see thee whether and to thy selfe I do most heartely commend me this c. THis Reconciliatorie beeing different from that other Conciliatorie Epistle by reason y e argument therof tendeth to renue that which formerly might by the other be before intreated for carrieth the effects therof as well as it doth betwene equalls so from an inferiour person to one who in reputation is somewhat more then his better Upon presumption of whose fauour or by negligence of hys own dealing hauing thrown himself into som disgrace â—â— such a party hee may by meanes heerein offered reconcile himself in any sorte he list of humilitie To y e furtherance whereof this example following may be considered An Epistle Reconciliatorie from an inferior person to one that is his better PLeaseth my honorable good L. It was giuen me to vnderstand about two dayes passed by M. R. that your L. shuld very hardy conceiue of me in that vpon some vrgent occasion I delaieed to yeelde that testimony vnto his cause whiche in equitie and reason I ought to doe and the rather for that by your L. earnest entreatie and request I was estsoones thereunto required The griese was not small I susteined thereby in that hauing receiued so manie and sondrie benefites by your honourable fauour accomplished towardes me whereby diuers wayes I remaine in duty and honesty charged during my life vnto the same that by one bad supposall vntimely suggested vnto your L. hearing I should stand on so great a hazard as the aduenture or losse of your good opinion the recouery whereof as I conieâ—ured shoulde â—resolutelye seeme for that onelye cause to be opposed against me Your L. doth I hope remember that in my last speeches had with you about the same matter albeit before that time I stoode on some termes doubting the malicious dealinges of the aduerse party otherwise against me in reuengment of my plain and honest testimony therin yet at the last was it concluded that I shuld gather together al the notes ministring furtherance to the cause therupoÌ„ deliuer my true and certain remembrance on record touching concerning the same What care I haue fithence vsed in the matter and vpon intelligence had with M. R. how vehemently then in satisfaction of what might anye wayes content your L. and be furthering to his right I still prosecuted the vttermost effectes thereof I had rather himself shuld deliuer theÌ„ I to become a reporter In somuche as I well know how euer any others haue miss-informed your L. against me himselfe as a gentleman will yet vpon his worde assure the truth and certaintie I did I must confesse at the first vse some delays in the immediate dispatche of the thing but how and in what maner and to what ende and purpose let hym also relate Your L. I hope will therefore doe me that right as not to be euill perswaded towardes me in a cause wherein I haue vppon your honorable assurance and commaund entered so farre foorth into as therby I stand assured to haue purchased vnto my selfe matter inough of hatred and by those whome hauing refused by my silence to entertaine as my assured friendes I haue by such meanes enhabled sufficiently to become my heauie and moste bitter ennemies The hatred of whom cannot vnto me any waies become so iniurious as the ill conceite of your L. should redounde to be of all others most greeuous For mine own part so much doe I stand on the reuerend regarde and accompte I beare vnto your L. as were it not I rest perswaded that vpon the equall deliueraunce conceiued of my willing minde vnto your seruice you would againe be reconciled in fauourable and good opinion towardes me I should so farre forth be discontented in my imaginations as neuer coulde I be at attonement with myne actions wherin by the least sparke of negligence whatsoeuer I might haue ouerslipped anie thing that shuld become displeasing or otherwise offensiue to the same Your L. wonted honour and bountie geueth me great expectation of the contrary and mine innocencie and true report of maister R. doth also in some sort assure me Wherupon remaining as he that alwaies thinketh his life no better spent then for and in your L. vtmost seruice to be continued I huÌ„bly surcease this day of c. THe manner of these Epistles might in an other purpose then herein expressed be also applied as beeing Reconciliatorie in the behalfe of some other to be written as occasion may be offered but forasmuche as they in that sorte beeing handled doe for the moste parte fall into the Swasorie or Disswasorie kinde in the order of whiche theyr arguments are chiefly to be continued I deeme it besides necessitie to write any example at all concerning them for that when any suche shalbe brought in question the substance and conueyance of the state and cause may readily to the same be drawne out of the places sorted vnto eache of those kindes as in the discourse before is at large remembred For proofe whereof let it be considered that if by an Epistle of thys title I should endenour to reconcile a man to his wife or a woman to her husband a seruaunt to his maister or a