20 , LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 



Another to the Earl before his going to Ireland. 



My singular good Lord, 



Your note of my silence in your occasions hath made me 

 et down these few wandering lines, as one that would say 

 somewhat, and can say nothing touching your lordship s 

 intended charge for Ireland ; which my endeavour I know 

 your lordship will accept graciously and well, whether your 

 lordship take it by the handle of the occasion ministerect 

 from yourself, or of the affection from which it proceedeth. 

 Your lordship is designed to a service of great merit and 

 great peril; and as the greatness of the peril must needs- 

 include no small consequence of peril, if it he not tem 

 perately governed ; so all immoderate success extinguisheth 

 merit, and stirreth up distaste and envy, the assured fore 

 runner of whole changes of peril. But I am at the last 

 point first, some good spirit leading my pen to presage your 

 lordship s success ; wherein it is true. I am not without my 

 oracle and divinations, none of them superstitious, and yet 

 not all natural : for first, looking into the course of God s 

 providence in things now depending, and calling into consi 

 deration how great things God hath done by her majesty, 

 and for her collect he hath disposed of this great dissection 

 in Ireland, whereby to give an urgent occasion to the re 

 duction of that whole kingdom, as upon the rebellion of 

 Desmond there ensued the reduction of that province. 

 Next, your lordship goeth against three of the unluckiest 

 vices of all other, disloyalty, ingratitude, and insolence ; 

 which three offences in all examples have seldom their 

 doom adjourned to the world to come. Lastly, he that 

 shall have had the honour to know your lordship inwardly, 

 as I have had, shall find &quot; bona exta,&quot; whereby he may 

 better ground a divination of good, than upon the dissec 

 tion of a sacrifice. But that part I leave, for it is fit for 



