Waltoniana Part 5

I lov'd you for your Synagogue, before I knew your person; but now love you more; Because I find It is so true a picture of your mind: Which tunes your sacred lyre To that eternal quire; Where holy _Herbert_ fits (O shame to prophane wits) And sings his and your Anthems, to the praise Of Him that is the first and last of daies.

These holy Hymns had an Ethereal birth: For they can raise sad souls above the earth And fix them there Free from the worlds anxieties and fear.

_Herbert_ and you have pow'r To do this: ev'ry hour I read you kills a sin, Or lets a vertue in To fight against it; and the Holy Ghost Supports my frailties, lest the day be lost.

This holy war, taught by your happy pen, The Prince of Peace approves. When we poor men Neglect our arms, W'are circ.u.mvested with a world of harms.

But I will watch, and ward, And stand upon my guard, And still consult with you, And _Herbert_, and renew My vows; and say, Well fare his, and your heart, The fountains of such sacred wit and art.

IZ. WA.

EPITAPH ON HIS SECOND WIFE, ANNE KEN.

1662.

[In Worcester Cathedral. The event is thus recorded by Walton in his Family Prayer-Book: "Anne Walton dyed the 17th of April, about one o'clock in that night, and was buried in the Virgin Mary's Chapel, in the cathedral in Worcester, the 20th day."]

Ex Terris M.S.

Here lyeth buried so much as could dye of ANNE, the Wife of Isaak Walton; who was a Woman of Remarkable Prudence, and of the Primitive Piety; her great and general knowledge being adorned with such true humility, and blest with so much Christian meekness, as made her worthy of a more memorable Monument.

She dyed! (Alas, that she is dead!) the 17th of April, 1662, aged 52.

Study to be like her.

LETTER TO EDWARD WARD

1670.

[Preserved among the MSS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin.

First printed in "Notes and Queries," May 17, 1856.]

_ffor my worthy frend_ Mr. EDWARD WARD, _att Rodon Temple, nere unto Lester. Att_ Mr. BABINGTONS _att Rodon Temple._

S'r., I came well from Winton to London, about 3 weikes past: at that time I left Do'r Hawkins well: and my dafter (after a greate danger of child berth) not very well, but by a late letter from him, I heare they be boeth in good health.

The doctor did tell me a gowne and some bookes of y'rs were in danger to be lost, though he had made (at a distance) many inquiries after them, and intreated others to doe so too, but yet inefectually. He theirfore intreated me to undertake a search: and I have donne it so succesfuly that uppon thursday the 24th instant they were d'd to that letter carryer that Inns at the Rose in Smithfeild, and with them the Life of M'r. George Herbert (and 3 others) wrapt up in a paper and directed to you at Rodon Temple, the booke not tyed to the bundell, but of it selfe. The bundell cost me 3s. 8d. carryage to London, and I hope it will now come safe to your hands.

What I have to write more is my heartie wishes for y'r hapines, for I am y'r affec. frend and seruant, IZAAK WALTON.

Nou'r 26th, 1670.

If you incline to write to me, direct your letter to be left at M'r.

Grinsells, a grocer in King streite in Westminster. Much good doe you with the booke, w'ch I wish better.

DEDICATION OF THE THIRD EDITION OF RELIQUIAE WOTTONIANAE.

1672.

[Reliquiae Wottonianae: or a Collection of Lives, Letters, Poems; with Characters of Sundry Personages: and other Incomparable Pieces of Language and Art. Also Additional Letters to several Persons, not before Printed.

By the Curious Pencil of the Ever Memorable Sir Henry Wotton, K't, Late Provost of Eaton Colledge. The Third Edition, with large Additions.

London: Printed by T. Roycroft, for R. Marriott, F. Tyton, T. Collins, and J. Ford, 1672.]

_To the Right Honourable_ PHILIP _Earl of Chesterfield, Lord Stanhop of Shelford._

MY LORD,

I have conceived many Reasons, why I ought in Justice to Dedicate these Reliques of Your Great Uncle, Sir Henry Wotton, to Your Lordship; some of which are, that both Your Grand-mother and Mother had a double Right to them by a Dedication when first made Publick; as also, for their a.s.sisting me then, and since, with many Material Informations for the Writing his Life; and for giving me many of the Letters that have fallen from his curious Pen: so that they being now dead, these Reliques descend to You, as Heir to them, and the Inheritor of the memorable Bocton Palace, the Place of his Birth, where so many of the Ancient, and Prudent, and Valiant Family of the Wottons lie now Buried; whose remarkable Monuments You have lately Beautified, and to them added so many of so great Worth, as hath made it appear, that at the Erecting and Adorning them, You were above the thought of Charge, that they might, if possible, (for 'twas no easie undertaking) hold some proportion with the Merits of Your Ancestors.

My Lord, These are a part of many more Reasons that have inclin'd me to this Dedication; and these, with the Example of a Liberty that is not given, but now too usually taken by many Scriblers, to make trifling Dedications, might have begot a boldness in some Men of as mean as my mean Abilities to have undertaken this. But indeed, my Lord, though I was ambitious enough of undertaking it; yet, as Sir Henry Wotton hath said in a Piece of his own Character, _That he was condemn'd by Nature to a bashfulness in making Requests_: so I find myself (pardon the Parallel) so like him in this, that if I had not had more Reasons then I have yet exprest, these alone had not been powerful enough to have created a Confidence in me to have attempted it. Two of my unexprest Reasons are, (_give me leave to tell them to Your Lordship and the World_) that Sir Henry Wotton, whose many Merits made him an Ornament even to Your Family, was yet so humble, as to acknowledge me to be his Friend; and died in a belief that I was so: since which time, I have made him the best return of my Grat.i.tude for his Condescention, that I have been able to express, or he capable of receiving: and, am pleased with my self for so doing.

My other Reason of this boldness, is, an incouragement (_very like a command_) from Your worthy Cousin, and my Friend, _Mr. Charles Cotton_, who hath a.s.sured me, that You are such a Lover of the Memory of Your Generous Unkle, Sir Henry Wotton, that if there were no other Reason then my endeavors to preserve it, yet, that that alone would secure this Dedication from being unacceptable.

I wish, that nor he, nor I be mistaken; and that I were able to make You a more Worthy Present.

My Lord, I am and will be Your Humble and most Affectionate Servant, IZAAK WALTON.

Feb. 27, 1672.