maister to his seruaunt the father and the childe the friend to a friend the neighbour to neighbour or kinsman to kinred Needes must I for the compassing thereof shew some reasons how and which waie to induce these and therefro must I of necessitie ronne into diuers perswasions in the qualitie wherof by whatsoeuer action I goe about to transpose the effectes must needes be coÌ„cluded Suffiseth therfore y e for these epistles I haue deliuered sufficiently and heerewith will wee made vnto the next which in order hereunto are Petitorie And inasmuch as these Epistles are so named for the earnest Petition or request in euery of them conteined and that the varietie of things are such to be demaundes and mens conditions so diuers at whose hands or from whome the same are to be receaued required or obtained it falleth out by consequence that according thereunto the manner of the Epistle must needes also be diuers and variable For some thinges there are which fauourably and with great indifferencie are oftentimes to bee required and bestowed as councell aide patronage good speeches naturall care and regard such other like Some also and such semblable persons as for whiche or to whome to aske or sue a certaine kind of shame is in a maner tied viz. in crauing borrowing importuning charging or to vehement troubling The stile and order deliuerie appertaining to either of these is greatly different Touching the generalitie of both to either of them it is requisite that in the Exordium an endeuor be vsed wherby to adhibite vnto vs the good will fauor or good liking of him to whom we write Next that therein we proceede accordyng to our acquaintance with the party his estate credit or support whereby to pleasure vs. Thirdly
pretence is for an vtilitie and a common wealthe And this not onely but also I doe it for no detriment but for a preferment of your lawdable science that euerie man shoulde esteeme repute and regard the excellent facultie And also you to bee extolled and highly preferred that hath and doth studie practise and labour this sayd Archane science to the which none inartious persons can nor shall attayne to the knowledge yet notwithstanding fooles and insipient persons yea and manie the whiche doth thinke themselues wise the which in this facultie be fooles in deed will enterprise to smatter c. Was there euer seene from a learned man a more preposterous and confused kind of writing forced with so many and such odde coyned tearmes in so little vttering But surely the man did it of a great conceite for as appeareth by the course of all his Epistle following his wittes were so pestered with an angrye mislike of the bad demeanour of some vnlearned vsers of his science as he thought with himself that euery botcher should not be able to vent him but he should be a man of some reach at least 〈◊〉 Neuerthelesse how wise so euer stoode his imaginations this one thing doe I knowe that diuers to whome I haue shewed the book haue very heartily laughed in perusing the partes of his writing For these egregious eximious vrbanitie and exasperate although the wordes be in some sort tollerable yet because anye of them almost are amonges vs neuer or very rarely vsed and in this writing two of them especially very vnpropperly placed the maner whereof soundeth nothing pleasaunt In so muuhe as exasperate is propperly to sette him in a farther rage that is alreadie furiously bent in a thing and besides by the action of an other manne then himselfe who as it were of a resolute will and meanyng woulde goe about to procure it so that it may be well sayde he did exasperate his furies the more by inducing suche a speache or suche an acte but it cannot bee so properlye required exasperate not your selfe for suche a thing especially when I am not therewith so muche as in anye mislike already which no man can at any time be without he first know an occasion your Vrbanitie likewise being deriued of the latin worde Vrbanus whith is ciuile courteous gentle modest or wel ruled as men commonly are in cities and places of good gouernment whereof that word taketh his originall y e word is not coÌ„mon amongst vs nor so apt to y e sence as if he had said your curtesie your modesty so it might run thus Let not your courtesies bee agreeued agaynst me or Let it not be offensiue to your modesty that for the benefite of a great many I haue published this volume of Phisicke The ground was very good for his intendment was that the cause belonged to a common wealth wherein if anie particuler commoditie seemed to be lessened wise men and suche as were more studious of theyr countries good then of theyr own peculier gain ought not to be offended Then sayth he And this not onely but also I doe it for no detriment c. UUhat confused deliueraunce is this how muche more orderly thus whiche soundeth also more to his meaning And this also respected in that I doe it not for anie detriment vnto you but for a preferment of your lawdable science Then his comming in with arcane science Inartious fooles and insipient persons hadde it not