LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 273 



have approved myself to your lordship a true friend, both 

 in the watery trial of prosperity, and in the fiery trial of 

 adversity. If your lordship take any insatisf action touch 

 ing the house, I humbly pray you, think better of it ; for 

 that motion to me was a second sentence more grievous 

 than the first, as things then stood and do yet stand : for 

 it sentenced me to have lost both in mine own opinion, and 

 much more in the opinion of others, that which was saved 

 to me, almost only, in the former sentence, and which was 

 more dear to me than all that which was taken from me, 

 which is your lordship s love and favour : for, had it not 

 been for that bitter circumstance, your lordship knows that 

 you might have commanded my life and all that is mine. 

 But surely it could not be that, nor any thing in me, which 

 wrought the change. It is likely, on the other part, that 

 though your lordship in your nature I know to be generous 

 and constant, yet I being now become out of sight, and 

 out of use, your lordship having a flood of new friends, 

 and your ears possessed perhaps by such as would not 

 leave room for an old, your lordship may, even by course 

 of the world and the overbearing of others, be turned from 

 me, and it were almost a miracle if it should be otherwise. 

 But yet, because your lordship may still have so heroical a 

 spirit as to stand out all these violent assaults, which might 

 have alienated you from your friend, my humble suit to 

 your lordship is, that remembering your former friendship, 

 which began with your beginning, and since that time 

 hath never failed on my part, your lordship would deal 

 clearly with me, and let me know whether I continue in 

 your favour or no ; and whether in those poor requests, 

 which I may yet make to his majesty (whose true servant I 

 ever was and am) for the tempering of my misery, I may 

 presume to use your lordship s favour and help as I have 

 done; for otherwise it were a kind of stupidness in me, and 

 a great trouble also to your lordship, for me not to discern 

 the change, for your lordship to have an importuner, in 

 stead of a friend and a suitor. Though howsoever, if your 

 lordship should never think of me more, yet in respect of 

 your former favours, which cannot altogether be made void, 

 I must remain, &c. 



To the Marquis of Buckingham. 

 My very good Lord, 



Though I returned an answer to your lordship s last 

 honourable and kind letter, by the same way by which I 

 VOL. xii. T 



