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meal of digestion nourish any thing the weak flomach of your young capacity, I will, as I find the fame grow stronger, feed it with tougher food. Your loving father, fo long as you live in the fear of God.

LETTER XIV.

Sir Henry Sidney, to Robert Dudley Earl of
Leicefter.

of your joints or bones. It will increase your force, and enlarge your breath. Delight to be cleanly, as well in all parts of your body, as in your garments. It fhall make you grateful in each company, and otherwife lothfome. Give yourself to be merry, for you degenerate from your father, if you find not yourself most able in wit and body, to do any thing, when you be moft merry but let your mirth be ever void of all fcurrility, and biting words to any man, for a wound given by a word is oftentimes harder to be cured, My deareft Lord, than that which is given with the fword. SINCE this gentleman, Sir Nicholas Be you rather a hearer and bearer away Arnold, doth now repair into England, of other men's talk, than a beginner or to render account of his long and painful procurer of speech, otherwife you fhall fervice, left my filence might be an arbe counted to delight to hear yourself gument of my condemnation of him, I Ipeak. If you hear a wife fentence, thought good to accompany him with or an apt phrase, commit it to your me- thefe my letters, certifying your Lordship, mory, with refpect of the circumftance, by the fame, that I find he hath been a when you fhall fpeak it. Let never oath marvellous painful man, and very diligent be heard to come out of your mouth, nor in inquiry for the Queen's advantage, word of ribaldry; deteft it in others, fo and in proceeding in the fame more fevere fhall custom make to yourself a law than I would have wished him, or would against it in yourself. Be modeft in each have been myself in femblable fervice; affembly, and rather be rebuked of light but he faith he followed his inftructions. fellows, for maiden-like fhamefaced nefs, Doubtless, the things which he did deal in than of your fad friends for pert bold are very dark and intricate, by reason of nefs. Think upon every word that you will the long time paffed without account; (peak, before you utter it, and remember and he greatly impeached, for lack of how nature hath rampired up (as it were) an auditor, as I take it. In truth, what the tongue with teeth, lips, yea and will fall out of it, I cannot fay, but I hair without the lips, and all betoken- fear he hath written too affirmatively ing reins, or bridles, for the loofe upon Birmingham's information: it is reufe of that member. Above all things ported by fome of his adverfaries, that tell no untruth, no not in trifles. The he should triumph greatly upon a letter, cuftom of it is naughty, and let it not fa- fuppofed to be fent him late.y from your tisfy you, that, for a time, the hearers Lordship, as though, by the fame, he take it for a truth; for after it will be fould be encouraged to proceed more known as it is, to your fhame; for there vehemently again the Earl of Suffex, cannot be a greater reproach to a gen- and to make Lis abode longer here thes tleman, than to be accounted a Lar. elfe he would. And that he fhould de Study and endeavour yourself to be vir- this bravery, either by iewing this letz tuoufly occupied. So fhall you make ter, or by fpeech to me and to others. fuch an habit of well doing in you, that My Lord, I believe the whole of this to you shall not know how to do evil, thougn be untrue; and, for fo muda as com you would. Remember, my fon, the cerneth myself, I affure your Lordlip a noble blood you are descended of, by a fark he; for albeit be cat Lewes me, your mother's fide; and think that only as I believe, all the letters your Lording by virtuous life and good action, you may hath fens him, face may arrival bers, and be an ornament to that illurious faty; a good many fent before, ye, a tre sé and otherwife, through vice and Loth, them i mere any full me connue. you fhall be counted labes generis, one of neler yet dis ne to me, or to the LIGAthe greatest curfes that can happen to ledge is any other, si ea hu vự man. Well (my little Philip, this is your Lordking, maks a enough for me, and too much I fear or line couft for you. But if I shall had that thi

