John Donne - Delphi Poets Series (81 page)

Your very affectionate servant and
lover
J. Donne.

Micham, Thursday
late
.

Never leave the remembrance of my poor service unmentioned when you see the good Lady.

LIII.
To S
r
T. H.

SIR
,

This evening, which is
5 October
, I finde your Letter of
Michaelmas
day, and though I see by it, that it is a return of a Letter, not of the last weeks, and thereupon make account, that my last weeks Letter hath satisfied you in some things which this Letter commands, concerning
Pauls
, yet for other things I would give you a drowsie relation, for it is that time of night, tho[u]gh I called it evening. At the Kings going from hence, upon
Munday
last, we made account to have seen Sir
John Sutclin
Secretary, and Sir
Rob. Weston
Chancellor of the Exchequer, but they are not done, but both are fixed: my L.
Cranfield
received his staffe, with these two suits obtained from the King, That all Assignations might be transferred into the Exchequer, and so no paiments charged upon the Customes, nor Receivers, nor the Court of Wards, &c. And that for a time there might be a damp cast upon Pensions, till they might be considered. In the Low Countries the Armies stirre not. In the Palatinate Sir
H. Vere
attempting the regaining of
Stenie
Castle, was surprised with the Enemy in so much strength, that they write it over for a Master-piece, that he was able to make a retreat to
Manheme
[
Mannheim
]: so that now the Enemy is got on that side the River which
Heydelberg
is on, and I know nothing that can stand in his way. My L.
Digby
comes from
Vienna
, before he goes into
Spain
, by Count
Mansfield
, by the Palatinate, by
Paris
; and therefore upon his comming, I shall be able to say something to you. In Sir
John Sutclin
I presume you see an end of Sir
Ro. Naunton
, and we see an end of M
r
Tho. Murray
too; I beleeve he comes no more to the Prince. For the triall of my L. of
Canterburies
irregularity, there is a Commission to sixe Bishops,
London
,
Winchester
,
Rochester
, and three onely elect,
Lincoln
,
S. Davids
,
and Exeter
: two Judges, L.
Hobard
, and
Dodridge
; two Civilians, Sir
H. Martin
, and D[r.]
Steward
. The consecration of these elect Bishops, and consequently, my being Dean, must attend the issue of this Commission. Sir
Tho. Roe
is gone. The Proclamations of putting off the Parliament, till
February
, are like to outrun this Letter. It is very late; and it is one act, to say Grace after Supper, and to commend my self into the hands of my blessed Saviour, in my bed, and so close this Letter, and mine eies, with the same blessing upon all your family. Amen

Your poor servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne.

