the bearer hereof named Dauid Berthon viij hundreth Frenche crownes and cause hym onely there to giue good and sure pledge for the sayd summe For so hath the same Dauid here promised vs to do gyuyng him .vj. monethes daye of payment I pray you take sufficient assurance to the ende that our goodes be not lightly loste It suffiseth to shewe pleasure you therefore fulfyll the contentes hereof And thus fare you well c. One Friende writeth vnto an other DEare and well beloued friende after moste heartie Commendations vnto you and your good bedfellow c. The chiefest cause of my writyng vnto you at this presente is to lette you vnderstand that we are still in greate tribulation by reason of the men of Armes and aduenturers by whome the poore people of Mousne doe sustayne inestimable damage The countreye is altogether deserte and that which is also more pitifull is that many worthie maydens are by them caryed away into other places and some by force violated as also are many mens wiues bothe faire and honeste Consider you into what abundaunce of teares they haue bene brought O vnfortunate Fraunce nowe florishinge in armes is it possible that thy auncient vertue shuld be altogether extinguished O my perfect friende the eternal God moued me to sende vnto your house at Bloys Iane my wife and my daughter out of so great perill Yesterday from my wife and from my daughter I receyued comfortable Letters by the which I am plainely certifyed that that your bedfellowe vseth vnto them al curtesie gentlenesse O the eternall God graunt me life to y e end that if not in al yet at the least in part I may rēder some recompense vnto the benefites from you receyued for the which I am become a great detter vnto youre goodnesse And thus the eternall haue you al in his keeping and send vs a mery meeting c. The aunswere of one friende vnto an other WElbeloued Friend I heartily recommende me vnto you wishing youre healthe and prosperitie euen as mine owne c. Be well assured that so long as I lyue my house and all that I haue shall at all tymes be at your commaundement or any of your friendes And that shall you manyfestly knowe in processe of time And would to God that I mighte shewe such fidelitie loue and charitie towardes you as at youre house at Mousne you discouered vnto me and myne Thanks be vnto God we make good chéere but certainly I and my wife doe féele great anguish for the losse of our goodes which through our mutual amytie we suppose to be our losse and assuredly we greatly lament also the vexation which you susteyne by the hands of the Soldiers wherof we haue vnderstanding by your letter God of his goodnesse delyuer you from them c. One friende vvriteth in a nothers behalfe ALthough worthy syr I know that it is not lauful to molest your wisedome in any thing appertayning vnto Iustice neuerthelesse to satisfie the dutie which I owe to this bearer vnto whome through the fidelitie and affection that is betwene vs I am bound to doe euen that which I would doe if it were for myne owne cause I therfore beseche your worthinesse that you will without delay make a iust ende of his sute And so doing I shall remayne alwayes bound vnto you c. The aunswere vnto his frende WHat nedeth it y t you should write vnto me in the behalfe of him whome I equally loue aswell as you So great are his vertues that of euerie man of what estate soeuer he be he is worthy to be beloued and defended I beleue y t through his great wisdome he will demaunde me nothing which shalbe against the dignitie of myne offyce for which cause and for the dutie of Iustice I am boūd to administer vnto him and euery one fauorable and lawful audience But though there were no cause at all yet thy auncient amitie would constraine me to ayde and fauour him for which cause be well assured that I will so vse the matter that he shal plainly perceiue that thy requestes haue not ben brought in vayne c. To write vnto a Prince in a Prisoners Behalfe I Haue heretofore cōtinually knowne and now at this present more than euer do know of what force true amitie and frendship is the which constraineth a man to be gētle and amiable euen vnto the person whome he hateth therby to satisfie his frende that entreateth for him therfore knowing y e fauour which your highnesse beareth vnto me I dout not to request you in the behalf of Cleophas Orillat who although through his crymes he deserue to receiue no pardon yet bicause VVilliam Ardiller of whom I haue receiued infinit plesures and am bounde vnto him for euer doeth force me so harde by Letters and messangers and knoweth certainly what I can doe with your Maiestie y t there shold be no domage done neither vnto his persō nor goods I therfore most hūbly besech you for the inestimable loue y t beare vnto you y t he may plainely perceiue of what force strength that goodnesse of yours is towards me and so trust at this presēt to make experiēce of the great affection which is betwixt vs through our auncient and singular loue c. The aunswere of the Prince declaring the demaund to be vnhonest ALthough I haue in times past had perfect intelligence and knowledge what thing frendship and good will hath ben and is so that the demaunde of a friende ought to be satisfied especially whē it is iust yet neuerthelesse it ought alwayes to be foreseene that the demaunde be honest and frendly For if the demaunde be made against true Iustice and honest lyfe it is nedeful many tymes to leaue the good will least we fail of Iustice Otherwise many wicked examples should be giuen to diuers and infinite persons to do euil I vnderstand your Letter by the which you pray me that I wold graūt to release your frend out of captiuitie not peraduenture considering the great crime excesse by him cōmitted the whiche is so great and abhominable that he deserueth not death in his person onely but also therewith cruell tormentes whereof I am sory for the mutual affection that is betwene vs bicause I can not of myne honour in this case pleasure you Though your demaunde be not lawfull nor honest yet loue and frendship moueth you to demaund and to speake for that which all law denieth And for that malefactours ar to be punished the good to be exalted and safely to goe abrode in the world I pray you though I doe not satisfie your demaunde yet at this time haue me excused bicause that Iustice doth force me to denie that request c. The excuse for that the demaund vvas against Iustice I Consider that many tymes the loue affection of one friende vnto another harmeth the conscyence and suffreth it not to discerne the truth of reason and Iustice but when
the Minor whereby we gyue him to vnderstand what our mynde is by Epistle or letter The consequent or conclusion is of it selfe sufficiently knowne The first style or maner wherein the Cause is specified SYr you haue written vnto me and desired me that I would lend you send you by your lacky this bearer one of my bookes for youre recreacion and pastime And bicause that I know the greate affection and desire of you by your Epistle so eloquently composed and endyted I therefore am constrained and by youre letters full of humanitie compelled to make you aunswer as one who altogether is determined to shew you pleasure to lend and send you the booke that you demaund for in so doing I hope that In casu simili vel maiori you will answere me according to my desire which may engendre betwene vs not onely a mutual loue but also a perpetuall beneuolence and a continuall good will The three foresayd partes must be in euery Letter and Epistle either couertly or plainely And a man may also adde to other necessary and superabundaÌ„t clauses euery thing in as briefe order as may be and according as the cause requireth importeth it is not nedefull alwaies to write the cause but it is requisit to write the intent the consequence or coÌ„clusion for the consequence dependeth of the two first the which must be very much either persuading or dissuading He that can artificially and workmanlike handle an Epistle may begin with the intent afterwardes tell the cause end with the consequence or begin with the consequence after declare the intent and then the cause ordring the whole matter as vnto himselfe shal seme best most decent The second Style wherein the Cause is first afterward the Intent and then the Conclusion THe thing which God and Nature would principally should be desyred with most harty affection and the which I perceiue to be imprinted in my selfe more than any other thing my singular and perfect frende is to know to learne and to practise all honesty and humanitie And bicause that aboue all Orators writing of humanitie the sentences of Tully are preferred and bycause that he is estemed of all men the Prince of eloquence yet notwithstanding partely vnknowne in these quarters and notoriously manifested at Paris the Fountaine of Science therefore haue I thought good to write vnto you as to him whom I accompt my singular frende requesting you aboue all the pleasures that you desire to do me and also that you hope as I may imagine that it may be the cause to erect make me a man of vnderstanding that it wold please you to send me the booke of Tullie And in sending I will not forget the recompence of your humanitie which shall not be defrauded of me thorough ingratitude c. The third Style in this order the intent the Cause and the Conclusion I Would dere frende that you tooke as great pleasure to lende me the Paradoxes of Cicero as I desire to haue them of you and throughly to peruse them ouer by coÌ„tinual reading but I haue always deferred to demand them of you bicause they were nedeful for you in your ordinary lectures Notwithstanding for y t I am now aduertised y t your lecture hath takeÌ„ end to your great honor good renown I suppose that the booke is out of your seruice together also as I vnderstand it is more corrected than any other For this cause I request you to send it me y e which I hope you will easely performe And so doing I shall acknowledge the good will which you beare vnto me in sending me the booke which perchance you loue best whereof it may be that you haue most néede And shalbe bound to lend you what soeuer you shall demaund me according to my possibilitie Promising moreouer bothe my seâ—e and goods at your commaundement c. The fourth Style in this order the Conclusion the Cause and the Intent YOu should do me a great and singular pleasure yea and also shold binde me for euer if it wold please you to agrée to my request the which is nothing preiudiciall vnto you and vnto me very necessary and profitable It is to lende me your booke of Rhetorike for many times when I talke or declare a matter to the ende to perswade or disswade or otherwise I perceiue my selfe so naked and vnfurnished of termes and phrases for the purpose and such as I accustomably vse I apply them so ill that eueryone is weary and ceasseth to giue eare vnto me for the discorde of my speach But if any do tary to heare the ende they be either poore ignorant women or else such as deryde me to my shame confusion great dishonour Therefore I am constrained humbly to require you that it would please you to lend me your booke of Rethorike for to haue thereof the copie to the end that I may auoid such inconuenience which hapneth vnto me through the fondnesse and abuse of my language Here is to be noted that the conclusion is made but in three sortes onely to wit by Amplificacion and enlarging by commiseration and pittie or by Epiloge and briefe rehersall By Amplification as inducing laughter or ioy by commiseracion as in mouing to pitty pardon by Epiloge as in collecting briefly together that which hath ben amply and at large declared in the Epistle before especially when it conteyneth many long partes And the Epiloge is made to the ende the Readers or the herers be not defrauded of the purpose conclusion But this is more decent conuenient in Epistles than in Letters for letters ought to be briefe and short And yet bicause this place shall not be left darkely obscurely I wil giue more ample intelligence of commiseracion amplification Epiloge also of demonstration CoÌ„miseracion must be made of swete pitiful humble laÌ„guage like to a CoÌ„medie must be brief for it is ynough if a man do but somwhat moue the Audience to pittie as to say thus with humble modestie wold to God right worshipfull that I had wept to you not haue prouoked you to wepe for with great paine can I scarce vtter one onely worde of myne inteÌ„t through the abundaÌ„ce of teares which my heart causeth to distil from mine eyes c. Amplification is made when for to moue the AudieÌ„ce to honest myrth somtimes to indignatioÌ„ or sometimes to pittie there is spoken in augmeÌ„ting the termes of the CoÌ„clusion somthing for to encrese the termes phrases as to saye thus Right honorable I aduertise you that the cause appertayneth to God and to men of great authoritie Also if you wyl not accept this charge you refuse a great goodnesse and honour which God doeth sende you The Epiloge by nature should be briefe and is made alwayes at the end of the discourse wheÌ„ brefly and in suÌ„me the
