Letters to severall persons of honour written by John Donne ... ; published by John Donne, Dr. of the civill law.

To Sir H. Goodere.

SIR,

IF this which I send you inclosed give me right intelligence, I present you a way by which you may redeem all your former wastes, and recompense your ill fortunes, in having sometimes apprehended unsuc∣cesfull suits, and (that which I presume you affect most) ease your self from all future inquisition of widowes or such businesses as aske so over industrious a pursuit, as de∣vest a man from his best happinesse of en∣joying himself. I give you (I think) the first knowledge, of two millions confiscated to the Crown of England: of which I dare assure my self the coffers have yet touched none, nor have the Commissioners for suits

any thing to oppose against a suit founded upon this confiscation, though they hold never so strictly to their instructions. After you have served your self with aproportion, I pray make a petition in my name for as much as you think may begiven me for my book out of this; for, but out of this, I have no imagination. And for a token of my de∣sire to serve him, present M. Fowler with 3 or 4000 li. of this since he was so re∣solved never to leave his place, without a suit of that value. I wish your cousen in the town, better provided, but if he be not, here is enough for him. And since I am ever an affectionate servant to that journey, acquaint M. Martin from me, how easie it will be to get a good part of this for Virginia. Upon the least petition that M. Brook can pre∣sent he may make himself whole again, of all which the Kings servants M. Lepton and master Water••use, have endammaged him. Give him leave to offer to M. Hakevill enough to please himself, for his Aurum Reginae. And if M. Gherard have

no present hopefull designe upon a worthy Widow, let him have so much of this as will provide him that house and coach which he promised to lend me at my re∣turn. If M. Inago Jones be not satisfied for his last Maske (because I hear say it cannot come to much) here is enough to be had: This is but a copy, but if Sir Ro. Cotton have the originall he will not deny it you; if he hath it not, no body else hath it, nor can prevent you; husband it well, which you may easily doe, because I assure my self none of the children nor friends of the par∣ty condemned will crosse you or impor∣tune the King for any part. If I get no more by it, yet it hath made me a Let∣ter. And Sir (to depart from this Mine) in what part of my Letters soever you find the remembrance of my humble service to my Lord of Bedford, I beseech you ever think them intended for the first, and in that ranke present them. I have yet received but one Letter from you which was of the 10 of December by M. Pory, but you see that

as long as there is one egge left in the nest, I never leave laying, nor should although you had sent none since; all at last will not amount to so good a testimony as I would fain give how much I am

Your affectionate servant and lover, J. Donne.

Sir, I write this Letter in no very great degree of a convalescence from such storms of a stomach colick as kept me in a continuall vomiting, so that I know not what I should have been able to doe to dispatch this winde, but that an honest fever came and was my phy∣sick: I tell you of it onely lest some report should make it worse, for me thinks that they who love to adde to news should think it a master-piece to be able to say no worse of any ill fortune of mine then it deserves, since commonly it deserves worse then they can say, but they did not, and I am reprieved. I finde dying to be like those facts which denying makes felony: when a sick∣nesse examines us, and we confess that we are willing to die, we cannot, but those who are—incurre the penalty: and I may die yet, if talking idly be an ill sign. God be with you.