in speeches as when he directeth his seruaunt to seethe a peece of saltfish or dresse a messe of potage but such shalbe the stile as is the account of the partie to whome it must goe and the weight of the cause that is to be handled that is loftie when it is required neate pliable or more meane if so it ought to be respected onely prouiding that whatsoeuer or to whome soeuer we write we alwayes giue our selues as neere as may be to the moste likely and best kinde of deliueraunce auoyding all nicenesse and farre fet fines to be vsed therein the matter hereof being but such as if a man would by orderly speache eyther weightily grauely pleasantly or familiarly discourse or commune of his affaires respectiuely touching the person cause and in no poynt otherwise This onely difference in letters as in all other speaches that eche man studie for his indeuour to write commendably as in speeche he gaineth moste praise that speaketh most excellently CAP. III. Of Breuitie THe next obseruation in an epistle is y e we doe accustome our selues vnto breuitie of speach This kind of breuitie is not as some vndiscreetly haue imagined that which consisteth in fewnesse of lines and shortnesse of roome in shewe of a side of paper but breuitie of matter wherein scope sufficient remayning for the necessarie demonstration and deliuerie of any needfull occasion men are barred from friuolous circumstances and especially enioyned therein to abhorre all maner of tediousnes For which cause some and those a good sort haue bene whose opinions haue affirmed that continuance of matter ought not to be vsed in a letter for that the nature of an Epistle is thereby barred and it rather taketh vpon it the habite of an oration then an epistle To this kinde of continuance are subiect epistles petitorie and hortatorie suche also as in commendation or vituperation of a thynge or person are consequentlie framed the occasions whereof doe manye times inuite greater suggestions and farre larger circumstaunces for approbation or diminution then any other according as cause and matter is in each of them requieed The tolleration of which notwithstāding ineither of these besides also that it is both very meete and greatly necessarie in such an Epistle both examples of many learned vsers thereof and warrant of common custome haue geuen argument sufficient insomuch as for y e better manifestation either of the goodnesse or badnes incident to anye of those causes it seemeth of greatest furtheraunce and thereunto most conuenient And albeit the length of suche kinde of letters may sometimes peraduenture amount to so grosse substaunce as maie rather appeare to be a discourse then an Epistle yet in perusing the effects therof it may fall out that little or nought at all may happely be found that shalbe beyond or besides the matter whereon such district examination hauing passed and nothing therein deemed vnnnecessarie to the argument me thinkes euen in that plentie of deliueraunce also the breuitie here in required should nothing at all be omitted For who knoweth not that is but meanly learned that when to be briefe is commended in writing it is thereby alwaies intended that a man with only necessarie speeches may be pardoned to deliuer his meaning neyther is it without the limits of breuitie when aptly and at full the same shalbe in this sorte reported And for the better declaration vnto the ignorant how farre the conceite hereof may be induced onely in writing of letters I will first limite what may be accompted necessarie therein and afterwarde endeuour to laye downe how contrary thereunto men as well in the vse as neglecting thereof haue heretofore erred Necessarie speeches I doe accomp twhatsoeuer is set downe for the playne and open deliuerie of euery occasion to thintent the minde of the writer and what hee pursueth may aptly and in good and ready sorte be playnly conceaued The repugnancie hereof is when eyther with insufficient tearmes or too muche curtolling our argumentes in conceite to auoyde tediousnesse or otherwyse with often iterating neuer thinking to haue spoken sufficiently of a matter eyther to induce remembraunce or put forward our meaning wee abbreauiate or amplifie our Epistles and when some others also of a conceit more curious then necessary striuing to excell in variety of sentences and copy of wordes coyned all of one suite think therefore in paining them-selues to write more then needes to be counted more eloquent These imperfections as eche of them in trueth are farre different from that necessary heerein required so are they indeed to be blamed and each of them where the defect remayneth with study to be amended Hee therefore that desireth to be an imitator of these directions let hym first be warned especially that as the rockes of Scylla hee doe abandon all kynde of strange and vnused termes straunge I meane for theyr insufficiencie in not accordyng to the matter tying himselfe in suche sorte to breuitie as that the argument of hys Epistle lye not so obscure that it rather seemeth a riddle needing some Oedipus to interpret it then a formall declaration of his meaning behemently giuing himselfe to auoyde all superfluitie of wordes friuolous and vayne repetitions wherein one and the selfe same thing is iterated still spoken of and continuallie inforced Let him alwayes suppose that in deliuering of anye matter the best obseruation is in playness sorte that may be to laye downe th' effectes inferring afterwardes lessening or proouing what vnto the weight of the argument may bee thought moste correspondent not regardyng so muche to haue choyse of wordes as perfection of sentences and those not vnnecessary or amplified superfluously ouer and besides the needefull setting forth of the matter The errour of this ouermuche hathe beene so common to manie men as those who haue not beene supposed vnlearned haue manie tymes by a ryfe and plentifull conceite of inuention eftsoones incurred the same but not in one kinde with the others The fault whereof in them hathe manie wayes beene the lesse imputed because by skill and learned discretion they haue bene able not vnorderly to put downe the same In which action of theyrs diuers the moste excellent haue bene of opinion that in choyse of two extremities the more rather then the les might therin with greater praise be admitted To constrayne a Gyantes foote within a childes shooe were both ridiculous for the possibilitie and insufficient for the wearyng for that of necessitie the moste part must bee disfurnyshed the shade of the whole foote beeyng altogether yet vntouched much more tollerable were it of the twayne to cast the Gyauntes garment vppon an infantes shoulders the shewe whereof albeit boysterous and the carriage tedious yet the attire beeing of the finer stuffe there may be drawne thereof many good partes to the fashioning of a more seemely garment and remain afterwardes as pleasing to the beholders as comely for the wearers Among many that
seruaunts that the great zeale and loue you doe beare vnto me is a vehement occasion to kindle in you a desire of wel-wishinge and intendement of assured safetye towardes me wherein I haue more cause to thanke your good willes then meane thereby to imagine the force of my disease to be lesse then long since I expected and exceedinglye in my selfe haue euer doubted what wordes of comfort protraction delayes soeuer haue by the Physitions to the contrary beene vsed One great and exceeding comfort vnto me is that liuing I euer loyally demeaned my selfe dying I shall depart this world in her Maiesties good grace and especiall fauour Next vnto that the loue of you my dearest friendes and entierly beloued seruaunts and followers whose hartes I know doe pursue me and whose affections euen to the last gaspe of death I am perswaded to bee euer firme and fixed towardes me Your desires are I know that I should lyue according vnto which the least mitigation that may be of my griefe you measure by and by to the hope of amendment which is not so For that in all the comfortable speaches that sundrye times I haue receaued from you my self to whom the inward effects thereof haue beene founde most forcible haue euer mistrusted and by many probable circumstances adiudged the contrary Long time endure I can not this know I well happely a day two or three I may yet be conuersaunt among you for my decease that standeth assured the messenger wherof continually knocketh at the doore of my imaginations readye euerye howre to assault my harte and to carry away with him the spoyles of a dying carcase will not permit I shall long time trauell in this sort among you And for my selfe stande yee all asserteined that hauing long since peized in equall balaunce the long continuaunce of a fraile wretched and trauailed life the moste part whereof is carryed awaye in sleepe sorow griefe sickenesse daunger and the residue also neuer freed of care and all maner of disquiet with the hope of an euerlasting ioy happines rest peace and immortall residence I finde no reason why I should at all affect the toyle of such earthlye tediousnesse Insomuch as hauing liued now almost three skhore and thirteene yeares and borne my selfe honourablie I trust in all mine actions and seruices and further in the progression of my ripest yeares yea in this very instaunt more then at any other time am regarded of my prince and esteemed of my country and among my peeres reputed in the highest degree of my fidelitie I shall now die as becommeth my person worthelye and honourably Be you therefore recomforted I praye you as I am and thinke that for all the loue you haue ought me the seruices you haue done me or tender care you do yet in my heauiest panges beare vnto me the chiefest content you can doe vnto me is that you be satisfied herein with me That beeing verilye resolued in my soule of all that I haue heere sayde vnto you and hauing ordered mine actions and prepared my selfe thereto accordinglye I doe willingly and with a right contented mind leaue this transitory worlde so replenished as it is with so manye greeuous casualties and hartely do giue my body to his naturall course my soule into the hands of the Almighty creator for euer in his glory I trust to be eternized This speach ended he continued till after midnight at which time he had about two howres slumber and so beganne his paine to encrease againe In which till wednesdaye following almost in one state he for the most part remained often-tymes accustoming him selfe with those that were about him to prayer many times recording to him-selfe the goodnesse of God and his mercies to him remembred and that with such zeale enteire regarde of his hoped repose as that it still seemed and was euidentlye apparaunt how muche he longed and thirsted for the same In fine drawinge by little and little to an ende euen in the verye last pange ioyning his handes vp to heauen his hart eyes thitherwarde fixed he recommended eftsones him selfe to the mercy of his redeemer and on thurseday last about two in the morning dyed to the lamentable griefe of all that were about him who hartely sorrowing his losse were forced to shed teares aboundauntly The day of the funerall is not yet certaine but the same is intended very honourably Recommending my selfe vnto your La. in all humblenes I take my leaue At our sorowfull house of B. this of c. THese three Letters being all as you see of one suite yet diuersly handled according to the seueral matters in them contained do beare in them two only parts of an Epistle whereof they be solye consisting A briefe Exordium in each and then Narratio throughout Peroratio there is none because by collection there is no inference made of any the matters continued but a Conclusion vsed with breuitie wherein eyther greetinges or farewell to knit vp the Epistle is mentioned The Exordium of the first ariseth from the person of his Unkle whose authority was a charge vnto him to informe the speciall notes of the country The Narration by demonstration of the particulers of the City describeth therof the worthines statelines and the excellencye as firste it is mentioned to bee auncient as builded by Nero. 2. Then pleasauntly scituate by reason of the ayre and fertilitye of woodes and waters 3. Next by the sumptuous and statelye buildinges whose descriptions are extant 4. Fourthly the fashion equalitie and largenes of their streates and houses 5. Fifthlye their Magistrates and long continued gouernement 6. Sixtlye their apparell reteyning yet the monuments of their autient dignities 7. Finallye the goodnes of the soile measured by their complexions The Conclusion knitting vp the state thereof mentioneth a discharge of promise and courteous recommendations c. The seconde Letter hath his Exordium briefe of the freindship betweene both parties each longing to be informed of the others wel-fare The Narration occupieth the description of vnfrequented places As first they haue onely the commodity of the soile which by reason of the ayre is well scituate without any fruite at all thereof because it is not inhabited Secondly there is nothing to encomber them with but the care to defend them-selues which is easie and to get victuals which is impossible Thirdlye nakednesse of the people without ciuilitie and thereby barred from anye common societie Lastly the subtiltie of their disposition to lye in waite beeing men eaters whereby some of their company haue sometimes beene entrapped The Conclusion sheweth a short return Feruēt desire of safty The third caryeth his Exordium of the decease of an honourable peere and the desire of her to whome he wryteth to be aduertised of the same The Narration by circumstaunces inferreth the sodainnes of his death because by some hope of recouery it was at that time vnexpected Then a
La. your mother I repayred thereupon to her presence to visit her there did I receiue notice of your being in Ireland that vpoÌ„ your honorable behauior good seruice there done the L. D. did not only testifie the same by his owne hand-writing vnto diuers of the priuie Counsell but also in especiall letters besides commended the weight thereof vnto the regard of her most excellent Maiestie I did not a little reioyce to see that in suche young yeares wherein commonly falleth out a contempt of al excellencies and fantasticall desire of counterfeit vanities you could besides the common trade and custome of the worlde addicte your selfe wholly vnto so weightie and honourable an exercise as by laborsome trauell in the seruice and honour of your Prince and country to put forward your selfe so timely Credit me it is not a little pleasing vnto mee to thinke thereon neyther standeth my affection so slender vnto your fathers off-spring but that I must euer hold the reputation of their well doing an aduauncement to my imaginations and the sound of their good successe the very hermony of mine inward soule It is no new thing I confesse to see in these dayes a gentleman honourably discended as your selfe and of like worthie education to attaine vnto learning to become practised in armes to put forward themselues in seruice but to continue with resolution to performe it with labour to atchieue it with vallor to beare it with honour here is the excellencie this is the rarenesse hence springeth the noueltie Vertue retayning yet her auntient Maiestie though not pursued as in olde time with such woonted vehemencie hath three entrances leading directly vnto her bewtiful passage by the ports wherof whosouer is desirous to attayn her in her purest and most glorious estate must of necessitie enter First Fortitude wherby he must be enhabled to endure whatsoeuer labor trauel to be imposed accounting nothing difficult to th'end and sweet reward wherof her excellency is appropriate Next Magnanimitie whiche by a vehement and hawâ—ie desire reacheth vnto things most excellent and of hiest and statelyest value not regarding the hard tough and maine force of the passage with what pursuit so euer it must be followed so be it by such meanes it may be wonne and the glory thereunto due may at last be attained the reach whereof tending to the last ende and scope of all his determinations sweetneth all maner of trauell and induceth therewithall a contempt of what soeuer lesse valued or hindering to the worthinesse of of the same Then Longanimitie enhabling by great constancie with rare and accustomed patience to awaite and endure the end neuer giuing ouer vpon whatsoeuer assaultes till the determined scope be by all kinde of industrie fully and perfectly furnished For this cause the most renowmed part of Vertue is sayd to be excellent for that many do contemplate her a farre of but fewe or none at all doe almost come so nigh her as perfectly to see and discerne her insomuch as some nothing regarding the singularitie of that whose sweetnes they neuer tasted of become forceles of the pursuit of so deuine an excellencie and some other sauoring a little the deintines therof yet ouerreached with the tediousnesse of the enterprise and hindered by the opposition of a thousand vanities are so astonished in the first onset as beeing therewith ouercome doe by and by giue ouer their purposes Now therefore my C. if you will be a right fauourer of Vertue in deede it behoueth that by these possibilities you doe as a faithfull regarder of her deuine and sacred essence onely seeke to pursue her that with such and none other respectes and to no other ende and purpose but for the sole fruition of her stately and immortall deitie The time now calleth you forth your Country and soyle wherein you were borne and nourished inuiteth you your praise already gotten and hope of renowne euer after to followe perswadeth you the honour of your house and parentage constraineth you yea euery of these solie and altogether doe ioyntly exhort and commaund you that becomming the selfe same you vowed and they long since haue lookt for you doe now shew your selfe such as was promised and wherin the expectation first conceiued of you may in no wise be frustrated Consider I pray you that the reward of Vertue is Honor the guerdon of Honor Fame the scope of Fame Aeternitie the seate of Aeternitie immortall euerlasting glory In liuing in the seruice of your Prince and Country the profession you haue taken in hand is honourable the charge honorable the purpose honorable and th'end and successe thereof must needs be honourable behoueth then that your continuaunce therein and your owne desertes be also deemed honourable Thinke when you tooke vppon you to beare Armes you then receiued the first cognizance of Vertue you were entertained with Honor you became apprentice to Fame and it was assured that being with loyaltie demeaned you should at length receiue reward of euer flourishing glory It is beleeue me no smal matter that being a perticuler member you are put forth as a piller vpon the proppe whereof reposeth one part of the weight of a coÌ„mon weale that the ioies of your whole country are fixed vpon your well doing that in pursuit hereof a mans priuate cause is not his own the secret reuenge wherof may happily turn to an infamed mischiefe but the cause of the Common good the publicke matter of all and that whereof the scope is of all others most sacred and honoured Beeing entertained in sorte as you are you shoulde highly wrong the opinion of a great many in drawing backe from that wherein you haue beene alreadie so worthely behoued and in becomming lesse then that whereunto in your very cradle you were at the beginning so principally ordained for vnseemly were it that you shoulde not haue beene hereunto at the first committed vnlawfull not to haue persisted and dishonorable in due sort not to see it accomplished Proceede then my C. in that wherunro your vertue your parentage your soyle and your fidelitie haue called you thinke what how much and how greatly it importeth you that hauing had so many of your stately ancestors since their first original that haue bene deemed so worthy it fitteth not your self alone in so important actions concerning especially the honour of your Prince and country shoulde bee found otherwise then equall vnto them in the highest qualitie So and in such maner and by such kind of meanes haue the most auntient renowmed worthies of the world become termed honored and mightie So Epaminondas and Alcibiades among the Grecians Aemilius Paulus Fabij and Scipiones amongst the Romaines haue bin deemed most stately For such cause the actes of your predecessours and nobilitie of your deceased father haue bene registred with the most worthie O so sweetly might sound from out his
