A Fourth VOLUME OF Familiar Letters, Upon Various Emergent occasions, Partly 

Philosophical,  
Political,  
Historical.    
By JAMES HOWELL Esq; Clerk of the council to his late majesty.  Senesco, non Segnesco. 
Never published before.  
LONDON, Printed for Humphrey Moseley, and are to be sold at his Shop at the Princes Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1655.   

TO The Right honourable, AND High Lord of Reason, THOMAS Earl of SOUTHAMPTON, &c.  
My Lord,  
I Know your noble speculative soul doth use to converse with Authors of all kinds in omni scibili; And having found that some Things of mine have passed your approbation,( which is one of the greatest advantages they ever had, considering your sound and penetrating judgement) I was induced to the boldness of presenting your Lordship with this New piece, wherein ther are some things serious, and suitable to your contemplation, though in short touches, and wown'd up on small bottoms, for the cogitation in a Letter is like a bide in a cage which hath not far to fly.  
It comes seasonably to wish that the year sixteen hundred fifty five( which begins but now, about the vernal equinoctial, according to our Law) may be happy, and healthful to your Lordship, and to your Excellent Lady, as prayeth  
My most highly honoured Lord, Your obedient, and ever obliged Servitor, Jam. howel. Holborn, March the 12th.   

TO THE Knowing Reader, Touching Familiar LETTERS.  

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

They are those winged Postillions that can fly  
From the Antartic 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 across the Line,  
And swim from Ganges to the Rhone or Rhine,  
From Thames to Tagus, thence to tiber run,  
And terminat their journey with the Sun:   

They can the Cabinets of Kings unscrue,  
And hardest intricacies of State unclue;  
They can 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 Air did tear.   

The lucky Goose saved Jove's beleagred Hill,  
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.   

Letters can Plots though moulded under ground  
Disclose, and their fell Complices confounded,  
witness that fiery Pile which would have blown  
Up to the Clouds, Prince, people, Peers, & Town,  
Tribunals, Church, and chapel, and had dried  
The Thames, though swelling in her highest pride,  
And parboyl'd the poor Fish, which from her Sands  
Had been tossed up to the adjoining Lands.  
Lawyers as Vultures had soared up and down,  
prelates like Magpies 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 Monarchs knit in ligues of amity;  
They are those golden Links that do enchain  
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  
The choicest learning, both in Vers and Prose;  
They knowledge can unto our souls display,  
By a more gentle, and familiar way,  
The highest Points of State and Policy,  
The most severe parts of Philosophy  
May be their subject, and their theme enrich  
As well as private businesses, in which  
friends use to correspond, and Kindred greet,  
Merchants negotiat, the whole World meet.   

In Seneca's rich Letters is enshrined  
What e're the Ancient Sages left behind:  
Tully makes his the secret symptoms tell  
Of those distempers which proud Rome befell,  
When in her highest flourish she would make  
Her tiber from the Ocean homage take.  
Great Antonin the Emperor did gain  
More glory by his Letters, than his reign,  
His Pen out-lasts his Pike, each golden line  
In his Epistles doth his name inshrine,  
Aurelius by his Letters did the same,  
And they in chief immortallize his famed.   

Words vanish soon, and vapour into air,  
While Letters on Record stand fresh and fair,  
And tell our Nephews who to us were dear,  
Who our choice friends, who our familiars were.   

The bashful Lover when his stammering lips  
Falter, and fear fom unadvised slips,  
May boldly court his Mistris with the Quill,  
And his hot passions to her breast instil;  
The Pen can furrow a fond females heart,  
And pierce it more than Cupid's 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 like Gordian knots do Nations tie,  
Else all Commerce, and Love 'twixt men would die.    

To the Sagacious Reader.  

UT clavis portam, sic pandit Epistola pectus;  
Clauditur Haec cerâ, clauditur Illa serâ.   

As Keys do open Chests,  
So Letters open breasts.   
J. H.   

A FOURTH VOLUME OF Familiar LETTERS.  

I. To Sir James Crofts Knight, at his House near Lemster.  
SIR,  
EPistles, or,( according to the word in use) Familiar Letters, may be called the larum bells of Love; I hope this will prove so to you, and have power to awaken you out of that silence wherein you have slept so long; yet I would not have this larum make any harsh obstreperous sound, but gently summon you to our former correspondence; your returns to me shall be more then larum bells, they shall Be like Silver Trumpets to rouse up my spirits, and make me take pen in hand to meet you more then half way in the old field of friendship.  
It is recorded of Galen, one of Natures Cabinet Clerks, that when he slept his Siesta( as the Spaniard calls it) or afternoon sleep, to avoid excess that way, he used to fit in such a posture that having a goldball in his hand, and a copper vessel underneath as soon as his Senses were shut, and the phantasy began to work, the ball would fall down, the noise whereof would awake him, and draw the spring-lock back again to set the outward sense at liberty; I have seen in Italy a finger-ring which in the bosse therof had a Watch, and ther was such a trick of art in it that it might be so wownded up, that it would make a small pin to prick him who wore it at such an hour he pleased in the night; Let the pen between us have the virtue of that pin: But the pen hath a thousand virtues more; You know that Anser, Apis, Vitulus, The Goose, the Bee, and the Calf do rule the World, the one affording Parchment, the other two sealing Wax, and quills to writ withall: You know also how the gaggling of goose did once preserve the capitol from being surprised by my countryman Brennus, which was the first foreign force that Rome felt; But the Goose quill doth daily greater things, it conserves Empires,( and the feathers of it gets kingdoms; witness what exploits the English performed by it in France), the Quill being the chiefest instrument of intelligence, and the Ambassadors prime tool; Nay, the quill is the usefull'st thing which preserves that noble virtue friendship, who else would perish among men for want of practise.  
I shall make no more sallies out of London this summer, therefore your Letters may be sure where to find me: Matters are still involved here in a strange confusion, but the Stars may let down milder influences, therefore cheer up, and reprieve yourself against better times, for the world would be irksome unto me if you were out of it; Hap what will, you shall be sure to find me  
Your ready and real Servant, J. H.   

II. To Mr. T. Morgan.  
SIR,  
I received two of yours upon Tuesday last, one to your brother, the other to me, but the superscriptions were mistaken, which makes me think on that famous Civilian Doctor Dale, who being employed to Flanders by Queen Elizabeth, sent in a Packet to the Secretary of State two Letters, one to the Queen, the other to his Wife, but that which was meant for the Queen was superscrib'd, To his dear Wife, and that for his Wife, To her most Excellent majesty; so that the Queen having opened his Letter, she found it beginning with Sweet Heart, and afterwards with my Dear, and Dear Love, with such expressions, acquainting her with the state of his body, and that he began to want money; you may easily guess what motions of mirth this mistake raised, but the Doctor by this oversight( or cunningnes rather) got a supply of money: This perchance may be your policy to endorse me your brother, thereby to endear me the more unto you; but you needed not to have done that, for the name friend goes sometimes further then Brother, and ther be more examples of friends that did sacrifice their lives for one another, then of Brothers, which the Writer doth think he should do for you, if the case required. But since I am fallen upon Doctor Dale, who was a witty kind of Drole, I will tell you instead of news( for ther is little good stirring now) of two other facetious tales of his; and Familiar Tales may become Familiar Letters well enough: When Queen Eliz. did first propose unto him that foreign employment to Flanders, among other encouragements she  told him, that he should have 20 s. per diem for his expenses; then, madam, said he, I will spend 19 s. a day; What will you do with the odd shilling, the Queen replied? I will reserve that for my Kate, and for Tom and Dic, meaning his wife and children, this induced the Queen to enlarge his allowance. But this that comes last is the best of all, and may be called the superlatif of the three, which was, when at the overture of the Treaty the other Ambassadors came to propose in what Language they should treat, The Spanish Ambassador answered, That the French was the most proper, because his mistress entitled her self Queen of France; Nay then, said Doctor Dale, let us treat in Hebrew, for your Master calls himself King of Jerusalem.  
I performed the civilities you enjoined me to your friends here, who return you the like centuplicated, and so doth  
Your entire friend, J. H. May 12.   

III. To the R. H. the La. E. D.  
madam,  
THer is a French saying, that courtesies and favours are like flowers, which are sweet only while they are fresh, but afterwards they quickly fade and whither. I cannot deny but your favours to me might be compared to some kind of flowers,( and they would make a thick posy) but they should be to the flower called life everlasting; or that pretty vermilion flower which grows at the foot of the Mountain Aetna in Sicily, which never loses any thing of its first colour and sent: Those favours you did me 30 yeers ago in the life-time of your incomparable Brother Mr. R. Altham,( who left us in the flower of his age) me thinks are as fresh to me as if they were done yesterday.  
Nor were it any danger to compare courtesies don to me to other flowers, as I use them; for I distill them in the alembic of my memory, and so turn them to essences.  
But madam, I honor you not as much for favours, as for that precious brooch of virtues which shine in you with that brightness, but specially for those high motions whereby your Soul soars up so often towards heaven; In so much, Madam, that if it were safe to call any Mortal a Saint, you should have that title from me, and I would be one of your chiefest Votaries; howsoever I may without any superstition subscribe myself  
Your truly devoted Servant, J. H. April 8.   

IV. To the Lord Marquis of Hartford.  
My Lord,  
I received your Lordships of the eleventh current, with the commands it carried, whereof I shall give an account in my next.  
foreign Parts afford not much matter of intelligence, it being now the dead of Winter, and the season unfit for action; But we need not go abroad for news, there is store enough at home. We see daily mighty things, and they are marvelous in our eyes; but the greatest marvel is, that nothing should now be marvail'd at, for we are so habituated to wonders, that they are grown familiar unto us.  
Poor England may be said to be like a Ship tossed up and down the surges of a turbulent Sea, having lost her old Pilot, and God he knows when she can get into safe harbour again; yet doubtless this tempest according to the usual operations of nature, and the succession of mundane effects by contrary agents, will turn at last into a calm, though many who are yet in their nonage may not live to see it.  
Your Lordship knows that this 〈◇〉, this fair frame of the Universe came out of a Chaos, an indigested lump; And that this Elementary World was made of a million of ingredients repugnant to themselves in nature( and the whole is still preserved by the reluctancy and restless combatings of these principles). We see how the Shipwright doth make use of knee-timber, and other crosse-grain'd pieces as well as of streight and even, for framing a goodly Vessel to ride on Neptunes back. The Printer useth many contrary characters in his Art to put forth a fair volume; as d is a p reversed, and u is an n turned upward, with other differing letters which yet concur all to the perfection of the whole work: Ther go many and various dissonant tones to make an harmonious consort. This puts me in mind of an excellent passage which a noble speculative Knight( Sir P. Herbert) hath in his late Conceptions to his Son; How a holy Anchorit being in a wilderness, among other contemplations he fell to admire the method of Providence, how out of causes which seem bad to us he produceth oftentimes good effects; how he suffers virtuous, loyal and religious men to be oppressed, and others to prosper: As he was transported with these ideas, a goodly young man appeared to him, and  told him, Father, I know your thoughts are distracted, and I am sent to quiet them, Therfore if you will accompany me a few daies, you shall return very well satisfied of those doubts that now encumber your mind; so going along with him they were to pass over a deep River whereon ther was a narrow bridge, and meeting there with another passenger, the young man jussled him into the water, and so drowned him: The old Anchorit being much astonished herat, would have left him, but his guide said, Father, be not amazed, because I shall give you good reasons for what I do, and you shall see stranger things then this before you and I part, but at last I shall settle your judgement, and put your mind in full repose. So going that night to lodge in an inn where there was a crew of Banditi, and debauched Ruffians, the young man struck into their company, and revell'd with them till the morning, while the Anchorit spent most of the night in numbering his beads; but as soon as they were departed thence, they met with some Officers who went to apprehended that crew of Banditi they had lest behind them. The next day they came to a Gentlemans House which was a fair Palace, where they received all the courteous hospitality which could be, but in the morning as they partend ther was a Child in a cradle which was the only son of the Gentlemans, and the young man spying his opportunity strangled the child, and so got away: The third day they came to another Inn, where the man of the House treated them with all the civility that could be, and gratis, yet the young man imbezzel'd a silver goblet, and carried it away in his pocket, which still increased the amazement of the Anchorit: The fourth day in the Evening they came to lodge at another Inn, where the host was very sullen, and uncivil unto them, exacting much more then the value of what they had spent, yet at parting the young man bestowed upon him the silver goblet he had stolen from that Host who had used them so kindly. The fift day they made towards a great rich Town, but some miles before they came at it, they met with a Merchant at the close of the day, who had a great charge of money about him, and asking the next passage to the Town, the young man put him in a clean contrary way; The Anchorit and his guide being come to the Town, at the gate they spied a devil which lay as it were sentinel, but he was asleep; they found also both men and women at sundry kind of sports, some dancing, others singing, with divers sorts of revellings; They went afterwards to a convent of Capuchins, where about the gate they found legions of devils, laying siege to that Monastery, yet they got in and lodged there that night: Being awaked the next morning, the young man came to that Cell where the Anchorit was lodged, and  told him, I know your heart is full of horror, and your head full of confusion, astonishments and doubts for what you have seen since the first time of your association: But know, that I am an Angel sent from Heaven to rectify your judgement, as also to correct a little your curiosity in the researches of the ways and acts of Providence too far; for though separately they seem strange to the shallow apprehension of man, yet conjunctly they all tend to produce good effects.  
That man which I tumbled into the River was an act of providence, for he was going upon a most mischievous dissein that would have damnified not onely his own soul, but destroyed the party against whom it was intended; therfore I prevented it.  
The cause why I conversed all night with that c●ue of Rogues was also an act of Providence; for they intended to go a robbing all that night, but I kept them there purposely till the next morning, that the hand of Justice might seize upon them.  
Touching the kind host from whom I took the silver goblet, and the clownish or knavish host, to whom I gave it, let this demonstrate unto you, That good men are liable to crosses and losses, whereof bad men oftentimes reap the benefit; but it commonly produceth patience in the one, and pride in the other.  
Concerning that noble Gentleman whose Child I strangled after so courteous entertainment, know, that that also was an Act of Providence; for the Gentleman was so indulgent and doting on that Child, that it lessened his love to heaven, so I took away the cause.  
Touching the merchant whom I misguided in his way, it was likewise an act of Providence; for had he gone the direct way to this Town, he had been robbed, and his throat cut, therefore I preserved him by that deviation.  
Now concerning this great luxurious City, whereas we spied but one Devil which lay asleep without the gate, ther being so many about this poor Convent, you must consider, that Lucifer being already assured of that riotous Town by corrupting their manners evry day more and more, he needs but one single sentinel to secure it; But for this holy place of retirement, this Monastery inhabited by so many devout souls who spend their whole lives in acts of mortification, as exercises of piety and penance, he hath brought so many legions to beleaguer them, yet he can do no good upon them, for they bear up against him most undauntedly, maugre all his infernal power and stratagems: So the young man, or Divine Messenger suddenly disappeer'd and vanished; yet leaving his fellow-traveller in good hands.  
My Lord, I crave your pardon for this extravagancy and the tediousness therof, but I hope the sublimity of the matter will make some compensation, which if I am not deceived, will well sure with your genius, for I know your contemplations to be as high as your condition, and as much above the Vulgar: This figurative story shows that the ways of Providence are inscrutable, his intention and method of operation not conformable oftentimes to human judgement, the plummets and line whereof is infinitely too short to fadom the depth of his designs; therfore let us acquiesce in an humble admiration, and with this confidence that all things co-operate to the best at last as they relate to his glory, and the general good of his creatures, though sometimes as they appear to us, by uncouth circumstances, and cross mediums.  
So in a due distance, and posture of humility I kiss your Lorships hands, as being,  
My most highly honoured Lord, Your thrice-obedient, and obliged Servitor, J. H.   

V. To R. Baker, Esquire.  
SIR,  
NOw that Lent and the Spring do make their approach, in my opinion Fasting would conduce much to the advantage of Soul and Body; Though our second Institution of observing Lent aimed at Civil respects, as to preserve the brood of cattle, and advance the profession of Fishermen, yet it concurs with the first Institution, viz. a pure spiritual End, which was to subdue the flesh, and that being brought under, our other two spiritual Enemies the World and the Devil, are the sooner overcome. The Naturalists observe, that morning spittle kills Dragons, so Fasting helps to destroy the Devil, provided it be accompanied with other acts of devotion; To fast for one day only from about nine in the morning to four in the afternoon, is but a mock-fast. The Turks do more then so in their Ramirams and Beirams, and the Jew also, for he fasts from the down in the morning till the Stars be up in the night, as you observe in the devout and delicate Poem you pleased to communicat unto me lately, I was so taken with the subject, that I presently lighted my Candle at your Torch, and fell into these Stanzas: 

1  
Now Lent is come, let us refrain  
From carnal creatures quick or slain,  
Let's fast, and macerat the flesh,  
Impound, and keep it in distress   

2  
For forty dayes, and then we shall  
Have a Replevin from the thrall,  
By that blessed Prince, who for this fast  
Will give us Angels food at last.   

3  
But to abstain from beef, hogg, goose,  
And let our appetites go loose  
To Lobsters, Crabs, Prawnes or such Fish,  
We do not Fast, but feast in this.   

4  
Not to let down Lamb, Kid or Veal,  
Hen, Plover, Turky-cock or Teal,  
And eat Botargo, Caviar,  
Anchovees, Oysters, and like fare.   

5  
Or to forbear from Flesh, Fowl, Fish,  
And eat Potatoes in a dish  
Don o'er with amber, or a mess  
Of Ringos in a Spanish dress.   

6  
Or to refrain from each hot thing  
Which Water, Earth. or Air doth bring,  
And lose a hundred pound at Gleek,  
Or be at saint when we should sleep.   

7  
Or to leave play with all high dishes,  
And feed our thoughts with wanton wishes,  
Making the soul like a light wench  
Wear patches of concupiscence.   

8  
This is not to keep Lent aright,  
But play the juggling hypocrite:  
He truly Lent observes who makes the Inward man  
To fast, as well as make the outward feed on bran.    
The French Reformists have an odd way of keeping Lent, for I have seen the walls of their Temples turned to Shambles, and flesh hanging upon them on Lent-Sundayes; Insomuch, that he who doth not know their practise, would take their Churches to be Synagogs of Jews, and that the bloody Levitical Sacrifices were offered there.  
And now that my thoughts are in France, a witty passage of Henry the Great comes into my mind, who being himself in the field sent to the old Count of Soissons to accompany him with what Forces he could make; The Count answered, That he was grown decrepit and crazy, besides, his estate was so, being much exhausted in the former Wars, and all that he could do now for his Majesty was to pray for him: Doth my cousin of Soissons, said the King, answer me so? They say, That prayer without fasting hath nothing that Efficacy, as when they are joined Ventre de St. Gris, By the belly of St. Gris, I will make him fast as well as pray, for I will not pay him a penny of his ten thousand Crowns Pension, which he hath yearly for these respects.  
The Christian Church hath a longer and more solemn way of fasting then any other Religion, take Lent and Ember-weeks together: In some Churches the Christian useth the old way of mortification by sackcloth and ashes to this day; which makes me think on a facetious tale of a Turkish Ambassador in Venice, who being return'd to Constantinople, and asked what he had observed most remarkable in that so rare a City? he answered, That among other things the Christian hath a kind of ashes, which thrown upon the head doth presently cure madness; for in Venice I saw the people go up and down the streets( said he) in ugly, antic strange disguises, as being in the eye of human reason stark mad, but the next day( meaning Ashwensday) they are suddenly cured of that madness by a sort of ashes which they cast upon their heads.  
If the said Ambassador were here among us, he would think our Modern Gallants were also all mad, or subject to be mad, because they ash and powder their pericraniums all the year long.  
So wishing you Meditations suitable to the season, and good thoughts which are best when they are the osprings of good actions, I rest,  
Ashwensday, 1654. Your ready and real friend, J. H.   

