Works, Book 4 · Letter 1 – Letter 3
EPISTLE I.
The Fellows of Trinity Colledge near Dublin, their Letter to Mr. Mede, desiring him to accept of the Provostship of their Colledge.
Worthy Sir,
THE vacancy of the place of Provost of this Colledge, happening by the death of our late Governour Sir William Temple, hath drawn us the Fellows of the same to seck abroad for a Successor, on whom that place might be conferred: among many whom we have had recommended unto us, especially by the Lord Primate of Ireland, your worthy self is one, VponUpon which consideration, being of all other the weightiest, we have fixed our resolutions upon your person, and have accordingly setled the Election. And howsoever we are as yet ignorant of your intentions, as unacquainted with your person; yet the hope of your acceptance is so much advanced by the Lord Primate his confidence of the same, as we conceive you will not expect we should use many words to that purpose. A long-continued uncertainty in your determinations will (as matters now stand) be a means to lay us open to many disadvantages, which we hope you will stop by your freely accepting of what we so freely tender unto you. What the Affairs are that require your speedy settlement in the Government, we refer to the Relation of Mr. Temple and Mr. Lloyd, two of the senior Fellows, to whom you may give credit as our Agents, whose Commission is from us, and Imployments in the behalf of our Colledge have our approbation. And thus ceasing to be further trouble some unto you, we commit you to the protection of the Almighty, ever resting
Your assured Friends, Trinity Colledge, March 15. 1626. Io. Brodley, Io. Iohnson, Edw. Parry, Io. Wigget, Nath. Linch, Ranulp. Adams.
EPISTLE II.
Mr. Mede's Answer to the foregoing Letter.
Worthy Gentlemen,
YOur love and good opinion of me, a person so unknown unto you, hath so far obliged me to your Society, that I confess an Answer by Letter is no way sufficient to acknowledge it: Yet both the great difference accompanying your Election, with such inconveniences as I saw must needs have followed thereupon, besides the consciousness of mine own disabilities and infirmities, which gave me just cause to suspect I should not satisfie that expectation which would be of a Stranger in such a place, hath deterred me from accepting that honour which was by you so lovingly conferred upon me: which therefore I must, and do fully and freely resign into your hands, hoping that God will direct you in the choice of some other, both more able and worthy to take that charge upon him. Howbeit, as I shall never forget this so undeserved a favour, so will I ever account my self to have that relation to your Society, which shall bind me as affectionately to love and pray for the prosperity thereof, as if I were a Member; and, if God should ever give me opportunity, no less to endeavour the same. In the mean time I heartily desire Almighty God to bless you, and will ever remain
Your obliged Friend, Ioseph Mede. Christ's Coll. 10 April, 1627.
EPISTLE III.
Ios. Medi Epistola ad R. Ia. Usserium, Archiepisc. Armachanum.
Reverende Primas,
EX nu…errimis Domini Loei ad Capellum nostrum literis,This Ep…stle contains the Author's thankful acknowledgment of the L. Prima…e's favours and enc…uragement in his A p…cahptical …udies, a… a… his judgment of th… … Tr… … Of which see also EPIST. XX. haud medio…ri cum animi molestia intellexi, quos numero Apocalyptico septem ad R. D. tuam in Hiberniam tran…miseram Libellos, in itinere Dublinum & Droghedam inter deperiisse. Hem, itáne eos in fraterculorum Hibernorum, quibus minimè laboraveram aut sumptus feceram, manus devenisse? Ut ut sit, jacturam istam, Reverende Antistes, quantum possum, nunc resarcio, missis, numero quidem propter inopiam meam paucioribus, sed paris omnino meae in R. Paternitatem tuam, tot mihi nominibus honorandam, observantiae & officii testibus. Unum autem me malè habet, quod cui praecipuè atque inprimis debueram hoc quicquid sit literarii muneris, ei jam, malo infortunio meo, postremo ferè omnium obveniat quod destinaveram. Tu enim, Reverende Praesul, primus mihi ad haec ulteriùs excolenda stimulus, Tu torpentem animum alloquio, comitate, & plausu tuo excitâsti. Imò, quod nunquam mihi nisi cum gratissimi animi significatione memorandum est, Tu illustri illâ tuâ ad Collegii Dubliniensis Praeposituram commendatione effecisti, ut nullius antea neque meriti neque existimationis homuncio, exinde tamen aliquid esse videar ab aestimatione Vestra. Quidni igitur aegerrimè feram, tam serò ad Teperventuram esse hanc qualemcunque officii mei & devotionis tesseram?
Huic igitur malo sive infortunii, sive culpae fuerit, aliquatenus ut medicer, consultum fore putabam si Auctariolum aliquod Libellulis hisce meis adjungerem, Dissertatiunculam de gemina illa apud Daniclem periodo Dierum, c. 12. v. 11, 12. praeterea Specimen interpretationis Millennii Apocalyptici, à reliquo similium Speciminum corpore resectum. Nam rogatu, seu magìs instantiâ amicorum, quibus institutum meum in Libellulo meo praeter omnem opinionem placuit, factum est, ut Specimina quaedam exinde concinnaverim Interpretationum Apocalypticarum ad amussim Clavis Apocalypticae. In quibus quae de septima Tuba ejúsque mille annis disseruerim, limatissimo judicio …uo, R. P. e… quâ par est humilitate subjicio. De quo etiam quid paulò post mihi acciderit, apud Paternitatem tuam tacere non possum; nimirum vixdum me haec conscripsisse, atque cum amicis de iisdem contulisse, cùm ecce in Catalogo Francofurtensi, propter tumul tus bellicos & marinorum itinerum pericula post quadrimestre demum ad nos allato, Libellum deprehendo hoo titulo, Verosimilia Historico-Prophetica De rebus in novissimo die eventuris, è sacris utriusque 'Iestamenti Oraculis collecta, pio & accurato studio cujusdam foreign. Protinus animum meum suspicio incessit (quam postea veram comperi) de Millennio Apocalyptico agi. Proinde Bibliopolis nostris id negotii dedi, ut omni studio Librum istum perquirerent. Duo tan…ùm aut tria exemplaria Londinum advecta sunt. Unum ego nactus sum. Author Lutheranus est, sed Anonymus; vir quidem, ut videtur, doctus &, quod in istius sectae homine rarum, permodestus. Haud temerè suspicatus sum de argumento; nam eandem planè tuetur de Die suo Novissimo sententiam quam ego de Die Iudicii conceperam. Ut Libro prelecto non mediocriter in sententia mea confirmatus sim, tum propter hoc ipsum, tum quòd multa Scripturae loca in eo reperi adeò ad meam mentem interpretata; ut consensionem in talibus à communi sententia abeuntibus oppidò mirarer. Vides, Reverende Praesul, quò me rapit Contemplatiunculae meae nimium forta…se studium, ut etiam tibi hisce narrandis importunus sim. Sed ultrà Paternitatem tuam à gravioribus tuis meditationibus non distinebo. Deus te, Reverendissime ac Illustrissime Domine, quàm diutissimè incolumem & superstitem velit Ecclesiae & Patriae tuae bono.
E. Collegio Christi, 24 Aprilis An. 1628. Reverendissimae Paternitatis tuae studiosissimus, Iosephus Medus.