of the fons of Thomas Howel came now thither to be bound; he anfwered, that if he be a right Howel, he may have when he is free three hundred pounds to help to fet up, and pay no intereft for five years. It may be hereafter we will make ufe of this. He told me alfo, that any maid that can prove her father to be a true Howel may come and demand fifty pounds towards her portion of the faid Hall. I am to go poft towards York to-morrow, to my charge, but hope, God willing, to be here again the next term fo with my love to my brother as fome bishoprics. I know his Majefty is gracious to you, and you may well expect fome preferment that way; but fuch livings as thefe are not to be had every where. I thank you for inviting me to your act; I will be with you the next week, God willing, and hope to find my father there. So with my kind love to Dr. Manfel, Mr. Watkins, Mr. Madocks, and Mr. Napier at All-Souls, I reft your loving brother. LETTER XL. Howel, and my fifter his wife, I reft your From the fame to his Father, Mr. Ben. dutiful fon. LETTER XXXIX. From the fame to his Brother Dr. Howvel, at Jefus College in Oxon. Brother, London, 20th June 1628. I HAVE fent you here inclosed, warrants for four brace of bucks and a stag; the last Sir Arthur Manwaring procured of the King for you, towards the keeping of your act. I have fent you also a warrant for a brace of bucks out of Waddon Chace; befides, you shall receive by this carrier a great wicker hamper, with two joles of turgeon, fix barrels of pickled oyiters, three barrels of Bologna olives, with fome other Spanish commodities. My Lord President of the North hath lately made me patron of a living hard by Henly, called Hambledon ; it is worth 500l. a-year communibus annis; and the : now incumbent, Dr. Pilkinton, is very aged, valetudinary, and corpulent: my Lord by legal inftrument hath tranfmitted the next advowfon to me for fatisfaction of fome arrearages. Dr. Domlaw and two or three more have been with me about it, but I always intended to make the firft proffer to you; therefore I pray think of it a fum of money muft be had, but you fhall be at no trouble for that, you only will fecure it (and defire one more who I know will do it for you), and it fhall appear to you that you have it upon far better terms than any other. It is as finely fituated as any rectory can be, for it is about the midway betwixt Oxford and London; it lies upon the Thames, and the glebe-land houfe is very large and fair, and not dilapidated; fo that confidering all things, it is as good Jonfon. Father Ben. Westminster, 27th June 1629. NULLUM fit magnum ingenium fine mixtura dementia, there's no great wit without fome mixture of madnefs; fo faith the philofopher: nor was he a fool who answered, nec parvum fine mixtura ftultitiæ, nor fmall wit without, fome it is verified in you, for I find that you allay of foolishness. Touching the first, have been oftentimes mad: you were mad when you writ your Fox, and madder when you writ your Alchymist; you were mad when you writ Catiline, and ftark mad when you writ Sejanus; but when you writ your Epigrams, and the Magnetic Lady, you were not fo mad infomuch that I perceive there be degrees of madnefs in you. Excufe me that I am fo free with you. The madness I mean is that divine fury, that heating and heightening fpirit which Ovid fpeaks of, Eft Deus in nobis, agitante calefcimus illo: That true enthufiafm which tranfports and elevates the fouls of poets above the middle region of vulgar conceptions, and makes them foar up to heaven to touch the ftars with their laurelled heads, to walk in the zodiac with Apollo himfelf, and command Mercury upon their errand. I cannot yet light upon Dr. Davies's Welsh Grammar: before Christmas I am promifed one. So defiring you to look better hereafter to your charcoal-fire and chimney, which I am glad to be one that preferved it from burning, this being the fecond time that Vulcan hath threatened you, it may be because you have spoken ill of his wife, and been too busy with his horns, I reft your fon, and contiguous neighbour. I Sir. London, 25th July 1629. HAVE fent you herewith a hamper of melons, the best I could find in any of Tothill-field gardens, and with them my very humble fervice and thanks for all favours, and lately for inviting me to your new noble houfe at Temple Newfam, when I return to Yorkshire. To this I may anfwer you, as my Lord Coke was anfwered by a Norfolk countryman who had a fuit depending in the King'sBench against fome neighbours touching a river that used to annoy him, and Sir Edward Coke afking how he called the river; he answered, My Lord, I need not call her, for the is forward