Veere, hee would never auns were him to his demandes, butt willinglye laye his hand on his sworde. And soe the negotiation of Captay ne Ogle brake of.

Within some ffew dayes, her majestie had knowledge whatt had passed, it beinge divulged by the earle's followers, that hee had sent Sir Frauncis Veere a challenge. Whereuppon, the 30th of the fforesaid month, her majestie sent commandment unto

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the Earle of Northumberland, not to have to doe with Sir Frauncis Veere.

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Then the earle, as by circumstances appears, having brought matters to the passe hee desired, published the manner of his proceedinge in the Englishe, Frenche, and Italyan, whereof Sir Frauncis Veere could not procure any coppye tyll son e ffew dayes beffore his departure, nor auns were the same soe presentlye as hee willinglye would for his affayers otherwise; and for that in the same, the earle went beyond the true grounds of judgemente and honnour, Sir Frauncis Veere thought it necessarye to send to the Earle of Northumberland this letter following, which hee offereth to the worlde, with the rest of his proceedinges, to be judged.

"Because I refused to meete you, uppon your peremptorye and foolishe summons, you conclude mee, in a discourse sent abroade under your name, to bee a knave, a coward, and a buffoone; whereuppon you have procured mee to set aside all respecte to your person, and to saye, that you are a most lyinge and unworthy lord,' You are bounde, by her majestie's commandmente, not to assayle mee, and I, by the business committed to mee, not to seeke you. When you shall bee freer, as God shall make us meete, I will maintayne it with my sworde.

"FRAUNCIS VEERE."

' Examined with the coppye which Sir Frauncis Veere sent unto mee. Att the very ffirst daye taken fforth of it, whych was even uppon his departure out of London ffor the Lowe Countryes. Hee went all the waye by land ffrom London to Thames, wheere hee tooke shippinge. Mr. White, his man, brought it unto mee.'

A Letter from Sir Henry Sidney to his Son, Sir Philip Sidney, consisting of Rules in his Conduct in Life. MS.

Sir Henry Sidney, whose excellent instructions to a most deserving son are here preserved, was educated at Court with Edward VI. and was one of the Gentlemen of his Bed-chamber. In the subsequent reigns, he was Lord President of Wales; four times Lord Justice of Ireland; and thrice, by special commission, Lord Deputy. He was bold in the field, and discreet, grave, and judicious, in council; friendly, easy, and courteous in society; well read in history and antiquities; and a master of ancient and modern languages. The maxims of such a parent, addressed to a son like Sir Philip Sidney, are well worthy heedful marking.

Son Philip,

I HAVE received two letters from you, the one written in Latin, the other in French, which I take in good part, and will you to exercise that practice of learning often, for it will stand you in stead, in that profession of life which you are born to live in and now, since that this is my first letter that ever I did write to you, I will not that it be all empty of some advices, which my natural care of you provoketh me to with you, to follow as documents to you in this tender age. Let your first action be the lifting up

of

your hands and mind to Almighty God, by hearty prayers, and feelingly digest the words you speak in prayer with continual meditations and thinking of him to whom you pray; and use this at an ordinary hour, whereby the time itself will put you in remembrance to do that thing which you are accustomed in that time.

2. Apply to your study such hours as your discreet master doth assign you earnestly, and the time, I know, he will so limit, as shall be both sufficient for your learning, and safe for your health; and mark the sense and matter of that you read, as well as the words; so shall you both inrich your tongue with words, and your wit with matter; and judgment will grow, as years grow on you.

3. Be humble and obedient to your master; for, unless you frame yourself to obey, yea, and to feel in yourself what obedience is, you shall never be able to teach others how to obey you hereafter.

4. Be courteous of gesture, and affable to all men with universality of reverence, according to the dignity of the person: there is nothing that winneth so much with so little cost.

5. Use moderate diet, so as after your meat, you may find your wit fresher, and not duller; and your body more lively, and not more heavy.