such a one a man bothe wise valiant whereof I attest vnto you by the knowledge that I haue had of long time that his name armes and high prowesse are approued of all people in such sort that none dispraised he ought to haue the praise and price aboue all It is well knowne worthy soueraigne what enterprises deliberacions and subtilties in the feats of warres he vsed at the expeditioÌ„ against the Turkes and Infidels especially at the voyage of c. where he caried away the honour by the report of men of good reputation and credite that were there present as namely of such a one and such a one He is now determined eueÌ„ redy to depart homewards But for the great affection that he hath to serue your maiestie as he promised me he wold very gladly by you be made Knight and hath requested me to write for him And bicause that I consider his demaund to be iust and very honest and that it is very decent and conuenable that he should be preferred in honour as one that hath rightly deserued no lesse with great payne and trauail of his bodie and that this shal be an occasion giuing to other good valiaÌ„t hardy Champions to serue you alwayes better and better waiting for suche lyke or better reward Therefore do I humbly besech you to haue him in remeÌ„brance Promising your maiestie that aswell I as he and his wil render you immortal thaÌ„ks beseching God to maynteine preserue you in your triumphant quiet raigne Note that we are not accustomed to speake by thou nor thee as diuers other nations whome we call strangers and barbarous people do except it be in some respects whereby is easely perceiued the loue the gentle nature humanitie curtesie reuerence honour that we haue and beare one to an other yea euen in wryting speaking to our enimies and strangers Notwithstanding I wil not take in haÌ„d to restraine any man by rule or otherwise to vse either you or thou seing that alreadie many good Oratours haue vsed those termes as they haue thought best obseruing as I may rightly coÌ„iecture the perfection of the Latine tong And likewise the Emperor the King the Iudge such other personages although their persoÌ„ be singular yet they vse these termes we say we wil. c. And the cause is for that they neither say nor do any thiÌ„g without couÌ„sel Bicause therfore that our elders betters haue so vsed theÌ„ that they haue ben so obserued time out of minde together also for other resons I leaue them to the iudgement of such as haue desyre further to search and finde out the causes of things for I intend to be briefe Hovv to vvrite in a mans behalfe for a Ciuil cause WRiting in a ciuil cause we must deuide our Letter into foure partes First to get the beneuolence of him vnto whom we write by praysing of his iustice or other vertue agreable to the thing that we would obtayne of him saying that the good hope that we haue to obtayn the thing that we demaunde of him doeth moue vs to write vnto him Secondly to purchase good wil vnto him for whom we write Thirdly to get beneuoleÌ„ce through the iust cause of the thing whereof we intrete saying that it is rightfull easy playne and profitable and that thereof may ensue great honor profit and praise Fourthly to open the demaund requesting that he for whom we write may be had in remembrance in promising our seruice c. The Example THere is in you so great equitie of Iustice right excellent and soueraigne Iudge y t it is manifestly known not onely vnto me but also to the whole cuntrey in such sort that euery one may safely without any aduocate commit his iust cause into your hands how poore soeuer the man be all feare fauour or disdaine cast asyde c. For this cause and for the mutuall loue betwixt vs good stedfast hope doth encorage me to write vnto you in the behalfe of one of my frendes vniustly oppressed by his aduersary trusting that you will preserue vnto him his right For I aduertise you my Lord that he for whome I write vnto you is my auncient and speciall frende and agréeable to all men through his wisdom and gentlenesse yea and by his vertues getteth the loue good will of euery one And bycause he hath before you my Lord certaine processe of diuers wrongs vexacions done vnto him by his aduersary as he hath informed me therefore hath he requested me to write vnto you in his behalfe hoping y t by this meanes you will be vnto him a iust and fauorable Iudge For this cause for y t he is my very singular frend also for y t I wold shew him any seruice or pleasure y t I were able I most earnestly hartely besech you to haue him in remeÌ„braÌ„ce for this other his affaires processe depending before you And in so doing my lord he hath promised me to be your perpetual seruaÌ„t daily Orator praying to God for you all your frends so will all they do y t loue him whereby you shalbe prayed for and praysed amongst many good worthy men of whome he hath alwayes y e familiaritie good acquaintaÌ„ce Hovv to vvrite in ones behalfe for an Offence or cryminall Cause IN a criminal cause or iust excuse the Letter must be deuided into foure partes First to get beneuolence by expressing the vncorrupcion and equitie of the iudge to whome we write And as for the offender to write that he hath alwayes lothed abhorred such a crime wherof he is accused or noted that case may simply be aggrauated howbeit without excusing any thing at al. SecoÌ„dly we must say that although we neuer thought to haue written of any such matters yet we wer moued thereunto coÌ„sidering the coÌ„moditie profit ether publik or priuate or the miserable pitie of him for whom we write who in all other matters was of good coÌ„uersatioÌ„ in whose persoÌ„ was neuer found any other notorious fault alleaging his vertues diligeÌ„ce coÌ„sequeÌ„tly saying that the man is to be regarded and not the voice Thirdly to coÌ„mit to memory the praises of the accnsed recouÌ„ting his vertuous acts good graces Fourthly to promise y t he will no more do any such thing but y t froÌ„ theÌ„ceforth he wil exercise all vertuous acts offering al seruice c. Example I Know for a certainty most vncorruptible Iudge that you haue always hated abhorred and had in abhomination all sortes of malefactours and euill persons correcting them and ministring vpright Iustice as muche as in you is possible especially such as through impieâ—ie are wilfull murtherers of their parentes kinsefolkes or neighbours And for my part most worthy and rightfull iudge I do not only require to flee their company but also detest their cruelty in such sort that it is contrary to all humanitie and to
and also cause it to be manifested Offering our selues c. The example wherein Cicero declareth vnto Caesar the conditions of Appolonius of Rhodes Orator THere is nothing so difficile weightie or paynefull Noble Caesar which with a frée heart for the loue of you I would not take in hande throughe the singular and affectuall good wyll the which I doe beare vnto your most noble Maiestie And thereunto I féele my self bounden by meanes of y e benefits gratulations y t you haue done stil daily do vnto me You haue writtē vnto me that in all diligence I should enquire of the maners and conditions of Appolonius of Rhodes and that I wold write vnto you the veritie I do you to vnderstand that in the iudgement of all thē that know him he is a singular man and not onely in Rhetorike but also in Philosophie doeth get by his workes an immortal name And I certifie you that when he departed from Rhodes he went vnto Athens and there found not his lyke in somuch that the Students sayd that he was a second Pallas yet once againe descended from the braine of Iupiter into their Citie Many other things might I write vnto you of him but wherefore For whosoeuer you shal enquire of you shal fynde them to haue the like good opinion of him so that if you cause him to come to the Citie you shall do a singular cōmoditie not onely vnto your self but also to the whole common weale And if you will that I shal do any other thing for you beholde I am altogether redy to please and obey you recommending me once againe vnto your good grace Hovv to vvrite a Proficiat or Congratulation for an Office or Dignitie WHen a man hath obtained an Offiice or Benefice or any other thing by his good fortune that we would shew our selues to be ioyfull of it we must deuide our letters into three parts First beneuolence to the person vnto whome we write with commending of his merits and vertues Secondly to declare our affection by the which we doe participate of his ioye Thirdly to pray vnto God that the same dignitie office or fortune may be vnto his profit and perpetuall praise offering our whole seruice c. The Example vvherein one frend reioyceth with an other of the office that the king hath giuen him I Know not whether vnto me or vnto you singular frend I ought to say Proficiat for the office which through your vertues and spedy diligence you haue obtained of the king and I assure you that the profit honour yea and glory if it be lawfull to glorifie in wel doing are of no smal estimatiō sith in so yong age you haue obtayned such dignitie surpassed the merits of your elders whereof I ought muche to reioyce for from hence forth your vertues shall be manifested and my honours and profit shall encrease seing that I haue such a frend who through the brightnesse of the glorie hapned vnto him shal driue from me the darkenesse of griefe and shall cause me to haue good participation of his honours ioye and profit Much good doe it you therefore this dignitie which you neuer obtained through ambition but onely through the vertues that are in you for the which there are yet greater benefits due vnto you And as for my parte it is not without a cause that I reioyce for the benefits of fortune are common omongst frends causeth the loue which is in both their bodys to haue but one spirite and in bothe of them is perceiued but one only minde I besech God that you may still prosper go foreward frō good vnto better that by your vertuous faith you may purchase immortall glory and as long as you lyue to remayne in his holy fauour and grace Hovv to vvrite Letters reioycing for oun frendes health or safe returne IF your frend haue recouered his helth or be safely returned from his iorney in such a case our Letters must bee deuided into three partes First to get beneuolence of our owne behalfe for that we were sore affrayde of his sickenesse or that there should happen vnto him any misfortune or aduersitie abroade in his voyage Secondly to declare the ioy that we haue had of his mending or returne praying vnto God to kepe him from all euill Thirdly to offer our whole seruice c. The Example vvherein one frend reioyceth of anothers recouery to health IT is not possible for me to write vnto you neither is the heart of man able to thinke my singular and perfect frende what sorrow and griefe I had when it was reported vnto me that you were greuously sick in great danger for then me thought that I euen felte your sicknesse through the good wil and loue that I beare vnto you and wold gladly that my sorow