any refpect of me, or any brotherlike love borne me by you, but even for our natural country's caufe (whereunto, of late, not a little to your far fpreading fame, you fhew yourfelf moft willingly to put your indefatigable and much helping hand), help to revoke me from this regiment, for being not credited, this realm will ruin under my rule, perhaps to my fhame, but undoubtedly to England's harm: yea and will under any man whom the Queen fhall fend, though he have the force of Hercules, the magnanimity of Caefar, the diligence of Alexander, and the eloquence of Tully her Highnefs withdrawing her gracious countenance. Yea if it be but thought that her Highness hath not a refolute and unremovable liking of him; as for no tale fhe will direct him to fail by any other compafs than his own. His fhip of regiment, whofoever he be, fhall fooner rush on a rock than reft in a haven. I write not this, as though I thought governors here could not err, and fo err, as they fhould be revoked. For I know and confefs, that any one may fo err, yea, without evil intent to her Highany nefs's crown or country, as it fhall be convenient and neceffary to revoke him ; but let it be done then with speed. Yea if it be but conceived, that he be infufficient to govern here, I mean of the fovereign, or magiftrates, retire him, and fend a new man to the helm. Episcoparum ejus accipiat alter: so as my counfel is (and you fhall find it the foundeft) that the governor's continuance here, and his continuance there, be concurrent and correlative. For while her Highnecfs will employ any man here, all the countenance, all the credit, all the commendation, yea and moft abfolute truft that may be, is little enough. Caufe once appearing to withdraw that opinion, withdraw him too, if it be poffible, even in that inftant.

Lordship, wishing to the fame prefent increafing, and immortal felicity. From Kilmainham, the 28th of June, 1566. Your Lordship's bounden, fast, and obedient brother.

P. S. I affure your Lordship I do know that Sir Nicholas Arnold hath spent, above all his entertainment, 500l. fterling in this realm. I mean he hath spent fo much in this realm.

LETTER XV.

The Right Honourable Thomas Sack-vil Lerd Buckhurst, to Sir Henry Sidney.

My Lord,

ITRUST your Lordship will pardon me, in that I have not (as indeed poffibly I could not) attend to make a meeting, for the end of this variance betwixt your Lordship and me: and now being this day alfo fo wrapt in bufinefs as I cannot by any means be a furetyer, I thought to write thefe few to your Lordship, and therein to ascertain you, that, becaufe our meeting with the Mafter of the Rolls, and Mr. Henfias meeting, will be fo un certain; that, therefore, what time fo ever you shall like to appoint I will com to the Rolls, and there your Lordship and I, as good neighbours and friends, will if we can, compound the caufe of our felves. felves. If we cannot, we will both pra the Master of the Rolls, as indifferent as I know he is, to perfuade him to th right, that ftands in the wrong. thus, I doubt not, but there fhall be good end to both our contentions: you Lordship not feeking that which is n yours; nor I, in any fort, meaning detain from you your own. This 23 May, 1574. All yours to command.

LETTER XVI.

of Leicester.

My dearest Lord,

An

Of this I would write more largely and Sir Henry Sidney, to Robert Dudley E more particularly, and to the Queen's Majefty, and to all my Lords, were it not that my many letters in this form already written, together with fundry arguments of my crazy credit there, did put me in hope of a speedy redemption from this my miferable thraldom. A refolution of which my hope, my dearest Lord, procure me with fpeed: I have no more, but fub umbra alarum tuarum protegat me Deus. In hafte I take my leave of your

RECEIVED not your letter of the 25 of November, until the 24th of t January, by James Prefcot, who w feven times at the fea, and put ba again, before he could recover this co

I truft I have fatisfied your Lord with my writing, and others by my p curement, fent by Pakenham, touch

the falfe and malicious bruit of the Earl of Effex's poisoning. If not, what you will have more done, fhall be done. I am forry I hear not how you like of that I have done, and the more, for that I am advertised of Pagnaney's arrival there. I would not have doubted to have made Krell to have retracted his inconfiderate and foolish fpeech and writing; but God hath prevented me by taking him away, dying of the fame difeafe that the Eari ced; which, mot certainly, was free from any poifon, and a mere flux; a diftale appropriated to this country, and whereof there died many in the fatter part of of the laft year, and fome out of mine Choufehold; and yet free from any picion of poison.