6. Seldom drink wines, and yet sometimes do; lest, being forced to drink upon the sudden, you should find yourself inflamed.

7. Use exercise of body, but such as is without peril of your bones or joints; it will much increase your force, and inlarge your breath.

8. Delight to be cleanly, as well in all parts of your body, as in your garments; it shall make you grateful in each company, and otherwise loathsome.

9. Give yourself to be merry; for you degenerate from your father, if you find not yourself most able in wit and body to do any thing, when you be most merry; but let your mirth be ever void of scurrillity and biting words to any man; for a wound given by a word, is harder to be cured, than that which is given by a sword.

10. Be you rather a hearer and bearer away of other men's talk, than a beginner, or procurer of speech, otherwise you will be accounted to delight to hear yourself speak. 11. Be modest in each assembly, and rather be rebuffed of light fellows for a maiden shamefacedness, than of your sober friends, for sober friends, for pert boldness.

12. Think upon every word you will speak before you utter it, and remember how nature hath, as it were, rampired up the tongue with teeth, lips, yea, and hair without the lips, and all betoken reins and bridles to the restraining the use of that member.

13. Above all things, tell no untruth, no not in trifles; the custom of it is naught: and let it not satisfy you, that the hearers, for a time, take it for a truth; for afterwards it will be known as it is to shame; and there cannot be a greater reproach to a gentleman, than to be accounted a lyar.

14. Study, and endeavour yourself, to be virtuously occupied; so shall you make such a habit of well doing, as you shall not know how to do evil, though you would.

15. Remember, my son, the noble blood you are descended of by your mother's side, and think, that only by a virtuous life, and good actions, you may be an ornament to your illustrious family, and otherwise, through vice and sloth, you may be esteemed Lahes Generis, one of the greatest curses that can happen to a man Well, my little Philip. this is enough for me, and I fear too much for you at this time; but yet, if I find that this light meat of digestion do nourish any thing the weak stomach of your young capacity, I will, as I find the same grow stronger, feed it with tougher food. Farewel; your mother and I send you our blessing, and Almighty God grant you his; nourish you with his fear, guide you with his grace, and make you a good servant to your prince and country.

Your loving Father,

HENRY SIDNEY.

A Letter written by Sir Phillip Sidney, to a Brother of his, 'ouching the Direction of his Travayle. MS.

This letter was probably addressed by the celebrated writer to his younger brother Robert Sidney, created by James I. Viscount L'Isle and Earl of Leicester. He had all the martial ardour of his brother, but not his more elegant accomplishments.

The excellent observations on the use of foreign travel, are worth the consideration of the numerous Englishmen who, as Sir Philip expresses it, "in travelling for the sake of travel, prove pilgrims to no Saint."

How jealous Sir Philip Sidney was of any one seeing his letters but those they were designed for, may be judged from the following letter to Edward Mollineux, secretary to his father, lord deputy of Ireland. The temperate, affectionate, and at the same time spirited answer of Mollineux, is admirably contrasted with the fire of the young warrior.

"Mr Mollineux,

"Few woordes are beste. My lettres to my father have come to the eyes of some. Neither can I condemne any but yow for it. If it be so, yow have plaide the very knave with me; and so I will make yow know if I have good proofe of it. But that for so muche as is past. For that is to come, I assure yow before God, that if ever I know yow do so muche as reede any lettre I wryte to my father, without his commaundement, or my consente, I will thrust my dagger into yow. And truste to it, for I speake it in earnest. In the meane time, farewell. From courte, this laste of May, 1578. By me, PHILIPPE SIDNEY."

Indorsed, Mr Philippe Sidney to me, browght

1578, by my L. Chauncellor, received the

21. of June.

EDWARD MOLLINEUX, Esq. to PHILIP SYDNEY, in Answer to the above said Letter.

