Reliquiae Wottonianae, or, A collection of lives, letters, poems with characters of sundry personages : and other incomparable pieces of language and art : also additional letters to several persons, not before printed / by the curious pencil of the ever memorable Sir Henry Wottan ...

To Mr. MILTON.

SIR,

IT was a special favour, when you lately be∣stowed upon me here the first taste of your ac∣quaintance, though no longer then to make me know that I wanted more time to value it, and to enjoy it rightly; and in truth, if I could then have imagined your farther stay in these parts, which I understood afterward by Mr. H. I would have been bold, in our vulgar Phrase, to mend my draught, (for you left me with an extream thirst,) and to have begged your conversation again joyntly with your said Learned Friend, at a poor meal or two, that we might have banded together some good Authors of the ancient time: Among which, I observed you to have been familiar.

Since your going, you have charged me with new Obligations, both for a very kind Letter from you, dated the 6th. of this Moneth, and for a dainty piece of entertainment that came therewith.

Wherein I should much commend the Tragical part, if the Lyrical did not ravish me with a certain Dorique delicacy in your Songs and Odes; where∣unto I must plainly confess to have seen yet no∣thing parallel in our language Ipsa mollities. But I must not omit to tell you, that I now only owe you thanks for intimating unto me (how modestly so∣ever) the true Artificer. For the Work it self I had viewed some good while before with singular delight, having received it from our common Friend Mr. R. in the very close of the late R's Po∣ems, Printed at Oxford; whereunto is added (as I now suppose) that the Accessory might help out the Principal, according to the Art of Stationers, and to leave the Reader Con la bocca dolce.

Now Sir, concerning your Travels, wherein I may challenge a little more priviledge of discourse with you. I suppose you will not blanch Paris in your way; therefore I have been bold to trouble you with a few Lines to Mr. M. B. whom you shall easily find attending the young Lord S. as his Governour, and you may surely receive from him good directions for the shaping of your farther journey into Italy, where he did reside by my choice some time for the King, after mine own re∣cess from Venice.

I should think that your best Line will be tho∣row the whole length of France to Marseilles, and thence by Sea to Genoa, whence the passage into Tuscany is as diurnal as a Gravesend Barge. I hasten, as you do to Florence, or Siena, the rather, to tell you a short story from the interest you have given, me in your safety.

At Siena I was tabled in the house of one Alberto Sci•…•…ioni, an old Roman Courtier in dangerous

times, having been Steward to the Duca di Pagliano, who with all his Family were strangled, save this only man that escaped by fore-sight of the Tempest: with him I had often much chat of those affairs; into which he took pleasure to look back from his native harbour, and at my departure toward Rome (which had been the Center of his Experience) I had won confidence enough to beg his advice, how I might carry my self securely there, without of∣fence of others, or of mine own conscience. Signor Arrigo mio (says he) I Pensieri stretti, & il viso sci∣olto: That is, Your thoughts close, and your countenance loose, will go safely over the whole World. Of which Delphian Oracle (for so I have found it) your judgement doth need no Commentary; and there∣fore, Sir, I will commit you with it to the best of all securities, Gods dear love, remaining

Your Friend as much at command, as any of longer date, H. WOTTON.

POSTSCRIPT.

Sir, I have expresly sent this my Foot-boy to prevent your departure, without some acknow∣ledgement from me of the receit of your obliging Letter, having my self through some business, I know not how, neglected the ordinary convey∣ance. In any part where I shall understand you fixed, I shall be glad, and diligent to entertain you with Home-Novelties; even for some fomen∣tation of our friendship, too soon interrupted in the Cradle.