I can scarce doe any more this week then send you word why I writ not
last. I had then seposed a few daies for my preparation to the Communion
of our B[lessed] Saviours body; and in that solitarinesse and arraignment
of my self, digested some meditations of mine, and apparelled them (as I
use) in the form of a Sermon: for since I have not yet utterly delivered
my self from this intemperance of scribling (though I thank God my
accesses are lesse and lesse vehement) I make account that to spend all my
little stock of knowledge upon matter of delight, were the same error, as
to spend a fortune upon Masks and Banqueting houses: I chose rather to
build in this poor fashion, some Spittles, and Hospitals, where the poor
and impotent sinner may finde some relief, or at least understanding of
his infirmity. And if they be too weak to serve posterity, yet for the
present by contemplation of them, &c.
[lxxxiii.]
_To Sir_ H. G.
_SIR_,
I have the honour of your Letter, which I am almost sorry to have
received: some few daies before the receit thereof D[octor] _Turner_, who
accompanied my L. _Carow_ [_Carey_] to _Sion_ to dinner, shewed me a
Letter from you, from which I conceived good hopes that your businesses,
being devolved into the hands of the Treasurer, had been in much more
forwardnesse, then by your Letter to me they appear to be. I beseech God
establish them, and hasten them, and with them, or without them, as he
sees most conducible to his purpose upon you, continue in you a relying
upon him, and a satisfaction in his waies. I know not whether any Letter
from your son, or any other report, may have given you any mention of me;
he writ to me from the _Compter_, that he was under a trifling arrest, and
that 3{l} and some little more would discharge him. I sent my man with
that money, but bid him see it emploied for his discharge: he found more
actions, and returned. Next day he writ to me that 8{l} would discharge
him, and that M{r} _Selden_ would lay down half. But M{r} _Selden_ and I
speaking together, thought it the fittest way, to respite all, till, in a
few daies, by his writing to you, we might be directed therein; and in the
mean time, took order with the Keeper to accommodate him, and I bade my
man _Martin_, as from himself, to serve his present want with some things.
Since we told him, that we would attend a return of his Letter to you, I
heard no more of him, but I hear he is out. Whosoever serves you with
relations from this Town, I am sure prevents me of all I can say. The
Palatinate is absolutely lost; for before this Letter come to you, we make
account that _Heydelberg_ and _Frankindale_ is lost, and _Manheme_
[_Mannheim_] distressed, _Mansfield_ came to _Breda_, and _Gonzales_ to
_Brussels_, with great losses on both sides, but equall. The P[rince] of
_Orange_ is but now come to _Breda_, and with him, all that he is able to
make, even out of the Garrisons of their Towns. The ways of victuall to
_Spinolaes_ Army, are almost all precluded by him, and he likely to put
upon the raising of _Spinola_, between whom and the Town, there are hotter
disputes, then ever our times saw. The Secretary of the States here shewed
me a Letter yesternight, that the Town spends 6000 pound of powder a day,
and hath spent since the siege 250{m} pounds. _Argits_ Regiment and my L.
_Vaux_, are so diminished by commings away, as that both (I think) make
not now in Muster above 600. M{r} _Gage_ is returning to _Rome_, but of
this Negotiation I dare say nothing by a Letter of adventure. The
direction which his Ma{ty} gave for Preachers, had scandalized many;
therefore he descended to pursue them with certain reasons of his
proceedings therein; and I had commandment to publish them in a Sermon at
the Crosse, to as great a Congregation as ever I saw together, where they
received comfortable assurance of his Ma{ties} constancy in Religion, and
of his desire that all men should be bred in the knowledge of such things,
as might preserve them from the superstition of _Rome_. I presume it is
but a little while before we shall see you here, but that little time is
likely to produce many things greatly considerable. Present, I pray, my
thankfull services to your good daughters. I can give them no better a
room in my prayers, and wishes, then my poore _Constance_ hath, and they
have that; so have you Sir, with
J. Donne.
[lxxxiv.]
_To the worthiest Knight Sir_ Henry Goodere.