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overthrow. I humbly pray your lordship to accept from me such thanks as ought to come from him whom you have much comforted in fortune, and much more comforted in shewing your love and affection to him; of which also I have heard by my lord Falkland, Sir Edward Sackville, Mr. Matthews, and other ways.

I have written, as my duty was, to his majesty thanks touching the same, by the letter I here put into your noble hands.

I have made also, in that letter, an offer to his majesty of my service, for bringing into better order and frame the laws of England: the declaration whereof I have left with Sir Edward Sackville, because it were no good manners to clog his majesty, at this time of triumph and recreation, with a business of this nature; so as your lordship may be pleased to call for it to Sir Edward Sackville when you think the time seasonable.

I am bold likewise to present your lordship with a book of my History of king Henry the seventh. And now that, in summer was twelve months, I dedicated a book to his majesty; and this last summer, this book to the prince; your lordship's turn is next, and this summer that cometh (if I live to it) shall be yours. I have desired his majesty to appoint me the task, otherwise I shall use my own choice; for this is the best retribution I can make to your lordship. God prosper you. I rest

Your lordship's most obliged friend
and faithful servant.

Gorhambury, this 20th of March, 1621.

FR. ST. ALBAN.

CCLXXV. (a) To Father Redempt. BA-
RANZAN. (b)

Domine Baranzane,

LITERAS tuas legi libenter: cumque inter veritatis amatores ardor etiam candorem generet, ad ea, quæ ingenue petiisti, ingenue respondebo.

(a) From Niceron, tom. III. p. 45.

(b) He was a Barnabite monk at Annecy in Savoy, who in his Lectures on Philosophy, began to discard the authority of ArisHe died the 23 Dec. 1622, at the age of 33.

totle.

Non est meum abdicare in totùm syllogismum. Res est syllogismus magis inhabilis ad præcipua, quam inutilis ad plurima.

Ad mathematica quidni adhibeatur? Cum fluxus materiæ et inconstantia corporis physici illud sit, quod inductionem desideret; ut per eam veluti figatur, atque inde eruantur notiones bene terminatæ.

De metaphysica ne sis sollicitus. Nulla enim erit post veram physicam inventam; ultra quam nihil præ

ter divina.

In physica prudenter notas, et idem tecum sentio post notiones primæ classis, et axiomata super ipsas, per inductionem bene eruta et terminata, tuto adhiberi syllogismum, modo inhibeatur saltus ad generalissima, et fiat progressus per scalam convenientem.

De multitudine instantiarum, quæ homines deterrere possit, hæc respondeo :

Primo, quid opus est dissimulatione? Aut copia instantiarum comparanda, aut negotium deserendum. Aliæ omnes viæ, utcunque blandiantur, imperviæ.

Secundo (quod et ipse notas) prærogativæ instantiarum, et modus experimentandi circa experimenta lucifera (quem aliquando trademus) de multitudine ipsarum plurimum detrahent.

Tertio, quid magni foret, rogo, si in describes instantiis impleantur volumina, quæ historiam C. Plinii sextuplicent? In qua tamen ipsa plurima philologica, fabulosa, antiquitatis, non naturæ. Etenim veram historiam naturalem nihil aliud ingreditur præter instantias, connexiones, observationes, canones. Cogita altera ex parte immensa volumina philosophica; facile perspicies maxime solida esse maxime finita.

Postremo, ex nostra philosophandi methodo excipietur in via plurimorum operum utilium messis, quæ ex speculationibus aut disputationibus sterilis aut nulla est.

Historiam naturalem ad condendam philosophiam (ut et tu mones) ante omnia præopto; neque huic rei deero, quantum in me est. Utinam habeam et adjutores idoneos. Neque in hac parte mihi quidpiam accidere poterit felicius, quam si tu, talis vir, primitias huic operi præbeas conscribendo historiam cœlestium, in

Stephens's
second col.
lection,
p. 158.

qua ipsa tantum phænomena, atque una instrumenta astronomica, eorumque genera et usum; dein hypotheses præcipuas et maxime illustres, tam antiquas quam modernas, atque simul exactas restitutionum calculationes, et alia hujusmodi sincere proponas, absque omni dogmate et themate. Quod si huic cœlestium historia historiam cometarum adjeceris (de qua conficienda ecce tibi articulos quosdam et quasi topica particularia) magnificum prorsus frontispicium historiæ naturali extruxeris, et optime de scientiarum instauratione merueris, mihique gratissimum feceris.

Librum meum de progressu scientiarum traducendum commisi. Illa translatio, volente Deo, sub finem æstatis perficietur; eam ad te mittam.

