John Donne - Delphi Poets Series (82 page)

Your very affectionate servant
J. Donne.

Monday at night.

LIX.
To my worthy friend G. K.

SIR
,

I Receive this heare [hour] that I begin this return, your Letter by a servant of Sir
G. Greseley
, by whom also I hasten this dispatch. This needs no enlargement since it hath the honour to convey one from M.
Gherard
. But though by telling me, it was a bold letter, I had leave to open it, and that I have a little itch to make some animadversions & Criticismes upon it (as that there is a ciphar too much in the sum of the Kings debts, and such like) yet since my eyes do easily fall back to their distemper, and that I am this night to sup at Sir
Ar. Ingrams
, I had rather forfeit their little strength at his supper, then with writing such impertinencies: the best spending them, is upon the rest of your Letter, to which, Sir, I can only say in generall, that Some appearances have been here, of some treatise concerning this Nullity, which are said to proceed from
Geneva
; but are beleeved to have been done within doors, by encouragements of some whose names I will not commit to this letter. My poor study having lyen that way, it may prove possible that my weak assistance may be of use in this matter, in a more serious fashion, then an Epithalamion. This made me therefore abstinent in that kinde; yet by my troth, I think I shall not scape. I deprehend in my self more then an alacrity, a vehemency to do service to that company; and so, I may finde reason to make rime. If it be done, I see not how I can admit that circuit of sending them to you, to be sent hither; that seems a kinde of praying to Saints, to whom God must tell first, that such a man prays to them to pray to him. So that I shall lose the honour of that conveyance; but, for recompense, you shall scape the danger of approving it. My next Letter shall say more of this. This shall end with delivering you the remembrance of my Lady
Bartlet
, who is present at the sealing hereof.

Your very true and affectionate servant
J. Donne.

Jan. 19.

Which name when there is any empty corner in your discourse with that noble Lady at
Ashby,
I humbly beseech you to present to her as one more devoted to her service then perchance you will say.

LX.
To Sir G. B.

SIR,

Between the time of making up my other Letters, and the hour that your man limited me to call for them, came to my house an other pacquet directed to him: for by this time, the carrier is as wise, as his horse, to go to the house that he hath used to go. I found liberty in the superscription to open, and so I did; but for that part which concerns him, I must attend his comming hither, for I know not where to seek him; and besides, I have enough to say for that part which concerns my self. Sir, even in the Letter it self to me, I deprehend much inclination, to chide me: and it is but out of your habit of good language that you spare me. So little occasion as that postscript of mine, could not bring you so near to it, if nothing else were mistaken, which (so God help me) was so little, that I remember not what it was, and I would no more hear again what I write in an officious Letter, then what I said at a drunken supper. I had no purpose to exercise your diligence in presenting my name to that Lady, but either I did, or should have said, that I writ onely to fill up any empty corner in your discourse. So, Sir, the reading of the Letter, was a kinde of travell to me, but when I came to the paper inclosed, I was brought to bed of a monster. To expresse my self vehemently quickly, I must say, that I can scarce think, that you have read M.
Gherards
letter rightly, therefore I send you back your own again. I will not protest against my being such a knave, for no man shall have that from me, if he expect it: but I will protest against my being such a fool, as to depose any thing in him with hope of locking it up, and against that lownesse, of seeking reputation by so poor a way. I am not so sorry, that I am a narrow man, as that for all the narrownesse, you have not seen through me yet, nor known me perfectly; for I might think by this, (if I had not other testimony) that I have been little in your contemplation. Sixteen letters from M.
Gherard
, could not (I think) perswade a
Middlesex
Jury of so much dishonesty in

Your true servant
J. Donne.

