VI. I am sorry, madame, to heare that you are not well, and as much troubled that you should believe I have not writt to you all this while. I, who am not used to flatter, doe assure you that, if two letters from mee came not to your hands this last weeke, and that before, they have miscarried. Nothing is soe much my business now, as to make hast to waite on you. I think, in that, I comply with your commands, as I doe with the hearty inclination of I kiss my deare wife a thousand times, as farr as imagination and wish will give mee leave. Thinke upon mee as long as it is pleasant and convenient for you to doe soe, and afterwards forgett me; for though I would faine make you the author and foundation of my happiness, yet I would not bee the cause of your constraint or disturbance, for I love not myselfe soe much as I doe you, neither doe I value my owne satisfaction equally as I doe yours. Farewell, ROCHESTER. VIII. Newmarket. I'll hould you six to fower, I love you with all my heart; if I would bett with other people, I'me sure I could get two to one, but because my passion is not so extensive as to reach every body, I am not in graine to satisfy many. It will content me, if you believe mee, and love me. IX. Wood and firing, which were the subject matter of your last, I tooke order for before, and make noe question but you are served in that affaire before this; Mr. Cary seldome failing in any thing hee undertakes. When you have other service for mee, you will informe mee of itt, and not doubt of the utmost observance from Yours, ROCHESTER. X. I am very glad to heare news from you, and I think it very good when I heare you are well. Pray be pleased to send mee word what you are apt to be pleased with, that I may shew you how good a husband I can bee. I would not have you so formall as to judge of the kindness of a letter by the length of it, but believe of every thing that it is as you would have it. XI.* Soe greate a disproportion 'twixt our desires, and what is ordained to content them! But you will say this is pride and madness; for theire are those so intirely satisfyed wth theire shares in this worlde, that theire wishes and theire thoughts have not a farther prospect of felicity and glory. I'll tell you, were that man's soule tac't in a body fitt for it, hee were a dogg that could count anything a benifitt obtain'd wth flattery, fear, and service. Is there a man, yee gods, whom I doe hate, And very much a slave, and very proude. Remember mee to my dearest aunt, and my good unkle. I would not have you lose my letter-it is not fitt for every body to finde. ROCHESTER. These for the Countess of Rochester, at Adderbury, neare Banbury, Oxfordshire. XII. The Earl of Rochester to his Son, Lord Wilmot.† I hope, Charles, when you receive this, and know that I have sent this gentleman to bee your tutor, you will be very glad to see I take such care of you, and be very grateful, which is best shewn in being obedient and diligent. You are now grown big enough to be a man, if you can be wise enough; and the way to be truly wise, is to serve God, learn your book, and observe the instructions of your parents first, and next your tutor, to whom I have entirely resigned This appears to be the fragment of a letter only. + Lord Wilmot died, Nov. 12, 1681, surviving his father only fifteen months. you for this seven years; and, according as you employ that time, you are to be happy or unhappy for ever. I have so good an opinion of you, that I am glad to think you will never deceive me. Ďeare child, learn your booke, and be obedient, and you shall see what a father I will be to you. You shall want no pleasure whilst you are good; and that you may be good are my constant prayers. ROCHESTER. I take it very kindly that you write to me (though seldom), and wish heartily that you would behave yourself, so as that I might shew how much I love you without being ashamed. Obedience to your grandmother, and those who instruct you in good things, is the way to make you happy here and for ever. Avoid idleness, scorn lying, and God will bless you, for which I pray. XIV. ROCHESTER. The Earl of Rochester to the Earl of Litchfield. My dear Lord, I would not have slipt this opportunity of waiting upon you, but the change of the weather makes it a dangerous journey for a man in no better health than I am; neither would you condemn the care I take of myself, did you know how kind an uncle and how faithful a servant I preserve for you. The character you may hear of me from others may give you some reason to consider this no farther than good nature obliges you; but, if I am ever so happy as to live where my inclinations to you may shew themselves, be assured you shall not want very good proofs how much the memory of your father, the favours of my lady Lyndsey, (how long soever past,) and your own merit, can oblige a very grateful man to be faithfully, sincerely, and eternally, Dear nephew, Your most humble servant, Dec. 234.-77. To the Earl of Litchfield. E ROCHESTER. XV. THE COUNTESS OF ROCHESTER TO THE EARL. The last letter I received from your honour, was somewhat scandalous, so that I knew not well how to answer it. It was my designe to have writ to my lady Anne Willmot, to intercede for mee; but now, with joy, I finde myselfe againe in your favour; it shall be my endeavour to continue soe. In order to which, very shortly I will bee with you; in the meane time, my mother may be pleas'd to dispose of my children, and my chimists, and my little dogge, and whatever is myne, as shee will; only, if I may have nothing about mee that I like, it will be the cause of making the felicity of waiting on her befall mee very seldome. Thus I remaine, with my duty to her, my service to you, and all those things. XVI. If I could have been troubled at any thing, when I had the happiness of receiving a letter from you, I should be so, because you did not name a time when I might hope to see you, the uncertainty of which very much afflicts me. Whether this odd kind of proceeding be to try my patience or obedience, I cannot guess; but I will never fail of either when my duty to you require them. I do not think you design staying at Bath, now that it is like to be so full, and God knows when you will find in your heart to leave the place you are in. Pray consider with yourself, whether this be a reasonable way of proceeding, and be pleased to let me know what I am to expect; for there being so short a time betwixt this and the sitting of parliament; I am confident will find so much business as will not allow you to come into the country therefore, pray lay your commands upon me what I am to do, and, though it be to forget my children, and the long hopes I have lived in of seeing you, yet I will endeavour to obey you, or in the memory only torment myself, without giving you the trouble of putting you in mind that there lives such a creature as you Your faithful, humble, &c. XVII. The same to the same. Though I cannot flater myselfe soe much as to expect it, yett give me leave to wish that you would dine to-morrow at Cornbury, where necessity forces Your faithful humble wife, E. ROCHESter. If you send to command me to Woodstock, when I am so neare as Cornbury, I shall not be a little rejoyced. XVIII. THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM TO THE EARL OF ROCHESter. My Lord, As persons, inclined to corroborate the intentions of other men, are ever more incumbent to a voluminous ubiquity, than any way condescending to a just medium, soe all true lovers of art doe naturally prefer the cimetry of resolutions before the corruscations of any concatinations whatsoever; and the reason of this is plaine, because, else all vocal determinations would be frustrated, and then (as Aristotle observes very well) noe man could properly say, consummatum est. The meaning of this simile is, that, if your lordship will give me leave, I shall immediately waite upon you with the best pack of hounds that ever ran upon English ground. I had done it sooner, but that I stayed for my lord Dorset's and Mr. Shepheard's company; but they having both failed me, and not knowing how long your occasions will give you leave to stay in the country, I thought fit to know of your lordship, by this bearer, whether it would not be inconvenient to you at this time to receive a visit from, My Lord, Your lordship's most humble and most obedient servant, Clifden, Oct. 8th, 1677. BUCKINGHAM. |