my onely worldes happines referring onely to the care of your kindnes in the faith of true affection I rest Yours auowed and assured R. N. A letter to a friend to borrow a piece of mony SIr as nothing more trieth a friend then calamitie so is there nothing more grieuous then to bee beholding In kindnes therefore if I maye become your debtor for fiue pounds it is not much yet will it pleasure me more then a little your appointed day I will not breake with you and wherein I may thankfully require you you shall find no forgetfulnes of your kindnes but time is precious and therefore entreating your speedie answere in hope of no deniall I rest Your assured friend to command T. W. The Aunswere I Would be as glad to pleasure you as any man but truth cannot be blamed for more then for my necessary vse that I cannot spate I am not presently furnished I praye you therefore take not a deniall vnkindly for iâ— my credit will pleasure you I will not faile my best to doe you good if otherwise you would vrge mee it will â—â—e to little purpose and therefore sory that I am not in tune to satisfie your expectation I must leaue patience to your kind discretion which as you know me shall commaund me for I am and will bee to the vttermost of my power You re assured friend D. S. To my best beloued Cosen mistrisse H.C. at her house in pe Chest. MY good Cousen I remember at my last being with you wee had some conference aboute consideration beleeue me when I consider the worlde and what I haue seene in it and the best things of it and that all if it effect is as nothing or rather worse if any thinge at all I wonder howe men who haue so much iudgement of good froÌ„ euill will shewe so little vnderstanding of good in following of euil how can those meÌ„ that know the in certaine time of death liue as though they thought neuer to die hâ—we can hee that readeth or heareth the word of god and beleeueth the truth of it bee so carelesse of it and so disobedient to it will men bee sicke that may bee whole â—or dye that may liue what shall I say but as Paule saide to the Corinthians O yee foolish people who hath bewitched yee it is the worde of God that transgression is as the sinne of witch-crafte and surely if men were not bewitched with sinne they could not so delight in wickednesse being the crosse and barre to all their happines coulde the theefe consider the doome of the lawe or the miserie of the dispoyled surely hee would not steale if the adulterer did consider the filthines of his action and the shame of his folly surelye hee would turne honest if the murtherer did consider the horror of death and the terror of sinne hee woulde neuer kill In briefe if any sinner woulde looke into the foule nature of sinne hee woulde bee out of loue with it and if â—ee did consider the power of Gods wrath hee woulde bee afraide of it Nay could or would man consider the goodnes of God towards him in commaunding and forbidding nothing but that which is good for him howe could hee bee so forgetfull of his owne good in offending the Author of all goodnesse If the vnthrifâ— coulde consider the misery of wanâ— sure he would not be carelesse of his estaâ—e if the couetous coulde consider the misery of the poor he would be more charitable if the Swaggerer could consider the comelines of sobriety and the shame of immodesty surely hee would be more ciuill If the magistrate did consider the misery of the poore he woulde not be so careles of their torment put them to such sorrow but remember that iustice without mercie is to neere a tuch of Tiraâ—ny If the offendant did consider the griefe and shame of punishment he would containe himselfe within the compasse of a better course If â—ee that preacheth the worde and followeth it not could consider the heauinesse of Gods iudgemente and the shame of his folly hee woulde doubtlesse bee more carefull of his soul and more kinde to his flock If the lawyer could consider the lawe of god hee would neuer grieue his clyent nor speake against a knowne truth but as I saide before to leaue tediousnesse it is the onely lack of consideration that maketh the heedlesse will of man to runne the waye of error to the ruine of his beste comforte and therefore entreat you notwithstanding my allowance of your iudgement touching the heauenly prouidence and power in the motion of al good actions yet so to allow of my opinion touching consideration that it is a great and one of the greatest causes of the confusion of reason by the corruption of nature and knowing that the care of your consideration is such as doth and may wel giue example to the most expert to follow the rules of your directions in the whole course of your life wishing my selfe so happie as to enioy the company of so good a friend till I see you and euer I rest in fast setled affection Your very louing friend