Age becomes nothing better then Friendship; therefore your Letters, which
are ever good effects of friendship, delight to be old before I receive
them: for it is but a fortnight since those Letters which you sent by
Captain _Peter_ found me at _Spâ_; presently upon the receit, I adventured
by your leave to bestow the first minutes upon this Letter to your faire
Noble Sister; And because I found no voice at _Spâ_ of any Messenger, I
respited my Writing to you, till I came thus much nearer. Upon the way
hither, another Letter from you overtooke me, which by my L[ord] _Chandos_
love to me for your sake, was sent after me to _Ma[a]stricht_: He came
to _Spâ_ within two houres after I went away; which I tell you to let you
see, that my Fortune hath still that spitefull constancy, to bring me near
my desires, and intercept me. If I should write to you any newes from this
place, I should forestall mine owne Market, by telling you before hand
that which must make me acceptable to you at my comming. I shall sneake
into _London_, about the end of _August_. In my remotest distances I did
not more need your Letters than I shall then. Therefore if you shall not
be then in _London_, I beseech you to think mee at _Constantinople_, and
write one large Letter to be left at my Ladie _Bartlets_, my lodging; for
I shall come in extreame darknesse and ignorance, except you give me
light. If Sir _John Brooke_ be within your reach, present my humble
service and thankfulnesse to him; if he be not, I am glad, that to my
Conscience, which is a thousand witnesses, I have added you for one more,
that I came as near as I could to doe it. I shall run so fast from this
place, through _Antwerpe_, and some parts of _Holland_, that all that love
which you could perchance be content to expresse by Letters if I lay
still, may be more thriftily bestowed upon that one Letter, which is by
your favour, to meet me, and to welcome to _London_
_Your unworthy, but very
true Friend_,
J. Donne.
[xcii.]