To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
July 2. 1613.
Sir,
WHereas I wrote unto you, that I would be at Cam∣bridge as on Saturday next; I am now cast off again till the Kings return to London, which will be about the middle of the week following. The delay grows from a desire of seeing Albertus his business setled before
we come unto you, where we mean to forget all the world besides. Of this we shall bring you the account.
Now, to let matters of State sleep, I will entertain you at the present with what hath happened this week at the banks side. The Kings Players had a new Play, called All is true, repre∣senting some principall pieces of the raign of Henry 8. which was set forth with many extraordinary circum∣stances of Pomp and Majesty, even to the matting of the stage; the Knights of the Order, with their Georges and Garter, the Guards with their embroidered Coats, and the like: sufficient in truth within a while to make greatness very famili∣ar, if not ridiculous. Now, King Henry making a Masque at the Car∣dinal Wolsey's house, and certain Chambers being shot off at his entry, some of the paper, or other stuff wherewith one of them was stopped, did light on the thatch, where being
thought at first but an idle smoak, and their eyes more attentive to the show, it kindled inwardly, and ran round like a train, consuming within less then an hour the whole house to the very grounds.
This was the fatal period of that vertuous fabrique, wherein yet no∣thing did perish, but wood and straw, and a few forsaken cloaks; only one man had his breeches set on fire, that would perhaps have broyled him, if he had not by the benefit of a provi∣dent wit put it out with bottle Ale. The rest when we meet: till when, I protest every minute is the siege of Troy▪ Gods dear blessings till then and ever be with you.
Your poor Uncle and faithful servant. HENRY WOTTON.
I have this week received your last of the 27. of June, wherein I see my
steps lovingly calculated, and in truth too much expectation of so unwor∣thy a guest.