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not sithence, I did as a blind horse doth which hath cause to stagger in every plain, and yet sometime doth not stumble in the roughest way, because he doth not see the peril of his passage, as I myself did not feel my ignorance when I am sure I understood not the sentence.

Sir, I talk and trouble your lordship too boldly; but impute this to your own and old gentleness which maketh me to misuse thus your leisure from better business. I cannot express how much I take myself bound unto you for that ye utter, both in my lord ambassador's letters and mine, how ready and bent you be to do me a pleasure when any occasion shall serve thereunto. And seeing ye will needs have me bold, surely for this once ye must bear with me, being although indeed far too bold. It is your pleasure to do me good-I beseech fond advice how you may you, hear my do it most easily, and where I would enjoy it most gladly, and yet deserve it, or serve for it, as I trust somewhat fitly.

Many times by mine especial good, with Mr. Cheke's means, I have been called to teach the king to write, in his privy-chamber, at which times his grace would oft most gently promise me one day to do me good; and I would say, Nay, your majesty will soon forget me when I shall be absent from you,' which thing he said he would never do.

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Sir, I do not mistrust these words, because they were spoken of a child, but rather I have laid up my sure hope in them, because they were uttered by a king. Next this promise of the king's majesty, my trust is in my lady's grace, my mistress, and that rather I trust so, because I am assured in my conscience that I did her faithful and good service; insomuch that master Astley this last year sent me word from her grace, by Mr. Leaver, that her grace would either speak or write to the king for me in any reasonable suit. And surely I have reason which I should desire, that if I have a benefit done, I might have some cause to thank her grace for it. After these, you and Mr. Cheke be the only stays to whom I do lean; and three ways there be, in one of the which I would be glad to lead the residue of my life: the first, as it is most easy for you to obtain, so is it most my wish to enjoy; and that is that I may, setting out the Greek tongue in St. John's, be bound to no other statutes nor acts in the University. Secondly, to have some corner in that office in the court, in the which my lord ambassador made mention to your mastership not long sithence, and in

that place perchance, being under your mastership's correction, I could do some good, and besides help forward in some piece of learning in the court, as my lord ambassador hath oft told me I might. If neither of these two ways may be sped, then I would wish I were able to serve my country abroad in this court, or in Venice, or in Maximilian's court in Hungary, or in some other place; and I would not doubt but mark as warily, and write home as diligently such occurrences that do happen, as some of these strangers do which have so good stipends out of the realm; and in this point I am sure I could do your mastership some pleasure in speedily making you partaker of the affairs abroad. I blush in writing thus boldly for myself, and I promise you I will not greatly use it hereafter. And in very deed, if I had never come from Cambridge into the world abroad, I would_not_much labour either to change the state of my living in Cambridge, or else to increase it otherwise abroad. Marry, seeing these four years I have served in good place a king's daughter at home or a king's ambassador abroad, men might think strangely of my behaviour if need should compel me still to [turn] to mine old hole, where I must be subject to the pleasure of men's talk concerning my returning thither. At good times in England, the poorest man commonly hath either a new coat, or else his old coat turned; and in very deed, I love my old living so well, that I had rather have it turned than any new provided; and I know that to be so fit for mine use, that I am assured I could do good service there in the common walks, and if it were not so strait but that I might stir myself in it, as I would, surely it should last me as long as I should live; yet it should be a great deal the warmer if your mastership would help to line it a little better, and especially against this winter, which draweth towards me very fast. In summer time I know light and unlined garments be fittest for men's use; but if it shall be mine ill-luck still to wear mine old Kendall coat in winter, I must with much shame-Pardon me for that I make not an end of my sentence. Mr. Throckmorton calleth so fast for my letter that I must make an end.

Sir, I pray you to think that that which I do write, as wanting to talk with every man here in generality, doth only proceed of a good will to do diligent service abroad; if your mastership think otherwise, then I pray you let this be written only to you. I am most glad that ye somewhat

commend my service here; in very deed, if my ability were able to march with my good will, diligence, and truth, I should do some good therein.

I am ashamed to trouble your mastership with such ragged and ill-ordered letters, but my hope is, you will pardon all. The Lord keep you and my good lady Cecil. -From Spires the 27th of September, 1552. Your mastership's to command,

R. ASCHAM.

IX.

TO THE SAME.