VI. To Mr. R. Manwayring.  
My dear Dick,  
IF you are as well when you red this, as I was when I wrote it, we are both well; I am certain of the one, but anxious of the other, in regard of your so long silence; I pray at the return of this Post let your Pen pull out this thorn that hath got into my thoughts, and let me have oftener room in yours, for you know I am your perfect friend,  
J. H.   

VII. To Sir Edward Spencer Knight.  
SIR,  
I Find by your last of the first current, that your thoughts are much busied in forming your new Common wealth; and whereas the Province that is allotted to me is to treat of a right way to govern the female Sex, I hold my lot to be fallen upon a fair ground, and I will endeavour to husband it accordingly; I find also that for the establishment of this new Republic you have culled out the choicest Wits in all faculties, therfore I account it an honor that you have put me in the List, though the least of them.  
In evry species of Government, and indeed among all Societies of mankind( Reclus'd Orders, and other Regulars excepted) there must be a special care had of the female kind; for nothing can conduce more to the propagation, and perpetuity of a Republic, then the well managing of that gentle and useful Sex; For though they be accounted the weaker vessels, yet are they those in whom the whole mass of mankind is moulded, therfore they must not be used like Saffron bags, or Verdé bottles which are thrown into some by-corner when the wine, and spice are taken out of them.  
It was an opinion truly befiting a Jew to hold, That Woman is of an inferior creation to Man, being made only for multiplication and pleasure, therfore hath she no admittance into the body of the synagogue; Such another opinion was that of the Pagan Poet who stutter'd out this verse, that ther are but two good hours of any woman,  
〈◇〉: Unam in thalamo, alieram in tumulo; One hour in Bed, the other in the Grave.  
Moreover, I hold also that of the Orator to be a wild extravagant speech, when he said, that if Women were not conterranean and mingled with men, Angels would descend and dwell among us. But a far wilder speech was that of the Dogg-Philosopher, who termed Women Necessary Evils. Of this Cynical Sect, it seems was he, who would needs make Orcus to be the Anagram of Uxor, by contracting c, s into an x. Uxor et Orcus— idem.  
Yet I confess, that among this Sex, as among men, ther are some good, some bad, some virtuous, some vicious, and some of an indifferent nature in whom virtue makes a compensation for 'vice. If ther was an Empresse in Rome so cunning in her lust, that she would take in no passenger until the vessel was freighted,( for fear the resemblance of the child might discover the true father,) Ther was a Zenobia in Asia who would not suffer her husband to know her carnally no longer when once she found her self quick. If ther were a Queen of France that poisoned her King, ther was a Queen in England, who when her Husband had been shot with an envenomed arrow in the Holy Land, sucked out the poison with her own mouth when none else would do it. If the Lady Barbara Wife to sigismond the Emperour; being advised by her ghostly Father after his death to live like a Turtle, having lost such a Mate that the world had not the like, made this wanton answer, Father, since you would have me to led the life of a bide, why not of a Sparrow, as well as of a Turtle? Which she did afterwards; I say, if ther were such a Lady Barbara. Ther was the Lady Beatrix, who after Henry her Emperours death lived after like a Dove, and immured her self in a Monastic Cell. But what shall I say of Queen Artemisia who had an Urnful of her husband Mausolu's ashes in her closet, whereof she would take down a dram every morning next her heart, saying, that her body was the fittest place to be a sepulchre to her dear Husband, notwithstanding that she had erected such a Tomb for the rest of his body that to this day is one of the wonders of the world.  
Moreover, it cannot be denied, but some females are of a high and harsh nature, witness those that two of our late greatest Clerks for Law and Learning( Lo. B. and C.) did meet withall, one of whom was said to have brought back her Husband to his horn-book again: As also Moyses and Socrates Wives, who were Zipporah and Xantippe, you may guess at the humour of One in the holy Code, And for Xantippe, among many other instances which might be produced let this serve for one; After she had scolded her Husband one day out of doors, as the poor man was going out, she whipped up into an upper loft, and threw a pisspot full upon his Sconce, which made the Patient Philosopher( or Foolosopher) to break into this speech for the venting of his passion, I thought after so much thunder we should have rain. To this may be added my neighbours Strowd's Wife in Westminster, who once ringing him a peal as she was basting his roast( for he was a Cook) after he had newly come from the Tavern upon Sunday Evening she grew hotter and hotter against him, having Hell and the Devil in her mouth to whom she often bequeathed him; The staring Husband having heard her a great while with silence, at last answered, I prithee sweet heart do not talk so much to me of the Devil, because I know he will do me no hurt, for I have married his Kinswoman. I know ther are many that wear horns, and ride daily upon Collstaves, but this proceeds not so often from the fault of the Female, as the sillines of the Husband who knows not how to manage a Wife.  
But a thousand such instances are not able to make me a Mysogenes, a Female-foe, therfore towards the policing and perpetuating of this your new Republic, ther must be some special rules for regulating of Marriage; for a wife is the best or the worst fortune that can betid a man throughout the whole train of his life: Plato's promiscuous concubitus or copulation is more proper for Beasts then Rational Creatures: That incestuous custom they have in China, that one should mary his own sister, and in default of one, the next akin, I utterly dislike: Nor do I approve of that goatish latitude of lust which the Alcoran allows, for one man to have eight Wives, and as many Concubines as he can well maintain; Nor of another branch of their Law, That a man should mary after such an age under pain of mortal sin,( for then what would become of me?) No, I would have every man left at liberty in this point, for ther are men enough besides to people the Earth.  
But that opinion of a poor shallow-brain'd puppy, who upon any cause of disaffection, would have men to have a privilege to change their Wives or repudiat them, deserves to be hissed at rather then confuted; for nothing can tend more to usher in all confusion and beggary throughout the world; Therfore that Wise-aker deserves of all other to wear a toting horn. In this Republic one man should be contented with one Wife, and he may have work enough to do with her: But whereas in other Common-wealths men use to wear invisible horns, it would be a wholesome constitution, that they who upon too much jealousy and restraint, or ill usage of their Wives, or indeed not knowing how to use and man them aright,( which is one of the prime points of masculine discretion As also) they who according to that barbarous custom in Russia do use to beat their Wives duly once a week: But specially they who in their absence coop them up and secure their bodies with locks, I say it would be a very fitting Ordinance in this new moulded Common-Wealth, that all such who impel their Wives by these means to change their Riders, should wear plain visible horns that passengers may beware of them as they go along, and give warning to others,— Cornu ferit Ille Caveto. For indeed nothing doth incite the mass of blood, and muster up libidinous thoughts more then diffidence, and restraint.  
Moreover, in coupling women by way of Matrimony, it would be a good Law, and consentaneous to reason, if out of all Dowries exceeding 100 l. ther should be two out of every cent deducted and put into a common Tresury for putting off hard-favor'd and poor Maids.  
Touching Virginity and the Vestal fire I could wish 'twere the worst custom the Roman Church had, when gentle souls to endear themselves the more unto their Creator, do immure their bodies within perpetual bounds of chastity, dieting themselves and using austerities accordingly, whereby, bidding a farewell, and dying unto the world, they bury themselves alive as it were, and so pass their time in constant exercises of piety, and penance night and day, or in some other employments of virtue, holding idleness to be a mortal sin: were this cloistered course of life merely spontaneous and unforced, I could well be contented that it were practised in your new Republic.  
But ther are other kind of cloisters in some Common-Wealths, and among those who are accounted the wisest and best policed, which cloisters are of a clean contrary nature to the former: These they call the Courtesan cloisters. And as in the other some females shut up themselves to keep the sacred fire of pudicity and ꝯtinence, so in these latter ther are some of the hansom'st sorts of females who are connived at to quench the flames of irregular lust, lest they should break into the lawful married bed. 'Tis true, Nature hath poured more active, and hotter blood into the veins of some men wherein ther are stronger appetites and motions, which motions were not given by nature to be a torment to man, but to be turned into delight, health and propagation; Therfore they to whom the gift of ꝯtinence is denied, and have not the conveniency to have debita vasa, and lawful coolers of their own by way of wedlock, use to extinguish their fires in these Venerean cloisters, rather then abuse their neighbours Wives, and break into other mens enclosures. But whether such a custom may be connived at in this your Republic, and that such a Common may be allowed to them who have no enclosures of their own, I leave to wiser Legislators then myself to determine, specially in South-east hot Countreys where Venerean tit●llation( which Scaliger held to be a sixth outward sense, but ridiculously) is in a stronger degree, I say, I leave others to judge whether such a rendezvous be to be connived at in hotter climbs where both Air, and Food, and the blood of the grape do all concur to make one more libidinous. But it is a vulgar error to think that the heat of the climb is the cause of lust; It proceeds rather from adust choler and melancholy that predominat, which humors carry with them a salt and sharp itching quality.  
The dull Hollander( with other north-west Nations, whose blood may be said to be as buttermilk in their veins) is not so frequently subject to such fits of lust, therfore he hath no such cloisters or Houses for Ladies of pleasure; witness the tale of Hans Boobikin a rich Boors Son, whom his Father had sent abroad a Fryring, that is, a Shroving in our Language, and so put him in an equippage accordingly, having a new Sword and Scarf, with a gold Hatband and money in his purse to visit handsome Ladies; but Hans, not knowing where to go else, went to his Granmothers House, where he fell a courting and feasting of her; But his Father questioning him at his return where he had been a fryring, and he answering that he had been at his Granmothers; The Boor replied, Gods Sacramant, I hope thou hast not lain with my Mother: Yes, said Boobikin, Why should not I lie with your Mother, as you have lain with mine?  
Thus in conformity to your desires, and the task imposed upon me, have I scribbled out this piece of Drollery, which is the way, as I take it, that your design drives at; I reserve some things till I see what others have don in the several Provinces they have undertaken towards the settlement of your new Republic.  
So with a thousand thanks for your last hospitable favours, I rest as I have reason, and as you know me to be  
Your own true Servant, J. H. London, this 24 of Jan.   

VIII. To Mr. T. V. Barister, at his Chamber in the Temple.  
cousin Tom,  
I Did not think it was in the power of passion to have wrought upon you with that violence; for I do not remember to have known any( of so seasoned a judgement as you are) lost so far after so frail a thing as a Female; but you will say Hercules himself stooped hereunto, 'tis true he did, as appeers by this Distich, 
Lenam non potnit, potuit superare Leaenam,  
Quem Fera non potuit vincere vicit Hera.   
The saying also of the old Comic Poet makes for you, when he said, Qui in amorem cecidit pejus agit quàm si saxon saliat, To be tormented with love is worse then to dance upon hot stones: Therfore partly out of a sense of your suffering, as well as upon the seriousness of your request, but specially understanding that the Gentlewoman hath Parts and Portion accordingly, I have don what you desired me in these lines; which though plain, short, and sudden, yet they display the manner how you were surprised, and the depth of your passion.  

To Mrs. E. B.  
Apelles, Prince of Painters, did  
All others in that Art exceed,  
But you surpass him, For he took  
some pains and time to draw a look,  
You in a trice and moments space  
Have portrayed in my Heart your Face.   
I wish this Hexastic may have power to strike her as deep as I find her eyes struck you. The Spaniard saith ther are four things required in a wooer, viz. to be Savio, Secreto, Selo and Sollicito, that is, to be solicitous, Secret, Sole and Sage: Observe these rules, and she may make Her self your Client, and so employ you to open her Case, and recover her Portion, which I hear is in Hucksters hands.  
So my dear cousin, I hearty wish you the accomplishment of your desires, and rest upon all occasions  
At your dispose, J. H.   

IX. To Sir R. Williams Knight.  
SIR,  
I Am one among many who much rejoice at the fortunat windfall that happened lately, which hath so fairly raised and recreuted your fortunes. It is commonly seen, that Ubi est multùm Phantasiae( viz. ingenii) ibi est parùm Fortunae, & ubi est multùm Fortunae ibi est parùm Phantasiae. Where ther is much of Fancy, ther is little of Fortune; and where ther is much of Fortune, ther's little of Fancy. It seems that Recorder Fleetwood reflected upon one part of this saying, when, in his Speech to the Londoners, among other passages whereby he soothed and stroked them, he said, When I consider your wit, I admire your wealth. But touching the Latin saying it is quiter convinced in you, for you have Fancy and Fortune( now) in abundance: And a strong argument may be drawn, That Fortune is not blind, by her carriage to you, for she saw well enough what she did, when she smiled so lately upon you.  
Now, he is the really rich man who can make true use of his riches, He makes not Nummum his Numen, money his God, but makes himself Dominum Nummi, but becomes Master of his penny: The first is the arrand'st beggar, and slave that is; nay, He is worse then the Arcadian ass, who while he carrieth gold on his back, eats thistles: He is base then that sordid Italian Stationer, who would not allow himself brown paper enough to wipe his posteriors.  
Now, it is observed to be the nature of covetousness, that when all other sins grow old, covetousness in some sordid souls grows younger and younger, hence I believe sprung the city Proverb, That the Son is happy whose Father went to the Devil. Yet I like the saying Tom Waters hath often in his mouth, I had rather leave when I die, then lack while I live. But why do I speak of these things to you who have so noble a Soul, and so much above the Vulgar?  
Your friend Mr. Watts is still troubled with coughing, and truly I believe he is not to be long among us: for, as the Turk hath it, A dry Cough is the Trompeter of death: He presents his most affectionate respects unto you, and so doth,  
My noble Knight, Your ever obliged Servant, J. H.   

X. To Sir R. carry Knight.  
SIR,  
I Had yours of the 20th currrent on St. Thomas yeeve, which was most welcome unto me; and( to make a seasonable comparison) your Letters are like Christmas, they come but once a year; yet I made very good cheer with your last, specially with that Seraphic Hymn which came enclosed therwith to usher in this Holy tide; and to correspond with you in some measure that way, I have return'd you another of the same subject: For as I have observed, two Lutes being tuned alike, if one of them be played upon, the other, though being a good way distant, will sound of itself, and keep symphony with the first that's played upon,( which whether it proceeds from the mere motion of the air, or the emanation of Atoms, I will not undertake to determine,) So the sound of your Muse hath screwed up mine to the same key and tune in these ternaries: 

Upon the Nativity of our Saviour.  

1  
Wonder of wonders, Earth and Sky,  
Time mingleth with Eternity,  
And Matter with Immensity:   

2  
The Sun becomes an Atom; And a Star  
Turns to a Candle to light Kings from far  
To see a spectacle so wondrous rare.   

3  
A Virgin bears a Son, that Son doth bear  
A World of sin, acquitting mans arrear,  
Since guilty Adam figtree leaves did wear.   

4  
A Majesty both infinite and just  
Offended was, therfore the offering must  
Be such, to expiat frail flesh and dust.   

5  
When no such Victim could be found  
Throughout the whole expansive Round  
Of Heaven, of Air, of Sea, or Ground,   

6  
The Prince of Life Himself descends  
To make Astraea full amends,  
And human souls from Hell defends.   

7  
Was ever such a love as this,  
That the Eternal Heir of bliss  
Should stoop to such a low abyss?     
The Muse confounded with the mystery according to the subject matter, ends with a question of admiration.  
So wishing you as hearty as to myself( according to the instant season, and the old compliment of England) a merry Christmas, and consequently a happy new year, I subscribe myself,  
St. Innocents day, 1654. Your entirely devoted Servant, J. H.   

XI. To J. Sutton, Esq;  
SIR,  
chambermaids you desire my opinion of the late History translated by Mr. Wad: of the Civil Wars of Spain in the beginning of Charles the Emperours Reign, I cannot choose but tell you, That it is a faithful and pure maiden story, never blown upon before in any Language but in Spanish, therfore very worthy your perusal: For among those various kind of studies that your contemplative soul delights in, I hold History to be most fitting to your quality.  
Now, among those sundry advantages which accrue to a Reader of History, one is, that no Modern accident can seem strange unto him, much less astonish him: He will leave off wondering at any thing, in regard he may remember to have red of the same; or much like the same that happened in former times; therfore he doth not stand staring like a child at evry unusual spectacle, like that simplo American; who, the first time he saw a Spaniard on horseback, thought the man and the beast to be but one creature, and that the horse did chew the rings of his bit, and eat them.  
Now, indeed, not to be an Historian, that is not to know what foreign Nations, and our Forefathers did, Hoc est semper esse Puer, as Cicero hath it, this is still to be a child who gazeth at evry thing. Whence may be inferred, ther is no knowledge that ripeneth the judgement, and puts one out of his nonage sooner then History.  
If I had not formerly red the Barons Wars in England, I had more admired that of the Liguers in France: He who had red the near upon fourscore yeers wars in Low-Germany, I believe never wondered at the late thirty yeers wars in High-Germany. I had wondered more that Richard of Bourdeaux was knocked down with halberds, had I not red formerly that Edward of Caernarvon was made away by a hot iron thrust up his fondament. It was strange that Murat the great Ottomon Emperour should be lately strangled in his own Court at Constantinople, yet considering that Osman his Predecessor had been knocked down by one of his ordinary slaves not many yeers before, it was not strange at all. The Blazing Star in Virgo 34 yeers since did not seem strange to him who had red of that which appeared in Cassiopaeïa and other Constellations some yeers before. Hence may be inferred, That History is the great Looking-Glasse through which we may behold with Ancestral eyes, not only the various actions of ages passed, and the odd accidents that attend time, but also discern the different humors of men, and feel the pulse of former times.  
This History will display the very intrinsecals of the castilian, who goes for the prime Spaniard, and make that opinion a Paradox, which cries him up to be so constant to his principles, so loyal to his Prince, and so conformable to Government, for it will discover as much levity, and tumultuary passions in him as in other Nations.  
Among divers other Examples which could be produced out of this story, I will instance in one: When Juan de Padillia an infamous fellow, and of base Extraction was made General of the people, among others ther was a Priest, that being a great zealot for him used to pray publicly in the Church, Let us pray for the holy commonalty, and his Majesty Don Juan de Padillia, and for the Lady Donna Maria Pacheco his Wife, &c. But a little after some of Juan de Padilla's Soldiers having quartered in his house, and pitifully plundered him, the next Sunday the same Priest said in the Church, Beloved Christians, you know how Juan de Padilla passing this way, some of his Brigade were billeted in my House, Truly they have not left me one chicken, they have drunk up a whole barrel of Wine, devoured my Bacon, and taken away my Catalina, my Maid Kate, I charge you therfore to pray no more for him, &c. Divers such traverses as these may be red in that story, which may be the reason why it was suppressed in Spain, that it should not cross the Seas, or clammer o'er the Pyreneans to acquaint other Nations with their foolery and baseness; yet Mr. Simon Digby, a Gentleman of much worth got a Copy, which he brought over with him, out of which this Translation is derived; though I must tell you by the by, that some passages were commanded to be omitted, because they had too near an analogy with our times.  
So in a serious way of true friendship, I profess myself,  
Your most affectionate Servant, J. H. London, 15 Jan.   

