The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Ben Jonson

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Letter (c), from George Chapman to Thomas Howard, first Earl of Suffolk (1605)

 Letter (c), George Chapman to Thomas Howard, first Earl of Suffolk

(See also Introduction: Letters from Prison by Jonson and Chapman)

Notwithstanding Your Lordship’s infinite free bounty hath pardoned and graced, when it

might justly have punished, and remembered our poor reputations, when our acknowledged

duties to Your Lordship might worthily seem forgotten; yet since true honour delights to

increase with increase of goodness, and that our abilities and healths faint under our irksome

burdens, we are with all humility enforced to solicit the propagation of your most noble 5

favours to our present freedom; and the rather since we hear from the Lord   D’Aubigny that His

Highness hath remitted   one of us wholly to Your Lordship’s favour; and that   the other had

still Your Lordship’s passing noble remembrance for his joint liberty; which His Highness’

self would not be displeased to allow. And thus with all gratitude, admiring your no less than

sacred respect to the poor estate of virtue,   never were our souls more appropriate to the powers 10

of our lives than our utmost lives are consecrate to your noblest service.

George Chapman

Letter (c) Aubigny has evidently spoken with James on behalf of Jonson (to whose conduct Aubigny could testify from personal knowledge). James appears to have remitted Jonson’s case to Suffolk, with a recommendation for clemency; asking Suffolk at the same time to make a decision on of Chapman, who may not have been known personally either to Aubigny or to the King. Having learnt that Suffolk has formally pardoned them both, Chapman and Jonson are now seeking their release from prison. [Editor: Ian Donaldson]
6 D’Aubigny] Dawbuey Folger
7 one of us Jonson.
7 the other Chapman.
10–11 never . . . service i.e. never were our souls more closely linked with the powers of our [earthly] lives than when those lives are dedicated, to the fullest extent, to your noblest service.