Sir,

How much I am bounden to Mr. Morysin, Mr. Cheke, and to you, for moving, fordering, and obtaining the suit made for me to the king's majesty, I cannot now signify in a short letter, but will labour the length of my life to show myself unto you all three with duty, good will, and service; although not the fittest man for that office, yet never unthankful to any of you for the benefit; trusting, though I do not satisfy the place fully with ability, yet to content your wis doms, so with my diligence, that it, waiting always, Sir, upon your good advice and counsel, and at all times being thoroughly instructed by your wisdom, and gently corrected by your judgement, may, though not be worthy to win praise, yet be able to eschew blame, and shall either I trust not much deserve to be reproved of other, or when I fault, be both ready to amend that is past, and very wary to offend in the like manner. To Mr. Morysin I was more indebted before, to whom, as I am most willing to owe, so am I also most ready either to repay him with service, or to content him with good will. I esteem not the benefit to be little to have spent these years with him in seeing so many countries, in marking so diverse manners, in being weekly partakers of the greatest affairs, that chance almost anywhere; and this life thus led hath been to me both more pleasant, as I feel presently, and more profitable, as I trust for time to come, because it was spent in his company, which holdeth straight forth in all his doings, that way only, which God's glory,

his prince's honour, his country's profit hath pointed him to follow. Mr. Cheke's readiness in forwarding that suit I do guess of his long continued good will toward me, and of the love wherewith I have always reverenced him. To your mastership I acknowledge myself to be so much the more bounden than to any other, as I have less deserved it of you than of some man else. And the further I was off being so remembered, with the nearer bond my heart and service shall be ever more bound unto you; and in coming thus with my whole duty unto you, I will follow the manner of wayfaring men, among whom though some rise very early, yet others that lie longer, do so recover their late rising with speedy riding, that they were not so far behind the rest in setting out as they be before all in running to their inn; so likewise, though I have overslept myself, and did not rise with the timeliest to bring you my service, till I was called up and awaked by your gentleness, yet God willing, 1 will make such speed with ready good will, which shall, I trust, content you so well, as though I had set out with the first. And as this benefit is surely greater for itself, greater for you three which did move it, forder it, and obtain it, so is it greatest of all for him that did grant it; a king, by nature my sovereign, by favour my good lord, and by virtue such a king as is most worthy to be king of many kings and kingdoms. For myself, I dare promise no more, but good will and diligence; yet thus much I am boldened, because that kind of learning which sometime was most pleasant for my study in Cambridge, shall now be most necessary for my duty in the court. But being come thus far, Weston, my lord ambassador's man, bringeth me word what stop is in the matter, at which sudden frowning of fortune, God be my judge I was no more inwardly sad, than I was at the former fawning of the same, outwardly glad. No, I that have seen in one half year two the greatest princes subject to such tosses and toures of ups and downs, had learned very little, if two such great examples could teach me nothing; but most glad I am to see your mastership's good will, expressed in Mr. Morysin's letters, so bent to do me good, and therein as I will gladly follow the choice of your wisdom, whatsoever you shall think fit to bestow upon me, so do I now like those that will catch what they can, be it benefice or prebend, or what else, though they be neither able nor willing to discharge it. If I might go to Cambridge with

my patent augmented a little, with liberty to be bound only to set out the Greek tongue in St. John's, I will not now say how profitable a member I could be to the commonwealth. And herein I had written a long letter to your mastership a se'nnight ago, long before Weston told me of the change; I let Mr. Yaxeley read a piece of it, but because I know your business ought not to be troubled with long letters, I defer it to the next post. And now in very deed, for my lord's business, I have not leisure to finish and write it as I ought to such a man as I know you be. If I might when it please you, do you service in the court, and when I could sometime creep home to Cambridge, I had rather do so than either dwell at Durham or Winchester. And moreover, if I did not yearly give unto you a good reckoning of duty well done to the country's weal, I would be content to lose your friendship; which loss, as God be my judge, I would esteem to be the greatest that ever now can happen unto me. I trouble you, Sir, and have strait leisure myself. Therefore, Sir, as concerning my matters, if it would please you of good will to make the lots for me, and when you have so done by your wisdom to draw for me too, I am assured my luck shall be good, the which wholly I commit to God's prudence and your gentleness. I send you, Sir, by Mr. Yaxeley, a map the best that ever I found in all my businesses here abroad, especially for Germany, Italy, and Hungary: it containeth whole Europe, and so niuch of Asia and Africa as is either known by men or spoken of in learning, save only in the east part it stretcheth not far enough to the Medes and Persians. And as it is general for the whole, so is it in most places most particular for every city and town as the like that I have not seen. The worthy ambassador of Venice, Il Signor Marco Antonio Danula, in this court, did give me two of them, the one I send to you, the other to Mr. Cheke, which poor token of good will I trust you will both take in good part. And thus the Lord preserve you with my good lady Cecil.From Spires this 28th of November, 1552.

Your mastership's most bounden so to be,

R. ASCHAM.

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