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<DATE>2010-10-28</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Megan Marion</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<STC T="W">n1284a</STC>
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<VID>175301</VID>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>A Letter of the Lord <HI>North,</HI> touching <HI>Thirlow</HI> School.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">For Sir <HI>Henry North.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>My Noble Friend and Kin&s;man;</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>KNowing your worthy inclinations judge|ment, love to Ju&s;tice and Truth, with your indu&s;try and a&s;&s;idual exerci&s;e there|of in your cour&s;e and Countrey.</P>
<P>Whereas by vertue of a Commi&s;&s;ion for Charitable U&s;es, (&s;o pretended by the procurers) ma|ny <HI>Suffolk</HI>-Gentlemen of worth and quality have been named and employed, but mainly intended for the out|ing of a poor Village-Schoolma&s;ter maligned upon pri|vate &s;pleen and di&s;like: the Countrey being full of di&s;|cour&s;e and conte&s;t about the proceeding therein; I have judged fit to i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> part to you (conver&s;ant with the be&s;t) what I have met with by my diligent enquiry of the &s;teps and agitations therein.</P>
<P>I was at fir&s;t as much a &s;tranger, as unintere&s;ted in the matter and parties; but hearing by common Fame &s;omewhat of the ground and obliquity of intentions
<PB N="2" REF="2">again&s;t the Defendant, I became moved to a Chri&s;tian commi&s;eration, having received many Te&s;timonies con&s;iderable on his behalf.</P>
<P>The Commi&s;&s;ion thus taken out, Complaints were upon the meane&s;t &s;ort of Neighbours, with their fol|lowing Sub&s;criptions, laboured for; and procured for a ground-work, and con&s;equently a Jury provided in a place remote to pa&s;s upon the Evidence exhibited, which &s;urprizingly produced a ca&s;ting Verdict: both Jury and Commi&s;&s;ioners ignorant of the concealed plot and practice, could not well but be &s;wayed thereby: which I finding as yet but an imperfect Embrion to|ward a Decree (by &s;ome my writing) interpo&s;ed, offer|ed &s;ome preventing informations and con&s;iderations; whereupon to avoid &s;ub&s;equent trouble, charge and di&s;|graces, but nothing prevailing, a Decree pa&s;t as well again&s;t others, as the Schoolma&s;ter, much unexpect|ed to be drawn in. This undermining Stratagem was thus broached and carried on.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Thomas Bucke</HI> on our Lords day after Sermon called together the Inhabitants of Little <HI>Thirlow,</HI> ten|dering them a Writing to &s;ub&s;cribe again&s;t Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> which &s;ome refu&s;ing, lo&s;t his favour, and their dinner.</P>
<P>Other prolings there were about the Countrey for hands upon &s;pecious pretexts, meeting al&s;o &s;ome refu|&s;als.</P>
<P>In the appointed meeting of the Commi&s;&s;ioners di|vers &s;u&s;pected of non-concurrence had no warning, who after knowledge complained, and met with the re&s;t at a more indifferent place; but finding Re&s;olution much taken, and Conclu&s;ions framed upon the prece|ding Verdict, de&s;i&s;ted to appear <HI>at the next meeting,</HI> though offended at the premi&s;&s;es.</P>
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<P>After Verdict, &s;ome Coun&s;el was heard to plead, al|ledging how improper the bu&s;ine&s;s was to the Com|mi&s;&s;ion, as more belonging to the Eccle&s;ia&s;tical trial, after the Dioce&s;ans Licence, with much more: al&s;o Sir <HI>Thomas Soame</HI> a Tru&s;tee not having power to tran&s;|mit to Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> who had nothing to do in the Ca&s;e, much le&s;s to examine &s;ufficiency which he a&s;&s;umed, and upon the Defendants refu&s;al to &s;ubmit, offence was taken, though had he done otherwi&s;e, he had &s;hew|ed him&s;elf poorly &s;imple; after what his Admi&s;&s;ion, Exerci&s;e, and divers years Teaching had priviledged him, rather to examine his Boyes, then to be &s;o exa|mined. Whom one of the Electors, Mr. <HI>Owen,</HI> had harboured long in his hou&s;e, and upon his knowledge of his Capacity cho&s;e him Schoolma&s;ter, however now upon particular Quarrel hath laboured again&s;t him, and for occa&s;ion of exception withdrew his Children from his Teaching.</P>
