my honest services and endeavours, wheresoever there may be made any use of them.

And so I rest,

Most humbly at your Honour's commandment,

RIGHT HONOURABLE,

HENRY WOTTON.

I have presumed to enclose a note of such princes, as through your Honour's kind favour, I desire to be directed unto; leaving unto Mr. Wrath the prerogative of the highest person, and the next unto him, in that part of Germanie.

Burley MS., f. 295, transcript. This letter, without date, address, or signature, occurs among a collection of Donne's letters (most of them apparently addressed to Wotton) and almost certainly belongs to the lost Wotton and Donne correspondence. The mention of Beaumaris (see note 1) gives the approximate date.

(Beaumaris, April 11 ?, 1599.)

I must wonder that since my coming to London, I have not many times heard from you, from whom I expected a truer representation of those parts where you live, than from any other vessel of less receipt. And indeed, besides your love, you should yield somewhat in this to our present humours, which, if they have not matter of truth to work upon, are likely to breed in themselves some monstrous imaginations. We are put into Beamorris' by the scanting of the wind upon us, which to me is a preparative for Ir. stm.2 May I after these, kiss that fair and learned hand of your mistress, than whom the world doth possess nothing more virtuous. Farewell suddenly, for if I should give way to myself I should begin again.

On April 5 the Earl of Essex arrived at Helbre, but the winds proving contrary, he sent on April 8 his pinnaces to Beaumaris, where they arrived on April 11. On this date Essex wrote to the Council, 'All this day the wind continues at north and to the westward, with which wind we cannot seize Dublin.' (Cal. S. P. Ireland, 1599-1600, p. 10.) The date of the sailing from Beaumaris is not known, but on April 15 they arrived before Dublin, and the next day they landed. (lbid., p. 12.)

2 So in MS.; possibly, 'Irish storms'?

Sir, it were not only a wrong, but a kind of violence to put you in mind of my business, and therefore the end of this is only to salute you. Farewell. You must not forget septies in hebdomada to visit. my best and dearest at Thr.1

43. TO EDWARD REYNOLDS.

Cecil MS. 179, f. 2, holograph. Addressed To the right worshipful, my assured loving friend, Mr. Edward Reynolds, Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, at Court'. Wotton writes to his fellow secretary, Edward Reynolds, of the Earl of Essex's arrival in Ireland.

Dublin, the 19 of April, 1599.

S. P. MY HONESTEST FRIEND AND FELLOW,

This noble and worthy gentleman, our lord and master, took the sword and sway of this unsettled kingdom into his hand on the fifteenth of this month, in the cathedral church of Dublin, after a very grave and wise and learned sermon preached by the Bishop of Meath."

There can yet be given no judgement of what will follow. These beginnings are spent in resolutions and counsel. All things are in a good train and inclination, and though all arms be subject to sudden accidents and inconveniences, we have yet felt none of them. Only Sir H. Wallop died within an hour after my Lord's arrival here, and we yet miss my Lord of Kildare', who put from Holyhead with the same wind that brought us from Beaumaris, whence I first wrote unto you. Of these wars in general I will be bold to say this, that if they end by treaty, the Earl of Tyrone must be very humble. And so, till I have more matter, I will be only contented to tell you that I am

Your true friend in all countries and fortunes,

HENRY WOTTON.

Sir, I beseech you to cause the enclosed to be safely delivered, and to give me certain knowledge thereof, because they concern some payments and discharges of money.

So in MS.; possibly 'at (the) Treasurer's' or, as Wotton would have spelt it, Thresorer's. Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, was now Lord Treasurer. Thomas Jones, Bishop of Meath 1585-1605, Archbishop of Dublin 1605-19. (D. N. B.)

* Predecessor of Sir George Carey as Treasurer at Wars in Ireland. (Cal. S. P. Irish, 1599-1600, p. x.)

William, thirteenth Earl of Kildare. He attended Essex to Ireland, and the weather proving very tempestuous, accompanied his ship with some gallant gentlemen, in a small barque, chosen on purpose for its speed; which being unfortunately cast away in April, his Lordship and company perished.' (Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, 1789, vol. i, p. 99.)

44. TO JOHN DONNE ?

Burley MS., f. 253 b, transcript. No date, address, or signature, but written from Ireland, and probably from Wotton to Donne (see ante, p. 306). State of Ireland; the actions of Essex misrepresented at the English Court.

SIR,

2

(1599.)

It is worth my wondering that you can complain of my seldom writing,' when your own letters come so fearfully, as if they tread all the way upon a bog. I have received from you a few, and almost every one hath a commission to speak of divers of their fellows, like you know whom in the old comedy that asks for the rest of his servants. But you make no mention of any of mine, yet it is not long since I ventured much of my experience unto you in a piece of paper, and perhaps not of my credit; it is that which I sent you by A. R., whereof, till you advertise me, I shall live in fits or agues. I do promise you not only much, but all that which hath hitherto passed, in my next; of the future I would fain speak now, if my judgement were not dim in the present. Whatsoever we have done, or mean to do, we know what will become of it, when it comes amongst our worst enemies, which are interpreters. I would there were more O'Neales and Macguiers and O'Donnells and Macmahons 3, and fewer of them. It is true that this kingdom hath ill affections and ill corruptions; but they where you are have a stronger disease, you diminish all that is here done; and yet you doubt (if you were nearly examined) the greatness of it; so as you believe that which is contrary to as much as you fear. These be the wise rules of policy, and of Courts, which are upon earth the vainest places. I will say no more, and yet peradventure I have said a great deal unto you. God keep you and us in those ways and rules and kinds of wisdom that bring mortal men unto Himself.

