¶An other Letter to Maystres Lucy Harrington.
GRace and mercy. &c. It happeneth oftentimes that a∣boundaunce of matter bringing with it much vehemē∣cy of frendly affection, maketh men dumbe, and euen then chiefely when there is most eger purpose of speaking,* 1.1 si∣lence doth suppresse, and causeth the party so affected, vn∣perfectly to expresse that he goeth about to vtter. Such im∣pediment by much matter mingled with feruency of affec∣tion, feele I some times in my selfe, letting the vtteraunce either by tongue or writing, of the aboundance of the hart. The loue of our most gracious God and heauenly Father bestowed vpon vs in the merites of Christ our Sauiour, who may by cōceipt of minde comprehend, passing in deed al vnderstanding? much lesse may the same by any meanes be expressedly vttered. And as suche heauenlye blessinges which by fayth we fetch from aboue, be inexplicable: so is it hard to vtter, when the faythfull are set on fire by loue, theyr readines to reach forth and to geue by charity, as by fayth they haue receiued. But (alas) we cary this treasure in earthen vessels. Many times fayth is feble and then loue lo∣seth her feruor.* 1.2 Pray we therfore, Lord encrease our fayth, and loue forthwith will be on fire. And immortall thanks be geuen vnto our God, who in our Christ hath bestowed vpon vs the first fruites of his spirite, who cryeth in our hartes Abba Father. And (as S. Paule sayth) seeing we haue the same spirit of fayth,* 1.3 according as it is written: I beleeued and therfore haue I spoken? we also beleue and therfore we speak: Yea God knoweth this spirit putteth in vs a minde to speake, but in attempting therof, we are driuen wt Moyses to say: O Lord, I am slow mouthed and of vncircumcised lippes: & with Ieremy:* 1.4 O Lord I cannot speake.
Albeit that this infancy restraineth the opening of such aboundance of hart in my tender Christian duety to be de∣clared towardes you, yet I beseech you let this be setled in your vnderstanding, that as S. Paule expresseth vnto his Corinthians that they were in his hart eyther to liue or to dye, with many other such sayings vttered vnto them and the Galathians, expressing his vehement affection towar∣des them: so in some part I would be like affected towar∣des all Gods children, and especially towardes you whō I know in Christ, and to whom I will not say, how mu∣che I am indebted. I thanke you for your great frendshyp and tender good will towards my wife: yea that good gra∣cious God recompēce you, which may worthely with the more counteruayle the same, and fulfill that which lacketh of thankefull duety in vs. And because of that which here∣tofore I haue conceiued of you and of your more then na∣turall loue towardes me and mine: I make my selfe thus bold to lay this burdē vpon you, euen the care and charge of my sayd poore wife I meane, to be vnto her a mother & mistres to rule and direct her by your discreet counsell.* 1.5 I know she conceiueth of you the same that I do, & is thank∣full vnto God with me for such a frend, and therfore I be∣seech you euen for Christes sake, put neuer from you thys frendly charge ouer her, whether I liue longer or shortly depart. But to charge you otherwise, thankes be to God, neither I neither she haue any such extreme need: if we had I would be as bold with you as mine owne mother. I be¦seech you geue my harty salutations vnto M. Fitzwilli∣ams & my good Lady, with thankes also for my poort wife and child, the Lord recompence them.
Laurence Saunders.
Furthermore as touching his fatherly care & affection to his wife and his litle child, the same is liuely set forth in an other letter, which he did write to his wife: wherein he admonished her, that she should not resort much to the pri∣son, where he was, for daūger of trouble that might ensue, the tenour of whose letter here foloweth.