the firste ordayned insteed of a louing and contented husbande to giue her a withered olde truncke in lue of sweete and mutuall societie to wed herto sorrow and euer loathed griese to endow her with larger profite then with honest contentment thinke you that she is a stone that her sonces from others are different in their right operation and qualities that shee more or lesse in stranger sort then any others can become therein forcible or lesse iniured No sir assure your â—elfe you muste needes heape vp no other but extremities vppon her it can not be but if you proceede heerein you must of force vndoe her the ende and conclusion is so vtterlye bad as it can not be indured Returne now therefore vnto your selfe and think herein what best beseemeth your Daughter remember that what you take in hande in that action is vngodly iniust seuere and vnnaturall that in giuing such a husband you shal giue her without the greater grace of God and him both to the deuil Consider that you are with pietie and to a christian purpose and ende to moderate your authoritye weigh with your selfe that the couetousnesse wherewith you are ouercome is no purchase to her of safetye And balancing all these in the weight and cordes of equality withdraw your self and by such meanes become disswaded from so great an absurditie So may you the more easely perfourmâ— that vnto her belongeth to a kinde and louing father and for the profite by this trauaile reaped at your handes binde her and all vs with greater feruencye to loue you Wheron concluding the scope of all my former desires I end c. IN this Epistle the matter tending to a disswasion from so iniurious and â—ard a match as might fall out in two so indifferent and â—nmeete of complexion ages as was that threed-bare for worne olde creature and this fayre pong fresh and tender maiden impassible hetherto of any man as it seemed and therefore so much the more vnfit in such bad sort to bee bestowed hath in it these enforcements whereby to draw the purpose thereof into the greater mislike viz. the Vnhonestie of the action by vndertaking a matter so far different from nature reason or societie the Discommoditie as vpon the admittaunce whereof standeth so great an hazard as the losse of her own soule the Inequalitie by comparison of youth and age together the manifold imperfections of y â— one so much contrarying the alienated desires of the other the Indignitie wherin is measured the reputation credite abilitie of her parents in respect of whom so indiscreet a match ought in no wise without the greater necessitie in that sort to be put forward Now will we proceed to one other example of the same forme though bnlike in substaunce and see what points therein may hereunto necessarilye be further then already conceiued An Epistle Disswasorie wherein a young Gentleman is disswaded from vices ingenerall ABout seuen dayes passed I receaued Letters from my brother N. the longe expectation whereof and desire I had to be informed of your well doing made me inwardly to reioyce at the first view of them supposing that as I deliuered you out of my handes I should still haue found you in the same predicament without alteration or so much as any surmise at al of that wherof I haue thereby beene to my small content and lesse satisfaction at large aduertised It is long since in deed that you were with me at which time you were in maner a Childe neuerthelesse in those tender yeares yet so towardly giuen and of so milde and gentle disposition as there was great cause why then I shoulde esteeme of you and much matter offered to all others that knew ye wherupon to commende you But now if it be true as I am informed your actions are tourned quite contrarye you are become a chaungeling you are no more the same but an other in qualitie minde and operation The matter beeing so it seemeth vnto me you haue taken a wrong course in so much as in exchaunge of Virtue you haue chosen vice in steed of laudable exercises a nomber of leud qualities in place of good and honest vsage a life vnciuile leud and sauage your companye keeping is without any order your studies are carelesse your pastime recklesse your tabling dronckennes your liuing vnthriftines finally blushing before time at all things for their nouelty you dare boldlie now to aduenture any thing bee it with neuer so great infamie These thinges my good cosin I must needes tell you are vnfit for a Gentlman much ill beseeming that education of yours wherunto they were neuer accustomed From these by mine aduise you shall weld your speedy course and quickly depart and with some facility giue ouer calling to your remembrance that what approcheth the condition of euerye ordinary person is not meete for your credite and what in men of common accompt appeareth to be no blemishe is in your reputation adiudged to be a great and notable faultines When men desire to be well famed and by true renoume to rise vnto worthinesse they flie slouth and giue them-selues to auoide all occasions of idlenesle they endeuour to become painfull and industrious to couet thinges of hiest accompt and to be in company with the most virtuous Their credite hath no support by vanities they seeke not their reputation among runnagates they conuerse not with Tauerne haunters and bibbers they liue not with men of vild accompt dissolute and vngratious such kind of meanes as insufficient to glorye they deeme wretched and approbious You therefore if you will be such as you ought to be must also pursue the tract of these the sweetnes and delicacie wherof if but a little you will peirce into the sowre and harshe taste of the other you shall quicklye conceaue marke but the praise benefites estimate and good report entertained with the one and on the other side the discredit shame discommoditye and vile reconinge alwaies made of the other and then iudge by your owne decernment how much and how greatly you are led awry in thus carelesly roming vpon others inuincible And concluding with your selfe the ill conceipt that all good men haue of such hatefull and disorderly kinde of liuing retourne betimes ere too late â—or want of good aduisement you foolishly begin to cry out of your winning Principijs obsta sero medecina paratur Cum mala per long as conualuêre moras First stop the cause to late doth phisicke come When euils small to great by sufferance ronne Credite me whome euer you haue knowne to fauour you the disgrace that quickly you shall sustaine if betimes you relent not these euilles will to a good minde become so vile and so odious as not without great sorrow and griefe may be deliuered away I disguise not with you in that I saye for
what one thinge almost maye bee so certaine and sound as by cunning skill may not at the pleasure of the writer in some sort or other be depraued or out of the consuming flames thereof againe to be commended For such causes therefore it shall be good that the ordinarye places heereof for the better perfection of the learner bee very wel studied and often exercised which either by imitation to handle an vnlike matter in a like sort of an example or by often or continuall reading shall greatly bee furthered And now will we see what in the other sorts of Epistles we haue to be performed the next of which ensuing in order and to be proposed in this Methode is an Epistle Conciliatorie whose vse is preferred in acquiring vnto our selues the acquaintance of some one whom especially we make choyce of or insinuating our selues into their fauours whom we desire most to esteeme of These Epistles in their directions doe oftentimes passe as well from men of good accompt to such as are something their inferiours as interchaungeably betweene those who are accompted equals but seldome or neuer is frequented to such as are our betters The occasion of this Epistle standing in the firste degree it is likely that he who is much our better either of his honor worship or gentlenes will in plainest termes alwaies deale with his inferiours whom in such sort he desireth to be known vnto or otherwise him self would willingly repute of The sentence of these Epistles are in the best sort to be adiudged for that the purport of them includeth loue liking friendship the scope whereof induceth matter heerin to be framed Now touching the second degree order therein requireth these brief considerations First that pithily and plainly we set down the cause mouing vs to take knowledge of him we write to or therevppon to mooue his acquaintaunce This albeit without some assentation may hardly bee caried for that all men for the moste part are affected more or lesse to the aduauncement of their owne worthynesse yet shall the writer by all possible meanes indeuour to keepe that Decorum heerein that he glose not too palpablie least by such meanes he doe incurre a notable suspition of flattterie Next if in our selues we doe conceaue or imagine some one or moe things that are to such a one pleasing or whereof we may coniecture the regarde to returne vnto him commodious or to confirme towards vs a more speciall liking that shall we modestly tender and deuise without arogancie in some conuenient sort to be signified These are the onely precepts in this kinde of writing to be solie considered the obseruation whereof are in sort following by example to be deliuered An Epistle Conciliatorie written from one of good accompt to one that is his inferiour AFter my very hartye commendations vnto you This bearer and my seruant whom I greatly credite hath signified vnto me manye matters tending to your great commendation the report wherof I haue often sithence heard confirmed by others And for asmuch as touching mine owne condicion I haue alwaies bene a fauourer oâ— Artes and entierly accompted of the singularitie of anie one according to his worthinesse I haue so muche the more greatlye desired your acquaintance as one whome willingly I woulde doe good vnto Promisinge that if at some conuenient tyme I maye enioye the pleasure of your industrie and knowledge together with some continuance of your good company I shall not faile in as ample sort as I can to your full satisfaction and contentment to requite it Meane while I woulde gladlye be informed by the returne of this messenger at what time I maye expect to see you according to which I will appoint horses and send some vp to accompanye you And so for this present doe bid you hartely farewell From my house of N. this twentieth of Aprill c. SMall distinction needeth in these kind of letters for that the order of them is different you see from the first obseruations Onely the parts mencioned in the aduertisments inducing the forme thereof are heerein specified The varietie of which is more districtly tied to the present humour of the writer and the cause inducing the substance then by any speciall direction But now to the next An example Conciliatorie from one equall to an other THE vniuersall report of your excellencie each where declared hath moued me good M. N. not only to admire you for the same but amonge a great many others that regarde and especially do accompt of you hath induced me also heereby to pray your acquaintance I confesse sir sithence I first hearde of you I grewe euen then very desirous to see and to know you but beeing this other daye in companye of sir T. P. I there vnderstood how much for your singular virtue learning both of the good Knight and Ladie you were faithfully commended and entierlie fauoured This considerate opinion of theirs hath in my speedie determination spurred mee forwarde and for my first morninges exercise caused me to salute you by these letters the rather for that I haue sondrie times bin informed with what ioyful friendly conceit you doe entertaine the familiaritie of euerye gentleman And albeit there is little desert in my selfe to acquire so muche at your handes yet this one request vppon your fauour will I presume to make vnto you that not onely I maye bee entertained with you as one whome you may please to like of but suche and in that degree as of whome you will so greatly reckon as to stand assured of Little God knoweth resteth in me to pleasure you the worthinesse whereof pleased his goodnesse were so well aunswerable to your vertue as effectuallie you might haue power in whatsoeuer to commaund This one thing can I deliuer of my self that since I had first capacitie to decerne of mens conditions I haue alwaies studied to honour the vertuous and euermore with reuerence to entertaine their actions a fauourer I haue still bene of the learned and a diligent regarder of their greatest excellencies suche as in minde more then in wealth would wishe to be reputed happie and to my vttermost power gladly accomplish what might be deemed most worthie Such a one if you vouchsafe to like of I wholly yeeld my selfe vnto you expecting nothing more then at your conuenient leisure I might finde occasion to see you Whereunto referring the residue of all my chiefe desires I doe for the present cease to detaine you London this fourth of Iune c. TO these Epistles might be added two seuerall aunsweres In both of which there is required a special and well demeaned modestie in the one of humilitie to be according to his better in the other of courtesie to gratifie his equall eche of them conteyning a submissiue execution of that in either of their faculties and professions simply to bee attributed the diuersities of both of them not impertinent to these our instructions I haue in sorte
made you at my last speech acquainted with the same Both of which consisting in your labour and deuise I am of opinion that none then your selfe can fit the occasion better And truely such is the force of imprisonment as contrarye to that you haue wontedlye knowne in me my vnderstanding is quite decayed and forworne with my libertye and where the spirites are so destuned it must needes follow the memory can sounde nothing but discordes In fine sir it is in you to do me good and to make me by this onelie action for euer beholding vnto you wherein if I may so far foorth presume of your fidelitie assure your selfe that if euer God giue me libertie A. C. to none so muche as to you shall be yoked in courtesie Good M. D. the matter heereof requireth some hast wherunto I most hartely entreat you Fare yee well this of c. A letter Responsorie to the same GOod M. C. needles were it you shoulde entreate mee to that whereunto you haue found me alwayes most willing and suche whome with small perswasions you maye induce to a far greater matter then what in your last request you haue so earnestly desired The messenger I haue appointed to morrow morning to retourne againe to my lodging at which time I will not fayle to finishe what in the best sort I can conceaue to be vnto your occasions most furthering Hard will it be for me to accomplishe that wherein your selfe maye bee found so vnperfect for that the dullest conceipt forged from the moste distempered of your imaginations can not but sound farre better tunes then the ripest of my inuention is any wayes able to vtter Neuerthelesse suche as it is or so muche as by dislike of your owne you finde meane to accompt of that will I prepare to your view and put forward to your good speed thinking it better by deliuerye of a grosse deuise to satisfie the demaunde of a friend then by concealing the simplicitie thereof to be censured by discourtesie In conclusiō it is sir lawful for you to vse the vttermost fittest to our confirmed league of amitye that in whatsoeuer you should approone me wherein I desire you conceaue no more then such as I entende to become and you shall assuredly find me viz. yours c. HEre must I note vnto you the last of these Epistles Petitorie in which is neither Exordium nor Narration but foremost of all the peticion and afterwardes the parts following the like whereof you may perchance find hereafter For that where practize and skill hath sufficiently enabled a man to write well there is no necessitie that such should be tied to rule who beeing of sufficient knowledge and capacitie are able to decerne what is meetest and accordinglye to direct the square of their owne doinges sometimes one waye sometimes an other as in the intendment therof may to the present occasion seeme conuenient and readtest And as in this one letter so may the learner light vpon many others beeing different also from the obseruation herein deliuered and sometimes abruptly entring into the matter without anye limitation at all one other example whereof shall be next hereunto deliuered the firste beginning of which declareth the meane of accomplishment of the request before the peticion declared whereinto by imitation the vnskilfull may not rashlye enter without good aduisement what in the performance therof may be chiefly considered The Methode of which notwithstanding