abundance of Treasure in the bottom of them, as no doubt they will, but many doubt that it will prove but ●…um Tolosanum to the finders, God grant that from Aereans we turn not to be Arrians: The Earl of Strafford was accounted by his very enemies to have an extraordinary talon of judgement and parts, (though they say he wanted moderation) and one of the prime Precepts he left his Son upon the Scaffold was, that he should not ●…ddle with Church-lands, for they would prove a Canker to his estate: Here are started up some great knowing men lately that can show the very tract by which our Saviour went to Hell, they will tell you▪ precisely whose names are written in the Book of Life, whose no●…▪ God deliver us from spiritual pride, which of all sorts is the most dangerous: Here are also notable Sta●…-gazers, who obtrude to the world such confident bold Predictions, and are so familiar with heavenly bodies, that P●…elomy, and Tychobrach were but ninnies to them; we have likewise multitudes of witches among us, for in Essex and Suffolk there were above two hundred indicted within these two years, and above the one half of them executed, more I may well say, than ever this Island bred since the Creation, I speak it with horror, God guard us from the Devil, for I think he was never so busy upon any part of the earth that was enlightened which the beams of Christianity, nor do I wonder at it, for there's never a Cross left to fright him away: Edinburgh I hear is fallen into a rel●…pse of the Plague, the last they had raged so violently, that the fortieth man and woman lives not of those that dwelled there four years since, but it is all peepled with new faces; Don and Hans, I hear are absolutely accorded, nor do I believe that all the Artificers of policy that you use there can hinder the peace, though they may puzzle it for a while, if it be so, the people which button their doublets upward will be bettor able to deal with you there.  
Much notice is taken that you go on there too fast in your acquests, and now that the Eagles wings are pretty well clyped, 'tis time to look that your ●…ower-de-l●…e grow not too rank, and spread too wide. Whereas you desire to know how it fares with your Ma●…er, I must tell you, that like the glorious Sun, he is still in his own Orb, though clouded for a time that he cannot shoot the beams of Majesty with that lustre he was wont to do: never did Cavalier woo fair Lady as he woos the Parliament to a peace, 'tis much the Head should so stoop to the Members.  
Farewell my noble friend, cheer up, and reserve yourself for bet●…r days; take our Royal Master for your pattern, who for his longanimity, patience, courage and constancy is admired of all the world, and in a passive way of fortitude hath outgone all the nine Worthies. If the Cedar be so weatherbeaten, we poor shrubs must not murmur to bear part of the storm; I have had my share, and I know you want not yours; The Stars may change their Aspects, and we may live to see the Sun again in his full Meridian; in the in●…erim come what come will, I am  
Fleet, 3 Feb. 1646. Entirely yours, J. H.   

LXXIX. To Sir K. D. at Rome.  
SIR,  
THough you know well, that in the carriage and course of my rambling life, I had occasion to be as the Dutchman saith, a Landloper, and to see much of the world abroad, yet me thinks, I have travelled more since I have been immured and martyred 'twixt these walls than ever I did before, for I have traveled the Isle of Man, I mean this little world, which I have carried about me and within me so many years, for as the wisest of Pagan Philosophers said, that the greatest learning was the knowledge of ones self, to be his own Geometrician: If one do so, he need not gad abroad to see new fashions, he shall find enough at home, he shall hourly meet with new fancies, new humours, new passions within doors.  
This travelling o'er of one's self, is one of the paths that leads a man to Paradise; it is true, that 'tis a dirty and a dangerous one, for it is thick set with extravagant desires, ' irregular affections and concupiscences, which are but odd Comerades, and often times do●…ly in ambush to cut our throats; there are also some melancholy companions in the way, which are our thoughts, but they turn many times to be good fellows, and the best company; which makes me, that among these disconsolat walls, I am never less alone, than when I am alone, I am oft times sole, but seldom solitary: some there are, who are over-pestered with these companions, and have too much mind for their bodies, but I am none of those.  
There have been (since you shook hands with England) many strange things happened here, which posterity must have a strong faith to believe, but for my part I wonder not at any thing, I have seen such monstrous things: you know there is nothing that can be casual, there is no success good or bad, but is contingent to man, sometimes or other, nor are there any contingencies present or future, but they have their parallels from times passed: ●…ot the great Wheel of Fortune, upon whose Rim (as the twelve signs upon the Zodiac) all Worldly chances are embossed, turns round perpetually, and the Spokes of that Wheel, which point at all human Actions, return exactly to the same place after such a time of revolution; which makes me little marvel at any of the strange traverses of these distracted times, in regard there hath been the like, or such like formerly; if the Liturgy is now suppressed, the Missal and Roman Breviary was used so a hundred years since; If Crosses, Church-Windows, Organs and Fonts are now battered down, I little wonder at it, for chapels, Monasteries, Hermitages, Nunneries, and other Religious Houses, were used so in the time of old King Harry; If Bishops and Deans are now in danger to be demolished, I little wonder at it, for Abbots, Priors, and the Pope himself had that fortune here an age since: That our King is reduced to this pass, I do not much wonder at it, for the first time I travelled France, jewis the thirteenth (afterwards a most triumphant King as ever that Country had) in a dangerous civil War was brought to such straits, for he was brought to dispense with part of his Coronation Oath, to remove from his Court of justice, from the Counsel Table, from his very Bedchamber his greatest Favourtis; He was driven to be content to pay the expense of the War, to reward those that took Arms against him, and publish a Declaration that the ground of their quarrel was good, which was the ●…ame in effect with ours, viz. A discontinuance of the Assembly of the three Estates, and that Spanish Counsels did praedominat in France.  
You know, better than I, that all events, good or bad, come from the all-disposing high Deity of Heaven, if good, he produceth them, if bad, he permits them; He is the Pilot that sits at the stern▪ and steers the great Vessel of the World, and we must not presume to direct him in his course, for he understands the use of the Compass better than we; He commands also the winds and the weather, and after a storm he never fails to send us a calm, and to recompense ill times with better, if we can live to see them, which I pray you may do, whatsoever becomes of  
Your still most faithful humble Servitor, J. H. From the Fleet, Lond. 3 Mar. 1646.   

LXXX. To Sir K. D. at his house in Saint martin's Lane.  
SIR,  
THat Poem which you pleased to approve of so highly in a Manuscript, is now manumitted, and made free denizen of the World; it hath gone from my Study to the Stall, from the Pen to the Press, and I send one of the maiden Copies heerwith to attend you; 'Twas your judgement, which all the world holds to be sound and sterling, induced me hereunto, therefore, if there be any, you are to bear your part of the blame.  
Holborn, 3 jan. 1641. Your most entirely devoted Servitor, J. H,    

THE VOTE, OR, A POEM ROYAL, Presented To His MAJESTY for a New-yeers-Gift, by way of Discourse 'twixt the Poet and his Muse. Calendis januarii 1641.  POEMA 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 

THe world's bright Ay, Time's measurer, begun  
Through watery Capricorn his course to run,  
Old janus hastened on, his Temples bound  
With Ivy, his grey hairs with Holly crowned;  
When in a serious quest my thoughts did muse  
What gift, as best becoming, I should choose,  
To Britain's Monarch (my dread Sovereign) bring,  
Which might supply a New-year's offering.  
●… rummaged all my stores, and searched my cells,  
Where nought appeared, God wot, but Bagatells:  
No far fetched Indian Gem cut out of Rock,  
Or fished in shells were trusted under lock,  
No piece which 〈◊〉 strong fancy hit,  
Or Titians' Pencil, or rare Hylliards wit,  
No Ermines, or black Sables, no such skins,  
As the grim Tartar hunts or takes in gins;  
No Medals, or rich stuff of Tyrian Die,  
No costly Bowls of frosted Argentry,  
No curious Landscape, or some Marble piece  
Digged up in Delphos, or elsewhere in Greece;  
No Rom●…n Perfumes, Buffs or Cordovans  
Made drunk with Amber, by Moreno's hands,  
No Arras or rich Carpets freighted o'er  
The surging Seas from Asia's doubtful shore,  
No Lion's Cub or Beast of strange Aspect,  
Which in Numidia's fiery womb had slept,  
No old Toledo Blades, or Damaskins,  
No Pistols, or some rare-spring Carrabins,  
No Spanish Ginet, or choice Stallion sent  
From Naples or hot Africs Continent:   

In fine, I nothing found I could descry  
Worthy the hands of Caesar or his eye.   

My wits were at a stand, when, lo, my Muse  
(None of the Choir, but such as they do use  
For Laundresses or Handmaids of mean rank  
I knew sometimes on P●… and Isis bank)  
Did softly buzz,—   Muse. 

— Then let me something bring,  
May handsel the New-year to CHARLES my King▪  
May usher in bifronted janus—   Poet. 

Thou fond foolhardy Muse, thou silly thing,  
Which amongst the shrubs and reeds dost use to sing,  
Dar'st thou perk up, and the tall Cedar clime▪  
And venture on a King with gingling rhyme?  
Though all thy words were Pearls, thy letters gold,  
And cut in Rubies, or c●…st in a mould  
Of Diamonds, yet still thy Lines would be  
Too mean a gift for such a Majesty.   Muse. 

I'll try, and hope to pass without disdain,  
In Newyears gifts the mind stands for the main.  
The Sophy, finding 'twas well meant, did deign  
Few drops of running-water from a Swain;  
Then sure, 'twill please my Liege, if I him bring,  
Some gentle drops from the Castalian Spring;  
Though Rarities I want of such account,  
Yet have I something on the forked mount.  
'tis not the first, or third access I made  
To Caesar's feet, and thence departed glad.  
●…or as the Sun with his male heat doth render  
Nile's muddy slime fruitful, and apt t'engender,  
And daily to produce new kind of creatures  
Of various shapes and thousand differing features,  
So is my fancy quickened by the glance  
Of His benign aspect and countenance,  
It makes me pregnant and to super●…aete,  
Such is the vigour of His beams and heat.   

Once in a Vocal Forest I did sing,  
And made the Oak to stand for CHARLES my King,  
The best of Trees, whereof (it is no vant)  
The greatest Schools of Europe sing and chant:  
There you shall also find Dame 
a Arhetine id est virtuous. Anagram of Henrieta.  ARHETINE,  
Great Henry's Daughter, and great Britain's Queen,  
Her name engraven in a Laurel Tree,  
And so transmitted to Eternity.  
For now I hear that Grove speaks besides mine,  
The Language of the Loire, the Po and Rhine.  
(And to my Prince (my sweet Black Prince) of late,  
I did a youthful subject dedicate.)  
Nor do I doubt but that in time my Tre●…s  
Will yield me fruit to pay Apollo's Fees,  
To offer up whole Hecatom●…s of praise  
To Caes●…r, ●…f on them he cast his rays,  
And if my Lamp have oil, I may compile  
The Modern Annals of great Albion's Isle  
To vindicate the truth of CHARLES his reign,  
From scribbling Pamphletors who Story stain  
With loose imperfect passages, and thrust  
Lame things upon the world, taken up in trust.   

I have had audience (in another strain)  
Of Europa's greatest Kings, when Germane main  
And the Cantabrian waves I crossed, I drank  
Of Tagus, Seine, and sat at Tiber's bank,  
Through Scylla and Charybdis I have steered,  
Where restless Aeina belching flames appeared,  
By Greece, once Pallas' Garden, than I passed  
Now all o'erspread with ignorance and waist.  
Nor hath fair Europe her va●…t bounds throughout,  
An Academe of note I found not out.   