<P>He, Mr. <HI>Buck,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Soame</HI> of Little <HI>Bradley</HI> have been the prime Movers in this rare project, which Mr. <HI>Soame</HI> hath &s;ince acknowledged in him&s;elf, and now reconciled upon a difference he had with Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> and finding the di&s;graces urged on again&s;t Sir <HI>Thomas</HI> his Kin&s;man and others, extraordinarily di&s;&s;ents and di&s;approves. Never was &s;o poor a matter managed with &s;o much Artifice and Indu&s;try.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> was conceived Friendle&s;s, and, by undue withholding his Stipend, Pennyle&s;s; ea&s;ie to be outed, di&s;graced, and undone at the fir&s;t A&s;&s;ault. But God hath rai&s;ed friends unto him, and the di&s;grace may fall &s;omewhere el&s;e.</P>
<PB N="4" REF="3">
<P>The Clamor cea&s;eth in great part, and both Great <HI>Thirlow</HI> and many of Little <HI>Thirlow</HI> (where the School is) di&s;avow, as approving of Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> who finding the &s;trong bent again&s;t him, offered upon rea&s;onable Terms, with payment of Arrears due for &s;erving in the School, to quit and quiet all. In &s;ort that the Commi&s;|&s;ioners took much &s;atisfaction, and employed to Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> &s;ome of them&s;elves to draw him to acceptance, but he refu&s;ed, having been at great Charge to pay him&s;elf with the money in his hands.</P>
<P>I to my co&s;t made way to his ends, and end of trou|ble, nothing prevailing, all mu&s;t down before him for a new model, inexorable, without remor&s;e either to him&s;elf or others.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> he terms a Nocent, and me by con&s;e|quence for my Charity not Innocent<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">I had in pity and fa|vour made Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> my Chap|lain.</NOTE> I think by his fair profe&s;&s;ions he would willingly have &s;topped my mouth, but cannot &s;top his own: if I have erred it is with good company, but till Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> be farther con|vinced to de&s;erve that Malefactor Term, I will not be a&s;hamed of my good intents.</P>
<P>I intended to in&s;ert the Tenor of Sir <HI>Stephen</HI>'s Will concerning his School, with the Decree exceeding the prayer of the Petition for Ejectment; al&s;o Doctor <HI>Dil|lingham</HI>'s Letters in vindication of him&s;elf again&s;t a&s;|per&s;ions, and a&s;&s;erting Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> his good Ability, with Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> his &s;ollicitation to place him School|ma&s;ter, convincing him of an Eminent activity which now he denies, making him&s;elf pa&s;&s;ive; moreover Do|ctor <HI>King</HI>'s, and others certifying in writing for Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> his well-de&s;erving, with &s;ome Letters of mine <HI>own</HI> at large tending to pacification in good offers com|plying
<PB N="5" REF="3" MS="y">with Mr. <HI>Buck</HI>'s fir&s;t pretexts, but all fruitle&s;s, and would prove too tedious; wherefore I mu&s;t leave them to your di&s;creet Comprehen&s;ion from this half Light, re&s;erving to your farther &s;atisfaction, upon de|mand, a Volume of papers conducing to clear the truth of all that is affirmed.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>A kind of continued Characters of divers worthy per|&s;ons &s;leighted, A&s;&s;ertors for Mr. <HI>Holmes.</HI></HEAD>
<P>Mr. Doctor <HI>Dillingham</HI> Ma&s;ter of <HI>Clare-Hall,</HI> where Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> had been Graduate, &s;everal times Vice-Chancellor.</P>
<P>Mr. Doctor <HI>King</HI> Ma&s;ter of <HI>Trinity-Hall,</HI> well reputed, learned, and a chief Neighbour in Great <HI>Thirlow.</HI></P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Billing&s;ley</HI> Mini&s;ter of Great <HI>Bradley,</HI> near Neighbour on the other &s;ide, hone&s;t, learned, and preceding Schoolma&s;ter in <HI>Thirlow</HI>-School.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Chambers</HI> Mini&s;ter of <HI>We&s;t-P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">utting,</HI> inhabitant in Great <HI>Bradly.</HI></P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Morden</HI> of the &s;aid Town, an under&s;tanding and well-e&s;teemed Gentleman, with other his Con&s;cribers to a favourable Certificate in the Ri&s;e of the Bu&s;i|ne&s;s.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Standing Electors according to Sir <HI>Stephen Soame</HI> his Will, laid by to a new Modell.</HEAD>
