The treasure of tranquillity. Or A manuall of morall discourses tending to the tranquillity of minde. Translated out of French by I.M. Master of Arts.

TO THE RIGHT HO∣NOVRABLE IOHN LORD RAMSEY, Vicount of HADINGTON, The most valorous Rescuer of our King: And to the right No∣ble and vertuous Lady, ELI∣ZABETH Vicountesse of HADINTON, his wife, Honours in∣crease.

Right Honourable,

BEHOLD I bring vn∣to your Honours, this English Treasure of tranquility of minde. It is a treasure, and therefore wor∣thy

of you, who in the iudgement of all those that full know your worth, are worthy of the best Treasure that either Nature or Arte, honour or wealth are able to yeeld, and how∣soeuer it be but a small one (for how shall a meane man giue any great gift) and euen so small that easily ye may hold it in one of your hands (in which regard I confesse it is but too vnworthy of your greatnesse) yet my wish is that it may serue for a testimony, howsoeuer small, of that no small affection and obseruancie which vnto your Honours I doe beare: till at what time some greater token of my duty appeare, and come forth into the light vnder the lustre of your honourable name.

This little Manual doth intreat of such morall meanes as may fur∣ther a man to the attaining of true Tranquillity; the which the Poets haue painted out for the pretiousnesse

thereof vnder the names of Nectar and Ambrosia, the dilicious bread and drinke of their gods, There∣by giuing vs to vnderstand, that the vertue and efficacy thereof is such that it is no lesse able to make men like vnto God by felicity, then were Circes sensual cuppes to transforme men into swine by carnall voluptie. In it one shall see how a man may best fortifie himselfe against the vi∣olent flashings of his affections and the vnreasonable and vnseaso∣nable vproares of his passions, and how he may attaine vnto the conque∣ring of the same, and to the know∣ing of himselfe. In it may likewise be seene how and in what manner a man must carry himselfe about cal∣lings, charges and employments, both before, and after his vndertaking of them, how to order the whole impor∣tant actions of his life. It will shew a man how to foresee by prouidence

and foresight all kinde of changes, and chances that vsually do occurre, and how to comport our selues in them, and to keep a corresponden∣cy with them, by carrying our selues patiently in aduersity, and moderate∣ly in prosperity. Lastly, in it a man may learne how to correct, or couer humors, how to make choice of friends, and how to make vse both of other folkes fortunes, and his owne. All which instructions and directi∣ons therein mentioned, in the most briefe and bright manner, may serue very much for the attaining of this foresaid Tranquility, The learned Bishop Don Antonio Gueuara in his Castiliane discourse, dedicated to the King of Portugall, touching the miseries and vanities of the Court, thinketh it a matter almost impossible for a Courtier to attaine thereunto so long as he followeth the Court, in regard of the manifold

vexations of minde, which there doe arise, because of couetousnesse, con∣tention, emulation, and ambition which commonly at Court are so rife: the which graue Bishops iudge∣ment, if it be true, then truely Cour∣tiers stand in much more neede of such furtherances of true Tran∣quility as this is, then do other men, and yet I dare perswade my selfe that your Lordships owne selfe doth stand in much lesse neede of such morall helpes, then many other doe. For ye are so farre from couetous∣nesse (which morall Writers do com∣monly call the cankerworme of Cour∣tiers) that your bounty and liberali∣ty is euery where knowne, and deser∣uedly spoken of: and so free from ambition the Burriour of Courti∣ers, that your modesty and modera∣tion is to euery one more then mani∣fest. The rising and exaltation of men is vsually subiect to enuy, but it

