able to get out of this beastly town. All the pleasure I have in it is, when I think how well you have got to Royston. I hope your next will assure me of the like to Newmarket. I hate myself for forgetting to crave a blessing. I humbly thank you for chiding me that I asked none, and let not him be so punished as to be now refused a double one, who craves it with double-bended knees, but a single, entire, humble and cheerful wellcontented heart; and so I crave your blessing again, because you are not weary of giving to him that's Your majesty's most humble slave and dog, 1 STEENIE. All is well with Kate and Mall. I have played six sets at maw with Sir John Ayres, and truly it's a very hard match. What shall I do then with him that eats cold custard with bunglers? The Duke of Buckingham to James I. Dear dad and gossip, I shall make you wonder at a resolution I have taken, never to inquire more after your health. You can bear me witness, that I have never given credit to those that undertake to have the philosopher's stone, especially when they become takers themselves, as my devil hath now proved himself. If he blow as profitably 1 An old game at cards. It is thus mentioned by Sir John Harrington: VOL. II. "Then, thirdly, fellow'd heaving of the maw, An odious play, and yet in court oft seen, M with all the world besides as he hath done with me, he will have little need of the philosopher's stone; yet if all be true he hath assured to me, I shall think my four hundred pounds well bestowed. I confess so long as he concealed the means he wrought by, I despised all he said; but when he told me that which he hath given your sovereignship, to preserve you from all sickness ever hereafter, was extracted out of a [jakes], I admired the fellow and for these reasons-that being a stranger ot you, yet he had found out the kind you are come of, and your natural affections and appetite; and so, like a skilful man, hath given you natural physic, which is the only means to preserve the radical humour, and thus I conclude. My son is healthful, and my devil's lucky; myself is happy, and needs no more than your blessing, which is my true philosopher's stone, upon which I build as on a rock. : Your majesty's most humble slave and dog, STEENIE. Here is a gentleman, called Sir Francis Leake,' who hath likewise a philosopher's stone, its worth but eight thousand; he will give it me if you will make him a baron. I will, if you command not the contrary, have his patent ready for you to sign when I come down; he is of good religion, well born, and hath a good estate. I pray you burn this letter. 1 Sir Francis Leake, of Sutton, county of Derby, was raised to the peerage in 1624, as Baron Deincourt, of Sutton. This fixes, perhaps ascertains, the date of the letter. He afterwards took an active part on the side of the royalists in the civil wars, and was created earl of Scarsdale by Charles I., in 1645. The Duke of Buckingham to James I. Dear dad and gossip, I have sent this mettled post, to be an eyewitness of your second day's hunting, if want of sleep will give him leave, having undertaken to ride all night, to hunt with you all day, and be with me before supper back again, so that weariness do not prevent him. I hear you have got a good stomach since your being there, but I fear your liberality doth not give you leave to eat a good bit, being well acquainted with that old custom of yours of ever giving away the best. We both have fed of nothing else; and though they have all proved fat and tender, yet not being eaten at your saucy, lucky table, they wanted that sauce which makes all savoury. Let this bearer bring me news of your health and mirth, and then I crave no more but your blessing for Your majesty's most humble slave and dog, STEENIE. The Duke of Buckingham to James I. Dear dad and gossip, Though I have received three or four letters from you since that I writ last to you, yet, as Thom. Badger says, I am not behind-hand with you, for I have made a hundred answers to them in my mind, yet none that could satisfy my mind, for kinder letters never servant received from master; and for so great a king to descend so low, as to his humblest slave and servant to communicate himself in a style of such good fellowship, with expressions of more care than servants have of masters, than physicians have of their patients, which hath largely appeared to me in sickness and in health; of more tenderness than fathers have of children; of more friendship than between equals; of more affection than between lovers in the best kind, man and wifewhat can I return? nothing but silence; for, if I speak, I must be saucy, and say thus, or short of what is my due; pourrier-my good fellow, my physician, my maker, my friend, my father, my all, I heartily and humbly thank you for all you do, and all I have. Judge what unequal language that is in itself, but especially considering the thing that must speak it, and the person to whom it must be spoken. Now tell me whether I have not done discreetly to be silent all this while-it's time I should be so again, or else commit a fault, in wearying him that never wearies to do me good; then thus I'll end. I begin my journey to-morrow. I shall have the prince to wait of. We shall lie at Theobald's; the one will hunt hinds, and does; the other survey the trees, walks, ponds, and deer; the next day after lay ourselves at your feet, there crave your blessing, then give an account of Theobald's Park to the best of men, though not of the kind of men yet made by man, more than man, like a man, both artificial man, and my most natural sovereign, who by innumerable favours hath made me Your majesty's most humble slave and dog, The Duke of Buckingham to James I. Dear dad and gossip, As necessity enforces me, instead of repairing to you according to your command, and my promise to go many miles from you another way, and consequently from myself, all my perfect joys and pleasures chiefly, nay, solely consisting in attending your person, so me thinks duty and good manners commands me, on the other part, to give you an account under my own hand, though it be yet something unsteady and weak; but before I give the reasons of the change of my former resolution, there is a thing not much in exercise now in this world, called thankfulness, that calls so fast and earnestly upon me, that I must first, though I have already done it by the assistance of a young nobleman, called Baby Charles, whom you likewise, by your good offices, made my friend, whom, without all doubt, hath already perfectlier made my thanks than I shall myself; yet having the pen in my hand, I must needs tell you what I observe in your late absent and public favour, but ancient manner of obliging your poor, unworthy servant, whereby I find you still one and the same dear and indulgent master you were ever to me, never being contented to overvalue and love me yourself, but to labour all manner of ways to make the whole world do so too; besides, this assures me you trust me as absolutely as ever, largely exprest in this, that you have no conceit of my popularity, otherwise why should you thus study to endear me with the upper and lower house of parliament, and so, consequently, with your whole kingdom. 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