The life of the Most Reverend Father in God, James Usher, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh, primate and metropolitan of all Ireland with a Collection of three hundred letters between the said Lord Primate and most of the eminentest persons for piety and learning in his time ... / collected and published from original copies under their own hands, by Richard Parr ...

LETTER LXI. A Letter from Dr. Ryves to the Right Reverend James Usher Bishop of Meath.

Right Reverend, and my very good Lord;

I Have now too long time forborn to write unto your Lordship, the cause whereof hath been, for that we have here lived in suspense our selves, of what would ensue of our Noble Prince his Journey into Spain; nei∣ther durst I write you any thing for certain, because I was ever in fear of a contrary report before my Letter could come unto you; and as for Un∣certainties they were not worth the writing. But now at the last, thanks be to our good God, we have our Prince again; he came to London on Monday Morning last, being the 6th of this present, at Eight of the Clock in the Morning; it was my hap to be at Lambeth at that time with my Lord of Canterbury; and whilst I was there, the Prince came to Lambeth Stairs, where his Grace received him and kissed his Hand; and from thence in his Graces Barge went to York-House, where he brake his Fast, and presently went away to Royston, where the King then was and is. News of his lodg∣ing that Night at Guilford came to his Grace of Canterbury that Morning at Three of the Clock, and presently all London rang with Bells, and flamed with Bonfires, and resounded all over with such Shouts, as is not well possi∣ble to express. The day, without bidding, was kept festival by every Man; whereof, because I took such pleasure in seeing it, I conceive your Lordship will also take some pleasure in hearing the Relation. As for the Match, Rumor in ambiguo est, pars invenit utra{que} causas; some say it will be a Match, others that it will not; and each part thinks he hath reason for what he says; but nothing is yet known that may be reported for a certain∣ty. As for my self, hanging otherwise in equal Ballance between the two Opinions, your divining Spirit is always obversant before mine eyes; and sways me to believe as I hope, that it will please God to dispose of our Prin∣ce's Affections for the greater benefit of his Church, and our State.

It hath happly ere this came to your Lordship's Ears, that I was not long since commanded to attend my Lord Chichester into Germany: after a while, that Negotiation was hung up upon the Nail, in expectance of the Princes return: and now we look to hear of a new Summons, but nothing is done as yet therein. And even so, my good Lord, humbly desiring your good Prayers to God for me in all my honest Endeavours, I take leave, and rest,

Your Lordship's in all Service to be commanded, F. Ryves.

From my House near the Doctors-Commons, this 8th of October, 1623.

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

POSTSCRIPT.

MY good Lord, no Man doubts but that the Prince went a good Pro∣testant out of England; but it's as certain, thanks be given to God for it, that he is returned out of Spain tenfold more confirm'd in ours, more obdurate against their Religion than ever he was before. So is the Duke of Buckingham, in so much that upon his Letters to his Dutchess out of Spain, she went also publickly to her Parish-Church at St. Martins the Sunday before Michaelmas-day, and on Michaelmas-day it self, and so conti∣nueth. Moreover, what is befallen to the Prince himself and to the Duke, the same is befallen to all the rest of his Company, they all return more re∣solv'd Protestants than ever; being thorowly perswaded ex evidentia facti, that Popery is Idolatry, if ever any were.

F. R.