is in this sort pursued An example Petitorie concluding a briefe request and courteous remembraunce of a thing before time promised NOW is the time wherein if your pleasure be you may perform what erst you haue promised I therefore desire you as hartily as I may that your intent being to do me good you will now execute the same And albeit I dout not of your willingnes herin whose courtesie hath not beene straunge towardes me yet rather inforced by mine own necessity and continual remembrance of my vnprouided estate I prepare these lines solicitors of your expected promise which bearing in their front a token of oportunitie would praie you not to let slip occasion but with asmuch speede as willingnes to accomplish the same Remembring how manie waies I am beholding vnto you I remaine in accompt of your courtesies rather studious to thinke on them then anie waies able to requite them c. Another example of the like effect EVen as a bold begger the more he is relieued the more he still preasseth forwarde vppon the bounty of those whom he supposeth to fauour him so fareth it with me who hauing eftsones enioyed your trauaile to my no small benefit am neuerthelesse so shamelesse as still to importune you in the same I haue good M. G. I confesse by your good meanes receaued sondrie fauours at the handes of my L. which I can not nor euer shall be able to requite vnto you the matter of my sute notwithstanding hetherto depending before his honour I neither can or maye so farre foorth withdraw my selfe but I must needes now and then solicite you as the Gent. by whose onelye courtesie and perseueraunce in wonted care and good affection towardes me I doe liue and so liuing continue my dayes and yeares with suche assured respecte as hee that hath sworne and vowed in him selfe neuer to forget you It doth sir so much stande me vppon the procuring of his L. letter in my behalfe for the indifferent tryall and hearing of my cause as without in speciall and earnest speaches the same bee directed forme to the Iustices and Commissioners I am in great dispayre how the case will goe with me It is you therefore good M. G. that must helpe me heerein and by your onelye meanes I muste bee warraunted in this action the intendement whereof furthering so muche vnto right and cause of equitie as it doth I hope his L. vpon your mocion will the easelier condiscend vnto This is it that I requyre at your handes and to the speedy dispatch whereof I maye not cease to importune you Whereon concluding for the present I doe hartelye bid you farewell c. Another of the same GOod M. D. I am more beholding vnto you then I can well recount for the great paines and louing indeuour wherein you haue trauailed about my redemption as I may terme it which althogh it hath wrought in effect my assuraunce yet is there somwhat more to be added according to my friendes direction as by this inclosed you may at large perceaue Wherefore sir I beseech you as before thinke it no paines to make a good ende of that which you haue so well begunne My request is that you will now vse this discretion for me wherewith so many times you haue stoode me in stead I meane in conference with suche personnes whose names herein shall be vnto you deliuered Your dealing circumspectlye with
more the same is then beautified adorned and as it were into a new shape transmuted by such kind of knowledge the difference that dayly appeareth may yeeld proofe sufficient CAP. II. What is chiefly to be respected in framing of an Epistle FOR somuch as by the necessarye use of letters before layd downe a commendable maner of writing orderly framing the same hath in some sort been already remeÌ„bred it shal not be amisse in continuing the intended order hereof that in this chapter we do now more fully indeuour to aunswere the purpose therein supposed For the better manifestation of which to the intent the ignorant and studious herein may by degrees be led to the attaining of that which vnto the matter therof may be approued most conuenient I haue first thought good to draw vnto your consideration certaine speciall points in this action of all other principally to be regarded It shall then beseme that for such performance the better to enable him whose forwardnes requireth the same these three notes in writing of all maner of Epistles be chiefly admitted First aptnes of wordes sentences respecting that they be neat and choisly piked orderly laid downe cunningly handled next breuity of speach according in matter dilation to be framed vpon whatsoeuer occurrent lastly comelines in deliuerance concerning the person and cause whervpon is intended the direction to be framed These three as they are seldome in our common vse of writinge amonge the ignorant at any time pursued so vnto him that desireth by skilfull obseruation and practize to become therin more wary and circumspect are greatlye auaileable to be vsed And that we may the more conueniently distinguishe each part of these properties in sort as they are to bee followed we will first in the course of this Chapiter examine and laye out the seuerall distinctions wherein this kinde of aptnes is principally to be considered As nothing therefore in the common vse and conuersation of men deserueth more praise then that which is well ordered and according to the time place and presence vsually appointed and discreetly furnished so in this matter of writing Epistles nothing is more disordered fonde or vaine then for anye one of a thinge well done to take forth a president and thinke to make vnto him selfe thereof a common platforme for euery other accident who with out consideration of the grauity or lightnes of the cause he taketh in hand much like vnto a foolish Shoemaker that making his shoes after one fashion quantitye and proportion supposeth the same forthwith of abilitie fitte to serue euery mans foot includeth in like sort a common methode vnto euerye matter Such imitators who rather by rote then reason make hauocke of wit with purchase of small discretion by such vnnecessary capitulations beeing often times farre different from their owne intended purposes are better prepared to deliuer vnto viewe the ridiculous Pike of Horace with an Asses heade monstrouslye shaped whereat the Readers may laugh and euery one may sport then certainely to manifest their argument with such correspondent speaches as thervnto may be deemed incident To auoyd this so great and hard an imperfection it shall speciallye behoue him that endeuoureth well to write aduisedly with him selfe first to consider the foremost motion inducing argument to the cause whereof he is intended to â—ebate and being well studied and read in the purest and best kind of writers wherof great plenty do now remaine in our English tongue seeke to frame his inuention accordaunt to the example herein for that purpose or to the like effect before him deliuered not in the selfe same speaches but in the selfe same order the intendment whereof was not otherwise layd downe but onelye to such ende and for the like obseruation which order beeing distinguished in the seuerall partes of euery Epistle shall conduct the follower to what ende and vpon what occasion each matter therein was in that sort particularly framed Next let him deliberate with him selfe how much or how greatlye importeth the matter he taketh in hande to whom he writeth the same and what in the handling therof it shall principally concerne that according to the validitie or forceles conceit of the same the matter of his Epistle by aptnes of wordes may be measured and composed Hereon lyeth the chiefest maight burthen of each mans discretion wherevnto oportunitye also seemeth a thing so necessary to be adioyned as laboring the one perfectly and attending the other circumspectly I see no reason but he that can frame him selfe to the varietie of these may with greater facilitie reache vnto the reste the better to enhable him selfe hereafter if aduauncement draw him to it to become a Secretorie And in asmuch as Letters are onely messengers of each mans intendments it shalbe as apt vnto euery one as anye aptnes of wordes in anye of them to bee deliuered to take notice of time and place needfull to giue opportunity to whatsoeuer in suche occasions by him continuallye to bee handled the necessarye consideration whereof because the same also somewhat hereunto importeth I will in place conuenient where more at large the same may be required endeuour to enlarge it pursuing in the meane tyme as in this Chapter intended the purposes therein to bee considered Now the matter and importance of your letter thus deliberately aduised the best forme and manner of deliuery shal then next to the same be considered Wherin it appeareth that kinde of writing to haue bene deemed alwayes most excellent that in sentences is most exquisite in words of best choyce and the same most effectual which to the argument place time and person is most meet and appertinent which entreating of hye matters is weighty in meaner causes neate and pliable in the lowest plesaunt and more familiar in iesting that procureth cause of delight in praising commendable in stirring vehement and bold in aduising gentle and frendly in perswasion sententious and vsing grauitie in narration playne and resolute in requiring shamefast in commending officious in prosperous causes glad in troubles serious and more sad And finally that attemparating vnto euery circumstance their sundry motions in such fashion and order as vnto the matter therof is most consonant can most fitly and redely deliuer the same vpon whatsoeuer occasion to be ordered And herein is especially to be considered that of what validitie or inualiditie soeuer the matter to be discoursed or written of may appeare and to whomesoeuer of hye meane or low accompt the same shall passe or be directed that the aptnes of speach be therein so deemed as y e choysest and best maner of speaking may to euery of these occasions be admitted For a weightie cause and common direction may not all in one kinde of termes be deliuered neyther is it fit that in a letter framed to one of good calling a man should there in deale with him
that the validitie thereof be aunswerable vnto the one the others goodnesse or greatnesse that the intendment be sound lawfull and to no euill purposes that it conteine not matter of scurrilitâ—e filthie and base kinde of villanie that the very decorum required in all kinde of writers be herein obserued most principallte And finally auoyding all vnseemely and bad kind of deliueraunces erepugnant to ciuilitie that nothing therein be found that may be deemed ill sitting or otherwise than beseemeth a direction so worthie This decorum the very direct square and measure wherof conduceth all thinges with such exquisite performance as whereunto neuer afterward ensueth any iust reprehension willeth as Horace in his booke de arte poetica excellentlie deliuereth that vnto euery thing bee geuen his true nature collour and proportion aswel with pen as pencill abhorring as monstrous and enemie vnto skill what otherwise vnaduisedly shall be portrayed or described by reason whereof whatsoeuer carryeth wyth it selfe a iust decorum is sayde to be neate apte and comelie the contrarie whereof as altogeather impugned is sayde to be vnmeete or vnseemely And in somuch as this decorum is a worde among sundrye that are vnlearned more often repeated then manye tymes well vnderstoode I will somewhat declare what order the same beareth in thys kinde of proportion It is therefore in an Epistle a singuler Decorum when of a common and meane cause wee yeeld common and playne speeches An indecorum agayne when vppon a grosse conceite a trifling toye a matter of no valewe wee seeke to frame high and loftie sentences To a person of meane condition Decorum willeth in writyng we giue a meane regard and a great Indecorum it shalbe to a persoÌ„ of greater account not to giue sufficient and due regard A matter of grauity deliuered with weight a matter of sorrow reported with griefe a matter of pastime discoursed with pleasure a matter of follie intermingled with laughter doe eche shewe the decorum therein contained and what agreement falleth out in euery seuerall discription where contrariwise to a person sorrowfull to write of iestes to talk learnedly vnto a clown to salute an olde man with childishe fantasies in causes of common wealth to aduaunce trifles what thing more absurde or greater matter of indecorum canne be founde placed in any writing I doe remember where once I did see an Enbleme of Alciat in counterfeit by a cunning workeman excellently depainted and thus it was A man by his finger on hys mouth remaining mute yet very grauely clav not otherwise deciphered but by hys apparell and countenaunce the inscription thus shewed Cum tacet haud quicquam differt sapientibus amens Stultitiae est index linquaque voxque suae When men stand mute what difference remaynes Twixt mad and those whom wisedome rules at beck The toong it is that yeeldes or els restraines The perfect shew of wit or follies checke And no maruell for that follie her selfe layd forth in wisedomes garmentes who will doubt that heareth noâ— her vtteraunce but that her speache will sound to great purpose and like to the habite importe matter of great grauitie For this cause seeing before speache hadde which is the true note and testimonie eyther of wisedome or follie all men in theyr seuerall callinges are holden indifferent yet doe wee see that when suche men are discerned by theyr speeche forthwith there falleth a separation and the reuerence that all menne for the moste part yeelde to discretion maketh sufficient apparaunce what regarde skilfull vtteraunce beareth from such hatefull follie And sith common experience according to their effects and conditions giueth almost vnto euerye person what to saye and speake whereby they are not greatlye discerned vntill in matters more waightie they are employed yet how much more in vse of writing the difference thereof shall sooner be made in yeelding foorth a certaine triall of euerye mans discretion according to the seuerall occurrents whereof he shall be occasioned to envite I leaue to euery mans practize to sounde and to the vnderstanding of the grauest to conceaue Now then for somuch as hereby appeareth that onlye tryall yeeldeth difference of eache mans abilitie and what by nature he is most pliable vnto whether wisdome or follye and that by how much the nearer each one for his indeuour seeketh to attaine the perfection by suche means required wherby y e finenes of each wit is the more thoroughly sifted by so much the more he is to be regarded accompted of and especially commended It shall behooue each one in framing his Letters seeing Letters also are but a formall kinde of mutuall talke both speach and writing seruing onely to declare a mans meaning to indeuor according to the waight or lightnes of the cause to contriue his actions that they be such as wherein this decorum both in person and matter may be imbraced and the repugnauncie thereof to be vtterly auoyded the ready meane of which he shall the sooner attaine vnto by diligent regarde had and due obseruation of those three especiall notes heretofore already remembred And now to the residue in the discourse following touching the method of these Epistles to be in order pursued Of the habite and partes of an Epistle SEeing an Epistle hath cheeflye his definition hereof in that it is termed the familiar and mutuall talke of one absent friend to an other it seemeth the Character thereof shoulde accorâ—ing therevnto be simple plaine and of the lowest and meanest stile vtterly deuoyde of anye shadowe of hie and loftye speeches yet neuertheles forsomuch as in the argument of a great many of them whose seuerall distinctions heereafter shall appeare is required a more high and lofty deliueraunce partaking many wayes with that kinde accustomed in Orations and is therefore accordinglye to be necessarily furnished with the points therevnto incident we will for the present sort all kind of Epistles onely into these two maner of differences the one part whereof shall bee sayde to be generall and the other speciall Under this title of generall shall bee comprehended all such as eyther for fashions sake custome duty courtesie or other familiaritie doe ordinarilye passe from one part to an other rather of a pleasaunt conceit or some other more district or seuere motion then of any extraordinarye cause forme or substaunce in eyther of them contained Such are those as whom either long acquaintance or auntient familiarity haue caused interchaungeably to haue performed or fatherly reuerence and seruile duetye haue bound by graue authoritye ouer children kindred or seruants accustomably to be continued These for the common and ordinary matter in euerye of them vsed beeing vtterly exempte from anye waight or grauitye at all are rightly termed by the name of familiar letters They now that be speciall are such the matter of whome as I sayd before do admit both higher stile and more orderlye deliueraunce according to the waight of the argument in anye