N. V. To my sweet loue mistris E. P. SWeet Loue if absence could breed forgetfulnesse then fortune should doe much harme to affection but when the eye of the mind looketh into the ioye of the hearte the sentence may well be spoken As in silence you may heare me so in absence you may see me for loue is not an hours humour nor a shadowe of light but it is a light of the spirit and a continuing passion thinke not therfore I do or can forget thee or loue my sefe but for thee shortly I hope to see thee and in the meane time though not with thee yet not from thee nor well at rest with my selfe til I may reste only with thee I rest alwaies to rest Thine onely and all â— VV. Her Aunswere MY deare if delayes were not a death to loue excuse were currant in the construction of kingdomes but sentences are better spoken then vnderstood and a pleasing presence is better then an excused absence remembrance is good but possession better and loue holdeth memorie but a kind of melancholie Let your selfe therefore be your messenger rather of your loue then your letters least fortune in a mad fit be a crosse to your best comforte not in respect of my constancy but my parents vnkindnesse This is all I will write at this time but wishing a happie time to the beginning of a neuer ending I rest til that time and at all times on the same Yours as you know E. P. An old mans letter to a young widdow VVIddow I haue neither a smooth face nor a filed tongue to cheate your eies nor abuse your eares withall but a true hearte and a constant minde that doth inwardly loue you and will nâ—uer deceiue you fickle heads and vnbrideled wills know not wher nor how to bestow themselues when their
A POSTE WITH a packet of madde Letters The second part LONDON Printed by R. B. for Iohn Browne and Iohn Smethicke and are to be solde in S. Dunstones churhyard 1606. TO THE READER READER I knowe not what you are and therefore I cannot well tell What to saye to you onelye this at aduenture if you bee wise you will not play the fool in scoffing at that which perhappes may deserue a better countenaunce if you bee not wise I can but praye for your better vnderstanding howsouer you bee I will hope the beste of you that you will think of my work as it deserues which is as much as I desire if you get any good by it thank me for it if hurt thanke your selfe for youre abuse of that mighte serue you better this is all I can and will at this time saye vnto you my intente was to pleasure manie and you maie be one of them and to hurt none at all and therefore not you So leauing my booke to your liking as it falleth out I rest as I haue reason Your friend Nich. Breton A Poste vvith a Packet of madde letters The second part The letter betweene the Knight R.M. and the Lady E. R. SWeet should be that spirit which through the instinct of loue vnderstaÌ„deth the silence of truth whose tonge is the hearte whose words are sighs in which are hidden the secret fruites of those trees that onely grow in the paradise of reason vouchsafe then faire eie more brighte then the sunny beames with one faire glaunce of â—our gratious fauoure to blesse this rude and vnworthy paper the which if it haue made you any offence in the fire consume it but if thorough the power of the fates or the effect of your kindenes it maie doe you the leaste pleasure Let him be Metamorphosed to worse then nothing that woulde be any thing but that letter during your reading or euer any other thing then your will in your seruice for that vnder heauen hauing no cause of comforte but in my concealed hope of your grace let all worlds sweet be as bitternes to my thought that shal seeke sweetnes in other sence so looking for no felicitie but in the nest of the Phaenix in the admiration of honour in the humilitie of loue I rest Yours deuoted to be commanded Her Answere WIsedome mighte well appeare in that hearte which could pearce into the conceipte of that spirit that with the figures of loue deceiues the sence of Simplicitie which not suspecting euill findes seldome other substance O poore truthe how is thy Title made a shadow of deceipt while in seeking of paradise folly falls into hell yet not to wrong any Creature happy maie that liue that makes faith his felicitye and pardoned be that paper that doth but his masters message let then sighs be buried in the depth of forgetfullnes while silence vnderstandeth that vertue speaketh and in the fier of that flame whose heat is more felt then seen be that letter burned that offendes me with pleasure so assuring my selfe that if from the nest of the Phaenix you passe without a fether either the figure will be a Cipher or the fancie affection so leauing your beste thought to a blessed Issue I rest Affectionately Yours in what I maie E R. His Replie VNworthy should that heart bee of the least of loues happines