LIV.
To Sir H. G.

SIR,

I Receive this 14 your Letter of the 10. yet I am not come to an understanding how these Carriers keep daies: for I would fain think that the Letters which I sent upon
Thursday
last might have given you such an account of the state of my family, that you needed not have asked by this. But Sir, it hath pleased God to adde thus much to my affliction, that my wife hath now confessed her self to be extremely sick; she hath held out thus long to assist me, but is now overturn’d, & here we be in two beds, or graves; so that God hath marked out a great many of us, but taken none yet. I have passed ten daies without taking any thing; so that I think no man can live more thriftily. I have purged and vexed my body much since I writ to you, and this day I have missed my fit: and this is the first time, that I could discern any intermission. This is enough, the rest I will spend upon the parts of your Letter: Your Letter at
Pauls
is delivered. In the History of that remove, this onely perchance may be news to you, that M
r
Alabaster
hath got of the King the Deans best Living worth above 300
l
, which the Dean had good hope to have held a while. Of that which you writ concerning a Book of the Nullity, I have heard no syllable any other way. If you have received it by good hands, I beleeve it with you: otherwise the report is naturally very incredible. Though the answering of it be a work for some, both of better abilities really, and in common reputation also, yet I was like enough to have had some knowledge thereof. You mention again some thing which it seems you are not willing I should understand of my Lady
Huntington
: some of your former Letters, have spoken of some other former Letters, (which I never saw) which speak of the matter as of a history and thing done; and these later Letters speak of it Prophetically, as of a future contingent. I am glad the often remembrance of it, gives me often occasion of thankfulnesse to her, for retaining me in her memory, and of professing my self in my end, and ways, her most humble servant. For your Parliament businesse, I should be very sorry, if you came not up, because I presume you had seposed many businesses, to have been done at that time; but in the ways wherein you have gone, I protest I am diffident. For first, for that L[ord] whom you solicited by Letters through me, I tell you with the whispering of a secret, but the confidence of a friend, that you will be deceived whensoever you think that he should take any delight in doing you a courtesie. And I am afraid, the true heartinesse of the other noble Gentleman M.
Howard
, will be of small use in this perticular, if he have but solicited my L. his father to reserve a blanke for his friend, for my L. hath suffered more denialls, even in places where he sent names, then could have been feared. Besides M.
How
[
ard
] hath not written to his father therein, but to M.
Woodward
, who perceiving those Letters to be written, before his purpose of being Knight for the shire, thinkes these Letters extinguished. You made me offer so long since of a place (it was when you writ into the west) yet I could think it no merit to have offered you one since, otherwise it hath been since in my power, for since the M
r
of the Rolls provided me one, Sir
Ed. Herbert
, who makes haste away, made me a present of his; and I have had a third offer. The businesse of your last weeks Letter concerning the widow, is not a subject for a feverous mans consideration. Therefore I only send you back those Letters which you sent; and aske you leave to make this which I am fain to call my good day, so much truly good, as to spend the rest of it with D[octor]
Layfield
, who is, upon my summons, at this hour come to me. My Physicians have made me afraid, that this disease will work into my head, and so put me into lightnesses, therefore I am desirous that I be understood before any such danger overtake me.

Your true poor servant
J. Donne.

14. March.

LV.
To the Honourable Knight Sir H. G.

Sir,

After I have told you, that the Lady
Hay
dyed last Tuesday, and that to her end she was anguished with the memory of the execution of that fellow which attempted her in the coach, I have told you all which hath fallen out here. Except between you and me that may be worth the telling, that my L. Chancellor gave me so noble and so ready a dispatch, accompanied with so fatherly advise, and remorse for my fortunes, that I am now, like an Alchymist, delighted with discoveries by the way, though I attain not mine end. It spent me so little time after your going, that, although you speak in your Letter of good dispatch in your going, yet I might have overtaken you. And though perchãce if I had gone, it might have been inconvenient for me, to have put my self into my L. Chamberlains presence, if that sicknesse be earnest at
Ashby
, and so I should nothing have advanced my businesse, yet I should have come to that noble Lady with better confidence, and more assurance of a pardon, when I had brought a conscience, that I came despoiled of all other respects, only to kisse her hands, in whose protection I am, since I have nor desire other station, then a place in her good opinion. I took so good contentment in the fashion which my L. Chancellor used towards me, that out of a voluptuous loathnesse to let that taste go out of my mouth, I forbear to make any further tryall in that businesse till the King come into these quarters. So that, Sir, I am here in place to serve you, if either I be capable of your commandments, or this town give any thing worth the writing. As often as you see your noble friend, and her good sister, allow my name a room in your discourse; it is a short one, and you will soon have done. But tell them not my desire to do them service, for then you engage your self in a longer discourse, then I am worthy. Only in pursuit of your commandment I sent the Paquet to the Post, for in mine own understanding, there should appear small hope of arriving by that way, except you know otherwise that the LL. [Lords] mean to make some stay in their return, in those parts: but the Letter is brought back again, for the Post went away yesterday, and they knew of no occasion of sending till next week. Therefore except I can inform my self of some good means, I will retain it, till I have a fresh commandment from you. I see M.
Taverner
still in this town, the Lady
Carey
went from hence but yesterday. I am in some perplexity what to doe with this pacquet, till some good fortune, or your Letters clear me.

Your humble servant
J. Donne.

Aug. 19.