of them to be handled and for this cause are termed special as bearinge in them a resolute purpose and intendment seriously to discourse aunswere implye or auoyde any certaine matter or causes importing the present affaires whereupon the direction is framed Of them also are certaine diuisions learnedly by skilfull authours that heretofore haue bene distinguished the titles whereof I do omitte in an other place then this more oportune to be hereafter remembred These as they are from the others many waies estranged in their seuerall arguments so vnto the conuaiaunce and expressing of their causes appertayneth both other order and diuers partes in them then in the residue more fully to be considered In whose composition that there may be a perfect platforme gathethered of a more certayne proceeding wee will as others haue thought meete distinguishe their seuerall partes as they fall out to bee borrowed in an Oration And whereas aswell in all kind of writing and speaking wherein is or may be required any continuaunce of matter it is very necessarye that whosoeuer shoulde take vpon him to aunswere the effects limited and agreeing to the same be therfore ready furnished and prepared accordingly it shall not be amisse herein to bring vnto the readers consideration what may be deemed vnto the accomplishement thereof eyther of greatest furtheraunce or of most necessity by knowledge whereof he may be the sooner setled in that hereafter maye be vnto him prescribed to be followed In suche kinde therefore of Epistles exactlye and with good perfection to bee handeled the learner shall vnderstande that there are three thinges by meanes whereof for the needfull expressing and orderly deliuerye of anye matter whatsoeuer he muste of necessitye bee furnished Inuention firste wherein plentifully is searched and considered what kinde of matter how much variety of sentences what sorts of figures how many similitudes what approbations diminutions insinuations and circumstaunces are presently needfull or furthering to the matter in handling Then Disposition whereby is orderly cunninglye and perfectlye layde downe and disposed euerye matter and cause in his due order proportion place Thirdly Eloquution whose efficacie in speaches neat pure and elegant is in the other Chapter vnder aptnes of wordes sufficiently already described The first and the last of these three as they are greatly put forward by nature which in some beeing far more curious of imitation and study of the best then in other some whose will and conceit alike doe by a very instinct affect and couet far more baser purposes so besides the furtheraunce continuallye atchieued by often vse of reading shall herein be greatly holpen in that for the self same purpose and to the intent the learner may aswell in his natiue tongue know the right vse of figures tropes heeretofore neuer by him vnderstood as also discerne and vâ—e them out of others and in his owne writinges I haue at the latter ende of this booke gathered togeather all such Figures Schemes and Tropes heere vnto needfull and conuenient and there haue by sundry familiar examples expressed their vses and seuerall effectes bewraying also vnto the learners eyes when anye of them are vsed and to what purpose in euerye of the Epistles following by noting them in the margent of the same In diligent conceipt and aduerting whereof the vse vnto the practizer shall in short time be found greatly auaileable by the benefite thereby attayned Now in asmuch as Eloquution is annexed vnto the stile which euermore is also tyed to the argument and substaunce of euerye Epistle it is to be regarded what stile maye generallye be deemed meetest for the common habite wherein each of them may ordinarily be published In the recording whereof we doe finde three sortes especially in all kindes of writing and speaking to haue been generally commended Sublime the highest and statelyest maner and loftiest deliueraunce of anye thing that maye be expressing the heroicall and mighty actions of Kings Princes and other honorable personages the stile wherof is sayde to be tragicall swellinge in choyse and those the most hautiest termes commended described amplyfied and preferred also by Orators with manye excellent Figures and places of Rhetorique Humile the lowest comicall and most simple of all others the matter whereof is the meanest subiect of anye argument that may be entermedlinge in common causes aduertisementes and mutuall effectes of euery one the stile whereof sweepeth euen the very ground it selfe and is fittest appropriate to our familiar Letters for that in such familiar causes and maners the same is soly perfected in which neuertheles is Sua faceties elegantia quaedam his certaine kinde of elegancie pleasaunt and neat conueiance not altogeather to be sequestred from that kind of deliuerance Mediocre a meane betwixt high and low vehement and slender too much and too little as we saye in which are expressed histories Declamatious Commentaries and other intermingled actions not of any in particular but of all in generall this stile of all others maye be adopted vnto these speciall kinde of Epistles Thus then it followeth that whether we write familiarlye or waightily we must indeuour as neare as maye be that each be perfourmed skilfully for that to neither of them may want learning without the knowledge wherof what ornament can there be at all of this expected elegancie The particularities wherof included in these two titles of Inuention Eloquution both nature skill do put forwarde as we daylye see by a double instruction This therefore sufficing for those twaine let vs see what parts are supplied in an Epistle succeedinge in the other also and ayding to Disposition The first place is Exordium a beginning or induction to the matter to be written of which is not alwayes after one sort or fashion but in diuers maners as sometimes by preamble wherein eyther for our selues or the cause we write of or in respect of him for or to whom we write we studye to winne fauour and allowaunce of the matter sometimes by insinuation wherein couertlye eyther in respect that the matter requyreth long debatement or that mislyke maye be alreadye grounded in him to whome we direct our Letters we seeke by cunning reasons to shew that thâ— case so requyring is tollerable or in the other that rather equitye then selfe opinion must and ought chiefly to be waighed in all which we vndertake to be directed by the right rule and square of common intendment and reason sometymes by a similitude wherein by manifesting the lyke of that we take in hande to haue beene commended tollerated or equallye censured we intende the same or lesse force in our selues at their handes to bee borne withall or accepted Then Narratio or Propositio eache seruinge to one effect wherein is declared or proponed in the one by playne termes in the other by inference or comparisons the very substaunce of the matter whatsoeuer to be handled
hee grew into such a frensie and consequently into so rank a madnesse that he sate swearing blaspheming crying cursing and banning and that moste execrablie hys lookes were grimme furious and chaunged hys face terrible his sight fiery and pearsing those that saw him feared it and they that heard of it durst not come nigh him In conclusion some that pitied him more then his deseruing grieued to see that they coulde not redresse in him caused a company to watch him others to prouide warme brothes and in conclusion vsed all meanes possible to comfort him But what can man do to preuent the secret determination of tha'lmightie For loe whylest all men lefte hym and eche one stoode in doubt of hym a companie of rattes vpon a soddayne possest his house hys tables his chimneyes hys chambers yea hys verye bedd and hys lodging vpon which about which they wer so bold as in the sight of the beholders they durst appeare and come before them and beeing stroken abode and wer killed and others come in their places what shal I say the sight became so vncouth as al men shuÌ„ned ech one feared and none durst abide it whereupon the miser being left alone thus pitifully died The stench of his corps admitted neither dailight nor coÌ„pany wherin to be buried Two only that were the coÌ„ueiers of him sickned vehemently and one of them died the other is yet scarcely recouered The matter hereof seemed vnto me so strange therwithal so importunate to warne vs of our actions considering how seuerely God punisheth when he is once bent to correction as I could not but deeply consider of weighing with my self that such as was hs life such was his death the one being hated of many the other not to be tollerated of â—anye The circumstance whereof referring herewith to your deepe consideration I do bid you hearily farewell WE haue not in the former Epictle so much endeuored to praise extol the incoÌ„parable worthines of a hie mighty Prince as the argument of this letter hath occasioned vs to discommend the person of a moste vile wicked liuer either of which haue bin the more amply set forth to th'end to manifest therby how much and wherin y e excellency or dignity of one thing may be either iustly aduanced or worthely condemned Now touching the deeds and actions of men In what sort they are to be preferred or disabled is also to be collected out of the places before remembred And herein it shalbe necessarie to call in question whereout the partes therof are to be drawne as from the body wherein is included either plentie or want of strength or actiuitie From the minde as whence ensueth PrudeÌ„ce Iustice Fortitude or Temperance or y e coutrarieties thereof From fortune as where-fro is deriued Honour Worshippe or Wealth Out of all or some part of these doe proceede the weight and matter of any action as if the state thereof consisteth in bodely force I doe vse thereunto valor and strength if it rest in sway or gouernment I conferre therein Wisedome Iustice and Modestie if it be in causes of common weale bountie estate or liberalitie I herein applie Honour Worshippe Habilitie or Riches The action standing in regard of Pietie reputation Honour or fame for the conseruation whereof any one hath delte worthilie or wonderfully hereunto must we induce Fortitude whose propertie is stoutly to beare in whiche is contayned Magnanimitie to couet and aspire vnto thinges excellent and to contemne thinges base and lesse permanent Longanimitie constantlye and resolutelye to indure Patience meekely and willingly to tollerate Then Temperaunce the partes whereof are Modestye Chastitie Continencie Sobrietie and Meekenesse The Confirmation and Confutation occupyed in all which are gathered of Honestum or Inhonestum as I sayde before Vtilitie or Inutilitie Difficulcie or Impossibilitie Examples of these might be sorted diuersly as in the person of Dauid I coulde commend hys combate agaynst Goliath first ab honecto in that he beeing the seruaunt of God fought against a blasphewer also in his Princes quarrell and the defence of hys Countrey ab aequo because it is meete and conuenient that in causes so perilous the strength of eche one be applyed A necessitate insomuch as thereon depended the sauegard of the Prince and people Ab vtilitate for that he killing such an enemie brought to theyr own countrey peace quiet also braue the other part in subiection to his king and people A Difficili because the vndertaking thereof was so muche the more waightie by howe muche himselfe was as it were an infant agaynst a mightye Gyaunt vnarmed against him that was armed vnfurnished against him that had all maner of complementes of warre weake where the other was strong besides that the terrour of his challenge and hugenesse of stature had before daunted the armie and put them all out of conceite insomuche as the doubt was so generall as no man dared to vndertake the quarrell herein onely is praysed of bodily force his Actiuitie and nimblenesse of Vertues his wonderfull Magnanimitie y e by a couragious desire durst vndertake the same his affiance in Iustice and equitie of the cause His Pietie to God his Prince and country His Fidelitie whose lyfe was not spared when eche one drew back to be brought in hazard for all these Now in causes of sway and gouernement a man might be praysed for his great wisedome wherby in handling of some notable actioÌ„ in ambassage or consultation he hath onely by graue aduise industry discreet serch perswasioÌ„ or circumspection coÌ„passed waighty matters to the coÌ„mon weale or thence anoyded huge imminent dangers Cicero in the coniuration of Cateline being a mightie ennemy against his owne city of Rome might herein be an excellent pattern who without stirring the people at al without any maner of bodily resistance or force of armes without passing by any priuate or indirect means did by the sole matter of his Wisedome weightines of speech forcible reasons enforcements rebukes and perswasions driue him cleane out of the Citie and being expulced to the common peace tranquilitie and suretie of the same did afterward by like demeanour industry and circumspection so preuent his purposes so circumuent his pollicies so turne him vpside downe as hee dared not he could not he shamed to perpetrate what so often he hadde sworne and so many wayes intended For some one rare singuler point of Iustice men also might be extolled as besides common expectation executing the same A president hereof might be the L. chiefe Iustice of England in the time of king Henry the fourth who was so strictly bent to the obseruation of Iustice as hauing one of the princes seruauntes arraigned before hym at the kyngs bench barre for a fellonie and being one that the young Prince greatly at that time of his youth fauoured The Prince came to the barre and at
the Iudges handes requyred his seruaunt who aunsweared that he was the kinge his fathers prysoner and stood there vpon his triall by law for his offences and that he coulde not in iustice nor woulde by his pardon permit his deliuerye without his triall The Prince mooued with such denial strooke the Iudge on the face and woulde by force haue with-drawne the prysoner The Iudge with-stood him and aduertisinge him mildly of the offence he had done to the seat place wherein he sate of iustice in such sort to strike him stoutly caused handes to be layd on him and committed him to warde wherevnto vpon such aduertisement the Prince obeyed and accordingly remayned in durance attending the aduertisement and knowledge of his fathers pleasure Here might be a great contention whether the worthy Iudge in his equal administration and execution of iustice without feare whereon stoode the hazard of his owne life beeing vpon him that was in succession to become his Soueraigne Lorde were more to bee commended or the Prince in his subiection and of all other moste singular obedience were more highlye to bee extolled the one daringe to doe that was lawfull vppon whatsoeuer hazard the other humbling him-selfe to authoritie which he might easelie haue impugned For no doubt there was as much virtue in the ones obedience as there was excellencie in the others sentence Ouer and besides these in the honour worship or wealth of any man his deedes of Charitie eyther in Erection Contribution Conuersion or Repairing of anye thinge whereby the common-wealth is benefited virtue furthe red or the needie prouided for Finally Bounty Liberalitie Courtesie Modestie Chastitie Continencie Patience Obedience Sufferaunce willing acceptaunce of death for conscience for fidelitie towards their Prince for their country for their faith these seuerally for or by them-selues aswel as in others are sundry kindes commended Presidents hereof might be of Bounty as in pardoning what we might execute Liberalitie in rewarding the good and relieuing common necessity Courtesie in meeke and gentle vsage harkning to the complaints of the poore and greeued to the redressing of their wronges Modestie in abstaining to execute vpon our selues the fulnes of glory or commendation due for our well deseruinge in acceptation of honours in shunning foule and yrkesome shewes in lookes countenance and demeanour tending to occasion of euill Chastitie in the inuiolable preseruation of Virginitie in puritie of thoughtes wordes and deedes be it with losse of life Continencie in withdrawing our selues from seruice of our appetite and what naturally we couet Patience when gladly meekely and quietly we accept and indure whatsoeuer iustly or iniustly is layd vpon vs. Sufferance when with resolute preparation we are adapted and made readye to take anye trosse or affliction vpon vs. Now by the laying out of al these particularities you maye perceaue which way and wherein the effectes of euerye of these places are thieflye furthered and what be their actions falling out in their seuerall diuersities By choyce and example whereof the learner may be the better prepared in whatsoeuer he shal vndertake or proceed vpon And for asmuch as it is a thing so vnused and difficult as I once sayde before of Letters Descriptorie to enter particularly into anye one of these partes by them selues without sorting to some other end or purpose the effects therof As by the deliuery of praise or dispraise of a person to commend him for some vse or discommend him for the same or in furthering or condemning the actions of anye to exhort or dehort others from the like or otherwise by some occasions to defende or inueigh againste eyther of both And so also touching things for or by them selues to be proposed either in respect of their goodnes or badnes to procure a receipt of them or otherwise to abandon their forces I should deeme it superfluous in this place to put forward any more examples contenting my selfe that for instruction sake I haue so plentifully giuen forth already these peculiar notes which at such times when they shall be then vsed may be according to their directions orderly and with great facility applied Omitting therfore what considerations might herevnto otherwise be deemed pertinent to the places in which they maye bee frequented more conuenient let vs now passe vnto the next title of epistles being Deliberatiue and herevnto in order next ensuing CAP. XI Of Epistles Deliberatiue FEw precepts more then already set downe maye serue eyther in the generalitie of this Deliberatiue kinde to be considered or in the other part Iudiciall to be pursued for that in whatsoeuer hath before been enioined in the precedent parts of Lawdatorie and Vituperatorie are here in al respects to be followed The first therfore of these sorts presenting them-selues to our handling are epistles Hortatorie Dehortatorie the argument whereof being deriued froÌ„ the parts afore sayd shall besides consist of the motiues therin to be suggested These kind of epistles reteining for the moste part a diuersitie of affections which Nature hath ordained as it were certaine prickes or prâ—uocations within vs whereby to induce the ready direct way to Virtue or terrifie vs by like degrees from pursute of vices haue in them sundrye oppositions correspondent vnto all their properties In exhortation therefore to any thing ouer and aboue the matter in the Epistle layde downe we haue these occasions and circumstances wherby to incite those we write vnto to the acceptaunce or allowaunce of the argument we haue in handling as praise that maye ensue thereof Hope feare or hate of some one thing loue liking or compassion of the cause emulation of some what therein proposed expectation thereon depending examples and intreatie The efficacie of praise is no doubt of rare and singular force to exhort and stirre vp to well doing For what I pray you is it that preferreth and encourageth the common actions and endeuours of all men but the generall allowance and regard that is euery where made of them Is it not accompt alone that giueth encouragement to Virtue Is Virtue so fullie aduaunced in anye thing as in the honour and commendation that is attributed vnto the same For so and in such maner hath Nature framed the mindes of mortall men that there is no one of them liuing that is of so base and contemptible aspirite but by praise and commendation he may be drawne vp into a liking which being so the force therof in Exhortation must of necessity greatly preuaile This shall we well perfourme if we firste conceaue of the party with whom we haue to deale what disposition habiluments or other matter is in him furthering and conuenient to the purpose where vnto we exhort him and the likelyhoodes of the same therevpon greatlye to put foorth and commend or otherwise if he haue anye thing before time waded into that action by him-selfe then to praise that which is begunne and thereby exhort him to