But now I hope in a successful pro●…e,  
The Fates have fixed me on sweet England's shore,  
And by these various wander 〈◊〉 I found,  
Earth is our com●…n Mother, every ground  
Ma●… be one's Country, for by birth each man  
Is 〈◊〉 this world a Cosmopolitan,  
A freeborn Bu●…gess, and receives thereby  
H●… 〈◊〉 fr●…m Nativety:  
Nor is this lower world but a huge Inn,  
And men the rambling p●…ssengers, wherein  
S●…m do warm lodgings find, and that as soon  
As out of nature's ●…lossets they see noon,  
An●… find the Table ready laid; but some  
Must for their commons troth and trudg for room:  
With easy pace some climb Promotions Hill,  
Some in the Dale, do what they can, stick still;  
Some through false glasses Fortune smiling spy,  
Who still keeps off, though she appears hard by:  
Some like the Ostrich with their wings do flutter,  
But cannot fly or soar above the gutter.  
Some quickly fetch, and double Good-Hopes Cape,  
Some ne'er can do't, though the same course they shape▪  
So that poor mortals are so many balls  
Tossed some o'er line, some under fortune's walls.   

And it is Heavens high pleasure Man should lie  
Obnoxious to this partiality,  
That by industrious ways he should contend,  
Nature's short pittance to improve and men●…;  
Now, Industry ne'er failed, at last t'advance  
Her patient sons above the reach of Chance.   Poet. 

But whither rov'st thou thus—?  
Well; since I see thou art so strongly bend,  
And of a gracious look so confident,  
Go, and throw down thyself at Caesar's f●…et,  
And in thy best attire thy Sovereign greet.  
Go, an auspicious and most blissefully year  
W●…sh Him, as e'er shin'd o'er this Hemisphere,  
Good may the Entrance, better the middle be,  
And the Conclusion best of all the three;  
Of joy ungrudged may each day be a debtor,  
And every morn still usher in a better,  
May the soft gliding Nones and every Ide,  
With all the Calends still some good betid,  
May Cynthia with kind looks and 〈◊〉 rays,  
One clear his nights, the other gilled his days.  
Free limbs, unp●…ysic'd health, due appetite,  
Which no sauce else but Hunger may excite,  
Sound sleeps, green dreams be his, which represent  
Symptoms of health, and the next days content;  
Cheerful and vacant thoughts, not always bound  
To counsel, or in deep Ideas drowned:  
(Though such late traverses, and tumults might  
Turn to a lump of care, the airiest wight)  
And since while fragile flesh doth us array,  
The humours still are combating for sway,  
(Which were they free of this reluctancy  
And counterpoised, Man would immortal be)  
May sanguine o'er the rest predominate  
In Him, and their malignant fiux abate.   

May his great Queen, in whose Imperious eye  
Reigns such a world of winning Majesty,  
Like the rich Olive or Falernian Vine  
Swell with more gems of Cians masculine;  
And as her fruit sprung from the Rose and Luce,  
(The best of stems Earth yet did e'er produce)  
Is tied already by a Sanguine lace  
To all the Kings of Europe's highborn race,  
So may they shoot their youthful branches o'er  
The surging seas, and graft with every Shore.   

May home-commerce and trade increase from far,  
That both the Indies meet within his bars,  
And bring in Mounts of Coin His Mints to feed,  
And Bankers (trafics chief suporters) breed,  
Which may enrich his Kingdoms, Court and Town,  
And ballast still the coffers of the Crown,  
For Kingdoms are as ships, the Prince his chests  
The ballast, which if empty, when distresed  
With storms, their holds are lightly trimmed, the keel  
Can run no steady course, but toss and reel;  
May his Imperial chamber always ply  
To his desires her wealth to multiply,  
That she may prise his Royal favour more  
Than all the wares fetched from the great Mogor,  
May the 
b The Parliament.  Grand Senate, with the Subjects right  
Put in the Counter-scale the Regal might  
The flowers o'th' Crown, that they may prop each other,  
And like the Grecians twin, live, love together.  
For the chief glory of a people is,  
The power of their King, as theirs is His;  
May He be still, within himself at home,  
That no just passion make the reason room,  
Yet passions have their turns to rouse the Soul,  
And stir her slumbering spirits, not control,  
For as the Ocean besides ebb and flood  
(Which 
c Hypocrates.  Nature's greatest Clerk ne'er understood)  
●…s not for sail, if an impregning wind  
Fill not the flagging canvas, so a mind  
Too calm is not for Action, if desire  
Heats not itself at passion's quickening fire,  
For Nature is allowed sometimes to muster  
Her passions so they only blow, not bluster.   

May justice still in her true scales appear,  
And honour fixed in no unworthy sphere,  
Unto whose palace all access should have  
Through virtues Temple, not through Pluto's Cave.   

May his true subjects hearts be his chief Fort,  
Their purse his treasure and their Love his Port,  
Their prayers as sweet Incense, to draw down  
Myriad of blessings on his Queen and Crown.   

And now that his glad presence, did assuage,  
That fearful tempest in the North did rage,  
May those frog vapours in the Irish sky,  
Be scattered by the beams of Majesty,  
That the Hibernian lyre give such a sound,  
May on our coasts with joyful Echoes bound.   

And when this fatal planet leaves to lowr,  
Which too too long on Monarchies doth power  
His direful influence, may Peace once more  
Descend from Heaven on our tottering shore,  
And ride in triumph both on land and main,  
And with her milk white steeds draw Charles his wain,  
That so, for those Saturnian times of old,  
An Age of Pearl, may come in lieu of Gold.   

Virtu still guide his course, and if there be  
A thing as Fortune, Him accompany.  
May no ill genius haunt him, but by's side,  
The best protecting Angel ever bide.   

May He go on to vindicate the right  
Of holy things, and make the Temple bright,  
To keep that Faith, that sacred Truth entire,  
Which he received from 
d King james.  Solomon his Sire.   

And since we all must hence, by th' Iron Decree  
Stamped in the black Records of Destiny,  
Late may his life, his Glory ne'er wear out,  
Till the great year of Plato wheel about.   
So Prayeth The worst of Poets to The best of Princes, yet The most loyal of His Votaries and Vassals JAMES HOWILL▪  
FINIS.   

Additionall LETTERS Of a fresher Date, Never Published before, And Composed By the same AUTHOR.  Vt clavis portam, sic pandit Epistola pectus. 
LONDON, Printed by W. H. for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Prince's Arms in St, Paul's Churchyard. 1650.   

To the Right Honourable EDWARD Earl of DORSET, etc.  
My Lord,  
THe two preceding Dedications being the one to a King, the other to a Prince, I hope this Third (consisting all of new Matter) will be the more excusable that I make to your Lpp; who, if there were a general Muster of Mankind, and due regard had to Gallantry and worth, would appear like a King among Princes, and a Prince among Peers. I humbly pray, that for want of a better thing to comply with the Season, this may pass for a New-year's gift, which I wish may carry with it as many good Omens, as it doth Orisons, that a thousand benedictions may fall upon you, and your Noble Family this New year, and all the years of your life, which I pray may be many, many, many, because I have long since resolved to live and die,  
My Lord, Your most humble and obedient faithful Servitr, JAMES HOWEL. Calendis jan. 1650.   

Additionall Letters Of a fresher Date.  

I. To the R. H. Ed. Earl of Dorset, (Lo. Chamberlain of His Majesty's Household, etc.) at Knowles.  
My Lord,  
HAving so advantageous a hand as Doctor S. Turner, I am bold to send your Lordship a new Tract of French Philosophy, called L'usage de Passions, which is cried up to be a choice piece; It is a Moral Discourse of the right use of Passions, the Conduct whereof as it is the principal Employment of Virtu, so the Conquest of them is the difficultst part of Va●…or: To know one's self is much, but to conquer one's self is more; We need not pick quarrels and seek enemies without doors, we have too many Inmates at home to exercise our Prowess upon, and there is no man let him have his humours never so well balanced, and in subjection unto him, but like Muscovia wives, they will oftentimes insult, unless they be checked, yet we should make them our Servants, not our Slaves. Touching the occurrences of the times, since the King was snatched away from the Parliament, the Army they say, use him with more civility and freedom, but for the main work of restoring him he is yet, as one may say, but Tantalised, being brought often within the sight of London and so off again; there are hopes that something will be done to his advantage speedily, because the Gregarian Soldiers and gross of the Army is well-affected to him, though some of the chiefest Commanders be still averss.  
For foreign News, they say St. Mark bears up stoutly against Mahomet both by land and sea: In Dalmatia he hath of late shaken him by the Turban ill-favoredly; I could heartily wish that our Army here were there to help the Republic, and combat the Common enemy, for then one might be sure to die in the bed of Honor. The Commotions in Sicily are quashed, but those of Naples increase, and 'tis like to be a more raging and voracious ●…ire than Vesuvius, or any of the sulphurous Mountains about her did ever belch out▪ The Catalan and Portuguez bait the Spaniard on both sides, but the first hath shrewder teeth than the other, and the French and Hollander find him work in Flanders. And now, my Lord, to take all Nations in a lump, I think God Almighty hath a quarrel lately with all Man▪ kind, and given the reins to the ill Spirit to compass the whole earth, for within these twelve years there have the strangest revolutions, and horridst things happened not only in Europe but all the world over, that have befallen mankind, I dare boldly say, since Adam fell, in so short a revolution of time: There is a kind of popular Planet reigns every where: I will begin with the hottest parts, with Afric, where the Emperor of Ethiopia (with two of his Sons) was encountered and killed in open field by the Groom of his Camels and Dromedaries, who had levied an Army our of the dregs of the people against him, and is like to hold that ancient Empire in Asia. The Tartar broke o'er the four hundred miled wall, and rushed into the heart of China, as far as Quinzay, and beleagerd the very Palace of the Emperor, who rather than to become Captif to the base Tartar burned his Castle, and did away himself, his thirty wives and children. The great Turk hath been lately strangled in the Seraglio his own house: The Emperor of Moscovia going in a solemn Procession upon the Sabbath day, the rabble broke in, knocked down, and cut in pieces divers of his chiefest Counsellors, Favourites, and Officers before his face, and dragging their bodies to the Marketplace, their heads were chopped oft, thrown into Vessels of hot water, and so set upon Poles to burn more bright before the Court gate: In Naples a common frute●…er hath raised such an Insurrection, that they say above 60M. have been slain already upon the streets of that City alone: Catalonia and Portugal have▪ quite revolted from Spain. Your Lordship knows what knocks have been 'twixt the Pope and Parma; The Pole and the Cosacks are hard at it; Venice wrestleth with the Turk, and is like to lose her Maiden head unto him, unless other Christian Princes look to it in time: and touching these three Kingdoms there's none more capable than your Lordship to judge what monstrous things have happened; so that it seems the whole earth is off the hinges: and (which is the more wonderful) all these prodigious passages have fallen out in less than the compass of 12 years. But now that all the world is together by the ears, the States of Holl▪ would be quiet, for advice is come that the peace is concluded, and interchangeably ratified 'twixt them and Spain, but they defer the publishing of it yet, till they have collected all the Contribution money for the Army: The Spaniard hopes that one day this Peace may tend to his advantage more than all his Wars have done these fourscore years, relying upon the old Prophecy,  Marte triumphabis Batavia, Pace peribis. 
The King of Denmark hath buried lately his eldest Son Christian, so that he hath now but one living, viz. Frederic, who is Archbishop of Breme, and is shortly to be King Elect.  
My Lord, this Letter runs upon universals, because I know your Lordship hath a public great soul, and a spacious understanding, which comprehends the whole world; so in a due posture of humility I kiss your hands, being,  
My Lord, Your most obedient and most faithful Servitor, J. H. From the Fleet, this 20 of jan. 1646.   

