All your other Letters, which came to me by more hazardous waies, had
therefore much merit in them; but for your Letter by M. _Pory_, it was but
a little degree of favour, because the messenger was so obvious, and so
certain, that you could not chuse but write by him. But since he brought
me as much Letter as all the rest, I must accept that, as well as the
rest. By this time, M. _Garret_, when you know in your conscience that
you have sent no Letter, you beginne to look upon the superscription, and
doubt that you have broken up some other bodies Letter: but whose so ever
it were it must speak the same language, for I have heard from no body.
Sir, if there be a Proclamation in _England_ against writing to me, yet
since it is thereby become a matter of State, you might have told M.
_Pory_ so. And you might have told him, what became of Sir _Tho. Lucies_
Letter, in my first pacquet, (for any Letter to him makes any paper a
pacquet, and any peece of single money a Medall) and what became of my
Lady _Kingsmels_ in my second, and of hers in my third, whom I will not
name to you in hope that it is perished, and you lost the honour of giving
it. Sir, mine own desire of being your servant, hath sealed me a Patent of
that place during my life, and therefore it shall not be in the power of
your forbidding, (to which your stiffe silence amounts) to make me leave
being
_Your very affectionate servant_
J. Donne.
[xcvi.]
_To my Honoured friend M._ George Garrat.