thy byrth thy parentes education thy estate thy wealth thy possibilitie to become a traitor to thy prince and a rebell to thy country No no my G. vilde and too ill beseeming is the drift that hath so ouer-taken thee and ignoraunt was hee of that became thee that firste therevnto perswaded thee When thou liest armed in the feildes and mustering thy ranckes in the daye time beholdest and lookest round about thy country thinkest thou not then with thy selfe in this soyle was I borne within this land lyeth my patrimonie here had I first sucke and sithens haue the fruites therof nourished me and could I then become so farre ingratefull and vnkinde as for all these benefites to destroye thee Not so nor in such maner haue the virtuous in the field beene accompted so worthye not for this cause or in suche actions haue men beene sayde to beare them-selues honourablie Corolianus thou wast conuinced by the veiw of thy Citie and mothers entreatie and shall I vnhappy man for all this persist in this cruelty Iustly and by great occasion credite me mightest thou thus complaine of so great an iniurie and all this beeing so true as nothing more true can it be sayde that in prosecuting the same thou maist be freed from infamy What I pray thee hath made men famous and canonized their memory was it not their munificence and valiaunt demerites in and towardes their countrye For in what one thing are we more likened vnto God him-selfe then in the worthines of our mindes the conclusions whereof ought they at any time to be stained with such hatefull obloquie The Asse runneth thorough fire for the safegard of her issue and shal the valiant man become negligent to the aide of his country How farre more waightely then shall he be accused who not onelye giueth no ayde at all to his country but also is therevnto a confederate and most cruell enemy How carelesse are such men of their fame and how vnlike of all others to those memorable worthies the precious regarde whereof vnto them hath beene suche as then goods possessions riches kingdomes yea life it selfe hath beene helde moste dearest Peruse but the auntient historyes of Rome and looke there of Mutius Scauola the most inuincible Romaine with what confidence went he solie into the tent of Porsenna his and their countries capitall enemie with intent onely to destroy him The good Furius Camillus who after many high and honourable seruices by him don to the common-wealth of Rome was by his own Citizens vniustly banished how farre off was he think you from this your opinion For the Galles whome before he had expulsed hauinge in the time of this his banishment asseiged the Citye of Rome and beeinge then very likely to haue distressed the same insomuch as they had already forraged burnt and destroyed the whole country round about he more sorrowful at the likely ruine of his Citie then grieued at his own proper banishment moued therevnto of verye pietie and loue to his natiue soyle and country entred councell with the Ardeats and by his wisedome pollicie and great manhoode so perswaded those people that in feare of their owne mishap they were content to leuie a mighty armye vnder his conduct wherewith he not onely put backe the enemy but therewith so mightely pursued them as by such meanes he vtterly freed and set at libertye his dearest beloued Citye and countrye What need we search abroade for such forraine examples and why draw we not rather home into our owne soyle of England What Cronicle shall euer remayne or what english historye shall be euer extant that shall not euerlastinglye report the deserued fame of that right worthy and very noble act in deed of Sir William Walworth Knight once L. Maior of this our Citye of London the remembraunce wherof to his perpetuall praise and endlesse confusion of all others who not onely abstayning the putting in vre of suche his memorable virtue but which is worse shall endeuour by cruel force to tender violence vnto their sacred anointed prince and of all others moste fauoured countrye shall yet flourish for euer Ill do you conceaue or think on the worthines of that good-man who in the tyme of king Richard the second when with a most sodeine and straunge kind of rebellion the king was troubled the Realme pestred and the strongest of the Kinges subiectes greatlye feared euen at that time when the proud fawtor and captaine of this rebellious and rascally multitude durst hatefully and most vndutifullye to beard the king in his owne presence and each man shunned to impugne the contrary This valiaunt this good this right noble and most worthy Citizen standing by when the wretched and presumptuous varlet with so little reuerence approched the king and remembring the seruices of many worthye men that by an honorable aduenture and hazard of their liues had to their eternall memorye before time freed their country with liberty greuing that with so hie an abuse his soueraigne Lord being yet as it were a child should there in his hearing be so far forth amated he couragiouslye stept vnto the rebell and taking him by the gorge proud varlet quoth he that darest thus contēptuouslye demeane thy selfe vnto thy king and statelye soueraigne foule death betide thee and shame quickly consume thee why aunswered the vilaine in great disdaine is it thou that greeuest at that I haue said greiue replied the stout couragious Citizen yea euen I t'is I that greeue at thee and haply should think my self accurst if thou shouldest scape frō me vnreuenged wherwith drawing more close vnto him he puld him from his horse by maine force and stabbed him to the hart with his dagger The destruction of whome bred such confusion vnto all the residue of his headstrong army and sight wherof kindled so great a fury in the residue of the kings company who for that present vpon speciall considerations was there attended on but meanly that the whole rebellious rowt were by such means euer after discomfited vtterly wherwith before that instant the whole realme had like to haue beene turned topsie turuie He and such as he laboured not by ambitious pride to arrogate vnto thē selues a lawles extremitie but studied of meere loue and entier zeale how and which way they might performe best seruice to their prince and country O more then ordinary affection and feruencye of hie and statelye worthines in the regard whereof life was not sweet vnto these men whose liuing might not redound to become for their dearest soile to be honoured and famous What then maye I saie my G. of that by thee and thy copartners taken in hande whither will you be driuen what shall become of you how doe yee behaue your selues who may receaue you in whose inward conceiptes not the pietie regard of any of these no nor so much as one sparke of
chaunge to leaue the delicacie of his own soile now in his primier â—olity to pursue straunge coasâ—es and the admirable scituation brauery pleasure noueltie vnknown wonders of other countries needfull shall it be that I do first make a description of the same places their diuersities and pleasures either by skill or experience to be laiâ— down as near as may be gessed In which if any one thing chance to appeare more excellent more pleasing or more wonderful then the rest that will I set forth at large and according to the worthâ—â—es quantity or admiration therof preferre it to the vttermost the rather to draw him to that wherein I endeuour so fully to haue him perswaded It also I should go about to induce an vntoward sonne to the obedieÌ„ce of a wel disposed father I must first describe the office and duty wherein as well by the lawes of God as by impression of nature children are tied and bound to an humble and reuerend regard of their parents Next I will by doble example commende and extoll with praise the tendred duty and louing obedience of those who in al memory and accompt are registred to haue well deserued of their elders and then the infamie shame wicked endâ— and destruction of such as by a secure stubborne and carelesse demeanour haue neglected or attempted the contrarie the generall praise or common mislike of each of the one or the other shall be a meane that our perswasions in such a cause may be deemed the more waighty Perswasion likewise of Friendship of Loue of Conuersation of Gouernment of Honest life beeing subiectes of those great Virtues formerly in our Hortatorie Epistles remembred maye heerein by their seuerall descriptions and praise of their worthinesse bee plentifullye perfourmed As in Friendship the description may be shewed in the efficacie which by nothing so much as example is confirmed and approoued by the common affinitie that each thinge hath with other The prayse also by the sweetnesse of Societie is preferred by the firme trust repose and loyalty thereby assurâ—d by the equall participation of ioyes of sorowes of euils of losses of discomfortes by a similitude of the same condition the same intendment affection or liking by the somme of ioyes happines and felicity therin contained In Loue likewise charged by nature by dutie by obedience the descriptions and praises are to bee handled in their seuerall arguments As by Nature beeing descending from parents to their children being interchaungeable also betweene sisters and brethren By Dutie which principallye belongeth vnto God to our countrye to our kinsfolke to our benefactors and followers By Obedience to our Prince to our Parents and to our superiours Conuersation also Gouernment and Honest life the descriptions wherof are in the hawnts entertainment of companies moderation in all sortes of common and vsuall exercises chast sober and laudable kinde of liuing of euery one The praises vnto them incident deduced from the estate betternes or nobilitie of any indued withall or the greatest nâ—mber of these To all which particularities may be added suggestions and diuers inforcements whereby to perswade a man to the acceptaunce and embracing of either of them as wherin the weight of all good counsels are chiefly preferred These and such as these are comprehended in epistles Swasorie by the neat conueyaunce whereof we moue the affects of any one to the allowaunce of our writing For which cause it shall behooue that such reasons of inducement as shall be laid downe do carrie with them their pithines and valiâ—itie beseeming the argument we haue in handling â—o which end these briefe aduertisementes may be receaued beeing as it were steppes and degrees wherwith the learner may be stayed vp to a more perfect consideration of the purpose and deliuery of whatsoeuer he shal be occasioned to write of by the parts of this or any other example to be the more plentifully ordered Another example of an Epistle Swasorie perswading the carefull acceptance and regard of one brother to an other THe sound and entire familiaritie wherwith your Parâ—ntes in their life time sometimes entertained me and the neerenes of neighbourhood twixt both our friendes and long education wherein ioyntly we haue conuersed together moueth me at this instaunt somewhat to write vnto you in respect of the reputation credite and accompt that in the world you now beare and also the rather to winne you to the regard of that which to the state of your present being and worthines of your former offspring may be found meetest and conuenient It is giuen me to vnderstand of a younger brother you haue here in London who at the time of your fathers dearh being committed to your charge is for default of maintenance badly inured worse trayned and most perilously by all kinde of likelihoode thorough such sufferance in the loosenes of his liuing already hazarded Trust me I woondered not a little when I heard it and so muche the more was the matter troublesome vnto me in that respecting it was not tolde in secret it seemed vnto me by the lookes gestures of the whole companie that heard it your good demeanour therby was very hardly censured in that standing in suche case of credite as you doe your wealth so aboundant and and your Parentes so well accompted of you would in this sort and in that place of all others suffer him to wander carelesse whome you ought to haue constrayned by any possible carefulnesse How ill beseeming it is both to you and yours that it should so fal out you may by supposes many wayes coniecture For my part it greeued me when I heard it and I was not quiet till I found conuenient time to aduertise you of it And if my opinion may at all preuayle with you you shoulde quickly call him home from hence and see him more better to bee prouided for and more worthily to bee trained vp Consider I pray you the life hee taketh in hand befitteth not suche a one whose originall was so honest is ill beseeming the yonger brother of your selfe vnworthie his birth or name of a gentleman and altogether repugnant to the qualitie of your behauiour or anye part of your liuing You are to remember that he is yet very greene now pliable to whatsoeuer may bee impressed in him as chafed waxe apt to receaue any figure like vnto a new vessell to be seasoned with whatsoeuer licour what he now taketh taste and sauour of that he holdeth what habit you now cast vp on him the same shadowe hee lightly beareth Great cause haue you therefore now to be warie how and in what sort he liueth Your industry your brotherly care your loue your especiall regard and kindnes it is that must be aiding in this you and none other are the same on whome he relieth you are to prouide for him and it is your selfe that must aunswere him Think that Nature Loue Duty yea verie Pietie
bindeth you vnto him who hath none other left to depend vppon but suche as by possibilitie your selfe may become vnto him In the consideration of which let I pray you my words become thus muche regarded vnto you that heerein as in all other thinges you performe that beseemeth you Longer could I occupie my selfe to trauell in this action with you but that I deeme it more than alreadie impertinent to require you Greeting your selfe many times in my name I omit therefore farther to detein you From my house in B this of c. MUch more might be deliuered of this swasorie kinde affording great store and plentie of example the patternes of which being heere seuerally set downe at large would make the volume ouer great and the habit too cōbersome for the wearing Suffiseth therefore that in the matter preceeding this Epistle I haue shewed you diuers other occasions inducing argument wherupon these sortes of letters may be framed according to which or any other imagination not here supposed whatsoeuer is intended to be written may be orderly carried The difficulcie is nothing if the learner do but first consider wyth himself what it is he goeth about to aduise or perswade by in sight wherof he may forthwith imagine what parts and places are therin to be occupied Nowe then if this argument fal within y ◠compasse of any one of these herein specified he may distinguish the same by the description laying forth hereby already deliuered If not then by Imitation of the like it may as fully be perfected And seeyng we haue intended by al these to proceed for the more easie instruction as plentifully as we can Let vs first adde the letter Responsorie to this last Epistle and concluding solie with one other example referre whatsoeuer after for this title to the readers consideration ¶ A letter Responsorie answering to the effects of the latter Epistle SIr it discontenteth me not a litle to be informed by your letter of the iniust suppose that men so vnkindly conceiue of me touching the ill disposed behauiour of my younger brother but moste of all misliketh me that you who haue so long knowne me shoulde with the rash conceite of the residue adiudge me so peremptorily as partly being of common opinion with them to deeme by the naked shew of his ill estate that the same proceedeth either of my too little care negligent indeuour or ill circumspection in not respecting and prouiding sufficiently what needfully beseemeth him Beleue me sir the conceit of all or any of these touching what concerneth mine own peculier regard are vnto me most iniurious neither to whom soeuer haue knowne me did I in all my life as I thinke giue anye such token or matter of likelihood as wherby I might be supposed so muche to impugne my selfe or to haue bene iniurious to any The boy I confesse in nature is my brother deare and charie inough vnto me in respect wee had one father and mother Howe warie I haue euer bene ouer all his demeanours how watchfull in the first preuention of all hys vntoward purposes howe willing hee might be trained vp in that beseemed his parentes the cost I haue bin at with him his tutors that should haue cared for him those that haue had most doings about him can chiefly testifie If I shuld tel it you you would not thinke it if it should be reported to many others they would scarce beleue it Before God sir I must tell you it is straunge and very sttaunge vnto me that being in maner a childe so well fostered as he hath bene so little knowing of want or penurie as he hath done so vnwoontedly accustomed to this hardnesse by hym newly begunne in what sorte he can endure it with what appetite he can so grosely away with it Witte he hath inough I confesse but too too euill addicted conceite plentifull but most vntowardly followed qualities to be accompted of but vilely misled Alas the remembraunce greeueth me to thinke on it and I would I had spent largely to redresse it It is neither want of care loue liking or looking to that hath procured it permitteth it or hindereth to reclayme it It is the frowning heauens and his wicked destinie that performeth it The fire the more it is couered the more it breaketh out and flameth The swift currant neuer so little stopped ouerfloweth the threshold I would be loth to inferr vnto you that by what decree I know not ordayned hee is thus violently caried Neither woulde I gladly stand vpon these determinations that the force therof may not in time bee suppressed But knowing the meanes I haue thereto applied I promise you for my part I hold it to be greatly feared Ths one conclusion may rest sir for your generall satisfaction The boie is nowe neere about you finde meanes I beseeche you for the loue I knowe you owe vs to winne him once vnto you my self wil be at anie cost whatsoeuer to satisfie you So thereby hee may be redeemed order him deale with him place him doe to him what you list or can suppose to bee meetest there shall not want to enlarge it to cherish it and to the vttermost to mayntaine it Meane while till you haue approoued what I haue wished and gladly would care to bee accomplished deale fauourablye and no worse with me I pray you then I deserue for your own and all others opinions Thanking your good care and consideration had in hys and my behalfe I doe herewith bid you hartily farewell R. this of c. THe order of this letter seemeth vnto me very pertinent vnto the matter of the former Epistle aunswering fully in eche point vnto the effects of the same In the formost part whereof is declared the discontentment of the supposed obiecte because it was vniuste thoughe the shewe of the partie ministred an outwarde imagination thereunto very likely Next that he who knewe him so well woulde enter so rashly into the common conceite of those that little vnderstood and lesse did intend of him Afterward he openeth his endeuors studie and inforcement of good education excusing the hardnesse of the one by the diligent preuention of the other if possible it might haue preuailed Then the abruption into lewdnesse and the il hope of recouerie which not resolately is concluded but doubtfully by Allegories coniectured Lastly for satisfaccion of all opinions he requesteth his owne triall in the cause with offer of whatsoeuer expence needfull to procure a remedie which hee greatly coueteth and thereupon endeth The argument of the next example tending to a reformation of the studies of some one therein supposed perswadeth a pursuit of matters enhabling to farre greater profite And as once before and many times after also it may in other Epistles fall out there is in this no Exordium but the beginning hereof beareth solie a Narration of whose nature and of all other the partes of euery Epistle I thinke needlesse in