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fon rather than it fhould break. But, alas! my dearest Lord, mine ability anfwereth not my hearty defire. I am poor; mine eftate, as well in livelihood and movable, is not unknown to your Lordship, which wanteth much to make me able to equal that, which I know my Lord of Pembroke may have. Two thousand pounds I confefs I have he queathed her, which your Lordfup knoweth I night better fpare her when I were dead, than one troufand living y and in truth, my Lord, I have it nok, bat borrow it I muž, and fo I will: and if your Lordilip will get me leave, that I may Bet sy e̟yn with that joyfil iga á teir cosplay, I wiq ye her a Cop works kit windred pounds. Good, a Lard, bear with my mom, for if I had 2, kie would inqui my La dave, De Kuga o q A parking wefore the Almighty Gh that is at, as it tooves o tura, sad qe me to be a vivend for ser, do soft need t

And for my Lord of Ormond's cales, Ihly beleech your Lordig be # that I will do him juice as i rently and fpeedily as i will to , conidering the case and cars Brentances incident to the fame; bu I love, and loving ces, I will do as Iind caufe. I crave acting 1 hind, but that which he swati , and that which r y, beide natural duty, a And be will have a ne ve ax, as he data aid, le candt an

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your Lordship, let it have your favourable recommendation.

Now, my dearest Lord, I have a fuit unto you for a neceflary and honeft fervant of mine, Hercules Rainsford, whofe father, and whole lineage, are devout followers to your Lordship and family. My fuit is, that whereas by compofition with James Wingfield, he is conftable of the castle of Dublin, and therein both painfully and carefully ferveth, that it would please your Lordship to obtain it for him during his life. Truly, my Lord, like as you thould bind the poor gentleman, and all his honeft friends, always to ferve you, for your bounty done to him; fo fhall I take it as a great mercy done to myfelf: for truly I have found him a faithful and profitable fervant, and befide, he hath married a good and an old fervant of my wife's. Good my Lord, fend Philip to me; there was never father had more need of his fon, than I have of him. Once again, good my Lord, let me have him.

For the ftate of this country, it may please you to give credit to Prefcot.

I am now, even now, deadly weary of writing, and therefore I end, praying to the Almighty to blefs you with all your noble heart's defires. From Dundalk this 4th of February, 1576. Your moft affured brother at commandment.

LETTER XVII.

Sir Henry Sidney to Queen Elizabeth.

May it please your most excellent Majefty, TO understand, that of late it hath pleafed Almighty God to call to his mercy the Bishop of Offory, and fo the room of that fee is become void, and to be now by your Highness conferred. I

man

up in the University of Oxford, a master
of arts of good continuance, a
esteemed not meanly learned, befides
well given in religion, and of a modeft
difcrcet government, and commendable
man fpecially
converfation, being a
noted unto me, by the good report of the
Lord Archbishop of Dublin, for his fuffi-
ciency to the place, with a very earnest
defire that (the fame being the place of a
fuffragan under him) the faid Cleere might
be preferred unto it. The bishopric is
but a mean living, yet a fufficient find-
And because
ing for an honeft man.
the fooner the place fhall be full of an able
man (fuch a one for his integrity as this
man is cfteemed), the greater fruit will
thereby grow to the church, honour to
your Majefty, and no fmall hope to be
conceived of good to the people; where-
of, as it becometh me (having the prin-
cipal charge of this realm under your
I write
Majefty), I have a special care.
not only to your Majefty in this cafe, by
a report of others, but partly by know-
ledge and experience I have had of the
man myfelf. And therefore am the more
defirous that your Majesty should gra-
cioufly allow of my commendation and
choice, and give order for his admiffion
and confecration, when it shall be your
Majefty's pleasure to fignify the fame.
And even fo, with my molt earnest and
humble hearty prayer to the Almighty,
long and happily to preferve your High-
nefs to reign over us, your Majefty's
humble and obedient fubjects, to our in-
eftimable comforts, I humbly take my
leave. From your Majefty's cafle of
Athlone, the 4th of September, 15-6.
Your Majesty's most humble, faithful,
and obedient fervant.

