Wedderburn book; a history of the Wedderburns in ... - waughfamily.ca

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Chapter I.
Appendix
II.
Letters from Jaims We'lPrbuni, Bishop of Dunblane, to Isaac Casauhon anil his ton,
JUerie Casauhon, 1613-2G.
These letters arc preserved among the Huriiey MS. (Vols. 336 and 3G9) in the British
Part I.
Museum. I had at first intended to give them botli in tlic origin.il L;itin and in an AppI'lL
English form, but their importance does not, I think, justify the devotion of so much
space to them, and I, therefore, give thein in the original only, adding here, 1)V way
of introduction, a short summary of their contents. They are, it will be seen, teu
in number, the first of them being addressed to Isaac Casaubon, the others to his sou
Meric. In the first letter, dated Loudon, II May, 1613, Wedderburn, then tutor to
Caaaubon's children, sends to Casaubon, absent in O.xford, a report of atlairs at home.
The good conduct of his children and the sickness of a servant, who had to be sent, back
to Calais, are the matters with which he begins his letter, after which he pas-sos to his own
afifairs, in which he looked for Casaubon's help. " Ever since the great iShophcrd of the
flock (I summarize a free translation) showed mo by His light that there is no triio
happiness in the transitory things of this world, my one desire has been to devote all my
energies to His service. I left my own country, not from curiosity to sec the world, but
from zeal for learning and goodness ; my means were small, but I trusted that (Jod would
provide ; and so He did, for I became a member of your household at a .salary bevond
your m3ans or my merit.s, though still insufficient for all my wants." His desire is to help
his fellow countrymen "suffering and fated to sufTer from the lack of true schooling."
All he recjuires is books, food and raiment, and now that his time as tutor to Cxsaubon's
children is of a necessity drawing to a close, he must rely on Casanbe. nuai now «
man of some importance, in Meric's behalf. He assures him th.it the king f.iv(.iir» luii.
and that "our Archbishop, who will soon be at court," is al,-,o well disixjic^l to iuui.