<P>Mr. <HI>How&s;man</HI> Mini&s;ter of Great <HI>Thirlow,</HI> a well famed and learned able Judge for &s;uch a concernment, ejected
<PB N="6" REF="4">for being e&s;&s;ential to all Elections, though won by me to a&s;&s;ent to a new one, without breach of the Will, &s;uch as the pro&s;ecutors would place.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Owen</HI> of <HI>Thirlow, parum</HI> adver&s;e to Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> but as is conceived expecting advantage.</P>
<P>Sir <HI>Thomas Soame</HI> &s;urviving Executor to the Care of the School, in mode&s;ty finding a fairly recommended and orderly placed man by the two Electing-Neigh|bour-Mini&s;ters in the office of Schoolma&s;ter, more competent to judge then him&s;elf living far off; but knowingly by a &s;ilent approbation a&s;&s;enting, after ha|ving been much abu&s;ed and mi&s;led by his &s;uffering him|&s;elf to become in&s;trumental to the plot; though pro|fe&s;&s;ing now to me to have nothing that he would alledge in di&s;paragement of Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> (who had been much and wrongfully traduced in pretended di&s;re&s;pects to|wards him) is now di&s;gracefully turned out from his Father's in&s;titution, in recompence of having &s;erved the Contrivers as an u&s;eful property.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Some preceding active Characters are omitted.</HEAD>
<P>As al&s;o a foul &s;currillous Libel reflecting upon divers of the above-named, with one <HI>Reyner</HI> formerly in deep difference with Mr. <HI>Buck,</HI> which hangs in charge again&s;t &s;ome of the mo&s;t Eminent.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> was mainly accu&s;ed through the whole Train of illiterate in&s;ufficiency to the learned Coun|trey Jury: but the more wi&s;e Commi&s;&s;ioners found ground enough to compo&s;e the Decree without it.</P>
<PB N="7" REF="4">
<P>After all this, Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> pretends great kindne&s;s ex|pre&s;&s;ed to Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> and re&s;pect to me; excelling in his Language, unan&s;werable in his proceedings.</P>
<P>I have troubled you and my &s;elf too much in &s;o poor and unworthy abu&s;ine&s;s, but I affect your right infor|mation.</P>
<P>Thus much for a Narrative manife&s;t, and my Apolo|gy, pardon my ha&s;te and confu&s;ion in this dark intri|cate &s;cene, and know me ever,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your mo&s;t affectionate Kin&s;man and Servant, <HI>Dudley North</HI></SIGNED>
<POSTSCRIPT>
<P>To avoid trouble and mi&s;takings of writing, I am con|tented to print &s;ome few Copies for choice friends.</P>
<P>An Appeal, as a la&s;t Anchor, is nece&s;&s;itated and goes on.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>March</HI> 26. 1666.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</POSTSCRIPT></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="5">
<PB N="1" REF="5">
<P>TO pa&s;s by all Mr. <HI>Bucks</HI> Arts for the outing Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> from being Schoolma&s;ter at <HI>Thurlow,</HI> where he divers years taught by Mr. <HI>Bucks</HI> active concur|rence in placing him, and wherein he had &s;o wrought by &s;tirring up the meane&s;t Inhabitants (all otherwi&s;e quiet) and thereby Sir <HI>Tho: Soame</HI> al&s;o again&s;t him, from whom he derived to him&s;elf a delegated, tran&s;mitted power of managing the Ejectment, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Having otherwi&s;e no colour of his own right to act therein. Which his ill-grounded Cunning, made mo&s;t credibly known unto me, moved me in Chri&s;tian Charity and Compa&s;&s;ion to appear as far as I well might in favor to prevent the effects of that ruinous Plot, laid again&s;t <HI>Holmes,</HI> and trenching to the di&s;grace of many well famed and re|&s;pectable per&s;ons, who had appeared on his behalf, which I have indu&s;triou&s;ly done, by words, Letters, and addre&s;&s;es from the entrance into the bu&s;ine&s;s in all con|&s;tancy even until this pre&s;ent day; patiently hoping (but by unrea&s;onable ob&s;tinacy failing) of my peaceable de|&s;ires, which the following Letters &s;ucce&s;&s;ively (though not &s;uccesfully) continued, will demon&s;trate, and for my own &s;atisfaction, I have thought good to gather in their Series and order together, in relation to my Letter to Sir <HI>Henry North</HI> for his Information.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<OPENER><SALUTE>Gentlemen.</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>Whom it may concern I was de&s;ired to write formerly in the behalf of Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> yet Schoolma&s;ter of <HI>Thurlow,</HI>
