elder brother fent me; and I will thank you more if they come, for yet I hear not of them, nor ever faw Callymyre's picture. The meffenger (of the picture I mean) played the knave with you and me; and after that fort you may write to him; but if your tokens come I will fend you fuch a fuit of apparel as fhall befeem your father's fon to wear in any court in Germany. Commend me to the Doctor Simcon's father. I love the boy well. I have no more; but God bless you my fweet child in this world and for ever; as I in this world find myself happy by my children. From Ludlow Cattle, this 28th of October 1578. Your very loving father.

LETTER XXX.

Lady Mary Sidney to Edmund Molineux, Efa.

YOU have used the matter very well;

but we must do more yet for the good dear Lord than let him thus be dealt withal. Hampton Court I never yet knew fo full, as there were not fpare rooms in it, when it hath been thrice better filled than at this prefent it is. But fome would be forry, perhaps, my Lord fhould have fo fure footing in the court. Well, all may be as well when the good God will. The whilft, I pray let us do what we may for our Lord's eafe and quiet. Whereunto, I think, if you go to my Lord Howard, and in my Lord's name alfo move his Lordship to fhew his brother, my Lord, as they call each other, to fhew him a caft of his office, and that it fhall not be known, and allege your former caufes, I think he will find out fome place to ferve that purpose; and also, if you go to Mr. Bowyer the gentleman ufher, and tell him his mother requireth him, which is myfelf, to help my Lord with fome one room, but only for the dif patch of the multitude of Irish and Welfh people that follow him; and that you will give your word in my Lord's behalf and mine, it fhall not be accounted as a lodging, nor known of, I believe he will make what shift he can; you must affure him it is but for the day time for his bufinefs, as indeed it is for my brother's anfwer of my ftay here for five or fix days; he knows I have ventured far al

ready, with fo long abfence, and am ill thought on for it, fo as that may not be. But when the worst is known, old Lord Harry and his old Moll will do as well as they can in parting, like good friends, the fmall portion allotted our long fervices in court; which, as little as it is, feems fomething too much. And this being all 1 can fay to the matter. Farewel, Mr. Ned. In hafte this Monday, 1578. Your affured loving mistreís and friend.

If all this will not ferve prove Mr. Huggins, for I know my Lord would not for no good be deftitute in this time for fome convenient place for his followers and friends to refort to him, which in this cafe I am in, is not poffible to be in my chamber till after fun-fet; when the dear good Lord fhall be as beft be comes him, Lord of his own.

LETTER XXXI.

Sir Henry Sidney to Arthur Lord Grey, Lord Deputy of Ireland; how to proceed in bis government of that kingdom.

I

DO remember, my very good Lord, that I wrote unto you; I will by Auditor Jenifon write more at large, whofe coming hither to me put me in remembrance of the fame. And now, my Lord, in fatisfaction of your requests, and eafing of my defirous mind of your happy fuccefs in that unhappy country; in the lovingeft manner that I can I send unto your Lordship thefe notes following, which, if I thould lay down as principles of government to your Lordship, I might well be likened to the puttock, that taught the falcon to fly; or, if I should write unto you any inftructions for martial defigns or actions, I might well be fcorned with that fcholar that offered to read to Hannibal, De Arte Militare.

But now to begin, and that with God Almighty as I know you are religious, fo I with your Lordship to frequent fermons and prayer in public places; it would comfort the few Protestants you have there, and abash the Papifts, whereof you have many.

Have fpecial regard to the health of your body; be not without a phyfician of your own; and he of this land's birth; and as you have been always delighted in virtuous and noble exercifes; fo what bu

finefs foever you have, ufe weekly fome days, or rather daily fome hours, to continue the fame; otherwise you shall both dull your fpirits and make your body unable to serve.

Provide careful and bold officers for your houfehold, and put on a determination to live within the compafs of your allowance; wherein I wish you to make a pattern of other men, rather than of me; who by spending there (and yet in truth not prodigally) am forced to spoil my patrimony here; with what reward or thank I know your Lordship cannot be ignorant and let one of the principal officers of your household have a care for the collection of your cefs for the fame: and now ut uno verbo dicam, never agree without cefs, for if you take money, it will be made a great matter here, and yet not ferve your turn there. Truft me, my Lord, this one particular was the thing that chiefly broke my back, which I only released, to bring the people more willing to advance the revenue of the crown; and fo I did, as hereafter your Lordship fhall perceive in this letter: this cfficer I termed my clerk comptroller; and albeit I had both treasurer and comptroller, his precedents in rank, yet had I never a one that I trufted better; if your Lordship, or your officers, have need of any formular of my household held there, if you write unto me for it, I will fend it you, fo foon as I can get it; for here I have none for that country: be fure of a juft and painful man to be gentleman of your horfe, who fhall have need to have a yeoman under him; in these two officers refteth much, importing both honour and profit. There liveth yet an old man, Paul Green by name, unto whom, by the way, I beseech your Lordship to be good Lord; he can inftruct, and I am fare will, for fo have I written to him, whofoever he be that your Lordship will put in that office.

