Epistolæ Ho-elianæ familiar letters domestic and forren divided into sundry sections, partly historicall, politicall, philosophicall, vpon emergent occasions / by James Howell.

LI. To Sir Alex. R. Kt.

SIR,

SUrely, God Almighty is angry with England, and 'tis more sure, that God is never angry without cause: Now to know this cause the best way is, for every one to lay his hand on his Brest, and examin himself throughly, to summon his thoughts, and win now them, and so call to remembrance how far he hath offen∣ded Heaven, and then it will be found, that God is not angry with England, but with English-men. When that dolefull charge was pronounc'd against Israel, Perditio tua ex te Israel, It was meant of the concret, (not the abstract;) Oh Israelites, your ruin coms from your selvs. When I make this serutiny within my self, and en∣ter into the closest cabinet of my soul, I find (God help me) that I have contributed as much to the drawing down of these judgements on England, as any other: when I ransack the three Cells of my Brain, I find that my imagination hath bin vain and extravagant; my memory hath kept the bad, and let go the good, like a wide Sieve that retains the Bran, and parts with the Flour; my under∣standing hath bin full of errour and obliquities; my will hath bin a rebell to reason; my reason a rebell to Faith, (which I thank God I have the grace to quell presently with this caution,

Succumbat Ratio Fidei, & captiva quiescat.)

When I descend to my heart, the center of all my affections, I find 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hath swell'd often with Timpanies of vanity, and Tumors of

wrath: when I take my whole self in a lump, I find that I am nought else but a Cargazon of malignant humors, a rabble of unruly passions, amongst which my poor soul is daily crucified, as 'twixt so many theevs. Therfore as I pray in generall, that God would please not to punish this Island for the sins of the pee∣ple, so more particularly I pray, that she suffer not for me in par∣ticular; who, if one would go by way of Induction, would make one of the chiefest instances of the argument. and as I am thus con∣scious to my self of my own demerits, so I hold it to be the duty of every one, to contemplat himselfe this way, and to re∣member the saying of a noble English Captain, who, when the Town of Calis was lost (which was the last footing we had in France) being geer'd by a Frenchman, and ask'd, Now Englishman, when will you com back to France? answer'd, Oh, Sir, mock not, when then the sins of France are greater than the sins of England, the English∣men will com again to France,

Before the Sac of Troy, 'twas said and sung up and down the streets.

Iliacos intra muros peccatur & extra. The vers is as true for sense and feet, Intra Londini muros peccatur & extra. Without and eke within The walls of London there is sin.

The way to better the times, is for every one, to mend one. I will conclude with this serious invocation. I pray God ave•…•… those further judgements (of Famin and pestilence) which are ho∣vering over this populous, and once-flourishing City, and dispose of the Brains and Hearts of this people, to seek and serve him a▪ right.

I thank you for your last visit, and for the Poem you sent 〈◊〉〈◊〉 since. So I am

Fleet 3 Iun.

Your most faithfull servitor, J. H.