I saw Fra. George's letter written to the palatine of the Rhine, requiring aid of the princes of Germany. The letter was dated January 12, 1551. If we go into Turkey, (I pray God we may,) we shall sail goodly down by noble Danubius.

Pope Julius is a very king. He hath made a boy of his kitchen, an ape-keeper, cardinal de Monte, whereof he was cardinal himself. Men say now, Parturiunt montes; nascitur simia turpis.

The Emperor last Sunday in his chapel, within Fugger's house, gave warning to all the electors and states to be at the general council at Trent 1o Maii, where they say cardinal Pole shall be president. But all wise men think there will be no council at all; for the Pope purposing neither to amend his life nor redress his doctrine, may lose more than win thereby. The Germans were never more stouter in God's cause. The Emperor is too wise and forecasting a prince, either to fall out with Germany, or the Pope; for by a general council, he is likely either to make the Pope, of an uncertain friend, a stedfast enemy; or else the Germans, of secret repines, open foes. Magdeburgers be stout persons: the duke of Mechlenburg, whom they took prisoner, is dead, as men say; and it is even now reported, that Mauritius hath raised his siege, and Magdeburg strongly furnished for two or three years. Two Emperors have made war against that town, and have left their bodies buried in Magdeburg for monuments, and the town as a maid undefiled. Well! God send quietness to his church. Men think there will be business about Piedmont and Milan shortly.

England need fear no outward enemies. The lusty lads verily be in England. I have seen on a Sunday more likely men walking in Paul's church than I ever yet saw in Augsburg, where lieth an Emperor with a garrison, three kings, a queen, three princes, a number of dukes, &c.

Here was justs since Candlemas. The tilt was in a street before the Emperor's lodging. The houses be eight or nine stories high, that a wonderful number of people may look out of windows. Their spears were small, their decking was above measure. The prince of Spain justed gently; for he neither hurt himself, his horse, his spear, nor him that he ran with. Noble Maximilian ran not.

If Vahan were an honest fellow, he might write at large of many things; for he hath good leisure.

Well, to bid you farewell: the Turk is set upon war, the Pope upon mischief, the Emperor upon wisdom and policy, the Germans upon God's doctrine; and the Spaniards also be the people of God, for all the world hates them.

I study Greek apace, but no other tongue; for I cannot. I trust to see England shortly, God willing. I am sorry that I have no word from Ireland. Commendations to all, because I would leave out none; to Dr. Haddon, father Bucer, John Scarlett, mine hostess Barnes. If ye will see Fugger's library, look on Mr. Pember's letter.From Augsburg, 23 Feb. 1551.

I never yet received letter out of England.

III.

TO MY ASSURED AND ESPECIAL FRIEND MR. EDWARD RAVEN, FELLOW IN ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE.

S. P. in Christo Jesu.

I CANNOT think, my good Edward Raven, that because ye either forget me, or neglect me, ye write nothing unto me. I suppose ye know not how to send. Send to Mr. Eland, and he may deliver them at the White Friars to Mr. Stephen Hales, and he can and will send them to me as fitly as you may send to London. My good Thomas Leaver hath not deceived me, but written a large letter unto me. I marvel that Mr. Henry Stiland writes not. None of you lacks matter; and your longest letters be most looked for. Write how good Dr. Maden doth, and all his. If I might have had a stroke in bishoprics, I wish, &c. and I would I had been at home in England at that time. Commend me to Mrs. Maden, and our Col. D. Maden. If he and I live together, he shall be sure of a stedfast loving friend. I ask nothing so much as good-will; for all other goods I trust to provide wel! enough myself.

Now, Edward, I pray you as him whom I trust and love as myself, mark the manner, towardness, and bringing up, &c. and whether Dr. Maden would be very glad thereof, or no; and whether he is plain in the matter, or double and wavering; for if, &c. Ye perceive what I mean, and add what ye list; for in this matter, or in any other, I trust you

as myself. Let no man read this letter, or see it; be secret and close; and so bid Dr. Maden. But I need not write this to you. As you send me word of the matter, so shall you hear from me: for as I shall know your affections, so then I will enter into the matter myself more plainly. Ye need not let Dr. Maden see this part of my letter; for now I would only prove by you what this part would think of the matter, it it should be. I do not doubt but ye will both do it friendly, and even handle it wisely; for your counsel, Edward, and advice in that matter, surely I will follow. When you write, seal your letters so, that they may not be opened, &c.

Keep my chamber well: I heard say some was in it; I know not. What you do I am content, and well content. If the master meddle in my interest, I am not content; and he had as good no. Be stout, Edward, and doubt not but I will and shall be able to bear you out.

Purpose, my Edward, to live in godliness and learning; for that is life only. I see emperors, kings, princes, &c. live not, but play their lives upon stages. Suspicion, care, fear, need, and a thousand miseries and άroglas, turn and toss their lives.