XII. To the Lo. Marquis of Dorchester.  
My Lord,  
THer is a sentence that carrieth a high sense with it, viz. Ingenia Principum fata Temporum, The fancy of the Prince is the fate of the times in point of Peace or war, Oppression or Justice, virtue or 'vice, profanes or devotion, for Regis ad exemplum; But ther is another saying which is as true, viz. Genius plebis est fatum Principis, The happiness of the Prince depends upon the humour ' of the people. Ther cannot be a more pregnant example hereof, then in that successful and long-lived Queen, Q. Elizabeth, who having come as it were from the Scaffold to the Throne, enjoyed a wonderful calm,( excepting some short gusts of insurrection that happened in the beginning) for nere upon 45 yeers together: But this, my Lord, may be imputed to the temper of the people, who had had a boisterous King not long before, with so many revolutions in Religion, and a Minor King afterward which made them to be governed by their fellow-Subjects; And the fire and faggot being frequent among them in Queen Maries daies, the humors of the common people were pretty well spent, and so were willing to comform to any Government that might preserve them and their estates in quietness. Yet in the Reign of that so popular and wel-belov'd Queen, ther were many traverses which trenched as much if not more upon the privileges of Parlement, and the Liberties of the people, then any that happened in the Reign of the two last Kings, yet it was not their fate to be so popular. Touching the first, viz. Parlement; In one of hers, ther was a motion made in the House of Commons, that ther should be a Lecture in the morning some daies of the week before they sate, whereunto the House was very inclinable: The Queen hearing of it, sent them a Message that she much wondered at their rashness, that they should offer to introduce such an Innovation.  
Another Parlement would have proposed ways for the regulation of her Court; but she sent them another such Message, That she wondered they being called by her thither to consult of public affairs, they should intermeddle with the government of her ordinary Family, and to think her to be so ill a housewife as not to be able to look to her own house her self.  
In another Parlement ther was a motion made, that the Queen should entail the succession of the Crown, and declare her next Heir: but Wentworth who proposed it, was committed to the Tower, where he breathed his last; and Bromley upon a less occasion was clapped in the Fleet,  
Another time the House petitioning that some Lords might join in private Committees with the Commoners, she utterly rejected it. You know how Stubbs and page. had their hands cut off with a Butchers knife and a Mallet, because they writ against the Match with the Duke of Anjou; and Penry was hanged at Tyburn, though allured who writ a bitter invective against the late Spanish Match, was but confined for a short time; how Sir John Heywood was shut up in the Tower, for an Epistle Dedicatory to the Earl of Essex, &c.  
Touching her favourites, what a monster of a man was Leicester, who first brought the Art of poysning into England? How many of her Maids of Honor did receive claps at Court? Add hereunto that Privy seals were common in her daies, and pressing of men more frequent, specially for Ireland, where they were sent in handfuls rather to continue a war,( by the cunning of the Officers) then to conclude it. The three Fleets she sent against the Spaniard did hardly make the benefit of the Voyages to countervail the charge. How poorly did the English Garrison quit Haure de Grace? and how were we baffled for the arrears that were due unto England( by article) for the Forces sent into France? For buildings, with all kind of braveries else that use to make a Nation happy, as Riches and Commerce inward and outward, it was not the twentieth part so much in the best of her dayes,( as appeers by the Custom-House Book) as it was in the Reign of her Successors.  
Touching the Religion of the Court, she seldom came to Sermon but in Lent time, nor did ther use to be any Sermon upon sundays, unless they were Festivals: whereas the two succeeding Kings had two duly every morning, one for the household, the other for themselves, where they were always present, as also at private prayers in the closet; yet it was not their fortune to gain so much upon the affections of City or country: Therfore, my Lord, the felicity of Queen Elizabeth may be much imputed to the rare temper and moderation of mens minds in those daies, for the pulse of the common people, and Londoners did beat nothing so high as it did afterwards when they grew pampered with so long peace and plenty. Add hereunto, that neither Hans, usually, or John Calvin, had taken such footing here as they did get afterwards, whose humour is to prie and peep with a kind of malice into the carriage of the Court and mysteries of State, as also to malign Nobility, with the wealth and solemnities of the Church.  
My Lord, it is far from my meaning hereby to let drop the least aspersion upon the Tomb of that rare renowned Queen, but it is only to observe the diffring temper both of time and people. The famed of some Princes is like the Rose, which, as we find by Experience, smells sweeter after 'tis plucked: The memory of others is like the Tulyp and Poppie, which make a gay show, and fair flourish while they stand upon the stalk, but being cut down, they give an ill-favor'd sent: It was the happiness of that great long-lived Queen to cast a pleasing odour among her people both while she stood, and after she was cut off by the common stroke of mortality; and the older the world grows, the fresher her famed will be. Yet she is little beholden to any foreign Writers, unless it be the Hollanders, and good reason they had to speak well of her, for she was the chiefest Instrument who, though with the expense of much English blood, and bullion, raised them to a Republic, by casting that fatal bone for the Spaniard to gnaw upon, which shook his teeth so ill-favoredly for fourscore yeers together. Other Writers speak bitterly of her for her carriage to her Sister the Queen of Scots, for her ingratitude to her brother Philip of Spain; for giving advice by her Ambassador with the great Turk to expel the Jesuitts, who had got a college in Pera, as also that her Secretary Walsingham should project the poysning of the Waters of Donay; and lastly, how she suffered the Festival of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in September to be turned to the celebration of her own birth-day, &c. But these stains are cast upon her by her enemies; and the aspersions of an Enemy use to be like the dirt of Oysters, which doth rather cleanse then contaminat.  
Thus, my Lord, have I pointed at some remarks, to show how various and discrepant the humors of a Nation may be, and the genius of the Times, from what it was; which doubtless must proceed from a High all-disposing power: A speculation that may become the greatest, and knowing'st spirits, among whom your Lordship doth shine as a star of the first magnitud; For your House may be called a true Academy, and your head the Capitol of knowledge, or rather an Exchequer, wherein ther is treasure enough to give Pensions to all the wits of the Time; with these thoughts I rest,  
My most highly honoured Lord, Your very obedient, and ever obliged Servant, J. H. land. this 15. of Aug.   

XIII. To Mr. R. Floyd.  
cousin Floyd,  
THe first part of Wisdom is to give good counsel, the second to take it, and the third to fellow it; Though you be young, yet you may be already capable of the two latter parts of wisdom, and it is the onely way to attain to the first: therfore I wish you to take and follow the good counsel of your Oncle J. for I know him to be a very discreet well-weigh'd Gentleman, and I can judge something of men, for I have studied many: Therfore if you steer by his compass in this great business you have undertaken, you need not fear shipwrak. This is the advice of  
Your truly affectionate cousin, J. H. London, 6. Apr.   

XIV. To my Reverend and Learned countryman, Mr. R. Jones.  
SIR,  
IT is, among many other, one of my imperfections, that I am not versed in my maternal tongue so exactly as I should be; The reason is, that Languages and words( which are the chief creatures of man, and the keys of knowledge) may be said to stick in the memory like nails or peggs in a Wainscott door, which use to thrust out one another oftentimes: Yet the old British is not so driven out of mine,( for the cask savours still of the liquour it first took in) but I can say something of this elaborat and ingenious piece of yours which you please to communicat unto me so early; I cannot compare it more properly then to a basket of Posies gathered in the best garden of flowers the Sacred Scriptures, and bound up with such art, that evry flower directs us where his bed may be found: Whence I infer, that this Work will much conduce to the advancement of 〈◇〉, or Scripture knowledge., and consequently to the public good; It will also tend to the honor of our whole country, and to your own particular Repute: Therfore I wish you good success to make this child of your brain free denizen of the World.  
J. H. London, 17. Sept.   

XV. To J. S. Esq; at whitefriars.  
SIR,  
THis new piece of Philosophy comes to usher in the new-Yeer unto you; it dropped from the brain of one of the doest spirits of France, and a great parsonage( the Duke of Espernon), though heterodoxal, and cross-grained to the old Philosophers: Among divers other Tenets he holds, that Privatio is unworthy to be one of the three Principles of natural things, and would put Love in the place of it: But you know, Sir, that among other infirmities which Nature hath entayl'd upon man while he gropes here for truth among the Elements, discrepancy of Notions, and desire of Novelty are none of the least.  
Now, touching this Critical Tract ther's not any more capable to censure it then yourself, whose judgement is known to be so sound and magisterial; let the pettines of the gift be supplied by the pregnancy of the Will, which swells with mountains of desires to serve you, and to show in action as well as in words, how ready I would be  
At your disposing, J. H. London, 2. Jan.   

XVI. To the Earl of Lindsey Great Chamberlain of England, at Ricot.  
My Lord,  
I Most humbly thank your Lordship for the noble Present you commanded to be sent me from Grimsthorp, where, without disparagement to any, I may say you live as much like a Prince as any Grande in Christendom. Among those many Heroik parts( which appeared so much in that tough battle of Kinton, where having all your Officers killed, yet you kept the Field, and preserved your wounded Father from the fury of the Soldier, and from death for the time: As also for being the inseparablest Cubicular Companion the King took comfort in, in the height of his troubles,) I say, among other high parts which speak you noble, you are cried up, my Lord, to be an excellent Horseman, Huntsman, and Forester. This makes me bold to make your Lordship the Judge of a small discourse, which upon a Critical dispute touching the vocal foreste that goes abroad in my name, was imposed upon me, to satisfy them who thought I knew something more then ordinary, what belonged to a true foreste.  
Ther be three places for Venery or Venatical pleasure in England, viz. a foreste, a Chase, and a Park, they all three agree in one thing, which is, that they are habitations for wild beasts; The two first lie open, the last enclosed: The foreste is the most noble of all, for it is a Franchise of so Princely a tenor, that, according to our laws, none but the King can have a foreste; If he chance to pass one over to a Subject, 'tis no more foreste, but frank chase. Moreover, a foreste hath the pre-eminence of the other two both in Laws, in Officers, in Courts and kinds of beasts. If any offend in a Chase or Park, he is punishable by the Common Law of the Land; But a foreste hath laws of her own to take cognisance of all trespasses; she hath also her peculiar Officers, as Foresters, Verderers, Regarders, Agisters, &c. whereas a Chase or Park hath only Keepers and Woodwards. A foreste hath her Court of attachments, or Swainmote Court, where matters are as pleadable, and determinable, as at Westminster-Hall. Lastly, they differ something in the species of beasts; The Hart, the Hind, the Hare, the Bore, the Wolf are foreste beasts. The Buck, the do, the Fox, the Matron, the row are beasts belonging to a Chase and Park  
The greatest Forester they say that ever was in England was King Canutus the Dane, and after him St. Edward, at which time Liber Rufus the read Book for foreste laws was made; whereof one of the Laws was, Omnis Homo abstineat à Venariis meis supper poenam Vitae; Let evry one refrain from my places of hunting upon pain of death.  
Henry fitz Empresse( viz. the second) did coafforest much land, which continued all his reign, though much complained of: But in King John's time most of the Nobles and Gentry met in the great meadow 'twixt Winsore and Stanes, to petition the King that he would disafforest some, which he promised to do, but death prevented him; But in Henry the thirds time the Charta de Foresta( together with Magna Charta) were established; so that ther was much land disafforested, which hath been called pourlieus ever since, whereof ther were appointed Rangers, &c.  
Among other innocent animals which have suffered by these wars, the poor dear have felt the fury therof as much as any; Nay, the very Vegetals have endured the brunt of it: Insomuch that it is not improperly said, That England of late is full of New Lights, her Woods being cut down, and so much destroyed in most places. So craving your Lordships pardon for this rambling piece of paper, I rest,  
My most highly honoured Lord, Your obedient, and ever obliged Servant, J. H. London, 3. Aug.   

XVII. To Mr. E. Field at Orleans.  
SIR,  
IN your last you writ to me that you are settled for a while in Orleans the loveliest City upon the Loire, and the best School for gaining pure Language, for as the Attique dialect in Greece, so the Aurelian in France doth bear the bell: But I must tell you, though you live now upon a brave River that divides France well nere in two parts, yet she is held to be the drunkenst River in Christendom, for she swallows 32 other Rivers which she disgorgeth all into the Sea at Nants: she may be called a more drunken River then Ebro in Spain, which takes her name from Ebrio according to the proverb there, Me llamo Ebro porque de todas aguas bevo, I call myself Ebro, because I drink of all waters.  
Moreover, Though you sojourned now in one of the plentifull'st Continents upon Earth, yet I believe you will find the people, I mean the Peasans, no where poorer, and more slavish; which convinceth two Errors, one of Aristotle, who affirms, that the country of Gallia though bordering upon Spain hath no Asses: If he were living now he would avouch the greatest part of the Inhabitants to be all Asses, they lie under such an intolerable burden of taxes: The second Error is, That France is held to be the freest country upon Earth to all people; for if a slave comes once to breath French air, he is free ipso facto, if we may believe Bodin, it being a fundamental Law of France, Servi peregrini, ut primùm Galliae fines penetraverint liberi sunto, Let stranger-slaves as soon as they shall penetrat the borders of France be free. I know not what privilege strangers may claim, but for the Native French themselves, I hold them to be under the greatest servitude of any other Nation. Ther is another Law in France which inhibits women to rule; but what benefit doth accrue by this Law all the while that women are Regent and govern those who do rule? which hath been exemplified in three Queen-Mothers together; The Huguenots have long since voted the first two to Hell to increase the number of the Furies, and the Spaniard hath voted the third thither to make up the half dozen, for continuing a more violent war against her now only brother, and with more eagerness then her husband did.  
So I wish you all happiness in your peregrination, advising you to take heed of that turbid humour of melancholy, which they say you are too prove unto; For take this for a rule, that He who makes much of Melancholy will never be rid of a troublesome Companion: So I rest,  
Gentle Sir, Your most affectionate Servitor, J. H. London, 3. May.   

XVIII. To the La. E. Counteffe Dowager of Sunderland.  
madam,  
I Am bold to sand your La. to the country a new Venice Looking-Glasse wherein you may behold that admired Maiden-Citty in her true complexion, together with her Government and Policy, for which she is famous all the world over; Therfore if at your hours of leisure you please to cast your eyes upon this glass, I doubt not but it will afford you some objects of entertainment, and pleasure.  
Moreover, your ladyship may discern through this glass the motions, and the very heart of the author, how he continueth still, and resolves so to do in what condition soever he be,  
madam, Your most constant and dutiful Servant, J. H. London, 15 Junii.   

