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

To your selfe.

SIR,

THe first of this moneth I received a Letter from you, no Letter comes so late, but that it brings fresh newes hither. Though I presume, M^r Pore, and since, Sir Rob. Rich came after the writing of that Letter, yet it was good newes to me, that you thought me worthy of so good a testi∣mony. And you were subtile in the dis∣guise: for you shut up your Letter, thus, Lond. 22. in our stile, but I am not so good a Cabalist, as to finde in what moneth it was written. But, Sir, in the offices of so spirituall a thing as friendship, so momen∣tary a thing as time, must have no consi∣deration. I keep it therefore to read every day, as newly written: to which vexati∣on it must be subject, till you relieve it with an other. If I ought you not a great many thankes for every particular part of it, I should yet thanke you for the length;

and love it, as my mistresses face, every line and feature, but best all together. All that I can do towards retribution, is, (as other bankrupts do in prison) to make means by Commissioners, that a great debt may be accepted by small summes weekly. And in that proportion I have paid my tribute to you, almost ever since I came, and shall still do so. You know that they say, those are the strongest, and the firmest, and most precious things, which are composed of the most, and smallest parts. I will flatter my self therefore, that the number of my Letters may at last make a strong argument of my desire to serve you, but because I remember, out of this Philoso∣phy, that they should be little, as well as many, lest this Letter should not get in∣to the building, it shall be no bigger; thus much addition will not much disfigure it, that it sweare to you that I am

Your affectionate servant J. Donne.

Sir, I cry you mercy for sealing your sisters let∣ter, but I deliver you up my authority, and I re∣member you, that you have hers to open it again. You will the easilier forgive me, that I write no newes, when you observe by this transgression, that I live in a place which hath quenched in me even the remembrance of good manners, By na∣ming her, I have made my postscript the wor∣thyest place of my letter: and therefore I chuse that place to present my service to all the company at our lodging; in which house, if I cannot get room for a pallat, at my return, my comfort is, that I can ever hope to be so near them as the Spittle in the Savoy, where they receive Travellers.