<PB N="2" REF="6">but refu&s;ed it, as aver&s;e from medling in others Intere&s;t, yet from thus much I would not contain my &s;elf, That upon the con&s;tant te&s;timonial of many of my hone&s;t, well-famed and Judicious Neighbours, who well know him and are able to judge I under&s;tand not any thing of enormou&s;ly &s;candalous or incompetent for the place, which he hath divers years exerci&s;ed, in which &s;en&s;e, no|thing doubting of the Ju&s;tice and ju&s;t inclinations of the worthy Commi&s;&s;ioners joyned in the examination of per|ver&s;ions from Charitable u&s;es, (wherein how far &s;chools are intended I conceive not) except in withholding what hath been given for their maintenance: I do zealou&s;ly certify in Chri&s;tian Neighbourhood, that for want of &s;ome formalities or &s;mall exceptions from which no man is exempt, and without fair admonition, I cannot but hope that the main Defendant, and they who have both placed him and continued him &s;o long time, &s;hall not &s;uffer di&s;|grace, in which a&s;&s;urance I &s;ub&s;cribe as to all cau&s;es that I conceive fair and good</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>Nov.</HI> 6. 1665.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>Du. North.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<OPENER><SALUTE>Mr. <HI>Buck.</HI></SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>I Acknowledge the favor of your la&s;t vi&s;it, which being neer dark in the evening, my &s;elf in my Chamber en|gaged to &s;ome Phy&s;ick, yet I delayed not but friendly and freely entertained you in patient long hearing and an|&s;wering you, in the way which I had formerly appeared
<PB N="3" REF="6">intending to peace and a fair undi&s;graceful way in the pro&s;ecution of the bu&s;ine&s;s concerning Mr. <HI>Holmes,</HI> where|in many con&s;iderable men were involved by what they had declared in his behalf: But all my open hearted in|clinations as to a Brother were &s;o ineffectual, that the &s;ub&s;equent pro&s;ecutions were rather more than le&s;s fu|rious, carryed on not only again&s;t him, but others who had either brought or &s;uffered him to teach in <HI>Thurlow</HI>-School, I imagine you would never have troubled your|&s;elf unconcerned therein with much co&s;t and prejudice to your health, had not &s;ome others &s;pleen urged and wrought over much upon you, and bred &s;uch an over|flowing of your gall, as (if yet not prevented) may &s;tayn your Complexion and Reputation, and if (which was much) the outing of the School-ma&s;ter might have &s;a|tisfied, it was offered, which many of your friends would have had you accept, but you were &s;o far from it, that all mu&s;t down who conceived all done according to the Founders will, &s;trange that after four years teaching the Teachers capacity &s;hould be que&s;tioned, other ob|jections being &s;mall and no admonition given: your &s;elf party to the Introduction, and till lately taking no ex|ceptions <HI>tantaene animis Caele&s;tibus irae?</HI> my &s;trong infor|mation of a &s;hameful ruine, and utter undoing plotted again&s;t him, not only detaining his due &s;tipend, but a fine urged upon him as an Intruder, moved me in Chri|&s;tianity (though a meer &s;tranger) to compa&s;&s;ion, helping to ca&s;e his fall upon my own Shoulders, making him my Chaplain, and helping him in &s;ome &s;ub&s;i&s;tence, whereby I am now become concerned in my choice, and his di&s;|grace, and how&s;oever you may in the pre&s;ent triumph, yet in his appeal and the world po&s;&s;e&s;t with the Artifice
