THE COPY OF A LETTER  
Written unto Sir EDWARD DERING, lately put out of the House, and committed unto the Tower, Feb. 2. 1641.  
HIS BOOKS CENSURED TO BE burnt by the common Executioner, for his strange unadvised, and sudden differing from himself, and opposing the whole House.  
Which Letter was sent, as is supposed, by a Worthy Member of the House of Commons, Feb. 4. 1641.  
LONDON. Printed for john Tompson. 1641.   

The Copy of a Letter written unto Sir Edward Dering lately put out of the House, and committed unto the Tower, Feb. 2. 1641.  
SIR,  
I Have heard men no Novices in the world often say, that the falls of the wise are oftentimes dangerous unto them, if not wholly mortal, with much pain and toil they rise, and recover themselves, if ever at all. I wish some reason may be given for it, which will bear good colour of probability, if not of certainty. Envy and admiration attend notable and transcendent abilities, as well as conspicuous and eminent fortunes, both strike at them, both wound them, though several, nay almost contrary ways, envy flies at his throat, openly detracting him, and therefore is so fare from hurting a prudent and well poised man, that (though little thanks to the esteemed) she maketh him more advised and circumspect: But admiration claspeth with him, and by slights, better discovered by the fact done, then by the predominacy in doing, betrays a man to himself, and holds him a slave within his own doors, not permitting him to walk abroad as formerly, and to behold and view the counsels, resolutions, proceed, reasons and concurrences of other men (if not equal yet may be not much cast behind) with the groundwork and Supporter whereon they may stand, which kind of treason is the more to be dreaded by how much the remedy of release is difficult, the party thus enthralled not being contrived by seducement into a peremptory conceit of the weight of his own sufficiency or demerits, but absolutely possessed with a tantum non, mates and ties up his very will from ever inclining to other condition then what he is already in, or to other freedom then what he shall think to be so, although in the intellectual eye of all the rest it be most miserable thraldom, and the depth of slavery, taking no man's dimensions but his own, judging and blaming the course of the sun of other men's judgement by his own Dial: Sir Edward, Sir Edward, to leave sentencing, and to come in honest plainness to it: I fear admiration hath been more your foe then envy; the world so doting upon your accomplishments both innate & acquired, as well it might set you so Idolatrously above others, that at last you stepped up above yourself, scanning the words and conceptions of others, if not with a diffident difference, yet with a reserved distance, expecting that what you either voted or writ, should be taken as authorized, if not enacted; and verily to give you your due, & not to deprive or deprave you in the least title of what by the Court of every honest understanding conscience for almost sixteen months worthy deportment: and unmatchable heedful travail amongst those Peerless Worthies, for the good both of Israel and Zion Church and state, you may justly challenge: you behaved yourself like a true Nathaniel, in whom was no guile found or suspected, like another Apollo's with the edge of your powerful Rhetoric, with the hammer of your sound and profound Arguments, wounding and bruising the notorious, though mighty delinquerts both of Church and State, and had surely carried that ever flourishing trophy of neverdying praise, and high commendation of a happy procurer the good and endless welfare of God's people here in England, and left it as an honour entailed to your Family, had you but remembered those words of our Saviour endure unto the end. Sir Edward you know full well, that perseverance is called Regina virtutum. I suppose the reason may be this, because that though all other virtues may run, strive, and do masteries, yet only perseverance is crowned. But alas Sir, you have made a forfeit of that Crown, with more willingness or wilfulness is hard to say, your own strength becoming the cause of your fall, pray God not of your ruin, Physicians say that the most dangerous diseases arise from the superfluity of the best humour, viz. the blood, nay that the much abounding of pure and good blood is a disease itself, and further, that the corruption of the purest humour is ever as most perilous, so most noisome, it is often so seen in the humours. I mean qualities and endowments of the mind, and I wish the world might not bring in yours for instance, yours Sir Edward, which are turned from the very best to the very worst by a strange Catastrophe, if any ever was, rather procuring astonishment then wonderment.  
You have given such precedent, that putting my Lord Digbie aside, I trust in that Right Honourable, right Worthy and Religious assembly, you shall never twice be paralleled, that a third should be found amongst them so hypocrising and deluding the expectation of all right honest men, that not only relied but wholly confided themselves, as to betray as much as in you both lay, the cause both of God, the Church and the Country, wheeling and veering about whether some unexpected glance or Courtly glimmering happily invited you, forgetting wholly what you were, and not well resolving with yourself, what you would be, only not content with what the Kingdom had appropriated lately unto your deserts, you were ambitious, that whatsoever came of it you would administer larger matter of discourse unto them, yea in malam partem, rather than none: is it possible Sir, that you who were so vehement, yea and the very first so vehement (in malignam partem) should now after so long personating upon the Stage, and in the third Act, as the world may judge, acquit them and condemn yourself, is it possible Sir Edward, that you; who shown yourself not only so Real, but also valiant against the Straffordian faction, should be poisoned with the dregs of that Cup, and you, that abhorred the brim, should now hunt after the Lees, and show yourself for that party (at least for those Tenants) when that they cannot appear, or at least dare not stir for themselves, did you, so cordially as it seemed to the whole House, adjudge and condemn the Lord George Digbie, for counterfeiting, if not disavowing himself, and his own actions, and are you the next man who is guilty of the same crime, did you, at the first sitting down of this happy Parliament, so parthetically cry out upon the Patriarch of Lambeth and his mitred Brethren, protesting that you had rather, or at least with as much devotion have been subject unto Tybur, as unto Lambeth; and is the wind come about so suddenly, so unexpectedly, surely than we must not suddenly hereafter for strong pretences cry up men, except we may further guess (which is hard) what lies hid within the buttons.  
But you are adjudged for your misdemeanour unworthy to be counted a Member of that unquestionable Assembly, and held for your trespass (that I may not say crime) worthy of another place, whom shall we blame for this? the House, or you, let others judge as they list: but for my part I am of opinion that a drop may be more easily corrupted then the whole Ocean, and that it is more safe, if not more wise, to condemn particular persons, than a general State; you that of late have been so stiff for supposed universals, will give me leave in this point to cleave unto a true one, Sir not to be longer tedious unto you, let me crave pardon to tell you what I think of your miscarriage, which in honest terms, I take to be this, the harkening unto them that had no way to patronise their own foul facts but by the interposing this of yours, not any course left to work their own safety, but by the drawing of more Company; misery purchased by bad deserts is often found malicious, thinking to raise itself, but by sucking in others, under it, I judge charitably, deeming that your error sprang first rather from suggestion, than choice, but when you saw yourself so far engaged in it, that the world taking notice of it, you mu●t either retreat with a Peccavi, or proceed with a Sic Volo, you rather chose utter shipwreck, then to be voiced to have leaked, Sir, at parting I must tell you the truth, and you must be content to hear it, by this late unfortunate carriage of yours, were it in writings, words, or both, you have lost more to yourself & well wishers, than ever I fear you know how to repair, and thus desiring of God, that he would give you a true sight of it, to acknowledge it, and in that right Honourable Assembly an inclination, if not totally to remit, yet compassionately to mittigare your punishment for it, and to all others yet standing, an heedful and diligent observation to take example by it, and with hearty sorrow, that a Star in all good men's opinion (yea and wise men's also) so fixed, should at last prove if not a Meteor, yet a Planet, with affectionate and sympathising grief I take my leave, and remain yours, wherein with fair devoyr I may serve you.  
Covent-Garden Feb. 4. Anno Dom. 1641. I. P.   
FINIS.