“DEAR SIR,—­I have yours of the 12th of October 1670, which was in all respects most welcome to me, except when I considered that to write it you endured some pain, for you say your hand is not yet recovered.  If I could say any thing to you towards the advancement of your affairs, I could, with a better conscience, admit you should spend so much of your precious time, as you do, upon me.  But you know how far those things are out of my road, tho’, otherwise, most desirous in all things to be serviceable to you.  God’s good providence, which hath through so dangerous a disease and so many difficultys preserved and restored you, will, I doubt not, conduct you to a prosperous issue, and the perfection of your so laudable undertakings.  And, under that, your own good genius, in conjunction with your brother here, will, I hope, though at the distance of England and Persia, in good time operate extraordinary effects; for the magnetism of two souls, rightly touched, works beyond all natural limits, and it would be indeed too unequal, if good nature should not have at least as large a sphere of activity, as malice, envy, and detraction, which are, it seems, part of the returns from Gombroon and Surat.  All I can say to you in that matter is, that you must, seeing it will not be better, stand upon your guard; for in this world a good cause signifys little, unless it be as well defended.  A man may starve at the feast of good conscience.  My fencing master in Spain, after he had instructed me all he could, told me, I remember, there was yet one secret, against which there was no defence, and that was, to give the first blow.  I know your maxim, Qui festinat ditescere, non erit innocens.  Indeed while you preserve that mind, you will have the blessing both of God and man.  In general I perceive, and am very glad of it, that by your good management, your friends here get ground, and the flint in your adversarys’ hearts begins to be mollifyed.  Now after my usual method, leaving to others what relates to busyness, I address myself, which is all I am good for, to be your gazettier.  I am sorry to perceive that mine by the Armenian miscarryed.  Tho’ there was nothing material in it, the thoughts of friends are too valuable to fall into the hands of a stranger.  I wrote the last February at large, and wish it a better passage.  In this perhaps I may interfere something with that, chusing rather to repeat than omit.  The King having, upon pretence of the great preparations of his neighbours, demanded three hundred thousand pounds for his navy (though in conclusion he hath not set out any) and that the Parliament should pay his debts, which the ministers would never particularize to the House of Commons, our House gave several bills.  You see how far things were stretched, though beyond reason, there being no satisfaction how those debts were contracted, and all men foreseeing that what was given would not be applyed to discharge the debts, which I hear are at this day risen to