enough "to come of herself." So I may fay, that you need not call me to any house of yours, for I am forward enough to come without calling. LETTER XLIV. Westminster, 25th Sept. 1629. THEY fay in Italy, that "Deeds are men, and words are but women." I have had your word often to give me a viit: I pray turn your female promifes to mafculine performances, elfe I shall think you have loft your being; for you know it is a rule in law, Idem eft non ef non apparere. Your faithful fervitor. LETTER XLV. My dear D. in Eljex. York, 5th July 1629. My Lord Prefident is fill indifpofed at From the fame to D. C. Efq. at his bou Dr. Napier's; yet he writ to me lately, that he hopes to be at the next fitting in So with a tender of my most humble fervice to my noble good Lady, I reit your mot obliged fervant. York. Sir, LETTER XLII. Westminster, 3d Aug. 1629. I AM one of them who value not a courtesy that hangs long betwixt the fingers. I love not thofe vifeofa beneficia, thofe birdlimed kindneffes, which Pliny fpeaks of; nor would I receive money in a dirty clout, if poffibly I could be without it: therefore I return you the courtely by the fame hand that brought it; it might have pleasured me at first, but the expectation of it hath prejudiced me, and now perhaps you may have more need of it than your humble fervitor. I THANK you for your last fociety in London, but I am forry to have found Jack T. in that pickle, and that he had fo far tranfgrefled the Fannian law, which allows a chirping cup to fatiate, not to furfeit, to mirth, not to madness; and upon fome extraordinary occafion of rencounters, to give nature a fillip, but not a knock, as Jack did. I am afraid he hath taken fuch a habit of it, that nothing but death will mend him; and I find that he is pofting thither apace by this courfe. I have read of a King of Navarre (Charles le Mauvais) who pe rithed in frong waters; and of a Duke of Clarence that was drowned in a butt of Malmfey: but Jack T. I fear will die in a butt of Canary. Howfoever, commend me to him, and defire him to have a care of the main chance. So I reft yours. what language it might be in which it was written. At first I thought it was Hebrew, or fome other dialect, and fo went from the liver to the heart, from the right hand to the left, to read it, but could make nothing of it: then I thought it might be the Chinese language, and went to read the words perpendicular; and the lines were fo crooked and diftorted, that no coherence could be made. Greek I perceived it was not, nor Latin or English; fo I gave it for mere gib. berith, and your characters to be rather hieroglyphics than letters. The best is, you keep your lines at a good diftance, like thofe in Chancery-bills, who, as the clerk faid, were made fo wide of purpole, because the clients fhould have room enough to walk between them without juftling one another yet this widenefs had been excufable, if your lines had been ftraight; but they were full of odd kind of undulations and windings. If you can write no otherwife, one may read your thoughts as foon as your characters. It is fome excufe for you that you are but a young beginner; I pray let it pear in your next what a proficient you are, otherwife fome blame may light on me that placed you there. Let me receive no more gibberish or hieroglyphics from you, but legible letters, that I may acquaint your friends accordingly of your good proceedings. So I reit your very loving cousin. Sir, LETTER XLVII. ap London, 3d Dec. 1630. SIR Tho. Wentworth hath been a good while Lord Prefident of York, and fince is fworn Privy Counfellor, and made Baron and Viscount: the Duke of Buckingham himself flew not fo high in fo fhort a revolution of time: he was made Viscount with a great deal of high ceremony upon a Sunday in the afternoon at Whitehall. My Lord Powis (who affects him not fo much) being told that the Heralds had fetched his pedigree from the Blood-royal, viz. from John of Gaunt, faid, "D—e, if ever he come to be King of England, I will turn "rebel." When I went first to give him joy, he pleafed to give me the dif pofing of the next attorney's place that falls void in York, which is valued at 300!. I have no reafon to leave my Lord of Sunderland, for I hope he will be noble unto me. The perquifites, of my place, taking the King's fee away, came far fhort of what he promised me at my first coming to him, in regard of his non-refidence at York; therefore I hope he will confider it fome other way. This languifhing fickness fill hangs on him, and I fear will make an end of him. There's none can tell what to make of it, but he voided lately a small worm at Wickham: but I fear there's an