LXI.
To the Honourable Knight Sir G. P.

SIR
,

I Would have intermitted this week without writing, if I had not found the name of my Lady
Huntington
in your Letter. The devotion which I owe, and (in good faith) pay in my best prayers for her good in all kinde awakens me to present my humble thanks for this, that her Ladiship retains my name in her memory: she never laid obligation upon any man, readier to expresse his acknowledgement of them, to any servant of her servants; I am bound to say much of this, for your indemnity; because though I had a little preparation to her knowledge in the house where I served at first, yet I think, she took her characters of me, from you: And, at what time soever she thought best of me in her life, I am better than that, for my goodnesse is my thankfulnesse, and I am every day fuller of that then before, to her L
ap
. I say nothing to you of forein names in this Letter, because your son Sir
Francis
is here. For that which you write concerning your son, I onely gave my man
Martin
in charge, to use his interest in the Keeper, that your son should fall under no wants there, which it seems your son discharged, for I hear not of them. For other trifles, I bad my man let him have whatsoever he asked, so, as it might seem to come from him, and not me; and laying that look upon it, it came to almost nothing. Tell both your daughters a peece of a storie of my
Con.
which may accustome them to endure disappointments in this world: An honourable person (whose name I give you in a schedule to burn, lest this Letter should be mis-laid) had an intention to give her one of his sons, and had told it me, and would have been content to accept what I, by my friends, could have begged for her; but he intended that son to my Profession, and had provided him already 300
l
a year, of his own gift in Church livings, and hath estated 300
l
more of inheritance for their children: and now the youth, (who yet knows nothing of his fathers intention nor mine) flies from his resolutions for that Calling, and importunes his Father to let him travell. The girle knows not her losse, for I never told her of it: but truly, it is a great disappointment to me. More then these, Sir, we must all suffer, in our ways to heaven, where, I hope you and all yours shall meet

Your poor friend, and affectionate servant
J. Donne.

18 Octob.
1622.

LXII.
To my much honoured friend S
r
T. Lucy.

SIR
,

I Have scarce had at any time any thing so like news to write to you, as that I am at this Town; we came from
Spâ
with so much resolution of passing by
Holland
. But at
Ma
[
a
]
stricht
we found that the lownesse, and slacknesse of the River, would incommodate us so much, as we charged [changed] our whole gests, and came hither by Land. In the way at
Lo
[
u
]
vaine
we met the E[arl] of
Arondel
, to recompense the losse wee had of missing my L.
Chandis
[
Chandos
] and his company, who came to
Spâ
within a few hours after we came away. Sir
Ed. Conaway
[
Conway
], by occasion of his bodies indisposition, was gone home before: he told me he had some hope of you about
Bartholomewtide
: But because I half understood by a Letter from you, that you were determined upon the Countrie till
Michaelmas
, I am not so earnest in endevouring to prolong our stay in these parts, as otherwise I should. If I could joine with him in that hope of seeing you on this side the water; and if you should hold that purpose of comming at that time, I should repent extremely my laying of our journies; for (if we should by miracle hold any resolution) we should be in
England
about that time, so that I might misse you both here, and there. Sir, our greatest businesse is more in our power then the least, and we may be surer to meet in heaven then in any place upon earth; and whilst we are distant here, we may meet as often as we list in Gods presence, by soliciting in our prayers for one another. I received 4 Letters from you at
Spâ
by long circuits. In the last, one from my L[ord]
Dorset
: I, who had a conscience of mine own unworthinesse of any favour from him, could not chuse but present my thanks for the least. I do not therefore repent my forwardnesse in that office; and I beseech you not to repent your part therein. Since we came to this Town, there arrived an Extraordinary from
Spain
, with a reconfirmation of the D[uke]
d’Aumals
Pension, which is thereby 2400
l
a year, & he brings the title of Count, to
Rodrigo de Calderon
, who from a very low place, having grown to be Secretary to
Lerma
, is now Ambassador here, and in great opinion of wisdome: They say yet he goes to
Prague
with the Marquis
Spinola
, and the G[raf]
Buquoy
, to congratulate the Emperour; but we all conclude here, that persons of such quality, being great in matter of Warre, are not sent for so small an emploiment: we beleeve certainly, that they deliberate a Warre, and that the reduction of
Aix
being not worthy this diligence, their intentions must be upon
Cleve
[
s
], for the new Town which the two Princes make by
Collen
[
Cologne
] despites them much. The Elector of
Ments
[
Maintz
] hath lately been here, upon pretence of comming in devotion to
Sichem
, and shortly the Electors of
Colein
[
Cologne
] and
Saxony
are to be here severally: all concurs to a disposition of such a Warre, and the
Landsgrave
of
Hasse
[
Hesse
] (who is as yet in the Union) is much solicited and caressed by this party, and I doubt, will prove a frail and corruptible man. I durst think confidently, that they will at least proceed so far towards a Warre, as to try how
France
will dispose it self in the businesse: for it is conceived that the D. of
Bovillon
[
Bouillon
] brought to our K[ing] good assurances from the Qu[een] Regent, that she would pursue all her husbands purposes in advancing the designes of those Princes who are in possession of
Cleve
[
s
], and in the Union. If she declare her self to do so, when they stirre, they are like to divert their purposes; but if she stand but neutrall (as it is likely, considering how Spanish the Court is at this time) I see not that the Princes of the Union are much likely to retard them. Sir, you see what unconcerning things I am fain to write of, lest I should write of myself, who am so little a history or tale, that I should not hold out to make a Letter long enough to send over a Sea to you; for I should dispatch my self in this one word that I am