is your Lordship good fortune that no man enuieth your good fortune, yea rather men wonder how that it is not much more fauourable then it is, considering the greatnesse of your extraordinary desert, and your vn∣matched moderation in this your Lordships present preferment. In re∣uoluing and reading the Chronicles of our Countrie written by our lear∣ned Hector Boece, and by our fa∣mous Lesly, Bishop of Rosse, the ornament of our Ile, I find that the ancient name of Ramsey hath in former times afoorded diuers fa∣mous, and King-fauoured persona∣ges, your Lordships Ancestors and honourable kinsmen, which haue done acceptable seruice to their Countrie and Kings. Such a one was sir Alexander Ramsey of Dale∣house Knight, who in King Dauid Bruces time, was a most vertuous wight, and according to the signifi∣cation

of his name in Greeke) proued another Greeke-alexander euen a most strong helper of men. For hee is recorded to haue bene the most worthy Chiefetaine of those dayes, and so renowmed for his prowesse that euery Noble man was faine to haue his sonne or kins-man to serue vnder him. Such a one likewise was Sir William Ramsey, preferred in the said Kings time, to be Earle of Fife, and Sir Iohn Ramsey maister houshold to King Iames the third, and his greatest minion and fauourite preferred to be Earle Bo∣thwell, These and such others, no doubt but that they deserued well, each of them in his place: but all Albion, yea all Europe knoweth that your desert is of a farre more notable kind. God who giueth de∣liuerance vnto Kings and rescueth Dauid his seruant from the hurtful sword, did vse you as an instrument

for the rescuing of our Soueraigne vpon Mars his day, and in that towne and place, where once Cune∣dagius King of Britaines builded a Temple vnto Mars. The two too martially, and mortally affected men on their Mars-day, and in their Mars-towne, would haue to their bloody Idol Mars sacrificed the heart-bloud of their King: But God in heauen who is the true Mars, euen the God of Hostes, and the most mighty rescuer of Kings on earth, kept his seruants heart in his hand, & by your happy hand preuented the spilling of his bloud, yea more, hee made themselues the bloudy sacri∣fice, and you the sacrificer. On the fift of August, they thought to haue made our Augustus to tast of death, and to guste of the graue. But God turned the day of our Augu∣stus danger into a day of deliuerance for him, and of destruction for his

enemies, and as the Lord made it a day of preseruation vnto our King, so hath he made it a day of gratula∣tion and thankes-giuing vnto the Lord, for that his vnspeakeable fa∣uour. The same is likewise the Calender day of commemoration of the most godly and deuout King Saint Oswald, who was a King ful of piety towards God, and of pitty to∣wards the poore, as Galfride Mal∣mesbury, Polychronicon, and ve∣nerable Beda do write. And who King Iames-like was an vniting King, euen of the two diuided King∣domes of Northumberland, Deira, & Bernicia, and a teaching, yea a Preaching, and a conuerting King. For after his returning home out of Scotland, whether he had fled for feare of his too strong foes, where he had enioyed protectiō, with Princely liberty, the space of 18. yeares, and where hee together with his brother

Oswy with many other yong Nobles had bene christned and con∣firmed in the faith by the holy Scot∣tish Bishop Aidanus, as Beda wri∣teth, he wholly gaue himselfe to the conuersion of his heathenish subiects to the Christian faith, and for the same purpose he sent into Scotland for Aidanus, whom he made Bishop of Lindefarne, and Primate of Northumberland, vnto whom also succeded diuers other holy men of the same Country, namely Finanus, Colmanus, Cuthbertus and o∣thers. Euen this godly King was ac∣customed to expound the Sermons and instructions which Aidanus made in the Scottish language, to his people in the English Saxon tongue: so that with greater reason may he be called, the Prince of Preachers, then was Henry the fift called the Prince of Priests as Chronicles doe beare. For Oswal∣dus

was not ashamed in his own per∣son to teach and expound to his peo∣ple, the Principels of the Christian faith, and that in publicke, whereas the most vertuous, valorous, and vi∣ctorius Prince Henry the fift (the father of that most pious and patient Prince Henry the sixt) yea and the flowre of the whole Henries, and most worthy to be a patterne for our yong hopefull Henry to imitate, was called the Prince of Priests, for no other cause, but for that he did ho∣nour and respect his Priests & Pre∣lates exceedingly, and tooke a great care for their honourable prouision like another Ezekiah. This blessed King Oswald, though in the begin∣ning he got a great victory ouer his too strong enemies, being many more in number then he, at his erected crosse in Heauen-field; yet in the end he fell Iosiah-like by the hea∣thenish hand of wicked Penda the