ill beseeming of the cause the discommoditie inequalitie difficulcie insufficiencie impossibilitie ill conceite or intollerable admittance in the vse or compassing of the same All these notwithstanding in one sole Epistle not at all tymes vsed but eyther admitted or reiected as is in the matter circumstaunce thereof many times to be required As in a cause of wrong the Inhonestie of the thing in handling by ilnesse vnusednesse iniustice oppression detriment or damage thereby ensuing is to be disswaded the Vnworthines by the credite or reputation of him that tendreth the same to bee measured the Il-conceit by the mislike that all men generally doe retaine of the action and high contempt wherwith they are woont to entertaine the memorie therof the Discommoditie by the exclamations of the party iniured calling his honest fame in question the Difficulcie by the stoutnes of him to whom the same is offred and his known â— abilitie to withstand it the Intollerable admittance by the haynous apparance therein deliuered Disswassions also may be vsed to a man not to entermedie in hie or meane oecasions so termed either in respecte of hys owne desertes respecting or regarâ—ant to farre better or more lower purposes or in weight of his habilitie or disabilitie wherby he is put forward or drawne backe in the acceptance therof either by reputatioÌ„ or wealthines Here the insufficiency impossibilitie or difficulcie is to be required the more effectually therby to disswade by what therein coniectured to be hindering or disproouing to the matter intended Now by this alreadie said and by the application of the seueral partes herein debated to anye other lyke occasion in writyng to be ministred it may with more facilitie be adiudged where and in what sorte and to howe muche purpose the whole or greatest number of these in any lyke Epistle may be effected The example inducing the orderly laying out of which in theyr seuerall places now next of all succeedeth An example Disswasorie wherein a man of wealth sufficient is disswaded from the marriage of his daughter to the riches of an olde wealthie Miser SIr I am not a litle greeued for the loue I ow you to see that in these ripe years of yours wherin men commonly are freight with discretion you neuerthelesse doe verie indiscreetlye goe about to compasse a matter so repugnaunt to reason or anie manner of considerate and sage aduisement as whereat the worlde can but wonder and whereof al that know you or by anye meanes may vnderstand of the match wil no question greatly accuse and for euer condemne you It is deliuered with vs here for certain that you are intended vpon the doting affection of a miserable olde man your neighbour whose yeares are as welfreight with diseases and his manacled and benummed olde ioyntes with imperfections as his barred cofers with coyne to marrie vnto him my neece and your yongest daughter vpon a soddain and that to the furtheraunce thereof you offered to contribute of your owne store a reasonable and sufficient portion Trust me when I heard it at first I deemed it as a counterfait iest thinking that the man whome I so wel knew before time could not on a sodain become such a paragon as whereon a mayden of her fewture youth accomplishment and fauour could so quickly become enamored neither thought I that howsoeuer the dotage of the olde man stoode as a conceite to smile at that you for your part woulde so muche as vouchsafe to hearken to it especially at any time so seriously to speak of it muche lesse to open your purse to become a purchaser of it or by constrainte at all to inforce her fauors to giue signe or token anye wayes vnto it Alas sir was there no one thing more wherin besides you could onershoot your selfe but onely in so bad a purpose an action so vnhonest an intendment so vile a matter so much impugning nature as that the verye earth or hell it selfe coulde not belch out against the fayre Virgine so huge and so intollerable a mischiefe to matche I saye the matchlesse fauour of soe yong and dainty a peece to the filthy tawnie deformed and vnseemely hue of so wretched and ill fauoured a creature What nature is this to worke vnto her whome of your owne flesh you haue engendred whom so long you haue nourished whom to such and so many perfections you haue trained vpon a sodeyne naye euen in one moment to manifest an occasion to cast her away not yeelding vnto her heauye censure so great a benefit as death but tenne thousand griefes the least of all which is worse then anye death that maye be wherein comfortlesse she may complaine grieue and bemone her selfe without any reliefe at all but by the precious price and hazard of her owne soule How vnequally do you deale herein to render vnto her beeing scarce sixteene yeares of age a husband enfeabled by foure skore yeares and vpwardes whose toes are swolne with the gowt and legges consumed with the dropsie whose leane carkase beareth no apparance but of olde scarres and stiffened limmes become vnweldie supporters of his pined corpes whom furres must fence from the least blast of cold and dew of nappy ale cherish with warme fiers whose night cap carieth more store of heat then all his bodye doth of agilitie or strength and nose farre more fruitfull then fauorie with distilling drops down trilling froÌ„ thence in freshest spring of the ioliest seasons maketh ill fauored refections What wrong do you tender the poore maiden therein How vnworthye and farre ill beseeming is the same to her who hath such a father and apparantly shalbe known to be such a mans daughter shall you not therein be noted of great follie will not all men laugh at it pittie it crie shame of it and her selfe poore soule pray to God to reuenge it It is too muche intollerable beleeue me that you should endeuour in this sorte by collour of your fatherly aucthoritie to constraine her whome albeit she is your childe yet may you not thus forciblie compell vnto so vnused and vnnaturall extremities Consider with your self how greeuous the thing you goe about to compasse maye retourne vnto her and whereas lyking and choyce is of all other thinges in case of mariage to be accompted most dearest you not onely against her wil doe endeuour to induce a breach thereof but also doe giue her ouer into the handes of such a one whose inequalitie so far foorth diffeuereth from her appetite as that it can not otherwise but as vnto all others so vnto her chieflye becomme insufferable Haue you no more care of her that is your daughter but when now you haue brought her to that passe wherein shee should participate the virtuous and modest vse of that whereunto her yeares haue adapted her and for which ende and sole purpose mariage was by Gods sacred ordinaunce at
that the cause we take vpon vs to preferre be iust lawfull and honest Fourthly that it be in his habilitie or power to councell ayde protect preferre or relieue vs. Fifthly the order or meanes whereby the same may be wrought and accomplished Sixtly our gratitude and remuneration worthily tied to the thankeful acknowledgement or requitall of the same In the first sorte of these the cause standing fauorable or indifferent wee may the more bolder endeuour to produce or lay foorth the aptnesse or beseeming thereof In the second greater modestie and a more shamefast deliueraunce is to be reteined the preferring whereof would best be by Insinuation the better by couert meanes to wade into the depth of our Petition In this place a more then ordinarie bathfulnesse to be admitted which giueth no small furtherance to euery demand as audacious and wanscot impudency on the other side returneth the greatest impediment in any thing to be obteined For no man willingly would do benefit to such a one which in maner goeth about as of dutie and not of courtesie to exact the same and rather as a commaunder then crauer would impudently thrust him selfe to the obteining therof And because the whol course heereof obserued by way of euery Petition is by inference of many circumstances to bee altogether determined the order as I haue related vnto you before must be conueied by places Swasorie resting very often in confirmation of y e honesty goodnes lawfulnes needfulnes of our petition And if y e Exordium be happily framed of his person to whō we direct our letters it shal not be amisse that therein we briefly doe capitulate some part of his vertues courtesies humanity bounty readines to comfort pleasure or dorelief vnto any wherby we may priuatly draw his fauor good acceptance vnto vs besides if he haue made vs before time beholding vnto him we shal gladly acknowledge y e same and declare y e being already indebted we study more therby to yoke our selues vnto him If of our own persōs thē shall we lay open w e what great expectation regard we do in our conceits entertain the desertes and worthines of such a one modestly preferring what in fauour of him and common equal loue hath passed betwene vs. If of the interchangeable loue liking and courtesie whilome resting betwene our predecessors or auncestors then the weight force therof we shall put forwardes accordingly If of the the person of our aduersary against whom we demand any assistance fauor protection or remedie we may inferre if any such be y e common mislike of both of vs towards him how ill he hath deserued at eythers hands and therupon require aid against him If of y e thing or matter it self the same be to be caried we shall shewe the valew godlines goodnes or common benefite of the same that the matter is vnto him easie to vsof great importance and if without arrogancie it may be done we may enforce some occasiōs of benefit or other contentment thenceforth to happen vnto him And if any discommoditie doe happily seeme to appeare in laying open the same the likelihoode wherof may eyther alienate his mind or withdrawe his assistaunce or other liking from vs. that shal we either studie to extinguish or otherwise as much as we may to qualifie or auoyd By such kinde of meanes behoueth we prepare our selues to the deliuerie of our Petition which beeing in as apt plaine terms as may be laid open we shal by such inforcements as in moouing affections hereunto may be deemed pertinent quickly and with great facility procure to be effected An example of an Epistle Petitorie in a cause indifferent THE studie and great desire wherewith Sir I see you bent continually to the vniuersall aide and benefite of all men for whiche to your great praise you haue generally so well deserued and deseruedly are euery where reputed hath moued me in the behalfe of this poore man to become a Peticioner vnto you About two monthes since hee had dealinges with a neighbour of yours touching a farme whiche hee was for terme of yeares to take at his handes and notwithstanding a promise and graunt thereof to this bearer made in consideration whereof hee payde him then in hand a good part of his mony the iniurious cormorant glutting himselfe with extorting from the pouertie of this and many others hath sithence that not onely passed a demise as his act deed in writing to an other but goeth about to defraud the poore foule of his mony the some whereof is the whole patrimonie riches and stocke of himselfe his poore wife and familye And for somuche as without the countenance of some one fauoring the poormans right he is like to be ouerborn with the weight of the other and so consequently to be vndone I haue thought good to make thus bolde to request your lawfull fauour in his furtheraunce that by your aucthoritie and meanes some honest satisfaction and end may to his behoofe be performed You shal doe therein an acte most honest and laudable dealyng for such a one for the procuring of whose right hys heartie prayers for your safetie shall witnesse well the comforte you shall doe him therein I am perswaded your speeche and aide may herein preuaile very much as a thing which with great facilitie you may cause to bee dispatched And for my selfe as I shall at no tyme rest vnmindefull of my request tendered vnto you herein so shal I not faile in what I may to the vtmost of my power to satisfie you by whatsoeuer possible requitall And euen so with my heartie commendations I doe bid you most heartily farewell R. this twelfth of Aprill c. THis Epistle notwithstanding the same is written in fauour of an other yet is it Petitorie and retaineth the partes thereof throughout for in the first being the Exordium the matter of the same is drawne out of the person of him to whome it passeth by preferring his care willingnesse to do good Then the Narration and Proposition setting foorth the occasion of the demaund The Petition next the Honesty and goodnesse therof in respect the deed cannot be but praise worthie that is occupied in relieuing the poore and furtheraunce of the right Then the Possibilitie and meane deliuered to compasse the same the one liable to his authoritie the other to his trauaile Lastly a remuneration by declaration of good acceptance promise of requital The like order hereof is generally to be entertained through out all the residue of these Epistles whose obseruation in the other examples shall more particularly be effected An example Petitorie in the nature of Reconciliatorie from a sonne to hys displeased father IF floudes of teares sealed with hard and bitter sighes if continuall sorow and neuer ceasing care if consuming griefes not of a diseased bodie but of a pestered minde might haue rendered sufficient and
assured testimonie whereby to perswade your ladeÌ„ eares surcharged by this time with the weight of my incessaunt and continuall cries the intollerable woes wherein I liue secluded from the right and name of a sonne and barred quite from the sweete and gentle terme of a louing and kinde father had ere this time geuen meane of recouerie to my daunted and dismayed spirites and kindled in me some wan hope one day to haue found an houre so happie wherein by a right conceite conceiued of my vnkindly pleasures or conuinced by the importunitie of those who haue pittied my euils your naturall care might in some sorte or other haue beene renued to the redresse of all my forewearied and heauie groning mischiefes But infortunate as I am that for all the humble suite so manie times presented in these and such like blubbered lines so hardened is the minde of him I write vnto that whilome hauing bene a deere louing Parents I may not heerin dare to tender or so much as once put forward vnto hym the appellation of a gratious and pitifull father If it haue so pleased vnto your grauitie in such seuere maner still to deale with me that the hateful shew of my il deserts is yet become of so loathed and detestable recordation in this very season vnto you then as before time I eftsoones haue done I doe coÌ„fesse my letters vntimely ly also at this instaÌ„t to haue approched vnto you But if the long deteined grace by whose heauie waÌ„t your son might I say nay the forlorn and despised issue of your aged yeares for so am I now forced to say is perforce driuen almost into a desperate conceit mislike of his liuing may by the best spark of expectation be annexed to the most vehement effectes of his prostrate and meekest submission then groueling vppon the lowest ground and humbling my highest imaginations to the deepest bottome wherin your implacable displeasures haue hitherto beene couered as meekely and with as penitent speches as any grieued and passionate mind can vtter I doe beseeche you sir that at the last you will receiue not into your accustomed fauour but to your common and ordinary liking the most disgraced of all youre Children and pardoning the disobedience wherein hee dared once so farre foorth to prouoke against hym the weyght of your knowne anger vouchsafe hee may once againe bee numbred amonge your famelie though not partaking with your Children This sole benefite and last request if my burthened soule may obtayne at your handes happilye I may then liue as comforted by the hope of that whereunto a buzied and careful endeuour may once peraduenture enhable mee otherwise dyeng in the ouerflowing matter of my desperate and continued griefes I pray at Gods handes that I may obtaine that by mercie whiche cruell destinie in my life time coulde neuer winne vnto me by all possible intreatie My submissiue duetie aunswerable to the regarded place of your fatherly auctoritie compelleth mee to attend with all humblenesse the resolution of your clemencie In the hope wherof resting my decaied and ouerwearied imaginations I liue till the receite of your knowne liking doe assertaine in what sorte may please you to repute me THe stile of this Epistle is vehement because the passions of him from whence it came were vehement and is deducted as you see from the nature of Reconciliatorie which as