Masque of Queens 6


Letter from John Donne to Sir Henry Goodere , undated.


[p. 143]
To Sir H.G.
Sir, THis 14 of November last I received yours of the 9, as I was in the street going to sup with my Lady Bedford , I found all that company forepossessed with a wonder why you came not last saturday. I perceive, that as your intermitting your Letters to me, gave me reason to hope for you, so some more direct addresse or conscience of your businesse here, had imprinted in them an assurance of your comming, this Letter shall but talke, not discourse; it shall but gossip, not consider, nor consult, so it is made halfe with a prejudice of being lost by the way. The King is gone this day for Royston : and hath left with the Queen a commandment to meditate upon [ p. 144 ] a Masque for Christmas, so that they grow serious about that already; that will hasten my Lady Bedfords journey, who goes within ten days from hence to her Lord, but by reason of this, can make no long stay there.

Bibliography
H&S, 10.491
Donne (1839), 6.343-5