"SIR,

"I have receaved a lettre from yow, which, as it is the first, so the same is the sharpest that ever I receaved from any; and therfore it amaseth me the more to receave suche a one from you, since I have (the world can be judge) deserved better somwhere, how so ever it pleasethe you to condempne me now. But since it is (I protest to God) without cawse, or yet just grownde of suspicion you use me thus, I beare the injurie moore patiently for a tyme, and mine innocencie, I hoope in the ende, shall trie mine honestie: and then I trust you will confesse you have done me wronge. And since your pleasure so is expressed, that I shall not henceforthe reade any of your lettres; althoughe I must confesse, I have heretofore taken bothe greate delight and profet in readinge some of them; yet upon so harde a condition (as you seeme to offer) I will not hereafter adventure so greate a perill, but obey you herein. Howbeit if it had pleased you, you might have commaunded me in a farre greater matter, with a farre lesse penaltie. From the castell of Dwblin, the first of Julie 1578.

"Yours, when it shall please you better to conceive of me, humble to commaunde,

E. MOLLINEUX."

My most Deare Brother,

You have thought unkindnes in me, I have not written oftener unto you. I have desired I should write something of my owne opinion, touching travayle, you being perswaded my experience therein to be somethinge, which I must needs confesse, but not as you take it; for you thinck my experience of the good thinges I have learned, but I

knowe the only experience I have gotten, is, to find indeed how much I have missed for want of havinge directed my course to the right end, and by the right me anes. I thinck you have read Aristotle's Ethickes; if you have you knowe it is the beginning and foundation of all his workes; the good end to which every good man doth and ought to bend his greatest actions. I am sure you have imprinted in your minde the scope and marke you meane by your paines to shoot at; for if you should travayle, but to travayle, or to say you have travayled, certainly you should prove a pilgrim to no saint. But I presume so well of you, that though a great number of us never thought in ourselves why we went, but only of a certaine ticklinge humour to do as another man hath donne, your purpose is, being a gentleman borne, to furnish yourselfe with the knowledge of such thinges as may be serviceable to your country, and fitt for your calling, which certainly stands not in the change of ayre, for the warmest sunne makes not a wise man, noe nor in learninge languages, (although they be of good serviceable use) for wordes are but wordes in what language soever they be, and much les in that, all of us come home full of disguisements, not only of our apparell, but of our countenances, as though the credit of travellers stood all upon his outsides. But in the right enformyng your mind with those thinges which are most notable in those places you come to, of which as the one kinde is so veine as I thinck eare it be longe the magnificos in Italy, we travellers shall be made sporte of comedyes, soe I may justly saie, who travells with the eye of Ulysses doth take one of the most excellent wayes of worldly wisdome, for harde sure it is to knowe England without you knowe it by comparing it with others, noe more than a man can knowe the swiftnes of his horse without seeing him well matched; for you, that are a logitian, knowe, that as greatnes of itselfe is a quantity, so yett the judgment of it, of might, riches, &c. stands in the predicament of relation; soe as you cannot tell what the queen of England is able to do defensively, or offensively, but by through compareing what they are able to doe with whome she is to be matched. This therefor is one notable use of travayle, it stands in the mixed and corelative knowledge of things; in which kinde come in the knowledge of all leagues between prince and prince; the topographicall discription of each country; how the one lyes by situation to help or hurte the other; how they are to the sea well harboured or not; how stored with ships, how with revenewe, how with fortifications and garrisons, how the people warlikely trayned or kept under; with many other such conditions: which as they confusedly come into my mynde, soe I for want of leisure sett downe. But these things as I said are these of the first kind which stand with the ballancyng of the one thing with the other, the other kinde of knowledge is of them which stand in the things which are of themselves, either simply good, or simply evill; and soe either for a right instruction or a shining example of these Homer meant in his verse, Qui multorum hominum mores cognovit et urbes; for he doth not meane mores, howe to look or put of ones cap with a new found grace, although truly behaviour is not to be despised. Marry my heresay is, that the English behaviour is best in England, and the Itallyan in Itallye; but mores he takes for that whereout morall philosophy is soe called, which conteyneth the true concerning of mens minds, both in vertuous passions and vices; and when he saith Cognovit urbes, (if I be not deceyved) he meanes not to have seene townes, and marked their buildings, for houses are houses in every place; they do but differ Secundum majus et minus; but he intends the knowing of their religious policies, lawes, bringing up of children, discipline both for warres and peace, and such like I take to be of the second kynde, which are ever worthy to be knowne for their owne sakes; as surely in Turkey, (though wee have nothing to doe with them) yet their discipline in warre matters, propter se, are worthy to be learned; nay in the kingdome of China, which is almost as far as our antipodes from us, there good laws and customes are to be learned; but to knowe their riches and power it is of little purpose for us, since it can neither advantage us, nor hinder us, but in our neighbour countreys. But those thinges.

