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

XL. To Master End. Por. at Paris.

SIR,

I Most affectionatly kiss your hands for the account (and candid o∣pinion) you please to give me of the History I sent Her Majesty of the late K. her brothers reign, I return you also a thousand thanks for your comfortable advice, that having bin so long under hatches in this Fleet I should fancy my self to bee in a long voyage at Sea: Tis true, opinion can do much, & indeed she is that great Lady which rules the world; Ther is a wise saying in that Countrey wher you s•…•… journ now, that c•…•…st nest pas la place, mais la pensée qui sait la pri∣son,

'Tis not the place but opinion that makes the prison, the conceit is more than the condition: you go on to prefer my Captivity in this Fleet to that of a Voyager at Sea, in regard that he is subject to storms and springing of Leaks, to pyrates and Pica•…•…oons, with other casualties; you write I have other advantages also, to be free from plundering, and other Barbarismes, that reign now a∣broad; 'tis true I am secur'd from all these, yet touching the first, I could be content to expose my self to all those chances, so that this wer a floating Fleet, that I might breath free ayr, for I have not been suffered to stir ore the threshold of this House this four yeers; wheras you say I have a Book for my companion, 'tis true, I convers somtimes with dead men, and what fitter associats can ther be for one that is buried alive (as I am) than dead men, and now will I adventure to send you a kind of Epitaph I made of my self this morning, as I was lolling a bed,

Heer lies intomb'd a walking thing, Whom Fortune (with the States) did fling Between these Walls; Why? ask not that, That blind whore doth she knows not, what.

Tis a strange world you'll say, when men make their own Epi∣taphs in their graves, but we that are thus buried alive, have one advantage above others, that we are like to have a double resurre∣ction; I am sure of one, but if these times hold, I cannot ascertain my self of the other, for I may be suffered to rot heer for ought I know: It being the hard destiny of som in these times, when they are once clapp'd up, to be so forgotten as if ther wer no such men in the world.

I humbly thank you for your avisos, I cannot correspond with you in that kind as freely as I would, only in the generall I must tell you, that we are com to such a pass, that the Posie which a young couple did put upon their wedding ring, may fit us in the generall, which was, God knows what will becom of us. But I trust these bad times will be recompenced with better; for my part that which keeps me alive is your Motto ther of the house of Bourbon, and tis but one word, L'Sperance. So I pray God preserve you, and

Fleet, 2 Ian. 1646.

Your most faithfull humble Servitor, J. H.