Letter to Arthur Hasilrig
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A96019.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A LETTER FROM Sir Henry Vane TO Sir ARTHUR HASILRIG. Dated 23 February, 1659.
LONDON: Printed for John Frost, 1659.
A LETTER from Sir Henry Vane to Sir Arthur Hasilrig.
Sir Henry to Sir Arthur sends greeting.
IF you are diseased in your mind (as thanks to the Devil I am at the writing hereof) I am very glad. These are to give you notice, that I am safely arrived at my House of Bellew, (praised be the Rump ) my Daughter is something distempered with such a tedious journey, but more afflicted at the breaking off the match with young Lambert. You would do me a great favor therefore in sending down Dr. Chamberlain, or if he cannot be spared from his Synagogue, to pleasure me with the assistance of Dr. Dun; he's a Man-midwife, and will serve the turn.
But now, good Sir, give me leave to tell you, that I take your la • e doings against me very unkindly. Come! had not you better have been under the mis-rule of a Committee of Safety, that courted your compliance with all the respect imaginable, and had designed you for a Titulado upon that account? You may remember how secure you were during the Tyrannous Arbitrary Reign of Oliver, and how cautiously he demeaned himself towards you, and that not out of dread of your honesty (for he knew you and I were as arrant Rogues as himself) but because he was sensible the least Division or difference amongst Rebels would be the Ruin of him and his Design: And as the Devil will have it, it hath through your hair-brained impudence, just so fallen out.
Nevertheless, I hope I may, on have occasion to thank you too, for your intended injury to me; for if I were not fit company for you and your Knavish Gang, then I am fit for honester company, and I may return to the discharge of my Trust (with the same mind and willingness as Richard Cromwell doth his Fathers Funeral Debt) upon the Accounts of a Secluded Member: And I know no reason why I may not be re-admitted, for I have deserved well of this Parliament; for had not my extravagant Counsel • introduced and quickened these Commotions, they had been out of Doors as well as myself.
I give you warning therefore that I am coming to Town, and I will sit there in spite of your teeth, and promote a Vote to send you farther than Raby, even to Jamaica; and I believe you will return me my thanks again, for on my seared conscience you know not whither to run, or where to hide your impudent head.
But what think you Sir of a Volunteer for Dunkirk? get you with a Horse-pox to Portsmouth, and take shipping there, if you can tell how to be let in; do but see, Sir Arthur, with half an eye, the Transitory Pomp of this wicked world, I dare warrant you, they would turn Taile to you, and tell you that you are a Rumper, and highly entertain and caresse your Worship with Turnip tops; and send you going with Troops of Curses to another gheffe Holl than Westminsters.
But yet I have so much respect for you, in my personal reflections upon your Merit, that I could wish your. Portsmouth -acquired Authority had stood: for then I could have opposed my single Head-piece against all the Plots, and the most cunning Devices, the best Wits among you could have contrived against me; now I know not how to deal with these Gamesters, that have stood by so long, and I am afraid have seen so much more than we, that we must mend our sight by the Spectacles of a Grate, and wish we had had eyes in our Arse.
Well Sir Arthur, we must be fellows in Miserie, as well as we have been in Mischief; put in Lambert — and three merry Boys are we, though questionless there are more of us in the same pickle; but we three are not only dipit, but soused over head and ears in it. Pray remember my best Respects to my Lord Whitlock: You may, if you please, acquaint Alderman Tichborne, Ireton, and Praise-God Barebone with this. I think Fleetwood and Disbrow not worth remembering, but do what you think fit. Pray excuse the trouble I have put you to by the Prolixitie of this; for I could not choose but open myself to You, as the Earth did for Abiram. If these Lines be not strong enough, let all the Hempe in London make one for you. Fare ye well.
Your unlucky Complice, HENRY VANE.
Bellew this 23 of February, 1659.