XIX. To the R. H. the Earl of clear,  
My Lord,  
AMong those high parts that go to make up a Grandee, which I find concentred in your Lordship, one is, the exact knowledge you have of many Languages not in a superficial vapouring way as some of our Gallants have now a daies, but in a most exact manner both in point of practise, and theory; This induced me to give your Lordship an account of a task that was imposed lately upon me by an emergent occasion touching the Original, the growth, the changes and present consistence of the French Language, which I hope may afford your Lordship some entertainment.  
Ther is nothing so incident to all Sublunary things as corruptions and changes; Nor is it to be wondered at, considering that the Elements themselves which are the principles or primitive Ingredients whereof they be compounded, are naturally so qualified: It were as easy a thing for the Spectators eye to fasten a firm shape upon a running cloud, or to cut out a garment that but for a few daies together might fit the Moon,( who by privilege of her situation and neighbourhood predominats more over us then any other Celestial body) as to find stability in any thing here below.  
Nor is this common frailty, or fatality rather, incident only to the grosser sort of Elementary creatures, but Mankind, upon whom it pleased the Almighty to imprint his own Image, and make him as it were Lord Paramount of this Lower World, is subject to the same lubricity of Mutation; Neither is his Body and blood only liable thereunto, but the ideas of his mind, and interior operations of his Soul, Religion her self with the notions of holiness, and the formality of saving faith not excepted, nay, the very faculty of Reason( as we find it too true by late experience) is subject to the same instablenes.  
But to come to our present purpose, among other privileges which are peculiar to mankind, as Emanations flowing from the Intellect, Language is none of the least, And Languages are subject to the same fits of inconstancy and alteration as much as any thing else, specially the French Language; Nor can it seem strange to those who know the Airy volatile humour of that Nation, that their speech should partake somewhat of the disposition of their spirit, but will rather wonder it hath received no oftener change, specially considering what outward causes did also concur thereunto; As that their Kings should make six several Voyages to conquer or conserve what was got in the Holy Land; Considering also how long the English being a people of another speech kept firm footing in the heart of France: Add hereunto the wars and Weddings they had with their Neighbours, which, by the long sojourned of their Armies in other Countreys caused by the first, and the foreign Courtiers that came in with the second, might introduce a frequent alteration: For Languages are like laws or coins which commonly receive some change at evry sift of Princes; Or as slow Rivers by insensible alluvions take in and let out the Waters that feed them, yet are they said to have still the same beds, so Languages by a regardless adoption of some new words, and manumission of old do often vary, yet the whole bulk of the speech keeps entire.  
Touching the true ancient and genuine Language of the Gaules, some would have it to be a dialect of the Dutch, others of the Greek, and some of the British or Welsh. Concerning this last opinion, ther be many reasons to fortify it, which are not altogether to be slighted.  
The first is, that the ancient Gaules used to come frequently to be instructed here by the British Druyds who were the Divines and Philosophers of those times, which they would not probably have done, unless by mutual communication they had understood one another in some Vulgar Language, for this was before the Greek or Latin came this side the Alps, or that any Books were written, and ther are no meaner men then Tacitus and Caesar himself who record this.  
The second reason is, that ther want not good Geographers who hold, that this island was tied to Gallia at first( as some say Sicily was to Calabria, and Denmark to Germany) by an Istmos or neck of land from Calais to Dover; for if one do well observe the quality of the Cliffs on both shores, his eye will judge that they were but one homogeneal piece of earth at first, and that they were slented and shivered asunder by some act of violence as the impetuous waves of the Sea.  
The third reason is, that before the romans conquered the Gaules, the country was called Wallia, which the Romans called Gallia, turning W into G as they did else where, yet the Walloon keeps his radical letter to this day.  
The fourth reason is, that ther be divers old Gaulick words yet remaining in the French which are pure British both for sense and pronunciation, as Havre a Haven, which is the same in Welsh, derechef again, putaine a whore, arrain brass money, prou an interjection of stoping, or driving of a beast, but specially, when one speaks any old word in French that cannot be understood, they say il parley Baragouin, which is to this day in Welsh, White bread.  
Lastly, Pausanias saith, That Mark in the Celtik old French tongue signifieth a horse, and it signifieth the same in Welsh.  
But though it be disputable whether the British, Greek, or Dutch was the Original Language of the Gaules, certain it is that it was the Walloon( but I confine myself to Gallia Celtica, which when the Roman Eagle had fastened his talons there, and planted 23. Legions up and down the country he did in tract of time utterly extinguish; It being the ordinary ambition of Rome wheresoever she prevailed, to bring in her Language and laws also with the Lance; which yet she could not do in Spain, or this island, because they had Posts, and places of fastness to retire unto, as Biscay and Wales, where Nature hath cast up those Mountains as propugnacles of defence, therfore the very aboriginal Languages of both Countreys remain there to this day. Now France being a passable and plain pervious Continent, the Romans quickly diffused, and rooted themselves in evry part therof, and so co-planted their Language, which in a short revolution of time came to be called Romand; But when the Franconians a people of Germany came afterwards to invade, and possess Gallia, both speech and people was called French ever after, which is nere 1300 yeers since.  
Now as all other things have their degrees of growing, so Languages have before they attain a perfection: We find that the Latin her self in the times of the Sabins was but rude, afterwards under Ennius and Cato the Censor it was refined in the twelve Tables; but in Caesar, Cicero, and Salusts time it came to the highest pitch of purity, and so dainty were the Romans of their Language then, that they would not suffer any exotic or strange word to be enfranchised among them, or enter into any of their Diplomatas and public Instruments of Command, or Justice; The word Emblema having got into one, it was thrust out by an express Edict of the Senat, but Monopolium had with much ado leave to stay in, yet not without a large Preface and apology: A little after, the Latin tongue in the vulgarity therof began to degenerat, and decline very much, out of which degeneration sprung up the Italian, Spanish and French.  
Now, the French Language being set thus upon a Latin stock, hath received since sundry habitudes, yet retaining to this day some Latin words entire, as animal, cadaver, tribunal, non, plus, qui, as, with a number of others.  
Childeric one of the first race of French Kings commanded by public Edict, that the 4 Greek Letters 〈◇〉 should be added to the French Alphabet to make the Language more masculine and strenuous, but afterwards it was not long observed.  
Nor is it a worthless observation, that Languages use to comply with the humour, and to display much the inclination of a people; The French Nation is quick and spritful, so is his pronunciation: The Spaniard is slow and grave, so is his pronunciation; For the Spanish and French Languages being but branches of the Latin three, the one may be called Latin shortened; and the other Latin drawn out at length, as Corpus, Tempus, Caput, &c. are monosyllables in French, as Corps, Temps, Cap or Chef; whereas the Spaniard doth add to them, as Cuerpo, Tiempo, Cabeça; And indeed of any other the Spaniard affects long words, for he makes some thrice as long as they are in French, as of Levement a rising, he makes Levantamiento; of Pensée a thought, he makes Pensamiento; of Compliment he makes Complimiento: Besides, the Spaniard doth use to pause so in his pronunciation, that his tongue seldom foreruns his wit, and his brain may very well raise and superfoete a second thought before the first be uttered: Yet is not the French so hasty in his utterance as he seems to be, for his quickness or volubility proceeds partly from that concatenation he useth among his syllables, by linking the syllable of the precedent word to the last of the following, so that sometimes a whole sentence is made in a manner but one word, and he who will speak the French roundly and well, must observe this Rule.  
The French Language began first to be polished, and arrive to that delicacy she is now come unto in the midst of the reign of Philip de clois, Marot did something under Francis the first,( which King was a Restorer of Learning in general, as well as of Language;) But Ronsard did more under Henry the second: Since these Kings ther is little difference in the context of speech, but only in the choice of words, and softness of pronunciation proceeding from such wanton spirits that did miniardize and make the Language more dainty and feminine.  
But to show what changes the French hath received from what it was, I will produce these few instances in verse and prose which I found in some Ancient Authors: The first shall be of a Gentlewoman that translated Esops Fables many hundred yeers since out of English into French, where she concludes, 
Au finement de cest ' Escrit  
Qu'en Romans ay tourné et did;  
Me nommeray par remembrance,  
mary ay nom ye suis de France;  
Per l'amour de connte Guillaume  
Le plus valiant de ce royalme,  
M'entremis de ce livre faire  
Et de L' Anglois en Roman traire,  
esop appelle l'on cil Livre,  
Qu'on translata et fit Escrire;  
De Griec en Latin le tourna,  
Et le Roy Alvret qui l'ama,  
Le translata puis en Angloiz,  
Et ye l'ay tourné en François.   
Out of the Roman de la Rose I will produce this Example, 
quamd ta bouche toucha la moye,  
Ce fut ce dont au Coeur j'eus joy;  
Sire Juge, donnes sentence  
Par moy, Car la pucelle est moye.   
Two of the most ancient and approvedst Authors in French are Geoffroy de Villardovin Marshal of campaign, and Hugues de Bersy a Monk of Clugny in the Reign of philip august above 500 yeers since, from them I will borrow these two ensuing Examples, the first from the Marshal, upon a Croisada to the Holy Land.  
Scachiez queen l'an 1188 ans apres l'incarnation al temps Innocent 3. Apostoille de Rome, et philip Roy de France, et Richard Roy d' Engleterre eut un Saint home en Fracce, qui et nom Folque de Nuilly, et il ere prestre, et tenoit le paroichre de la ville, et cil Folque comença a parlour de Biex, et nostre sire fit manits miracles par luy, &c.  
Hugues de Bersy who made the Guiot Bible so much spoken in France, begins thus in verse, 
D'oun siecle puant et horrible  
M'estuet comencer une Bible,  
Per poindre, et per ai guillonner  
Et per bons exemples don●er,  
Ce n'ert une Bible bisongere  
Mais fine, et voire et droituriere  
Mirouer ert a toutis gens.   
If one would compare the English that was spoken in those times which is about 560 yeers since, with the present, he should find a greater alteration.  
But to know how much the Modern French differs from the ancient, let him red our Common Law, which was held good French in William the Conqueror's time.  
Furthermore, among other observations; I find that ther are some well sounding single words antiquated in the French, which seem to be more significant then those that are come in their places, as Maratre, paratre, fillatre, serourge, a stepp-mother, a stepp-father, a son or daughter in law, a sister in law; which now they express in two words, belle more, beau pere, belle soeur. Moreover, I find ther are some words now in French which are turned to a countersense, as we use the Dutch word crank in English to be well disposed, which in the Original signifieth to be sick. So in French Cocu is taken for one whose wife is light, and hath made him a passive cuckolded; whereas clean contrary Cocu which is the cuckoo, doth use to lay her eggs in another birds nest. This word pleiger is also to drink after one is drunk unto, whereas the first true sense of the word was, that if the party drunk unto was not disposed to drink himself, he would put another for a pledge to do it for him, else the party who began would take it ill. Besides, this word Abry derived from the Latin apricus, is taken in French for a close place or shelter, whereas in the Original it signifieth an open free Sunshine. They now term in French a free boon-Companion, Roger bon temps, whereas the Original is rouge bon temps, reddish and fair weather: They use also in France when one hath a good bargain to say, Il á joüe a boule veve, whereas the Original is a bonne veüe. A Beacon or Watch-Tower is called Beffroy, whereas the true word is L'effroy: A traveling warrant is called passport, whereas the Original is pass par tout. When one is grown hoarse, they use to say, Il á veu le loup, he hath seen the Wolf, whereas that effect of hoarsnes is wrought in one whom the Wolf hath seen first, according to Pliny, and the Poet, — Lupi illum videre priores.  
Ther is one saying or proverb which is observable, whereby France doth confess her self to be still indebted to England, which is, when one hath paid all his Creditors, he useth to say, j'ay payé tous mes Anglois, so that in this, and other phrases Anglois is taken for Craencier or Creditor; And I presume it had its foundation from this, that when the French were bound by Treaty in Bretigny to pay England so much for the ransom of King John then prisoner, the contribution lay so heavy upon the people, that for many yeers they could not make up the sum: The occasion might be seconded in Henry the 8. time at the surrendry of Bullen, and upon other Treaties, as also in Queen Elizabeths reign, besides the moneys which she had disbursed her self to put the Crown on Henry the fourth's head, which makes me think on a passage that is recorded in Pasquier, that happened when the Duke of Anjou under pretence of wooing the Queen came over into England, who being brought to her presence, she  told him, He was come in a good time to remain a pledge for the moneys that France owed her Father, and other of her Progenitors; whereunto the Duke answered, That he was come not only to be a pledge, but her close prisoner.  
Ther be two other sayings in French, which though they be obsolete, yet are they worthy the knowledge; The first is, Il á perdu ses cheveux, he hath lost his hair, meaning his honor; For in the first race of Kings ther was a Law called La loy de la Cheveleure, whereby it was lawful for the Noblesse only to wear long hair, and if any of them had committed some foul and ignoble act, they used to be condemned to have their long hair to be cut off as a mark of ignominy, and it was as much as if he had been fleurdeliz'd, viz. burnt on the back or hand, or branded in the face.  
The other Proverb was, Il á quitté sa ceinture, he hath given up his girdle, which intimated as much as if he had become bankrupt, or had all his estate forfeited; It being the ancient Law of France, that when any upon some offence had that penalty of confiscation inflicted upon him, he used before the Tribunal of Justice to give up his Girdle, implying thereby, that the girdle held evry thing that belonged to a to a mans estate, as his budgett of money and writings, the keys of his House, with his Sword, Dagger, and Gloves, &c.  
I will add hereunto another Proverb which had been quiter lost, had not our Order of the Garter preserved it, which is, Hony soit qui mal y pense, this we English, Ill to him who thinks ill; though the true sense be, Let him be bewrayed who thinks any ill, being a Metaphor taken from a child that hath beray'd his clouts, and I dare say ther's not one of a hundred in France who understands this word now adays.  
Furthermore, I find in the French Language, that the same fate hath attended some French words, as usually attend men, among whom some rise to preferment, others fall to decay and an undervalue; I will instance in a few; This word master was a word of high esteem in former times among the French, and appliable to Noblemen, and others in high office only, but now 'tis fallen from the Baron to the Boor, from the Count to the cobbler, or any other mean artisan, as master J●an le Sauvetier, Mr. John the cobbler; master Jaquet le Cabareti●r, Mr. Jammy the Tapster.  
Sire, was also appropriat only to the King, but now adding a name after it, 'tis appliable to any mean man upon the Endorsment of a Letter or otherwise: But this word Souverain hath raised itself to that pitch of greatness, That it is applied now only to the King, whereas in times passed, the President of any Court, any bailiff or Seneshal was used to be called Souverain.  
marshal likewise was at first the name of a Smith, Farrier, or one that dressed horses, but it is clim'd by degrees to that height, that the chiefest Commanders of the Gendarmery and Militia of France are come to be called Marshals, which about 100 yeers since were but two in all, whereas now they are twelve.  
This title Majesty hath no great antiquity in France, for it began in Henry the seconds time: And indeed the style of France at first as well as of other Countreys, was to Tutoyer, that is, to Thou any person that one spake unto, though never so high; but when the Common-Wealth of Rome turned to an Empire, and so much power came into one mans hand, then, in regard he was able to confer Honor, and Offices, the Courtiers began to magnify him, and treat him in the plural number by You, and by degrees to deify him by transcending titles, as we red in Symmachus in his Epistles to the Emperour Theodosius, and to Valentinian, where his style to them is Vestra aeternitas, vestrum numen, vestra perennitas, vestra clementia, so that You in the plural number with other compliments and titles seems to have their first rise with the Western Monarchy, which afterwards by degrees descended upon particular persons.  
The French tongue hath divers Dialects, viz. the Picard, that of Jersey and Guernsey appendices once of Normandy, the Provensal, the Gascon or the speech of Languedoc, which Scaliger would etymologize from Langue d'ouy, whereas it comes truly from Langue de Got, in regard the Goths and Saracens who by their incursions and long stay in Aquitain first corrupted the speech of Gallia; The Walloon is another dialect which is under the King of Spain: They also of Liege have a dialect of the French, which among themselves they call Romand to this day.  
Touching the modern French that's spoken now in the Kings Court, the Courts of Parlement, and in the Universities of France ther hath been lately a great competition which was the best; but by the learnedst, and most indifferent persons, it was adjudged, that the style of the Kings Court was the purest and most elegant, because the other two did smell the one of pedantery, the other of chiquanery: And the late Prince of Conde, with the Duke of Orleans that now is, were used to have a Censor in their Houses, that if any of their Family spoke any word that savoured of the Palace or the schools, he should incur the penalty of an amercement.  
The late Cardinal of Richlieu made it part of his glory to advance Learning, and the French Language; Among other Monuments he erected an University where the Sciences should be red and disputed in French for the case of his countrymen, whereby they might presently fall to the matter, and not spend time to study words onely.  
Thus have I presumed to sand your Lordship a rambling discourse of the French Language passed and present, humbly expecting to be corrected when you shall please to have perused it: So I subscribe myself  
Your Lordships thrice-obedient Servant, J. H. London, 1. Octob.   

XX. To Dr. Weames.  
SIR,  
I Return you many thanks for the Additionals you pleased to communicat unto me in continuance of Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia, and I admired it the more because it was the composition of so young a spirit, which makes me tell you, without any compliment, that you are Father to a Daughter that Europe hath not many of her Equals; therfore all those gentle souls that pretend to virtue should cherish her: I have herewith sent you a few lines that relate to the work, according ro your desire.  

To Mrs. A. W.  

If a Male soul by transmigration can  
pass to a Female, and her spirits man,  
Then, sure, some sparks of Sidney's soul hath flown  
Into your breast, which may in time be blown  
To flames, for 'tis the course of Enthean fire  
To kindle by degrees, and brains inspire:  
As buds to blossoms, blossoms turn to fruit,  
So wits ask time to ripen, and recreut;   

But yours give's Time the start, as all may see  
In this smooth piece of early poesy,  
Which like sparks of one flamme may well aspire,  
If Phoebus please, to a Sydneyan fire.    
So with my very affectionate respects to yourself, and to your choice Family, I rest  
Your ready and Real Servant, J. H. London, 9. Novem.   

XXI. To the incomparable Lady, the La. M. carry.  
madam,  
I Have discovered so much of Divinity in you, that he who would find your Equal, must seek one in the other World; I might play the Oracle, and more truly pronounce you the wisest of Women, then he did Pythagoras the wisest of Men: for, questionless, that he or Shee are the wisest of all human creatures, who are careful of preserving the noblest part of them, I mean the Soul: They who prink, and pamper the Body, and neglect the Soul, are like one who having a nightingale in his House, is more fond of the wicker Cage then of the bide: Or rather like one who hath Perl of an invaluable price, and esteems the poor box that holds it more then the jewel; The Rational Soul is the breath of God Almighty, she is his very Image, therfore who taints his soul may be said to throw dirt in Gods face, and make his breath stink: The Soul is a spark of Immortality, she is a Divine light, and the Body is but a socket of day that holds it: In some this light goes out with an ill-favor'd stench; But others have a save-all to preserve it from making any snuff at all; Of this number, madam, you are one that shines clearest in this horizon, which makes me so much  
Your La. truly devoted Servant, J. H. London, 3. Novemb.   

XXII. To the Lo. B. of Ro. at Knolls.  
My Lord,  
THe Christian Philosopher tells us, That a good Conscience is a perpetual feast; And the Pagan Philosopher hath a saying, That a virtuous man is always drunk; Both these sayings aim at one sense, viz. that an upright, discreet man is always full of good notions, and good motions, his soul is always in tune, and the faculties therof never jarring; He valves this world as it is, a vale of trouble, and a valley of tears, full of encumbrances, and Revolutions; and stands armed against all events: Si fractus illabatur Orbis.  
While you red this you have your own character, for I know none more capable both for the Practical part, as well as the Theory, to give precepts of patience, and prescribe rules of morality and prudence to all mankind: Your mind is like a ston bridge over a rapid River, which though the waters beneath be perpetually working, roaring and bubbling, yet the bridge never stirs, pons manet immotus—; so among those monstrous mutations, and traverses that have lately happened you are still the same, Mens immota manet—  
I received your last under the covert of Sir John Sackvill, to whom I present my affectionate service, with a thousand thanks for that seasonable Present he pleased to sand me, which will find me and my friends some employment, so desiring your benediction, I conclude, and subscribe myself,  
My Lord, Your truly devoted Servant, J. H. London, 7. Decemb.   

XXIII. To Sir W. Mason, Knight.  
SIR,  
I Present you with the second Part of the vocal foreste, but before you make an entrance into the last Walk therof, be pleased to take this short caution along with you, which tends to rectify such who I hear are over-rash, and critical in their censure of what is there contained, not penetrating the main design of the Author in that Allegorical discourse, nor into the quality of the Times, or the prudential Cautions, and indifferencies that an Historical piece exposed to public view should require, which may make them perchance to shoot their bolts at Randum, and with wry looks at those Trees; Therfore let the discerning Surveyor as he crosseth this last Walk take a short advertisement before-hand; That whatsoever he meets therein glancing on the oak, consists of imperfect suggestions, foreign criticisms, and presumptions, &c. Now, evry petty Sciolist in the laws of reason can tell that presumptions were never taken yet for proofs, but for left-handed arguments, approaching rather the nature of cavillations then consequences.  
Moreover, Apologs, Parables, and Metaphors, though pressed never so hard, have not the strength to demonstrate, or positively assert any Thesis; For as in Theology, the highest of Sciences, it is a received principle, Scriptura Parabolica non est argumentativa, so this maxim holds good in all other composures, and Arts. 'Tis granted, that in the Walks of this foreste ther be some free, and home-expressions drawing somewhat near to the nature of satires, for otherwise it had been a vain superfluous curiosity to have spent so much oil and labour in shrouding Realities under disguises, unless the Author had promised himself before-hand a greater latitude and scope of liberty to prie into some miscarriages, and solecismes of State; As also to question and perstringe some sorts of Actors, specially the Card●nian and Classican, who, as the whole world can witness, were the first Raisers of those hideous tempests which powred down in so many showers of blood upon infortunat Druina, and all her coafforested Territories.  
Now, touching that which is spoken of the oak in the last Walk, if any intemperat Basilean take exceptions thereat, let him know, that, as 'twas said before, most of them are but traducements, and pretensions; yet, it is a human principle,( and will ever be so to the worlds end) that ther never was yet any Prince,( except one) nor will ther ever be any hereafter, but had his frailties, and these frailties in Kings are like stains in the purest Scarlet, which are more visible: What are but motes in others, are as beams in them, because that being mounted so high, they are more exposed to the eye of the World: And if the Historian points haply at some of those motes in the Royal oak, he makes good what he promised in the Entrance of the foreste, that he would endeavour to make a constant grain of eevenes, and impartiality to pass through the whole bulk of that Arborical discourse.  
We red that ther being a high feud 'twixt Cicero and Vatinius who had crooked bow-leggs, Vatinius having the advantage of pleading first, took occasion to give a touch himself of his natural imperfection that way, that he might tollere ansam, that he might by way of prevention cut off the advantages and intention which Cicero might have had to asperse him in that particular; the application hereof is easy and obvious.  
But if the sober-minded Reader observe well what is spoken elsewhere of the oak throughout the body and series of the story he will easily conclude, that 'twas far from the design of the Author out of any self or sinister ends to let any sour droppings fall from these Trees to hurt the oak; and give me leave to tell you, That he who hath but as much wit as may suffice to preserve him from being begged for a Fool, will judge so.  
Lastly, they who know any thing of the laws of History, do well know, that verity and indifference are two of the prime virtues that are requisite in a Cronicler. The same answer may serve to stop their mouths who would say something, if they could tell what, against my Survey of the Signory of Venice, and dedicated to the Parlement of England, as if the Author had changed his principles, and were affencted to republics; whereas ther's not a syllable therein but what makes for Monarchy: therfore I rather pitty, then repined at such poor critics, with the shallownes of their Judgments.  
Thus much I thought good to intimat unto you, not that I mistrust your own censure, which I know to be candid and clear, but that, if ther be occasion, you may Vindicat  
Your truly affectionate Servant, J. H. London, 4. Apr.   

XXIV. To the Right honourable the La. E. Savage, afterwards countess Rivers.  
Excellent Lady,  
AMong those multitudes that claim a share in the loss of so precious a Lord, mine is not the least; O how willingly could I have measured with my feet, and performed a pilgrimage over all those large Continents wherein I have travailed, to have reprieved him! Truly, madam, I shall mourn for him while I have a heart beating in my breast; and though Time may mitigat the sense of grief, yet his Memory shall be to me, like his high Worth and virtues, everlasting: But it is not so much to be lamented that he hath left us,( it being so infinitely to his advantage) as that he hath left behind so few like him.  
I confess, madam, this is the weightiest cross that possibly could come to exercise your patience, but I know your ladyship to be both Pious and Prudent in the highest degree, let the one preserve you from excess of sorrow, which may prove irreligious to Heaven; and the other keep you from being injurious to yourself, and to that goodly brave Issue of his, which may serve as so many living copies of the Original.  
God almighty comfort your ladyship, so prayeth,  
madam, Your most humble, and sorrowful Servant, J. H. London, 2. Febr.   

XXV. To the Right honourable John Lo. Sa.  
My Lord,  
I Should be much wanting to myself, if I did not congratulat your lately descended Honors: But truly, my Lord, this congratulation is like a vapour exhaled from a soil overwhelmed with a sudden inundation, such is the state of my mind at this time, it being o'recast with a thick fog of grief for the death of your incomparable Father.  
I pray from the centre of my heart that you may inherit his high worth and virtues as you do all things else, and I doubt it not, having discovered in your nature so many pregnancies, and sparkles of innated honor. So I rest in quality of  
Your Lordships most humble Servant, J. H. London, 10. Decemb.   

XXI. To Mr. J. wilson.  
SIR,  
I received yours of the 10th current, and I have many thanks to give you, that you so quaintly acquaint me how variously the pulse of the Pulpiteers beat in your Town: Touching ours here( by way of corresponding with you) I'll tell you of one whom I heard lately; For dropping casually into a Church in Thames-street, I fell upon a Winter-Preacher who spoken of nothing but of the fire and flames of Hell, so that if a Scythian or Groenlander who are habituated to such extreme could had heard, and understood him, they would have thought he had preached of paradise; His mouth me thought did fume with the Lake of brimstone, with the Infernal torments, and the thunderings of the Law, not a syllable of the Gospel; so I concluded him to be one of those who use to preach the Law in the Church, and the Gospel in their Chambers, where they make some female hearts melt into pieces: He repeated his Text once, but God knows how far it was from the subject of his preachment; He had also hot and fiery incitements to war, and to swimm in blood for the Cause: But after he had run away from his Text so long, the Spirit lead him into a wilderness of prayer, and there I left him.  
God amend all, and begin with me, who am  
Your assured friend to serve you, J. H. London, 5. July.   

