Memoirs 205 



with old historicall relations, nor stuft with useless 

 sentences, his behaviour is manly without formallity, 

 and free without constraint, and his minde hath the 

 same freedom : his nature is noble, and his disposition 

 sweet, his loyaltie is proved by his publick service 

 for his king and countrey, by his often hazarding of 

 his life, by the losse of his estate, and the banishment 

 of his person, by his necessitated condition, and his 

 constant and patient suffering; but, howsover our 

 fortunes are, we are both content, spending our time 

 harmlessly. For My Lord pleaseth himself with the 

 management of some few horses, and exercises himself 

 with the use of the sword; which two arts he hath 

 brought by his studious thoughts, rationall experience 

 and industrious practice, to an absolute perfection: 

 and though he hath taken as much pains in those 

 arts, both by study and practice, as chimists for the 

 phylosopher's stone, yet he hath this advantage of 

 them, that he hath found the right and the truth 

 thereof and therein, which chimists never found in 

 their art, and I believe never will. Also he recreates 

 himself with his pen, writing what his wit dictates 

 to him, but I pass my time rather with scribling than 

 writing, with words than wit, not that I speak much, 

 because I am addicted to contemplation, unless I am 

 with My Lord, yet then I rather attentively listen to 

 what he sayes, than impertinently speak, yet when 

 I am writing, sad and faind stories, or serious humours 

 or melancholy passions, I am forced many times to 

 express them with the tongue before I can write them 

 with the pen, by reason those thoughts that are sad, 

 serious, and melancholy, are apt to contract and to 

 draw too much back, which oppression doth as it were 

 overpower or smother the conception in the brain, 

 but when some of those thoughts "^ are sent out in 



