Rawley's Resuscita tio. some sorry book-maker, or a true pioneer in that mine of truth, which, he said, lay so deep. This which I have writ unto your lordship, is rather thoughts than words, being set down without all art, disguising, or reservation: wherein I have done honour both to your lordship's wisdom, in judging that that will be best believed of your lordship which is truest; and to your lordship's good nature, in retaining nothing from you. And even so, I wish your lordship all happiness, and to myself means and occasion to be added to my faithful desire to do you service. From my lodging at Gray's Inn. VIII. To the Lord Treasurer BURGHLEY. My singular good Lord, YOUR lordship's comfortable relation of her majesty's gracious opinion and meaning towards me, though at that time your leisure gave me not leave to shew how I was affected therewith; yet upon every representation thereof it entereth and striketh more deeply into me, as both my nature and duty presseth me to return some speech of thankfulness. It must be an exceeding comfort and encouragement to me, setting forth and putting myself in way towards her majesty's service, to encounter with an example so private and domestical, of her majesty's gracious goodness and benignity; being made good and verified in my father, so far forth, as it extendeth to his posterity: accepting them as commended by his service, during the non-age, as I may term it, of their own deserts. I, for my part, am very well content, that I take least part, either of his abilities of mind, or of his worldly advancement; both which he held and received, the one of the gift of God immediately, the other of her majesty's gift: yet, in the loyal and earnest affection which he bare to her majesty's service, I trust my portion shall not be with the least: nor in proportion with the youngest birth. For methinks his precedent should be a silent charge, upon his blessing, unto us all, in our degrees, to follow him afar off, And and to dedicate unto her majesty's service both the use T Rawley's Resuscitatio. whereby my faithful affection may be tried, I trust it shall save me labour for ever making more protestation of it hereafter. In the mean time, howsoever it be not made known to her majesty, yet God knoweth it through the daily solicitations wherewith I address myself unto him, in unfeigned prayer, for the multiplying of her majesty's prosperities. To your lordship also, whose recommendation, I know right well, hath been material to advance her majesty's good opinion of me, I can be but a bounden servant. So much may I safely promise, and purpose to be, seeing public and private bonds vary not, but that my service to her majesty and your lordship draw in a line. I wish therefore to shew it with as good proof, as I can say it in good faith, etc. Your lordship's, etc. IX. To the Lord Treasurer BURGHLEY. It may please your good Lordship, I AM to give you humble thanks for your favourable opinion, which, by Mr. Secretary's report I find, you conceive of me, for the obtaining of a good place, which some of my honourable friends have wished unto me nec opinanti. I will use no reason to persuade your lordship's mediation, but this, that your lordship, and my other friends, shall in this beg my life of the queen; for I see well the bar will be my bier, as I must and will use it, rather than my poor estate or reputation shall decay. But I stand indifferent whether God call me, or her majesty. Had I that in possession, which by your lordship's only means, against the greatest opposition, her majesty granted me, I would never trouble her majesty, but serve her still voluntarily without pay. Neither do I, in this, more than obey my friends conceits, as one that would not be wholly wanting to myself. Your lordship's good opinion doth somewhat confirm me, as that I take comfort in above all others; assuring your lordship, that I never thought so well of myself for any one thing, as that I have found a fitness to my thinking, in myself to observe and revere your virtues: for the continuance whereof, in the prolonging of your days, I will still be your beadsman; and accordingly, at this time, commend your lordship to the divine protection. Es do X. To the Lord Treasurer BURGHLEY. vales Most honourable, and my very good Lord, I KNOW I may commit an error in writing this letter, both in a time of great and weighty business, as also when myself am not induced thereto by any new particular occasion; and therefore your lordship may impute to me either levity, or ignorance what appertaineth to good respects and forwardness of dealing, especially to an honourable person, in whom there is such concurrence of magnitudo honoris et oneris, as it is hard to say whether is the greater. But I answer myself first, that I have ever noted it as a part of your lordship's excellent wisdom, parvis componere magna; that you do not exclude inferior matters of access, amongst the care of great. And for myself, I thought it would better manifest what I desire to express, if I did write out of a deep and settled consideration of my own duty, rather than upon the spur of a particular occasion: and therefore, my singular good lord, ex abundantia cordis, I must acknowledge how greatly and diversly your lordship hath vouchsafed to tie me unto you by many your benefits. The reversion of the office which your lordship only procured unto me, and carried through great and vehement opposition, though it yet bear no fruit, yet it is one of the fairest flowers of my poor estate; your lordship's constant and serious endeavours to have me solicitor; your late honourable wishes for the place of the wards; together with your lordship's attempt to give me way by the remove of Mr. Solicitor; they be matters of singular obligation: besides many other favours, as well by your lordship's grants from yourself, as by your commendation to others, which I have had for my help; and may justly persuade myself, out of the few denials I have received, that fewer might have been, if mine own Rawley's Resuscita tio. 1 industry and good hap had been answerable to your lordship's goodness. But, on the other side, I most humbly pray your lordship's pardon if I speak it; the time is yet to come that your lordship did ever use, or command or employ me, in my profession, in any services or occasions of your lordship's own, or such as are near unto your lordship; which hath made me fear sometimes, that your lordship doth more honourably affect me, than thoroughly discern of my most humble and dutiful affection to your lordship again: which if it were not in me, I knew not whether I were unnatural, unthankful, or unwise. This causeth me most humbly to pray your lordship, and I know mine own case too well, to speak it as weening I can do your lordship service, but as willing to do it, as, to believe, that your lordship is upon just title a principal owner and proprietor of that, I cannot call, talent, but mite, that God hath given me; which I ever do, and shall devote to your service. And in like humble manner, I pray your lordship to pardon mine errors, and not to impute unto me the errors of any other, which I know also themselves have by this time left and forethought, but to conceive of me to be a man that daily profiteth in duty. It is true I do in part comfort myself, supposing that it is my weakness and insufficiency that moveth your lordship, who hath so general a command, to use others more able. But let it be as it is, for duty only and homage I will boldly undertake, that nature and true thankfulness shall never give place to a politic dependence. Lastly, I most humbly desire your lordship to continue unto me the good favour, and countenance, and encouragement, in the course of my poor travails, whereof I have had some taste and experience; for the which I yield your lordship my very humble good thanks. And so again, craving your honour's pardon for so long a letter, carrying so empty an offer of so impuissant a service, but yet a true and unfeigned signification of an honest and vowed duty; I cease, commending your lordship to the preservation of the Divine Majesty. |