might haue diminished or eased your passion But by suche and lyke meanes that I had greate sadnesse and griefe for the first newes I haue now inestimable ioy for that it is tolde and affirmed vnto me for a certaintie that you haue wholly recouered your health and welfare I giue vnto you the Proficiat vobis my singular frende for suche a treasure recouered and besech our lord that he will preserue and kepe you in as good and long helth as I wold wish euen vnto myne owne person And I giue you to vnderstād that I. N. M. and all the rest hereabouts are thanckes be giuen to God in good health and welfare prest redy to accomplish all your good requests and commaundement How to exhort to vertue and to good maners TO exhorte vnto Vertue and goodnesse bee yt to auoyde griefe or to get profit the letters or Epistles must be parted into foure partes First to acquire beneuolence by reason of the matter declaring how worthy it is how profitable and necessary for him vnto whome we write and thē that it shalbe a worthy praise for euery good man so to doe Secondly shalbe expressed the thing to be possible and easy to be done Thirdly that it is very necessary for him to doe it and if he doe it not that there may happen vnto him damage dishonor Fourthly and fynally to declare what is to be done and this latter parte may bee placed in such order as shall seme good vnto the endyter The Example vvherein a frende exhorteth a yong man to obtaine vertue THere is nothing in the world wittie yong man that more profiteth aswel to atcheue to common as priuate goods nor which causeth more to augment and get honor and good renowne than the trade of good maners and vertue for by that meanes the wise not onely in their houses haue taken a forme of regiment by good order keping but also kingdoms and publike affaires are by them gouerned mayntained and augmented Beholde the Athemans the Romains and diuers other haue they not alwayes florished when vertuous and wise men had the gouernmēt of their publike
place scrued and although he shall meddle to speake more of mée yet sir you may iudge of the whole for you know wel what part beareth ignorāce and innocencie Wholly offeryng my humble seruice to you and yours c. Howe to write Domestical and familiar Letters or Epistles DOmestical or houshold letters are more in vse than any other forsomuch as of their nature they are very necessary to let our frendes vnderstande of our estate and of our businesse be it of helth prosperitie sicknesse aduersitie or any other domesticall and familiar thyngs and in such matters the Letters or Epistles must be deuided into thre partes If we write of our owne estate health or sicknesse or of the healthe or sickenesse of an other First following Tullie and others we may as they do adde the Latin sentence Si vales bene est ego quidem valeo If you be in good helth god be praised for it for thanks be to God I am Secondely wee shall recite our owne health or the causes of the amendment thereof and also the helth or sicknesse of our frend whiche we shall esteme euen as our owne gladde of his recouerie or prosperitie rendring thankes vnto god who hath so disposed it likewise if there be hapned vnto vs any fortune or misfortune we shall write the state therof be it riches or pouertie dignitie or depression to admonyshe oure friende either to reioyce or sorow with vs. Thirdly we say cōmonly Thus not hauing wherewith further to enlarge at this present but beseeching the Lorde to keepe and preserue you in his holy tuition we finish From such a place c. By yours altogither to command c. or otherwise as shal please the enditer The Example of a common Style in that case IF you be in health and mery I am very glad for great thanks to be giuen to God on my behalfe I fynde my selfe in very good health and welfare You do peraduenture greatly maruell for that I was wont to write often vnto you of late haue deferred so to do wherof it may be that you woulde accuse me of negligence howebeit it hath not bene through negligence for an ague hath so weakened me of late that I had small hope to haue escaped without treading the trace out of this worlde into another yea I was brought so low that euen the Physitions had quite giuen me ouer and I had no hope saue onely in God to whose good aide I still committed my selfe Secondly his soueraigne bountie hath brought me to my former helth notwithstanding it hath not ben without great expense of money Beholde therefore the causes why I coulde not write vnto you but frō henceforth I will write vnto you more oftener if God grant me time and space so to do Thirdly I shall desire you to write vnto me of your prosperitie and of such a one assuring you that if there be any thing that I may do for you do but cōmaund me and I will do myne indeuor to accomplish it God to frende whome I besech to graunt vnto you your harts desire From such a place c. How to write other domestical Letters of familiar businesse WE must deuide thē into thre partes First Secondly as in the other going before Thirdly shal be put the conclusion saying that we haue thought good to aduertise hym of suche businesse bycause hee is oure very friende The Example wherin one Friend aduertiseth an other of the processe that he hath wonne IF it bée well with you my singular friende then is it very wel with me For euen as I am God be praised in good health so woulde I desire that it shoulde be lykewise with you And bicause I know that the loue betwixt vs two hath alwayes made vs equall in our fortunes therefore haue I thought good to write vnto you of my businesse and affaires bicause in déede you might be the more ioyfull Secondly you are aduised of the time trouble cost that I was at in the sute that I had against such a one and how oftē I haue cursed the houre whensoeuer I heard talke of it euen ready many tymes to gyue it quite ouer Yet neuerthelesse by trauel and diligence and by importunate sute my good right vpon Tuisday last notwithstanding any clamor that my aduersarie made to his greate confusion I obteined sentence to my profite wherof I render immortall thankes to Almighty God Thirdly I know well that of my profite honour and ioy you are as ioyfull as my selfe and séeing that my aduersities do bryng you desolation it is good reason that my prosperities should bring you consolation Therfore I pray you do it to vnderstāde to all our friends there to the ende that they may participate of oure ioy And if there be any thing that it will please you to commaunde me be you well assured that of me you shall haue an infallible friende And thus end I at this present beséeching our Lorde c. How to visit our Frend with Letters not hauing any great matter to write OFten times it chaunceth that we haue no matter to write to our frend yet we would gladly visit him with our Letters speaking of him or of his businesse such Letters must containe three partes First to get boneuolence on our owne behalfe saying that bicause we loue him we thought it good to write vnto him and to recreate him by communicating vnto hym our Letters to the end that we may take plesure in that which he shall write vnto vs again cōsidering that there is nothing more appropriate vnto frēdes than often to write to fro Secōdly we shal say that we are in health and good estate desiring to know of his helth and prosperitie praying vnto God to keepe and preserue him from all euill Thirdly we shal desire him to visit vs often with his Letters to this end that hering of his helth prosperitie we may haue cause of consolation offring our selues c. The Example of the Style in that case ALthough I haue no mater to write vnto you my deare friend for that I knowe not of any newes hereabouts chaunced yet neuerthelesse the greate loue equall betwixt vs will not suffer me to lette passe any messanger that I know goeth towards you without sending you Letters by him for I beleue verily that you haue as great ioy to rede my Letters as I haue to reade yours Secondly my friend you shall vnderstand that I and all my familie are god be praised in good health earnestly desiring to know of your prosperitie and howe all our frendes thereaboutes doe For I assure you there is nothing vnto vs more pleasant ioyfull nor agreable than to vnderstande of your health good fortune and prosperitie but this causeth loue my frende bicause that from the time of our youth we haue ben ioyned together with that bande And therfore my deare and perfect friend I earnestly request you that it would
where as you will me to sende you my bookes of the lawe I would gladly doe it but for the occasion of these troublesome tymes I thinke it néedeful to tary til things be more peaceable and than will I satisfie that which you desyre that is to say you to commaunde and I to obey c. Hovve to vvrite Letters conteyning diuerse and sundry matters LEtters conteining many sorts of matters may be deuided into asmany parts as they cōtaine sundry matters and we must begin with the most principal part alwayes obseruing the rules before written and afterward the most necessary and so consequently euen vnto the ende so that the whole be finished in order by articles howbeit it is good to place in the beginning some preamble fyt for the matter and fynally to offer as before Note also that if there be question bothe of our frendes affayres and our owne then is it decent to begin wyth those of our frendes and afterwardes to speake of our owne thereby to giue him to vnderstād that we haue his affaires asmuch or more in remembraunce than our owne The example wherein Tully writeth to Pompilius of comforting graue and domestical matters I Vnderstande my very perfect frende Pompilius by Letters receyued from some of our frendes that your valyant Father is deceassed out of this world this know ye that in as much as we are firmely ioyned together in frendeship therfore it is very heuy for me to suffer yea I esteme it euen as myne owne aduersitie as frends ought to do But whē I consider how well borne he was and that he came in maryage with noble and sage parents by his vertues got such dignities and authorities as can not be recyted yea and moreouer which is almost impossible that he was alwayes in fauour both with the Lords and the people that he hath runne his course of nature and that he is godly departed I finde no cause to lamēt but with all my heart to render thanks vnto god that hath giuen him so many giftes of vertue in this worlde and then after many yeares hath called him frō darknesse to his cleare light Secondly let vs now speake of other matters you shall vnderstande that it is reported vs euen to the whole Senate y t the french men prepare a great host against oure common weale and haue alreadie ouer runne our fields therefore is it condescended that manfully and with a good courage we shall go against them And this to doe is established by Pompeius who in wisedome counsell and warfare authoritie hath none like vnto him for to conduct oure armie Therefore I counsell you to leaue Cumane and to come into this Citie duryng the expedition of this warre for to auoyde the hurt that might come vnto you Thirdly you write vnto me that I should receyue money of youre detters I wyll doe it willingly But during this tumulte I determyne nothyng in the Senate nor elsewhere vntyll that thyngs bée more quiete and I dare boldely write vnto you that yf you come hither you may get honour and profite and you shall sée what dylygence I haue vsed towardes your creditours and to magnifie youre name assuring you that I am wholly at your commandement How a Prince faithfully certifieth the vvorthie qualities of a man ALl or moste parte of the styles before written are addressed eyther to oure superiours equalles or inferiours whiche mighte seeme to suffise for thys lyttle woorke yet neuerthelesse bycause I woulde haue the gentle Readers to vnderstande that I delyte to expresse aboundance of Stiles I haue thought good to recite some stiles whiche writers and learned men haue accustomed to vse following therein the example of diuers good Orators And