49 - 28 Dec. To Viscount Wentworth

Summary

Salutem in Christo

Mye verye good Lord:

I hope you have receaved mye hastye Leters from Whit-Hall, they Could not express much they wear soe suddenlye called for; and mye minde soe much upon the promise of your lardge Leters to come, that I made short worke of them. Since, you have kept your promise; and your Lordships Leters ar lardge indeed, but every lyne of them welcome.

Especiallye your Noble and frendlye advice touchinge Dr Hooke. For himselfe I have knowne hime longer then I thinke your lordship hath. His parts be verye good, but if they be better than himselfe, he must needs be the worss bye them. Howe he stands in his own Innocencye I doe not knowe, thiss I knowe he is fowlye be-daubed bye reports; which if in the issue they prove slaunders ‘tis happye for hime, and a greate blessinge of God upon hime; if otherwise he is lost forever. I remember Sir Edward Cooks Rule well. And you maye nowe see what tyme is lost, and what it is to loose is.

I enquyre not after Mr Smart, but I heare casually that the Judges have sent hime backe to prison and will not meddle with hime. He that told me thiss was a verye wagge. For withall he asked me thiss question, wheather I thought the Judges would have done soe if hee had not beene degraded first. your Lordship maye see bye thiss, all men looke upon us and some make sport. In the meane tyme God had need preserve his church bye Miracle: For your Lordship sees whoe pull downe all goverment; I would to God I would see some hartye in the holdinge of it up.

I am glad your Lordship was so kinde as to Visit mye Lords Grace at Byshopsthorp, but sorye you finde hime complaininge of a colde in the Neck. I remember his Grace once complaind to me of it, before his goinge downe. If his bathing in hott graines (For you saye he hath great Confidence in that tubb) doe hime good, its well. A faire Medicine it is, but I for mye part beleeve more in the heat then in the graines: though I confess the grains ar liklye to be fyne supple meanes to applye, and conserve that heat.