COMU S.

A

MASK

PRESENTED

AT LUDLOW-CASTLE, MDCXXXIV.

BEFORE

THE EARL OF BRIDGEWATER,

then prefident of Wales.

The Copy of a Letter written by Sir HENRY WOOTTON, to the Author, upon the follow ing Poem.

From the College, this 13th of April, 1638.

SIR,

IT

was a special favour, when you lately bestowed upon me here the first taste of your acquaintance, though ng longer than to make me know that I wanted more time to value it, and to enjoy it rightly; and in truth, if I could then have imagined your farther flay in thefe parts, which I underflood afterwards by Mr. H. I would have been bold in our vulgar phrafe to mend my draught, (for you left me with an extreme thirft) and to have begged your converfation again, jointly with your faid learned friend, at a poor meal or two, that we might have banded together Jome good authors of the antient time: among which, I obferved you to have been familiar.

Since your going, you have charged me with new obligations, both for a very kind letter from you dated the fixth of this month, and for a dainty piece of entertainment which came therewith. Wherein I should much commend the tragical part, if the lyrical did not ravish me with a certain Dorique delicacy in your fongs and odes, whereunto I must plainly confefs to have feen yet nothing parallel in our language: ipfa mollities. But I must not omit to tell you, that I now only owe you thanks for intimating unto me (how modeftly foever) the true artificer. For the work itself I had view'd fome good while before, with fingular delight, having received it from our common friend Mr. R. in the very clofe of the late R's poems, printed at Oxford, whereunto it was added (as I now fuppofe) that the accessory might help out the principal, according to the art of ftationers, and to leave the reader con la bocca dolce.

Now Sir, concerning your travels, wherein I may challenge a little more privilege of difcourfe with you; I fuppofe you will not blanch Paris in your way: therefore I have been bold to trouble you with a few lines to Mr. M. B. whom you shall easily find attending the young Lord S. as his governor; and you may furely receive from him good directions for the fhaping of your farther journey into Italy, where he did refide by my choice fome time for the king, after mine own recefs from Venice.

I fhould think that your beft line will be thorongh the whole length of France to Marfeilles, and thence by fea to Genoa, whence the baffage into Tufcany is as diurnal as a Gravefend barge: Ihaften as you do to Florence, or Siena, the rather to tell you a short flory from the intereft. you have given me in your fafety.

At Siena I was tabled in the house of one Alberto Scipioni, an old Roman courtier in dangerous times, having been feward to the Duca di Pagliano, who with all his family were ftrangled, fave this only man that escaped by forefight of the tempeft: with him I had often much chat of thofe affairs; into which he took pleasure to look back from his native harbour; and at my departure toward Rome (which had been the center of his experience) I had won confidence enough to beg his advice, how I might carry myfelf fecurely there, without offence of others, or of mine own confcience. Signor Arrigo mio (fays he) I penfieri ftretti, et il vifo fciolto, will go fafely over the whole world of which Delphian oracle (for fo I have found it) your judgment doth need no commentary; and therefore (Sir) I will commit you with it to the best of all fecuri ties, God's dear love, remaining

Your friend as much at command

as any of longer date,

Henry Wootton..

POSTSCRIPT.

SIR,

I Have exprefly fent this my foot-boy to prevent your departure without fome acknowlegement from me of the receipt of your obliging letter, having myself through fome bufinefs, I know not how, neglected the ordinary conveyance. In any part where I shall understand you fixed, I fhall be glad, and diligent to entertain you with home novelties; even for fome fomentation of our friendship, too foon interrupted in the cradle.