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THE RIGHT HONOURABLE MY SINGULAR GOOD LORD,

EDWARD LORD DENNY,

BARON OF WALTHAM,

RIGHT HONOURABLE:

IF ever any man had reason to be in love with the face of a foreign entertainment, those are they, which were admitted to the attendance of the truly generous and honourable Lord Hay, your most noble Son, in his late embassage to France: in which number my unworthiness was allowed to make one; who can, therefore, well witness, that no man could either receive more honour from a strange country, or do more honour to his own. What wanted there, that might make men confess themselves more welcome than strangers? Neither doubt I, but, that after many ages, France itself will wonder at the bountiful expressions of her own favours.

But, while others were enjoying the noble courtesies of the time, my thoughts entertained themselves with searching into the proof of that ordinary Travel, wherewith I saw men commonly affected: which, I must needs confess, the more I saw, the less I liked. Neither is it in the power of any foreign munificence, to make me think ours any where so well as at home. Earthly commodities are no part of my thought: I looked, as I ought, at the soul; which I well saw, uses not only to gather no moss in this rolling, but suffers the best graces it hath to moulder away insensibly in such unnecessary agitation.

I have now been twice abroad: both times, as thinking myself worthy of nothing but neglect, I bent my eyes upon others, to see what they did, what they got. My enquiry found our spiritual loss so palpable, that now, at last, my heart could not chuse but break forth at my hand, and tell my countrymen of the dangerous issue of their curiosity.

I meddle not with the common journeys to the mineral waters of the Spa to which many sick souls are beholden for a good excuse; who, while they pretend the medicinal use of that spring, can freely quaff of the puddle of Popish Superstition, poisoning the better part,

instead of helping the worse. These I leave to the best physician, Authority; which, if it may please to undertake the cure, may perhaps save as many English souls from infection, as that water cures bodies of diseases.

I deal only with those, that profess to seek the glory of a perfect breeding, and the perfection of that which we call civility, in travel: of which sort I have, not without indignation, seen too many lose their hopes and themselves, in the way; returning as empty of grace and other virtues, as full of words, vanity, mis-dispositions.

I dedicate this poor discourse to your Lordship, as, besides my daily renewed obligations, congratulating to you the sweet liberty and happy use of your home: who, like a fixed star, may well overlook these planets; and, by your constant settledness, give that aim to inferior eyes, which shall be in vain expected from a wandering light.

The God of Heaven, to whose glory I have intended this weak labour, give it favour in the sight of his Church; and return it back, but with this good news, that any one of the sons of Japhet is hereby persuaded to dwell ever in the tents of Shem. Unto that divine protection, I humbly betake your Lordship, justly vowing myself,

Your Lordship's humbly devoted,

in all faithful and Christian obedience,

JOSEPH HALL.

QUO VADIS?

SECT. 1.

It is an over-rigorous construction of the works of God, that, in moating our Island with the ocean, he meant to shut us up from other regions for God himself, that made the sea, was the Author of navigation; and hath therein taught us to set up a wooden bridge, that may reach to the very antipodes themselves. This were to seek discontentment in the bounty of God, who hath placed us apart, for the singularity of our happiness; not for re

straint.

There are two occasions, wherein Travel may pass,-matter of TRAFFIC, and matter of State.

Some commodities God hath confined to some countries: upon others he hath with a full hand poured those benefits, which he hath but sprinkled upon some. His Wise Providence hath made one country the granary, another the cellar, another the orchard, another the arsenal of their neighbours, yea, of the remotest parts. The earth is the Lord's, which he meant not to keep in his hands, but to give; and He, which hath given no man his faculties and graces for himself, nor put light into the sun, moon, stars, for their own use, hath stored no parcel of earth with a purpose of private reservation.

Solomon would never have sent his navy for apes and peacocks ; yet held gold and timber, for the building of God's house and his own, worthy of a whole three years' voyage.

but

The sea and earth are the great coffers of God: the discoveries of navigation are the keys, which whosoever hath received, may know that he is freely allowed to unlock these chests of nature, without any need to pick the wards.

Wise Solomon's comparison is reciprocal. A ship of merchants, that fetches her wares from far, is the good Housewife of the Commonwealth; and, if she were so in those blind voyages of antiquity, which never saw needle nor card, how much more thrifty must she needs be in so many helps both of nature and art!

Either Indies may be searched for those treasures, which God hath laid up in them for their far-distant owners. Only let our merchants take heed, lest they go so far, that they leave God behind them; that, while they buy all other things good-cheap, they

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