Your affectionate servant and lover
J. Donne.

Aug. 16.
here.
1622.

LXIII.
To the honourable Knight Sir H. G.

SIR,

Since I received a Letter by your sonne, whom I have not yet had the honour to see, I had a Letter Pacquet from you by M
r
Roe
: To the former, I writ before: In this I have no other commandement from you, but to tell you, whether M
r
Vill
[
i
]
ers
have received from the K[ing] any additions of honour, or profit. Without doubt he hath yet none. He is here, practising for the Mask; of which, if I mis-remember not, I writ as much as you desire to know, in a Letter which seems not to have been come to you, when you writ. In the
Savoy
business, the King hath declared himself by an engagement, to assist him with 100000
l
a year, if the Warre continue. But I beleeve, he must farm out your
Warwickshire
Benevolence for the paiment thereof. Upon the strength of this engagement, Sir
Rob. Rich
becomes confident in his hopes. If you stood in an equall disposition for the West, and onely forbore, by reason of M
r
Martins
silence, I wonder; for I think, I told you, that he was gone; and I saw in Sir
Tho. Lucies
hand, a Letter from him to you, which was likely to tell you as much. Since I came from Court, I have stirred very little: Now that the Court comes again to us, I may have something which you may be content to receive from

Your very affectionate servant
J. Donne.

18. Decemb.

LXIV.
To my good friend Sr H. G.

Sir,

The Messenger who brought me your Letter presented me a just excuse, for I received them so late upon
Thursday
night, that I should have dispatched before I could begin; yet I have obeyed you drowsily, and coldly, as the night and my indisposition commanded: yet perchance those hinderances have done good, for so your Letters are the lesse curious, in which, men of much leasure may soon exceed, when they write of businesse, they having but a little. You mention two more letters then I send. The time was not too short for me to have written them, (for I had an whole night) but it was too short to work a beleefe in me, that you could think it fit to go two so divers ways to one end. I see not, (for I see not the reason) how those letters could well have concurred with these, nor how those would well have been drawn from them, in a businesse wholly relating to this house. I was not lazie in disobeying you, but (I thought) only thrifty, and your request of those was not absolute, but conditioned, if I had leasure. So though that condition hinder them not, since another doth (and you forethought that one might) I am not stubborn. The good Countesse spake somewhat of your desire of letters; but I am afraid she is not a proper Mediatrix to those persons, but I counsail in the dark. And therefore return to that, of which I have clear light, that I am always glad, when I have any way to expresse my love; for in these commandements you feed my desires, and you give me means to pay some of my debts to you: the interest of which I pay in all my prayers for you, which, if it please not God to shew here, I hope we shall finde again together in heaven, whither they were sent. I came this morning to say thus much, and because the Porter which came to
Micham
summoned me for this hour to
London
: from whence I am this minute returning to end a little course of Physick.