II. To Mr. En. P. at Paris.  
SIR,  
SInce we are both agreed to truck Intelligence, and that you are contented to barter French for English, I shall be careful to send you hence from time to time the currentest and most staple stuff I can find, with weight and good measure to boot; I know in that more subtle air of yours tinsel sometimes passes for Venice●…eads ●…eads for Perl, and Demicastors for Bevers; But I know you have so discerning a judgement, that you will not suffer yourself to be so cheated, they must rise betimes that can put tricks upon you, and make you take semblances for realities▪ probabilities for certainties, or spurious for true things: To hold this literal correspondence I desire but the parings of your time, that you may have something to do, when you have nothing else to do, while I make a business of it to be punctual in my answers to you: let our Letters be as Echoes, let them bound back and make mutual repereussions; I know you that breath upon the Continent have clearer echoes there, witness that in the Twilleries, specially that at Charenton Bridge, which quavers and renders the voice ten times when 'tis open weather, and it were a virtuous curiosity to try it.  
For news, the world is here turned upside down, and it hath been long a going so, you know a good while since we have had leather Caps, and Bever shoes, but now the Arms are come to be legs, for Bishop's Laun-sleeves are worn for Boot-hose tops; the waist is come to the knee, for the Points that were used to be about the middle are now dangling there; Boots and Shoes are so long snouted that one can hardly kneel in God's House, where all Genuflexion and Postures of devotion and decency are quite out of use: The Devil may walk freely up and down the streets of London now, for there is not a Cross to fright him any where, and it seems he was never so busy in any Country upon earth, for there have been more witches Arraigned and Executed here lately than ever were in this Island since the Creation.  
I have no more to communicate unto you at this time, and this is too much unless it were better; God Almighty send us patience, you in your Banishment, me, in my Captivity, and give us Heaven for our last Country, where Desires turn to Fruition, Doubts to Certitudes, and dark Thoughts to clear Contemplations: Truly, my dear Don Antonio, as the times are, I take little contentment to live among the Elements, and (were it my Maker's pleasure) I could willingly, had I quit scores with the World, make my last account with Nature, and return this small skinful of Bones to my common Mother; If I chance to do so before you, I love you so entirely well that my Spirit shall visit you, to bring you some tidings from the other World; and if you preceded me, I shall expect the like from you, which you may do without affrighting me, for I know your Spirit will be a bonus Genius. So desiringo know what's become of my Manuscript, I kiss your hands, and rest most passionately  
Your faithful Servitor, J. H. The Fleet, 20 Febr. 1646.   

III. To Master W. B.  
SIR,  
I Had yours of the last week, and by reason of some sudden encumbrances I could not correspond with you by that Carrier: As for your desire to know the Pedigree and first rise of those we call Presbyterians, I find that your motion hath as much of Piety as Curiosity in it, but I must tell you 'tis a subject fitter for a Treatise than a Letter, yet I will endeavour to satisfy you in some part.  
Touching the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is as ancient as Christianity itself, and every Churchman completed in holy Orders was called Presbyter, as being the chiefest name of the Function, and so 'tis used in all Churches both Eastern and Occidental to this day: We by contraction call him Priest, so that all Bishops and Arch-Bishops are Priests though not vice versa: These holy Titles of Bishop and Priest are now grown odious among such poor S●…iolists who scarce know the Hoties of things, because they savour of Antiquity: Though their Minister that officiats in their Church be the same thing as Priest, and their superintendent the same thing as Bishop; but because they are lovers of novelties, they change old Greek words for new Latin one's. The first broacher of the Presbyterian Religion, and made it differ from that of Rome and Luther was Calvin, who being once banished Geneva, was revoked, at which time he no less petulantly than profanely applied to himself that Text of the Holy Prophet which was meant of Christ, The Stone which the Builders refused is made the head stone of the corner, etc. Thus Geneva Lake swallowed up the Episcopal See, and Church Lands were made secular, which was the white they levelled at. This Geneva Bird flew thence to France and hatched the Hugueno●…s, which make about the tenth part of that pe●…ple; it took wing also to Bohemia and Germany high and low, as the Palatinate, the land of Hesse, and the Con●…ederat Province●… of the States of Holland, whence it took flight to Scotland and England; It took first footing in Scotland, when King james was a child in his Cradle, but when he came to understand himself, and was manumitted from Buchanan, he grew cold in it, and being come to England he utterly disclaimed it, terming it in a public Speech of his to the Parliament a Sect rather than a Religion: To this Sect may be imputed all the scissures that have happened in Christianity, with most of the Wars that have lace●…ated poor Europe ever since, and it may be c●…ll'd the source of the civil distractions that now afflict this poor Island.  
Thus have I endeavoured to fulf●…l your desires in part, I shall enlarge myself further when I shall be made happy with your conversation he●…r, till when, and always, I rest  
Yours most affectionately to love and serve you, J. H. From the Fleet, this 29 of Novem. 1647.   

IV. To Sir J. S. Knight, at Rover.  
SIR,  
OF all the blessings that ever dropped down from Heaven upon Man, that of his Redemption may be called the Blessing-paramount; And of all those comforts, and exercises of devotion which attend that blessing, the Eucharist or holy Sacrament may claim the prime place; but as there is Devotion, so there is Danger in't, and that in the highest degree, 'tis rank poison to some, though a most sovereign cordial to others ad modum recipientis, as the Schoolmen say, whether they take panem Dominum, as the Roman Catholic, or panem Domini, as the Reformed Churches; The Bee and the Spider suck honey and poison out of one Flower: This, Sir, you have divinely expressed in the Poem you pleased to send me upon this subject; and whereas you seem to woo my Muse to such a task, something you may see she hath done in pure obedience only to your commands.  

Upon the Holy Sacrament.  

1.  
Hail Holy Sacrament,  
The World's great Wonderment,  
Mysterious Banquet, much more rare  
Than Manna, or the Angels fare;  
Each crumm, though Sinners on Thee feed,  
Doth Cleopatra's Perl exceed:  
Oh how my soul doth hunger, thirst, and pine  
After these Cates so precious, so divine.   

2.  
She need not bring her stool  
As soon unbidden fool,  
The Master of this heavenly Feast  
Invites and woos her for his Guest,  
Though deaf and lame, forlorn and blind,  
Yet welcome here she's sure to find,  
So that she bring a Vestment for the day,  
And her old tattered rags throw quite away.   

3.  
This is Bethsaida's Pool  
That can both cleanse and cool  
Poor leprous and d●…seased souls,  
An Angel here keeps and co●…trouls,  
Descending gently from the Heavens above  
To stir the Waters, may He also move  
My mind, and rocky heart so strike and rend,  
That tears may thence gush out with them to blend.    
This Morning Fancy drew on another towards the Evening as followeth.  


As to the Pole the Lily bends  
In a Sea-compas, and still tends  
By a Magnetic Mystery,  
Unto the Artic point in sky,  
Whereby the wand'ring Piloteer  
His course in gloomy nights doth steer▪   

So the small Needle of my heart  
Mov's to her Maker, who doth dart  
Atoms of love, and so attracks  
All my Affections which like Sparks  
Fly up, and guide my soul by this  
To the true centre of her bliss.    
As one Taper lighteneth another, so were my spirits enlightened and heated by your late Meditations in this kind, and well fa●…e your soul with all her faculties for them, I find you have a great care of her, and of the main chance, Prae quo quisquiliae caetera. You shall hear further from me within a few days, in the interim be pleased to reserve still in your thoughts some little room for  
Your most entirely affectionate Servitor, J. H. From the Fleet, 10 of Decemb, 1647.   

V. To Mr. T. W. at P. Castle.  
My precious Tom,  
HE is the happy man who can square his mind to his means, and fit his fancy to his ●…ortune; He who hath a competency 〈◊〉 live in the port of a gentleman, and as he is free from being a 〈◊〉 Constable, so he cares not for being a Justice of Peace or 〈◊〉; He who is before hand with the world, and when he ●…oms to London can whet his knife at the Counter gate, and needs ●…ot trudg either to a Lawyer's st●…dy or Scrivener's shop to pay fee 〈◊〉 squeeze was. 'Tis conceit chiefly that gives contentment, and 〈◊〉 is happy who thinks himself so in any condition though he have 〈◊〉 enough to keep the Wolf from the door, Opinion is that great ●…ady which sways the world, and according to the impressions 〈◊〉 makes in the mind renders one contented or discontented. Now touching opinion, so various are the intellectuals of human ●…reatures, that one can hardly find out two who jump pat in ●…ne: Witness that Monster in Scotland in james the 4ths' reign, ●…ith two heads one opposite to the other, and having but one bulk 〈◊〉 body throughout, these two heads would often fall into alter●…ations pro & con one with the other, and seldom were they of one opinion, but they would knock one against the other in eager disputes, which shows that the judgement is seated in the animal parts, not in the vital which are lodged in the heart.  
We are still in a turbulent sea of distractions, nor as far as I see is there yet any sight of shore. M. T. M. hath had a great loss at sea lately which I fear will light heavily upon him; when I consider his case, I may say that as the Philosopher made a question whether the Marine●… be to be ranked among the number of the living or dead (being but four inches distant from drowning, only the thickness of a plank) so 'tis a doubt whether the Merchant Adventurer be to be numbered 'twixt the rich or the poor, his estate being in the mercy of that devouring element the Sea, which hath so good a stomach that he seldom casts up what he hath once swallowed. This City hath bred of late year's men of monstrous strange opinions, that, as all other rich places besides, she may be compared to a fat cheese which is most subject to engender 〈◊〉 gets. God amend all, and me first, who am  
Fleet, this St. Tho. day, Yours most faithfully to serve you, J. H.   

VI To Mr. W: Blois.  
My worthy esteemed Nephew,  
I Received th●…se rich nuptial favours you appointed me fo●… hands and hat, which I wear with very much contentment an●… respect, most heartily wishing that this late double condition m●… multiply new blessings upon you, that it may usher in fair and go●…den days, according to the colour and substance of your brida●… ribbon, that those days may be perfumed with delight and ple●…sure, as the rich scented gloves I wear for your sake; May suc●… benedictions attend you both, as the Epithalamiums of Stell●… i●… Statius, and julia in Catullus speak of; I hope also to be marrie●… shortly to a lady whom I have wooed above these five years, but ●… have found her ●…oy and dainty hitherto, yet I am now like 〈◊〉 get her good will in part, I mean the lady liberty.  
When you see my N. Brownrigg, I pray tell him that I did not think Suffolk waters had such a lethaean quality in them as to cause such an amnestia in him of his friends here upon the Thames among whom for reality and seriousness I may march among the foremost, but I impute it to some new task that his Muse might haply impose upon him, which hath ingross'd all his speculations; I pray present my cordial kind respects unto him.  
So praying that a thousand blisses may attend this confarreation, I rest my dear Nephew  
From the Fleet this 20 of March, 1647. Yours most affectionately to love and serve you, J. H.   