the first stile shall be a letter of fidelitie to wit VVhen a Prince writeth to one or to many the veritie and truth of a thing euen as it is giuing perfect notice that it is so and such letters must containe three partes Fyrst the Prince putteth his name his title and other qualities agreable to hys hyghnesse Secondely muste bee placed the discourse or entraunce fitte for the purpose whereof wee intende to write Thirdely to purchase beneuolence to the thing or to the person wherof we write causyng credite to be giuen thervnto expressing the very truth of that which we commende or the vertues of the person The Example wherein the Duke of Venice certifieth the vvisedom and science of G. A. AVgustine by the grace of God c. To all them that shall see these letters helth and comfort Secondly the Maiestie of a Prince his magnificall authoritie is not onely to punishe correcte vices but with his whole power he ought to deiect chase away all vicious persons and euē so likewise ought he of Iustice and honestie the good and vertuous full of Sapience and studie not onely to amplifie with goodes and honour but also in all thyngs to gyue them support fauor and praise Thirdly and for that it is many yeares agoe since we haue perfectely knowne Georges Alexander Doctor very experte and skilfull as well in the Greke as in the Latine tongue yea loued estéemed and honoured of all men for the grauitie of his eloquence wherfore besides the benefites that we haue shewed him it is yet our minde that by our faithful witnesse the vertues whiche are in him should be knowne vnto all men and by your relation to be magnified And therfore we recommende vnto you the sayde Georges Alexander in al his affaires for that citie or towne may thinke it selfe very happie wherein he shall vouchsafe to abide for the excellent doctrine that is in him And if there be any seruice or plesure done vnto him for our sake we estéeme it euen as if it were done vnto our self and for the same will giue perpetuall thankes In witnesse whereof wée haue sealed this with oure Seale manuell Youen here the such a day c. How a great prince writeth of peace or warres c. THere is an other sort of letters when a great Prince writeth generally to all or to a vniuersitie a towne a Citie a countrey a communaltie or to some publike person as to entreate of peace warres apointment c. And such letters must be deuided into three partes Fyrste the name of the Prince and al his titles with salutation Secōdly the cause mouing wherefore we write declaring that it is iust honest profitable the which we shall proue as well by reasons as to depresse oure aduersarie and to desire alwayes to maynteine Iustice and equitie Thirdly the matter that wee intende be it of peace or of warre or of some other greate matter and lette the conclusion be tendyng to oure purpose contaynyng the fynall clauses agreable necessary therevnto according to the rules before written The Example wherin the Emperour maketh peace vvith the kyng of Hungarie FRederike by the Diuine grace Emperoure of the Romanes of Austrie of Syrie Duke
of c. and Counte of c. To Mathieu king of Hungarie c. sendeth gréeting Although that there bée many reasons the whiche mighte prouoke vs to make warre agaynst thée mâ—e than are to be founde that doe persuade vs for to make peace wyth thée the whiche were to long to recyte neyther also shall it be néedeful for asmuch as thou doest vnderstande them well ynoughe yet to the ende that to thée and thyne it maye appeare that there is in vs more Liberalitie gentlenesse and humanitie than desyre of reuengement againste youre ingratitude wée haue thoughte good to make peace wyth thée to thys end that oure warres beyng thus ceassed our people and thine being sore weried and trauailed may returne to their houses in their desired peace to restore their goodes so dispersed and wasted Thirdly and for this cause I certifie by these presents that from henceforth secludyng all discorde and simulation which heretofore mighte haue bene betwixt vs we will with thée make and establishe firme and stedfast peace by the formes and conditions passed and accorded betwene our ambassadoures Wherfore we admonish you that thou and thine be prest ioyefully and with a good will to receiue this desired peace and to kepe it on your parte inuiolated euen as we haue enioyned to ours and as we our selues minde to doe to the ende that thou mightest know the good that we would thée in well and faithfully keping this peace and causing it to be kept and obserued without interruption How a noble man writeth Letters for the promotion of a man WHen any Lord or noble man writeth for the promotion of a man or that he writeth to him whome he mindeth to preferre or to another to prouide for hym of whom he writeth such Letters are to be deuided into .iij. partes as before First hee putteth hys name and his titles with briefe salutation Secondly he getteth beneuolence to the person whom he mindeth to preferre by praysing him of some particular vertue saying that therfore he deserueth to be had in fauor and estimation with all men Thirdely hee getteth beneuolence to hys own person saying that for those causes he is moued to shewe him fauoure and commoditie afterwards he addeth to take in good part the good will for such a benefite or thing gyuen is not sufficient to rewarde suche vertues offring c. The Example vvherin the Counte of Pauie vvriteth in the promotion of A. IOannes Galeas Maria by the grace of God Countie of Pauie and Lorde of Gennes to Angelicke sendeth gréeting Secondly the excellent melody and incredible harmonie of Musicall science wherein thou excellest not onely the other Singers of our Chappell but also there is none whiche may be compared vnto thée with other great and innumerable vertues for the whiche of all people both priuatly and publikely thou art renowmed praised estéemed reuerenced Such things I say do prouoke and incline me to beare thée good will to ayde and succoure thée in thy desires euen as customably wée doe to our seruauntes and familiar acquaintaunce to the ende to stirre and moue other to well doyng when they sée the vertuous to be rewarded and honored Thirdely and to the ende that more playnly may appeare to you the greate affection and loue that we beare thée we doe constitute thée to receiue in the CouÌ„te of Aquedoace the fruits rents profites and reuenues due vnto vs the whiche wée doe fréely giue thée by these presentes and so doe declare and commaunde it willing thée gently to receiue it which is too litle to bée compared to thy vertues trusting hereafter if we be of power and abilitie that thou shalte perceiue howe wée desire the aduauncement of our good seruantes by magnifying their vertues offring c. How a prince ecclesiastical or temporall writeth Letters forbidding a thing WHen a prince ecclesiastical or teÌ„porall writeth to one or to many coÌ„maÌ„dyng forbidding not to finishe a thing alreadie begon or not to take in hande a thing alredie pretended Such letters containe .iij. partes Firste his name and his titles with salutation Secondly he declareth to vnderstande that hee vnto whome hée writeth hath enterprised and purposeth to finish a thing which he would not haue him to execute shewing the causes and reasons either true or like to be true dissuading from the doing of such a thing Thirdly he placeth his coÌ„maundemente and inhibition in briefe termes and well to be vnderstanded euen as it appertayneth vnto a prince adding therto iniunctions and royal thretnings if it be gaynsayd or withstanded the which threatnings neuerthelesse ought to be moderated with humanitie and not ouercharged with rigour to the end that thorough too great rigour it be not perceyned that the Prince speaketh of choler or anger the which a wise man ought not to do and then to set the day and date c. The Example wherein the Pope forbiddeth king Ferrand the building of a Castle INnocent Bishop seruaunt of the seruaunts of God to our sonne Ferrand king of â—ouillâ— helth apostolicall benediction Secondly by y e Letters of oure Reuerend brother the Cardinall of S. Peter ad Vincula by oure commaundement gouerner of the Fielde Picenine and Legate we haue had vnderstaÌ„ding that in the endes and borders of the kingdome of â—ouillâ— towards our fielde Picenine whiche belongeth to vs thou wilt breaking the appoyntementes and concordes made betwéene vs buylde strong places and Castles as he sayth hée knoweth by the reporte of dyuers people worthie of credite who doe say that they haue seene thy preparations and as thou knowest suche maner of newe buyldings especially erected vpon the Front of the Sea coast where they may giue greate occasions of euyll dooyng and hurte are things whiche of their owne nature induce a man to suspition and to thynke some euyll conspiracie Wherefore we can not but greately doubt leaste thou intendest some treason agaynste vs. Thirdly wée therefore wyll thy maiestie to desist from buyldyng suche Castles and Fortes agaynste vs if thou wylt with vs haue peace and perpetuall tranquillitie But if peraduenture thou wilte not ceasse then vnderstande thou for a certaintie that we shall be constrayned to repulse the iniurie that thou wouldest doe vnto vs followyng those meanes whereby it is lawfull to put away iniurie Howebeit we haue a confidence that thou wylte doe nothyng that myghte bée preiudiciall vnto vs the whiche no good Kyng may nor ought to doe Youen at Rome c. Here endeth the firste Booke The second boke conteinyng the Copies of sundry learned mens Letters and Epistles ALthough th' instructions and stiles heere beefore writen might suffise to content the Readers of thys Booke yet bycause couragious mindes shall haue abundance and choyse of matters I wil not here make a finall end but haue thought good ouer and besides all the stiles of the Letters and Epistles here before written to adioyne a number mo of Epistles and Letters of sundry stiles aswel
acquaintance or where he douteth will be small estimation made of his writing he must wittily and first of all declare that loue is iust or charitable for some honest cause without vauÌ„ting himselfe or speaking arrogantly as to say I would that you should vnderstand what I am c. And then afterwarde to be briefe and circumspect And aboue all things we must take heede that we write not of higher matters than our vnderstanding or knowledge may comprehend for thereby are fooles knowne and manifested euen as they be that presume to dispute of thinges that either they vnderstand not or else haue very litle knowledge in them Also we must not write to them that be simple and ignorant by termes that be straunge vnknown for so shold they haue iust occasioÌ„ to suspect that we deride and mock them And in fine reteyne this for a principall that the fayrest language that may bee is the common and familiar speache and not that of rare and diffused phrases or inckhorne termes skummed from the Latin nor of to base termes barbarous or termes vnknowne except in certain places for there is nothing more decent than to keepe a meane in all things and nothing more sure than to swim betwene two Ryuers Nam in medio consistit virtus And as Horace sayth Est modus in rebus sunt certi denique fines Quos vltrà citrà que nequit coÌ„sistere rectuÌ„ A meane there is in matters all and certeyne bondes are pight On this syde or beyond the which nothing can stand thats right Furthermore it is to be considered whether the matter that we write off bee honest true or such like or whether it be slanderous doutfull obscure c. For if the matter of yt selfe bee honest perfect then needeth it but small perswasion but if it bee doubtfull or obscure it behoueth to make large and euident declaracion if it be slanderous or vnhonest then must bee added thereunto agreable remedies as Terence doth excusing dissolute persones for he sayeth it is thorough negligence of their parents or for pouertie or by flatterie And so likewyse he that would defend a thief may alleage that it was done thorough companie ill counsel or through