Your being in actual wars, I need not to advise your Lordship to make none without the confent of the council; but for any charge that may be for the fame wars laid upon the country, do it not without calling them to it, and others of the nobility, as hath been accuftomed; for although you have not all to confent with you, yet I doubt not but you fhall have fo ftrong a party as always fhall be fufficient for your discharge: one great mat

ter you fhall have to deal in at the council board, which is the cefs for the army and your household; and, my Lord, as this advised, compound not for any money they will offer you. I did, and, as I wrote before, undid myself by the fame; for upon their grievous complaints, affirming that fome one plough land was charged with twelve pounds, and I think might prove they were charged with eight, I compounded with them for five marks fterling; which five marks fterling upon every plough land amounted to two thoufand and four hundred pounds fterling for one year, and the fame received within one hundred pounds, little more or lefs, by the above named clerk comptroller; and the fame might have been fixed to the crown Imperial for ever, if it had been well ftood to here: the limits and counties charged to this I think will appear in the council book; if not, I know none fo able to inform you as the Secretary Chalinor; my opinion is, your Lordship fhould be refolute in this, that you cefs them according to the state of your household and number of your garrifon; the man last named I ever found painful, fkilful, and faithful, and pray your Lordship to be good Lord to him, and let him know that I forget him not. My dear Lord, in confultation of this matter, and of all other matters that must be treated of at council board, fupprefs paffion; you fhall be tempted in Jummo grade: I had forgotten one late thing, and yet material, and that is, the choice of ceffers for the garrifon, and raters for your household; for albeit I found fome more honester than other, yet amongst them all, never a perfect honeft man.

For the wars now in action, I wot not what to write, for that not long ago my Lord of Leicester writ unto me of your Lordship's fafe arrival there, of the death of Sir James of Defmond, and of the overthrow of Sir John his brother, and how every thing went well there; but fince I have heard of a fhrewd conflict in Goulranell, and divers principal men flain in the fame, and that the Defmonds are of fuch force as they be able to keep two armies; and to whether of these factions I fhould advise your Lordship to addrefs yourself, confidering the nearnefs of the one to Dublin, the opinion and poflibility of the landing of foreign

force

force to the aid of the other, towards which if this year you do advance, leave a ftrong guard upon the pale behind you; for a cottage burnt there will be made more here than a town burnt in Munfter. If you will this year go about the extirping of thofe canibals of Goulranell, and their neighbours, or when you will, if your Lordthip let me know it, I think I will lay you down a better plot than ever any yet of your predeceffors for thefe two hundred years ever followed: and let it not trouble you, that your people took fome blow there, for I do not remember that ever any attempt was made there, nor yet ever heard by my elders, but that we had more lofs than gain; thofe vermin have lived there of fenfively to Englishmen and Irith government, above four hundred years; and yet I think it very poffible and very feafible to fubdue or expulie them; and doubtless an acie won there is more honourable and profitable for the flate, than a mile in any other remote place. Once again, my Lord, if you go into Munster, leave a ftronger guard upon the pale, and fpare not to burden them of the country to do it; it is for themselves; and what mafs of treafure this crown exhaufteth, besides that they yearly do, they cannot be ignorant of; I wish your Lordship fhould in perfon be in either action.

If you go into Muniter, I cannot perceive that there is any manner of proceeding yet but martially; this I had forgotten, that you leave all of that country birth behind you, that are men to make any defence, and truft to your foldiers. Some counsellors of the country you fhall need to have with you; the potentates of that province truft not till you have tried them, yet haply you must ufe them, but let them come imbrued before you greatly allow them.