bene lesse improper if hee had sayd profound science and vnskilfull or vnlearned for Inartious and to haue coÌ„tented himself with his fooles without adding to the same insipient persoÌ„s Lastly he proceedeth And many the which doth thinke themselues wise the which in this facultie are fooles indeede will enterprise c. Here is the whiche and the which a phrase neuer with vs accustomed nor with any good writer in his tyme whiche was not manie yeares since the sence whereof might in this sorte more plainly be deliuered And many who in theyr own opinion doe seeme verie wise but therein are in truth verie fooles will enterprise c. But of this inough for that I think it now high time to proceede to the rest these two examples being sufficient to admonishe the learner of the congruitie of his speeches and sentences with good phrases that be moste agreeing to the meaning and not improperly to be deliuered whereby he shal auoyd the like error and absurditie in conueyance hereby expressed and already so much reprehended CAP. IX The diuision of Letters and vnder what titles al sortes of Epistles are contayned SOmething haue I digressed in order contrary to that my former determination yet not altogether from the matter or purpose hereby intended in asmuch as the effectes of that I haue deliuered â—â— onely to induce the reader into an absolute and ready platforme of sound and perfect inditing and as neere as any diligent foresight may aforde to lay down what eyther best beseemeth or in any wise impugneth the same Herein could I haue discouered vnto you manye other imperfections that sondry times haue appeared vnto me in diuers writinges the circumstaunces whereof I willingly doe omit for that the carefull imitator of well doing shall by this already sayd with good animaduersion easily finde out his owne disabilitie and wherein hee varieth from anye perfection examples in our englishe toong thereunto leading and those of excellent good penning being so plentifull as they are which as it were by a line may conduct him to the reformation or redresse of what soeuer offensiue in anie part of hys writing Now therefore leauing all other by-pathes wee will directly proceede vnto the orderly deliuery and laying out of oure sunory formes of Epistles the number whereof sorting from the varietie of euery seuerall fancie may bee supposed as they are indeede to be infinite Neuerthelesse as farre forth as the most learned discouerers of the chiefest perfection therein haue hetherto left vnto vs wee will by theyr imitation limit our two distinguishmentes before remembred vnder their seuerall titles to be deuided First those Epistles therein mentioned to bee speciall for the speciall vse and obseruation of them contayned wee will deuide vnder y e names perticularities of Demonstratiue Deliberatiue and Iudiciall The others termed generall in respect of the generall matter in them accustomed shall passe as thei did before by y e name of Familiar letters This Demonstratiue kind taketh hys name of DescriptioÌ„ maninifestatioÌ„ or relation of any thyng Under whiche title are comprehended all manner of Descriptions of Regions Countryes Citties gouernementes states buildinges fieldes gardens riuers vallies parkes hilles walkes prospectes and what soeuer other like pleasures delightes and commodities according to theyr worthinesse goodnesse statelinesse value and store but chiefly and wherin they take theyr greatest force do beare in them all aduertisementes of persons manners conditions applications differences
seruaunts that the great zeale and loue you doe beare vnto me is a vehement occasion to kindle in you a desire of wel-wishinge and intendement of assured safetye towardes me wherein I haue more cause to thanke your good willes then meane thereby to imagine the force of my disease to be lesse then long since I expected and exceedinglye in my selfe haue euer doubted what wordes of comfort protraction delayes soeuer haue by the Physitions to the contrary beene vsed One great and exceeding comfort vnto me is that liuing I euer loyally demeaned my selfe dying I shall depart this world in her Maiesties good grace and especiall fauour Next vnto that the loue of you my dearest friendes and entierly beloued seruaunts and followers whose hartes I know doe pursue me and whose affections euen to the last gaspe of death I am perswaded to bee euer firme and fixed towardes me Your desires are I know that I should lyue according vnto which the least mitigation that may be of my griefe you measure by and by to the hope of amendment which is not so For that in all the comfortable speaches that sundrye times I haue receaued from you my self to whom the inward effects thereof haue beene founde most forcible haue euer mistrusted and by many probable circumstances adiudged the contrary Long time endure I can not this know I well happely a day two or three I may yet be conuersaunt among you for my decease that standeth assured the messenger wherof continually knocketh at the doore of my imaginations readye euerye howre to