The Folger Shakespeare Library

L.b.529: Letter from John Donne to Sir George More, 1601/1602 February 13: autograph manuscript signed

Catalog record:http://hamnet.folger.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=244741
Collection:Papers of the More family of Loseley Park, Surrey
Preferred Citation:Letter from John Donne to Sir George More, 1601/1602 February 13: autograph manuscript signed, Papers of the More family of Loseley Park, Surrey. Transcription by Early Modern Manuscripts Online (EMMO). MS L.b.529, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC.
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leaf 1 recto



Sr
From yow, to whom next to God, I shall owe my health, by enioyeng by yor Mediacon this
mild change of Imprisonmt, I desire to deriue all my good fortune and Content in
this world. And therfore wth my most vnfeyned thanks, ꝑsent to yow my humble
peticon that yow would be pleasd to hope, that as that fault wch was layd to
me, of hauing deceiud some gentlewomen before, and that of loving a Corrupt
Religion are vanishd and smoakd away (as I assure my self, owt of theyr weaknes
they are, And that as the Deuyll in the Article of or Death takes the aduan-
tadge of or weaknes and fear to aggrauate or Sinns to or Conscience, so some vn-
charitable Malice hath presented my Debts doble at least, So; many of the
Imputacons layd vpon me, would fall of, if I might but shake and purge my
self in yor ꝑsence. But if that were donne, of this Offence committed to yow
I cannot acquit my self. Of wch yet, I hope that God, to whom for that
I hartily direct many prayers, wyll informe yow to make that vse, that as
of Euyll Manners good Lawes growe, so owt of or disobedience and boldnes,
yow wyll take Occasion to show Mercy and tendernes. And when yt shall
please ^god yow to soften yor hart so much towards vs, as to pardon vs, I beseech
yow allso to vndertake that charitable office of beeing my Mediator to my
L: whom as vpon yor iust Complaint yow found full of iustice, I doubt not
but yow shall allso find full of Mercy: for so ys the Almighty pattern of
Iustice and Mercy, equally full of bothe. My Conscience and such Affec-
tion as in my Conscience becomes an honest man, emboldneth me to make
one request more, wch ys that by some kind and Comfortable message yow
would be pleasd to giue some ease of the afflictions wch I know yor
Daughter in her Mind suffers; and that (if it be not against yor other
purposes) I may wth yor leaue wright to her; for wthowt yor leaue
I wyll never attempt any thing concerning her. God so haue mercy
vpon me, as I ame vnchangeably resolvd, to bend all my Courses to make
me fitt for her; wch if God, and my L: and yow be pleasd to strengthen
I hope neyther my Debts, wch I can easily Order, nor any thing els shall
interrupt. Allmighty god keepe yow in his fauor, and restore me to his
and yors. From my Chamber, whether by yor fauor I ame Come. 13o
Feb: 1601

Yors in all dutifull obedience
I: Donne


leaf 1 verso || leaf 2 recto

leaf 2 verso

To the right worpll
Sr George More knight