that can haue power to giue place to the poyson of deceeite and more then miserable were the life that to hel makes sutch a passage Oh blessed creature do not thinke the world to be the Caue of the accursed nor doe a wrong to loue in the suspition of truth Simple faith hath no feare and true loue cannot faine but if Silence be the onely Aunswere of the expectation oâ— comforte hope in obscurenesse mâ—st seeke the happinesse of desire but let not fancy bee Cipher when faith knowes no fiction but let your fauoure bee the fether in the neste of my honours Phenix which till I maie kindly receiue I shal in the sunne beames of your beautie consume to the ashes of discomfort in which commending the sum of my life to the true and honourable seruice of loue I rest Yours what mine owne R. M. Her aunswere VNgratious is that spirite that thorough suspition of deceipte doth Iniury to loue and blessed is that fancie that liues onelie by faithe sweet is the warre where kindnes endes the quarrell and little the hurt where hope is a moste present and readie helpe in briefe they are blinde trauailers that in seeking to finde heauen goe to hell and if loue bee himselfe he hath life in Assurance let it then suffice you to finde the due of desart where desire exceedes not the limits of Reason so in the nature of that honour that giues vertue her best Grace commending the comfort of your care to the condition of your conceipte I reste as I haue occasion to equall honoure in true affection Yours as I finde cause E. R. A merry letter from a conceited friend to his like familiar HOnestie I hope I am in the righte excepte the greate winde haue blowen cleane awaâ—e youre beste witte giue me leaue spight of your teeth to tell you that I loue you leaâ—t I should growe deafe I would bee glad to heare of you for thoâ—gh I am â—ot blinde yet I cannot see you and therefore hauing a lit messenger I thought it not amisse to write to you not for any thing that I haue to saie to you but that while I think on you you shoulde see I doe not forgot you for though complimentes are but idle yet they make wordes in steed of better matter and so forth now to the purpose you shall vnderstand that at the writing hereof a sodaine occasion of busines made mee make an end ere I had begon thereore intending to write I know not what to abridge my conceite I know not how but hoping that you are wise enough to thinke what you lift I will onely praie for you that being in as good health as I leaâ—t you as soone as conueniently you can I may meet with you 〈◊〉 where it shal please you for as you know I am for you in al kindnes to quite you and so to him that made you euer to blesse and keepe you with my heartes commendation I leaue you Yours what mine owne B. An Answere to the same WAgge-pasty I am sure I am not in the wrong excepte the Sunne haue dried vp your brains since I left you Let mee for I will tell you that in my loue I outleape you and will not be so idle as not to answere you that my sences doe not so fayle me but that I vnderstand you and hauing no better company would be glad to bee troubled with you for you haue not a kind thought wherein I doe not quarrell with you whether is more force in the nature of true friendshippe which because fortune fauoures few fooles this yeare wee must
of sinne but with the crueltie of fortune the vnkindnesse of friends and the breach of my credit and most of all with them whom I most loue Oh God my heart aketh and blame it not and my spirit mourneth and reprooue it not for though patience bee a vertue that maketh men diuine yet there is but one Christ men are no Angels and let me tell thee true the miserie of my life is intolerable in the sense of nature for compare the afflictions of the most patient with the causes of my passions and prouide a world of pittie to behold the mappe of my miseries hath one man beene wealthie becom poore so am I hath another suffered wrong so doe I another buried his parents children deare friendes so haue I another trauailed farre in hope of gaine and return with losse so haue I another been wounded in the wars fared hard laine in a cold bed manie a bitter storme and been at manie a hard banquet all these haue I another imprisoned so haue I another long beene sicke so haue I another plagued with an vnquiet wife so am I another indebted to his hearts griefe and faine would paie and cannot so am I another in loue so am I another out of loue with himselfe so am I in summe when anie of these crosses are able to kill the heart of a kind spirit and all these lie at once so heauie vpon mine hart as nothing but the hand of God can remoue besides my continual toile for the reward of vnquietnesse while that which should be my comfort is my corrosiue imagine how with all this I can liue and think what a death it is thus to liue Oh the