assault my harte and to carry away with him the spoyles of a dying carcase will not permit I shall long time trauell in this sort among you And for my selfe stande yee all asserteined that hauing long since peized in equall balaunce the long continuaunce of a fraile wretched and trauailed life the moste part whereof is carryed awaye in sleepe sorow griefe sickenesse daunger and the residue also neuer freed of care and all maner of disquiet with the hope of an euerlasting ioy happines rest peace and immortall residence I finde no reason why I should at all affect the toyle of such earthlye tediousnesse Insomuch as hauing liued now almost three skhore and thirteene yeares and borne my selfe honourablie I trust in all mine actions and seruices and further in the progression of my ripest yeares yea in this very instaunt more then at any other time am regarded of my prince and esteemed of my country and among my peeres reputed in the highest degree of my fidelitie I shall now die as becommeth my person worthelye and honourably Be you therefore recomforted I praye you as I am and thinke that for all the loue you haue ought me the seruices you haue done me or tender care you do yet in my heauiest panges beare vnto me the chiefest content you can doe vnto me is that you be satisfied herein with me That beeing verilye resolued in my soule of all that I haue heere sayde vnto you and hauing ordered mine actions and prepared my selfe thereto accordinglye I doe willingly and with a right contented mind leaue this transitory worlde so replenished as it is with so manye greeuous casualties and hartely do giue my body to his naturall course my soule into the hands of the Almighty creator for euer in his glory I trust to be eternized This speach ended he continued till after midnight at which time he had about two howres slumber and so beganne his paine to encrease againe In which till wednesdaye following almost in one state he for the most part remained often-tymes accustoming him selfe with those that were about him to prayer many times recording to him-selfe the goodnesse of God and his mercies to him remembred and that with such zeale enteire regarde of his hoped repose as that it still seemed and was euidentlye apparaunt how muche he longed and thirsted for the same In fine drawinge by little and little to an ende euen in the verye last pange ioyning his handes vp to heauen his hart eyes thitherwarde fixed he recommended eftsones him selfe to the mercy of his redeemer and on thurseday last about two in the morning dyed to the lamentable griefe of all that were about him who hartely sorrowing his losse were forced to shed teares aboundauntly The day of the funerall is not yet certaine but the same is intended very honourably Recommending my selfe vnto your La. in all humblenes I take my leaue At our sorowfull house of B. this of c. THese three Letters being all as you see of one suite yet diuersly handled according to the seueral matters in them contained do beare in them two only parts of an Epistle whereof they be solye consisting A briefe Exordium in each and then Narratio throughout Peroratio there is none because by collection there is no inference made of any the matters continued but a Conclusion vsed with breuitie wherein eyther greetinges or farewell to knit vp the Epistle is mentioned The Exordium of the first ariseth from the person of his Unkle whose authority was a charge vnto him to informe the speciall notes of the country The Narration by demonstration of the particulers of the City describeth therof the worthines statelines and the excellencye as firste it is mentioned to bee auncient as builded by Nero. 2. Then pleasauntly scituate by reason of the ayre and fertilitye of woodes and waters 3. Next by the sumptuous and statelye buildinges whose descriptions are extant 4. Fourthly the fashion equalitie and largenes of their streates and houses 5. Fifthlye their Magistrates and long continued gouernement 6. Sixtlye their apparell reteyning yet the monuments of their autient dignities 7. Finallye the goodnes of the soile measured by their complexions The Conclusion knitting vp the state thereof mentioneth a discharge of promise and courteous recommendations c. The seconde Letter hath his Exordium briefe of the freindship betweene both parties each longing to be informed of the others wel-fare The Narration occupieth the description of vnfrequented places As first they haue onely the commodity of the soile which by reason of the ayre is well scituate without any fruite at all thereof because it is not inhabited Secondly there is nothing to encomber them with but the care to defend them-selues which is easie and to get victuals which is impossible Thirdlye nakednesse of the people without ciuilitie and thereby barred from anye common societie Lastly the subtiltie of their disposition to lye in waite beeing men eaters whereby some of their company haue sometimes beene entrapped The Conclusion sheweth a short return Feruēt desire of safty The third caryeth his Exordium of the decease of an honourable peere and the desire of her to whome he wryteth to be aduertised of the same The Narration by circumstaunces inferreth the sodainnes of his death because by some hope of recouery it was at that time vnexpected Then a
