Ned sent you a print of Domenic Ottoman, one of Hibraim the Grand Signor's sonnes, the brother of Mahomet, now raigning. Hee was taken at sea by a shippe of Malta, 1652, at 18 yeares of age; now a Christian and a dominican friar; your brother saw him at Turin. It is a very good and serious face; on the back side he sent more French verses concerning the pope and king of France, and that one Chairo of Milan is now the famous paynter. You may see hee went through many of those townes I mentioned, and the passinge of Mont Cenis. Dr. Browne to his son Thomas. HONEST TOM,-God blesse thee, and protect thee, and mercifully lead you through the wayes of his providence. I am much greived you have such a cold, sharpe, and hard, introduction, wch addes newe feares unto mee for your health, whereof pray bee carefull, and as good an husband as possible, wch will gayne you credit, and make you better trusted in all affayres. I am sorry you went unprovided with bookes, without which you cannot well spend time in those great shipps. If you have a globe you may easily learne the starres as also by bookes. Waggoner2 you not be without, wch will teach the particular coasts, depths of roades, and how the land riseth upon several poynts of the compasse. Blundevill 3 or Moxon 4 will teach you severall things. I see the litle comet or blazing starre every cleare evening, the last time I observed it about 42 degrees of hight, about 7 o'clock, in the constellation of Cetus, or the whale, in the head thereof; it moveth west and northerly, so that it moveth towards Pisces or Linum Sep will I The name is not to be decyphered in the original hieroglyphics, and is not explained by our copy of the letter referred to. 2 Wagenar, L. Jans. E. Speculum Nauticum; translated into English by Ant. Ashley, 1588. 3Thomas Blundeville, of Newton Flotman, in Norfolk. Referring probably to his "Theorique of the Planets," or "Exercises in Arithmetic, Cosmography, Astronomy," &c. Joseph Moxon, F.R.S. Concerning the Use of Globes, fol. 1659. 5 Mentioned by Mr. Edward Browne, in his letter, Rome, Jan. 2, 1664-5. tentrionale pisces. Ten degrees is the utmost extent of the tayle. Anno 1580, there was a comet seen in the same place, and a dimme one like this discribed by Mæstlinus. That wch I saw in 1618 began in Libra, and moved northward, ending about the tayle of Ursa Major; it was farre brighter than this, and the tayle extended 40 degrees, lasted litle above a moneth. This now seen hath lasted above a moneth already, so that I beleeve from the motion that it began in Eridanus or Fluvius. If they have quadrants, crosse-staffes, and other instruments, learn the practicall use thereof; the names of all parts and roupes about the shippe, what proportion the masts must hold to the length and depth of a shippe, and also the sayles. I hope you receaved my letters from Nancy, after you were gone, wherein was a playne electuary agaynst the scurvie. Mr. Curteen stayed butt one night, pray salute him sometimes, my humble service to Captaine Brooke, whom I take the boldnesse to salute, upon the title of my long acquaintance with his worthy brother Sr. Robert and his lady. God blese you. Your loving father, THO. BROWNE. Norwich, January 1, [1664-5.] Forget not French and Latin. No such defence agaynst extreme cold, as a woollen or flannell wascoat next the skinne. Dr. Browne to his son Thomas.-1667. I receaved yours, and would not deferre to send vnto you before you sayled, which I hope will come vnto you; for in this wind, neither can Rear-admirall Kempthorne come to you, nor you beginne your voyage. I am glad you like Lucan so well. I wish more military men could read him; in this passage you mention, there are noble straynes; and such as may well affect generous minds. Butt I hope you are more taken with the verses then the subject, and rather embrace the expression then the example. And this I the rather hint unto you, because the like, though in another waye, is sometimes practised in the king's shipps, when, in desperate cases they blowe up the same.? For though I • Michael Mæstlinus, a celebrated German astronomer, published several treatises on Comets. 7 In the action of the 3rd of June, 1666, Albemarle, the Commander VOL. III. 2 E know you are sober and consideratiue, yet knowing you also to be of great resolution; and having also heard from ocular testimonies with what vndaunted and persevering courage you have demeaned yourself in great difficulties; and knowing your captaine to bee a stout and resolute man; and with all the cordiall friendshippe that is between you; I cannot omitt my earnest prayers vnto God to deliver you from such a temptation. Hee that goes to warre must patiently submit vnto the various accidents thereof. To bee made prisoner by an vnequall and overruling power, after a due resistance, is no disparagement; butt upon a carelesse surprizall or faynt opposition; and you have so good a memorie that you cannot forgett many examples thereof, even of the worthiest commanders in your beloved Plutark. God hath given you a stout, butt a generous and mercifull heart withall; and in all your life you could never behold any person in miserie butt with compassion and relief; which hath been notable in you from a child: so have you layd up a good foundation for God's mercy; and, if such a disaster should happen, Hee will, without doubt, mercifully remember you. Howeuer, let God that brought you in the