38 LETTERS FROM STEPHENS. 



To the Marquis of Buckingham. 



Excellent Lord, 



Though I have troubled your lordship with many letters, 

 oftener than I think I should (save that affection keepeth 

 no account), yet upon the repair of Mr. Matthew, a gentle 

 man so much your lordship s servant, and to me another 

 myself, as your lordship best knoweth, you would not have 

 thought me a man alive, except I had put a letter into his 

 hand, and withal, by so faithful and approved a man, com 

 mended my fortunes afresh unto your lordship. 



My lord, to speak my heart to your lordship, I never 

 felt my misfortunes so much as now: not for that part 

 which may concern myself, who profit (I thank God for it) 

 both in patience and in settling mine own courses; but 

 when I look abroad and see the times so stirring, and so 

 much dissimulation and falsehood, baseness and envy in 

 the world, and so many idle clocks going in men s heads, 

 then it grieveth me much, that I am not sometimes at your 

 lordship s elbow, that I might give you some of the fruits 

 of the careful advice, modest liberty, and true information 

 of a friend that loveth your lordship as I do. For though 

 your lordship s fortunes be above the thunder and storms 

 of inferior regions, yet, nevertheless, to hear the wind, and 

 not to feel it, will make one sleep the better. 



My good lord, somewhat I have been, and much I have 

 read ; so that few things that concern states or greatness, 

 are new cases unto me : and therefore I hope I may be no 

 unprofitable servant to your lordship. I remember the 

 King was wont to make a character of me, far above my 

 worth, that I was not made for small matters : and your 

 lordship would sometimes bring me from his majesty that 

 Latin sentence de minimis non cur at lex; and it hath so 

 fallen out, that since my retiring, times have been fuller of 

 great matters than before ; wherein, perhaps, if I had con 

 tinued near his majesty, he might have found more use of 

 my service, if my gift lay that way : but that is but a vain 

 imagination of mine. True it is, that as I do not aspire 

 to use my talent in the King s great affairs ; yet for that 

 which may concern your lordship, and your fortune, no 

 man living shall give you a better account of faith, industry, 

 and affection than I shall. I must conclude with that 

 which gave me occasion of this letter, which is Mr. Ma- 

 thew s employment to your lordship in those parts, wherein 

 T am verily persuaded your lordship shall find him a wise 