LETTER XVIII.

have therefore thought it my duty, Sir Henry Sidney to Mr. Secretary Walfers

moved in zeal for the reformation of the country and good of the people, humbly to befeech your Majefty, that good care were had, that that church might be fupplied with a fit man, and fuch a perfon as is acquainted with the language and manners of this country people, might be promoted to fucceed in the place; of which number I humbly recommend unto your excellent Majefty Mr. Davy Cleere, one that hath been long bred and brought

ham, concerning the reports of the Earl

of Efex's death.

Sir,

IMMEDIATELY upon my return out of Connaught to this city, which was the 13th of this prefent October, and knowing of the death of the Earl of Effex which I did not certainly till I came within thirty miles of this town, and that his body was gone to be buried at Car

marthen;

marthen, and hearing befides, that letters had been fent over, as well before his death as after, that he died of poifon, I thought good to examine the matter as far as I could learn, and certify you, to the end you might impart the fame to the Lords, and both fatisfy them therein, and all others, whom it might pleafe you to participate the fame unto, and would believe the truth. For, in truth, there was no appearance or caufe of fufpicion that could be gathered that he died of poilon. For the manner of his difeafe was this: a flux took him on the Thurfday at night, being the 30th of Auguft laft paft, in his own houfe, where he had that day both fupped and dined; the day following he rode to the Archbishop of Dublin's, and there fupped and lodged; the next morning following he rode to the Viscount of Baltinglafs, and there did e one night, and from thence returned back to this city: all thefe days he travelled haftily, fed three times a day, without finding any fault, either through infammation of his body or alteration of tafte; but often he would complain of grief in his belly, and fometimes lay that he had never hearty grief of mind, bat that a flux would accompany the fame. After he returned from this journey he grew from day to day ficker and ficker, and having an Irish phyfician fent to him Ly the Earl of Ormond, Doctor Trevor, an Oxford man and my phyńcian, bír. Chaloner, fecretary of this fate, and not agt, erdekt had ben Lolly that a unlearned in phyfic, and one that che, gruas many bold lave Lad á frená for good will, giveth counsel to his friends, for my sournous and many more cafes of fickness, and one Mr. Kre, have occupid of the fame almot sele an honeft preacher in this city, and a The pryfcians tre chaplain of his own, and a prife of ales star they tooqit, the way you? phyfic, continually with him, they ser ally, that i was miniftered any thing to him again planes, dayag The Irish phyfician affirmed before gang witneffes that he was not poisoned; we e que the others do fay of that matter, by thetr

was opened it could not appear that any intrail within his body, at any time, had been infected with any poifon. And yet I find a bruit there was that he was poisoned; and that arofe by fome words fpoken by himself, and yet not originally at the first conceived of himself, as it is thought by the wifeft here, and thofe that were continually about him: but one that was very near him at that time, and whom he entirely trufted, feeing him in extreme pain with flux and gripings in his belly, by reafon of the fame, faid to him, By the mafs, my Lord, you are poifoned; whereupon the yeoman of his cellar was prefently fent for to him, and mildly and lovingly he queftioned with him, faying, that he fent not for him to burden him but to excufe him. The fellow constantly answered, that if he had taken any hurt by his wine he was guilty of it, for my Lord (faith he), fince you gave me warning in England to be carefel of your drisk, you have drunk none bat it paffed my hands. Then it was bruited, that the boiled water which he continually drank with his wine fhould be made of water wherein fax or hemp fhould be feeped, which the yeoman of is callar hally denied, afirming the water which he always boted for time was periet good. Then it was imputed to the figars be an ered, be comé get no benter at the beward's Lanos, até fair tagt i were act, get widickne

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own writings, which herewith I end of yine be, a parti you, you shall perceive. And drawing pae e far me towards his end, being fpecially aired by wone 2 1gine V the Archbishop of Dublin weer ie thought that he was poifoned ar nEantly affirmed that he thought he was not; nor that he felt in himself any are why he should conjecture fo to be: ar TUS fickness his colour rather bettered tan impaired, no hair of his body fed, to ail altered, nor tooth loofed, nor any part of his kin blemished. And we le

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