impofthume growing in him, for he told me a paffage, how many years ago my Lord Willoughby and he, with fo many of their fervants (de gayeté de cœur) played a match at foot-ball against fuch a num→ ber of countrymen, where my Lord of Sunderland being bufy about the ball, put him got a bruife in the breaft; which in a fwoon for the prefent, but did not trouble him till three months after, when being at Bever Caftle (his brother-inlaw's houfe) a qualm took him on a fudden, which made him retire to his bedchamber. My Lord of Rutland follow ing him, put a pipe full of tobacco in his mouth: he being not accustomed to tobacco, taking the smoke downwards, fell a cafting and vomiting up divers little impofthumated bladders of congealed blood; which faved his life then, and brought him to have a better conceit of tobacco ever after: and I fear there is fome of that clodded blood ftill in his body. Because Mr. Haws of Cheapfide is lately dead, I have removed my brother Griffith to the Hen and Chickens in Paternofter-row, to Mr. Taylor's, as genteel a fhop as any in the city; but I gave a piece of plate of twenty nobles price to his wife. I wish the Yorkshire horse may be fit for your turn: he was ac counted the beit faddle gelding about York, when I bought him of Captain Philips, the Mufter-master; and when he carried me firft to London, there was twenty pounds offered for him by my Lady Carlifle. No more now, but defiring a continuance of your bleffing and I rea dutiful fon. prayers, your X 4 LETTER XLVIII. that "A fool and his money are foon "parted;" for I know he will be never From James Howel, Efq. to Lord Viscount able to execute it. I heard of a late Se Rockfavage, My Lord, Westminster, 22d March 1630. SOME fay, "The Italian loves no fa"vour but what's future." Though I have converted much with that nation, yet I am nothing infected with their humour in this point; for I love favours past as well; the remembrance of them joys my very heart, and makes it melt within ine. When my thoughts reflect upon your Lordship, I have many of thefe fits of joy within me, by the pleafing fpeculation of fo many moit noble favours and refpects which I fhall daily ftudy to improve and merit. My Lord, your Lordship's most humble and ready fervitor. turn. LETTER XLIX. From the fame to the noble Lady, the Lady Cot. Madam, Westminer, 2d June 1630. YOU fpoke to me for a cook who had feen the world abroad, and I think the bearer hereof will fit your Ladythip's He can marinate fith, make gellies; he is excellent for a piquant fauce, and the haugou; befides, Madam, he is paffing good for an olla. He will teli your Lady hip, that the reverend matron the olla podrida hath intellectuals and fenfes. Mutton, beef, and bacon, are to her, as the will, understanding, and memory, are to the foul. Cabbage, turnips, articheaks, potatoes, and dates, are her five fenfes, and pepper the commonfenfe. She must have marrow to keep life in her, and fome birds to make her light by all means the must go adorned with chains of faufages. He is alfo good at larding of meat after the mode of France. Madam, you may make proof of him, and if your Ladyfhip find him too faucy or wafteful, you may return him whence you had him. So I reit, Madam, your Ladyfhip's humble fer Vitor. LETTER L. Sir, Westminster, sth Jin: 1610. cretary of State, that could not read the next morning his own hand-writing; and I have read of Caligula's horfe, that was made Conful. Therefore I pray tell him from me (for I wish him well), that if he thinks he is fit for that office, he looks upon himself through a falfe glass: a trotting horfe is fit for a coach, but not for a lady's faddle; and an ambler is proper for a lady's faddle, but not for a coach. If Tom undertakes this place, he will be as an ambler in a coach, or a trotter under a lady's faddle. When I come to town I will put him upon a far fitter and more featible bufinefs for him: and fo commend me to him, for I am his and your true friend. From the fame to the Right Rev. Dr. Field, My Lord, Westminster, 1ft May 1632. YOUR late letter affected me with two forrow. The beginning of it dilated contrary paffions, with gladnefs and my fpirits with apprehenfions of joy, that fickness, which I heartily congratulate: Vou are fo well recovered of your late but the conclufion of your Lordthip's letter contracted my fpirits, and plunged them in a deep fenfe of juil forrow, while you pleafe to write re news of my dear father's death. Pormalit ikition, percufit fuis. Truly, my Lord, it is the when I recollect myfelf, and confider the heaviest news that ever was fent me: bat fairness and maturity of his age, and that death; when I