Mercian King, and that on the fift day of August, being but a litle elder then our Soueraigne was on that same day of his danger, Good Lord! how great a lamentation was there made in the North, whē as holy King Oswald fel in the field of Maxfield by the hand of the heathenish Penda the Mercian King? euen such a la∣mentation as was made in the South when good King Iosiah fell in the field of Megiddo, by the heathenish hand of the Egyptian King Pharao Necho? And what great mourning should there haue beene made both North and South, if our Iosiah, and our Oswald, being almost of the same age with them, who were equall in yeares all saue one, had fallen on that day with them by the hands of those two conspiring Pendas, and by the reuenging hands of two hard-hearted Pharaohs? For as Pharaoh is as much as reuenging in the Syri∣an;

so were they two set vpon re∣uenge for their father, as the yon∣ger brother did confesse. But it was the Lords will that they should proue Pharao Nechos, and yet that in the meane time our Iosiah should be safe. That is to say, that our So∣ueraigne should Iacob-like proue a supplanter of his enemies, and so con∣tinue to be a Iosiah, that is a burning light of the Lords to this land: & that those children of reuenge, should proue lame reuengers, and such as were smitten, for so doe these words of Pharao Necho signifie. They plotted mischiefe in their hearts, and they would haue practised mischiefe with their hands: and therefore the Lord made them lame in their hearts, and in their hands, euen both heartlesse and handlesse: so that they had neither policy, nor power to execute their intended, and pretended reuenge, yea more they were smit∣ten

both by your hand, who did hit them on the teeth, and thunder on them so sore that those euill men were blotted out from among men, and cast away like two forlorne cast∣awayes, in so doing your worthy actions did answere vnto the signifi∣cation of your surname: for as Ram signifieth as much in Hebrew as high and casting away, so doth Rameses signifie a thunder, a hitting in the teeth, and a blotting out euill.

At what time the sunne was in running of his Giants race, being mounted on the backe of the celesti∣all Lion, euen from Aries top to Pisces taile; and that Albions Sun was running his race vnder Aries, (which according to Ptolomee, and the Astrologians, is the celestiall signe of this head-Ile of men, as it is of the head of man,) being moun∣ted on the backe of a Lilly-bearing Lion, running as it were, with the

Leopard, from Kentire to Kent, and from Catnesse to Totnesse, for the prise of the Rosen Crowne: At that same time, and euen when as he was come almost to his rinks end, and ready to lay hold vpon the prize, the Deuouring Lyon began to roare and rampe, and neuer to take any rest from compassing till he had stir∣red vp some compassing Sheba a∣gainst Dauid, the beloued of the Lord, as the word signifieth: For Iacob hath hee loued. But behold the Lion of Iudah, who feedeth a∣mong the Lillies, and taketh pleasure in the gathering of Lillies, (as the spouse in the Canticles spea∣keth) euen he holpe his Lilly-bea∣ring Lion, and put into your Lord∣ships yong heart the courage of a lusty Lion for the confounding of the old Deuouring Lions instru∣ments, our Lilly-Lions f••es. Thus the Old Lion missed of his proiect,

and the Lilly-bearing-Lion ere it was long wan the prize.