VII. To Henry Hopkins Esq  
●…IR,  
TO usher in again old janus, I send you a parcel of Indian perfume, which the Spaniard calls the Holy ●…erb in regard ●… the various virtues it hath, but we call it Tobacco; I will not ●…y it grew under the King of Spain's window, but I am told it ●…as gathered near his Gold-mines of Potosi, (where they report ●…hat in some places there is more of that oar than earth) therefore it ●…ust needs be precious stuff: If moderately and seasonably ta●…en (as I find you always do) 'tis good for many things; it helps dige●…ion taken a while after meat, it makes one void ●…heum, break ●…ind, & it keeps the body open; A leaf or two being steeped ore-nigh●…●…n a little white wine is a vomit that never fails in its operation: ●…t is a good companion to one that converseth with dead ●…en, for ●…f one hath been poring long upon a book, or is toiled with the pen, ●…nd stupefied with study, it quickeneth him, and dispels those clouds that usually oreset the brain. The smoke of it is one of the wholesomest scents that is against all contagious air●…, for it oremasters all other smells as King james they say found true, when being once a hunting a shower of rain drove him into a pigsty for shelter, where he caused a pipe full to be taken of purpose; It cannot endure a Spider or a flea with such like vermin, and if your Hawk be troubled with any such, being blown into his feathers it frees him; It is good to fortify and preserve the fight, the smoke being let in round about the balls of the eyes once a week, and frees them from all ●…heums, driving them back by way of repercussion; being taken backward 'tis excellent good against the cholique, and taken into the stomach 'twill heac and cleanse it; for I could instance in a great Lord (my Lord of Sunderland Precedent of York) who told me that he taking it downward into his stomach, it made him cast up an imposthume, bag and all, which had been a long time engendering out of a bruise he had received at football, and so preserved his life for many years. Now to descend from the substance and the smoke to the ashes, 'tis well known that the medicinal virtues thereof are very many, but they are so common that I will spare the inserting of them here: But if one would try a pretty conclusion how much smoke there is in a pound of Tobacco, the ashes will tell him▪ for let a pound be exactly weighed and the ashes kept charily and weighed afterwards, what wants 〈◊〉 a pound weight in the ashes cannot be denied to have been smoke which evaporated into air; I have been told that Sir Walter Rawleih won a wager of Queen Elizabeth upon this nicety.  
The Spaniards and Irish take it most in powder or smutchin and it mightily refreshes the brain, and I believe there is as muc●… taken this way in Ireland, as there is in pipes in England; one shall commonly see the serving maid upon the washing block, and the Swain upon the plowshare when they are tired with labour▪ take out their boxes of smutchin and draw it into their nostrils with a quill, and it will beget new spirits in them with a fresh vigou●… to fall to their work again. In Barbary and other parts of Africa 'tis wonderful what a small pill of Tobacco will do; for those who use to ride post through the sandy deserts, where they meet not with any thing that's potable or edible sometimes three days together, they use to carry small balls or pills of Tobacco which being put under the tongue, it affords them a perpetual moisture, and takes off the edge of the appetit for some days.  
If you desire to read with pleasure all the virtues of this modern Herb, you must read Doctor Thoriu's paetologie, an accurate piece couc●…d in a strenuous ●…reroic verse full of matter, and continuing its strength from first to last; Insomuch that for the bigness it may be compared to any piece of antiquity, and in my opinion is beyond 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
So I conclude these rambling notions, presuming you will accept this small argument of my great respects unto you; If you want paper to light your pipe this letter may serve the turn, and if it be true what the Poets frequently sing, that affection is fire, you shall need no other than the clear flames of the Donor's love to make ignition, which is comprehended in this Distic.  
Ignis Amor si sit, Tobaccum accendere nostrum,  
Nulla petenda tibi fix nisi Dantis Amor.  
If Love be fire, to light this Indian weed,  
The Donor's Love of fire may stand in steed.  
So I wish you as to myself amost happy new year; may the beginning be good, the middle better, and the end best of all.  
1 january: 1646. Your most faithful and truly affectionate servant, J. H.   

VIII. To the right Honble my Lo. of D.  
My Lord,  
THe subject of this letter may peradventure seem a Paradox to some, but not, I know, to your Lordship when you have pleased to weigh well the reasons. Learning is a thing that hath been much tried up, and coveted in all ages, specially in this last century of years, by people of all sorts though never so mean, and mechanical; every man strains his fortunes to keep his children at School, the Cobbler will clout it till midnight, the Porter will carry burdens till his bones crack again, the Ploughman will pinch both back and belly to give his son learning; and I find that this ambition reigns no where so much as in this Island. But under favour, this word learning is taken in a narrower sense among us, than among other nations, we seem to restrain it only to the Book, whereas, indeed, any artisan whatsoever if he know the secret and mystery of his trade may be called a learned man; A good Mason, a good Shoemaker that can manage Saint Crispin's lance handsomely, a skilful Yeoman, a good Shipwright, etc. may be all called learned men, and indeed the usefullest sort of learned men, for without the two first, we might go barefoot, and lie abroad as beasts having no other canopy than the wild air, and without the two last we might starve for bread, have no commerce with other nations, or ever be able to tread upon a Continent: these with such like dextrous A●…tisans may be termed learned men, and the more behooveful for the subsistence of a Country, than those Polymathists, that stand poring all day in a corner upon a moth-eaten Author, and converse only with dead men; The Chinese (who are the next neighbours to the rising sun on this part of the hemisphere, and consequently the acutest) have a wholesome piece of policy, that the son is always of the father's trade, and 'tis all the learning he aims at, which makes them admirable artisans, for besides the dextrou●…nes and propensity of the child, being descended lineally from 〈◊〉 many of the same trade, the father is more careful to instruct him and to discover unto him all the mystery thereof; this general●… custom or law, keeps their heads from running at random after book learning and other vocations: I have read a tale of R●… Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln, that being come to his greatness he had a brother who was a husbandman, and expected great matters from him in poinc of preferment, but the Bishop told him, that i●… he wanted money to mend his plough or his Cart, or to buy tackle for his horses, with other things belonging to his husbandry, he should not want what was fitting, but he wished him to aim no higher, for a husbandman he found him, and a husbandman he would leav●… him.  
The extravagant humour of our Country is not to be altogether commended, that all men should aspire to bocke learning: There is not a simpler animal, and a more superfluous member of a state, than a mere Scholar, than a only self pleasing student, he i●…— Tellur is inutile pondus.  
The Goths forbore to destroy the libraries of the Greeks and Italians, because books should keep them still soft, simple, or too cautious in warlike affairs. Archymedes though an excellent Engineer when Syracuse was lost, was found at his book in his study intoxicated with speculations; who would not have thought another great learned Philosopher to be a fool or frantic, when being in a bath he leapt out naked among the people and cried I have found it, I have found it, having hit then upon an extraordinary conclusion in Geometry? There is a famous tale of Thomas Aquinas, the Angelical Doctor, and of Bonadventure the Seraphical Doctor, of whom Alex. Hales (our Countryman and his Master) reports whether it appeared not in him that Adam had sinned: Both these great Clerks being invited to dinner by the French King of purpose to observe their humours, and being brought to the room where the table was laid, the first fell a eating of bread as hard as he could drive, at last, breaking out of a brown study he eryed out conclusum est contra Manichaeos'; The other fell a gazing upon the Queen, and the King ask him how he liked her, he answered, on Sir, if an earthly Queen be so beautiful, what shall we think of the Queen of Heaven; The later was the better Courtier of the two. Hence we may infer, that your mere bookmen, your deep Clerks, whom we call the only learned men, are not always the civilest or the best moral men, nor is too great a number of them convenient for any state, leading a soft sedentary life, specially those who feed their own fancies only upon the public ●…ocke. Therefore it were to be wished that there reigned not among the people of this land such a general itching after book-learning, and I believe so many ●…rce Schools do rather hurt than good: Nor did the Art of Printing much avail the Christian Common wealth, ●…t may be said to be well near as fatal as gunpowder, which came up in the same age; For, under correction, to this may be part●…y ascribd that spiritual pride, that variety of Dogmatists which 〈◊〉 among us; Add hereunto that the excessive number of those which convers only with Books, and whose profession consists in them, is such, that one cannot live for another, according to the dignity of the calling; A Physician cannot live for the Physicians, a Lawyer (civil and common) cannot live for Lawyers, nor a Divine for Divines; Morcover, the multitudes that profess these three best vocations, specially the last, make them of far less esteem. There is an odd opinion among us that he who is a contemplative man, a man who weds himself to his study and swallows many books, must needs be a prosound Scholar, and a great learned man, though in reality he be such a dolt that he hath neither a retentive faculty to keep what he hath read, nor wit to make any useful application of it in common discourse, what he draws in, lieth upon dead lees, and never grows ●…it to be broached: Besides, he may want judgement in the choice of his Authors, and knows not how to turn his hand either in weighing or winnowing the soundest opinions: There are divers who are cried up for great Clerks who want discretion. Others, though they wade deep into the causes and knowledge of things, yet they are subject to screw up their wits, and soar so high, that they lose themselves in their own speculations, for, thinking to transcend the ordinary pitch of reason, they come to involve the common principles of Philosophy in a mist, instead of illustrating things they render them more obscure, instead of a plainer and shorter way to the palace of knowledge, they lead us through bryery odd uncouth paths, and ●…o fall into the fallacy called notum per ignotius. Some have the ●…ap to be termed learned men, though they have gathered up but the scraps of knowledge here and there, though they be but smatterers, and mere sciolists scarce knowing the Hoties of things, yet like empty casks, if they can make a sound, and have a gift to vent with confidence what they have suckd in, they are accounted great Scholars. Amongst all book-learned men, except the Divine to whom all learned men should be laquays, The Philosopher who hath waded through all the Mathematics, who hath dived into the secrets of the elementary world, and converseth also with celestial bodies, may be termed a learned man: The critical Historian and Antiquary may be called also a learned man, who hath conversed with our fore fathers, and observed the carriage, and contingencies of matters passed, whence he draws instances and cautions for the benefit of the Times he lives in: The Civilia●… may be called likewise a learned man if the revolving of huge volumes may entitle one so, but touching the Authors of the Common Law, which is peculiar only to this Meridian, they may be all carried in a wheelbarrow, as my Countryman Doctor Gwin told Judge Finch: The Physician must needs be a learned man, for he knows himself inward and outward, being well versed in Autology, in that lesson Nosce Teipsum, and as Adrian the sixth said, he is very necessary to a populous Country, for were it not for the Physician, men would live so long, and grow so thick, that one could not live for the other, and he makes the earth cover all his faults.  
But what Doctor Guyn said of the common law-books, and Pope Adrian of the Physician, was spoken, I conceive, in merriment; for my part, I honour those two worthy professions in a high degree: Lastly, a polygot or good linguist may be also termed a useful learned man, specially it versed in School languages.  
My Lord, I know none of this age more capable to sit in the Chair, and censure what is true learning, and what not, than yourself, therefore in speaking of this subject to your Lordship, I fear to have committed the same error, as Phormio did in discoursing of War before Hannibal. No more now, but that I am,  
My Lord, Your most humble and obedient Servant, J. H.   