And fince it is martially that you must proceed, and confidering your experience and judgment, I ceafe to treat any more of that, left, as I writ in the beginning of my letter, I might pour more folly out of myfelf, than put wifdom into you; only this, that you fpare for no cost to get fpies; knaves will be bought for money, and for helping of you to fuch, I know none fo apt men as Thomas Mafterfon, Robert Pipno, and Robert Harpole, all which I found honeft, fervice

able, and faithful; all which I do recom. mend unto your good Lordship's favour. Methinks it is now out of feafon to make any treatife or difcourfe of a general reformation, for that were like as if a man, fecing his house on fire, would fet down and draw a plot for a new, before he would put his helping hand to quench the old. Neither yet do I know what courfe you fhall be directed, or of yourfelf are inclined to hold; for if your courfe be either by direction or inclination to temporile, then muft you proceed in different manner from that courfe which you must hold if you aspire to a perfect reformation of that accurfed country. Here will come in question whether provincial councils and forces be to be maintained, or not; and as thefe courfes be different, fo mult you ufe difference of action, counsellors, and minifters; and herein, whenfoever you will make me privy, you fhall have the best advice that 1 fhall be able to give you; protesting that if Philip Sidney were in your place, who most earnestly and often hath spoken and written to do this loving office, he I fay thould have no more of me, than 1 moft willingly will write to you from time to time. But it will be beft that you oppofe me by queftions, I will answer them as well as I can.

And now, my good Lord and beloved companion, I will ceafe to write of any matter, and to treat a little of men; the molt fufficient, most faithful kind that ever I found there, were, the Baron of Upper Offery, Sir Lucas Dillon, and Sir Nicholas Malbie; thefe for principal men both for counsel and action, and who ever moft diligently and faithfully discharged that which I committed to them, and truly they be men of great fufficiency. Make much of this bringer, for he may and I am fure will ftand your Lordship in ftead; I have always found him a juit found friend. If he be alive, there is an honet gentleman called Thomas le Strange, he was fometimes henchman to Kings, and at the last fervant to me, and now to the Queen, planted there by me; if it please you to call him to you at times and give him good countenance, he will well inform you of that tract of the country where he dwelleth. I recommend to your Lordship alfo Launcelot Alford the furveyor; all thefe I have

found

found found and faft friends to me. I had almost forgotten my nearest and dearest friend and kinfman, and knight of mine own making, nephew and godfon, Sir Henry Harrington: I befeech your Lordship beftow on him your favourable and loving countenance; you fhall find in him nobility of mind, and that he is not void of good counsel through experience. It is not for lack of love that I place not aright your marthal there, Sir Nicholas Bagnall, whom I have ever found a faithful conftant friend, and ferviceable and moft falt and affured to that family wherewith I am matched, and with which your Lordship is allied; his fon, my god-fon and knight, I recommend unto your Lordship: I defire your Lordship to give your good countenance to my old coufin James Wingfield, I truft he will deferve it; and now laft, though not least in likeing, the bishop of Meith, whom I ever found a good counfellor for the ftate, a good countryman for the commonwealth, a good houfekeeper, and always my faft and found friend: thefe that I have thus written of, I pray you let them know that I have not forgotten them to your Lordship.

I might write of many other, but I will write evil of none, yet evil have I found of fome whom you must use, for haply God ordained them to be fcourges for my fins, and yet they may be good and fruitful inftruments to further your fervice; (which if you find) use them thereafter, and like them never the lefs for any thing done to me; but if benefit would have bound, I should have found faft where I found loofe.

As I find your Lordfhip liketh this, I will fupply you with more; and now defire you to commend me to the newcomes of Ireland, viz. my coufin John Cheke, who, without challenge be it fpoken, paffed by Chester and faw me not, albeit he tarried there days enough; and to my good ally John Zouche, whom I thank for coming to me to this town, and to my governor and dear friend Mr. Edward Denny; unto all which I wish from my heart all good and happiness.

My Lord, I had forgotten three kinfmea of mine, Sir Edward Moore, Owen Moore, and Thomas Moore; one of them was my man and now the Queen's, the other my Lord of Warwick's and

now a knight, the third my man ftill: I pray your Lordship let them know that I forget them not; the best worthy of captains that I left behind me was Humphry Mackworth, he was a boy of mine own breeding, I pray your Lordship fayour him the rather for my fake. I know I fhall have many other that in refpect of me will defire grace at your hands, and according to the goodness of the cause I beseech you to extend the fame unto them: I would that they for whom I have written might know that I have not forgotten them, and that you would keep this letter fecret, left others not named might take occafion to deem themfelves of me condemned.

My Lord, I did omit to write this letter myfelf, only for the fhaking of my hand, which is fuch as with difficulty I write mine own name, but also for that my letters written, are to any reader, yea almost to myfelf, illegible; and fo I pray you accept it, though fet down by the pen of my man, yet delivered by the tongue of myself: finally I commend myfelf, my fon Philip (who is not here), and the friendship and fervice of us both, to your good Lordship, whom you shall find your faft and found friends. From Denbigh, the 17th of September 1580. Your Lordfhip's ancient ally, loving companion, and faithful friend.

