LETTER CCLXVIII. A Letter from the Right Reverend Brain Duppa Bishop of Salis∣bury, to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Ar∣magh. (Book 268)
My Lord;
I Humbly thank you for that excellent Piece of Origen against Celsus; which though in my younger days I had met withall in Latin, yet I ne∣ver saw it in his own Language till now. And indeed the Book hath been a double Feast to me; for besides my first course, which is Origen himself, I find in the same Volume that piece of Gregory his Scholar, which was wrote by way of Panegyrick of him, and hath served me instead of a Banquet. But besides that which the Ancients have done, (of whom many have been liberal in this Argument, either by way of Praise, or of Apology) I find in some Notes that I have taken, the mention of two more modern Apolo∣gists for him; the one Jo. Picus of Mirandula, the other more obscure to me (for I have not otherwise met him cited) Jacobus Merlinus. If the latter of these be in your Lordship's Judgment worth the reading, and in your power to communicate and impart to me, I beseech you to afford it me for a time; for Origen hath had so many Enemies, that I cannot in charity pass by his Friends, without seeing what they can say in his defence. I have something else to be a Suitor for, and that is, your Lordship's own Book; I dare not beg it of you, (for this is no time for you to be a giver) I shall only desire the loan of it, that I may have a fuller view than I had from that which I borrowed from Sir Edward Leech.
I beseech you, my Lord, pardon this boldness of mine, which your own Goodness hath made me guilty of. I have no more to trouble your Lord∣ship withal, but only to remain,
Your Lordship's most humble Servant, Br. Sarum.
Richm. Octob. 20.