LVI.
To Sir H. Goodere at Polesworth.

SIR
,

It is true that M.
Gherard
told you, I had that commandment from the King signified to me by my L[ord] and am still under it, and we are within fourteen days of our time for going. I leave a scattered flock of wretched children, and I carry an infirme and valetudinary body, and I goe into the mouth of such adversaries, as I cannot blame for hating me, the Jesuits, and yet I go. Though this be no service to my Lord: yet I shall never come nearer doing him a service, nor do any thing liker a service then this. Yesterday we had news by Sir
Nowell Carou
[
Noel Caron
], from
Paris
, that the D[uke] of
Savoy
was elected King of
Bohemia
; which would cut off a great part of the occasion of our going: but it is not much credible in it self, nor at all beleeved here, because it is not signified from
Savoy
, nor
Heidelberg
. Since M.
Gher
[
Mr. Gerrard
] continues your Gazittier, I need tell you nothing of the
Q
[
ueen
] of
Frances
estate. For your commandment in memory of M.
Martin
, I should not have sate so many processes, if I could incline my thoughts that way. It is not lazinesse, it is not gravity, nor coldnesse towards his memory, or your service; for I have thought of it oftener, and longer, then I was wont to do in such things, and nothing is done. Your last pacquet, in which your daughter and I were joynt-commissioners, was brought to me, because she was at
Hampton
, with the Queens body: but I sent her part to her, and my
La
[
dy
]
Uvedalls
to her, who presents her service to you by me now, and says she will write next week, and so will I too, by Gods grace. You forget me absolutely and intirely, whensoever you forget me to that noble Countesse. God blesse you in all,
Amen
.

Your true servant in Jes. Chr.
J. Donne.

9 Martii.

LVII.
To the best Knight Sir H. G.

SIR
,

At your conveniency, I pray send my Lady
Bedford
this inclosed, but be pleased to put your self to some inconvenience, (if it be so) to kisse my Lady
Ruthins
[
Ruthyn’s
] hands in my name, and to present my very humble service to her, and tell her, that no ill conscience of having deserved her, but only an obedience to her commandments, keeps me from saying to her self thus much; that this day I received a letter from my
L
[
ord
] of
Kent
, written yesterday at
Wrest
: in that his Lordship[s] sends me word, that that favour which he hath formerly done me, in giving me
Blouham
[
Blonham
], is now likely to fall upon me, because the Incumbent is dangerously ill: and because this is the season in which he removes from
Wrest
thither, he desires (for I give you his own word) that he may be accommodate there, (if it fall now) as heretofore. Out of my absolute and intire readiness to serve that family, I sent back his messenger with this answer, that I esteemed it a great part of my good fortune, that I should become worthy to be commanded by him. If my Lady will be pleased to direct me in what particular manner I may best serve her purposes, I shall gladly waite upon her at any time, to receive her command with as much devotion and thankfulnesse as I received the benefit. I beseech you make her beleeve it, as in any place you beleeve

Your poor servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne.

26 Febr. 1621.

LVIII.
To my best of friends Sir H. G.

Sir,

I Heard not from you this week; therefore I write more willingly, because it hath in it so much more merit. And I might do it very cheaply, since to convey to you this Letter, which mine hath the honour to bring, any little Letter would serve, and be acceptable for that. Because it came not last week, I went now to solicite it, and she sent it me next day with some thankes, and some excuse that she knew not me, when I was with her. You know, I do not easily put my self into those hazards, nor do much brag of my valor now, otherwise then I purposed it for a service to you. The newest thing that I know in the world, is my new son: whose mothers being well takes off from me any new waight upon my fortune. I hear in Newgate, that M.
Mathew
is dead. The Catholiques beleeve it there: perchance out of a custome of credulity. But the report is close prisoner; for I never met it abroad. This is my third letter, all which I sent by
Spelty
whom my boy found at
Abington
house. I have now two of the best happinesses which could befall me, upon me; which are, to be a widower and my wife alive, which may make you know, that it is but for your ease, that this letter is no longer, in this leasure in which (having nothing else to write) I might vary a thousand ways that I am