well for the submissiue and lowest termes it beareth as also for the vrgent petition therein contayned I haue rather chosen to place among the Petitorie The part of Honest herein deliuered is passed in woordes meckest and of great obedience wherein he studieth by all possibilitie to mitigate towardes himselfe the too muche seueritie of his father The Exordium is carried by Insinuation expressing the vehement effectes and surcharged conceites of a minde more than ordinarily greeued The Possibilitie resteth in the father which commonly by nature is with some more facilitie then estraunged difficultie entreated towardes his sonne The Meane to compasse it is his fatherly instinct whiche by charged aucthoritie affecteth nothing so much as obedience of his Children Thus are the places required herein in sorte as you see performed And for because within any one title there is no one thinge â—ffoording matter more plentifull or with vse more common frequented then this Petitorie kinde Insomuche as whatsoeuer containeth any speciall or sole request in the substaunce thereof to bee accomplished is hereunder concluded I will sorte you downe so many examples of all sortes as that there shall not faile heerein wherewith sufficiently to instruct whatsoeuer in the lyke occasion is or ought to be required An Epistle Petitorie wherein is craued trauaile and councell to be assistant vpon vrgent occasion AS one greatly emboldened by the forwardnes of your wonted courtesie and liking euer bent towardes me I haue dared Sir once againe vpon presumption of the like hereby to entreat you wherein you maye see in what degree of affection I do entertaine you in that not contented I haue already so many and so oftentimes vsed you I doe by such meanes indeuour solie to make my selfe wholy and to none other somuch as beholding vnto you My man hath returned me from London how by more then common celeritie I haue in my sute beene preuented by my aduersarie whereby it is like my cause standing vppon so great a hazarde it will goe very hard with me Now if your wonted councel and friendly assistaunce be not speedely aiding both the hope of benefite charge and expence thereof will be lost vtterly In regard whereof these maye be in as earnest maner as is possible to entreat you that vpon the attendance of my man I may as wontedly vse you Your councell ioyned with a little trauaile maye greatly profite me and now more then at any time els exceedingly pleasure me Wherein if it may please you to yoke me farther vnto you by the waight of your courtesie I shall not onely endeuor by all possibilitie to requite it but also your selfe shall not faile at anye time to finde suche a one of me as of whose trauaile industrie or what other abilitie to plesure you you may accompt assuredly I haue by certaine other letters moued my L. to haue fauourable consideration touching me which as I am infourmed his L. hath What els to be performed herein my man shall make knowne vnto you And thus doubting as little of your friendship herein as of mine own thankfull disposition prest alwaies to the vttermost to gratifie you I do hartely bid you fare well D. this of c. An other of the same SIR I am so bolde in my great necessitie vnder assuraunce of your forwardnesse ro doe me good to entreate your especiall ayde and furtheraunce in two thinges the one whereof this bearer shall instruct you in the other your selfe can best tell for that I
Almightie to haue your L. in his eternall protection I doe in all humblenes take my leaue from R. the seuenth of August c. The third Epistle Responsorie wherin is doubtfully allowed or accepted of what to the same was most recommended MY Singuler and especiall good L. I haue vnderstoode by your late letters of a certaine fained and vntrue suggestion deliuered by one of your L. tenaunts against the proceedings to him tendered and suppozed to bee in this court according wherevnto albeit I was before time not altogether vnacquainted with the clamarous condicion of the partie yet did I neuerthelesse as by your L. was enioyned examine at lardge the circumstances of the cause and for the better satisfaction of your L. haue determined herewith to set downe the trueth certainty of the same This R.L. whom your L. termeth to be a very poore man is not as in simple shew he maketh himself apparantly to be but is rather such a one as from whom being narrowely sifted your L. might sooner draw a hundred pound of his money then half an inche bredth of his honestie The argument wherof in nothing so much appeareth as in this one action wherein against a poore man in deed he hath verie iniuriously behaued himselfe and hauing extorded from him this bonde nowe in sute vppon some conclusion though no good consideration at all of the somme of one hundreth pounde goeth about vpon a nice quillet in the condicion to prosecute the forfeyture of the same which in deede by the district wordes of the writing seemeth vtterly to be forfeyted For reliefe wherof his aduersarie complayned in the Chauncerie by reason of the prosecution of which Bil and notice perticularlie thereof giuen to my L. Chauncellor the saide R.H. hauing diuers times agreed to comprimit the matter and yet gredie as it seemeth to obtaine the forfeiture still crieth on for triall whilest the matter is stil in debaring for which cause the same hitherto hath onlie and not otherwise been delayed And forasmuch as sithence your L. Letters receiued my selfe verie earnestlie haue traueiled to make some conscionable and quiet end between him and his aduersarie yet will the same in no wise on his part be assented vnto by occasion whereof the extremitie of the law being verie like to proceede he is the next Terme without further delaie to obtaine a iudgement and so the poore man on the otherside to be vtterlie iniured I thought it not amisse in aduertising the substaunce heere of vnto your good L. to pray the same by your honorable speches in credite of what here deliuered to procure the saide R. H to assent to some reasonable order So doing what in conscience the poore man is then liable to pay in respect of the others charges and purchase of his own negligēces I hold not to extream to be out of the said bond deducted bicause in law he was something charged though in equitie otherwise he ought to haue bin cleerelie acquited Thus in discharge of my conscience herein hauing so much deliuered vnto your good L. I doe recommend the honor and estate of the same to the protection of the Almightie London this xiii of May c. NOW after all these Epistles let vs enter into one strange Commendatorie kind somwhat different from the order of the rest being such wherein the partie directing the same being somewhat scant in deliuerie of ouer-large and too credible speeches thought good to mittigate the force of the same by the very partes of extremity it selfe wherein of a merrie conceite or some other pleasaunt humor he appeareth very vnwilling to flatter in reciting the example whereof because with many tedious preceptes I haue now a good while wearied the reader I may peraduenture occasion some matter of recreation whiche by the single shewe therein gathered appeareth in sort following to haue bene performed A Letter Commendatorie pleasantly conceited in preferring an vnprofitable seruaunt SIr I do send vnto your view the bearer heereof a man shaped as you see and as bold in conditiō as he appeareth in shew whome by all the superfluities of sommer ale that hathe wrought in his giddie braine I haue ben requested to commend vnto you And in asmuch as in putting forward so vnworthy a worthy in substance of so incredible allowance it something behoueth I hide not the single giftes whiche by great search in many a good Hostrie Tauerne and Alehouse he hath by long trauell and drowsie experience ere this time gained to his insupportable credence I shall not spare in some sorte to signifie vnto you what in regard of all these I am led to coniecture Trueth is Sir that he is very well studied in the misterie of maltwormes and for his peculiar skill in decerning the nappie taste by the nutbrowne collour of seller ale in a frostie morning he is become a sworne brother of the ragmans number and thereby standeth enioyned neuer to weare furres or other linning in the coldest winter but onely the warmth of the good ale whiche inwardly must harten him besides Sir if you haue occasion to credite him with a small parcell of money in dispatche of a iourny doe but say the word that it shal once lie in his charge and you may stand assured that it shalbe laid vp so safe as any liquor in the worlde can safe conduct it from his bellie Take no care for your kitchen buttrie or larder for once a day he loues to see all cleane before him Little apparell will serue him for his liueries ensue weekely out of the brewers meshfat His lodging he recks not the chimny store and billets endes serue for fetherbed and coueringes When you haue moste neede of him you shall alwaies be sure to goe without him if you delight in a pigs-nie you may by receiuing of him become sure of a hogshead Great store of small liking you happely may haue to him we know not what wonders the worlde may rend out for nothing is impossible where al thinges may be compassed It may please you for recreations sake to looke vpon him so you bee not in case to surfet looke what ill liking you conceiue report backe again I pray you in the inner facing of his chimney casket Omnia sua secum portat he is somewhat a foolosopher for he carries his possessions about him for terram dedit filijs hominum he must needes then haue a large dwelling I pray sir giue him good words how ill fauoredly soeuer you fauour his acquaintance For my part I request no remuneration for the preferment I haue tendered towardes him Thus much would I haue done more long since to be rid of him His old master being dead it is necessary some place to be pestered with him hee makes great choyse of your house keeping if you can like to frame with him Much more might be deliuered in the condemnation of his worthinesse but that I leaue to rehearse it but now Sir for
your own appetite I leaue to your contentment Blame not mee but him that ledd me and so foorth to an end Commend mee but not condemne mee for I shall once doe you a better turne this is but the first the next may be worse better I would say And so fare yee well c. TIme it is nowe I should leaue this last title of Epistlrs as hauing thereof spoken alreadie sufficientlie and giue my selfe to the deliuerie of the next which are Consolatorie so tearmed in respect that in them is contained manie occasions of comfort bestowed commonlie on such as are greeued according to the weight or qualitie of the matter where with they are perplexed And for that the life of man is circumuented with so manie and so vnlooked causes of sorrow and griefe as it manie waies needeth to haue the remedie of comforts to bee applied vnto it yet not the equalitie of al sorts of minds such as in one and the selfe same degree can accept and beare it It shall therfore be meet and conuenient that in deuising to yeeld this sweet and gentle remedie to anie troubled conceite we doe so moderate the matter as that in the Discouerie thereof we rather strike not to a farre greater impatience or extremitie of vnmeasurable sorrow than before vpoÌ„ vntimelie thrusting forward or ignoraÌ„t pursuit of the same seeing that the mindes of some are of so hie and imcomprehensible stoutnesse as they shonne in themselues and account it a slauerie to be ore whelmd with woes Others againe so rise and abundant in teares as the least shew of repetition in them induceth matter enough of continuall mourning for which cause we will sort these matters of comfort into three seuerall orders The first wherof shall be at choyce playnely and simplye as occasion serueth to be deliuered in the argument whereof we may by generalitie perswade that beeing mortall and fraile as wee are there is no cause for vs in heauie sort to greeue seing vnto a wise man no one thing can returne cause of disquiet but the shrowde of filthinesse and darkened shame neither can he be hurt of anye one without him-selfe These the more sensible they are with whome wee deale and of greater capacity the more vehemently may we inforce by all sortes of forcible examples and assured promises The second of these must by insinuation bee entered into as suppozing a personage of a hie and statelie minde the weightines of whose griefe suppressed by a kinde of vnconquered fortitude we would go about to comfort We may not with these deale as in case of common sorrow of the others but rather insinuating a deniall that respecting the inuincible valure we knowe to be resting in their mindes shonning to bee tainted with the least touche of sweltring griefe wee doe offer our speeches or letters to comfort them whose heartes we knowe cannot yeelde to any force thereof at all but that considering the great validity of their wisedome a minde in them so vnconquered by any stormes of fortune to be remaining not witstanding wee see daily in others before our eies the contrarie and imminent cause therunto must of force confesse to be inducing they neuerthelesse by a most hie and stately instincte by great skil and approoued experienee graffed within them are and must be enabled stoutly to bear what others as weakelinges doe lie groueling vnder by reason wherof we find greter cause to reioyce in the worthines of so goodly a minde then occasion and waies to go about to relicue their sorrowes The thirde and last likewise must in an other sort be conuaied as finding the passionate and perplexed conceipts of some yet fresh bleeding vpon the heauie wound of their sorrowes we may not abruptly enter with them into the iust occasion they haue so to bee distempered but rather for the lenefiyng of their grieues for in sorrow also to be accompanied breedeth often some coÌ„fort to seeme to take vpon vs one part of their euils by declaration how grieuous for some especiall causes the same becoÌ„meth vnto vs insomuch as by the handling hereof we may more fully intend in all our speeches to giue heed to our own woes then to goe about to deal at all with the others sorrowes For commonly it is giuen vs to mislike such as dissent from our affections and loue them againe who make them selues partakers of our euils It auaileth also very greatly to extenuate or lesseÌ„ as much as we may the cause of griefe either by the incertaintie of thinges casuall being in some respects subiect to frailtie or by the hope of short continuaunce or by the necessitie of the action which may not be with-stood or by some comfort or expectation left to mitigate the same The reputation also of wisedome grauitie permutation of times and seasons the dimunition of the occasion beeing nothing so great or vrgent as we deeme it the indurance of the thing to be a meane vnto virtue and among all other causes principallye to inculcate as much as we maye the common lot and condition of all men subiected vniuersally to mishap to sorrow griefe sicknes disquiet iniuries wronges oppressions and all kind of euilles the generall recordation wherof aboue any other thing whatsoeuer swayeth ouer the passions of the mind so forciblye by deepe regard of the vniuersallitie of the same as that it soonest of all others beareth downe the weight of al kind of sorrowes and ill conceauinges whatsoeuer Herein the quicke sentences and pitâ—ie sayings of Philosophers may also be a great spurring and finally al pâ—ssible arguments that may be whereby men are anye wayes perswaded or led to forget their euils In this place it is principally to be obserued that in ministring comfortable speaches to the redresse of anye mishaps we doe not by preferring of toyes and sporting deuises seeke for to relieue them for that albeit in times of pleasure the humour of the partie might in some sort be therewith greatly delighted yet in causes of such extremitie all persons for the most part very batefully do endure the putting forwardes thereof as too much impertinent to the heauines wherewith by sorrowfull remembraunces their mindes are commonlye amated But if the cause be light then may it not be much amisse to vse some pleasaunt deliuerance to such a one especially whose appetite standeth in or towards the same but it also in such louing sweet and gentle sort to be done as that true comforts may seeme to be mingled with those conceipted pleasures Neither may we in any case seeke in vaunting sort to thrust into their priuate view the present tranquillitie and happines wherin our selues repose the obiection whereof were too rusticall For that as societie in miserie it selfe lenesteth the force of the greatest grieues so the opposition of an others pleasure and freedome is a corrisiue or sting to the want of any one that is sequestred from the same All these obseruations in causes Consolatorie