contemplate that infinite it was rather a gentle diffolution than a advantage he hath got by this change and tranfmigration, it much lightens the weight of my grief: for if ever human Such was his conitant piety to God, his foul entered heaven, farely his is there. rare indulgence to his children, his charity to his neighbours, and his candour in reconciling differences; fuch was the gentleness of his difpofition, his unwearied courfe in actions of virtue, that I hath fhaken off these rags of flesh, than with my foul no other felicity, when the to afcend to his, and co-enjoy the fame blits. Excufe me, my Lord, that I take my leave at this time fo abruptly of you: when this forrow is a little digefted, you fhall hear further from me; for I am your Lordship's moift true and humble fervitor. LETTER LII. From the fame to his honoured Friend, Miftrefs C. at her house in Effex, London, 5th March. THERE was no forrow funk deeper into me a great while, than that which I conceived upon the death of my dear friend your husband. The laft office I could do him was to put him in his grave; and I am forry to have met others there (who had better means to come in coach with fix horfes than I) in fo mean equipage, to perform the laft act of refpect to fo worthy a friend. I have fent you herewith an elegy, which my melancholy mufe hath breathed out upon his hearfe. I fhall be very careful about the tomb you intend him, and will think upon an epitaph. I pray prefent my refpects to Mrs. Anne Mayne. So withing you all comfort and contentment, I reft yours, most ready to be commanded. LETTER LIII. From the fame to Sir Ed. B. Knight. Sir, London, 25th July 1635. RECEIVED yours this Maundy-Thurfday and whereas among other paffages, and high endearments of love, you defire to know what method I obferve in the exercife of my devotions, I thank you for your request, which I have reafon to believe doth proceed from an extraordinary respect to me; and I will deal with you herein as one fhould do with his confeffor. It is true, though there be rules and rubrics in our Liturgy fufficient to guide every one in the performance of all holy duties, yet I believe every one hath fome mode and model or formulary of his own, fpecially for his private cubicular de votions: I will begin with the last day of the week, and with the latter end of that day, I mean Saturday evening, on which I have fafted ever fince I was a youth in Venice, for being delivered from a very great danger. This year I use fome extraordinary acts of devotion, to usher in the enfuing Sunday, in hymns, and various prayers of my own penning, before I go to bed. On Sunday morning I rife earlier than upon other days, to prepare myfelf for the fanctifying of it; nor do I ufe barber, taylor, fhoe-maker, or any other mechanic, that morning: and whatfoever diverfions or lets may hinder me the week before, I never mifs, but in cafe of ficknefs, to repair to God's holy houfe that day, where I come before prayers begin, to make myself fitter for the work by fome previous meditations, and to take the whole service along with me; nor do I love to mingle speech with any in the interim, about news or worldly negotiations, in God's holy house. I proftrate myself in the humbleft and decenteft way of genuflection I can imagine; nor do I believe there can be any excess of exterior humility in that place; therefore I do not like thofe fquatting unseemly bold poftures upon one's tail, or muffling the face in the hat, or thrufting it in fome hole, or covering it with one's hand; but with bended knee, and in open confident face, I fix my eyes on the east part of the church, and heaven. I endeavour to apply every tittle of the fervice to my own confcience and occafions; and I believe the want of this, with the huddling up and careless reading of fome minifters, with the commonnefs of it, is the greatest cause that many do undervalue and take a furfeit of our public fervice. For the reading and finging Pfalms, whereas most of them are either petitions or euchariftical ejaculations, I listen to them more attentively, and make them my own. When I ftand at the Creed, I think upon the custom they have in Poland, and elsewhere, for gentlemen to draw their fwords all the while, intimating thereby that they will defend it with their lives and blood. And for the Decalogue, whereas others use to rife, and fit, I ever kneel at it in the humbleft and tremblingeft pofture of all, to crave remifiion for the breaches paffed of any of God's holy commandments (especially the week before), and future grace to obferve them. I love a holy devout fermon, that first checks, and then cheers the confcience; that |