1 The Burley MS. contains an unpublished verse epistle from Donne to Wotton in Ireland, complaining that Wotton does not write. I hope shortly to print this, with the other poems and letters of Donne's in the Burley MS.

2 A. R.: possibly Sir Alexander Radcliffe, who, in June, sent a letter from Ireland to Sir Robert Cecil. (Cal. S. P. Irish, 1599-1600, p. 68.) Radcliffe was killed when Sir Conyers Clifford was defeated at the Curlews on Aug. 5, 1599. (Ibid., p. 113.)

3 The Earl of Tyrone was the leader of the O'Neiles, Sir Hugh Maguire of the Maguires, Hugh Roe O'Donnell of the O'Donnells, and Con McColl McMahon of the McMahons. For their forces see ibid., p. 136.

45. To JOHN DONNE?

Burley MS., f. 253 b. No date, address, or signature. A second letter from Ireland, probably from Wotton to Donne. A German going to England; the Irish; a town captured.

SIR,

(1599.)

This bearer, a gentleman of Germany, is worthy of your acquaintance. He (came) out of Scotland by the north of Ireland, through the best of rascals of our enemies, of whom he can well discourse in most languages. I like his judgement, and his desires, that did lead him to look after light of a prosperous estate upon a miserable; for calamities do better instruct than felicities. [Especially a passenger that cannot stay long for his letters], I commend him heartily unto you. And thus much farther of him; he hath here found himself in some necessity of money, in which kind of business, either actively or passively, I have always to do. I stand bond for him, and entreat you, within some ten days after his arrival, frame some such speech with him as may see whether the money be paid or no, but with due precaution that there be ministered no conceit with him of any distrust in me, which I should be sorry for, though men commonly call this wisdom. Germaines are not suspicious naturally, but they are naturally very retentive of such impressions as they receive. I will address him unto you, and your discourse may rise from some general questions of the security of his voyage from robbing, or manner of his exchange, or the like heads, that will bring on the rest, which known, I expect speedy advertisement. The enclosed letter, after you have read, seal and deliver it. You must neither be ignorant of the matter, nor know all; it is enough that he perceive me to expect from you, or himself by your conveyance, knowledge how that matter proceedeth, and you may know I have appointed him to receive the money; but if you desire to know more, you taste the forbidden tree.

I may now discourse of our condition here. This town of Dublin is rather ill inhabited than seated; the people of good natural abilities, but corrupted, some with a wild, some with a loose life; and, indeed, there is almost nothing in this country but it is either savage or wanton. They have hitherto wanted nothing more than to be kept in fear, which (by God's grace) they shall not want hereafter. They are inclined, more than any nation I have seen, to superstitions, which surely have crept in between ignorance and liberty. In their hospitalities there is fully as much unhandsomeness as plenty. For their general parts, their bodies are active, and their minds are rather

secret than nimble. When I have gotten a little authority of experience here, I intend to enlarge myself unto you in my opinion of them. For our wars, I can only say we have a good cause, and the worthiest gentleman of the world to lead it. The God of Wars and Peace keep you in His favour.

I must not forget we took last night a town of Oralois1 (?) for our quarter, where we found infinite store of all manner (of) country provisions-ducks, hens, geese, and such like-as if he had lived in much peace of conscience. This man's guests we were a night, but so ungrateful that we left him this day not so much as seges ubi Troia fuit. We are here amongst bogs and woods; that is, where they would have us to be, while they are only unfortunate in this, that they scant know what is left them more to desire. Certainly obedience and good public ends brought us hither, not our own wisdom, I dare warrant it.

46. To EDWARD REYNOLDS.

Cecil MS. 130, f. 183, transcript. To my honest true friend Mr. Edward Reynolds.' Wotton writes of his journey abroad, and of a debt owing to Reynolds. As Wotton went to France in November, 1600 (ante, p. 36), I place this undated letter here.

SIR,

(London, Nov., 1600 ?>

I do receive at this time (wherein I suffer some little indisposition of body), your letters very kindly, as friendly visitors; yet if you think they have added anything to my remembrance of you, then you take from their kindness. In your opinion of my honesty I will never deceive you, and therefore be constant in it, for I was born to be one of them that must live by it, if it be possible; and yet I understand many things of more hasty preferment. The profession of your love is welcome unto me in this barren age of true friends. I will keep it, and always yield you an accompt of the like. For that sum of money which I owe you, at my going abroad (which I think will be to-morrow), I will strain a friend to leave you satisfied, though I purposed to pay all my debts together, with the mortgage of my lease, which I expect on Monday, for till that

This name is almost undecipherable in the MS. It may stand for a personal name, e. g. 'O'Neale's', or for Arklow (Arcloe, Arcloughe), co. Wicklow, occupied by Essex on June 21, after defeating the Irish forces. From Arklow, Essex marched direct to Dublin. (S. P. Carew Papers, 1589-1600, p. 312.) Or it may mean Arlo, or Arlow, cos. Tipperary and Limerick, through which the English army probably marched on their way from Tipperary, where they were on June 1, to Limerick, where they arrived on June 4. (Ibid., p. 304.)

2 The lease probably of Stanton St. John (ante, p. 301).