scorn of the proud the abuse of the vngratious the scoff of the foolish and the scanning of the vnkind the companie of the discontentiue and the want of the most affected the disgrace of learning the losse of time and the miserie of want If there be a Hell on the earth it cannot be farre from this caue of my discomforte where I am sure the diuel seeing my desire to serue God laieth all the barres he can in the waie of my best comfort but I deâ—â—â— him and hope in Christ that my liuing and louing God who hath tried my soule in aduersities wil one day in his mercie so look vpon me that the diuel shall be driuen back from his purpose and the tears of my sorrow wipt away I shall reioyce in such a ioy as all my griefes cleane forgotten my hart and soule shall in the ioy of all my sense in the heauenlie harmonie of a holy himne sing a new song of praise to the glorie of my Sauiour for the hastening whereof in my deliuerance from my torments and comforts in his mercies I will frame my dailie prayers and bee assured of thy Amen but I feare I am too tedious and therefore wil thus end God continue my patience but not my sorrowes giue me deliuerance from my miseries and make me thankful for his blessings blesse thee with as much happines as thou knowst I want so leauing my hopes to his mercies and vs both to his tuition I rest with as little rest as I think any man can rest Thine or not mine owne N.R. To his faire Mistresse and heartes honour Mistresse A. T. LAdie I haue been so ill a scholar to loue that I neuer yet learned the courting of beautie neither would I willingly vse Act to abuse vertue and therefore if plaine truth may haue grace I will vse no Atturneie in this case which being to be iudged in your kindnes I will onely craue audience and stand to your arbitrement my case being mine owne lawyer thus I plead your eies haue stolne my hearte now I must either be accessarie to mine own hurte or accuse you of the fellonie but rather willing to loose my heart in your eyes then keepe them to looke on other light I wil onelie appeale to your selfe what to doe in this passion If I loue you must know it for your eies haue my hearte and if I loose my hearte you must haue it for your eies are wel worthie of it but now you haue it preserue it for your seruice let it not die in displeasure that hath no life but in your loue of it could speak it would tell you how dearlie highlie and onelie it honours you and if you will beleeue it you shal quicklie find it for it is dedicated to your seruice and hath no care but of your fauoure keepe it then to your vse vse it to your pleasure and let it dye in other comfort In summe not to dwel â—pon ceremonies it is nothing mine but al yours and if it maie liue in your eyes it seekes no other heauen in this world driue it not then froÌ„ you that hath no life but in you and take it wholly to you that is as nothing without you so leauing it with my selfe to the honour of your onelie seruice I take my leaue for this time but will rest euer Yours â—â—â—wed and deuoted R. S. To his very good friend Master R. B. at his house in Coll. SYr I knowe you loue no long letters and my sute being tâ— most men so vnpleasing I would be loath to be tedious I haue purchased a peece of land and laied out al my mony now vpon the sodain an vnexpected occasioÌ„ puts me to an extraordinarie charge for the furnishing wherof I am constrained to try my good frinds among which presuming of your kind promise vpon any vrgent occasion to stand me in steed I am to intreat you by this bearer to helpe me to forty pounds wherein you shall so much pleasure me as so much maie doe and as I can requiâ—e it I will not forget it I would haue it for sixe months my daie I will not breake I will take it kindelie and deserue it thankfully my seruant is trusty and therefore I praie you send it by him and as you will bee assured of mâ— loue feede mee not with delays nor excuse for I knowe you haue it and you know I will paâ—e it Thus loath to vse you like a broker to send you a pawne as an honest neighbour let me be beholding to your kindnesse in which you shal giue me cause in the like or a greater matter to rest vpon at as short a warning Your assured friend to vse R. H. To the Right worshipfull my very good master Syr Thomas VVard Knight at his house in Padow SYr after mine humble duty I haue talked witâ— diuers of those parties to whoÌ„ you directed me touching y e benefit to be made of the sate which you haue in hand whose opinions I fiâ—de diuers yet all agreeing in this that if you can procure it irreuocable the mony will be aduentured otherwise they are loth to engage their states and credits too far vpoÌ„ bare hopes for liues are vncertaine and in the change of times diuerse things fall