XXII. To Sir E. S.  
SIR,  
IN the various courses of my wandring life, I have had occasion to spend some part of my time in literal correspondences with divers, but I never remember that I pleased myself more in paying these civilities to any then to yourself; for when I undertake this task, I find that my head, my hand, and my heart go all so willingly about it, The Invention of the one, the graphical office of the other, and the affections of the last are so ready to obey me in performing the work, work do I call it? 'tis rather a sport, my pen and paper are as a Chessboard, or as your Instruments of Music are to you when you would recreat your harmonious soul: Whence this proceeds I know not, unless it be from a charming kind of virtue that your Letters carry with them to work upon my spirits, which are so full of facete and familiar friendly strains, and so punctual in answering evry part of mine, that you may give the Law of Epistolizing to all Mankind.  
Touching your Poet laureate Skelton I found him( at last, as I  told you before) skulking in Duck-Lane pitifully tottered and torn, and as the times are, I do not think it worth the labour and cost to put him in better clothes, for the Genius of the Age is quiter another thing, yet ther be some lines of his which I think will never be out of date for their quaint sense; and with these I will close this Letter, and salute you as he did his friend with these options: 
salue plus decies quàm sunt momenta dierum,  
Quot species generum, quot Res, quot nomina Rerum,  
Quot pratis flores, quot sunt et in orb colores,  
Quot pisces, quot Aves, quot sunt et in Aequere Naves,  
Quot volucrum Pennae, quot sunt tormenta Gehennae,  
Quot coeli stellae, Quot sunt et in orb pvellae,  
Quot Sancti Romae, quot sunt miracula Thomae,  
Quot sunt virtutes, tantas tibi mitto salutes.   
These were the wishes in times of yore of Jo. Skelton, but now they are of  
Your J. H. London, 4. Aug.   

XXVIII. To R. Davis, Esq;  
SIR,  
DId your Letters know how truly welcome they are to me, they would make more hast, and not loiter so long in the way; for I did not receive yours of the second of June, till the first of July; which was time enough to have travelled not onely a hundred English, but so many Helvetian miles that are five times bigger, for in some places they contain forty furlongs, whereas ours have but eight, unless it be in Wales where they are allowed better measure, or in the North parts where there is a wea bit to evry mile: But that yours should be a whole month in making scarce 100 English miles,( for the distance between us is no more) is strange to me, unless you purposely sent it by John Long the Carrier. I know being so nere Lemsters Ore that you dwell in a gentle soil which is good for cheese as well as for cloth, therfore if you sand me a good one, I shall return my cousin your Wife something from hence that may be equivalent; If you neglect me, I shall think that Wales is relapsed into her first barbarisms; for Strabo makes it one of his arguments to prove the Britains barbarous, because they had not the Art of making cheese till the Romans came: But I believe you will preserve them from this imputation again. I know you can want no good grass thereabouts, which, as they say here, grows so fast in some of your fields, that if one should put his horse there over night, he should not find him again the next morning. So with my very respectful commends to yourself, and to the partner of your couch and cares, I rest, my dear cousin,  
Yours always to dispose of, J. H. London, 5. Jun.   

XXIX. To W. Roberts, Esq;  
SIR,  
THe Dominical Prayer, and the Apostolical Creed,( whereof ther was such a hot dispute in our last conversation) are two Acts tending to the same object of devotion, yet they differ in this, that we include all in the first, and ourselves only in the second, one may beg for another, but he must believe for himself, ther is no man can believe by a deputy; The articles of the Creed are as the twelve signs in the zodiac of Faith which make way for the Sun of righteousness to pass through the centre of our hearts, as a Gentleman doth wittily compare them: But what offence the Lords Prayer, or the Creed have committed( together with the Ten Commandements) as to be as it were banished the Church of late yeers, I know not; considering that the whole office of a Christian may be said to be comprehended in them, for the last prescribes us what we should do, the second what we should believe, the third how and what we should pray for: Of all the heretics that ever I heard of, I never red of any who bore analogy with these.  
Touching other opinions, they are but old fancies newly furbish'd; Ther were Adamits in former times, and Rebaptizers: Ther were Iconoclastae, destroyers of Images, but I never red of Stauroclastae, Destroyers of Crosses: Ther were also Agoniclitae, who held it a superstition to bow the knee; besides, ther were those who stumbled at the Resurrection, as too many do now: Ther were Aereans also who maligned Bishops and the Hierarchy of the Church; but we red those Aerians turned Arrians, and Atheists at last: The greatest Greek and Latin Fathers inveigh against those Aerians more bitterly then against any other: Chrysostom saith, heretics who have learnt of the Devil not to give due honor to Bishops; and Epiphanius saith, It is the voice of a Devil, rather then of a Christian, that ther is no difference 'twixt a Bishop and a Presbyter, &c.  
Good Lord, what fiery clashings have we had lately for a Cap and a Surplice! what an Ocean of human blood was spilled for ceremonies only, and outward formalities, for the bare position of a table! But as we find the rufflingst winds to be commonly in Cimiteries, and about Churches, so the eagerst, and most sanguinary wars are about Religion, and ther is a great deal of weight in that distich of Prudentius, 
Sic mores produnt animum, et mihi credite semper,  
Junctus cum falso est dogmate caedis amor,   
Let the Turk spread his Alcoran by the Sword, but let Christianity expand her self still by a passive fortitude wherein she always gloried.  
We live in a strange Age, when evry one is in love with his own Fancy, as Narcissus was with his Face, and this is true spiritual pride, the usherer in of all confusions; The Lord deliver us from it, and grant we may possess our souls with patience, till the great wheel of providence turn up another spoken that may point at peace, and unanimity among poor mortals; In these hopes I rest  
Yours entirely, J. H. London, 5. Jan.   

XXX. To Howel Guyn Esq;  
My much endeared cousin,  
I sand you herewith according to your desires the British or Welsh Epitaph,( for the Saxons gave us that new name, calling us Walshmen or strangers in our own country) which Epitaph was found in the West-Indies upon Prince Madoc nere upon 600 yeers since: 
Madoc wif mwy dic wed  
Jawn genau own Gwyneth,  
Ni funnun dir fie enrid oedd,  
Ni da mawr and y moroedd.   
Which is englished thus in Mr. Herbert's Travels.  
Madoc ap own was I called,  
Strong, tall, and comely, not enthralled  
With home-bred pleasure, but for famed  
Through Land and Sea I sought the same.  
This British Prince Madoc( as many Authors make mention) made two Voyages thither, and in the last left his bones there, upon which this Epitaph lay. Ther be other pregnant remarks that the British were there, for ther is a Promontory not far from Mexico called Cap Britain, ther is a creek called Gwyndwor, which is in Welsh White-water, with other words, as you shall find in Mr. Herberts and others; they had also the sign of the cross in reverence among them.  
And now that I am upon British observations, I will tell you something of this name howel, which is your first, and my second name; passing lately by the cloisters of the Abbey at Westminster, I stepp'd up to the Library that Archbishop Williams erected there, and I lighted upon a French Historian, Bertrand d' Argentré Lord of Forges, who was President of the Court of Parlement in Renes the chief Town of little Britany in France called Armorica, which is a pure Welsh word, and signifies a country bordering upon the Sea as that doth, and was first coloniz'd by the Britains of this island in the reign of Theodosius the Emperour, An. 387; whose Language they yet preserve in their radical words: In that Historian I found that ther were four Kings of that country of the name howel, viz. howel the first, howel the second, howel the Great,( who bore up so stoutly against Aetius the famous Roman General) and howel the fourth, that were all Kings of Armorica, or the lesser Britany, which continued a Kingdom till the year 874, at which time the title was changed to a Duchy but Souvrain of itself, till it was reduced to the French Crown by Francis the first. Ther are many Families of quality of that name to this day in France; And one of them desired to be acquainted with me by the mediation of Monsieur Augier who was there Agent for England. Touching the Castle of Good King howel hard by you, and other ancient places of that name, you know them better then I, but the best title which England hath to Wales is by that Castle, as a great Antiquary  told me: So in a true bond of friendship, as well as of blood, I rest,  
Your most affectionate cousin to serve you, J. H. London, 8. Octob.   

XXXI. To Mr. W. Price at Oxon.  
My precious Nephew,  
THer could hardly better news be brought me, then to understand that you are so great a Student, and that having passed through the briars of Logic, you fall so close to Philosophy: Yet I do not like your method in one thing, that you are so fond of new Authors, and neglect the old, as I hear you do: It is the ingrateful genius of this Age, that if any Sciolist can find a hole in an old Authors coat, he will endeavour to make it much more wide, thinking to make himself some body thereby; I am none of those, but touching the ancients, I hold this to be a good Moral Rule, Laudandum quod benè, ignoscendum quod aliter dixerunt: The older an Author is, commonly the more solid he is, and the greater Teller of truth: This makes me think on a Spanish Captain, who being invited to a Fish-dinner, and coming late, he sate at the lower end of the Table where the small fish lay, the great ones being at the upper end; thereupon he took one of the little fish and held it to his ear, his Camarades asked him what he meant by that? He answered in a sad tone, some 30 yeers since my Father passing from Spain to Barbary was cast away in a storm, and I am asking this little fish whether he could tell any tidings of his body, he answers me, that he is too young to tell me any thing, but those old Fish at your end of the Table may say something to it, so by that trick of drollery he got his share of them: The application is easy, therfore I advice you not to neglect old Authors, for though we be come as it were to the Meridian of truth, yet ther be many Neoterical Commentators and self-conceited Writers that eclipse her in many things, and go from obscurum to obscurius.  
Give me leave to tell you, cousin, that your kindred and friends with all the world besides, expect much from you in regard of the pregnancy of your spirit, and those advantages you have of others, being now at the source of all knowledge: I was  told of a countryman who coming to Oxford, and being at the Townes-end, stood listening to a flock of goose, and a few doggs that were hard by, being asked the reason, He answered, that he thought the goose about Oxford did gaggle Greek, and the Doggs barked in Latin; If some in the world think so much of those irrational poor creatures that take in University air, what will your friends in the country expect from you who have the Instrument of reason in such a perfection, and so well strung with a tenacious Memory, a quick understanding, and rich invention, all which I have discovered in you, and doubt not but you will employ them to the comfort of your friends, your own credit, and the particular contentment of  
Your truly affectionate Oncle, J. H. London, 3. Febr.   

XXXII. To Sir K. D. in Paris.  
SIR,  
I Had been guilty of such an offence whereof I should never have absolved myself, if I had omitted so handsome an opportunity to quicken my old devotions to you: Among those multitudes here who resent your hard condition, and the protractions of your business, ther is none who is more sensible that so gallant and sublime a soul( so much renowned throughout the world) should meet with such harsh traverses of fortune: For myself, I am like an almanac out of date, I am grown an unprofitable thing, and good for nothing as the times run, yet in your business I shall play the Whetstone, which though it be a dull thing of itself, and cannot cut, yet it can make other bodies to cut, so shall I quicken those who have the managing of your business, and power to do you good, whensoever I meet them. So I rest,  
Your thirty-yeers Servant, J. H. London, 2. Sept.   

XXXIII. To Mr. R. Lee in Antwerp.  
SIR,  
AN acre of performance is worth the whole Land of promise; Besides, as the Italian hath it, Deeds are men, and words women: you pleased to promise me when you shook hands with England to barter Letters with me; But whereas I writ to you a good while since by Mr. Simons, I have not received syllable from you ever since.  
The times here frown more and more upon the Cavaliers, yet their minds are buoyd up still with strong hopes; some of them being lately in company of such whom the Times favour, and reporting some comfortable news on the Royalists side, one of the other answered, Thus you Cavaliers still fool yourselves, and build always Castles in the air; thereupon a sudden reply was made, Where will you have us to build them else, for you have taken all our Lands from u? s I know what you will say when you red this, A pox on these true jests.  
This tale puts me in mind of another; Ther was a Gentleman lately who was offered by the Parlement a parcel of Church or Crown Lands equivalent to his arrears, and asking Counsel of a friend of his which he should take, he answered, Crown Lands by all means; for if you take them, you run a hazard only to be hanged, but if you take Church-Lands you are sure to be damned: whereunto the other made him a shrewd reply, Sir, I'll tell you a tale; Ther was an old Usurer not far from London, who had trained up a dog of his to bring his meat after him in a handbasket, so that in time the shagg dog was so well bread, that his Master used to sand him by himself to Smithfield Shambles with a basket in his mouth, and a note in the bottom therof to his Butcher, who accordingly would put in what joint of meat he writ for, and the dog would carry it handsomely home; It happened one day, that as the dog was carrying a good shoulder of Mutton home to his Master, he was set upon by a company of other huge doggs who snatched away the basket, and fell to the Mutton; The other dog measuring his own single strength, and finding he was too weak to redeem his Masters Mutton, said within himself,( as we red the like of Crysippus's dog) nay, since ther is no remedy you shall be hanged before you have all, I will have also my share, and so fell a eating amongst them; I need not, said he, make the application unto you, 'tis too obvious, Therfore I intend to have my share also of the Church-Lands.  
In that large List of friends you have left behind you here, I am one who is very sensible that you have thus banished yourself: It is the high will of heaven that matters should be thus, Therfore Quod divinitùs accidit humiliter, quod ab hominibus viriliter ferendum; We must manfully bear what comes from men, and humbly what comes from above: The Pagan Philosopher tells us, Quod divinitùs contingit homo à se nulla arte cispellet, Ther is no fence against that which comes from Heaven, whose decrees are irreversable.  
Your friends in Fleetstreet are all well both longcoats and short coats, and so is  
Your inalterable friend to love and serve you, J. H. London, 9. Novem.   

XXXIV. To Sir J. Tho. Knight.  
SIR,  
THer is no request of yours but is equivalent to a command with me; And whereas you crave my thoughts touching a late History published by one Mr. wilson, which relates the Life of King James, though I know for many yeers your own judgement to be strong and clear enough of itself, yet to comply with your desires, and for to oblige you that way another time to me, I will deliver you my opinion.  
I cannot deny but the thing is a painful piece, and proceeds after a handsome method in drawing on the series and thread of the story, but it is easily discernible, that a partial Presbyterian vein goes constantly throughout the whole work; And you know it is the genius of that people to prie more then they should into the Courts and comportments of Princes, and take any occasion to traduce and bespatter them: So doth this Writer, who endeavours all along( among other things) to make the world believe that King James, and his Son after him were inclined to Popery, and to bring it into England: whereas I dare avouch, that neither of them entertained the least thought that way, they had as much design to bring in Prester-John as the Pope, or Mahomet as soon as the mass; This conceit made the Writer to be subject to many mistakes, and misrepresentations, which so short a circuit as a Letter cannot comprehend.  
Yet I will instance in one gross mistake he hath in relating a passage which concerns Sir Elias Hicks a worthy Knight, and a fellow-servant of yours and mine. And he doth not only misrepresent the business, but he foully asperseth him with the terms of unworthiness, and infamy; The truth of that passage is as followeth, and I had it from very good hands:  
In the year, 1621. The French King making a general war against Them of the Religion, beleager'd Montauban in Person while the Duke of Espernon blocked up Rochel; The King having lain a good while before the Town, a cunning report was raised that Rochell was surrendered, this report being blown into Montauhan, must needs dishearten them of Rochell, being the prime and tenablest propugnacle they had; Mr. Hicks happened to be then in Rochell, being recommended by Sir George Goring to the Marquis de la Force, who was one of them that commanded in chief, and treated Mr. Hicks with much civility, so far that he took him to be one of his domestic Attendants: The Rochellers had sent two or three special Envoys to Montauban to acquaint them with their good condition, but it seems they all miscarried, and the Marquis being troubled in his thoughts one day, Mr. Hicks  told him, that by Gods favour he would underake and perform the service to Montauban; hereupon he was put accordingly in equippage; so after ten daies journey, he came to a place called Moysak, where my Lord of Doncaster afterwards Earl of carlisle was in quality of Ambassador from England to observe the French Kings proceedings, and to mediate a Peace 'twixt him and the Protestants: At his first arrival thither it was his good hap to meet casually with Mr. peregrine Fairfax, one of the Lo. Ambassadors retinue, who had been a former Camarade of his: among other Civilities he brought Mr. Hicks to wait upon the Ambassador, to whom he had credential Letters from the Assembly of Rochell, acquainting his Lordship with the good state they were in; Mr. Hicks  told him besides that he was engaged to go to Montauban as an Envoy from Rochell, to give them true information how matters stood: The Ambassador replied, That it was too great a trust to put upon so young shoulders: So Mr. Hicks being upon going to the French Army which lay before Montauban, Mr. Fairfax would needs accompagny him thither to see the Trenches and Works; being come thither they met with one Mr. Tho. web that belonged to the Marshal St. Gerand, who lodged them both in his own Hutt that night; and having shew'd them the Batteries and Trenches the day after, Mr. Hicks took notice of one place which lay most open for his dessein, resolving with himself to pass that way to the Town; He had  told Fairfax of his purpose before, who discovering it to web, web asked him whether he came thither to be hanged? for divers were used so a little before: The next day Hicks taking his leave of web, desired Fairfax to stay behind, which he refusing, did ride along with him to the place which Hicks had pointed out the day before for his design, and there Fairfax left him; So having got betwixt the Corps de gard and the Town, he put spurs to his horse, and waving his pistol about his head, got in, being pursued almost to the Walls of the Town by the Kings party: being entred, old Marshal de la Force who was then in Mountauban having heard his relations of Rochell, fell on his neck and wept, saying, That he would give 1000 Crowns he were as safely got back to Rochell as he came thither: And having stayed there three weeks, he, in a sally that the Town made one Evening, got clear through the Leaguer before Mountauban, as he had formerly don before that of the Duke of Espernon, and so recovered Rochell again. But to return to Mr. Fairfax, after he had partend with Mr. Hicks he was taken prisoner, and threatened the rack, but whether out of the apprehension therof, or otherwise, he died a little after of a fever at Moysac; though 'tis true that the gazettes in Paris did publish that he died of the torture, with the French Mercury since.  
Mr. Hicks being return'd to London was questioned by Sir Ferdinando Fairfax for his brothers death, thereupon Mr. web being also come back to London, who was upon the very place where these things happened in France, Mr. Hicks brought him along with him to Sir Ferdinand's Lodgings, who did positively affirm, that Mr. Hicks had communicated his design to Mr. peregrine Fairfax,( and that he revealed it first to him) so he did fairly Vindicat Mr. Hicks, wherewith Sir Ferdinand remained fully satisfied, and all his kindred.  
Whosoever will observe the carriage and circumstances of this action, must needs confess that Mr. Hicks( now Sir Elias Hicks) did comport himself like a worthy Gentleman from the beginning to the end thereof: The design was generous, the conduct of it discreet, and the conclusion very prosperous, in regard it preserved both Mountauban and Rochell for that time from the fury of the Enemy; for the King raised his siege a little after from before the one, and Espernon from before the other: Therfore it cannot be denied but that the said Writer( who so largely entitles his book the History of great Britain; though it be but the particular Reign of King James only,) was very much too blame for branding so well a deserving Gentleman with infamy and unworthiness, which are the words he pleaseth to bestow upon him; And I think he would willingly recant, and retract his rash censure were he now living, but Death pressed him away before the press had done with his Book, whereof he may be said to have died in Child-bed.  
So presenting herwith unto you my hearty respects and love, endeared and strengthened by so long a tract of time, I rest  
Your faithful true Servant, J. H. London, 9. Novem.   