In the spring time, and in the be∣ginning thereof, when all things be∣gin to spring and to sprout, the Lilly of the North began to spring, and to put forth both a white and a red floure. When Phoebus, the bright eye of the world, had begun in the signe of Aries to ouershine the whole Hemisphere, then our Phoebus, the bright starre of the North, began to ouershine Albions whole Isle, which is vnder Aries: yea and is as the heauen-fauoured head of Ilands, yea of lands, vnder the head of Ari∣es, as is likewise the head of mā. And my wish is, that the whole body of A∣ries may once full into his hands who hath already the head. Ptolomie in his Astrological Construction, & Pontanus in his coelestiall things, will soone shew a man what I meane. Our King hee euen entred to this

Crowne about that time that Al∣mighty God entred into the world by the creation thereof, and our Sa∣uiour entred into the world for the renouatiō of the same by the assump∣tion of our flesh: euen then (I say) when as IESVS the sonne of MA∣RY, beganne in his blessed mothers wombe to make all thinges new, IAMES the sonne of MARY be∣gan his new Kingdome. At what time the Lord IESVS came downe from God in Heauen into earth, a∣mongst men to make an Vnion be∣tweene Heauen and Earth, God and Man, yea and betweene Man and Man (for all God and Christs acti∣ons aime at vnion:) at that same time came King IAMES downe from the North into the South, to make an Vnion betweene North and South, and betweene Men & Men, I meane betweene his Northerne and Southerne subiects.

Who as hee is sprung from the blessed Bed of the white-red-rosie vnion of two royall Houses; so hath the eternall Vnion-maker appointed him to be the auspicious Author of a farre greater Lilly-rosie, and white-red-crossie vnion of two anci∣ent Kingdomes. To the end that two (once warring and iarring) nations, might bee reconciled and vnited in allegeance and loue, as they are in religion and language. The which thing Merlin many hundred yeares agoe hath cleerely foretold in these tearmes: Pacificabuntur natio∣nes Regni, & Leo ad stateram sedebit: Bruti nomine vocabitur regnum, & nuncupatio extrane∣orum peribit. The nations and peo∣ple of the Kingdome shall bee paci∣fied and vnited by the Lyon that shal rule. The Kingdome shall bee called by the name of Brutus Britany, and the other name which forrainers,

that is, the Saxons, or Angles, brought in, shall faile. Yea, the same Merlin hath likewise foretold long ago the plantation, and conformati∣on of Ireland, by his Maiesties meanes in this manner: Sextus Hi∣berniae moenia subuertet, & ne∣mora in planitiem mutabit, di uersas portiones in vnum redu∣cet, & capite Leonis coronabi∣tur. The sixt (saith hee) shall ding downe the walles of Ireland, that is to say, the thicke woods, forrests, and trees thereof, by turning them into arable ground. The diuers portions of it shall bee brought into one, and it shall be crowned with the Lyons head.

The which prediction; mee thin∣keth, ought rather to be vnderstood of our King, who is not onely descen∣ded from the ancient Irish Kings, no lesse then from the English, Bri∣tish, and Scottish; but also is the

sixt of the name of Iames, bearing a red Lion in his Armes, & hath also taken order for that foretold plan∣tation of Ireland: rather I say, then to vnderstand it, & expound, it with Alanus Magnus, of King Henry the first. Except hee had meant it of our hopefull floure of Princes, Henry the first Prince of Cam∣bria, and of Cumbria, Albions yong Lilly-rosie-Lyon, and the first of that name since the Concord, as the other was the first of the same name from the Conquest.

Finally it was but a few daies af∣ter the festiuall time of the blessed and glorious Saintes (according to our English Calender) Iames the brother of Iohn, and Anna the mo∣ther of Mary, that Sathan Herod-like thought and sought to haue kil∣led Iames, the happy son of a match∣lesse Mary, and the memorable mo∣ther of great Britaines greatest