R.B. To my louing Cousen master T. VV. Iustice of peace SYr I would be glad to write you newes of the dispatch of your busines but yet it will not bee for Lawyers bâ—ing ful of Clyents cannot answere al men at once and therefore considering your matter is in a case of more conscience then gaine I must attend the leisure of your Counsellour who as he is wiâ—e I doubte not but will proue honest anâ— then a little time will be well 〈◊〉 with that brings a good houre at the last your aduersarie is full of mony and trudgeth vp and downe like a foxe but I hope in sâ—eed of a goose hee will bee choaked with a feather haue you no feare nor care of it for I doubt not to effect it to your content and so much for your lawe busines Now for other matters the occurrents of this time are either so friuolous or dangerous that I thinke silence better blamed then babbling for though there be fewe Partridges yet there are many setters heer in this town who listen for speeches intercept letters accuse the simple and vndoe the foolish and therefore I had rather bee silent with the Nightingale til May then prate like a Cuckoe out of season yet for that you shall not think me fearefull of sparrow blasting I wil write you a little news Tobacco is like to grow a great commoditie for there is not an Ostler nor a Tapster but will be at his whiffe or two and vse it as a shooing-horn to draw on a potte of Beere â—ottell Ale is more common then good and yet deare enough it is so taken vp with the drunken true Theeues are well weeded and yet besides shoue-groate Testers there are some lookers now and then Painting was neuer sâ— common and pretty cheape And for women some goe like Antickes some like maskers some proudly sober and some like carelesse Resolution but some few like angels but they are too high for men and therefore I leaue them to higher powers Now men are as in times past if young hardly wise though witty if aged wise if wealthy serued and honoured if poore at least scorned if not worse vsed If wise perhaps employed if folish baffled this I say for the most part for somtime for some cause both youth and age and pouerty and folly are lâ—â—ely borne withall but for that this is rather an old obseruation then any new matter I wil end my long letter with neuer ending loue And so in hope of your health commit you to the Almightie Your very louing Cousen VV. R To the right honourable his very good lord the Lord. VV. H. RIghte honourable your noblenesse neuer ceasing to binde my seruice to your kindnesse hath made me at this instant to presume a little vpon your good fauour So it is my good Lord that I am shortly to bestow a daughter of mine in mariage vpon a gentleman of some worth and according to our custome friends must bee feasted when a Paâ—â—y of Uenison is a grace to the whole seruice your honour shall much pleasure mee and as often heeretofore giue mee no little cause to bee thankeful my state is not greate but my loue so farre assured as wherein I maye deserue that I cannot requite I will faile of my hope but I will discharge some parte of my debte And so not doubting your honourable fauoure to this my sute for a Bucke beseeching God to adde happines to youre good health I humbly take my leaue Your honors in all humblenes R.S. To his deare friend M. F. R. at his lodging in the Temple YOu wrote of late vnto mee for my opinion of your intent and abuse for your course which two pointes I will touch as truelie and fitly as I can Your intent is to leaue your studie and first to Courte and then to Armes but what hath altered your intent in studie to fall vpon an entent to straunge courses For youre Bookes peaceably entreat of those thinges which you maye finde disquiet in passing through For touching your first course is it not bettâ—r to reade of Princes then to carrie theire crownes you cannot feel their burthens except you had their cares Howe full of perils are theire pleasures yea howe many instrumentes of mischiefe doth the deuill send into the worlde to crosse the courses of good Princes that are leading theire people to Heauen and if they bee Woolues to theire owne flockes how safe is it to bee farre from theire Courtes Now leauing good Princes to Gods blessing and other to his amendment goe a little to his counsell Oh howe greate are the weight of the charges and howe many the natures of their troubles who if they all bee of one minde and as if were one body of many members yet sometime a toe and a finger a hand or an arme a tooth or an eie a tongue or an â—are may perhaps bee out of temper and so that all the bodie maie be out of frame saye their wittes are greate thorough experience of place and their pleasures greate in the authoritie of power and their powers greate in the vertue of fauoure yet with all when experience is put to a newe studie prouidence muste â—rie the power of witte with no little trouble and when pleasures