or convenience of my owne but in the condition that I am, and the many imperfections upon me, I do not speak it modestly, I cannot have such a thought. I am hartily sorry for the death of that Bishop,[EH] he was a man of excellent parts and though there was something to be desired in him, yett take him alltogether he was both able and likely to good service in that place which I pray God may loose nothing by his successor! My Lord I beseech your Lordship to present my most humble duty and thankes to my gracious Master, the thinking me worthy of such a preferment, and that frankness and kindness which you speak of in his expressing it, was worth to me a great deale more then any thing els he could give me. I pray for him daylie, and most hartily, as I doe likewise for your Lordship to whom I am a moste affectionate servant My Lord JO: EARLES." [_Addressed_] "For the Right Reverend Father in God Gilbert Lord Bishopp of London these at Whitehall." FOOTNOTES: [DZ] It is curious to find this Character in the Durham MS. Bliss, in his account of the editions, speaks of the 6th edition (1633) as having two _additional_ Characters, one of them being "The Herald." The edition of 1630, also called "the 6th edition augmented," I possess. It contains seventy-six characters (numbered as seventy-seven by mistake), but neither of the two "additional ones." Bliss's knowledge of editions, as well as his acquisition of them was increased largely in the years that followed the publication of his book. When he had acquired the 1st edition he wrote pathetically in his annotated copy, "I have been more than fifty years looking for this book!" By that time too he knew that what he here calls the _2nd_ edition of 1629 was really the _fifth_. (See _Arber's Reprint_, where a table of the editions is given.) [EA] "Fields."--_Bright MS._ [EB] "Prices."--_Bright MS._ [EC] This sentence by itself would make the Durham MS. a treasure. [ED] "He is of great account with his mercer and in no man's books so much: who is so sure a friend to him that he will not lose him."--_Durham MS._ [EE] "He is a great derider of schollers and censures their steeple hats for not being set on so good a blocke as his."--_Durham MS._ [EF] "He will pull it out in the streets."--_Durham MS._ [EG] "Counter."--_Durham MS._ [EH] Bp. Gauden, of Worcester, died in the beg. of Sept., 1662. [CLARENDON STATE PAPERS, No. 1465.] MR. EARLES TO MR. HYDE.[EI]