the firste ordayned insteed of a louing and contented husbande to giue her a withered olde truncke in lue of sweete and mutuall societie to wed herto sorrow and euer loathed griese to endow her with larger profite then with honest contentment thinke you that she is a stone that her sonces from others are different in their right operation and qualities that shee more or lesse in stranger sort then any others can become therein forcible or lesse iniured No sir assure your â—elfe you muste needes heape vp no other but extremities vppon her it can not be but if you proceede heerein you must of force vndoe her the ende and conclusion is so vtterlye bad as it can not be indured Returne now therefore vnto your selfe and think herein what best beseemeth your Daughter remember that what you take in hande in that action is vngodly iniust seuere and vnnaturall that in giuing such a husband you shal giue her without the greater grace of God and him both to the deuil Consider that you are with pietie and to a christian purpose and ende to moderate your authoritye weigh with your selfe that the couetousnesse wherewith you are ouercome is no purchase to her of safetye And balancing all these in the weight and cordes of equality withdraw your self and by such meanes become disswaded from so great an absurditie So may you the more easely perfourmâ— that vnto her belongeth to a kinde and louing father and for the profite by this trauaile reaped at your handes binde her and all vs with greater feruencye to loue you Wheron concluding the scope of all my former desires I end c. IN this Epistle the matter tending to a disswasion from so iniurious and â—ard a match as might fall out in two so indifferent and â—nmeete of complexion ages as was that threed-bare for worne olde creature and this fayre pong fresh and tender maiden impassible hetherto of any man as it seemed and therefore so much the more vnfit in such bad sort to bee bestowed hath in it these enforcements whereby to draw the purpose thereof into the greater mislike viz. the Vnhonestie of the action by vndertaking a matter so far different from nature reason or societie the Discommoditie as vpon the admittaunce whereof standeth so great an hazard as the losse of her own soule the Inequalitie by comparison of youth and age together the manifold imperfections of y â— one so much contrarying the alienated desires of the other the Indignitie wherin is measured the reputation credite abilitie of her parents in respect of whom so indiscreet a match ought in no wise without the greater necessitie in that sort to be put forward Now will we proceed to one other example of the same forme though bnlike in substaunce and see what points therein may hereunto necessarilye be further then already conceiued An Epistle Disswasorie wherein a young Gentleman is disswaded from vices ingenerall ABout seuen dayes passed I receaued Letters from my brother N. the longe expectation whereof and desire I had to be informed of your well doing made me inwardly to reioyce at the first view of them supposing that as I deliuered you out of my handes I should still haue found you in the same predicament without alteration or so much as any surmise at al of that wherof I haue thereby beene to my small content and lesse satisfaction at large aduertised It is long since in deed that you were with me at which time you were in maner a Childe neuerthelesse in those tender yeares yet so towardly giuen and of so milde and gentle disposition as there was great cause why then I shoulde esteeme of you and much matter offered to all others that knew ye wherupon to commende you But now if it be true as I am informed your actions are tourned quite contrarye you are become a chaungeling you are no more the same but an other in qualitie minde and operation The matter beeing so it seemeth vnto me you haue taken a wrong course in so much as in exchaunge of Virtue you haue chosen vice in steed of laudable exercises a nomber of leud qualities in place of good and honest vsage a life vnciuile leud and sauage your companye keeping is without any order your studies are carelesse your pastime recklesse your tabling dronckennes your liuing vnthriftines finally blushing before time at all things for their nouelty you dare boldlie now to aduenture any thing bee it with neuer so great infamie These thinges my good cosin I must needes tell you are vnfit for a Gentlman much ill beseeming that education of yours wherunto they were neuer accustomed From these by mine aduise you shall weld your speedy course and quickly depart and with some facility giue ouer calling to your remembrance that what approcheth the condition of euerye ordinary person is not meete for your credite and what in men of common accompt appeareth to be no blemishe is in your reputation