are to be observed, as well the latter, which construe things for themselves, as the former, which seeks to knowe both theise and their riches, &c. which may be unto us avayleable or otherwise, the countryes fittest for both these are those you are going to, France above all others moste needful for us to marke, especiallye in the former kinde; next it Spaine, and the Low Countryes; then Germany, which in my opinion excells all the other, as much in the latter consideration, as the other doe in the former; for neither are void of neither; for as Germany, methinkes, doth notably in good lawes, and well administring of justice, soe yet are wee likewise to consider in it the many princes to whom wee may ave league, the places of trade as the meanes to draw both soldier and furniture from hence in time of need. Soe likewise in France and Spaine, wee are principally to marke how they stand towards us, both in power and inclination, soe are they not without good and fitt thinges, even in the generality of wisdome to be knowne, as their course of parliament, their subalterne jurisdictions, and their continuall keeping of so many provinces under them, and by what manner with the poyles of honour, wherein sure they have the openest conceit; wherein if they seeme over curious, it is an easie matter to cut of when a man sees the bottom. Flanders likewise, besides the neighbourhood with us, and the annexed considerations thereunto, hath divers things to be learned; especiallye their governing their merchants, and the lower trades. As for Italy, I knowe not what wee have or can have to doe with them, but to buy their silks and wines; and for other provinces, excepting Venice, whose good lawes and customes wee can hardly proportion to ourselves, because they are quite of a contrary government; there is little there but tyrannous oppression, and servile yielding to them that have little or noe rule over them; and for the men, you shall haunt them, although some indeed be excellently learned, yett are they all given to love counterfeit learning, as a man shall learne of them more false grounds of things then in any place else I do know; for from a tapester upwards they are all discoursers in fine certayne qualities, as horsemanship, weapons, musicke, and such like, are better there then in those other countries; for others, more sound, they doe little excell other places. Now resteth in my memory but this point, which indeed to you is the chiefest of all others, which is the choice of what men you are to addict yourself unto to learne theise thinges; for it is certaine no vessell can leave a worse taste to the liquor it containes, then a wrong teacher infects an unskillfull hearer with that which afterwards will hardly out. I will not tell you the absurdities I have heard some travellers tell, I dare swear, from the mouthes of some of their hosts; be sure therefore of his knowledge of whome you desire to learne : taste him well before you drink too much of his doctrine, and when you have heard it, trye well what you had heard before you hould it for a principle; for one errore is the mother of a thowsand; but you may saie, how shall I get excellent men to take paines to speake with me truly in fewe words? Either much expence or much humbleness. Your assured loving brother,

PHILIP SIDNEY.

Valour Anatomized in a Fancie. By Sir Philip Sidney. 1581.

Valour towards men, is an emblem of ability; towards women, a good quality signifying a better. Nothing draws a woman like to it. Nothing is more behoveful for that sex; for from it they receive protection, and in a free way too, without any danger. Nothing makes a shorter cut to obtaining; for a man of arms is always void of ceremony, which is the wall that stands betwixt Piramus and Thisby, that is man and woman; for there is no pride in women but that which rebounds from our own baseness (as