pouertie or that he was distract of his wittes Whoso will more circumspectly and narrowly entreat of suche matters let them reade the Rethorike of Master Doctor WilsoÌ„ or of Master Richard Rainolde Moreouer there be suÌ„dry other sortes of Epistles Letters for some are theologicall or of Diuinitie as be the Epistles of Plato of Denys of thappostles S Paule S. Peter S. Iames and S. Iohn other some are of maners and vertues as those of S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Ambrose Seneca Cyprian and other some are of great importance as of peace warre and gouernance other some of newes other of Recommendations other of admonition other of loue as be those of Ouid and of Propertius other of domesticall familiaritie and other some are pleasant and ioyfull But in this litle volume we will onely entreat of the most vsuall and of some diffusedly and the ouerplus shal remaine to the imaginatioÌ„ of gentle mindes who by the skill of their penne were able to repaire the whole ruine of Rethorike if there shold happen any destruction or detryment Euery Epistle is either of Doctrine of Myrth or of Grauitie The Epistle of Doctrine is that wherein are expressed all good and euill things to them that be absent That of Myrth is which by plesaunt long and familiar language is made either to comfort to reioyce or to get the good wyll and beneuolence of them whome we write vnto And that of Grauitie is when the matter is morall or ciuill c. And all these three sortes doe tend to their proper endes For whosoeuer writeth of Doctrine ought to haue regarde to this end to profit and instruct them vnto whome he writeth he that writeth of myrth must tend to recreation and pastime vsing ioyfull merie language plesant speache iestes he that entreateth of grauitie must haue respect to honor and profit Example of an Epistle of Doctrine THe Epistle of Doctrine may be certaine or doutfull in his substance certayne when we render a cause reason aucthoritie or opinion of that which we write doutfull when we leaue the matter in suspense or not fully condesended vpon as if we shold write thus You haue written vnto me to certifie you whether that sorcerers do vse to ryde vpon a Byzom and practise such other like trim trams For answer Seing that of many suche like matters there be diuers opinions I leaue the case euen as it is For in this matter other of greater importance wiser men than I do stand in dout I will holde my peace and make you none other answer Example of an Epistle of Mirth AN Epistle or Letter of mirth must be endited with plesaÌ„t laÌ„guage as to say thus For newes in these quarters you shall vnderstande that one of oure neighbors is lately retorned from Turkie and hath tolde me for a certainty that y e great Turke doeth altogether wallow in worldly plesures wherein he setteth his whole felicitie And amongst other his pastimes he deliteth in Singing and Musicians whome at the beginning of Winter he sendeth into a certaine cuntry so cold that their voyces and tunes assone as they are out of their mouthes do incontinently remaine altogether frosen vntil such time that the Winter be paste And then when the Spryng tyme approcheth this great Turke accompanied wyth the Ladies and Damsels of his Cuntrey causeth sundry great feastes and bankets to be made remayning there til the Sunne war warme And then beginne the voices and tunes of the yeare past to vnfryse and thawe resounding verie melodiously in the Ayre thoroughout the whole Countrey c Example of an Epistle of Grauitie AN epistle of Grauitie as is before sayd must bee of Morall or Ciuill matter tending to honour as to say thus Sir seing that the publike weale is to be preferred before particular profit how can we honestly refuse this combat And if for the maynteining of the faith of Iesus Christe against the Turke we ought to spare neither bodie nor goodes what may be sayde of the refusall delay or suttle reasons but that we be cowardes traytours wicked heretikes and worthy of perpetuall reproch For my parte I will rather quite abandone and put all in daunger than otherwise The which I also request and counsell you to doe to the ende that we may gette euerlasting honour c. The Diuision of an Epistle or Letter IT is to bee noted that euerie Epistle conteineth three partes euen as an Argument doeth which consisteth of the Maior the Minor and Conclusion which the Orators â—all the cause the intent and the consequence The cause is in place of the Maior which moueth or constrayneth vs to write to an other willing to signifie vnto him our mynde The intent is in steade of
the publike weale that I desire their banishment imprisonment or punishment with sharpe Iustice And although I haue ben instantly desired to write vnto you in the behalfe of such a one who as it is sayd hath committed such a fact c. is deteyned in your prysons in daunger of his life as I am aduertised although also I thought the request reasonable yet would I hot in any wise haue written vnto you right honorable Iudge for so slanderous a matter had I not ben prouoked thereunto by the cōsideration of the vertues which I know to be in him in such nūber that it were to long to recite them I assure you my Lorde Iudge that this euil excepted if an euill it may be called being done in a mans owne defēse as I am informed he hath alwayes shewed him self an honest man were it for y e defence of y e town or to mayntein iustice wherin he hath not spared his bodie goods counsell nor frendes And when there hath ben any good act in hand to apprehend the body of any offēder there hath ben no man more hardy nor that without feare hath more fréely ventured him self in danger wherby yet many woūds and skarres are apparant in him And I ensure you my Lord that there is no lambe more gentle than hée nothing more peaceable than he is And there is in this Towne none more valiant hardy nor honester man without dispraysing any My Lord I consider that for such a case hapned by fortune as this is whereof I intreate so many vertues which are in the man of whom I write vnto you ought not to be quenched requiring of their owne nature fauour of grace and iust supportation Therefore I besech you my Lord Iudge to whose pitie and benignitie I entend to direct this Letter and not to your seuere Iustice that it wold please you not to haue so much regard to this pitifull chaūce sodenly hapned but y t aboue all you might haue regarde to his youth already wyse sage and so full of vertue that he is beloued of many good men for that he neuer offended but in this matter and is well willing to amend and neuer to returne to any such fault Pleaseth it you therefore to deliuer him whereof I hūbly besech you to y e end that he may yet again hazard himselfe his body and his goods in ech iust quarell How to request the counsaile of an Aduocate TO demaūd fauor in any thing that is called an vncororall benefit as doctrine counsayl c. First of al we must deuide the letter into foure partes The first conteyneth that he of whome we demaūd hath power to giue that which we would request of him for by that meanes he shal not excuse him selfe by impossibilitie Secondly to shew the demaund to be iust honest to thende that he excuse not himself saying that he would do it gladly if the demaund were iust Thirdly to make the demaund declaring it selfe to be facile easie Fourthly to promise gold siluer or other thing perpetual seruice c. And vpon this point it is to be noted that in this kinde of style and sundry other sortes of supplications and demaunds we must vse humble language as much as may bee For humble speache is a great persuasion to obtayne that which we require and demaunde The Example THe Incredible Eloquence that is in you right worshipfull Aduocate shineth in such sort that there are no Orators in Iudiciall actes to be compared vnto you which thing giueth me stedfast hope that if it would please you to take the charge of my cause and to conduct it I should come to such ende as my heart desireth The quarel that I haue is iust and begoon agaynst such a one myne aduersary who through deceyte and cauilacion hath induced me to make a bargaine with him very trublesome hurtfull for me whereof I haue ben dismissed by the King in his Chauncery as you may perceiue by y e specialties which are in my bagge Therefore haue I this recourse vnto you trusting of your good counsell and that you will speake boldly for me before the Iudges to susteyne my good right whereof I presently write vnto you hoping that you will willingly employ your selfe thereunto after that you haue vnderstanded the matter at large wherein I haue iust cause although the aduersary party say the contrary And in so doing as my special trust is and as I humbly besech you I will promise to recompense yeu with honest and lawfull rewarde the which I will pay you largely liberally and incontinently at your pleasure And so shall you also haue my ayde in your affaires and businesse and commaunde me as your humble seruant to accomplish the full content of a good heart to the pleasure of our Lord c. Hovv to ansvvere in such a like matter IN the answere of a matter called an vncorporall benefit that is to say of Doctrine or counsell the diuision must be made into three parts First to get beneuolence declaring that for the loue that we beare vnto him we do gently agree vnto his demaund Secondly we must make offer of that which is demaunded and required and of other greater matters in purchasing good will on the other side Thirdly we repete the offer by enlarging amplifying of seruices that we desyre nothing more than to do him seruice that we will therein do so well that he shal haue occasion to holde himselfe contented The Example I Haue receued the letters which it plesed you to write vnto me my singular perfect frend by the which I perceiue the desire affection confidēce that you haue in me concerning the guiding of your cause the matter of the allowing of the kings letters obteyned for you against such a one c. I aduertise you that not onely for the good iust action y t you haue in this mater wherunto euery vertuous man ought to shew fauor but also for the singular loue frō the time of our youth mutually cōsidered my dere frēd I accord vnto you not onely for y e which you require me but also for all other fauor seruice euen as one frend ought to do vnto an other In such sort y t you shall not perceiue in me any signe of apperāce to refuse that labour For I will wholly altogether endeuour my selfe for you in this affaire euen as for myne owne yea you shal vnderstand God to frende that I wil do more better therein than I am able presently to speake or write Certifying you my singuler frend that I am redy to fulfill your desire cōmandement wherevnto soeuer it shall please you to assigne me and that nothing shal more reioyce me than to perceiue by you to haue done any thing that doth please and content you c. How to thanke an Aduocate for a cause by him conducted TO render thanks for an vncorporal benefit
