Letters to Severall Persons of Honour Part 18

[cxii.]

_To the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount of_ Rochester.

_My most Honourable good Lord_,

After I was grown to be your Lordships, by all the t.i.tles that I could thinke upon, it hath pleased your Lordship to make another t.i.tle to me, by buying me. You may have many better bargaines in your purchases, but never a better t.i.tle then to me, nor any thing which you may call yours more absolutely and intirely. If therefore I appeare before your Lordship sometimes in these Letters of thankfulnesse, it may be an excusable boldnesse, because they are part of your evidences by which you hold me. I know there may be degrees of importunity even in thankfulnesse: but your Lordship is got above the danger of suffering that from me, or my Letters, both because my thankfulnesse cannot reach to the benefits already received, and because the favour of receiving my Letters is a new benefit.

And since good Divines have made this argument against deniers of the Resurrection, that it is easier for G.o.d to recollect the Principles, and Elements of our bodies, howsoever they be scattered, then it was at first to create them of nothing, I cannot doubt, but that any distractions or diversions in the ways of my hopes, will be easier to your Lordship to reunite, then it was to create them. Especially since you are already so near perfecting them, that if it agreed with your Lordships purposes, I should never wish other station, then such as might make me still, and onely

_Your Lordships Most humble and devoted servant_ J. Donne.

[cxiii.]

_To the Honourable Knight Sir_ Robert Karre.

SIR,

Lest you should think your selfe too much beholding to your fortune, and so relie too much upon her hereafter, I am bold to tell you, that it is not onely your good fortune that hath preserved you from the importunity of my visits all this time. For my ill fortune, which is stronger then any mans good fortune hath concurred in the plot to keep us asunder, by infecting one in my house with the Measels. But all that is so safely overworne, that I dare, not onely desire to put my selfe into your presence, but by your mediation, a little farther. For, esteeming my selfe, by so good a t.i.tle as my Lords own words, to be under his providence, and care of my fortune, I make it the best part of my studies how I might ease his Lordship by finding out something for my selfe.

Which, because I thinke I have done as though I had done him a service therein, I adventure to desire to speake with him, which I beseech you to advance, in addition to your many favours and benefits to me. And if you have occasion to send any of your servants to this town, to give me notice what times are fittest for me to waite, to injoy your favour herein. My businesse is of that nature, that losse of time may make it much more difficult, and may give courage to the ill fortune of

_Your humble servant_ J. Donne.

[cxiv.]

_To your selfe._

SIR,

I make shift to think that I promised you this book of French _Satyrs_. If I did not, yet it may have the grace of acceptation, both as it is a very forward and early fruit, since it comes before it was looked for, and as it comes from a good root, which is an importune desire to serve you.

Which since I saw from the beginning, that I should never do in any great thing, it is time to begin to try now, whether by often doing little services, I can come towards any equivalence. For, except I can make a rule of naturall philosophy, serve also in morall offices, that as the strongest bodies are made of the smallest particles, so the strongest friendships may be made of often iterating small officiousnesses, I feel I can be good for nothing. Except you know reason to the contrary, I pray deliver this Letter according to the addresse. It hath no businesse nor importunity; but as by our Law, a man may be _Felo de se_, if he kill himself, so I think a man may be _Fur de se_, if he steale himselfe out of the memory of them, which are content to harbour him. And now I begin to be loath to be lost, since I have afforded my selfe some valuation and price, ever since I received the stampe and impression of being

_Your very humble and affectionate servant_ J. Donne.

[cxv.]

_To the Honourable Knight Sir_ Robert Karre, _Gentleman of his Highnesses Bed chamber_.

SIR,

I have always your leave to use my liberty, but now I must use my bondage.

Which is my necessity of obeying a precontract laid upon me. I go to morrow to _Camberwell_ a mile beyond _Southwark_. But from this town goes with me my brother Sir _Tho. Grimes_ and his Lady, and I with them. There we dine well enough I warrant you, with his father-in-law, Sir _Tho.

Hunt_. If I keep my whole promise, I shall Preach both forenoon and afternoon. But I will obey your commandments for my return. If you cannot be there by 10, do not put your selfe upon the way: for, Sir, you have done me more honour, then I can be worthy of, in missing me so diligently.

I can hope to hear M. _Moulin_ again: or ruminate what I have heretofore heard. The onely misse that I shall have is of the honour of waiting upon you; which is somewhat recompensed, if thereby you take occasion of not putting [not] your self to that pain, to be more a.s.sured of the inabilities of

_Your unworthy servant_ J. Donne.

[cxvi.]

_To the Honourable Knight, Sir_ Robert Karre.

SIR,

I sought you yesterday with a purpose of accomplishing my health, by the honour of kissing your hands. But I finde by my going abroad, that as the first Christians were forced to admit some _Jewish_ Ceremonies, onely to burie the Synagogue with honour, so my Feaver will have so much reverence and respect, as that I must keep sometimes at home. I must therefore be bold to put you to the pain of considering me. If therefore my Lord upon your deliverie of my last Letter, said nothing to you of the purpose thereof; let me tell you now, that it was, that in obedience of his commandment to acquaint him with any thing which might advantage me, I was bold to present that which I heard, which was that Sir _D[udley]

Carl[e]ton_ was likely to bee removed from _Venice_, to the States; of which if my Lord said nothing to you, I beseech you adde thus much to your many other Favours, to intreate my Lord at his best commodity, to afford mee the favour of speaking with him. But if hee have already opened himselfe so farre to you, as that you may take knowledge thereof to him, then you may ease him of that trouble of giving mee an Audience, by troubling your selfe thus much more, as to tell him in my behalfe, and from mee, that though Sir _D. Carlton_ bee not removed, yet that place with the States lying open, there is a faire field of exercising his favour towards mee, and of const.i.tuting a Fortune to me, and (that which is more) of a meanes for mee to doe him particular services. And Sir, as I doe throughly submit the end and effect of all Projects to his Lordships will, so doe I this beginning thereof, to your Advice and Counsell, if you thinke mee capable of it: as, for your owne sake, I beseech you to doe, since you have admitted mee for

_Your humble servant_ J. Donne.

[cxvii.]

_To the Honoured Knight, Sir_ Robert Karre.

SIR,

I amend to no purpose, nor have any use of this inchoation of health, which I finde, except I preserve my roome, and station in you. I beginne to bee past hope of dying: And I feele that a little ragge of _Monte Magor_ [_Montemor_], which I read last time I was in your Chamber, hath wrought prophetically upon mee, which is, that Death came so fast towards mee, that the over-joy of that recovered mee. Sir, I measure not my health by my appet.i.te, but onely by my abilitie to come to kisse your hands: which since I cannot hope in the compa.s.se of a few dayes, I beseech you pardon mee both these intrusions of this Letter, and of that within it.

And though Schoole-men dispute, whether a married man dying, and being by Miracle raised again, must bee remarried; yet let your Friendship, (which is a n.o.bler learning) bee content to admit mee, after this Resurrection, to bee still that which I was before, and shall ever continue,

_Your most humble and thankfull Servant_ J. Donne.

20. Mar.

[cxviii.]

_To the Honourable Knight, Sir_ Robert Karre.