grace and vnited glory; and Anna likewise, a gracefull Mother of rest, according to her name, and the happy mother of so many hopefull children. That great enemy of kings, yea of all mankinde, I say, thought euen at that time to haue slaine both of them, Iames with the edge of the sword, and Anna with endlesse sor∣row. For he was sorrie to foresee how that a golden-rosie crowne should bee set vpon their happy heads at this ho∣ly time. But the Lord hath preser∣ued both (and long may he preserue, both.) and at that festiuall time, at which sathan thought to haue fea∣sted vpon their fall, he made their crowne to flourish; for hee set a ro∣sie crowne of pure gold vpon their heads, and clothed them with glory in the eyes of all Albion, yea, of all Europe. And hee that hath set the Crowne vpon their heads, will keepe it on in dispite of the diuell, and of

all such blind-zealed passionatists, (I will call them no worse) as haue either sought, or shall seeke hereaf∣ter to hurle downe head and crowne into the dust, or to blow all vp into the aire.

And not onely hath the great King-crowner set vpon his seruants head a crowne: yea a triple crowne of Vnion; but also he hath put in∣to his hands an Harpe, the which as Orus Apollo writeth, is the hiero∣glyphicke, or symbole of Concorde, (for our God is a God of Concorde, and our King is a King of Concord) to the end that Dauid-like by the musicall melodie thereof, euen by the gentle moderation of his pa∣tient and peaceable minde, and by the pithy and pleasant perswasion of his eloquent mouth, he may chase away Sauls euill spirit of malice and mur∣muring from our mindes, and make all our partialities and priuate re∣spects

to depart, to the end; that Iu∣dah and Israël may bee made one perfect people in vnion and affection, as well as in subiection; and in loue as well as in religion. And truly if we bee not worse-spirited then Saul was, and more vngratefully affected then hee, Dauids harping must at last chase away the vncleane spirit of Diuision from our heads, and bring home the cleane and quiet spirit of Vnion into our hearts, that in the end both North and South may ioyne hands, and sing to the praise of the God of Vnion, that sweete har∣monius song of Vnion: Ecce quàm bonum, & quàm iucundum fra∣tres habitare in vnum.

O how happy a thing it is, And ioyfull for to see, Brethren together fast to hold The band of Vnitie.

And truely Dauid deserueth a farre better requitall at our hands for his harmonious harping, then that any of his passionate patients, whether North or South, (for it is not the South alone that is auerse from Vnion) should with gracelesse and gratelesse Saul, seeke thus to wound his heart with the sharpe speare of obstinate opposition. And yet for all this hee leaueth not off Orpheus-like, with the harmony and melody of his harpe to charme and tame the wild beasts of our iar∣ring affections, passionate oppositiōs, and timorous apprehensions, to the end that the Lyon and the Leo∣pard may be for euer made faithfull friends, and may euen brother-like liue and lye together (to speake with the Prophet Isay) yea and dwell together as it were in one denne.

Our Orpheus is labouring by all meanes with the harmonie of his

Harp, to turn our swords into sithes, and our speares into spades, to the end that there be no more hurting or fighting hereafter in Albion among our selues, and that all former troubles and by-past quarrels may be forgotten, according as the Scrip∣ture speaketh. But if wee will needs be more vncharmable, and vntame∣able then were Orpheus beasts at the sound of his Harpe, then we shall haue good cause to feare, least wee both proue at home, and bee called abroad brute-anes indeed. For if we will bite and backe-bite one another like dogges in the beginning; be∣ware least like the Lyon and the Leopard, we consume one another in the end. The which euill thing, I pray the God of Sion, and the God of Vnion, who is likewise the God of Iacob, euen of our Iacob, and of his Albion, yea and of his Albions Vnion for euer to forbid.