amongst fishe 〈◊〉 Dolphin and amongst men a very Hercules For counsayle of the Citie and politike affaires there is not his lyke who is and will be to your Citie no small adornement whereby you shall get great renowne and strangers the light of most euident example And bicause that my to rude vnderstanding knoweth not the maner how to write the tenth part of his vertues and that my letter sheld be to long and tedious it may please you to be content at this present with this small writing for I do determine to write vnto you an other time more largely what soeuer I write it shal be nothing but mere truthe deuoide of all faining and flattery I aduertise you my Lords that so much the more you shall know him so much the more wil you commeÌ„d praise honour and esteme it a great benefit to haue had the â—â—â—â—ledge acquaintance seruice ayde support familiaritie frendship confederation alliance recourse coÌ„pany of such a personage c. Hovv to vvrite vnder the Demonstratiue gender blaming or dispraysing another TO write in y e dispraise of a man we must deuide our letter into three parts First to get good wil vnto our selues declaring that in deede we do not loue neither that it is our commoÌ„ vse to write euill of any man but that now we are vehemently vrged and constrayned there vnto c. Secondly we must dispraise the party in honest and couert termes and so placed that it be not playnly perceiued that we speke for enuy or anger or otherwise but onely that in very deede the great pryde which is in him doeth cause vs to say it to thende to abate his presumpâ—ion and to reforme him Thirdly we shall excuse our selues towardes him vnto whome we write that if we haue written any thing vnto him which might displease him we suppose him to be wise ynough to know the truth offering c. The Example vvherin a certain man writeth to Cicero touching the conspiracie of Catyline IT is not my custome learned Cicero most renowmed and worthy of honor by detracting and speaking euill or blaming of an other as many do to go about to get vnto my selfe praise and renowme especially when the vices of the other doe touch me nothing at all in so much that although I my selfe be standered greatly iniured by myne enimies I suffer it paciently and hold my peace But yet considering with my selfe the great Treasons of Catiline who notwithstanding neuer did me any displeasure seing that he was determined as a Traytour to kéepe the whole Citie and cuntry in subiection by the ayde and support of strangers I coulde not abstayne my selfe from declaring it vnto you to the end that the whole being known ye might giue order and conuenient remedie I aduertise you worthy sir and déere frende that ouer and aboue the other innumerable vices pety trafficks traysons and subtilties that are in him he communicateth day night with the cursed peruerse and wicked rybalds ruffians rascal Roges of the Towne he prouoketh corrupteth them with money and other damnable meanes to conspyre with him the destruction of y e good noble Burgesses Citizens with full determinate purpose to make a generall coÌ„motion to kill the wise learned gouernors to fier theyr houses to ransack spoyle their goods to do al the execrable wickednesse that is possible And this is now manifestly notoriously knoweÌ„ throughout the whole Citie For he now declareth himselfe to be such a one euen in open audience threatning them that are in chiefest aucthoritie in such sorte that they are constrained to flee fearing a greater inconuenience Therfore it is necessary my singular friende to giue politike order and that brefly to the end that a greater euill do not ensue I haue not writte this vnto you for any hatred or enuy that I haue against him for so should I do wrong to complayne of him but that which I do is in fauour of the publick weale to moue you as a good and diligent Iudge to redresse it by seuere iustice so far forth as it is nedefull to thend that we may remayne in ciuill peace and tranquillitie requiring and beseching you to addresse vnto me your noble desyres that I may accomplish theÌ„ according to my possibilitie Hovv to vvrite by maner of Complaint or lamentation for an iniury receiued IN such a case we must first get the good wil of him vnto whom we write by reducing to his memory the cause wherefore we are moued and prouoked to let him vnderstaÌ„d of our estate Secondly we must make honest remonstration and reciâ—all of the wrong that our aduersary hath done vnto vs by reprouing him of ingratitude or some other villanous vice Thirdly we must require counsayle comfort ayde or demaunde his counsayle offring in lyke maner c. The Example vvherein Appius vvriteth to Caesar of iniury done him by Cicero THe feruent desire and singular loue which you haue alwayes shewed vnto me most mighty Caesar doeth constraine me to write vnto you my complaint of an iniury which hath ben done vnto me to y e end to obtayn of you some comforte for I suppose that the iniury doeth touch you as well as me considering the amitie and freÌ„dship betwixt vs which through firme stedfast acquaintance ought to be common as well in prosperitie as in aduersitie And bicause that within this moneth I haue susteyned very vncurteous and vnhonest iniuries I could not abstayn from writing vnto you to the end that you might be a relieuer and comforter of this greuous trouble You knowe right renowned Caesar the pains trauels diligence and the great perils and dangers wherein I haue ben for this wicked persoÌ„ of whom I write vnto you not onely for to doe him honor but also profit And when I was iudge you knowe in what magnificence he was receiued of the counsel yet now hath he forgotten all the good dedes seruice that I haue done him For notwithstanding that I my selfe requested him and also caused him to be requested by men of good reputation to defend my cause and to pleade it before the Senat yet he refused me although he employeth him selfe to the like for euery one yea euen for straÌ„gers and them that he neuer knew nor that euer dyd him any pleasure or seruice Yea and that which is worse to do me greater displeasure he hath counsayled my aduersary and found subtilties and cautoles to pleade against me in such sorte that I am depriued of my right beholde the godly rewardes and recompences wherewith this wicked vngrateful person had paid me for hauing done him so much pleasure and seruice Vnto thee mighty and puisant Caesar I haue yet my remedie to appeale and to moue him of the vniust sentence which hath ben giuen against me Therefore do I humbly besech you that it would please you to admonish him that if remaining and perseuering in his
dispraised reporting by me a thousand dreames and lyes yet haue I always suffred them turned y e deafe eare towards them And now steppeth forth a new detracter of me who by force constraineth me to answere and to defende me against his cursed sclaūder for the sauegard of my estimation which he thinketh to destroy And to the ende that I be not accounted so ignorant as hée I haue thought good to write vnto you for to giue you to vnderstand that he offreth me euident wroug This wicked and ignorant Asse crieth and publisheth euery where that it appertaineth not to any man liuing to meddle with curing of a wound or vlcer within the citie except he be a Chirurgiā sworne to the Citie at the least if the Chirurgian be not present and assistant to sée the whole cure but behold his crafte how couertly he wold take away the practise gaine profit of y e Barbers Who is he so ignorant that knoweth not y t always hereto fore the master Barbers haue accustomed to cure all kynde of woundes aswel olde as new Who is it y t is so ignorāt of the notable good cures y t they haue accustomed to doe wherefore then shoulde they not vse to doe as they haue done without borowing leaue of the gentlemē Chirurgians seing that they doe and haue done their cures very well without their assistance I would that the ignorant Assehed should know that that which we doe is better done that we vnderstand better the arte of Chirurgery than he doeth or a great multitude of Asses that call them selues Chyrurgians who haue not the knowledge to apply one only instrument or to make one incysion right but all their case is nothing else but sophisticall arguments which serue to no purpose Therfore it is necessary that it come to the handy operacion of the Barbers who vnderstand Chirurgerie aswel as they together also that it would be greate coste for the poore pacients to pay bothe the Barber and the Chirurgian Secondly and if I would I could write vnto you more amply of his enuies and ignorant detractions but I loue rather to holde my peace to the ende that it be not sayde that I speake more against him of enuie than to speakethe playne truth Therefore you that know the whole ought to iudge the equitie and to cause him to kéepe silence in this matter wherof I alwayes recommende mée vnto you wholy offering my selfe c. Hovve to vvrite a Defense in a Contention WHen we are accused and reprehended by contempt and dispraise we may defend our selues by letters or epistles which must contayne .iij. parts First to declare that we are prouoked to aunswer vnto him that writeth euil of vs and that it is not our custome to take altercation especially of wicked and ignorāt people And were it not for that it would seeme that we accorded to that which he sayth we woulde not vouchesafe to aunswere vnto their ignorance Afterward must be declared by maner of recitall the reasons of the aduersarie confuting them to oure possibilitie Secondly we must shewe by opposite some faults and ignorāces of our aduersarie which shall be manifest and apparaunt by liuely reasons Thirdly to say that although we coulde expresse many moe imbecillities and faultes in him yet neuerthelesse we wil not declare them to the ende that it apeare not that we speake against him rather through enuie thā for the truths sake saying that we would that hee vnto whome we write should be the iust Iudge of the matters The example wherin the Chirurgian defendeth himselfe to the Physitian against his aduersarie the Barber I Am aduertised equall Iudge to bée accused before you on the behalfe of suche a one a boasting Barber who not only is ignorant in his science but also in all that a wyse man oughte to know and I am sory that it behoueth me to answer him but that which moueth me is to the ende that it bée not thought that I consente to his errour and to purge my selfe before you that know and vnderstand al things and to the end that expulsing his olde iniuries I might set silence to his newe Fyrst for that he sayeth that euer heretofore the Barbers haue accustomed to cure woundes as wel old as new and therto hath set forth their goodly cures Behold consider the craft subtiltie how gloriously he boasteth vaunteth hymself and riseth vp to suppresse and ouerthrow the whole arte facultie of Chirurgerie Is it not wel inough vnderstood and knowne what peril there is in thinking to heale al diseases that to make a good operation in suche other difficile matters it is needefull that the cause be wel vnderstāded debated to knowe whether that that which is to be cured be a simple woūd an vlcer or a fistule which is the peccant matter and what ointement or other medicine is proper for it and to discerne and vnderstande this thing rightly what Barber is it I meane to speake of vnskilfull that vnderstandeth one onely worde of Latin and with muche a doe scarse good English I knowe very fewe that can expounde the difference betwéene Leporam and Lepram And yet notwithstāding most of their Chirurgerie bookes are stuffed full of Eloquent Latin and that difficile yea and the most parte of our Englishe termes are very farre different from our vulgare and maternall speache in such sort that who so fully vnderstandeth not the Latine tongue yea and also the Greke can scarse vnderstande them Through which error arise many times sundry inconueniences For the asses that are of all diseases make the Pocke And this commeth to passe bicause they will neuer call for the Chirurgian who in his facultie is of all men approued skilfull learned very experte to know howe to discern◠and vnderstande all the pointes of his Arte without erring or making fault and contrarily suche ignoraunt which darkely giue credite to their glorious heades and haue no reason saue onely their propre will and foolishe opinion and whiche of a deceiptfull argument make a necessary demonstration doe giue by their daungerous promises a very fallible hope disalowing all good writings if they bée not conformable to their opinion Therfore say I that he ought to be put to perpetuall silence Secondly thus muche shall suffise you although I might say more but his ignorance can not beare it For it is knowen to euery one that thorough their fault they haue committed a thousande euills and say that they may better kill an hundreth men thā an other to heale one onely and therefore take héede of them who maye Furthermore I will holde my peace for it is no great honor to write the imperfections and ignorāces that might be tolde yea if I should say more it wold be sayd that I speke more of malice and yll will than to open the truth Thirdly although I yet kéepe backe many other things if tyme and
