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

II. To my Father, upon my first going beyond Sea▪

SIR,

I Should be much wanting to my self, and to tha•…•… obligation of Duty, the Law of God, and his Handmaid Nature hath imposed upon me, if I should not acquaint you with the course and qua∣lity of my affairs and fortunes, specially at this time, that I am upon point of erossing the Seas to eat my bread abroad. Nor is it the common relation of a Son that only induc'd me hereunto, but that most indulgent and costly Care you have been pleased (in so extraordinary a manner) to have had of my breeding (though but one child of fifteen) by placing me in a choice me∣thodicall School (so far distant from your dwelling) under a lear∣•…•…ed (though lashing) Master; and by transplanting me thence •…•…o Oxford, to be graduated; and so holding me still up by the •…•…hin, untill I could swim without Bladders. This Patrimony •…•…f liberall Education you have been Pleased to endow me withal, •…•… now carry along with me abroad, as a sure inseparable Tre∣•…•…ure; nor do I feel it any burden or encumbrance unto me at all: And what danger soever my person, or other things I have about •…•…e, do incur, yet I do not fear the losing of this, either by Ship∣•…•…rack or Pyrats at Sea, nor by Robbers, or Fire, or any other Casualty ashore: And at my return to England, I hope, at leastw•…•… •…•… shall do my endeavour, that you may finde this Patrimony im∣•…•…roved somewhat to your comfort.

The main of my employment, is from that gallant Knight Sir Robert Mansell, who, with my Lord of Pembrook, and divers •…•…ther of the prime Lords of the Court, have got the sole Patent •…•…f making all sorts of Glass with Pit-cole, onely to save those •…•…uge proportions of Wood which were consumed formerly in the Glasse Furnaces: And this Business being of that nature, that •…•…e Workmen are to be had from Italy, and the chief Mate∣rials from Spain, France, and other Forren Countries, there is need •…•…f an Agent abroad for this use; (and better then I have offered

their service in this kind) so that I believe I shall have Employ∣ment in all these Countreys, before I return.

Had I continued still Steward of the Glasse-house in Broad∣street, where Captain Francis Bacon hath succeeded me, I should in a short time have melted away to nothing, amongst those hot Venetians, finding my self too green for such a Charge; therefore it hath pleased God to dispose of me now to a Condition more su∣table to my yeers, and that will, I hope, prove more advantagious to my future Fortunes.

In this my Peregrination, if I happen, by some accident, to be disappointed of that allowance I am to subsist by, I must make my addresse to you, for I have no other Rendevous to flee unto; but it shall not be, unlesse in case of great indigence.

Touching the News of the Time: Sir George Villiers, the new Favorit, tapers up apace, and grows strong at Court: His Prede∣cessor the Earl of Somerset hath got a Lease of ninety years for his life, and so hath his articulate Lady, called so, for articling against the frigidity and impotence of her former Lord. She was afraid that Coke the Lord chief Justice (who had used extraordinary an and industry in discovering all the circumstances of the poisoning of Overbury) would have made white Broth of them, but that the Prerogative kept them from the Pot: Yet the subservient instru∣ments, the lesser flyes, could not break thorow, but lay entangled in the Cobweb; amongst others, Mistris Turner, the first Inventress of yellow-Starch, was executed in a Cobweb Lawn Ruff of that co∣lor at Tyburn, and with her I believe that yellow-Starch, which so much disfigured our-Nation, and rendered them so ridiculous an•…•… fantastic, will receive its Funerall. Sir Gervas Elwayes, Lieutenan•…•… of the Tower, was made a notable Example of Justice and Terr•…•… to all Officers of Trust; for being accessory, and that in a passi•…•… way only to the murder, yet he was hanged on Tower-hill: an•…•… the Caveat is very remarkable which he gave upon the Gallow•…•… That people should be very cautious how they make Vows 〈◊〉〈◊〉 heaven, for the breach of them seldome passe without a Judge∣ment, whereof he was a most ruthfull Example; for being in th•…•… Low-Countreys, and much given to Gaming, he once made a so∣lemn Vow, (which he brake afterwards) that if he played abov•…•… such a sum, he might be hanged. My Lord (William) of Pembrook di•…•… a most noble Act like himself; for the King having given hi•…•… all Sir Gervas Elway's estate, which came to above 1000 pound 〈◊〉〈◊〉. he freely bestowed it on the widow and her children.

The later end of this week, I am to go a Ship-board, and first 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Low-Countreys. I humbly pray your Blessing may ac∣company me in these my Travels by Land and Sea, with a con∣•…•…uance of your prayers, which will be as so many good Gales to •…•…ow me to safe Port: for I have been taught, That the Parents Be∣•…•…udictions contribute very much, and have a kind of prophetic vertue •…•…o make the childe prosperous. In this opinion I shall ever rest,

Broad-street in London, this 1. of March, 1618.

Your dutifull Son, J. H.