<PB N="4" REF="7">and carriage of the bu&s;ine&s;s, you will not find your &s;elf at &s;o fair an end as po&s;&s;ibly in your reduction of the De|fendants poor nece&s;&s;itous Condition you may have con|ceived. Men of worth are intere&s;&s;ed, the E&s;quier Na|tural Vi&s;itor not con&s;ulted, may re&s;ent and expect to be heard, and all this as yet you may notwith&s;tanding re|collect, and &s;u&s;pend execution, prevent farther trouble and di&s;grace with your own quiet inward and outward, which your great Age and Infirmity much require, and &s;tand fairer in wonted e&s;timation than threatens. I have heard you intend me the favor of another vi&s;it for my clear Information: which if you do, and come with a mind more di&s;po&s;ed to peace than rigor, hard hearted|ne&s;s and per&s;ecution, it will joy my open abounding heart with recompence to this your and my trouble, and &s;end us in quiet and good Con&s;cience towards our Graves, which is the Prayer of</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>Written in ha&s;te <DATE>this <HI>26.</HI> of Dec. <HI>1665.</HI></DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>Your affectionate friend and well wi&s;her to &s;erve you <HI>Du. North.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<OPENER><SALUTE><HI>Good</HI> Mr. <HI>Buck.</HI></SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>ONce more and no more I pre&s;ume to trouble you in my well wi&s;hes to you peace and a fair end of the ill-&s;ounding engagement, thanking you for your ye&s;terdayes obliging favor in good expre&s;&s;ions to me,
<PB N="5" REF="7">wherein your good will to me abounds, I would your pa&s;&s;ion did not more abound, I yet appeal to your farther and cooler con&s;ideration, you have had already too much trouble and co&s;t, inflame and increa&s;e it not, while&s;t it may be fairly avoided, you &s;eek the performance of the will of the Founder, and the good effect of it, in the free and &s;ufficient teaching of a School for the good in&s;titu|tion of Neighbours Children, the pre&s;ent introduced Ma&s;ter you except again&s;t, his willingne&s;s and my com|plyance to your de&s;ign give you &s;atisfaction therein, and an expedient of placing another as you would wi&s;h, therein is the will of the dead and the charitable intention accompli&s;hed. But in the progre&s;s you urge an In&s;uper invading, breaking the Tenor and trenching upon the Will, unproperly and unnece&s;&s;arily, by di&s;gracing the &s;urviving Executor, a tacit mode&s;t concurrent to the pur&s;uance of the Will, in the placing Mr. <HI>Holms</HI> as Ma&s;ter by the &s;tanding Electors of the two <HI>Thurlowes,</HI> who&s;e &s;ufficiency might well be pre&s;umed on, as Schollars, Neighbours, and Mini&s;ters ejected, and di&s;gracing them, without any vi&s;ible tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, think better on it and &s;uppo&s;e not any of the Commi&s;&s;ioners or any good intel|ligent body will prove offended at &s;o fair and peaceable an end, and that farther charge, altercation, and trouble, be not wedded to an invincible &s;en&s;e of your own, but gratifie all parties concerned, for me if my endeavours to peace mi&s;carry, yet with Gods good acceptance I re|gret them not but re&s;t in my pacifick meaning,</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>Jan.</HI> 3. 1665.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>Sir, <HI>Your mo&s;t affectionate Friend,</HI> Du. North.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<PB N="6" REF="8">
<OPENER><SALUTE>Mr. <HI>Buck.</HI></SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>YOu have given me occa&s;ion to write to you beyond my meaning, finding my &s;elf to have lo&s;t much labor and good will by not prevailing the lea&s;t tittle with you in any thing that I have &s;aid or written, but now you having told Dr. <HI>Bolderough</HI> that &s;ince my &s;eeing him you had given me &s;atisfaction: It is a mi&s;information, for I am not in the lea&s;t point &s;atisfyed with your proceedings, and very little in your &s;ayings: You have named to him my Son as one of your Commi&s;&s;ioners who never &s;ate, and divers had they had timely notice and &s;itting would have been far from being carryed away by your blinding &s;urprizing artifices; I grieve to &s;ee &s;o many worthy Gen|tlemen mi&s;led by importuned &s;ub&s;criptions, and a pre&s;ent prepared Jury who could not but judge according to what appeared unto them; but all is yet <HI>pendente lite:</HI> the Appeal to come, you have al&s;o lately failed in your pro|mi&s;e made in my hou&s;e though not in my pre&s;ence that you would pre&s;ently pay Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> forty and five pounds of his arrears in your hands, which when he came to re|ceive you refu&s;ed to do upon pretence, that young Mr. <HI>Soames</HI> was landed and now (though never before) to be con&s;ulted, you have been at &s;trange co&s;t and trouble more than incumbent upon you, which you have thru&s;t your &s;elf into, nor indeed if you would have taken the &s;horte&s;t and directe&s;t way, by an eccle&s;ia&s;tical tryal of him, who was licen&s;ed to keep a School by the Lord Bi&s;hop, and had many &s;trong and con&s;iderable te&s;timonies of his &s;ufficiency thereunto, all &s;lighted and pa&s;&s;ed by, though mo&s;t com|petent to have judged betwixt a Teacher and his Schol|lars;