of Latine Orators as also of other lerned and discrete persons trusting that the whole being wel seene considered together with the instructions and exquisite termes wherewith an auditour ought to be furnished except peraduenture the mynd and courage of the Reader be altogether ignorant sluggish of the number of them that remayning in the gulfe and botome of rechlenesse haue their sense so corrupted their memorie so slppery and their mynde so dull slow astoonned that they may rightly of euery one be taken and estemed as brutall and barbarous which ceassing and a good will succeding there is no doute but a man shall easyly learne to make a Letter or Epistle so well adorned and garnished that it shall render vnto the Readers hearers not onely great ioye and commoditie but also to the endytour profit honor inestimable delectation Hirmolaus Barbarus writeth vnto George Merule PLato in that his diuine institution of lawes amongst other soueraigne things maketh mention that it is nedefull in the common weale to prescribe giue order that it be not permitted vnto any man to shew either pryuatly or publikly any thing that he hath composed except it be first perused and approued by the iudges thereunto assigned Would to God O discrete Merula at this daye we had the same law Certainly so many people should not then write and so few should not apply them selues to good Letters for now through the abundance of many noughty bookes we are greatly endomaged leuing the approued and knowne authors we folow the base and blynde wryters and that which is to be lamented we iudge of studies according to the good or euil authors one with another without indifferencie or correction From this spring and fountaine is risen this mortall and monstrous persuasion that Philosophers Consules can not be both alyke and eloqueÌ„t for the which senteÌ„ce bicause in many places we haue argued to the contrary as well in speaking disputing as by writing I dout not but of many I haue incurred hatred and office or according to thy common prouerbe haue angred the waspes But â—ith we haue the othe of this Knighthoode it were a capitall cryme to quite so honorable a charge And certainly I ordeyne and appoynt nowe that I haue power authoritie not to chyde or make a noyse but by writing or interpreting to proue my cause before wise and lerned persons euen so as the thing it self shal wytnesse that there is altogether no matter which this florishing and redie kynde of saying and speakyng doeth not receyâ—e and hath not his naturall hystory yea and contayneth not his very particular and sensible reasoÌ„s For this is of Pliny the second without all controuersie constituted and made but the same is that whereof euery one vniuersally maketh question and debate in such sort maner and forme as I think verily I my selfe haue first touched it in Themistio That which I haue proposed I pray thée Merula as effectually as I can deuise that thou woldest say for me euen as for thy selfe and that thou woldest be not onely my defender but my helper iudge and corrector For certainly it can not be denied but that in Philosophie there are sundry places the which to vtter and expresse it is néedefull and necessary sometimes to faine renewe And this doeth Marcus Tullius and all the other auncient and greate Philosophers graunt allow the which is now by maner of prelocution and reuerence grauÌ„ted vnto vs as he sayth we may name and place new wordes where we sée the Latin to be corrupted or altered as in the names of money and coyne or such lyke And herein would I haue thée to be an egall Censor or Iudge if peradueÌ„ture thou findest in these bookes any thing either altogether fayned to the seÌ„blance of certayne voyces or by licence that I say not rudely or hardly translated or by abuse to boldly transposed or else by a certayne imitation somwhat to coÌ„firmable Howbeit I think thou shalt not finde many which might offend thée or be troublesome tenne at the most or thereabouts thou shalt find in the whole worke that I sende thee here withall the which a man may say are not takeÌ„ rightly from the Latin and yet is there some of them that we haue receyued and taken euen from the Latin eares some we haue newly made for the other I take no disdayne of the vsage of learned and wise men howbeit I will not seeme to affirme my self to be wholly vnreprouable least peraduenture some doe obiect say if thou excuse thy selfe that thou art not barbarous what is it then that thou sayst And thus I wholly submit my cause to the indifferent iudge voyde of parcialitie Farewel From Venice 1480 Hirmolaus Barbarus vvriteth to Angelus Politianus IN that thou hast conceiued incredible ioy for my prosperities thou hast therin done no newe thing nor any thing which I had not before hande well séene by imagination presupposed I knowe with what carefulnesse great forwardnesse of vnderstanding thou hast taken in hand this busy vnspeakable charge to adorne extoll my name although that thou hast therein ben constant diligent effectuous yet sith in so doing it séemeth that thou speakest for thy selfe when thou speakest for me I doe nothing maruell in y t thou hast thought to profit thy selâ— when thou hast ben about myne affayres I giue thanks vnto thée and will giue continually not only as to a louer and a frende but euen as vnto Politian that is to say vnto a man right wise And certainly it is a greater thing to be praised of Politian than of a frend for the testimony and iudgement of a frende might be deceaued but of Politian a frende neuer deceaued And to my Lord Laurentius no lesse my prince than thyne I am greatly bound and beholdeÌ„ he himselfe thereof is witnesse I am in great danger least that in so many benefits merits which it hath pleased him to bestowe vpon me I appeare not to be vngratefull and barbarous Marsilius Ficinus vvriteth vnto Angelus Politianus IF now Politian I should say that I greatly maruelled at the hautinesse eloquence of thy style some peraduenture woulde suppose that I were to full of maruelling certainly in others I am accustomed to maruell at things for the noueltie of them but in Politian I maruell at things which are vnto me of a long time very well knowne howbeit for a veritie I now haue in admiration not olde things but new things For my Politian hath so happyly encreased within short space synce his youth that for his style he séemeth vnto me wholly another man and altogether new and therefore he that being euen a child hath not smally pleased me and being a yong man greatly plesed me now that he hath passed his youth doth perfectly and worthily please me for euen as his beautie hath dayly encreased so also hath increased his grace
The contents of the second booke HIrmolaus Barbarus writeth vnto George Merula 91 Hirmolaus Barbarus writeth to Angelus Politianus 93 Marsilius Ficinus writeth vnto Angelus Politianus 94 Politianus aunswereth vnto Marsilius Ficinus 95 Innocent Pope to Angelus Politianus eodem Innocent the eight Pope to his welbeloued Sonne Laurentius de Medicis 96 Angelus Politianus to Innocent the .viij. Pope rendreth salutation eodem A certain man writeth to a Bookebinder of Paris 97 An epistle of Angelus Politianus to Laurentius de Medicis his Vncle. 98 Angelus Politianus to a certaine friende of his 100 Politian to his friende eodem Politian to an enuious person eodem Politian to a slanderer detracter 101 Politian to his friende Caesar Carmente eodem Politian to Iames Modeste eodem Politian to an vnconstant person eodem Angelus Politian to Picus Mirandula eodem Politian to a friende of his 102 Politian to a promise breaker eodem Politian to his friende eodem Politian to Picus Mirandula 103 Politian to a certaine frend of his eodem An epistle of Iohannes Picus Mirandula to his deare frende Iacobus Antiquarius eodem The contents of the third boke A Father writeth vnto his sonne 105 The aunswere of the Sonne vnto his Father 107 The Father writeth vnto the Sonne 108 The Sonne maketh aunsvvere vnto his Father eodem The wife writeth vnto hir husband 110 The aunswer of the Husband vnto his wife 111 A Sister writeth vnto hir brother 112 The aunswer of the brother vnto his Sister eodem A motâ—er writeth vnto hir daughter 113 The daughter maketh aunswer vnto hir mother 114 One Lord writeth vnto another 115 The aunswere of one Lorde vnto another eodem A Gentleman writeth vnto a noble Captaine 116 The aunswere of the Captaine vnto the Gentleman eodem One gentleman writeth vnto another 117 The aunsvvere of one Gentleman vnto another eodem One Marchant writeth vnto another 118 The aunsvver of one Marchant vnto another eodem A Marchant writeth vnto his Factor 119 The aunsvvere of the Factor vnto the Marchant 120 One Cashier writeth vnto another 121 One Cashyer vnto another eodem One frende writeth vnto another eodem The aunsvvere of one friende vnto another 122 One friend writeth in anothers behalf 123 The aunswere vnto his frende eodem To write vnto a Prynce in a prisoners behalfe eodem The aunswer of the Prynce declaring the demaund to be vnhonest 124 The excuse for that the demaunde was against Iustice 125 To ayde thy friende being in prison for det eodem To shew thy selfe sorowfull for the misfortune of thy friende 126 The exhortation of a captaine vnto his Souldiers eodem To demaunde entertaynement of a great Captaine 127 To excuse thy selfe for being negligent in writing vnto thy friende eodem To put thy friende in remembraunce of thy busynesse 128 To require ayde at thy friends hand eo To write vnto an Aduocate 129 To aunswere thy friende hauing praysed thee eodem The replie vnto the same 130 To shew thy selfe thankfull for a benefit receiued eodem The same after an other maner 131 The contents of the fourth boke EVrialus writeth vnto Lucresia 131 A certaine louer writeth vnto his Ladie 133 A louer requesteth his ladies loue eodem The aunswere of his Ladie 134 The Reply of the louer 135 A louer writeth to his Ladie 136 A constant louer doeth expresse his gryping grief which still encreaseth 137 A louer pearst with Cupids bowe thinks long till he be rid from woe 138 A secret louer writes his will by story of Pigmalions ill 139 A louer hath his Ladies hart and writes to hir as is his part 141 A louer sick for very loue to pitie doth his Lady moue 142 A faythfull louer feeling smart doeth nippe his Lady false of hart 143 FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman dwelling in Knightrider strete at the signe of the Mermaide For Leonard Maylerd Anno. 1568. Appelles Pigmalions The Cause The Intent The Conclusion The Inteut The Cause The Conclusion Conclusion Cause Intention Why the Epiloge is made A Confirmation An other Confirmation which is in forme of the Minor Two other reasons coÌ„firming and augmeÌ„ting that which goeth before Conclusion The Minor A prouerbe The Conclusion A three fold coÌ„sideration to be had in all Letters 4. things to be noted
