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more than I could ever have thought; bringing to my Mind a Point of Aftronomy, which is, That the farther the Moors are from us, the farther too is the Sun, and yet his Heat is the more fcorching; fo it is with our Love, we are at a Distance from one another, and yet it keeps its Fervency, at least on my Side. I hope the like on your Part, affuring you that the Uneafinefs of Abfence is already too fevere for me, and when I think of the Continuance of that which I must of Neceffity fuffer, it would feem intolerable to me, were it not for the firm Hope I have of your unchangeable Affection for me; and now to put you fometimes in Mind of it, and feeing I cannot be present in Perfon with you, I fend you the nearest Thing to that poffible, that is, my Picture fet in Bracelets, with the whole Device, which you know already, wifhing myself in their Place, when it shall please you. This from the Hand of,

Your Servant and Friend,

H. Rex.

LETTER II.

To my MISTRESS.

BEcaufe the Time feems to me very long, fince

I have heard from you, or concerning your Health; the great Affection I have for you, has obliged me to fend this Bearer to be better inform

I

ed

ed both of your Health and Pleasure, particularly because fince my laft parting with you, I have been told, that you have intirely changed the Opinion in which I left you, and that you will nei ther come to Court with your Mother, nor any other Way; which Report, if true, I cannot enough wonder at, being perfuaded in my own Mind, that I have never committed any Óffence against you; and it seems a very small Return for the great Love I bear to you, to be kept at a Diftance from the Perfon and Prefence of the Woman in the World that I value the moft; and if you love me with as much Affection as I hope you do, I am fure the Distance of our two Perfons would be a little uneafy to you. Tho' this does

not belong fo much to the Miftrefs as to the Servant. Confider well, my Miftrefs, how greatly your Abfence grieves me; I hope it is not your Will that it should be fo; but if I heard for certain, that you yourself defired it, I could do no other than complain of my ill Fortune, and by Degrees abate my great Folly: And so for want of Time, I make an End of my rude Letter, defiring you to give Credit to this Bearer in all he will tell you from me. Written by the Hand of your entire Servant.

LETTER III.

THE Uneafinefs my Doubts about your Health gave me, difturbed, and frighten'd me extreamly, and I should not have had any Quiet without hearing a certain Account. But now

fince

fince you have yet felt nothing, I hope it is with you as with us; for when we were at Walton, two Ufhers, two Valets de Chambre, and your Brother, Mafter Treafurer, fell ill, and are now quite well; and fince we are returned to your Houfe at Hundfdon, we have been perfectly well, God be praised, and have not at prefent one fick Perfon in the Family; and I think if you would retire from the Surrey Side, as we did, you would escape all Danger. There is another Thing that may comfort you, which is, that in Truth, in this Diftemper,* few or no Women have been taken ill; and befides, no Perfon of our Court, and few elsewhere, have died of it. For which Reasons I beg you, my entirely Beloved, not to frighten yourself, nor to be too uneafy at our Abfence. For where-ever I am, I am yours, and yet we must fometimes fubmit to our Misfortunes; for whoever will struggle against Fate, is generally but fo much the farther from gaining his End: Wherefore comfort yourself, and take Courage, and make this Misfortune as easy to you as you can, and I hope fhortly to make you fing for Joy of your Recal. No more at prefent for lack of Time, but that I wish you in my Arms, that I might a little difpel your unreasonable Thoughts. Written by the Hand of him who is, and always will be

yours.

My H. Rex, Lovely.

The Sweating-Sickness.

LET

LETTER IV:

BY turning over in my Thoughts the Contents of your last Letters, I have put myself into a great Agony, not knowing how to understand them, whether to my Difadvantage, as I underftood fome others, or not; I befeech you now, with the greatest Earneftnefs, to let me know your whole Intention as to the Love between us two. For I muft of Neceffity obtain this Anfwer of you, having been above a whole Year ftruck with the Dart of Love, and not yet fure whether I fhall fail, or find a Place in your Heart and Affection. This Uncertainty has hindered me of late from naming you my Miftrefs, fince you only love me with an ordinary Affection; but if you please to do the Duty of a True and Loyal Mistress, and to give up yourself, Body and Heart to me, who will be, as I have been, your moft Loyal Servant, (if your Rigour does not forbid me) I promise you, that not only the Name fhall be given, you, but alfo that I will take you for my Mistress, cafting off all others that are in Competition with you, out of my Thoughts and Affection, and ferving you only. I beg you to give an entire Answer to this

my rude Letter, that I may know on what, and how far, I may depend. But if it does not please you to answer in Writing, let me know fome Place, where I may have it by Word of Mouth, and I will go thither with all my Heart. No more for fear of tiring you. Written by the Hand of him who would willingly remain yours,

H. Rex.

LET

FOR

LETTER V.

a Prefent fo valuable that nothing could be more (confidering the whole of it) I return you my moft hearty Thanks, not only on Account of the coftly Diamond, and the Ship in which the folitary Damfel is toffed about; but chiefly for the fine Interpretation, and too humble Submiffion which your Goodness hath made to me. For I think it would be very difficult for me to find an Occafion to deferve it, if I was not affifted by your great Humanity and Favour, which I have fought, do feek, and will always feek to preserve by all the Services in my Power; and this is my firm Intention and Hope, according to the Motto, Aut illic, aut nullibi.* The Demonstrations of your Affection are fuch, the fine Thoughts of your Letter fo cordially expreffed, that they oblige me for ever to honour, love, and ferve you fincerely; befeeching you to continue in the fame firm and constant Purpose; and affuring you, that on my Part, I will not only make you a fuitable Return, but out-do you in Loyalty of Heart, if it be poffible. I defire you alfo, that if at any Time before this I have in any Sort offended you, you will give me the fame Absolution which you ask, affuring you, That hereafter my Heart fhall be dedicated to you alone, I wish my Body were so too. God can do it if he pleases; to whom I pray once a Day for that End; hoping, that at length my Prayers will be heard. I wish the Time may be fhort, but I fhall think it long, till we shall fee

* Either Here, or Nowhere.

one

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