holde in power loue hath no place in seruilitie and when power restes vpon fauoure what is the feare of fortune And further â—is not the care of a common wealth a continuall toyl of witte power a daungerous sâ—eppe to pride hatefull in the highest eie and fortune vnfaithfull in all her fauoures rather read then the laudable cariage of their courses in the seruice of kings then seek in court to see their kingly courses for God only knoweth their consciences themselues onely their cares and thou canst not knowe their crosses But leauing theÌ„ to their honorable proceedings goe yet a little lower to the Ladies what shalt thou see either a creature like an Angell if vertuous or worse then a woman if vitious perhaps thou shalt see painting spoyl a good complexion or deceiue a simple â—ie-sight heate out of a fiue presence a fond spirit speak idlelie perhaps an idle wit playe the wanton Now what art thou benefitted by all this aâ—â—se thine eye with a picture offend thine â—are wish folâ—y or loose thy time a idlenesse Were it not better for thee to read yeâ—iction of Venus then to be seruant vnto vanitie and to laugh at a fancie then to follow folly â—et far there be a Phaenix among birds if hâ—r nest be too high take heed of climing for feaâ—e of a fall take heede of the obiect that makes an abiect of a subiect but looke a side at the attendants what shall you see Cost curtesie long seruice painefull duty hope of fauoure with feare of displeasure a great haruest many labourers â—ewe gaines and must be so for desires are many but deserts fewer and therefore they hope little In summe a Prince
is an honest trade wheÌ„ a churl wil grudg at his groat for a shillings worth of labour in beating quick sence into a dull wit who if hee bee not capable of a good vnderstanding yet shall the fault of his imperfection be imputed to thy negligence and thou vndeserued receiue either a frowne or a foule worde for thy laboure nowe the proud Peacock that hath a little more mony theÌ„ wit wil perhaps entertain thee to a blew coate and forty shillings which how gratious it will be to a good spirit thou shalt find and I shal be sory to hear Beleeue me if thou haue al the sciences be furnished with manie languages and art acquainted with honourable courses and hast a heart as honest as can liue yet if thou lack wealth to grace al the rest thou shalt haue a foole come ouer thee and a knaue abuse thee he whose wit goes no further then his trade so play vpon thy misery with scaÌ„ning thy cours of life that thou wilt wish rather neuer to be borne then to be borne downe with vnhappines yea for necessities sake thou shalt be enforced to bestowe thy studie in fictions and follies and to spend thy spirit in vain yea I may saie vile inuentions to commend an vnworthy person to the wound of thine owne conscience who though he loue to heare himselfe flattered yet perhaps when he hath very miserablie rewarded thee yet will he lye of his bounty which is little better then beggery Oh what a plague is it to a noble spirit through meer want to present an Asse with a burthen of wit or a base spirit with a tract of honour Oh deare VVill the wealthy that haue but a little wit wil grow rich with making a benefit of thy labours while thou not waying thy lacke of iudgement in the first directing of thy course wilt pine away with sorrow to thinke of thy mistaken fortune in briefe therfore follow my counsell studie all the Artes superficially but chiefely Arithmetique for it is the assured way to wealth bee not ignorant in Diuinity for it is the soules comfort and take heede of Poetry leaste it runne away with thy wit for it hath commonly one of these three properties belibelling the wicked abusing the honest or pleasing the foolish and therfore though some excellent man may haue an excellent humour doe thou rather reade in an euening then make thy daies worke in the studie of idlenesse giue them praise that deserue it but doe not thou bend thy delight towards it for in a word it is more full of pleasure then profit Thus haue I writ thee a tedious letter hoping that if thou wilt followe my aduise it will doe thee no harme and if so much good as I desire I shall be glad to see it in the meane time leauing thy courses with thy selfe to the guiding and tuition of the almightie I rest Thine in much affection R. P. To his most honoured Lady Madam Izabella Tarina HOnourable Madame how my vnworthinesse may hope of your goodnesse I cannot find but in the notes of your noblenesse which as it may well challenge the heighth of your Title so doth it bind a world of seruants to your good fauour among whome my selfe more desirous then able to deserue the least of your good countenance am yet presumptuous to trouble you with an humble sute I haue a sister of yeares sufficient to vnderstand betwixt good and euill