To Doctor J. D. IX.  
SIR,  
I Have many sorts of Civilities to thank you for, but among the rest, I thank you a thousand times (twice told) for that delightful fit of Society, and conference of Notes we had lately in this little Fleet-Cabin of mine upon divers Problems, and upon some which are exploded (and that by those who seem to sway most in the commonwealth of Learning,) for Paradoxes merely by an implicit faith without diving at all into the reasons of the Assertors: And whereas you promised a further expression of yourself by way of a Discursive Letter what you thought of Copernicus' opinion touching the movement of the earth which hath so stirred all our modern wits; And whereof Sir I. Browne pleased to oblige himself to do the like touching the Philosopher's stone, the powder of Projection, and potable gold, provided that I would do the same concerning a peepled Country, and a species of moving creatures in the concave of the Moon, which I willingly undertook upon those conditions, To acquit myself of this obligation, and to draw on your performances the sooner, I have adventured to send you this following Discourse such as it is touching the ●…nary World.  
I believe 'tis a Principle which no man will offer to controvert, that as Antiquity cannot privilege an Error, so Novelty cannot prejudice Truth: Now, Truth hath her degrees of growing and expanding herself as all other things have, and as Time begets her, so he doth the obstetritious office of a Midwise to bring her forth; Many truths are but Embryos or Problems, nay some of them seem to be mere Paradoxes at first; The opinion that there were Antipodes was exploded when it was first broached, it was held absurd and ridiculous, and the thing itself to be as impossible as it was for men to go upon their heads with their heels upwards, nay 'twas adjudged to be so dangerous a Tenet, that you know well the Bishop's name who in the Primitive Church was by sen●…ned of condemnation sent out of this world without a Head to go and dwell amongst his Antipodes, because he first hatened and held that opinion; But new our late Navigators, and East-India Mariners, who use to cross the Equator and Tropiques so often, will tell you, that it is as gross a Paradox to hold there are no Antipodes, and that the negative is now as absurd as the affirmative seemed at first: For man to walk upon the Ocean when the Surges were at the highest, and to make a heavy dull piece of wood to swim, nay fly upon the water was held as impossible a thing at first, as it is now thought impossible for man to fly in the air, sails were held then as uncouth, as if one should attempt to make himself wings to mount up to heaven a la volee: Two hundred and odd years ago he would have been taken for some frantic fool that would undertake to batter and blow up a Castle with a few barrell●… of a small contemptible black powder.  
The great Architect of the world hath been observed not to throw down all gifts and knowledge to mankind consusedly at once, but in a regular parsimonious method, to disperse them by certain degrees, periods, and progress of time, leaving man to make industrious researches and investigations after truth, He left the world to the disputations of men as the wisest of men saith, who in acqui●…ition of natural truths went from the Hyssop to the Cedar; One day certifieth another, and one age rectifieth another; The morrow hath more experience than the precedent day, and is ofttimes able to be his Schoolmaster; The Granchild laughs at some things that were done in his Grandsire's days: Insomuch that hence it may well be inferred, that natural humane knowledge is not yet mounted to its Meridian, and highest point of elevation. I confess it cannot be denied without gross ingratitude, but we are infinitely obliged to our forefathers for the fundamentals of Sciences, and as the Herald hath a Rule mallem cum patribus, quam cum fratribus errare, I had rather err with my Fathers than brothers, so it holds in other kinds of knowledge. But those times which we term vulgarly the old world, was indeed the youth or Adolescence of it, and though if respect be had to the particular and personal acts of generation, and to the relation of father and Son, they who fore-lived and preceded us may be called our Ancestors, yet if you go to the age of the world in general, and to the true length and longaeui●…y of things, We are more properly the older Cosmopolites: In this respect the Cadet may be termed more ancient than his elder brother, because the world was older when he entered into it; Moreover, besides Truth, Time hath also another daughter which is Experience, who holds in her hands the great Looking-glass of Wisdom and Knowledge.  
But now to the intended task, touching an habitable World, and a species of living Creatures in the Orb of the Moon, which may hear some analogy with those of this Elementary world; Although it be not my purpose to maintain and absolutely assert this Problem, yet I will say this, that whosoever cryeth it down for a new neotericall opinion, as divers do, commit a grosser error than the opinion may be in its own nature: For 'tis almost as ancient as Philosophy herself, I am sure, 'tis as old as Orpheus, who sings of divers fair Cities and Castles within the Circle of the Moon; Moreover the profoundest Clerks and most renowned Philosophers in all ages have affirmed it: Towards the first Age of learning among others Pythagoras and Plato avouched it, the first of whom was pronounced the wisest of men by the Pagan Oracle, as our Solomen is by holy Writ. In the middle age of Learning Plutarch speaks of it, and in these modern times the most speculative and scientificall'st men, both in Germany and Italy seem to adhere to it; subinnuating that not only the sphere of the Moon is peepled with Selenites or Lunary men, but that likewise every Star in Heaven is a peculiar world of itself, which is Colonized and replenished with Astrean Inhabitants, as the Earth, Sea and Air are with Elementary, The body of the Sun not excepted, who hath also his Solar Creatures, and they are accounted the most sublime, the most pure and perfectest of all: The Elementary Creatures are held the grossest of all, having more matter than form in them; The Solar have more form than matter, the Selenites with other Astraean Inhabitants are of a mixed nature, and the nearer they approach the body of the Sun, the more pure and spiritual they are: Were it so, there were some grounds for his speculation who thought that humane souls be they never so pious and pure ascend not immediately after their dissolution from the corrupt Mass of flesh before the glorious presence of God presently to behold the Beatifical Vision, but first into the body of the Moon, or some other Star according to their degrees of goodness, and actuat some Bodies there, of a purer composition; when they are refined they they ascend to some higher Star, and so to some higher than that, till at last by these degrees they be made capable to behold the lustre of that glorious Majesty in whose sight no impurity can stand; This is illustrated by a comparison, that if one after he hath been kept close in a dark Dungeon a long time, should be taken out, and brought suddenly to look upon the Sun in the Miridian, it would endanger him to be struck stark blind; so, no humane soul suddenly sallying out of a dirty prison as the body is, would be possibly able to appear before the incomprehensible Majesty of God, or be susceptible of the brightness of his all-glorious countenance, unless he be fitted thereunto before hand by certain degrees, which might be done by passing from one star to another, who, we are taught differ one from the other in glory and splendour.  
Among our Modern Authors that would furbish this old opinion of lunary creatures, and plant colonies in the orb of the Moon with the rest of the celestial bodies, Gasper Galileo Galilei is one, who by artificial prospectives hath brought us to a nearer commerce with Heaven, by drawing it sixteen times nearer the earth than it was before in ocular appearance by the advantage of the said optic Instrument.  
Among other arguments which the Assertors of Astrean Inhabitants do produce for proof of this high point, one is, that it is neither repugnant to Reason or Religion to think, that the Almighty Fabricator of the Univers, who doth nothing in vain, nor suffers his handmaid Nature to do so, when he created the Erratic and fixed stars, he did not make those huge immense bodies, whereof most are bigger than the earth and sea though conglobated, to twinkle only, and be an ornament to the roofe of heaven, but he placed in the convex of every one of those vast capacious spheres some living creatures to glorify his name, among whom there is in every 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 there 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 immaterial and refined'st Intellectual creatures, whence the Almighty 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 designed for the damned.  
They who are transported with this high speculation that there are Mansions and habitable conveniences for creatures to live within the bodies of the Celestial 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 days, to distinguish his seasons, to direct him in his navigations, and power wholesome influences upon him.  
No doubt they were created to be partly useful 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 beneficial unto him in the generation and increase 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. 'Tis a fair prerogative for man to be Lord of all Torestirall, Aquatic, and airy creatures; that with his harping Iron he oan draw ashore the great Leviathan, that He can make the Camel and huge Dromedary to kneel unto him, and take up his burden, 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 privileges, 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 therefore 'tis called his footstool, and though some take it to be the Centre, yet it is the very sediment of the Elementary world, as they say the Moon is of the celestial; 'tis 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 wickedness; And though, 'tis true, she be susceptible of light, yet the light terminats only on her superficies, being not able to enlighten any thing else, as the stars can do.  
Thus have I proportioned my short discourse upon this spacious problem to the size of an Epistle, I reserve the fullness of my opinion in this point, till I receive yours touching Copernicus.  
It hath been always my practice in the search and evenulation of natural verities, to keep to myself a Philosophical freedom, as not to make any one's opinion so magisterial and binding, but that I might be at liberty to recede from it upon more pregnant and powerful reasons: For as in theological tenet 'tis a rule, Quicquid non descendit a mont●… Scripturae ta●…em authoritate contemnitur, qua approbatur, Whatsoever descends not from the mount of holy Scripture, may be by the same authority rejected as well as received: So in the disquisitions and winn●…wing of physical truths, Quicquid non descend●…t a monte Ratio●…s, etc. 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 discourse, which hath more elbow room than a letter, I rest, with all candour and cordial affection,  
Fleet, this 2 of Novem. 1647. Your faithful servant, J. H.   

X. To the Right Honble the La. E. D.  
Madam,  
THose rays of goodness which are diffusedly scattered in others, are all concentred in you, which were they divided into equal portions were enough to complete a whole Jury of Ladies; This, draws 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 yourself to be ado●…d, you should quickly find me Religious in that kind; Howsoever I am bold to send your Ladyship this, as a kind of homage or heri●… or tribute or what you please to term it, in regard I am a true vassal to your virtues; 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' laws 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,  
When I orelooked the list of my choicest friends to insert your name, I pawsed a while, and thought it more proper to begin a new collateral file, and put you in the front thereof, where make account you are placed. If any thing upon earth, partakes of Angelic happiness (in civil actions) 'tis friendship, it perfumes the thoughts with such sweet ideas, and the heart with such melting passions; such are the effects of yours to me, which makes me please myself much in the speculation of it.  
I am glad you are so well returned 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 perpetual rotations of Fortune, which you know Antiquity seated upon a Wheel in restless though not violent volubility; And truly is was never more verified than now, that those spokes which were formerly but collateral, and some of them quite underneath are now coming up apace to the top of the wheel, I hope there will be no cause to apply to them the old verse I learned at school,  Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum. 
But there is a transcendent overruling providence who cannot only check the rollings of this petty wheel, and strike a nail into it that it shall not stir, but stay also when he pleaseth the motions of those vast spheres of Heaven where the stars are always stirring, as likewise the whirlings of the Primum Mobile itself, which the Astronomers say draws 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 loured upon poor England, and send us better days. So sal●…ting you with no vulgar respects, I rest my dear Nephew  
Yours most affectionately to serve you, J. H. Fleet, this 26 of july. 1646.   

XII. To Mr. En. P. at Paris.  
SIR,  
THat which the Plots of the Jesuits in their dark Cell●…, and the policy of the greatest Roman Catholic Princes have driven at these many years, is now done to their hands, which was to divide and break the strength of these three kingdoms, because they held it to be too great a glory and power to be in one Heretical Prince his hands (as they esteemed 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 been.  
You write thence that in regard of the sad condition of our Queen, their Countrywoman, they are sensible of our Calamities, but I believe, 'tis the Poqulass only, who see no further than the rind of things, your Cabinet counsel rather rejoiceth at it, who, or I am much deceived, contributed much in the time of the late sanguine Cardinal, to set a foot these distractions, beginning first with Scotland, who you know hath always served 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 wo●…e well, so that the Italian saying may be well applied to poor England, I was well, I would be better, I took Physic and died.  
No more now, but that I rest still  
Yours entirely to serve you, J. H. Fleet, 20 jan. 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 come 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 oil and time in those Country's, yet could they not arrive to that double perfection which you have, for 〈◊〉 they had got one, they were commonly defective in the other: Therefore I may say that you have not spartam nactus which was but ●… 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 conversed withal; Neither have you cou●…ted ●…nely all their fair Cities, Castles, Houses of Pleasure, and other places of curiosity, but you have pried into the very mysteries of 〈◊〉 Government, as I find by those choice Manuscripts and Observations you have brought with you; ●…n all these things you ●…are been so curious, as if the soul of your great Uncle who was 〈◊〉 Ambassador in the Imperial Court, and who held cor●…espondence with the greatest men of Christendom in their own ●…anguage, had transm●…grated into you.  
The freshest News here is, that those heart-burnings, and fires of civil commotion●… which you left behind you in France, covered over with thin ashes for the time, are broken out again, and I be●… they will be never quite extinguished till there be a peace or ●…uce with Spain, for till then there is no hope of abatement of taxes; 〈◊〉 'tis feared the Spanish will out-weary the French at last in 〈◊〉, for the Earth herself, I mean his Mines of Mexico and 〈◊〉 afford him a constant and yearly Treasure to support his Ar●…, whereas the French King digs his Treasure out of the bowels ●…nd vital spirits of his own Subjects.  
I pray let me hear from you by the next opportunity, for I shall ●…old my time well employed to correspond with a Gentleman of ●…uch choice and gallant parrs; In which desires I rest  
Your most affectionate and faithful S●…rvitor, J. H. ●…9 Aug 1649▪   

XIV. To Mr. W. B.  
HOw glad was I, my choice and precious Nephew, to receiv●… yours of the 24▪ current, wherein I was sorry, though satisfie●… in point of belief to find the ill fortune of Interception which be fell my last unto you.  
Touching the condition of things here, 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 wh●… the more comfortable: I am afraid this City hath fooled herself in to a slavery, the Army, though forbidden to come within ten miles of Her by Order of Parliament, quarters now in the Bowels 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 starved 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 engrossed in private hands, or gone beyond Sea to travel without Licence, and much I believe of it is returned to the earth (whence it first came) to be buried where our late Nephews may chance to find it a thousand years 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 dismal effects and concomitants of a civil War. 'tis true we have had many such black days in England in former ages, but those paralleled to the present are as the shadow of a Mountain compared 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 assured you will join with me in the same Orison to Heaven's gate; in which confidence I rest  
Your most affectionately to serve you, J. H. From the Fleet, 10 of Decemb, 1647.   