reasons arguments in diuers places dispersed are reduced together to be the better fixed and imprinted in the memory of the AudieÌ„ce as to say Right honorable and worshipful what will you that I say vnto you I haue first told you such a thing and such a thing c. and haue proued it by such reasons c. The conclusion demonstratiue is made as if a man should saye thus For the excellent beuties of women which are of such Angelicall shape hauing the booke of such ardent liuelyhood and the speach so gracious do passingly enamour the myndes of men Furthermore it is to be noted that diuers Epistles may begin with a perfect sentence authoritie or common prouerbe prouided that it be altogether agreeable to the purpose that we entend to perswade or disswade as for Example Denys the tyrant vvriteth to the Burgesses of Naples WHosoeuer denieth his soueraigne that which iustly to him is due is altogether vnexcusable For the soueraigne Lord may and ought for the affaires of him and his cuntrey demande ayde of his subiectes for to coÌ„serue them in peace seing that for them he daily hazardeth him selfe in a thousand perils of death Now so it is that I haue demanded of you an hundreth thousand duckats and ten thousand men for to make warre vpon the king of Chipre which demaund you wold not or else haue disdayned to vnderstand much lesse to accomplish 1 waying then the othe that you made vnto me I thought you wold haue kept promise and fealtie 2 considering also that you are not ignorant of the great necessitie y t I haue bothe of men money for the which I haue ofteÌ„ sommoned and required you Therefore seing your infidelitie and rebellion I accompt you as enimies and haue determined to extend vpon you myne indignation and crueltie euen to the abandoning and ransacking of you and your Citie by fyer and sworde and generall pillage of all your goods without any fauor or pardoÌ„ the which thing you might haue auoyded by loue fidelitie and obedience An answere to the same in like maner and foâ—rme THe Law of impossibilitie is so great most high and redouted soueraigne that thereby euery man ought to be and is lawfully excused and frée of all somoning and request for there as is not wherewithall neither dominion nor payment taketh place according to the common prouerbe where nothing is to be had the King loseth his right And as loÌ„g as we had wherwithal our good wil and loyall corage hath alwayes obeyed you plainely manifesting vnto you our fidelitie and obedience euen to the very consummation of our goods and slaughter of the strong men and youth of our Citie in such sort that now we haue nothing remaining vnto vs but onely the good will Beseching you most humbly to mitigate and assuage your anger and fury considering the great pittie and pouertie of vs. Note that in all Letters or in moste parte of them three things ought to bee obserued To wit that the demaunde be iuste that it bee possible and to shew the possibility assigning the rewarde of the benefit if these things be not expresly set then are they vnderstanded For if a poore man write vnto a rich to lend him money it is not nedeful to declare his demaund to be iust nor to declare his possibilitie but it suffiseth to praise the rich man of his vertue liberalitie whereby he helpeth the poore which are succourlesse Also he that demaÌ„deth to bynd himselfe nedeth not to speake of the rewarde of the plesure nor likewise wheÌ„ the Father writeth to his sonne or the Master to his seruant nor when a man writeth to his frende And here are to be noted foure things which let hinder the demaundant from being granted The first is to demand a thing to great more thaÌ„ a man ought wherefore saith Cato Quod iustum est petito aske thy duetie and no more The second is the tyme as to demaunde yee in soÌ„mer or that one should paie an obligation or rente before the time be expired The thrd is the place as if my debter should owe me x. pound to be payde in Paules Church I should demaunde it of him in Westminster Hall The fourth is the cause as to demaund that which hath been promised notwithstanding any thing that is done or sayd within the certain time that it be not satisfied As for Example O Lorde Christ I ought to haue and possesse heauen I am a ChristiaÌ„ I craue it of thée truely he wil say I haue giuen thée heauen if it be so that thou accomplish the will of my Father which is in heauen Moreouer if it happen that in Letters it be nedefull to make partes anb diuisions let it be don with breuitie and likewise if there be a NarracioÌ„ as of newes froÌ„ the court or of wars it must be dispatcht very briefly plainly in vsing coÌ„mon termes without long clauses or parentheses Thus hauing now declared set forth at large most part of the necessary precepts which belong to the well composing and endyting of Epistles and Letters I say necessary for if a man should make compose an Epistle well either in English or in any other language it were good to haue the perfect vnderstanding of all the rules both of Gramar Rethorike presently shalbe described the Style and fourme of certain letters And first wheÌ„ one maÌ„ writeth for an other commeÌ„ding him to the ende he might obtaine some dignity or prefermeÌ„t such a letter must containe .iiij. partes The first way to get beneuolence is in praising of him vnto whom we write for his liberalitie his bountifulnesse his iustice his vertue c. The second waie to purchase beneuolence vnto him for whome we write is to say that he is modest gentle to euery one a man not voide of knowledge The third is to make the demand honestly modestly which must be deuoide of the foure lets and impedimentes whereof we lately made mention and in so doing that it be iust honest facill and for the which he vnto whom we write may haue either honor or profit by graunting it The fourth to promise him all seruice and perpetuall obedience saying that what soeuer is demaunded for and in the fauor of such a man is estemed as though it were for our selfe as in this Example A Letter vvritten to the King in fauor of one pretending the order of Knighthode IT behoueth me not most Christian King to write familiarly to your sacred Maiestie for so might I be noted of presumption and â—olish hardinesse but considering your benignitie and humanitie whereby you giue fauor and supportacion euen vnto them that haue fully deserued it and vnto strangers For this cause therefore I haue taken audacitie to write vnto you vnder hope to obtaine that which I ernestly and most humbly require It is in the behalfe of
it behoueth to deuide the letters into foure parts First to get beneuolēce shewing y t we know not howe to begin to render him condigne thanks by reason of our insufficiencie Secondly the beneuoleuce must be consented vpon the thing for we must say that it is very cōmodious profitable for vs. Thirdly we must render thanks after the best maner that may bee declaring all due recompense offering our selues c. The Example I Know not right wise and learned Aduocate by reason of the smalnesse of my vnderstanding how I might expresse or write the fourme to render you condigne thanks and worthy prayse for the benefit that I haue receiued of you in that you haue not onely with a good will taken the charge to conduct and folow my processe whereof I wrote vnto you but briefly haue made expedition therein to my profit with such apparant diligēce that you are greatly to be commended and vnto you belong immortall thanks praises ouer bisides my recōpēce rewards What greater ioy could come vnto me than to be out of care and trouble which I was in for this processe considering y e torment wrōg y t mine aduersarie offered wold haue done vnto me wherof your careful diligēce hath deliuered me made me ioyful quiet this considered I know not how I may worthily reward you which notwithstāding I desyre to the vttermost of my power Nowe seing that I esteme the goodnesse which I haue receyued of you to be perpetuall and immortall reason wold that I should render you perpetuall and immortal thāks which is impossible for me therefore bicause I can not do it I offer you my body goods my selfe myne to remaine to you in continuall seruice c. How to request a Corporall benefit AS cōcerning the maner howe to demaund corporal things as a booke a horse or such lyke the Letter must be diuided into foure partes First we must get the good will of him to whome we write ▪ by praising his liberality and principally of the power authoritie that he hathe ouer the thing that he is demaunded Secondly we muste declare our demaund request to be honest necessary without the which we cānot atcheue to our determinate ende purpose Thirdly that the request is easy to be granted cōsidering his abilitie and that in a more difficil thing his liberalitie is ordinarily expressed Fourthly to promise recompence as golde siluer or some kinde of seruice ¶ The Example I Haue knowen of long time most renoumed Doctor your zele towardes y e poore louers of learning knowledge which you manifest by imparting to thē not onely your Doctrine most effectuously with good corage but also doe not spare to distribut euē to y e vnknowē your temporall faculties wherein you shew your wysdom and worthinesse getting therby praise in the world diuine grace innumerable merits You know right skilfull Doctor that I haue a long time sayled in the déepe sea of Theologicall facultie ordinarily hearing your sacred Lectures but the want of bookes doeth much hinder me from profiting in that faculty and I haue no assured recourse sauing to your liberalitie without the which I shold be cōstrained to frustrate myne endeuor to abandon my studie The matter is not greatly difficill vnto you to ayde me in this my great affaire vrgent necessitie no more than to wil may for you haue in like maner kept diuers other from falling downe haue erected them to high dignitie For this cause I besech you to lend me your boke of Sentēces that I may escape the perils of diuers vncertainties dark ignorances in so doing I wil not shew my self vngrate towards you in ministring such thāks seruice as for me is possible How to answere granting a Corporal benefit HE that will decently aunswer Letters requiring a corporall thing must deuide it onely into three parts First to get the good wil declaring vnto him to whom he writeth that he is affected to please him and to do him seruice Secondly it shall be good somewhat to praise the gift graunt without boasting or vayneglory declaring that it is not only done for that the graunt is profitable but for that he perceiueth that such a graunt is acceptable and pleasant vnto him to whome he writeth and that therefore he desireth to do it for him Thirdly in offring the gift or graunt he declareth him selfe to be readie to do any thing that hee knoweth might pleasure him The Example THe Letters that I haue lately receiued from you my singular perfecte frende haue giuen me great ioye and spiritual recreation for amongst y e cares and waighty businesse wherewith you know that I am ordinarily occupyed I take pleasure and consolacion to heare of your newes chiefly that you should be studious to the end you might attayn to the perfection of a skilfull and learned man which thing I coniecture wil come to passe for I sée fewe that in studying are more diligent than you wherein you employ your selfe by continual vigilacion not losing one Lecture nor disputacion You write vnto me that I shold send you my booke of Sentences and seing the earnest affection that you haue to profit in lerning as you haue written vnto me I do easely and with a good wil condescend vnto you and fauoring your request I send you by this berer the said booke to y e ende that hauing receiued it you may study at your pleasure and for your profit which shall be greatly to my contentation especially if God so graūt that I may once sée you a worthy doctor in y e facultie And I instantly desyre you y t if in any other matter you haue neede of any thing y t I may helpe you withall that you wold not spare me but cōmand it and by Gods grace I will acomplish it with a good will c. How to giue thanks for a Corporall gift receiued TO render thāks for the gift of a corporall thing receiued the letters must be deuided into three partes First to get beneuolēce by reason of the thing giuen Secondly to get beneuolēce by reasō of our selfe saying that we haue neither wit strength nor goodes nor any other thing sufficient to answer vnto the gift the good will c. Thirdly to render thāks in the best sort that we can offrīg al things at his cōmandemēt c. The Example COnsidering with my self your great liberalitie right honorable Doctor and waying the magnificence of the gift which it hath pleased you to impart vnto me I know not as one altogether abashed what thing I eyther might or ought to do For if I should not render you great thanks for the good turne that you haue done me I were worthy to be noted of to much ingratitude or if I should take vpon me to thanke you all my wordes would not be able to suffice that which my heart willeth