POSTSCRIPT.

My Lord,

THERE is a debt due unto me by Oreilie, for the recovering whereof I have put Launcelot Alford in truft; but for that men of his fort, who are not commonly to be dealt withal by ordinary authority, become flow payers of their debts except they be very earnestly folicited, I pray your Lordship therefore (if need be) to affift Alford by your countenance and commiffion, the rather to quicken him to procure me payment. My good Lord, I had almoft forgotten by reafon of the diverfity of other matter, to recommend unto you amongst other of my friends, Sir Henry Cowley, a knight of mine own making, who whilst he was young and the ability and ftrength of his body served, was valiant, fortunate, and a good servant, and having by my appointment the charge of the King's county, kept the country well or

dered

dered and in geod obedience: he is as good a borderer as ever I found any there. I left him at my coming thence a counsellor, and tried him for his experience and judgment, very fuflicient for the room he was called unto: he was a found and fast friend to me, and fo I doubt not but your Lordship fhall find when you have occafion to employ him: and once more, my Lord, I pray you to be good to Thomas Mafterfon; he is one of the ancienteft followers I had there, and one that hath been of longest acquaintance with me; you fhall find him valiant, of great experience, and a very good borderer, and fit to be used when you fhall have any occafion to try his fervice: finally, my Lord, take this for my last precept, make not many minifters for the laying out of your money, and to deal with your purfer: what lofs I fuftained that way, no man can better in form your Lordship than this bearer, who knew my eftate, and by what means and degrees I took the moit harm,

LETTER XXXII.

Sir Philip Sidney to his brother Robert Sidney, he was the first Earl of Leicester of that name.

My dear brother, FOR the money you have received, afhave received, affure yourfelf (for it is true) there is nothing I spend fo pleafeth me, as that which is for you. If ever I have ability you will find it, if not, yet fhall not any brother living be better beloved than you of me. I cannot write now to N. White, do you excufe me. For his nephew, they are but paffioas in my father, which we must bear with reverence; but I am forry he fhould return till he had the circuit of his travel, for you fhall never have such a fervant as he would prove; ufe your own difcretion therein. For your countenance I would for no caufe have it diminished in Germany; in Italy your greatest expence must be upon worthy men, and not upon houfeholding. Look to your diet (fweet Robin), and hold up your heart in courage and virtue; truly great part of my comfort is in you. I know not myself what I meant by bravery in you, fo greatly you may fee I condemn you; be careful of yourself, and I fhall never have cares. I have written to Mr. Savell, I wish you

ter.

kept ftill together, he is an excellent man; and there may if you lift país good exercises betwixt you and Mr. Nevell, there is great expectation of you both. For the method of writing hiftory, Boden hath written at large; you may read him, and gather out of many words fome matThis I think in hafte, a ftory is either to be confidered as a story, or as a treatife, which, befides that, addeth many things for profit and ornament; as a flory, he is nothing but a narration of things done, with the beginnings, caufes, and appendencies thereof; in that kind your method must be to have feriem temporum very exactly, which the chronologies of Melanthon, Tarchagnora, Languet, and fuch other, will help you to. Then to confider by that

as you

not yourfelf, Xenophon to follow Thucidides, fo doth Thucidides follow Herodotus, and Diodorus Siculus follow Xe. nophon: fo generally do the Roman ftories follow the Greck, and the particular ftories of prefent monarchies follow the Roman. In that kind you have principally to note the examples of virtue or vice, with their good or evil fuccefies; with the causes, the time, and circumthe establishments or ruins of great estates, ftances of the laws then writ of; the enterings and endings of war, and therein the tratagems against the enemy, and the difcipline upon the foldier; and thus much as a very hiftoriographer. Befides this, the hiftorian makes himself a difcourfer for profit, and an orator, yea a poet fometimes for ornament. An orator, in making excellent orations, e re nata, which are to be marked, but marked with the note of rhetorical remembrances: a poet, in painting forth the effects, the motions, the whisperings of the people, which though in difputation one might fay were true, yet who will mark them well, fhall find them taste of a poetical vein, and in that kind are gallantly to be marked, for though perchance they were not fo, yet it is enough they might be fo. The laft point which tends to teach profit, is of a difcourfer, which name I give to whofoever speaks, non fimpliciter de facto, fed de qualitatibus et circumftantiis facti; and that is it which makes me, and many others, rather note much with our pen than with our mind, because we leave all thefe difcourfes to the confused trust of our memory, because they being not