XV. To Sir K. D. at Paris.  
SIR,  
NOw, that you are returned, and fixed a while in France, an old servant of yours takes leave to kiss your hands, and salute you 〈◊〉 an intense degree of heat and height of passion: 'tis well you ●…ook hands with this infortunate Isle when you did, and got your ●…iberty by such a royal mediation as the Queen Regent's, for had ●…ou stayed, you would have taken but little comfort in your life, in regard that ever since there have been the fearfullest distractions here that ever happened upon any part of the earth, a Beluin kind of im●…nity never raged so among men, insomuch that the whole Country might have taken its appellation from the smallest part thereof, and be called the Isle of Dogs; for all humanity, common honesty, and that Mansuetude with other Moral Civilities which should distinguish the rational Creature from other Animals, have been lost here a good while; Nay, besides this Cynical, there ●…s a kind of Wolvish humour hath seized upon most of this people a ●…u lycanthropy, they so worry and seek to devour one another, so ●…hat the wild Arab and fiercest Tartar may be called civil men in comparison of us, therefore he is happiest who is furthest off from this woeful Island. The King is straightened of that liberty he formerly had in the Isle of Wight, and as far as I see may make up the number of Nebuchadnezars years before he be restored: The Parliament persists in their first Propositions, and will go nothing less. This is all I have to send at this time, only I will adjoin the true respects of  
From the Fleet, this 5 of May, 1647. Your most faithful 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 jewels, for I esteem all your Letters so, being the precious effects of your love, which I value at a high rate, and please myself much in the contemplation of it, as also in the continuance of this Letter-correspondence, which is performed on your part with such ingenuous expressions, and embroidered still with new flourishes of invention▪ I am still under hold in this fatal Fleet, and like one in a tempest a●… Sea who hath been often near the shore yet is still tossed back by contrary winds, so I have had frequent hopes of freedom, but some cross accident or other always intervened, insomuch that I am now in half despair of an absolute release till a general Gao●… 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 wellarmed Scots have been utterly routed, riffed, and all taken prisoners, by less than 8000 English; I must confess 'twas a great exploit whereof I am not sorry, in regard that the English have regained hereby the honour which they had lost abroad of late years 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 Parliament.  
So with my daily 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 Received, and presently ran over your Cyprian Academy with much greediness and no vulgar delight, and, Sir, I hold myself much honoured for the Dedication you have been pleased to make thereof to me, for it deserved a far higher Patronage; Truly, I must tell you without any Compliment, 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 handsomely, and have got such footing on Parnassus, you may in time be Lord of the whole Hill, and those nice Girls, because Apollo is now grown unwieldy and old, may make choice of you to officiat in his room, and preside over them.  
I much thank you for the punctual narration you pleased 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 feathered his nest so well, to truss up his Baggage and make over the Alps to his own Country, lest the same Fate betid him as did the Marquis of Ancre his Compatriot. I am glad the Treaty goes on 'twixt Spain and France, for nothing can port●…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 here enclosed 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 june, 1647. Yours most entirely to love and serve you while, Jam. Howell.   

XVIII. To Mr. Tho. More at York.  
SIR,  
I Have often partaked 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, wherein me thought each line, each word, each syllable breathed out the Passions o●… a clear and candid soul, of a virtuous and gentle spirit; Truly Sir, as I might perceive by your ingenious and pathetical expressions therein, that you were transported with the heat of true affection towards me in the writing so was I in the reading, which wrought upon me with such an Energy that a kind of ecstasy posses●…'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 discovered in you, and such a love is the most permanent as you shall find in  
Fleet 1 of Sep. 1647. Your most affectionate Oncle, J. H.   

XIX. To Mr. W. B. 3ᵒ Maii.  
SIR,  
YOur last Lines to me were as delightful as the Season, they were as sweet as Flowers in May, nay they were far more dragrant than those fading Vegetals, 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 air is as 〈◊〉 as a presumed Spanish Glove; The air of this City is not so, specially in the heart of the City, in and about Paul's Church where Horse-dung is a yard deep, insomuch that to cleanse it would be a●… 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 labours: but it was a bitter taunt of the Italian who passing by Paul's 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 faithful Servant, J. H.   

XXI. To Sir Paul Pindar Knight, upon the version of a●… Italian piece into English, called St. Paul's Progress upon earth, a new and a notable kind of satire.  
SIR,  
ST. Paul having descended lately to view Italy and other place●…●…s you may trace him in the following Discourse, he would no●… take Wing back to Heaven before he had given you a special visit▪ who have so well deserved of his Church here, the goodliest pile o●… stones in the Christian world of that kind.  
Of all the men of our times, you are one of the greatest examples of Piety, and constant Integrity, which discovers a noble sou●… to dwell within you, and that you are very conversant with heaven▪ so that me thinks I see St. Paul saluting and solacing you in thes●… black times, assuring you that those pious works of Charity yo●… have done and daily do (and that in such a manner that the lif●… hand knows not what the right doth) will be as a triumphant Chariot to carry you one day up to heaven to partake of the same beatitude with him. Sir, among those that truly honour you, I am one▪ and have been so since I first knew you, therefore as a small testimony hereof, I send you this fresh fancy composed by a Noble Personage in Italian, of which language you are so great a Master.  
For the first part of the Discourse which consists of a Dialog▪ 'twixt the two first Persons of the Holy Trinity, there are example●… of that kind in some of the most Ancient Fathers, as Apollinariu●… and Nazianzen, and lately Grotius hath the like in his Tragedy o●… Christ's Passion, which may serve to free it from all exceptions. So! most affectionately kiss your hands, and am  
Sir, Your very humble and ready Servant, J. H. Fleet, 25 Martii 1646.   

XX. To Sir Paul Neale Knight, upon the same subject.  
SIR,  
SAint Paul cannot reascend to Heaven before he gives you also a salute, my Lord, your father having been a star of the greatest magnitude in the Firmament of the Church. If you please to observe the manner of his late progress upon earth, which you may do by the guidance of this discourse, you shall discover many things which are not vulgar, by a curious mixture of Chur●…h and State-affairs; you shall feel heerin the pulse of Italy, & how it beats at this time since the beginning of these late Wars 'twixt the Pope and the Duke of Parma, with the grounds, procedure, and success of the said War, together with the interest and grievances, the pretences and quarrels that most princes there have with Rome.  
I must confess, my Genius hath often prompted me that I was never cut out for a Translator, there being a kind of servility therein; For it must needs be somewhat ●…dious to one that hath any freeborn thoughts within him, and genuine conceptions of his own (whereof I have some though shallow ones) to enchain himself to a verbal servitude, and the sense of another. Moreover Translations are but as turn-coated things at best, specially among languages that have advantages one of the other, as the Italian hath of the English, which may be said to differ one from the other as silk doth from cloth, the common wear of both Countries where they are spoken: And as cloth is the more substantial▪ so the English tongue by reason 'tis so knotted with consonants is the stronger, and the more sinewy of the two; But silk is more smo●…th and slik, & so is the Italian tongue compared to the English. Or I may say Translations are like the wrong side of a Turkey carpet, which useth to be full of thrums and knots, and nothing so even as the right side: Or one may say (as I spoke elsewhere) that Translations are like Wines ta'en off the lees, and poured into other vessels, that must needs lose somewhat of their first strength and brisknes, which in the pouring, or passage rather evaporates into air.  
Moreover touching Translations, it is to be observed that every language hath certain Idioms, proverbs and peculiar expression●… of its own which are not rendible in any other but paraphrastically, therefore he overacts the office of an Interpreter who doth esslave himself too strictly to words or phrases: I have heard of an excess among Limmers called too much to the life, which happens when one aims at similitudes morethan skill; So in version of languages one may be so over-punctuall in words, that he may mar the matter; The greatest fidelity that can be expected in a Translator is to keep still a foot and entire the true genuine sense of the Author, with the main design he drives at; And this was the principal thing which was observed in this Version.  
Furthermore let it not be thought strange that there are some Italian words made free denizens of England in this discourse, for by such means our language hath grown from time to time to be so copious, and still grows more rich, by adopting or naturalising rather the choicest foreign words of other Nations, as a Nosegay is nothing else but a tuft of flowers gathered from divers beds.  
Touching this present version of Italian into English, I may say 'tis a thing I did, when I had nothing to do; 'Twas to find something whereby to pass away the slow hours of this sad condition of captivity.  
I pray be pleased to take this as a small argument of the great respects I owe you for the sundry rare and high virtues I have discovered in you, as also for the obligations I have to your noble Lady whose hands I humbly kiss, wishing you both, as the season invites me a good New year (for it begins but now in Law) as also a holy Lent, and a healthful Spring.  
Fleet, 25 Martij. Your much obliged and ready Servant, J. H.   

XXII. To Dr. W. Turner.  
SIR,  
I Return you my most thankful acknowledgements, for that collection, or farrago of prophecies as you call them, (and that very properly in regard there is a mixture of good and bad) you pleased to send me lately; specially that of Nosterdamus, which I shall be very chary to preserve for you, I could requite you with ●…ivers predictions more, and of some of the British B●…rds, which were ●…hey translated to English would transform the world to wonder.  
They sing of a Red Parliament and white King, of a race of people which should be called P●…ngruns, of the fall of the Church, and divers other things which glance upon these times. But I am none of those that afford much faith to rambling Prophecies, which, (as was said elsewhere) are like so many odd grains sown in the vast field of Time, whereof not one in a thousand comes to grow up again and appear above ground. But that I may correspond with you in some part for the like courtesy, I send you these following prophetic verses of White-Hall, which were made above twenty years ago to my knowledge upon a Book called Balaams' Ass, that consisted of some invectives against King james, and the Court in 〈◊〉 quo tu●…c; It was composed by one Mr Williams a Counsellor of the Temple, but a Roman Catholic, who was hang▪ d drawn and quartered at Charing Cross for it, and I believe there be hundreds that have copies of these verses ever since that time about the Town yet living, They were these.  
Some seven years since Christ rid to Court,  
And there he left his Ass,  
The Courtiers kiced him out of doors,  
Because they had no grass, (grace.)  
The Ass went mourning up and down,  
And thus I heard him bray,  
If that they could not give me grass,  
They might have given me hay:  
But sixteen hundred forty three,  
Who so ere shall see that day,  
Will nothing find within that Court,  
But only grass and hay, etc.  
Which was found to happen true in Whitehall, till the soldiers coming to quarter there trampled it down.  
Truly sir I find all things conspire to make strange mutation●… in this miserable Island, I fear we shall fall from under the Su●…ter to be under the Sword, and since we speak of Prophecies, 〈◊〉 am afraid among others that which was made since the reformation will be verified, The Church man was, the Lawy●…r is, the Soldier shall be. Welcome be the will of God, who transvolves Kingdoms, and tumbles down Monarchies as molehills at his pleasure, so I rest my dear Doctor,  
Fleet, 9 Aug. 1648. Your most faithful Servant, J. H.   