and of disposition I thanke God not a misse her bringing vpp hath beene chiefely at her booke and needle but yet is shee not vnfurnished of other parts fit for a seruant of her place which if it mighte so stand with your good pleasure shoulde bee to attende your honour in your chamber her trueth I will vndertake for her diligence I will not doubte of her kinde nature I can speake of and her affection vnto your Ladishippe I knowe is not a little if therefore in all these shee may bee pleasing to your entertainemente I shall bee bound to your good fauoure in the honour of her preferment which beeing the highest aduancement that her duty can deserue I leaue her seruice with mine owne to your honourable emploiment So crauing pardon to my boldnesse with fauor to my sute I humblie take my leaue Your Ladiships in all humblenesse F. W. To my most beloued God-father T. H. GOd-father at the Font you gaue me a name and as I haue heard and read of others you vndertooke to see mee brought vp in learning and in the feare of GOD I doe not remember that euer I yet receiued pennie from you towardes the charge thereof and you hauing neither charge of wife nor children might doe well to bestowe your blessing vppon mee in somwhat better then a bare hand which wil buie nothing is it possible that hauing one foot in the graue the other should be so farre off am I your nearest in nature and shall I bee furthest off in loue I know not the cause but what euer it be misconceiued in vnkindnes let me intreat you to beleeue my loue and I desire no more for when you are wearie of the flatterie of those that feede vppon you among the greate showers of your kindnesse that you dailie raine downe vppon their fieldes you will I hope bestowe one droppe of grace vppon my grounde I will â—ege nothing but your will and will loue you more then they which tell you more bee not couetous to gather for them that gape for your goods and bee not fast handed to him who loues you more then al you haue and the good that you will doe let it be in your life that you maie see your contentmeÌ„t in the issue of your kindnes loath I am to wearie you with words and therfore in the loue of a true heart which dailie praieth for your health and heartes ease hoping that God wil moue you for my good whosoeuer is a meane of my hurt I cease further at this time to trouble you but rest alwaies in the dutie of mine humble loue Your affectionate god sonne T B. To my dearest beloued friend on earth H. W. HOnest Harry out of the troubled spirit of a tormeÌ„ted heart I write to thee and therefore beare with my skill if it be not in the pleasing nature of so good an humor as I could wish and thou art worthie of but as I know thee able to iudge of colours better then the blind eies of beetel heads and of that true kindnesse that can and dooth rather comfort the afflicted then encrease the sorrowes of the distressed let mee imparte to thee some part of my passion that patience in thy pitie may the better plaie her part in my spirit what shall I saie I liue as without life pleasuring in nothing crossed in all hopes put in manie feares languishing in manie sorrowes troubled with the grief of a wounded conscience not with the horror of murther the feare of treason nor delight
out contrary to expectation you shall therefore doe well before you trouble any of them in it to make sure of the matter in such sort as may be best for your profit for the sute being effected to good purpose leaue to me to deal in it to your conteÌ„t ther is much muttering that you are like to be crossed in it I would therefore wish you to trie your strength in it not to slip time for it is pretious in a good course bear with me I beseech you if I moue your patience in vrging your speed for it is for your owne good against your comming to town I will haue some what else for you to set on foote for he that wil work must not haue the fire without an yron but not knowing your businesse I will forbear at this time to trouble you with idle newes and only praying for your health and harts ease coÌ„mit the consideration of your owne causes to the mannaging of your good discretion so humbly take my leaue for this time and rest alwaies Your Worships humble seruant I. T. To my assured louing friend T. B. with speed NOne paiment of debts is not onely a crack in credit but a losse of friends vpon your letter I furnished your want and fortune hauing bene your friend a large conscience mee thinketh doth not wel your excuse I yet know not noâ— can wel deuise it but acquaint me with it that I may not wrong your disposition for a seeled affection expecteth the like measure in kindnes the mony you had of me is not much but if it haue done you pleasure I am glad of it and if you can well spare it by this bearer I pray you returne it or the cause why you detaine it I