XXXV. To Mr. R. Lewis in Amsterdam.  
cousin,  
I Found yours of the first of February in the Post-house as I casually had other business there; else it had miscarried, I pray be more careful of your directions hereafter. I much thank you for the avisos you sent me how matters pass thereabouts: Me thinks that Amsterdam begins to smell rank of a Hans Town, as if she would be independent, and Paramount over the rest of the confederat Provinces; she hath some reason in one respect, because Holland contributs three parts of five, and Amsterdam her self nere upon the one moiety of those three parts to maintain the Land and Naval Forces of the States general: That Town likewise as I hear begins to compare with Venice, but let her stay there while; yet she may in some kind do it, for their situation, and beginning have been alike, being both indented with Waters, and both Fisher-Townes at first.  
But I wonder at one news you writ me, that Amsterdam should fall of repairing and bewtifieng of Churches, whereas the news here is clean contrary; for while you adorn your Churches there, we destroy them here: Among other, poor Pouls looks like a great Skeleton, so pitifully handled, that you may tell her ribs through her skin, her body looks like the Hulk of a huge Portugal Carake, that having crossed the line twelve times, and made three Voyages into the East-Indies, lies rotting upon the strand. Truly I think nor Turk or Tartar, or any creature except the Devil himself, would have used Pauls in that manner: you know that Once a Stable was made a Temple, but now a Temple is become a stable among us. Proh superi! quantum mortalia pectora Caecae Noctis habent—  
Ther are strange Heteroclits in Religion now adays, among whom some of them may be said to endeavour the exalting of the Kingdom of Christ, in lifting it upon Belzebubs back, by bringing in so much profanes to avoid superstition. God deliver us from Atheism, for we are within one step of it, and touching judaism, some corners of our city smell as rank of it as yours doth there.  
I pray be punctual in your returns hereafter, for as you say well, and wittily, Letters may be said to be the chiefest Organs( though they have but paper-pipes) through which friendship doth use to breath, and operat: For my part, I shall not be wanting to set those Organs a working for the often conveyance of my best affections unto you. Sir T. Williams, with his choice Lady blow over through the same Pipe their kind respects unto you, and so do divers of your friends besides; but specially, my dear cousin,  
Your J. H. land. 3. Jan.   

XXXVI. To J. Anderson, Esq;  
SIR,  
YOu have been often at me( though I know you to be a Protestant so in grain, that all the Waters of the tiber is not able to make you change colour) that I should impart unto you in Writing what I observed commendable and discommendable in the Roman Church, because I had eaten my bread often in those Countreys where that Religion is professed and practised in the greatest height. Touching the second part of your request, I need not say any thing to it, for ther be Authors enough of our Church to inform you about the positions and tenets wherein we differ, and for which we blame them: concerning the first part, I will give you a short intimation what I noted to be praise-worthy and imitable in point of practise.  
The government of the Roman Church is admirable, being moulded with as much policy as the wit of man can reach unto, and ther must be Civil policy as well as Ecclesiastic used to keep such a world of people of several Nations, and humors in one Religion; though at first when the Church extended but to one Chamber, then to one House, after to one Parish, then to one Province, such policy was not so requisite. For the Church of Christ may be compared to his Person in point of degrees of growing; and as that coat which served him in his Child-hood could not fit him in his Youth, not that of his Youth when he was come to his Manhood; no more would the same government( which, compared to the Fundamentals of faith( that are still the same) are but as outward garments,) fit all ages of the Church, in regard those millions of accidents that use to attend Time, and the mutable humors of Men; Insomuch that it was a wholesome caution of an ancient Father, Distinguas inter tempora, & concordabis cum Scriptura. This government is like a great Fabric reared up with such exact rules of Art and Architecture that the foundation, the roof, sides, and angles, with all the other parts have such a dependence of mutual support by a rare contignation, concinnity and indentings one in the other, that if you take out but one ston it hazards the downfall of the whole edisice: This makes me think that the Church of Rome would be content to part with, and rectify some things, if it might not endanger the ruin of the whole, which puts the world in despair of an ecumenical council again.  
The Uniformity of this Fabric is also to be admired, which is such as if it were but one entire continued Homogeneous piece; for put case a Spaniard should go to Poland, and a Pole should travail to the furthest part of Spain, whereas all other objects may seem ne're so strange to them in point of lodging, language and diet, though the complexion and faces, the behaviour, garb, and garments of men, women and children be diffring, together with the very air and climb of the place, though all things seem strange unto them, and so somewhat uncouth and comfortless, yet when they go to Gods House in either Countreys, they may say they are there at home, for nothing differs there either in Language, Worship, Service or Ceremony, which must needs be an unspeakable comfort to either of them.  
Thirdly, it must needs be a commendable thing that they keep their Churches so cleanly and Amiable, for the Dwellings of the Lord of Hosts should be so: To which end your greatest Ladies will rise before day sometimes in their night clothes to fall a sweeping some part of the Church, and decking it with flowers, as I heard Count Gondamars Wife used to do here at Ely-House chapel; besides, they keep them in constant repair, so that if but a quarry of glass chance to be broken, or the least ston be out of square, 'tis presently mended. More over, their Churches stand wide open early and late, inviting as it were all comers, so that a poor troubled soul may have access thither at all houres to breath out the pantings of his heart, and the ejaculations of his soul either in prayer or praise: nor is ther any exception of persons in their Churches, for the cobbler will kneel with the Count, and the Laundresse gig by geoul with her Lady, ther being no pews there to cause pride and envy, contentions and quarrels which are so rise in other Churches.  
The comely prostrations of the body, with genuflexion, and other acts of humility in time of Divine Service is very exemplary: Add hereunto, that the reverence they show to the holy functions of the Church is wonderful, Princes and Queens will not disdain to kiss a Capuchins sleeve, or the Surplice of a Priest: Besides, I have seen the greatest and beutifull'st young Ladies go to Hospitals, where they not only dress, but lick the sores of the sick.  
Furthermore, the conformity of seculars, and resignment of their judgments to the Governors of the Church is remarkable: Ther are not such sceptics and Cavillers there as in other places, They humbly believe that Lazarus was three daies in the grave, without questioning where his soul was all the while, nor will they expostulat how a man who was born blind from his Nativity should presently know the shapes of Trees whereunto he thought the first men he ever saw were like after he received sight. Add hereunto that they esteem for Church preferments most commonly a man of a pious good disposition, of a meek spirit, and godly life, more then a Learned man, that is either a great Linguist, Antiquary or Philosopher, and the first is advanced sooner then the latter.  
Lastly, they think nothing too good or too much for Gods House, or for his Ministers, no place too sweet, no buildings too stately for them being of the best profession. The most curious Artists will employ the best of their skill to compose hymns, and anthems for Gods House, &c.  
But, me thinks I hear you say, that you aclowledge all this to be commendable, were it not that it is accompagnied with an odd opinion that they think to merit thereby, accounting them works of Supererogation.  
Truly, Sir, I have discoursed with the greatest Magnifiers of meritorious works, and the chiefest of them, made me this comparison, that the blood of Christ is like a great vessel of Wine, and all the merits of men whether active or passive, were it possible to gather them all in one lump, are but as a drop of water thrown into that great vessel, and so must needs be made Wine, not that the Water hath any inherent virtue of itself to make itself so, but as it receives it from the Wine.  
It is reported of Cosmo de Medici, that having built a goodly Church with a Monastery thereunto annexed, and two Hospitals, with other Monuments of Piety, and endowed them with large revenues, as one did much magnify him for these extraordinary works, for which doubtless he merited a high reward in heaven, he answered, 'Tis true, I emply'd much treasure that way, yet when I look over my leger book of accounts, I do not find that God Almighty is indebted to me one penny, but I am still in the arrear to him.  
Add hereunto the sundry ways of mortification they have by frequent long fastings, and macerations of the flesh, by their retirednes, their abandoning the world, and sequestrations from all mundane affairs, their notable humility in the distribution of their alms, which they do not use to hurl away in a kind of scorn as others do, but by putting it gently into the beggars hand.  
some shallow-pated Puritan in reading this, will shoot his boult, and presently cry me up to have a Pope in my belly, but you know me otherwise, and ther's none knows my intrinsecals better then you: We are come to such times, that if any would maintain those decencies, and humble postures, those solemnities and rites which should be practised in the Holy House of God,( and holiness becomes his House for ever) nay, if one passing through a Church should put off his hat, ther is a giddy and malignant race of people( for indeed they are the true malignants) who will give out that he is running post to Rome; Notwithstanding that the Religion established by the laws of England did ever allow of them ever since Reformation began, yet you know how few have run thither. Nay, the Lutherans who use far more ceremonies symbolizing with those of Rome, then the English Protestants ever did, keep still their distance, and are as far from her now as they were at first.  
England had lately( though to me it seems a great while since) the face and form, the government and gravity, the constitutions and comeliness of a Church; for she had something to keep her self handsome; she had wherewith to be hospitable, and do deeds of Charity, to build alms-houses, Free schools and Colleges which had been very few in this island, had ther been no Church-Benefactors: she had brave degrees of promotion to incite industry, and certainly the conceit of honor is a great encouragement to virtue: Now, if all professions have steps of Rising, why should Divinity the best of all professions be without them? The Apprentice doth not think it much to wipe his Masters shoes, and sweep the gutters, because he hopes one day to be an Alderman: The Common Soldier carrieth hopes in his Knapsack to be one day a Captain, and Colonel: The Student in the Ends of Courts turns over Ploydon with more alacrity, and tuggs with that crabbed study of the Law, because he hopes one day to be a judge; So the scholar thought his labour sweet, because he was buoyd up with hopes that he might be one day a Bishop, Dean, or Canon. This comely subordination of degrees we once had, and we had a Visible conspicuous Church, to whom all other Reformists gave the upper hand; but now she may be said to have crept into corners, and fallen to such a contempt that she dares scarce show her face. Add hereunto in what various kinds of confusions she is involved, so that it may be not improperly said, while she thought to run away so eagerly from Babylon, she is fallen into a Babel of all opinions: In so much that they who came lately from Italy say, how Rome gives out, that when all Religion is lost in England, she will be glad to come to Rome again to find one out, and that she danceth all this while in a circled.  
Thus have I endeavoured to satisfy your importunity as far as a sheet of paper could reach, to give you a touch what may be not only allowable but laudable, and consequently imitable in the Roman Church, for — Fas est et ab host doceri. but I desire you would expound all with a merely sense, wherewith I know you abound, otherwise I would not be so free with you upon this ticklish subject; yet I have cause to question your judgement in one thing, because you magnify to much my talent in your last; helas Sir, a small handkerchief is enough to hold mine, whereas a large table-cloth can hardly contain that rich talent which I find God and Nature hath entrusted you withall; In which opinion I rest always  
Your ready and real Servant, J. H. London, 3. July.   

XXXVII. To Doctor Harvey, at St. Laurence Poultney.  
SIR,  
I Remember well you pleased not only to pass a favourable censure, but give a high character of the First Part of Dodona's Grove, which makes this Second to come and wait on you, which, I dare say, for variety of fancy is nothing inferior to the first; It continueth an historical account of the occurrences of these times in an allegorical way under the shadow of Trees, and I believe it omits not any material passage which happened as far as it goes: If you please to spend some of the parings of your time, and fetch a walk in this Grove you may haply find therein some recreation: And if it be true what the Ancients writ of some Trees that they are Fatidicall, These come to foretell, at leastwise to wish you, as the season invites me, a Good New year, and according to the Italian compliment, buon principio, miglior mezzo, ed ottimo fine, with these wishes of happiness in all the three degrees of comparison, I rest  
Your devoted Servant, J. H. London, 2. Jan.   

XXXVIII. To R. Bowyer, Esq;  
SIR,  
I received yours of the tenth current, where I made a new Discovery, finding therein one argument of your friendship which you never urged before, for you give me a touch of my failings in point of literal correspondence with you: To this give me leave to answer, That He who hath glasse-windowes of his own, should take heed how he throws stones at those of his Neighbours: We have both of us our failings that way, witness else yours of the last of May, to mine of the first of March before; but it is never over-late to mend: therfore I begin, and do penance in this white sheet for what is passed; I hope you will do the like, and so we may absolve one another without a Ghostly Father.  
The French and Spaniard are still at it like two Cocks of the game, both of them pitifully bloodied, and 'tis thought they will never leave, till they perk out one anothers eyes. They are daily seeking new alliances to fortify themselves, and the quarrel is still so hot, that they would make a League with Lucifer to destroy one another.  
For home-newes, the freshest is, that whereas in former times ther were complaints that Church-men were Justices of the Peace, now the clean contrary way, Justices of Peace are become Church-men; for by a new Act of that Thing in Westminster called now a Parlement, the power of giving in Marriage is passed over to them, which is an ecclesiastic Rite evry where else throughout the world.  
A Cavalier coming lately to a Booksellers shop desired to buy this Matrimonial Act, with the rest of that holy Parlement, but he would have them all bound in Calfs-Leather bought out of Mr. Barebone's shop in Fleetstreet.  
The Soldiers have a great spleen to the Lawyers, in so much that they threaten to hang up their Gowns among the Scotts Colours in Westminster-Hall; but their chiefest aim is at the regulation of the Chancery, for they would have the same Tribunal to have the power of Justice and Equity, as the same Apothecaries shop can afford us Purges, and Cordials.  
So with my kind and cordial respects unto you, I rest  
Your entire, and truly affectionate Servant, J. H. London, 9. Novem.   

XXXIX. To Mr. J. B. at his House in St. Nicolas Lane.  
SIR,  
WHen I exchanged speeches with you last, I found( yet more by your discourse then countenance) that your spirits were towards a kind of ebb by reason of the interruption, and stop which these confused Times have put to all mercantile negotiations both at home and abroad: Truly, Sir, when after a serious recollection I had ruminated upon what dropped from you then, I extremely wondered, which I should not have done at another, in regard since the first time I had the advantage of your friendship, I discovered that you were narurally of generous and freeborn thoughts; I have found also, that by a rare industry you have stored up a rich stock of Philosophy, and other parts of prudence, which induced me to think that no worldly revolution, or any cross winds though never so violent, no not a Hauracane could trouble the calm of your mind; Therfore to deal freely with you, you are not the same man I took you for.  
I confess 'tis a passive Age, and the stoutness of the ver prudent'st and most Philosophical men were ne- put to such a trial: I thank God the School of affliction hath brought me to such a habit of patience, it hath caused in me such symptoms of Mortification, that I can value this world as it is, It is but a Vale of troubles, and we who are in it are like so many ants trudging up and down about a Mole-hill; Nay at best, we are but as so many Pilgrims, or Passengers traveling on still towards another country: 'Tis true, that some do find the way thither more smooth, and fair, they find it flowery, and tread upon Camamel all along; Such may be said to have their paradise here, or to sail still in Fortunes sleeve, and to have the wind in the poop all the while, not knowing what a storm means; yet both the Divine and Philosopher do rank these among the most infortunat of men. Others ther are who in their journey to their last home do meet with rocks, and craggs, with ill-favor'd sloughs and bogs, and divers deep and dirty passages; for my part I have already passed through many such, and must expect to meet with more: Therfore you also by your various adventures, and negotiations in the world must not think to escape them; you must make account to meet with encumbrances, and disasters, with mischances and crosses. Now, 'twas a brave generous saying of a great Armenian merchant, who having understood how a Vessel of his was cast away, wherein ther was laden a rich Cargazon upon his sole account, He struck his hand on his breast and said, My heart I thank God is still afloat, my spirits shall not sink with the ship, nor go an inch lower.  
But why do I writ to you of patience and courage? In doing this, I do no otherwise then Phormio did when he discoursed of War before Hannibal; I know you have prudence enough to cheer up and instruct yourself; Only let me tell you, that you superabound with fancy, you have more of mind then of body, and that sometimes you overcharge the Imagination by musing too much upon the odd traverses of the World: therfore I pray rouse up your spirits, and reserve yourself for better times, that I may long enjoy the sweetness of your friendship, for the Elements are the more pleasing unto me, because you live with me amongst them. So God sand you such tranquillity of thoughts as I wish.  
Your true friend, J. H. 5. Aprilis.   

XL. To mayor J. Walker in Coventry.  
SIR,  
I hearty congratulat your return to England, and that you so safely crossed the Scythian Vale, for so old Gildas calls the Irish Seas in regard they are so boisterous and rough: I understand you have been in sundry hot and hazardous encounters, because of those many scars and cuts you wear about you, and as Tom Dawson  told me, it was no less then a miracle that none of them were mortal, being eleven in all: It makes me think on a witty compliment that Captain Miller put upon the Persian Ambassador when he was here, who showing him many wounds that he had received in the Wars against the Turk, the Captain said, That his Lordships skin after his death would yield little money, because it had so many holes in it.  
I find the same Fate hangs o'er the Irish, as befell the old Britains here, for as they were hemmed among the Welsh Mountains, so the Irish are like now to be all kennell'd in Conaught: We see daily strange revolutions, and God knows what the issue will be at last; howsoever let us live and love one another, in which resolution I rest  
Entirely yours, J. H. 2. May.   

XLI. To Mr. T. C. at his House upon Tower-Hill.  
SIR,  
TO inaugurat a good and Jovial New-Yeer unto you, I sand you a mornings draft,( viz. a bottle of Metheglin,) Neither Sir Barly-corn or Bacchus had any thing to do with it, but it is the pure juice of the Bee, the laborious Bee, and King of infects; The Druyds and old British Bards were wont to take a carouse hereof before they entred into their speculations, and if you do so when your fancy labours with any thing, it will do you no hurt, and I know your fancy to be very good.  
But this drink always carries a kind of state with it, for it must be attended with a brown tost, nor will it admit but of one good draft, and that in the morning, if more, it will keep a humming in the head, and so speak too much of the House it comes from, I mean the Hive, as I gave a caution elsewhere; and because the bottle might make more hast, I have made it go upon these( poetic) feet: 

J. H. T. C. Salutem, et annum Platonicum.  
Non Vitis, said Apis succum tibi mitto bibendum  
Quem legimus Bardos olim potâsse Britannos,  
Qualibet in bacca Vitis Megera latescit,  
Qualibet in gutta Mellis Aglaia nitet.   

The juice of Bees not Bacchus here behold,  
Which British Bards were wont to quaff of old,  
The berries of the grape with Furies swell,  
But in the Honey-comb the Graces dwell.   This alludes to a saying which the Turks have, that ther lurks a devil in evry berry of the Vine. So I wish you as cordially as to myself an auspicious and joyful New-Yeer, because you know I am  
Your truly affectionate Servitor, J.H.   

XLII. To Sir E. S.  
SIR,  
AT my return to London, I found two of yours that lay in bank for me, which were as welcome to me as the New-Yeer, and as pleasing as if two pendents of Orient Perl had been sent to a French Lady: But your Lines, me thought, did cast a greater lustre then any such Muscle beads, for they displayed the whiteness of a comely and knowing soul, which reflecting upon my faculties did much enlighten them, with the choice notions I found therein.  
I thank you for the absolution you sand me for what's passed, and for your other Invitation; But I have observed a civility they use in Italy and Spain, not to visit a sick person too often, for fear of putting him to waste his spirits by talk, which they say spends much of the Inward man; but when you will have recovered yourself, as I hope you will do with the season, I shall return to kiss your hands, and your feet also could I ease you of that podagrical pain which afflicts you.  
I sand you a thousand thanks for your kind acceptance of that small New-Yeers gift I sent, and that you concur with divers other in a good opinion of it: So I rest,  
Your own true Servant, J. H. London, 18. Febr.   