XXIII. To the Honble Sir Edward Spencer Knight, at his House near▪ Branceford.  
SIR,  
WE are not so bare of intelligence between these walls▪ but we can hear of your doings in Branceford; That so general applause whereby you were cried up Knight of the shire for Middlesex, sounded round about us upon London streets, and echoed in every corner of the Town; nor d●… I mingle speech with any though half affected to you, bu●… highly approves of and congratulates the election, being glad that a Gentleman of such extraordinary parts and probity, as also of such a mature judgement should be chosen to serve the public.  
I return you the Manuscript you lent me of daemonology, but the Author thereof and I are two in point of opinion that way, for he seems to be on the negative part, and truly he writes as much as can be produced for his purpose. But there are some men that are of a mere negative genius, like johannes ad oppositum, who will deny, or at least cross and puzzle any thing though never so clear in itself, with their but, yet, if, etc. they will flap the lie in Truth's teeth though she visibly stand before their face without any vizard, such perverse cross-graind spirits are not to be dealt withal by argument, but palpable proofs, as if one should deny that the fire burns, or that he hath a nose on his face, t●…er is no way to deal with him, but to pull him by the tip of the one, and put his finger into the other: I will not say that this Gentleman is so perverse, but to deny there are any Witches, to deny that there are not ill spirits which seduce, tamper and convers in divers shapes with human creatures, and impel them to actions of malice, I say that he who denies there are such busy spirits, and such poor passive creatures upon whom they work, which commonly are called Witches, I say again, that he who denies there are such spirits, shows that he himself hath a Spirit of contradiction in him, opposing the current and consentient opinion of all Antiquity: we read that both jews and Romans with all other nations of Christendom, and our Ancestors here in England enacted laws against Witches, sure they were not so silly as to waste their brains in making laws against Chimeras, against non entia, or such as Plato's Kt●…etismata's were: The judaical law is apparent in the holy Code, Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live; the Roman law which the Decemviri made, is yet extant in the twelve tables, Qui ●…ruges incantassent paenas danto, They who should inchant the fruit of the Earth let them be punished; The Imperial law is known by every Civilian, Hi cum ●…ostes naturae sint supplicio afficiantur, These, meaning Witches, because they are enemies to nature let them be punished; And the Acts of Parliament in England are against those that invoke ill spirits, that take up any dead man, woman or child, or take the skin or bone of ay dead body, to employ it to sorcery or charm, whereby any one is lamed, or made to pine away, etc. such shall be guilty of ●…lat ●…elony, and not capable of Clergy or Sanctuary, etc.  
What a multitude of examples are there in good authentic Authors of divers kinds of fascinations, incantations, prestigiations, of philtres, spells, charms, sorceries, characters and such like, as also of magic, negromancy, and divinations; surely the Witch of Endor is no fable, the burning of joan d'ye Arc the Maid of Orleans in Roven, and of the Marchioness d'Ancre of late years in Paris are no fables: The execution of Nostredamus for a kind of Witch, son●… fourscore years since is but a modern story, who among other things foretold, Le Senat d●… Londres tuera son Roy, the Senate of Lond●…n shall kill their King. The best Historians have it upon record how Charl●…mains Mistress incha●…ed him with a ring, which as long as the had about he▪ he would not ●…uster her dead carcase 〈◊〉 be carried out of his chamber to be buried, and a Bishop taking it out of her mouth, the Emperor grew to be as much bewitched with the Bishop, but he being cloyed wi●…h his excess of favour, threw it into a pond, where the Emperor's chiefest pleasure was to walk till his dying day. The story tells us how the Wald●…nses in France were by a solemn arrest of Parliament accused and condemned of Witchcraft; The Malteses took Saint Paul for a Witch: Saint Augustin speaks of women who could turn men to horses, and make them carry their burdens; Danaeus writes of an enchanted staff which the Devil summoner like, was used to deliver some market-women to ride upon. In some of the Northern Countries 'tis at ordinary to buy and sell winds, as it is to do wines in other parts; and hee●… of I could instance in some examples of my own knowledge. Every one knows what O●…aus Magnus writes of Erich's (King of Swethland) corner'd cap, who could make the wind sift to any point of the compass, according as he turned it about.  
Touching Diviners of things to come which is held a species of Witchcraft, we may read they were frequent among the Romans, yea they had Colleges for their Augu●…s and Aruspices, who used to make their predictions sometimes by fire, sometimes by flying of fowl, sometimes by inspection into the entrails of beasts, or invoking the dead, but most frequently by consulting with the Oracles, to whom all Nations had recours except the Iew●…s. But you will say that since Christianity displayed her banners, the Cross hath scared away the Devil, and struck the Or●…cles dumb, as Plutarch reports a notable passage of Thamus an Italian Pilot, who a little after the birth of Christ, sailing along the coasts of Calabria in a still silent night, all his passengers being asleep, an airy cold voice came to his ears saying Thamus, Thamus, Thamus, The great God Pan is dead, who was the chiefest Oracle of that Country; yet though the light of the Gospel chased away those great Owls, there be some Bats and little night birds that fly still abroad, I mean petty spirits that by secret pactions, which are made always without witness, enable men and women to do evil. In such compacts beyond the seas the party must first renounce Christ, and the extended woman meaning the blessed Virgin, he must contemn the Sacraments, tread on the cross, spit at the host, etc. There is a famous story of such a paction which Friar Lovis made some half a hundred years ago with the Devil in Marseilles, who appeared to him in shape of a Goat and promised him the enjoyment of any woman whom he fancied, with other pleasures for 41. years, but the Devil being too cunning for him put the figure of I before, and made it 14 years in the contract, (which is to be seen to this day with the Devils claw to it) at which time the Friar was detected for Witchcraft and burnt, and all those children whom he had christened during that term of 14 years were rebaptised, and the Gentlewomen whom he had abused, put themselves into a Nunnery by themselves. Hereunto may be added the great rich Widow that was burned in Lions, because 'twas proved the Devil had lain with her; as also the history of Lieutenant jaquette which stands upon record with the former, but if I should insert them here at large it would make this letter swell too much.  
But we need not cross the sea for examples of this kind, we have too too many (God wot) at home: King james a great while was loath to believe there were Witches, but that which happened to my Lord Francis of Rutland's children convinced him, who were bewitched by an old woman that was servant at Belvoir Castle, but being displeased, she contracted with the Devil who conversed with her in form of a cat, whom she called Rutterken to make away those children, out of mere malignity, and thirst of revenge.  
But since the beginning of these unnatural Wars there may be a cloud of witnesses produced for the proof of this black tenet, for within the compass of two years near upon three hundred Witches were arraigned, and the major part executed in Essex and Suffolk only: Scotland swarms with them now more than ever, and persons of good quality executed daily.  
Thus, sir, have I huddled together a few arguments touching this subject, because in my last communication with you, me thought I found you somewhat unsatisfied, and staggering in your opinion touching the affirmative part of this thesis, the discussing whereof is far fitter for an elaborat large treatise than a loose letter.  
Touching the new Commonwealth you intent to establish, now, that you have assigned me my part among so many choice legislators, something I shall do to comply with your desires, which shall be always to me as commands, and your commands as laws, because I love and hono●…r you in a very high degree for those gallant freeborn thoughts, and sundry parts of virtu which I have does▪ cerned in you, which makes me entitle myself  
Fleet this 20 of Febr. 1647. Your most humble and affectionate faithful Servant, J. H.   

XXIV. To Sir William Boswell, at the Hague.  
SIR,  
THat black tragedy which was lately acted here, as it hath filled most hearts among us with consternation and horror, so 〈◊〉 believe it hath been no less resented abroad; For my own particular the more I ruminat upon it, the more it astonisheth my imagination, and shaketh all the cells of my brain, so that sometimes I struggle with my faith, and have much ado to believe it yet: I shall give over wondering at thing any hereafter, nothing shall seem strange unto me, only I will attend with patience how England will thrive now that she is let blood in the basilical vein, and cured, as they say, of the King's Evil.  
I had one of yours by Mr. jacob B●…eue, and I much thank you for the account you please to give me of what I sent you by his conveyance. Holland may now be proud, for there is a younger Commonwealth in Christendom than herself▪ No more now but that I always rest  
Sir, Your most humble Servitor, J. H. Fleet, 20 of Mar. 1648.   

XXV. To Mr. W. B. at Grundsburgh.  
SIR,  
NEver credit me if Liberty itself be as dear to me as your Letters, they come so full of choice and learned applications, with such free unforced strains of ingenuity, insomuch that when I peruse them, me thinks they cast such a kind of fragrancy, that I cannot more aptly compare them, than to the flowers which are now in their prime season, viz. to Roses in june: I had two of them lately, which me thought were like quivers full of barbed arrows pointed with gold, that penetrated my breast.  
— Tali quis nollet ab ictu  
Ridendo tremulas mortis non ire sub umbras.  
Your expressions were like those Mucrones and Melliti globuli which you so ingenuously apply mine unto; but these arrows of yours though they have hit me, they have not hurt me, they had no kill quality, but they were rather as so many cordials; for you know gold is restorative. I am suddenly surprised by an inexpected occasion, therefore I must abruply break off with you for this time, I will only add, my most dear Nephew, that I rest  
june the 3. 1648. Yours entirely to love and serve you, J. H.   

XXVI. To R. K. Esquire at St. Giles.  
SIR,  
DIfference in opinion, no more than a differing complexion, can be cause enough for me to hate any; A differing fancy is no more to me, than a differing face; If another hath a fair countenance, though mine be black, or if I have a fair opinion, though another have a hard favoured one, yet it shall not break that common league of humanity which should be betwixt rational creatures, provided he corresponds with me in the general offices of morality and civil uprightness, this may admit him to my acquaintance and conversation, though I never concur with him in opinion: He bears the Image of Adam, and the Image of the Almighty as well as I; He had God for his Father, though he hath not the same Church for his Mother. The omniscient C●…cator as He is only Kardiognostic, so He is the sole Lord of the whole inward man, It is he who reigns o'er the faculties of the soul, and the affections of the heart, 'Tis He who regulates the will, and rectifies all obliquities in the understanding by special illuminations, and oftentimes reconciles men as opposite in opinion, as Meridian's and Parallels are in point of extension, whereof the one draws from East to West, the other from North to South.  
Some of the Pagan Philosophers specially Themistius who was Praetor of Byzantium, maintained an opinion, that as the pulchritud and preservation of the world consisted in varieties and dissimilitudes (as also in Eccentric and contrary motions) that as it was replenished with such numberless sorts of several species, and that the individuals of those species differed 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 ideas of mind, Therefore the God of Nature ordained from the beginning, that he should be worshipped in various and sundry forms of adorations, which ne'ertheless like so many lines should tend all to the same centre. But Christian Religion prescribes another Rule, viz. that there is but 〈◊〉 via, una veritas, there is but one true way to Heaven, and that ●…ta narrow one, whereas there be huge large roads that lead to ●…ell.  
God Allmighty guide us in the first, and guard us from the se●…d, as also from all cross and uncouth by-paths, which use to ●…ead such giddy brains that follow them to a confused labyrinth of ●…rors, where being entangled, the Devil as they stand gaping 〈◊〉 new lights to lead them out, takes his advantage to seize on ●…em for their spiritual pride, and ins●…briety in the search of more ●…owledge.  
28. july, 1648. Your most faithful Servant, J. H.    

Ut clavis portam sic pandit Epistola pectus,  
Clauditur Haec cerâ, clauditur Illa serâ.  
As Keys do open chests,  
So Letters open breasts.   

AN Index of the principal matters contained in this Second Tome of FAMILIAR LETTERS.  