The Lord who is the Author of Vnion, and whose nature is Vnion, as his number is Vnitie, had purpo∣sed to make his seruant the instru∣ment of this Vnion. Euen Iesus the Prince of of peace, who is our peace, and hath made of both, one, by brea∣king downe the stop of the partition wall, (as the Apostle speaketh) hee had appointed to make Iames his seruant to be Britaines peace, and to make of both kingdomes one, by breaking downe the partition-wall of partialities, oppositions, passionate affections, and priuate respects. That great King-crowner, and matchlesse Vnion-maker, I say, had euen determined to adorne and decore his seruants head with an V∣nion-diademne, whose price (like vnto King Lemuels vertuous wo∣man) is farre aboue the pearles. And hence it is, that his enemies, which imagined mischiefe, & inten∣ded

euill against his sacred person; in the North to hurle him downe into an hole, in the South to blowe him vp vnto the Pole, could not pre∣uaile.

Thus we see our soueraigne gra∣ciously preserued, and in a manner gloriously transfigured in the sight of his louing subiects, at the same time that our Sauiour was most glori∣ously and visibly transfigured vppon mount Tabor in the sight of his three principall Apostles, Peter, Iames, and Iohn. I say hee was in a manner transfigured at that same time, because at that same time, of a supposed dead man he was found to bee aliue, and in effect did passe, or was translated from death to life. Yea more, of a Prince hee was transformed into a Preacher, and a publisher of Gods powerfull preseruation, shewed in his owne per∣son, and of his praises for the same

in the middes of the Congregation of the people. The which hee did per∣forme in the most publicke manner, and in the most publicke place, euen vpon the crossie Mountaine of pu∣rity and contrition (for so doth the word Tabor signifie,) I meane in the middes of the choysest and pu∣rest Cittie of the North, Edin∣burgh. At which time hee ap∣peared more pretious, and glori∣ous in the eyes of all his loyall and louing subiects, then euer hee had done before. Yea euen so precious, and so deere, that the eyes of the multitude could not bee satisfied e∣nough with beholding him, both when as hee was vpon the Crossie-mountaine, and when as he was come downe.

True it is, that there were some which could not at first with incre∣dulous Thomas be perswaded of the Truth, except that they had either

seene or felt the very wounds and blowes vpon our Soueraignes Body, neither could bee brought to giue trust to the true testimony of a see∣ing, yea a touching Thomas, euen of a Noble Earskin an honourable branch of honour (according to the Saxon signification of his surname) I meane my Lord Vicount Fenton, then a valourous Rescuer of our King, and now the worthy Captaine of his Guard, and both then and now, one of his Highnesse best deser∣uing seruants. Neither could the testimony of your Lordships owne selfe, à seeing, yea à touching Iohn, preuaile with them, though your te∣stimony was euen sealed, not onely with the conspirators bloud, but like∣wise with your owne, whereof ye had the markes then to shew, and as yet still keepe the skarre thereof in your skin. But both, these haue bene better informed since, and the better part

then, was fully perswaded of the Truth, & esteemed that they had re∣ceiued, as it were, a voice from hea∣uen in this notable preseruation and real transfiguration of their Prince. This is my seruant in whom I am well pleased, obey him, honour him, and thanke God for him: yea all his good subiects and ser∣uants there present said in effect with Peter, Iames, and Iohn, It is good for vs to bee heere, It is good for vs to be here to see our King in safety, it is good for vs to haue such a Lord as the Lord loueth, such a maister as is Gods seruant, & such a King, as the immortall King kee∣peth. And the King himselfe: it is good for me to haue such subiects and seruants, as loue me so dearely that they cannot bee filled with loo∣king on me, after my danger, and de∣liuery, and it is good for me to haue such a foreward and toward seruant

in my neede and at a pinch as my yong Ramsey. And truely my Lord euen as your Christen name signifi∣eth Grace, and the place where first your vertue did appeare, signifieth the towne of Grace, and as the per∣son in whose cause it did appeare is a Prince full of Grace; so me thinketh that God hath wonderfully graced you in that he would haue your ver∣tue to appeare in this kind, and at that time: and in that he would haue the beginning of your Lordships ex∣altation to fall out in the time of his sons glorious transfiguratiō: for euen then did the Lord begin to call you vp from the low valley of worship, into the high hill of honour, where ye were transfigured from the condi∣tion of the Kings Page, vnto the Kings preseruer. Whereupon, of a Gentleman by birth and bloud, yee were within a while made a Noble Baron, yea and a worthy Vicount:

and that which I had almost forgot (pardon me I pray you, for it is be∣cause your L^s. order hath not a par∣ticular or patronal name) of a vertu∣ous Squire ye were dubbed a coura∣gious Knight. And though you be not of any patronized order, as of the Pa∣lestinian, White-crossie order of Saint Iohn, according both to your Lordships name, and the name of the place (being called S. Iohns towne) where your vertue and knightly va∣lour did fist shew it selfe, nor yet of the Castiliā Red-crossie order of S. Iames, according to the name of the festiuall time, neere vnto which your Lordships vertue did appeare, as also of the person, in whose cause yee did so generously, and valourously ven∣ture your selfe, nor yet of any of the two Aragonian orders, the one Black-crossie the other Red-cros∣sie, instituted by Iames King of A∣ragon, though I say your Lordships

Knighthood hath not any such note or name, yet I am assured that all worthy personages will honour your Knightly courage, and deferre vn∣to your vertue and worth, and ac∣knowledge you for King Iames his rescuing Knight: and this will serue you in steed of a Saint Iames or a King Iames his order of Al∣bion. But to shut vp, at last, my discoursing dedication, for the tedi∣ousnesse whereof I must implore your Lordships, and the courteous Readers fauourable excuse: as I ho∣nour your Lordship for your worth, and your well deseruing of our King, and whole Countrie, both North and South; so must I tell you, that you are infinitely beholden vnto al∣mightie God for your good fortune: whether ye regard your Lordships honorable exaltation, or yet your happy association in mariage with a gracefull Elizabeth, the eldest

daughter of the Noble Earle and Countesse of Sussex. The which your Lordships alliance with so anci∣ent and honourable an house, I doubt not but ye doe esteeme as one of the chiefest degrees of your Lordships earthly felicity. Your Lordship know∣eth who hath said it, honorantes me, honorabo, such as honour me, I will honour. Goe on therefore in proouing thankefull vnto God for the honour which hee hath already giuen you, and yet hee will giue you more. For according to the measure of your honouring of God, shall God make you to be honoured of man; it is an easie thing for the great King of hearts to open yet a wi∣der doore in our Salomons large heart to let you in, and when he hath once opened the doore, it is as easie a thing for him to shut it so fast, that ye shall neuer go out of it, for he that hath the key of Dauid which ope∣neth

and no man shutteth, & shut∣teth and no man openeth: hath also the key of our Dauids heart in his hand, and hee openeth, or shut∣teth the same, when and to whom it pleaseth him. Your L^s surname was one of those that did fauor the right of Edgar Etheling in England to the English crown at the Conquest: and therefore was forced to slie with Edgar into Scotland, as our renow∣ned. Leslie Bishop of Rosse, and Hector Boece with others, do write. And in Scotland it was endowed with lands, liuings, & Lordships, & decored with Titles of honour in the persons of diuers of your L^s honora∣ble ancestors & kinsmen, as I shew in some particulars mentioned aboue, though not in all. And now againe it is come into England, whence once it did spring, to reuiue, now after the Concord, the ancient honor which it had before the Conquest, in your Lordships noble person.

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that euen as God hath made you the instrument of much honour and cre∣dite vnto both countries by the meanes of your vertue, and rescuing hand, so may yee beare or reape the fruite of honour in both Countries. But least I seeme to some to speake too much, heere I stay, wishing vnto your Lordship, and your worthy La∣dy for your stay, the fulnesse of Gods grace (according to the significati∣on of your two christen vnited names) together with the highest step and top of stable honour; and so I rest.

Your Honours right de∣uoted to all humble duties. IAMES MAXVVELL.