<PB N="7" REF="8">His taking money hath been objected, which is denyed except of &s;uch Towns as were not &s;pecified by the Will to have priviledge; now had he notice of the terms of the Will fully till very lately, which was al&s;o conceal|ed from Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> him&s;elf. And if any thing hath been taken through ignorance he hath offered to repay it, Mr. <HI>Holmes</HI> was put in upon pur&s;uance of the Will, ex|erci&s;ed the duty required many years without exception. And whereas great negligence is taxed upon him, he is ready to ju&s;tifie the contrary having never con&s;iderably ab&s;ented him&s;elf, but once in a Chri&s;tmas time, and that little more than a Moneth, three weeks ce&s;&s;ation being ordinary to all Schools, and even then he had taken care to have his place &s;upplyed, again&s;t his di&s;re&s;pect (alledg|ed) to Sir <HI>Tho. Soame,</HI> he can fully ju&s;tify him&s;elf, as al&s;o in refu&s;ing before the Commi&s;&s;ioners to be examined by Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> or his A&s;&s;igns, wherein he had otherwi&s;e done mo&s;t ba&s;ely and &s;illily: But you have not lo&s;t your co&s;t and ends, for you may have him out and others in, at your choice, the Will &s;tand inviolate, the Countrey taught, Animo&s;ities and di&s;grace prevented, charge and trouble &s;aved, and good men &s;atisfyed; Sir <HI>Thomas Soame</HI> upon whom your workings have prevailed to give you colour of power not ca&s;t out in recompence. The&s;e are the good effects you may attain by not pur&s;uing your Decree, and my &s;elf, whom you would render not innocent by countenancing a Nocent remain your friend,</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>Jan.</HI> 29. 1665.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>Du. North.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<PB N="8" REF="9">
<OPENER><SALUTE>Noble Dr. <GAP DESC="blank"> Buckenham.</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>I Never admired any thing more than Mr. <HI>Bucks</HI> incon|&s;i&s;tent intellectuals and ob&s;tinate malice in blind and blinding Arts for the overthrow of a poor Village School|ma&s;ter placed upon his own &s;ollicitation and paid and allowed by him, for above two years when he &s;tirred up and pick't a Quarrel again&s;t him, the ill favour whereof flew &s;o about the Countrey, that I upon credible te&s;timo|nies of <HI>Holms</HI> his good capacity and carriage (though a &s;tranger to the man and matter,) took it to heart in Chri|&s;tian compa&s;&s;ion, indu&s;triou&s;ly interpo&s;ing what I could to effect a right under&s;tanding, and prevent a charge trou|ble and con&s;equent di&s;grace to &s;uch as had appeared for him, or were otherwi&s;e intere&s;&s;ed with importunate per&s;wa&s;ions, to Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> of his being il-grounded, yet complying with him &s;o far as to produce his ends both in removing <HI>Holmes</HI> and bringing another, all in vain; After much conte&s;t with him, one repayring to me asked me, if I would have any thing, I an&s;wered only this, <HI>cui bono</HI> all this co&s;t and trouble? at la&s;t I became indeed in|tere&s;&s;ed at lea&s;t in reputation, as my Letter to Sir <HI>Henry North</HI> mentions. <HI>Buck</HI> hath &s;lighted many fair proffers for a peaceable de&s;i&s;tence and retraite, hath put jeering and threatning upon me, if I per&s;i&s;ted in laying him and my &s;elf open, it but the more animates me, it can be but honor to me and &s;hame to him, nor am I of a con&s;i&s;tence to fear any thing that Man, or dare or can &s;ay again&s;t me, the more this puddle is &s;tirred the wor&s;e the vapor, they who refu&s;e peace and quiet. It belongs to them to &s;uffer in the contrary, but of others <HI>quid meruere.</HI> To <HI>Buck</HI> be|longs