world in his owne goode time, lead you through it; and in his owne season bring you out of it; and without such wayes as are displeasing vnto him. When you are at Cales, you can get a box of the Jesuits' powder at easier rate, and bring it in the bark, not in powder. I am glad you haue receaued the bill of exchange for Cales; if you should find occasion to make vse thereof. Enquire farther at Tangier of the mineral water you told mee, which was neere the towne, and whereof many made use. Take notice of such plants as you meet with, either upon the Spanish or African coast; and if you knowe them not, putt some leaves into a booke, though carelessely, and not with that neatenesse as in your booke at Norwich. Enquire after any one who hath been at Fez; and learne what you can of the present state of that place, which hath been so famous in the description of Leo and others. The mercifull prouidence of God go with you. Impellant animæ lintea Thraciæ.-Your louing father, THOMAS BROWNE. see if in-chief, confessed his intention rather to blow up his ship, and perish gloriously, than yield to the enemy. Mr. Thomas Browne to his Father.-May, 1667. SIR, I receaved not your letter at Cales before wee were readie to returne; and therefore sent no answere, in hope I should bee in England before that could come vnto your hand: and, God be thanked, I am now riding in Portland Road, and, if the wind favour, hope to bee to-morrowe at Portsmouth, from whence this is to come vnto you. The last I writ vnto you was from Plimmouth, from whence wee sayled the 21st of Februarie, with Rere-admirall Kempthorne, and about fiftie marchand shippes. The order, and manner of the sayling of our men of warre in this expedition, I have set downe in a sheet of paper, as ordered by our admirall. The 28th wee had the length of the North Cape; and were ordered to convoy in all the marchand shippes in our fleet which were bound for Lisbone. So the first of March wee stood into Cascales Road, and saw our convoy safe up the river; and being to make hast after our fleet, that night wee got almost Cape Spichel or Picher; the next day Cape St. Vincent; and the sixth day wee arriued at Tangier; two dayes before the admirall. There wee stayed four dayes, then wayghed, and went for Cales; where wee stayed about a fortnight, to bring away such shippes as were readie for our convoy. I found Mr. Knights ashoare at Porto Sta. Maria; of whom I tooke up an hundred and fiftie six peeces of eight; which I haue now aboard in sherry sack; and which I hope will turn to good account. I have also six jarres of tent, each containing about three gallons; which I intend to present vnto my friends; and a roli of excellent tobacco, as they tell mee who have taken of it; very noble sweet waters, and orange flower butter, which may prove welcome presents to some friends. I stayed three dayes at Porto Sta. Maria, which is a large towne belonging to the Duke of Medina, wherein are two very fine churches; the one of St. Victor, the other of St. Anna; severall also of the king's galleys are layd up in this river, which cometh from the citty of Xeres, commonly called Sherrez. From hence I passed over to Cales, where I stayd some dayes: a very strong and well peopled place, with severall fayre 8 Tagus. churches, of one whereof I tooke a draught; butt the streets are narrow and ill paved, hauing little or no fresh water butt what is brought from other places; from whence also they have their hearbes, fruits, meal, and other necessaries; standing itself on a meere sand, it little differs from the figure of it in Brawne's Book of Citties. From hence wee sayled with our convoy of marchands, which came in timely enough for us, and hauing made the South Cape were agayne ordered to go into Lisbone with the Revenge, who had sprung a leake. Wee stayd one day, and left the Revenge, to bring away the marchantmen in the river. I was not sorry I stayd no longer; hauing been twice there before, and hauing taken a full view and observation of that place and all considerable places, forts, castles, and the famous conuent of Belim, in my first voyage in the Foresight with Captain Brooke, when, for a fortnight, wee dailie visited the court, attending the commands and dispatches of the Conde Melhor, the favorite, and minister of state, who sent divers letters and juells to our queen. Wee have had much fowl weather, and contrarie winds since wee parted from Lisbone, till within these six dayes. Wee had putt into Plimmouth this morning, butt it blowing hard last night, wee overshot the port, being up with the Steart Poynt by break of day; and this evening wee are come to an anchor. Mr. Thomas Browne to his Father.-May, [1667 ?] HONORD SIR,-I am newlie come into Portsmouth, and have alreadie disposed of my adventure from Cales. Wee came in with full expectation that wee should have found our fleet readie for this summer's action; butt, to the great grief of ourselves, and all honest publick spirited souldiers and seamen, wee find all contrairie to our desires; and that our great and most considerable shipps shall not be employed this summer. And in the meane time wee vnderstand, for certaine, the Duch are coming out with a good fleet. I confess as yet I vnderstand not this counsell at land; but I dare confidently say, wee shall sadly repent of it. The Duch would never have given us this advantage; and I beleeve they will not neglect to make vse of it now wee |