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<DATE>2014-08-13</DATE>
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<NAME>TCP Staff (Michigan)</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B140532.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<VID>207124</VID>
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<DIV1 TYPE="letter">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<HEAD>A COPY of the Earle of Marleborough's Letter to Sir <HI>Hugh P.</HI> Dated aboard the <HI>Old James,</HI> April 24. 1665.</HEAD>
<DIV2 TYPE="to the reader">
<HEAD>To the Reader.</HEAD>
<P>THis following Letter (being a true Copy of the Original) coming accidentally to my view, and con&s;idering with my &s;elf, that it came from a <HI>dying man,</HI> [at lea&s;t &s;o in his apprehen&s;ion,] when commonly the <HI>Heart,</HI> and not the Mouth, &s;peaketh; I held it my Duty as a <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> as well as a <HI>Friend</HI> that honours his <HI>Memory</HI> that writ it, to pre&s;ent it to publick view. <HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> That the Example of his <HI>Piety,</HI> in examining him&s;elf before the Day of Battel, Whether he was prepared for death, (con&s;idering that upon this moment of Man's life Eternity doth de|pend) might be <HI>imitated</HI> by others. <HI>Secondly,</HI> That the Foundation he hath laid in his Letter for every Chri&s;tian to build upon in order to eternal Salvation, viz. <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> in his <HI>Word,</HI> might not for the future (as he &s;aith) be either neglected, or de&s;pi&s;ed. <HI>Thirdly,</HI> That his Memory may never be forgotten, who lo&s;t his life in Battel again&s;t the <HI>Dutch,</HI> June <HI>3. 1665.</HI> when the <HI>Honour</HI> of his <HI>Prince</HI> and <HI>Countrey</HI> lay at &s;take; dying not onely as a vali|ant <HI>Souldier</HI> and <HI>Engli&s;h-man,</HI> but as a pious and good <HI>Chri&s;tian.</HI> And <HI>la&s;tly,</HI> now that Gods de&s;troying <HI>Angel</HI> is walking abroad, cutting off many daily by his dreadfull Judgment of the <HI>Plague;</HI> let the good Coun&s;el and Advice given by this Noble Per&s;on, to prepare for <HI>Eternity,</HI> take deep root and impre&s;&s;ion in your hearts.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="letter">
<HEAD>The LETTER.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>I Believe the goodne&s;s of your Nature, and the Friend&s;hip you have alwayes borne me, will receive with kindne&s;s this <HI>la&s;t office</HI> of your Friend. I am in health enough in body, and through the Mer|cy of God in <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> well-di&s;po&s;ed in mind. This I premi&s;e, that you may be &s;atisfied that what I write proceeds not from any phanta&s;ying terror of mind, but from a <HI>&s;ober re&s;olution</HI> of what concerns my &s;elf, and earne&s;t de&s;ire to do you more good after my <HI>death,</HI> then by mine <HI>example</HI> (God of his Mer|cy pardon the badne&s;s of it) in my <HI>life-time</HI> I may have done you harm. I will not &s;peak of the <HI>Va|nities</HI> of this World; your own Age and Experience will &s;ave that labour: But there is a certain thing that goes up and down in the World, called <HI>Religion,</HI> dre&s;&s;ed and pretended phanta&s;tically, and to pur|po&s;es bad enough; which yet by &s;uch evil dealing lo&s;eth not it's <HI>Being:</HI> The great and good <HI>God</HI> hath not left it without a <HI>Witne&s;s,</HI> more or le&s;s, &s;ooner or later, in every man's bo&s;ome, to direct us in the pur|&s;uit of it, and for the avoiding tho&s;e inextricable di&s;qui&s;itions and intanglements our own frail Rea&s;on would perplex us withal: God in his infinite Mercy hath given us his holy <HI>Word;</HI> in which, as there are many things hard to be under&s;tood, &s;o there is enough plain and ea&s;ie to be under&s;tood, to quiet our minds, and direct us concerning our <HI>future being.</HI> I confe&s;s to God and you, I have been a great <HI>Neglect|er,</HI> and I fear <HI>De&s;pi&s;er</HI> of it; God of his infinite Mercy <HI>pardon</HI> me that dreadful fault: But when I retire my &s;elf from the noi&s;e and deceitful Vanities of the World, I find no true <HI>comfort</HI> in any other re&s;oluti|on then what I did derive from thence. I commend, from the bottom of my heart, the &s;ame to your (I hope) <HI>happy u&s;e.</HI> Dear Sir <HI>Hugh,</HI> Let us be more generous then to believe we die as the Bea&s;ts that pe|ri&s;h; but with a Chri&s;tian, manly, brave re&s;olution, look to what is <HI>Eternal.</HI> I will not trouble you fur|ther. The onely great God, and holy God, Father, Son, and Holy Gho&s;t, direct you to a <HI>happy end</HI> of your life, and &s;end us a joyful <HI>Re&s;urrection;</HI> &s;o prayeth your true Friend,</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>Aboard the Old <HI>James,</HI> near the the Coa&s;t of <HI>Holland,</HI> <DATE><HI>April</HI> 24. 1665.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED>MARLEBORO&V;GH.</SIGNED>
<POSTSCRIPT>
<P>I be&s;eech you commend my love to all mine Acquaintance: Particularly, I pray that my Cou&s;in <HI>Gla&s;|cock</HI> may have a fight of this Letter, and as many of my Friends as you will, or any el&s;e that de&s;ireth it. I pray you grant this my reque&s;t,</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>G. Bedell,</HI> and <HI>T. Collins,</HI> near the Middle-Temple Gate in <HI>Fleet&s;treet.</HI> 1665.</P>
</DIV1>
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