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

To the Honourable Knight, Sir ROBERT KARRE.

Sir,

THough I have left my bed, I have not left my bed-side; I sit there still, and as a Prisoner discharged, sits at the Prison doore, to beg Fees, so sit I here, to gather crummes. I have used this leisure, to put the meditations had in my sicknesse, into some such order, as may minister some ho∣ly delight. They arise to so many sheetes (perchance 20.) as that without staying for that furniture of an Epistle, That my Friends importun'd me to Print them, I im∣portune my Friends to receive them Printed. That, being in hand, through this long Trunke, that reaches from Saint Pauls, to Saint James, I whisper into your eare this question, whether there be any uncomli∣nesse, or unseasonablenesse, in presenting matter of Devotion, or Mortification, to

that Prince, whom I pray God nothing may ever Mortifie, but Holinesse. If you allow my purposes in generall, I pray cast your eye upon the Title and the Epistle, and rectifie me in them: I submit sub∣stance, and circumstance to you, and the poore Author of both,

Your very humble and very thankfull Servant in Christ Jesus J. Donne.