XLIII. To the truly honoured the Lady Sybilla Brown at her House nere Sherburn.  
madam,  
WHen I had the happiness to wait upon you at your being in London, ther was a dispute raised about the ten Sybills, by one, who, your ladyship knows, is no great friend to Antiquity, and I was glad to apprehended this opportunity to perform the promise you drew from me then to vent something upon this subject for your ladyships satisfaction.  
madam, In these peevish times, which may be called the rust of the Iron Age, ther is a race of cross-grained people which are malevolent to all Antiquity, If they red an old author it is to quarrel with him, and find some hole in his coat; They slight the Fathers of the Primitive times, and prefer John Calvin, or a Causabon before them all: Among other tenets of the first times they hold the ten Sybills to be fictitious and fabulous, and no better then Urganda, or the Lady of the Lake, or such doting beldams: They stick not to term their predictions of Christ to be mere mock-Oracles, and odd arreptitious frantic extravagancies; They cry out that they were forged and obtruded to the world by some officious Christians to procure credit, and countenance to their Religion among the Pagans.  
For my part, madam, I am none of this incredulous perverse race of men, but what the current, and concurrent testimonies of the Primitive times do hold forth, I give credit thereunto without any scruple.  
Now, touching the works of the Sybills, they were in high request among the Fathers of the first 4. Centuries, insomuch that they used to urge their Prophesies for conversion of Pagans, who therfore called the Christians Sybyllianists, nor did they hold it a word of reproach; They were all Virgins, and for reward of their chastity, 'twas thought they had the gift of prophesy; not by any endowment of nature, or inherent human quality, or ordinary ideas in the soul, but by pure divine inspirations not depending on second causes in sight; They speak not like the ambiguous Pagan Oracles in riddles, but so clearly that they sometimes go beyond the Jewish Prophets; they were called Siobulae that is, of the Counsels of God, Sios in the Eolic dialect being Deus: They were preferred before all the Chaldean Wisards, before the Bacides, Branchydae and others, as also before Tiresias, Manto, Matis, or Cassandra, &c.  
Nor did the Christians onely value them at that height, but the most learned among the Ethniks, did so, as Varro, Livic, and Cicero, the first being the greatest Antiquary, the second the greatest Historian, and the third the greatest Orator that ever Rome had, who speaks so much of that famous Acrostic that one of them made of the Name of our Saviour, which sure could not be the work of a Christian, as some would maliciously obtrude, it being so long before the Incarnation.  
But for the better discharge of my engagement to your ladyship, I will rank all the ten before you, with some of their most signal Predictions.  
The Sybills were ten in number, whereof ther were 5. born in Europe, to wit, Sybilla Delphica, Cumaea, Samia, Cumana, and Tyburtina, the rest were born in Asia and Afric.  
The first was a Persian called Samberta, who plainly foretold many hundred yeers before in these words, The womb of the Virgin shall be the salvation of the Gentiles, &c.  
The second was Sybilla Lybica, who among other Prophesies hath this; The day shall come that men shall see the King of all living things, and a Virgin Lady of the world shall hold him in her lap.  
The third was Delphica, who saith, A Prophet shall be born of a Virgin.  
The fourth was Sybilla Cumaea, born in Campania in Italy, who hath these words, that God shall be born of a Virgin, and converse with sinners.  
The fifth was the famous Erythraea born at Babylon, who composed that famous Acrostic which St. Augustin took so much pains to translate into Latin: which begins, The Earth shall sweat signs of judgement, from Heaven shall come a King who shall reign for ever, viz. in human flesh, to the end that by his presence he judge the world; A river of fire and brimstone shall fall from Heaven, the Sun and stars shall lose their light, the Firmament shall be dissolved, and the Moon shall be darkened, a Trumpet shall sound from Heaven in woeful and terrible manner, and the opening of the Earth shall discover confused, and dark h●ll, and before the Judge shall come evry King, &c.  
The sixth was Sybilla Samia, who saith, He being rich shall be born of a poor Maid, the creatures of the Earth shall adore him, and praise him for ever.  
The seventh was Cumana, who saith, That he should come from Heaven, and reign here in poverty, he should rule in silence, and be born of a Virgin.  
The eight was Sybilla Hellespontica, who foretells plainly, that A Woman shall descend of the Jews called Mary, and of her shall be born the Son of God, and that without carnal copulation, &c.  
The ninth was Phrygia, who saith, The highest shall come from heaven, and shall confirm the council in heaven, and a Virgin shall be shew'd in the Valleys of the deserts, &c.  
The tenth was Tyburtina, born nere tiber, who saith, The invisible Word shall be born of a Virgin, he shall converse with sinners; and shall of them be despised, &c.  
Moreover, St. Austin reciteth these Prophesies following of the Sybills; Then he shall be taken by the wicked hands of Infidels, and they shall give him buffets on his face, they shall spit upon him with their foul and accursed mouths, he shall turn unto them his shoulders, suffering them to be whipped: He also shall be crowned with thorns, they shall give him gull to eat, and vinegar to drink; Then the veil of the Temple shall rend, and at mid-day it shall be dark night, &c.  
Lactantius relateth these Prophesies of theirs, he shall raise the dead, the impotent and lame shall go, the deaf shall hear, the blind shall see, and the dumb speak, &c.  
In fine, out of the Works of the Sybills may be deduced a good part of the miracles and sufferings of Christ, therfore for my part I will not cavil with Antiquity, or traduce the Primitive Church, but I think I may believe without danger, that those Sybills might be select instruments to amnounce the dispensations of heaven to Mankind; Nor do I see how they do the Church of God any good service or advantage at all, who question the truth of their Writings,( as also Trismegistus his Pymandra, and Aristaeus, &c.) who have been handed over to posterity as incontroulable truths for so many Ages.  
Thus, madam, have I don something of that task you imposed upon me touching the ten Sybills, whereunto I may well add your ladyship for the Eleventh, for among other things I remember you foretold confidently that the Scottish Kerk would destroy the English Church; and that if the Hierarchy went down, Monarchy would not be of long continuance.  
Your ladyship I remember foretold also, how those unhappy separatists the Puritans would bring all things at last into a confusion, who since are called Presbyterians, or Jews of the New Testament, and they not improperly may be called so, for they sympathise much with that Nation in a revengeful sanguinary humour, and thirsting after blood; I could produce a cloud of examples, but let two suffice.  
Ther lived a few yeers before the Long Parlement near Clun Castle in Wales a good old widow that had two sons grown to mens estate, who having taken holy Sacrament on a first Sunday in the month, at their return home they entred into a dispute touching the manner of receiving it; The eldest brother who was an Orthodox Protestant( with the mother) held it was very fitting it being the highest act of devotion, that it should be taken in the humblest posture that could be upon the knees; the other, being a Puritan, opposed it, and the dispute grew high, but it ended without much heat; The next day being both come home to dinner from their business abroad, the eldest brother as it was his custom took a nap upon a cushion at the end of the table that he might be more fresh for labour, the Puritan brother, called Enoch Evans, spying his opportunity fetched an axe which he had provided it seems on purpose, and stealing softly to the Table he chopp'd off his brothers head; the old mother hearing a noise came suddenly from the next room, and ther found the body and head of her eldest son both asunder, and reeking in hot blood, O viliain, cried she, hast thou murdered thy eldest brother? yes, quoth he, and you shall after him, and so striking her down, he dragged her body to the threshall of the door, and there chopp'd off her head also, and put them both in a bag; but thinking to fly he was apprehended and brought before the next Justice of Peace, who chanced to be Sir Robert Howard, so the murderer the Assizes after was condemned, and the Law could but only hang him, though he had committed matricide and fratricide.  
I will fetch another example of their cruelty from Scotland; The late Marquis of Montrose being betrayed by a Lerd in whose house he lay was brought prisoner of War to edinburgh, there the common hangman met him at the towns end, and first pulled off his hat, then he forced him up to a Cart, and hurried him like a condemned person, though he had not yet been arraigned, much less convicted, through the great stree● and brought him before the Parlement, where being presently condemned, he was posted away to the gallows, which was above 30 foot high, there his hand was cut off first, then he was lifted up by pulleys to the top, and then hanged in the most ignominious manner that could be; being taken down, his head was chopp'd off and nailed to the high cross, his arms, thighs and legs were sent to be set up in several places, and the rest of his body was thrown away and deprived of Christian burial. Thus was this Nobleman used, though one of the ancient'st Peers of Scotland, and esteemed the greatest honor of that country both at home, and abroad. Add hereunto the moral cruelty they used to their young King, with whom they would not treat unless he first acknowledged his Father to be a Tyrant, and his Mother an idolatress, &c.  
So I most humbly kiss your hands, and rest always  
madam, Your La. most faithfully devoted Servant, J. H. London, this 30th of Aug.   

XLIV. To Sir L. D. in Paris.  
Noble Knight,  
YOurs of the 22 current came to safe hand, but what you please to attribute therein to my Letters, may be more properly applied to yours in point of intrinsic value; for by this correspondence with you, I do as our East-India Marchants use to do, I venture beads and other bagatels, out of the proceed whereof I have Perl, and other Oriental jewels return'd me in yours.  
Concerning the posture of things here we are still involved in a cloud of confusion, specially touching Church matters, a race of odd crack-brain'd schismatics do croak in evry corner, but poor things they rather want a Physician to cure them of their madness, then a Divine to confute them of their Errors; Such is the height of their spiritual pride, that they make it nothing to interpret evry tittle of the Apocalyps, they make a shallow rivulet of it that one may pass over and scarce wet his ankles, whereas the greatest Doctors of the Church compared it to a deep ford wherein an Elephant might swimm: They think they are of the Cabinet Counsel of God, and not onely know his Attributes but his Essence, which made me lately break out upon my pillow into these Metricall speculations.  

1  
If of the smallest stars in sky  
We know not the dimensity,  
If those bright sparks which them compose  
The highest mortal wits do pose:  
How then poor shallow Man canst Thou  
The Maker of these Glories know?   

2  
If wee know not the Air wee draw,  
Nor what keeps winds and waves in awe,  
If our small skulls cannot contain  
The flux and saltnes of the main,  
If scarce a cause we ken below,  
How can wee the supernal know?   

3  
If it be a mysterious thing  
Why steel should to the Loadstone cling,  
If we know not why jet should draw,  
And with such kisses hug a straw;  
If none can truly yet reveal  
How sympathetic powders heal.   

4  
If we scarce know the Earth we tread,  
Or half the simples there are bread,  
With Minerals and thousand things  
Which for mans health and food she brings,  
If Nature's so obscure, then how  
Can wee the God of Nature know?   

5  
What the Batt's ey is to the Sun,  
Or of a Gloworm to the Moon,  
The same is Human intellect,  
If on our Maker we reflect,  
Whose magnitude is so immense,  
That it transcends both soul and sense.   

6  
Poor purblind man then sit thee still,  
Let wonderment thy temples fill,  
Keep a due distance, do not prie  
Too near, lest like the silly fly  
While she the wanton with the flames doth play,  
First fryes her wings, then foole's her life away.   
Ther are many things under serious debate in Parlement, whereof the results may be called yet but the imperfect productions of a grand Committee, they may in time come to the maturity of Votes, and so of Acts.  
You writ that you have the German Diet which goes forth in my name, and you say that you never had more matter for your money; I have valued it the more ever since, in regard that you please to set such a rate upon't; for I know your opinion is current and sterling: I shall shortly by T. B. sand you a new History of Naples, which also did cost me a great deal of oil and labour.  
Sir, if ther be any thing imaginable wherein I may stead or serve you here, you well know what interest and power you may claim both in the affections of my heart, and the faculties of my soul: I pray be pleased to present the humblest of my service to the noble Earl your brother, and preserve still in your good opinion  
Your truly obliged Servant, J. H.   

XLV.[ To Sir E. S. Knight.  
SIR,  
NOw that the Sun and the Spring advance daily towards us more and more, I hope your health will keep place with them; And that the all-searching beams of the first, will dissipat that fretful humour, which hath confined you so long to your Chamber, and bar 'd you of the use of your true supporters: But though your toes be sluggs, yet your Temples are nimble enough, as I find by your last of the 12. current, which makes me think on a speech of Severus the Emperour, who having lain sick a long time of the Gout at York, and one of his Nobles telling him that he wondered much how he could rule so vast an Empire being so lame and unweldy; the Emperour answered, That He ruled the Empire with his brain, not with his feet: so it may be said of you, that you rule the same way the whole state of that microcosm of yours, for evry man is a little World of himself.  
Moreover, I find that the same kind of spirit doth govern your body as governs the great world, I mean the Celestial bodies, for as the notions whereby they are regulated are Musical, if we may believe Pythagoras whom the Tripod pronounced the wisest man, so a true harmonious spirit seems to govern you, in regard you are so naturally inclined to the ravishing art of Music.  
Your friends here are well, and wish you were so too, for my part, I do not only wish it, but pray it may be so, for my life is the sweeter in yours, and I please myself much in being  
Your truly faithful Servant, J. H. 1. Martii.   

XLVI. To Mr. Sam. Bon. at his House in the Old Jury.  
SIR,  
I received that choice parcel of Tobacco your servant brought me, for which I sand you as many returns of gratitude, as there were grains therein, which were many,( and cut all me thinks with a Diamond cut) but too few to express my acknowledgement; I had also therwith your most ingenious Letter, which I valued far more: The other was but a Potential fire only reducible to smoke; but your Letter did sparkle with actual fire, for me thought ther were pure flames of love, and gentleness waving in evry line: The Poets do frequently compare affection to fire, therfore whensoever I take any of this Varina, I will imagine that I light my pipe always at the flames of your Love.  
I also highly thank you for the Italian Manuscripts you sent me of the late revolutions in Naples, which will infinitely advantage me in exposing to the World that stupendous piece of story; I am in the arrear to you for sundry courtesies more, which shall make me ever entitle myself  
Your truly thankful friend and Servant, J. H. Holborn, 3. June.   

XLVII. To W. Sands, Esq;  
SIR,  
THe Calamities and Confusions, which the late wars did bring upon us, were many, and manifold, yet England may be said to have gained one advantage by it; for whereas before she was like an animal that knew not his own strength, she is now better acquainted with her self, for her power and wealth did never appear more both by Land and Sea; This makes France to cringe unto her so much; This makes Spain to purchase Peace of her with his Indian Patacoons: This makes the Hollander to dash his colours, and veil his bonnet so low unto her; this makes the Italian Princes, and all other States that have any thing to do with the Sea to court her so much: Indeed touching the Emperour, and the Mediterranean Princes of Germany whom she cannot reach with her Canons, they care not much for her.  
Nor indeed was the true are of Governing England known till now, the Sword is the surest sway over all people who ought to be cudgeled rather then cajoll'd to obedience, if upon a glutt of plenty and peace they should forget it. Ther is not such a windy wavering thing in the world as the Common people; They are got by an Apple, and lost for a Pear, the Elements themselves are not more inconstant; So that it is the worst fanaticism in government for a Prince to depend merely upon their affections; Riches and long rest makes them insolent and wanton: It was not Tarquin's wantones as much as the Peeples that ejeeted Kings in Rome; It was the peeples concupiscence, as much as Don Rodrigo's lust that brought the Moors into Spain, &c.  
Touching the Wealth of England, it never also appeared so much by public Erogations, and Taxes, which the long Parlement raised; Insomuch, that it may be said the last King was beaten by his own Image more then any thing else. Add hereunto that the world stands in admiration of the capacity, and dociblenes of the English, that Persons of ordinary breeding, Extraction and Callings should become Statesmen and Souldiers, Commanders and Councellors both in the art of war, and mysteries of State, and know the use of the compass in so short a tract of time.  
I have many thanks to give you for the Spanish discourse you pleased to sand me, at our next conjuncture I shall give you an account of it, in the interim I pray let me have still a small corner in your thoughts, while you possess a large room in mine, and ever shall while  
Jam. howel.   

XLVIII. To the R. H. the E. of S.  
My Lord,  
SInce my last, that which is the greatest subject of our discourses and hopes here is the issue of our Trety with the Dutch; It is a piece that hath been a good while on the anvil, but it is not hammered yet to any shape. The Parlement likewise hath many things in debate, which may be called yet but Embryos, in time they may be hatched into Acts.  
The Pope they writ hath been of late dangerously sick, but hath been cured in a strange way by a young Padoua Doctor, who having killed a lusty young Mule clapped the Patients body naked in the paunch therof, by which gentle fomentation he recovered him of the tumours he had in his knees and elsewhere.  
Donna Olympia sways most, and hath the highest ascendent over him, so that a Gentleman writes to me from Rome, that among other Pasquils this was one, Papa magis amat Olympiam quàm Olympum: He writes of another, That the bread being not long since grown scant, and made coorser then ordinary by reason of the tax his holiness laid upon Corn, ther was a pasquil fixed upon a corner ston of his Palace, Beatissime Pater fac ut hi lapides fiant panes; O blessed Father, grant that these stones be made bread. But it was an odd character that our countryman Doctor B. gave lately of him, who being turned Roman Catholic, and expecting a Pension, and having one day attended his holiness a long time about it, he at last broken away suddenly; a friend of his asking why? He replied, It is to no purpose for me to stay longer, for I know he will give me nothing, because I find by his Physiognomy that he hath a Negative face: 'Tis true, he is one of the hard-favored'st Popes that sate in the Chair a great while; so that some call him L'Huomo de tre peli, The man with three hairs, for he hath no more beard upon his chin.  
St. Mark is still tugging with the great Turk, and hath banged him ill-favoredly this summer in Dalmatia by Land, and before the Dardanelli by Sea.  
whereas your Lordship writes for my Lustra Ludivici, or the History of the last French King and his Cardinal; I shall ere long serve your Lordship with one of a new Edition, and with some enlargements: I humbly thank your Lordship for the favourable, and indeed too high a character you please to give of my Survey of Venice; yet ther are some who would detract from it, and,( which I believe your Lordship will something wonder at) they are cavaliers, but the shallowest and silliest sort of them; And such may well deserve the epithet of Malignants. So I humbly kiss your hands in quality of  
Your Lordships most obedient and ever obliged Servant, J. H.   

XLIX. To the R. H. the Earl Rivers, at his House in Queenstreet.  
My Lord,  
THe least command of yours is enough to set all my intellectuals on work, therfore I have don something as your Lordship shall find herwith, relating to that gallant piece called the Gallery of Ladies, which my Lord Marquis of Winchester( your Brother) hath set forth.  

Upon the glorious Work of the Lo. Mar. of Win.  

1  
The World of Ladies must be honoured much,  
That so sublime a parsonage, that such  
A Noble Peer, and Pen should thus display  
Their Virtues, and expose them to the day.   

2  
His praises are like those coruscant beams  
Which Phoebus on high rocks of crystal streams,  
The Matter and the Agent grace each other,  
So Danae did when Jove made her a Mother.   

3  
Queens, Countesses, and Ladies go, unlock  
Your Cabinets, draw forth your richest stock  
Of jewels, and his Coronet adorn  
With Rubies, Perl, and sapphires yet unworn.   

4  
Rise early, gather flowr's now in the Spring,  
Twist wreaths of Laurel, and fresh garlands bring,  
To crown the temples of this High-born Peer,  
And make Him your Apollo all the year:  
And when his soul shall leave this Earthly mine,  
Then offer sacrifice unto his shrine.    
I sand also the Elegy upon the late Earl of Dorset, which your Lordship spake of so much when I waited on you last; And I believe your Lordship will find therein evry inch of that noble Peer characterized inwardly and outwardly.  

An Elegy upon the most accomplished, and Heroic Lord Edward, Earl of Dorset, Lord Chamberlain to His late Majesty of Great Britain, and Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter, &c.  
Alluding to 

The Quality of the Times,  
His admired Perfections,  
His goodly Person,  
His ancient Pedigree,  
His Coat of Arms crested with a Star,  
The Condition of Mortality,  
The Passion of the Author closing with an Epitaph.    

LOrds have been long Declining,( we well know)  
And making their last Testaments, but now  
They are Defunct, they are extinguished All,  
And never like to rise by this Lords Fall;   

A Lord, whose intellectuals alone  
Might make a House of Peers, and prop a Throne,  
Had not so dire a Fate hung o'er the Crown,  
That Privilege Prerogative should drown;   

Where e're he sate he swayed, and Courts did awe,  
Gave Bishops Gospel, and the Judges Law  
With such exalted Reasons, which did flow  
So clear and strong, that made Astraea bow  
To his Opinion, for where He did side  
advantaged more than half the Bench beside.   

But is great Sakvile dead? Do we Him lack,  
And will not all the Elements wear black?  
Whereof he was composed a perfect man  
As ever Nature in one frame did span.  
Such High-born Thoughts, a Soul so large and free,  
So clear a judgement, and vast Memory,  
So Princely Hospitable, and Brave Mind,  
We must not think in hast on earth to find,  
unless the Times would turn to Gold again,  
And Nature get new strength in forming men.   