Opera tua, quæ publici juris sunt, inspexi; magnæ certe subtilitatis & diligentiæ in via vestra. Novatores, quos nominas, Patricium, Telesium, etiam alios, quos prætermittis, legi. Possint esse tales innumeri velut etiam antiquis temporibus fuerunt Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Democritus, Parmenides, et alii (nam Pythagoram ut superstitiosum omitto.) Inter istos tam antiquos quam modernos differentiam facultatis agnosco maximam, veritatis perparvam. Summa rei est, si homines se rebus submittere velint, aliquid confiet; sin minus ingen ista redibunt in orbem.

Stabilita jam sit inter nos notitia; meque, ut cœpisti, maxime autem veritatem ama. Vale.

Apud Edes meas,

Londini Junii ultimo, 1622.

Tui amantissimus,

CCLXXVI. To the KING.

S. ALBANS.

It may please your most excellent Majesty, IN the midst of my misery, which is rather assuaged by remembrance, than by hope; my chiefest worldly comfort is, to think that since the time I had the first vote of the commons house of parliament for commissioner of the union, until the time that I was this last parliament chosen by both houses for their messenger to your majesty in the petition of religion (which two were my

first and last services) I was evermore so happy as to have my poor services graciously accepted by your majesty, and likewise not to have had any of them miscarry in my hands. Neither of which points I can any ways take to myself, but ascribe the former to your majesty's goodness, and the latter to your prudent directions; which I was ever careful to have and keep. For as I have often said to your majesty, I was towards you but as a bucket and a cistern, to draw forth and conserve; whereas yourself was the fountain. Unto this comfort of nineteen years' prosperity, there succeeded a comfort even in my greatest adversity, somewhat of the same nature; which is, that in those offences wherewith I was charged, there was not any one that had special relation to your majesty, or any your particular commandments. For as towards Al mighty God, there are offences against the first and second table, and yet all against God; so with the servants of kings there are offences more immediate against the sovereign; although all offence against law are also against the king. Unto which comfort there is added this circumstance, that as my faults were not against your majesty, otherwise than as faults are; so my fall was not your majesty's act, otherwise than as all acts of justice are yours. This I write not to insinuate with your majesty, but as a most humble appeal to your majesty's most gracious remembrance, how honest and direct you have ever found me in your service; whereby I have an assured belief, that there is in your majesty's most princely thoughts a great deal of serenity and clearness towards me your majesty's now prostrate and cast down servant.

Neither (my most gracious sovereign) do I, by this mention of my services, lay claim to your princely grace and bounty, though the privelege of calamity doth bear that form of petition. I know well, had they been much more, they had been but my boundcn duty. Nay, I must also confess, that they were from time to time, far above my merit, over and super-rewarded by your majesty's benefits which you heaped upon me. Your majesty was and is that master to me, that raised

• Therefore this

was written near the middle

1622.

and advanced me nine times; thrice in dignity, and six
times in office. The places indeed were the painfullest!
of all your services; but then they had both honour
and profits. And the then profits might have main-
tained my now honour, if I had been wise. Neither
was your majesty's immediate liberality wanting towards
me in some gifts, if I may hold them. All this I do
most thankfully acknowledge, and do herewith con-
clude, that for any thing arising from myself to move
your eye of pity towards me, there is much more in
my present misery, than in my past services; save that
the same, your majesty's goodness, that may give relief
to the one, may give value to the other.

And indeed, if it may please your majesty, this theme of my misery is so plentiful, as it need not be coupled with any thing else. I have been somebody

I have

by your majesty's singular and undeserved favour,even
the prime officer of your kingdom; your majesty's
arm hath been often laid over mine in council, when
you presided at the table; so near I was.
borne your majesty's image in metal, much more in
heart; I was never in nineteen years' service chidden by
your majesty, but contrariwise often over-joyed, when
you majesty would sometimes say, I was a good hus-
band for you, though none for myself: sometimes, that
I had a way to deal in business suavibus modis, which
was the way which was most according to your own
heart: and other most gracious speeches of affection
and trust, which I feed on to this day. But why should
I speak of these things which are now vanished, but
only the better to express the downfall?

For now it is thus with me: I am a **
half old in misery: though I must ever acknowledge,
year and a
not without some mixture of your majesty's grace and
mercy for I do not think it possible, that any one
whom you once loved should be totally miserable.
Mine own means, through my own improvidence, are
poor and weak, little better than my father left me.
The poor things that I have had from your majesty are
either in question, or at courtesy. My dignities remain
marks of your past favour, but burdens of my present

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