450 LETTERS FROM BIRCH. 



wards, one against my disease, the other against my physi 

 cians, who are strange creatures. 



My lord, it rejoiceth me much, that I understand from 

 Mr. Matthew, that I live in your grace s remembrance; 

 and that I shall be the first man that you will think on 

 upon your return : which, if your grace perform, I hope 

 God Almighty, who hath hitherto extraordinarily blessed 

 you in this rocky business, will bless you the more for my 

 sake. For I have had extraordinary tokens of his divine 

 favour towards me, both in sickness and in health, pros 

 perity and adversity. 



Vouchsafe to present my most humble duty to his high 

 ness, whose happy arrival will be a bright morning to all. 



I ever rest 



Your Grace s most obliged 



and faithful Servant, 



Grey s Inn, August 29, 1623. FR. ST. ALBAN. 



To Mr. Tobie Matthew. 

 Good Mr. Matthew, 



I have gotten a little health ; I praise God for it. I have 

 therefore now written to his grace, that I formerly, upon 

 Mr. Clarke s dispatch, desired you to excuse me for not 

 writing, and taken knowledge, that I have understood from 

 you, that I live in his grace s remembrance ; and that I 

 shall be his first man that he will have care of upon his 

 return. And although your absence be to me as uncom 

 fortable to my mind, as God may make it helpful to my 

 fortunes ; yet it is somewhat supplied by the love, freedom, 

 and often visitations of Mr. Gage ; so, as when I have him, 

 I think I want you not altogether. God keep you. 

 Your most affectionate 



and much obliged Friend, &c. 



Minutes of a Letter to the Duke of Buckingham. 



That I am exceeding glad his grace is come home with 

 so fair a reputation of a sound protestant, and so constant 

 for the king s honour a errand. 



His grace is now to consider, that his reputation will 

 vanish like a dream, except now, upon his return, he do 

 some remarkable act to fix it, and bind it in. 



They have a good wise proverb in the country whence 

 he cometh, taken I think from a gentlewoman s sampler, 

 Qui en no da nndo, pier do pnnto, &quot; he that tieth not a knot 

 upon his thread, loseth his stitch.&quot; 