no one thing liuing to remaine stedfast or in assured stay or certayne condicion at all times to induce and continue no maruaile then good Sir if your selfe being a mortal man framed of the same earthly substaunce and qualitie incident to terrene frailtie and mundane imbecilitie do as other creatures a like participate the sodaine euils and dayly alterations therevnto annexed and belonging a proofe whereof resteth chiefly in your present state and being then which no one thinge maye induce a more serious aduertisement of the vile accompt and wretched contempt appropriate vnto our liuing And albeit diuers are the calamities wherewith not onely your selfe but sondry others your louing friendes carefull of your present mishap and greeued to see the vncouth and bitter chaunge whereinto you are happened are continually affected insomuch as there is not the stoniest and flintiest minde of all that euer haue knowne you your desperate vowed ennemies onelye excepted but doe in some sort or other bewaile and as it were greeue to see the vnacquainted yoke thereof with such extremitie to be cast vpon you I can not yet but greatly commend the inuincible Fortitude of your high and noble minde who by how much the more the vehemencye of these sorrowes are to you vnknowne and therefore the more vnused do notwithstanding not onely by so much the lesse permit the â—igâ— tye power of them to rule or beare swaie ouer you but neglectinge or which is greater despisinge the sharpe prickinge stinge thereof who by the deepe pearcing force of the same is woonted to gall the remembraunce of manye others do also as it were by a forcelesse contempt of such validities not onely not giue anie token or signe at all in their vtmost practises but seeme rather to triumphe ouer the strength that thereby they hadde rought and by an aduised sage and woonderful modestie and discretion plainly to extinguish and put from you the furie of the same Greatly I must confesse haue you heereby deserued and muche more euill by the wise and moderate entertainment of these troubles hath to your aduersaries bin tendred who in nothyng so much doe rest vnsatisfied as that in subduing your body they cannot also yoke and bring vnder by what soeuer extremitie the courage and stately progression of your high and vnconquered minde Wherein there is left in my opinion great cause of comforte euen in the verie greatest of your miserie vnto you that in the constant indurance therof you haue power to punishe them that would disturb you that in the perplexed imaginations of their own wicked malicious enuie Neither may this that you sustaine bee rightly termed miserie or such a one as your self seeme to be accompted miserable whose minde in the verie captiuitie inflicted vpon this your bodie is thus freed and accompanied with so ample and sweetned libertie For these kinde of troubles as they are worldly so haue they power also vpon the worldly parts of a man and therin are cohibitions of suche earthly delight as sauoring more vnto the satisfaction of a sensuall appetite then conducing to the excellencie of the inward minde do breede that ordinary restraint wherewith men mortally conceipted are for the moste troubled But to the sweete imaginations of a pure and innocent minde what is left wherwith to be discontented but onely to haue committed any thing vile wretched or otherwise ill beseeming the Vertue and excellencie wherewith the inward partes thereof are or ought to be indued Howe manie waies then are left vnto you to reioyce vnto whose eies the continuall thirst of hie and sacred Vertue hath long since laid open the momentarie pleasures of this world the libertie whereof is vnto a worthie conceite a meere seruage in whose fickle transitorie affections reposeth so slender assurance whose efficacies contemplate no other then vaine and foolish obiectes seeing that you haue thereby so well perceaued how much the instinct of a braue and delicate mind climeth farr aboue the reach of the bodie with a pleasant and vncontrolled libertie These things impugning I must needes say a corporal appetite permit you not For suche losse of riches possessions children or friendes to become passionate or ouercome with extreame griefe albeit participating as wee doe wyth suche naturall causes I doubt not but therewith you are sometimes touched though at no time conuinced For whiche cause as often as you happen to fall into the remembrance of the same suppose with your selfe that in time the bitter sting may yet be repulced and that the lott that is fallen vnto you heerein is no other but the common reward and hatefull disquiet of the worlde wherein the moste noble and worthye mindes are the most vehemently assaulted and wyth deepest extremitie by suche kinde of meanes pursued The recordation whereof may returne vnto you one principall and great occasion of comforte in that by distinction of your worthinesse though you be partaker of common trouble yet are you sequestred from the entertainment of a common opinion It doth not a little reioyce me to see that with suche impregnable stoutnesse you doe so farre foorth endeuour to resist your appetites wherein besides the expectation of that whiche is incident also to these alterations a change I mean and renouation of wonted pleasures you shal in the meane tyme geue greater glory to your actions in not appearing for anie worldly estate riches or contentment to be surprised in your imaginations Praying the comfort of al comfortes to bestow vpon you the dew of his heauenly grace in assistaunce of your extremities I take my leaue this of c. A Consolatorie Epistle of the third sorte wherein a gentlewoman is comforted of the death of her husband slayn in the warres ALbeit my selfe hauing receiued the sorrowfull newes of the vntimely death of my deerest kinsman and your deceased louing husband was in the first hearing therof so greatly troubled with the heauie newes as by reason of the great griefe by me conceiued in the same my selfe happily might seeme to neede that comforte whiche nowe I goe about to bestowe vppon others Yet weighing in my mind the state wherein you stand and beeing also informed with what great extremitie you haue entertained the newes of his losse I cannot but in respect of the great loue I ought to him and remembraunce of the like care wherewith he principallie fauoured you enforce my pen hereby to yeeld vnto you those comfortable speeches by the veritie whereof my selfe in so great a storme of griefe coulde hetherto as yet be verie hardly satisfied It was deliuered vnto me by my brother F.B. that being nowe a moneth or somewhat more passed since by letters out of H. the maner of his death was vnto you reported you immediately vppon the reading of the letters grewe into so great aboundance of teares and to so wonderful impatience as hauing euer
distemperate actions And with breathing spirit to cry out unto you saying What is it you go about what meane you by teares to serche out for a thing so irrecuperable why torment you your youthfull yeares with such vnprofitable or rather as I may cal it desperate kind of mourninges why with such vniust tomplaintes accuse you fortune and so often do appeale death and destinie of so haynous trespace Is it for that you enuie my happy state so soone transported from this vntoward soyle to a more prosperous felicity Thus credite me and in this sort wer it possible he could speak vnto you would he accuse you in which consideration were there not iust cause think you of such intemperance why you should be greatly ashamed Beleeue me good cosin there is neither profite or liking at all of this bitter continuaunce reaped you haue alreadie waded sufficiently in your teares you haue mourned for him in ernest loue as beseemed a wife it is nowe hie time you be after all this comforted Thinke that the greatest storme is by necessitie at length ouerblowen superfluity of coales encreaseth rather heate then flame the ardencie of affection with vehemencie sufficient maye be expressed though not by extremitie inforced What should I say vnto you you may not as other foolish creatures that are neither gouerned by wit nor ordered by discretion make your selfe a spectacle to the world but rather with such temperature for euen in this extremitie of sorrow is also planted a rare paterne of modestie seek in such maner to demean your selfe as the lookers on may rather pittie you by insight of your great discretion then in this sort to torment your selfe by a needles supposition Much more haue I considered with my selfe whereby to satisfie my grieued immaginations wherewith being recomforted and repozed in my secret thoughtes I haue deemed it necessarie hereby to imparte the same vnto you beseeching that aswell in regard of your selfe as the little pleasure your frendes haue to behold you in this strange kind of perplexity you will en ioy the fruites thereof with suche sufficient contentment and satisfaction as very hartily I do wish vnto you And euen so tendring my selfe in al thinges to your courteous and gentle vsage I doe heartily bid you farewell S. this of c. LOng haue I continued the argument of these examples the more plentifully therein to shewe forth what varietie of matter may be induced wherewith to procure occasions of comfort The chiefest whereof are by extenuation or lessening the force of whatsoeuer accident seming to aggrauate the weight of such sorrow or conceiued matter of griefe Uery forcible no doubt is this kinde of reasoning wherin al the places of discomfort beeing collected seuerally and deuided eche of them by it selfe is therby either qualified disanulled or vtterly confuted By whiche meanes the matter that before seemed to beare a shewe so obious terrible and grieuous seemeth very oftentimes to bee afterwardes of none or verye slender moment or accompt at all In semblable maner by exaggeration or enforcing a matter to extremities what thynge may be of so slender conceipt that thereby may not be raysed to an ouglie substaunce so woonderfully swaieth the vse of these twaine in the generalitie almoste of all kinde of writinges Whereof because I haue so muche already comprehended in the titles Hortatorie and Swasorie and their seuerall places therein also put forwards at large I meane not now to vse any more speeches And now touching the vse of these Consolatorie Epistles It is to bee intended that ouer and besides the places heereby opposed the forces are also deliuered in causes of bannishment in losse of children parents goods or frends in times of imprisonment slander persecution sicknesse in miserable olde age plagued by disobedience in all successe of marriages in pouertie and finally in whatsoeuer griefe of mine trouble or aduersitie In eche of all which is vsed a great efficacie of perswasion for the mittigation of all these as by laying the troubles and vncertayn state of the world with innumerable euilles annexed to the turninge wheele thereof that the mischiefe cast vpon our neckes is not to vs alone but common to all who though not wyth the selfe same yet in some sorte or other are alike disquieted that the best way to expell the griefe thereof is by meditation of our estates the condition wherin wee liue the ineuitable force of that which is befallen vs whiche because we are worlolinges must needes in like sorte beside vs how neere thereby we may be drawn in contempt of earthly vanities the inticing baites whereof are enuenomed with so many and sharp poysons that troubles are sent vnto vs from God to call vs thereby home vnto him that they are the scourges of oure disobedience that by such meanes we are discerned to be his children that by patient sufferaunce and entertainment of our harmes we doe neerest approche vnto him whiche beeing in humayne shape on earth conuersing with men was persecuted slandered tooke vpon him the most despised estate of pouertie and by cruell deathe was constrained that they who are cloyed with most aboundance haue therefore the greater charge layd vpon their neckes and that no one then they are neerest to destruction the height of whose estate often times occasioneth theyr vntimely deathes finallye that it were bootelesse to striue against their forces in y e wetherby seeme ignoraunt of Gods pleasure and ordinaunce who working all things vnto the best knoweth perchance that punishment to be most fittest for vs wherewith if we were not entangled we might happily forget him and become carelesse regarders of hys hie and mightie excellencie So and in such maner may we wade in these actions whereof hauing now deliuered sufficient we wil ad hereun to one example more and therwith of this title conclude Au Example Consolatorie pleasantly written to one who had buried his olde wife THe posting newes hetherward of the late decease of my good olde misteris your wife hathe made me in the verye going away of mine ague'fit to straine my selfe to greet you by these letters In the inditing wherof I manye times prayed in my thoughts that I wer as readelie deliuered of this my tercian feuer as your selfe are in mine opinion deliuered by suche meanes rid of a hatefull and very foule encombrance I doubt not sir but you doe nowe take the matter heauilie beeyng thereby dispossed as you are of such an intollerable delight as wherewith you were continually cloyed by the nightlie embracementes of so vnweldie a carcase I haue I must confesse very seldome knowne you for anie thinge to mourne neuerthelesse if by suche means you be happily constrained to change countenaunce I haue prepared a golden boxe wherein I meane to consecrate all the teares you shedde for that accident to Berecynthia the beldome of the Gods as a relique of your great kindship and courtesie
the limittes and this must be the end of this Monitorie kind whereof that in their seuerall partes they maye the better be explaned let us now produce examples to be sorted to some of their purposes An example Monitorie concerning a stayed and well gouerned lyfe THE execrable force of mischieuous euill being such and the maleuolent disposition of the frowning heauens to some kind of people so great as hauing once throughly planted the fatall sting thereof in the inward conceipt of those that with tooth and nayle couet to participate the barreine and accursed fruites of the same it seemeth they be created to none other ende but onely by daring to perpetrate whatsoeuer matter of villanie to purchase to them selues by determination of a shamelesse and wicked lyfe the limitted rewarde of an vnprouided shamelesse and ignominious death The inchaunted course wherof perceauing in these daungerous tymes how muche it hath bewitched the estate and course of the whole worlde and considering there withall that by reason of your fathers late decease you beeing a greene youth voyde of experience bent to the triall of al companies richly possessed and wealthily endued are now left into your own hands and thereby deliuered from the plawsible and quiet moderation of a faithfull and louing guide into the endlesse reache of a youthfull carelesse and vncontrolled libertie hath moued me in respect of the care that euer I erst had of you being yet but a childe and in assured testimonie of the memorie I haue euer protested to the ghost of your louing parente to admonish you of some fewe thinges touching the order and conuersation of your liuing beeing a course so important as in the admittance exercise wherof can not but consist the scope and after fruition of all your happinesse benefite and lawdable continuaunce And first of all will I call vnto your remembraunce that being the sonn of so vertuous a father as you are howe greatly it importeth vnto your estate to be well gouerned that as well the precedent vertues as auntient possessions of your antecessor may in your person be euermore shining and resiant that of your deceased Parent as wel as in corporall shape and fauour you beare the true image and shew of his worthinesse that you stand not more in your actions vpon the glorious title or name of a gentleman then of the verie true and extreme conditions and behauiours that rightly do produce and make a gentleman And albeit I sinde no great apparant cause your youthfull head and vnstaied state of headstrong libertie onelye excepted that may induce any argument or supposall to the contrary but that you are or may be suche and of so worthy and great regard as touching your life and other conuersation deepely inough may bee adiudged to conceiue of all or any parte of these yet knowing how many and how sondry are the euils wherwith our mortall state is endaungered how diuers are the motions to wickednes and how many waies are we readye to fall into the crooked pathes of the same I could not but warne you that comming euen now into the middest of the world as you do you shall finde sondry baites and alurements drawing you into the worste most vilest parts thereof that vnlesse you were directly gouerned with the right rule and square of an honest and sober life twentie to one you not onelye fall very deeply into the inconueniences therof but without great and vnexpected chaunce occasioning the contrarye are like to be drowned and ouerwhelmed for euer You must call to mind that liuing in a place so ordinarilye frequented as is that Citie wherein you are and being in felowship with so many and diuers sorts of men as you now be conuersing also with the innumerable multitudes of persons of all estates condicions and faculties as you there doe it is no difficult thing for a young youth of your birth and qualitie to be led into lewdnes of a wanton to become dissolute of a spender to be made a consumer nor of a towardly Gentleman to be framed to an vntowarde companion Much credit me may the euill example of some lewdly giuen conduce heereunto making you to beleeue that to become a roister is credite to be a swearer valiaunt to shew your selfe a waster liberall that to become a drunkard is felowship to maintaine rakhels is bountie to be fantasticall is youthfull and to be an vnthrift is to be counted gentle but beeing ruled by me you shall giue heede to neither of all these beeing such and none other in deede as solie will breed your destruction but contrariwise in gaining of credit you shall become modest and discreetly behaued in being noted to be valiaunt you shalbe a supporter of honor shewing your selfe liberall it shall be in rewarding the good in maintaining of felowship you shall vse sobrietie in being bountifull you shall remunerate seruices in manifestation of your youth you shall entertaigne honest pleasures and in being counted gentle approue therewithall frugall The Asse goeth out in the morning to carry burthens and in the euening receiueth his prouendar for aduauntage The Oxe grazeth all daye in the pasture and at night is carried into the butchers stall their rewarde is their feeding and the contentment they require is onely to fill their bellies behooueth that men also who from beastes are sequestred by many degrees of reason should of their continuance and final determination liue a like careles No verilye it is too much vnseemly Such illusions as these are not fit for a man who by the nobilitie of his creation was ordained to sway ouer and not to become subiect to such vilities You therefore being now at your owne choice and liberty must beware and giue great and diligent aduertisement to all your wayes you must eschew and auoid not onely the very euils them selues but also all occasions inducing or partaking with those euils you must imagine that to bee in all thinges temperate and discreet argueth solie your reputation shunne vice as you would do a serpent flie wicked company as a pestilent infection doe alwaies thinges worthy your selfe affect not so much the vaineglorious title of praise as desire how and in whar sort to deserue and winne praise Esteeme nothing so precious as time abandon slouth and in all thy societie as neare as thou canst accompany with the best Consider that such as is the tree such is the fâ—uit Who toueheth pitch must needes be defiled With the good thou shalt be made good and with the euill tthou shalt be peruerted Thinke none so great an enemy as he that misledeth thee Misdeem no man willingly giue occasion to all men to iudge of thee indifferently These counselles forewarninges of thy ruine or happines if aduisedly thou wilt heaken vnto and faithfully lay vp among thy chiefest secreates it shall no waies repent thee to haue beene a man nor discontent me in this