83 - May To Lord Mountnorris

Summary

My Lorde

When you were lately in London, you were very earnest with me to provide you a yongue Divine, learned and sober, to be in house with you; your Lordship pressed this Suit upon me very earnestly, protesting you would allow him thirty or forty poundes per Annum. And require noe more Service of him, but Prayers in your family, and to preach once a fortnight dureing the Summer tyme, when you should be absent from Dublin. My lord I knew well what it was to send, a yongue, deserveing man from his frends and his hopes here, into those partes, And did assure my Selfe (as I found it) noe man would accept the offer, but such a one as was pinched with some wants. Yet being carefull to satisfye the earnestnesse of your desires I prevayled with Mr Croxton to Adventure himself upon the Journey, and the Service, And was faine to furnish him with some money my Selfe, that he might be able to undertake it. The man I dare boldly say, is beyond exception for life and learning, and willing enough to undergo the Service, soe he might put himself from the want he suffered, into hope of meanes. And if your lordship had not a reall purpose to performe your promise to him of thirty pounds a year at least, till you should furnish him with a Competent liveing; you might have found some other man in England, whom you might have sett on worke to provide you a Scholler, whom it seemes you meant not to provide for, when you had gotten him thither, which must needs be a dishonour to me, and a great dishartning to the poore yongue man, who hath been sent from one hard fortune into another. I heard a good while since he was placed in the Colledge where I knewe he could not possibly have meanes to maintaine himself unlesse you allowed it him, which I veryly thought you did, and soe rested satisfyed, the yongue Man never makeing any Complaint upon me; But at last inquireing after him, (as I tooke my selfe bound to doe, haveing put him upon the Service) I found your Lordship looked little after him, and did lesse for him, some little money being lent rather then given him to supply present wants.