His Person with it such a state did bring,  
That made a Court as if He had been King,  
No wonder, since He was so near a Kin  
To Norfolks Duke, and the great Maiden Queen.   

He courage had enough by conquering One,  
To have confounded that whole Nation,  
Those parts which single do in some appear,  
Were all concentred here in one bright sphere,   

For Brain, tongue, Spirit, Heart, and parsonage,  
To mould up such a Lord will ask an age;  
But how durst pale white-livered Death seize on  
So dauntles and Heroic a Champion?  
Yes, to die once is that uncancell'd debt  
Which Nature claims, and raiseth by Eschet  
On all Mankind by an old Statute past  
Primo Adami, which will always last  
Without Repeal, nor can a second lease  
Be had of Life, when the first term doth cease.  
Mount noble Soul, Among the Stars take place,  
And make a new One of so bright a Race:  
May Jove out-shine, that Venus still may be  
In a benign Conjunction with Thee,  
To check that Planet which on Lords hath loured,  
And such malign influxes lately powred;  
Be now a star thyself for those which here  
Did on thy Crest, and upper Robes appear,  
For thy Director take that Star we red  
Which to thy Saviours Birth three Kings did led.   

A Corollary.  

THus have I blubbered out some tears & Verse  
On this Renowned hero, and His hearse,  
And could my Eyes have dropped down Perls upon't,  
In lieu of Tears, God knows, I would have don't;  
But Tears are real, Perls for their Emblems go,  
The first are fitter to express my Wo:  
Let this small mite suffize until I may  
A larger tribute to his ashes pay,   

In the mean time this Epitaph shall shut,  
And to my Elegy a period put.   

HEre lies a Grandee by Birth, Parts and Mind,  
Who hardly left his parallel behind,  
Here lies the Man of Men, who should have been  
An Emperour, had Fate or Fortune seen.   
Totus in lachrymas solutus sic singultivit, J. H.    
So I most humbly kiss your Lordships hands, and rest in the highest degree of service and affection ever most ready  
At your Lordships Command, J H. London, 20. Decem.   

L. To T. Herris Esq;  
SIR,  
YOurs of December the tenth I had the second of this January, and I account it a good Augury that it came so seasonably to usher in the New-Yeer, and to cheer up my thoughts, which your Letters have a virtue to do always whensoever they come, they are so full of quaint and copious quick expressions. When the Spaniards at their first coalition in the West-Indies did begin to mingle with the Americans, that silly people thought that those little white papers and letters which the Spaniards used to sand one to another, were certain kind of Conjurers or Spirits that used to go up and down to tell tales, and make discoveries: Among other examples, I remember to have red one of an Indian boy sent from a Mexico merchant to a Captain, with a basket of figs, and a Letter; The boy in the way did eat some of them, and the Captain after he had red the Letter asked him what became of the rest? whereat the boy stood all astonished; and being sent with another basket a little after to the same party, his maw began to yern again after some of the figs, but he first took the Letter and clapped it under a great ston hard by upon which he sate while he was eating, thinking thereby that the spirit in the letter could not discover him, &c. Whether your Letters be spirits or no, I will not dispute, but I am sure they beget new spirits in me, and quod efficit tale illud ipsum est magis tale; If I am possessed with Melancholy, they raise a spirit of mirth in me; if my thoughts are contracted with sadness, they presently dilate them into joy, &c. As if they had some subtle invislble atoms whereby they operat, which is now an old Philosophy newly furbish'd, and much cried up, that all natural actions and motions are performed by emission of certain atoms, whereof ther is a constant effluvium from all elementary bodies, and are of divers shapes, some angular, others cylindrical, some spherical, which atoms are still hovering up and down, and never rest till they meet with some pores proportionable and cognate unto their figures where they acquiesce: By the expiration of such atoms the dog finds the sent as he hunts, the Pestilence infects, the Loadstone attracts iron, the Sympathetic powder or Zaphyrian salt calcined by Apollineaen heat, operating in July and August till it come to a lunary complexion, I say, by the virtue and intervention of such atoms, 'tis found that this said powder heals at a distance without topical applications to the place affencted. They who are of this opinion hold that all sublunary bodies operat thus by Atoms, as the heavenly bodies do by their influences. Now, it is more visible in the Loadstone then any other body, for by help of artificial glasses a kind of mist hath been discerned to expire out of it, as Dr. Highmore doth acutely, and so much like a Philosopher observe. For my part, I think it more congruous to reason, and to the course of Nature, that all actions and motions should be thus performed by such little atomical bodies, then by Accidents and qualities which are but notiorall things, having only an imaginary subsistence, and no essence of themselves at all, but as they inhere in some other. If this Philosophy be true, it were no great absurdity to think that your Letters have a kind of Atomicall energy which operats upon my spirits, as I formerly  told you.  
The Times continue still untoward and troublesome, Therfore now, that you and I carry above a hundred yeers upon both our backs, and that those few grains of sand which remain in the brittle glasses of our lives are still running out, It is time, my dear Tom, for us to think on that which of all future things is the most certain, I mean our last removal, and emigration hence to another World. 'Tis time to think on that little hole of Earth which shall hold us at last: The time was, that you and I had all the fair Continent of Europe before us to range in; We have been since confined to an island, and now Lincoln holds you, and London me, we must expect the day that sickness will confine us to our Chambers, then to our Beds, and so to our Graves, the dark silent grave, which will put a period to our pilgrimage in this world; And observable it is, what method Nature doth use in contracting our liberty thus by degrees, as a worthy Gentleman observes.  
But though this small baggfull of bones be so confined, yet the noblest part of us may be said to be then set at full liberty, when having shaken off this slough of flesh she mounts up to her true country, the country of Eternity, where one moment of joy is more then if we enjoyed all the pleasures of this world a million of yeers here among the Elements.  
But till our threads are spun up, let as continue to enjoy ourselves as well as we can, let those grains I spoken of before run gently by their own motion, without jogging the glass by any perturbation of mind, or musing too much upon the Times.  
Man's life is nimble and swift enough of itself without the help of a spur, or any violent motion, therfore he spoken like a true Philosopher, who excepted against the title of a Book called de statu Vitae, but he should rather have entitled it, de cursu Vitae; for this life is still upon the speed.  
You and I have luckily met abroad under many Meridians, when our course is run here, I hope we shall meet in a Region that is above the wheel of Time; And it may be in the Concave of some Star( if those glorious Lamps are Habitable.) Howsoever my Genius prompts me, that when I part hence I shall not downward, for I had always soaring thoughts being but a boy, at which time I had a mighty desire to be a bide that I might fly towards the Sky.  
So my long-endeared friend, and Fellow-Traveller, I rest  
Yours verily and Invariably, J. H. Holborn, 10. Jan.    

To the Sagacious Reader.  

UT clavis portam, sic pandit Epistola pectus;  
Clauditur Haec cerâ, clauditur Illa serâ.   

As Keys do open Chests,  
So Letters open breasts.   
〈◇〉.  Gloria Laus Deo Saeclorum in saecula sunto. 
A Doxological Cronogram including this present year, MDCLV. and hath numeral letters enough to extend to the year nineteen hundred twenty seven, if it please God this World shall last so long.   

To the intelligent Reader.  
AMongst other reasons which make the English Language of so small extent, and put strangers out of conceis to learn it, one is, That we do not pronounce as we writ, which proceeds from divers superfluous Letters, that occur in many of our words, which adds to the difficulty of the Language: Tnerfore the Author hath taken pains to retrench such redundant, unnecessary Letters in this Work( though the Printer hath not been so careful as he should have been), as amongst multitude of other words may appear in these few, done, some, come; Which though wee, to whom the speech is connatural, pronounce as monosyllables, yet when strangers come to red them, they are apt to make them dissillables, as do-ne, so-me, co-me; therfore such an e is superfluous.  
Moreover, those words that have the Latin for their original, the Author prefers that Orthography, rather then the French, whereby divers letters are spared, as Physic, Logic, Afric, not physic, logic, afric; favour, honor, labour, not favour, honour, labour, and very many more; as also he omits the Dutch k, in most words: here you shall red people, not pe-ople; treasure, not treasure; tongue, not ton-gue, &c. Parlement, not Parliament; business, witness, sickness, not business, witness, sickness, star, war, far, not star, war, far, and multitudes of such words, wherein the two last Letters may well be spared: Here you shall also red pity, piety, witty, not piti-e, pieti-e, witti-e, as strangers at first sight pronounce them, and abundance of such like words.  
The new Academy of wits called l'Academie de beaux esprits, which the late cardinal de Richelieu founded in Paris, is now in hand to reform the French Language in this particular, and to weed it of all superfluous Letters, which makes the tongue differ so much from the Pen, that they have exposed themselves to this contumelious Proverb, The Frenchman doth neither pronounce as he writes, nor speak as he thinks, nor sing as he pricks.  
Aristotle hath a topic Axiom, that Frustra fit per plura, quod fieri potest per pauciora, When fewer may serve the turn, more is in vain. And as this rule holds in all things else, so it may be very well observed in Orthography.  
FINIS.   

AN INDEX Of the chiefest passages in this FOURTH VOLUME OF Familiar LETTERS.  

A.  

OF the Abuses of the Times. Pag. 105  
Of the Angel and Anchorit. Pag. 7  
Q. Artemisia made her body her husbands sepulchre. Pag. 17  
The advantages of History. Pag. 28  
The Americans at first thought a man on horseback was all but one creature. Pag. 29  
Aristotles error holding ther were no Asses in France. Pag. 41  
Of the Apostolical Creed. Pag. 68  
Antiquity to be preferred before novelty. Pag. 73  
A rule to red old Authors. Pag. 73  
An acre of performance more then the whole Land of Promise. Pag. 75  
Armorica in France planted by the Welsh Britaines. Pag. 72  
Of the analogy 'twixt Amsterdam and Venice. Pag. 80  
Amsterdam smells rank of a Hans Town. Pag. 83  
Of an Armenian merchant Pag. 94  
The Author's opinion of the World. Pag. 94  
The advantages England hath had by the late Wars. Pag. 111    

B.  

BRennus the Britain the first Forrener Rome felt. Pag. 2  
The beasts proper to a forest, to a Chase, to a Park. Pag. 39  
Bodin touching the freedom of the French. Pag. 41  
The British held to be the first Language of France. Pag. 45  
British words found in France to this day. Pag. 46  
The Britains held barbarous by Strabo, because they could not make Cheese. Pag. 69  
We must believe for ourselves, & beg for others. Pag. 69  
Of Bishops by Chrysostom and Athanasius. Pag. 69  
A British Prince first discoverer of the West-Indies. Pag. 71  
Of Babel and Babylon. Pag. 89    

C.  

COurtesies compared by the French. Pag. 5  
A comparison of the present case of England. Pag. 6  
Divers Comparisons touching the frame of the World. Pag. 6  
Of Cuckolds. Pag. 18  
Of the Chineses incestuous custom. Pag. 19  
Of courtesans. Pag. 20  
The cause of lust in Southern people. Pag. 21  
Of Counsel. Pag. 36  
A compliment about a Present. Pag. 38  
Canutus a great Forester, his strict laws. Pag. 40  
The word crank abused in English. Pag. 51  
A censure of the Times. Pag. 70  
A censure of some things in the Roman Church. Pag. 84  
Christians called Sybillianists. Pag. 99    

D.  

DOctor Dales merry mistake. Pag. 3  
His witty answers to Q. Eliz. and the Spanish Ambassadors. Pag. 4  
Of a devout Lady. Pag. 5  
A dry cough the Trompeter of death. Pag. 25  
Divers remarks upon Q Eliz. reign. Pag. 33  
The Duke of Espernon would have Love to be the third Principle. Pag. 37  
The dialects of the French. Pag. 55  
Deeds men, words women. Pag. 75  
Of the Doggs about Oxford. Pag. 74  
Of degrees in the Church. Pag. 89  
The Devil lurks in grapes berries. Pag. 97    

E.  

THe Elementary World made of repugnant Ingredients. Pag. 6  
Of Q. Elizabeth. Pag. 31  
Of the Earl of Lindsey. Pag. 38  
Emblema thrust out of Rome by a special diploma. Pag. 48  
A Welsh Epitaph found in America. Pag. 71  
Sir Elias Hicks vindicated of the aspersions cast upon him by wilson. Pag. 78  
Of Equity and Justice. Pag. 92  
An elegy upon Edward Earl of Dorset. Pag. 116  
Of the Earl of clear. Pag. 43    

F.  

FAsting as morning spittle kills Dragons and Devils. Pag. 11  
Of the Female kind, 16. Against Females. Pag. 16  
The famed of some Princes like the Rose, of others like the Poppy. Pag. 35  
The Prerogatives of a foreste over a Chase. Pag. 39  
France a plentiful country, but the people poor. Pag. 41  
Four things in Armorica called howel. Pag. 72  
Of the French and Spaniard. Pag. 92  
Of English Natures. Pag. 111  
The French Peasants mere Asses. Pag. 41    

G.  

GAlen's course in sleeping the afternoon. Pag. 2  
Galen Clerk of Natures Cabinet. Pag. 2  
Of the goose about Oxford. Pag. 74  
Of Church-Goverment. Pag. 84  
Of good Works. Pag. 87  
Of the grand Cosmo de Medici. Pag. 87  
Of the Gallery of Ladies. Pag. 114  
Gallia first called Wallia. Pag. 46    

H.  

Of the Hermit and the Angel. Pag. 8  
How the Hugonotts of France do fast. Pag. 13  
How to govern Women. Pag. 15  
A Hymn upon Christmas. Pag. 27  
Of History. Pag. 29  
Of Sir Elias Hicks and Fairfax before Montauban. Pag. 80  
Heteroclits in Religion. Pag. 83  
The horrid Assassinat committed by a Puritan in Wales. Pag. 103  
The History of wilson censured. Pag. 78  
Of a Boor of H●lland and his son Boobikin. Pag. 22    

I.  

An Invitation to correspond by Letters. Pag. 1  
The manner of the Jewish Fast. Pag. 12  
In the Church of Rome some things commendable. Pag. 87  
Justices of Peace made Church-men. Pag. 92  
Of Justice and Equity, 92. Of King John. Pag. 40  
Juan de Padilla a Spanish Rebel. Pag. 30  
Of the Irish Seas. Pag. 96    

L.  

LEtters the Larum bells of Love. pag. 1  
Of Lent. Pag. 11  
Of a Lover in prose and verse. Pag. 24  
The E. of Leicester brought in first the Art of poysning. Pag. 33  
The Loire a drunken River. Pag. 41  
A Letter of condolement. Pag. 63  
A Letter of congratulation. Pag. 64  
Letters compared to Organ pipes. Pag. 83  
A Letter of comfort, 93. A Letter of thanks. Pag. 109  
A Love Sonnet. Pag. 23  
Lutherans nearer Rome then the Protestants. Pag. 88    

M.  

Of the Lo. Marquis of Hartford, 10. Of a Miser. Pag. 25  
Of a memorable passage in the Civil Wars of Spain. Pag. 30  
Of the Lo. Marquis of Dorchester. Pag. 35  
Melancholy an ill companion. Pag. 42  
Majesty an upstart word for greatness. Pag. 55  
Of mortification. Pag. 94  
Of Metheglin in prose and verse. Pag. 97  
The malice and cruelty of the Presbyterians. Pag. 103  
Montrose pitifully butchered in Scotland. Pag. 103  
Of the Marquis of Winchester. Pag. 114    

N.  

Of a Noddy that writ a book of wifing. Pag. 19  
Of nuns. Pag. 20  
New Heresies but old ones furbish'd. Pag. 69  
Neotericai Authors postpos'd to the Ancient. Pag. 73  
News from Rome, 112. Of a negative face. Pag. 113  
Of the neatnes, and decencies of the Roman Church. Pag. 87    

O.  

OF the French liberty. Pag. 42  
Of the French Language. Pag. 44  
Of the mutability of tongues. Pag. 44  
Of the Erl of clear. Pag. 43  
Of the Original progress and perfection of the French tongue. Pag. 45  
Of the Latin tongue. Pag. 47  
Of the Duke of Orleans, Pag. 56  
Of Sir Phi. Sidney. Pag. 57  
Of patience by way of comparison. Pag. 59  
Of this world. Pag. 94  
Of the operation of atoms. Pag. 120    

P.  

The Pen the Ambassadors chiefest tool. Pag. 2  
Of Providence. Pag. 9  
Of powdering the hair by the Gallants of the time. Pag. 14  
Of the Preachments of these times. Pag. 65  
Of the Poet Skelton. Pag. 36  
Of Pauls Church. Pag. 83  
Of the common people. Pag. 111  
Divers Pasquills from Rome. Pag. 112  
The Pope strangely cured. Pag. 111  
A Philosophical Poem. Pag. 106  
A Poem for observing Lent. Pag. 13  
Of a hellish natured Puritan. Pag. 103  
A Poem upon Christmas day. Pag. 27  
Of the Persian Ambassador. Pag. 95  
Of presumption in search of Divine knowledge. Pag. 106  
Of Peurli●us. Pag. 40    

Q.  

The great advantages of the Quill. Pag. 2  
Queen Zenobia's chastity. Pag. 17  
A Queen of Englands notable love to her husband. Pag. 17  
Of the 3. last Queen-Mothers of France. Pag. 42    

R.  

A Ring made with art to awaken one in the night. Pag. 2  
How the Russians use their Wives. Pag. 19  
Rules for a wooer. Pag. 23  
Of Car. Richelieu. Pag. 56  
Of the Roman Church. Pag. 84    

S.  

A high Speculation consisting of many parts. Pag. 8  
Scaliger's error. Pag. 21  
The Spaniards as light as other men. Pag. 30  
Of the Spanish and French Languages. Pag. 48  
Spanish Latin lenthen'd, French Latin shortened. Pag. 49  
sovereign an upstart word for greatness. Pag. 54  
Of the sayings of the ten Sybills. Pag. 99  
The Sword the surest sway. Pag. 111  
Of the strength and wealth of England. Pag. 111  
Of the sympathetic powder. Pag. 120  
Of the shallownes of human brain. Pag. 106    

T.  

THe true way of Fasting. Pag. 13  
The temper of the people the happiness of the Times. Pag. 31  
The abuse of some French Proverbs. Pag. 51  
Two witty Tales. Pag. 76  
Two weighty Sayings. Pag. 77  
some Trees Fatidical. Pag. 91  
The Turks saying of Wine. Pag. 97  
Of the ten Sybills. Pag. 99  
The true way of govern●●g a people.  
A tale of an Indian Boy. Pag. 119    

V.  

VErses upon Fasting, Pag. 12  
Of Venice. Pag. 43  
A Vindication of some things in the Second Part of Dodona's Grove. Pag. 61  
How Vatinius took his advantage of Cicero. Pag. 62  
A vindication of some things in the Survey of Venice. Pag. 62  
Of the Uniformity of the Roman Church. Pag. 85    

W.  

A Witty saying of Henry the Great of France. Pag. 14  
A witty passage of a Turkish Ambassador. Pag. 14  
A witty saying of the Lady Barbara the Empresse. Pag. 17  
A witty passage of a Cook in Westminster. Pag. 18  
A witty tale of Hans Boobikin. Pag. 22  
Of Wit and wealth. Pag. 24  
A witty saying of Fleetwood the Recorder. Pag. 25  
A witty comparison. Pag. 26  
Two weighty Latin sayings. Pag. 31  
A witty saying of New Lights. Pag. 40  
Words have their rise and fall as well as men. Pag. 54  
Witty comparisons of the Soul. Pag. 58  
A witty saying of Wales. Pag. 68  
A witty tale of a Spanish Captain. Pag. 73  
A wise saying of Cosmo de Medici. Pag. 88  
A wise saying of Severus the Emperour. Pag. 108  
A witty tale of Captain Miller. Pag. 95    
FINIS.