Edward, I purpose, God willing, that you and I will live together, and look and laugh at the world. I trust to provide for us both; and that little that I shall have, take it, and use it as your own.

hear

I am very well, thanked be God, and in great favour with my lord and lady. My lord surely is a witty man, and serves his God, his king, and his country, nobly here. If you any thing to the contrary, be bold, Edward, of my word to reprove it. Yesterday we received letters from the king's council, full of thanks and gentleness.

Write how my money is received there, and make mine account well; and think not that 20s. is my debt to you, Edward, but all that ever I have. Write of Bucer, and what my friend Haddon [thinketh] on him; but I commit it to my Henry Stiland, to write at large of Bucer, because you shall write of other matters. I trust Will. Taylor, John Bee, and Thomas Wilson, will not be behind. I pray God I may find these good fellows at Cambridge; for there is the life that no man knows, but he that hath sometime tasted it, and especially if one be able to live plentifully there.

1

Will. Ireland and R. Calibut, in Easter week, departed from Venice towards England through France. I beshrew them, they came not this way; and so tell my good Ireland. And I trust, when he cometh home, ye two will take any thing that I have as your own. I write not this so oft, Edward, as I mean it faithfully, and from my heart; which doth cause me so oft to repeat it.

I know ye will answer all my letters with one long one. Make one packet of all your letters together, if any other will write, and so send them.

Some news I must needs write.

The Turk's army entered Transylvania. The great king of Tartary is the Turk's standard-bearer: and the Turk hath made a league with the Sophy, which is king of Persia. We shall have hot war in Hungary; and would to God the Em, peror would go thither. Ferdinando, with his noble son king Maximilian, were almost both drowned in Danubius, going to Vienna.

The Turk's preparation is great per mare Mediterraneum, and the Venetians of late have sent a great force into Corcyra. The prince Andrew Doria hath chased one of the Turkish captains, called Dragut Rayes, into such a state upon Afric shore, not far from the isle of Zerbic, that he is like to be taken, with all his ships.

The matters of Parma and Italy, Ireland shall tell you. Some of the Pope's bishops hath been at Tridentum at the beginning of May, and have deferred the council ad calendas Septembris: but I believe it be ad calendas Græcas.

Magdeburgers be vengeable fellows: they have almost marred all duke Maurice's men; and yet they be as strong as ever they were.

This I wrote the 10th of May; but this 12° Maii news are come, that Andrew Doria is either taken by the Turks, or at least his whole navy lost. The certainty ye shall shortly know and this day, I hear say, that the siege of Magdeburg is quite dispatched. The French king sets upon the realm of Navarre. So many irons, and so hot, be ill to handle.

I hear from Sturmius every week.

Hieronimus Wolfius, that translated Demosthenes and Isocrates, is in this town. I am well acquainted with him, and have brought him twice to my lord's to dinner. He looks very simple. He telleth me, that one Borrheus, that

hath written well upon Aristot. prior. &c. hath even now in printing goodly commentaries upon Aristotle's Rhetoric. But Sturmius will obscure them all.

Joachimus Camerarius hath two goodly books in printing at Basil, which he hath been in hand withal many years. The one is Commentaries upon Plautus: the other is called De Homine; a lexicon for all things Greek and Latin belonging ad res humanas.

The godliness, and constancy, and discipline of this town, is incredible. Three or four thousand singing at one church at a time, is but a trifle. If a papistical church have a dozen, it is well furnished. Upon Shrove Thursday, at night, a wonderful sort of Spaniards did whip themselves naked through the streets, deep with sorrow.

Ye write not to me; therefore I have no courage to do as I would, or else I would write many things to you.

There was many companies, and of the Emperor's house 113, which went at nine of the clock at night, accompanied with 800 torches. No small fools bore torches that night, but very many great lords, in gowns of crimson and purple velvet, full of agglets of gold. The prince of Piedmont, the duke of Alva, one of the Emperor's council, bore torches that night; a wonderful 'Eλognoxía to live so abominable all the year, and then will needs make amends with God whether he will or not.

I could declare to you, as I wrote it to my lady of Warwick; but I cannot tell what to say to you, ye be so unkind: I have called Vahan L. K.* many times, that having so much leisure, he never writes. But I now judge him wiser than I. I know, Edward, there is no fault in you.

If ye will know how I do, I think I shall forget all tongues but the Greek before I come home. I have read to my lord since I came to Augsburg, whole Herodotus, five tragedies, three orations of Isocrates, seventeen orations of Demosthenes. For understanding of the Italian, I am meet well; but surely I drink Dutch better than I speak Dutch. Tell Mr. Dr. Maden, I will drink with him now a carouse of wine; and would to God he had a vessel of Rhenish wine, on condition that I paid 40s. for it; and perchance, when Í come to Cambridge, I will so provide here, that every year I will have a little piece of Rhenish wine.

* Lazy knave?