haue lately bought sheepe to store a pasture that I haue taken to farme and my mony being short I am boulâ— to write to you for mine owne which if it come shall be welcome if not so that I know how it may steed you I will forbear it and for the conference betwixt your sonne and my daughter I think they are more ready for vs then wee for them youre mind I know and am contented with it for as I see their proceedings we will soone fall vpon agreement and to be plaine with you I think I were best rather to prouide you more mony then demand any more that you haue and therefore making your excuse in this onelie point of affection intreating pardon for my plaine manner of writing assuring you that if this matter goe forward as it is no other like as their loâ—es so shal our purses be one and thus hoping of your health as mine owne with commendations to youre kind sonne youre selfe and your good Shrew I commit you to the Almighty Caunterbury this fourth of August 1604. Your very louing friend N.T. To a Iudge in the behalfe of an offender MY good Lord your honourable care of Iustice I hope is seasoned with the charitable weight of mercy for though the law cutteth off offence by sharpe punishment yet death takes away repentance and where there is sorrow ther is signe of grace the best Iudge of true Iustice Christe Iesus pardoned the great sinner and with the gentle rebuke of sin no more called her to great grace now shall Iustice vpon the first fact vse an other course vpon an offender I knowe it is your oath to doe iustice yet may you giue time of repentance in reprieuing this poore man whose pardon will bee easily attained Your honor shall doe a good deede God in imitating his course in iustice will surely regard and reward you the penitent offender shall be bound euer to pray for you my selfe with all his friends will truly honor you and no doubt but our King who is full of mercie when his Maiestie shall heare of it will commeâ—d you beseeching therefore your honour to stay the sentence of his death vntill the next Aâ—â—ise or to graunt him a reprieue til the said time leauing the poore mans life to a word of your mouth with my humble and bounden seruice to your hoâ—orable commandemeÌ„t in prayer for your good health and all other happinesse I humbly take my leaue Your honors in all humblenes D. H. A Letter of complements To my very good friend master H. W. at his house in Kelton SYr if I could haue let passe so fit a messenger without some thankful remembrance I were vnworthy of so good a frieÌ„d but your kindnesse being such as wil euer worke in a good mind I praie you let me salute you with this little tokeÌ„ of my loue The runlet is of sucâ— sacke as Bristowe hath no better and the suger-lofe for your good Lady I assure you is right Barbary which at this time is bere of some price but vpon the câ—â—sing of the troubles there I hope we shall haue it cheape here in the meane time howsoeuer it be what you neede command in that or what else may bee in my power to accomplish and so wishing I were with you at the killing of one of your fat Buckâ— with my heartie commendations to your selfe and your good bedfellow manie thanks to you both foâ— my great good cheare and most kind entertainment hoping to see you at my house at your comming to towne where you shall make your owne welcome I commit you to the almightie London this xx of Iulie 1604. Your very louing and assured friend C. R. To his assured friend master Tho. Rise at his house in the Strand AGainst this time of my atteÌ„dance vpon the Iudge of this circuit I shall haue occasion to vse manie things whereof I am now vnfurnished your skill in chusing the best and knowing the prices I know long since by your kindnesse in the like trouble and therefore entreate you once more to take a little paines with this bearer my seruant in helping him in the laying out of his monie vpon such parcels as in my note for mine vse I haue set down your trauel nor kindnes shall not be vnthankfullie forgotten and wherin I may in this countrie or elsewhere pleasure you you shall not faile of my best meanes If you haue anie newes I praie you acquaint me with them and if the shippers be come from the Indies what good successe they haue had but some earnest businesse makes me briefer then I otherwise would be and therfore hoping of your health and not doubting of your kindnesse with heartie commendations I commit you to the Almightie Salop this twelfth of Iune 1606. Your assured friend T. M. To his very good friend Master S. B. at his house in Ferill SYr where you wrote vnto me touching the Sale of your Lorshippe of Bar I cannot answer you for two causes the one of price is too high the other your hast of monie is too great for touching your price the land you know is much impaired since the death of your father the woods are