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Written by the Honourable
Sir JOHN DENHAM,
Knight of the BATH.

The SIXTH EDITION.

LONDON:

Printed for Jacob Tonfon, at Shakespear's
Head, over-against Katharine-Street
in the Strand. 1719.

2799 f. 33.5

BODL LIBR 19. MAR 1917 OXFORD

TO THE

KING.

SIR,

FTER the Delivery of your Royal Father's Perfon into the Hands. of the Army, I undertaking to the Queen

Mother that I would find fome. Means to get Accefs to him, the was pleased to fend me, and by the Help of Hugh Reters I got my Admittance,, and coming, well inftructed from the Queen (his Majefty having been long kept in the Dark) he was pleafed to dif course very freely with me of the A 3 whole

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whole State of his Affairs: But, Sir, I will not launch into a Hiftory, instead of an Epiftle. One Morning waiting on him at Caufham, fmiling upon me, he faid he could tell me fome News of my felf, which was, that he had feen fome Verses of mine the Evening before (being those to Sir R. FanShaw) and asking me when I made them, I told him two or three Years fince; he was pleased to fay, that having never feen them before, He was afraid I had written them fince my Return into England, and though he liked them well, he would advise me to write no more; alledging, that when Men are young, and have little elfe to do, they might_vent the Overflowings of their Fancy that way; but when they were thought fit for more ferious Employments, if they ftill perfifted in that Course, it would look as if they minded not the way to any better.

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Whereupon I ftood corrected as long as I had the Honour to wait upon him, and at his Departure from Hampton-Court, he was pleafed to command me to ftay privately at London, to fend to him and receive from him all his Letters from and to all his Correfpondents at home and abroad, and I was furnish'd with nine feveral Cyphers in order to it: Which Truft I performed with great Safety to the Persons with whom we correfponded; but about Nine Months after being discovered by their Knowledge of Mr. Cowley's Hand, I happily escaped both for my self, and thofe that held Correfpondence with me. That Time was too hot and bufie for fuch idle Speculations, but after I had the good Fortune to wait upon your Majesty in Holland and France, you were pleafed fometimes to give me Arguments to divert and put off the evil Hours of our Banifhment.

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