ENcouragements to hasten a business. 1  
A strange disparity 'twixt a married couple. 2  
The power of the pen. 2  
●…dvice against detraction. 2  
●…f the general infirmities of men. 3  
●…f natural corruption. 4  
●…f the passions of Love, and the humour of Women. 5  
●…f a clash that happened 'twixt Leo the tenth, and the French King, and their witty answers and replies. 6  
●…he saying of Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln, touching the Pope. 6  
●…dvice to silence. 7  
●… Letter of thanks, and for forgiving injuries. 8  
●…f Religion in general. 9  
●…f the Religion of the Jews, and their sev●…▪ all Sects. 10  
Of Christianity and the difficulties that attend it. 1●…  
England one of the first Christian Country's. 1●…  
The cause of the first division 'twixt the Eastern an●… Western Churches. 1●…  
Of the Eastern Church. 1●…  
The extent of Christianity. 1●…  
The lamentable decay of Christianity in Afric. 1●…  
Of Mahometism, with the beginning and policy thereof. 15  
The reverend opinion the Turks have of Christ, and th●… Virgin Mary. 16  
The vast extent of Mahometism. 17  
The concurrence of the Jew with the Christian an●… Jew. 1●…  
Of the Pagans or Heathens Religion and their extent▪ 19  
The best sort of Pagans. 20  
The degrees how Philosophy did propagate itself▪ 2●…  
A comparison in point of extent 'twixt all Religions. 23  
Some advices for a young traveller.  
Of vain glo●…y. 2●…  
Of the Arrogance of the Romans. 2●…  
Advice to a young soldier. 26  
The fable of fire, water and fame. 26  
A letter of advice to give over a business. 2●…  
Of Secretary Walsingham, and Secretary Cecil. 2●…  
A rare comparison of Charles the Emperor. 3●…  
The Mulberry a pattern of wisdom. 3●…  
Of the falling off of Catalonia and Portugal from th●… King of Spain. 3●…  
Of extravagant humours. 3●…  
A letter of reprehension for silence. 33  
Of the virtu of letters. 33  
Advice to be careful in epistolizing. 34  
An amorous Poem. 35  
A letter of gratitude. 36  
An apology for women, and of their virtues and vices. 37  
Of the mode of entertainment. 38  
An apology 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 fearful earthquakes in Italy. 39  
Of Gen●…a, Venice, etc. 40  
A letter of love. 41  
Of Grunnius' Sophistas last will. 42  
Of melancholy. 44  
A facetious tale of a Porter. 45  
A letter of friendly 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 foreign travel. 49  
Of partiality of news. 50  
Of the abuse of a great picture taken at Arundel. 51  
An Epitaph upon the Author. 52  
An encouragement to an University scholar. 53  
Of crosses and troubles. 54  
Of chemical knowledge. 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 Author's apology for himself. 59  
A letter of friendly reprehension for neglect. 60  
Of Qu. Elizabeth's virtues and vices. 61  
The French satire of her. 62  
Of the exorbitant liberty of Printing. 62  
For the speeding of a letter. 63  
Of post Pigeons. 63  
Private contemplations of the Author upon divers objects▪ 64  
A remedy against melancholy. 66  
A letter of compliment to a Lady. 66  
A Hymn to the Trinity. 67  
Saint Augustine's notable wish couched in verse. 68  
Of the fear and love of God. 68  
Of wines in general. 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, Cider and Perry. 74  
How the Germans drink healths. 77  
The difference 'twixt the Greek and Germane in drinking. 77  
A strange tale of some Dutch drunkards. 77  
Of tongues in general. 78  
Of the British tongue 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 tongue took footing in Scotland. 80  
Of the Germane Tongue, and the extent of it. 80  
Some 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 Tongue, her growth and Progress. 82  
The pitiful decay of the Greek Tongue. 83  
How strangely the Greeks are degenerated above all other nations. 84  
The ancient monstrous extent of the Greek Tongue. 84  
Of the Latin Tongue and her degrees of Perfection. 85  
The Greek always more esteemed than Latin in the East and West. 86  
How the Latin did refine herself. 86  
Of the sundry Barbarous people that invaded Italy. 87  
Of the Italian, Spanish and French Languages. 88  
Of the Arcadians. 89  
Where to find the true ancient Speech of any Country. 89  
Of the mother Tongue of Europe. 91  
A Philosophical reason of the diversity of Tongues. 92  
Of the vast extent of the Arabian Tongue. 93  
Of the Hebrew. 93  
Languages subject to corruption and change as other things. 93  
Of Sir Walter Raleighs Voyage to Guiana, and a judgement 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  
Friendly wishes. 101  
A comparison 'twixt the case of the King of England with other Kings. 102  
A Letter of respects to a Lady. 104  
A caution not to neglect the Latin 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 Mahometism. 18  
The Koran brought in by the Alfange. 19  
Arabic the sole Language of the Koran. 17  
Of the black Bean in Mahomet's heart. 3  
Of vanity of beauties. 2  
The Mendicant Friars make a kind of amends for the excesses of the Cardinals 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 thereof. 12  
Advice from attempting a business. 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 Cecil. 29  
Of delay in business. 29  
Of dispatch. 29  
The Mulberry an Emblem of Wisdom 30  
The famous saying of Charles the fifth. 30  
Of matches 'twixt England and Spain. 30  
Of the falling off of Catalonia and Portugal from the King of Spain, and a judgement upon it. 31  
The virtue of money. 31  
A famous saying of Cap. Talbot. 31  
Of a hard intricat business. 32  
Of the virtue of Letters. 33  
A Letter of reprehension for careless writing. 34  
Some 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 courtesy may be marred in the Mode. 38  
An Apology for silence. 39  
A Tale of a N●…apolitan Confessor. 39  
A new Island discovered hard by the Terreras. 39  
Of the Hill Vesuvius. 39  
Some rarities of Venice. 40  
Of the Genoese. 40  
Of our Indian Mariners. 40  
Grunnius Sophistas last Will. 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 Chemistry. 47  
Of the Diseases of the time. 47  
A Letter of Recommendation. 48  
Of superflu●…us Servants. 48  
An advice to Travel. 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 Author's Epitaph. 52  
Advice to a Cambridg Scholar. 53  
A Letter of comfort. 54  
The effects of imprisonment. 55  
Of Chemistry. 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 Compliment to a Lady. 66  
A Hymn to the Blessed Trinity. 67  
St. Augustine's wish in a Hymn. 69  
Of fearing and loving of God. 68  
A large Discourse of all sorts of Beverages that are used on earth. 70  
Of all sorts of Wines. 71  
The Riddle of the Vineyard man. 70  
Of Germane and Greek Drinkers. 70  
Of Sir Walter Raleigh. 95  
Of the pitiful condition of England. 99  
A congratulatory Letter from Travel. 105  
Of Prayer and Praise. 106  
Of the Excise. 107  
A Tale of Monsieur de la Chatre. 107  
The power of Letters. 109  
Some Spanish Epitaphs. 110  
Of French Lawyers. 113  
A Letter Congratulatory for marriage. 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 breasts.   

AN Index to the last Parcel of EPISTLES.  

OF the use of Passions. 1  
Passions like Muscovia Wives expect to be checked. 1  
The conquest of ones self the greatest point of valour. 1  
Of the wars of Venice. 2  
The fearful commotions of Naples. 2  
The horrid commotions in Ethiopia. 2  
Strange Revolutions in China. 2  
The monstrous Insurrections in Moscovia. 2  
A Prophecy of Holland. 3  
A Letter of correspondence. 3  
Letters compared to Echoes. 4  
Of Heaven. 4  
Endearments of love. 4  
Of the Presbyter and his first rise. 5  
Of Calvin his profane appplications. 5  
Of Geneva. 5  
King james called 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 fat Cheese, subject to Maggots. 10  
Congratulations to a married 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 smoke there 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 general. 13  
Handi-crafts men may well be termed learned men. 13  
A wholesome piece of policy of the Chinese. 13  
A Tale of Bishop Grosthead. 14  
A mere Scholar a useless thing. 14  
A facetious Tale of Thomas Aquinas and Bonadventure. 14  
A Speech of Alexander Hales. 14  
The general itching after Book-learning hurtful to England. 15  
Gunpowder and Printing about a time, and both hurtful. 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 privilege an error. 17  
Novelty cannot prejudice truth. 17  
Of the Antipodes. 17  
The method how God pours down his blessings. 18  
The following day wiser than the foremost. 18  
The Cadet older than his elder brother. 18  
Of experience. 18  
The prime Philosophers held there was a world in the Moon. 19  
A notable comparison. 19  
What kind of creatures are thought to be in the body of the Sun. 19  
Of Galileo's glass. 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 compliment to a Lady. 22  
Of friendship. 22  
Of Fortune's 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 done in England. 24  
A letter of congratulation from foreign travel. 25  
What a traveller must carry home with him besides language. 25  
'Tis probable the Spaniard will be to hard for the French. 25  
A Letter complaining of the hard condition of England. 27  
Another of the miseries of the time. 27  
A conjunction 'twixt Spain and France the wholsom'st for Christendom. 29  
A letter of endearment. 30  
Of Paul's Church. 31  
Of translations. 33  
The English and Italian compared. 33  
Translations like wines taken off the lees and poured into botells. 33  
How the English language grows rich. 54  
What is chiefly expected from a faithful Translator. 34  
Of Prophecies. 35  
The strange prediction of Nostredamus. 35  
Some wonderful Prophecies of the Welsh Bards reflecting upon these times. 35  
A Prophecy of White-Hall. 35  
A Prophecy for the soldier. 36  
Of Witches. 36  
How perverse men must be used in disputation. 37  
All nations enacted laws against witchcraft. 37  
The Act of Parliament in England against Witches. 37  
The Imperial law against witches. 37  
The Judaical and Roman law against witches. 37  
Nostredamus his notable prediction reflecting upon England. 38  
A notable story of Charlemagne. 38  
Saint Austin and Danaeus his opinion of Witches. 38  
Ola●…s Magnus his opinion of King Ericus case that could command the winds. 38  
Of the Oracles. 38  
A memorable story out of Plutarch. 38  
The oath that witches use to take. 39  
The famous tale of Friar Lovis in France. 39  
Of Rutterkin the witch that enchanted my Lord of Rutland's children. 39  
A letter of friendly endearments. 41  
England cured of the King's evil. 40  
Of differences in opinion. 42  
Difference in opinion should not dissolve the bonds of human society. 42  
One of the special privileges of God Allmighty. 42  
Themistius his opinion touching the worship of the Creator. 43  
Of Spiritual pride the greatest engine the devil useth to destroy people. 43  
TEAO●….    

There are divers other private short leters which may be said to be as small Shallops attending greater Ships, therefore they must not be expected to carry so much Ballast: And this hath been the usual method of Epistolizing amongst the Ancients.  
FINIS.   

To the Intelligent Reader.  
AMongst other reasons which make the English Language of so small extent, and put strangers out of conceit to learn it, one is, That we do not pronounce as we write, which proceeds from divers superfluous Letters, that occur in many of our words, which adds to ●…e difficulty of the Language: Therefore the Author hath taken pains to ●…trench such redundant, unnecessary Letters in this Work (though the Printer hath not been so careful as he should have been) as amongst mul●…itudes of other words may appear in these few, done, some, come; which though we, to whom the speech is connatural, pronounce as mo●…syllables, yet when strangers come to read them, they are apt to make ●…em dissillabls, as do-ne, some, come; therefore such an e is superfluous.  
Moreover, those words that have the Latin for their original, the Author prefers that Orthography, rather than the French, whereby di●…ers letters are spared, as Physic, Logic, Afric, not Physic, Logic, Africa; favour, honour, labour, not favour, honour, labour, and very many more, as also he omits the Dutch k, in most words; here you ●…all read people not pe-ople, treasure, not treasure, tongue, not ton-gue, etc. Parliament not Parliament,, business, witness, sickness, not business, witness, sickness; star, war, far, not star, war, far, ●…nd multitudes of such words, wherein the two last Letters may well be ●…ar'd: Here you shall also read pity, piety, witty, not pity, piety, ●…itti-e, as strangers at first sight pronounce them, and abundance of such 〈◊〉 words.  
The new Academy of wits called l'Academie de beaux esprits, which ●…he late Cardinal de Richelieu founded in Paris, is now in hand to ●…form the French Language in this particular, and to weed it of all su●…erfluous Letters, which makes the Tongue differ so much from the Pen, 〈◊〉 they have expo●…'d themselves to this contumelious Proverb, The ●…renchman doth neither pronounce as he writes, nor speak as he ●…inks, nor sing as he pricks.  
Aristotle hath a topic Axiom, that Frustra fit per plura, quod fi●… potest per pauciora, When fewer may serve the turn, more is in ●…in. And as this rule holds in all things else, so it may be very well 〈◊〉 in Orthography.  
FINIS.