<PB N="9" REF="9">the blame, who may clear the &s;tage and leave all in <HI>&s;tatu quo:</HI> nor Law nor good then but will rather joy than be offended in a good agreement: <HI>Buck</HI>-bears &s;hall not fright</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>Catledge June</HI> 26, 1666.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>Your affectionate Friend to &s;erve you, <HI>Du. North.</HI></SIGNED>
<POSTSCRIPT>
<P>Thus much in my good re&s;pect to you, who as I hear never &s;ealed to the Decree, I pre&s;ume to &s;end you what I a&s;&s;ure my &s;elf you have heard of, if not &s;een my Letter to Sir <HI>Henry North.</HI></P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Thomas Buck</HI> hath &s;o acted as Sub&s;titute to Sir <HI>Thomas Soams</HI> in his executory power to his Fathers Will, as cannot but conclude through the whole agitation con|cerning <HI>Thurlow</HI> School, as well for placing as di&s;placing: Sir <HI>Thomas</HI> mu&s;t be implicitly concurring thereunto, el&s;e Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> mu&s;t have been a &s;trange Intruder without the lea&s;t Authority in what he hath a&s;&s;umed.</P>
</POSTSCRIPT></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<OPENER><SALUTE>My Good Dr. <GAP DESC="blank"> Paman.</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>PArdon my pre&s;umption, who affect to be more and more yours by this your farther courte&s;y, I am a great exalter of Charity (if not exerci&s;er of it) no doubt of your concurrence: I have in word, writing, and deed, extraordinarily &s;hewed it in the bu&s;ine&s;s betwixt <HI>Holms</HI> and <HI>Buck,</HI> manifoldly and importunately laboring peace
<PB N="10" REF="10">and prevention of charge, trouble, animo&s;ities and di&s;graces, but rancor and invincible &s;pight hath fru&s;trated my endeavours, (wherein failing) <HI>Bucks</HI> crafty and ma|licious &s;teps have been gathered though his whole cour&s;e, and are ready to be proved and Printed, which I have hitherto &s;topped expecting his recipi&s;cence, but his mo&s;t uncharitable intents cloaked with Charity continuing, and a co&s;tly cour&s;e of Appeal enforced <HI>Holms,</HI> (who&s;e &s;tipend <HI>Buck</HI> hath &s;ince his quarrel withheld) though placed by his de&s;ire and payed by him for divers years reduced to great want, having forbore to &s;ue or &s;eek for his right, until the heirs return, to whom he con&s;tantly referred him&s;elf as his proper pay-ma&s;ter and Natural over&s;eer, I can do no le&s;s than intercede for the Laborers hyre, who rather than not to pro&s;ecute his vindicating him&s;elf again&s;t unde&s;erved di&s;grace and utter ruine, mu&s;t be enforced to be received in <HI>forma pauperis.</HI> Oblige me in your a&s;&s;i&s;tance &amp; imparting thus much to the E&s;quier and procuring his an&s;wer to me herein, Mr. <HI>Buck</HI> hath complain|ed to Dr. <HI>Dillingham,</HI> more remi&s;s and &s;ubmi&s;s than for|merly, and imploring his advi&s;e, in this his misfortune and exigent, who told him he might de&s;i&s;t if he would relent, which he may yet do, nor the Law nor any good man will be offended in a peaceable, agreement and con|clu&s;ion. Ble&s;&s;ed are the Peacemakers, no man will be a loo&s;er thereby, di&s;graces avoided, the Founders Will inviolated, and nothing but malice defeated, this is ea&s;y and obvious, and a good peace never too late. The Angels &s;ang Glory to God, and peace on earth, good will towards men, better than libelling and di&s;|gracing Churchmen. I have written and &s;aid much in vain, may this prove more &s;ucce&s;sful with my &s;er|vice
<PB N="11" REF="10">to my kin&s;man and all good affection, to your &s;elf I re&s;t in ha&s;te.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>Jan.</HI> 21. 1666.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>Your really re&s;pectful Friend to &s;erve you, <HI>Du. North.</HI></SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<P>Now <HI>fiat ju&s;titia &amp; currat lex:</HI> I am re&s;olved to trou|ble my &s;elf no more, but leave Mr. <HI>Holms</HI> to be School|ma&s;ter at <HI>Thurlow, Rectus in Curia</HI> or a di&s;graced un|done man, withdrawing my &s;elf and all tho&s;e offers that I would have contributed to a fair peaceable end, they go now for nothing, as retracted and fruitle&s;s.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE><DATE><HI>Ju<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> 2. 1666.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>Du. North.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