adiudged to be a great and notable faultines When men desire to be well famed and by true renoume to rise vnto worthinesse they flie slouth and giue them-selues to auoide all occasions of idlenesle they endeuour to become painfull and industrious to couet thinges of hiest accompt and to be in company with the most virtuous Their credite hath no support by vanities they seeke not their reputation among runnagates they conuerse not with Tauerne haunters and bibbers they liue not with men of vild accompt dissolute and vngratious such kind of meanes as insufficient to glorye they deeme wretched and approbious You therefore if you will be such as you ought to be must also pursue the tract of these the sweetnes and delicacie wherof if but a little you will peirce into the sowre and harshe taste of the other you shall quicklye conceaue marke but the praise benefites estimate and good report entertained with the one and on the other side the discredit shame discommoditye and vile reconinge alwaies made of the other and then iudge by your owne decernment how much and how greatly you are led awry in thus carelesly roming vpon others inuincible And concluding with your selfe the ill conceipt that all good men haue of such hatefull and disorderly kinde of liuing retourne betimes ere too late â—or want of good aduisement you foolishly begin to cry out of your winning Principijs obsta sero medecina paratur Cum mala per long as conualuêre moras First stop the cause to late doth phisicke come When euils small to great by sufferance ronne Credite me whome euer you haue knowne to fauour you the disgrace that quickly you shall sustaine if betimes you relent not these euilles will to a good minde become so vile and so odious as not without great sorrow and griefe may be deliuered away I disguise not with you in that I saye for
made you at my last speech acquainted with the same Both of which consisting in your labour and deuise I am of opinion that none then your selfe can fit the occasion better And truely such is the force of imprisonment as contrarye to that you haue wontedlye knowne in me my vnderstanding is quite decayed and forworne with my libertye and where the spirites are so destuned it must needes follow the memory can sounde nothing but discordes In fine sir it is in you to do me good and to make me by this onelie action for euer beholding vnto you wherein if I may so far foorth presume of your fidelitie assure your selfe that if euer God giue me libertie A. C. to none so muche as to you shall be yoked in courtesie Good M. D. the matter heereof requireth some hast wherunto I most hartely entreat you Fare yee well this of c. A letter Responsorie to the same GOod M. C. needles were it you shoulde entreate mee to that whereunto you haue found me alwayes most willing and suche whome with small perswasions you maye induce to a far greater matter then what in your last request you haue so earnestly desired The messenger I haue appointed to morrow morning to retourne againe to my lodging at which time I will not fayle to finishe what in the best sort I can conceaue to be vnto your occasions most furthering Hard will it be for me to accomplishe that wherein your selfe maye bee found so vnperfect for that the dullest conceipt forged from the moste distempered of your imaginations can not but sound farre better tunes then the ripest of my inuention is any wayes able to vtter Neuerthelesse suche as it is or so muche as by dislike of your owne you finde meane to accompt of that will I prepare to your view and put forward to your good speed thinking it better by deliuerye of a grosse deuise to satisfie the demaunde of a friend then by concealing the simplicitie thereof to be censured by discourtesie In conclusiō it is sir lawful for you to vse the vttermost fittest to our confirmed league of amitye that in whatsoeuer you should approone me wherein I desire you conceaue no more then such as I entende to become and you shall assuredly find me viz. yours c. HEre must I note vnto you the last of these Epistles Petitorie in which is neither Exordium nor Narration but foremost of all the peticion and afterwardes the parts following the like whereof you may perchance find hereafter For that where practize and skill hath sufficiently enabled a man to write well there is no necessitie that such should be tied to rule who beeing of sufficient knowledge and capacitie are able to decerne what is meetest and accordinglye to direct the square of their owne doinges sometimes one waye sometimes an other as in the intendment therof may to the present occasion seeme conuenient and readtest And as in this one letter so may the learner light vpon many others beeing different also from the obseruation herein deliuered and sometimes abruptly entring into the matter without anye limitation at all one other example whereof shall be next hereunto deliuered the firste beginning of which declareth the meane of accomplishment of the request before the peticion declared whereinto by imitation the vnskilfull may not rashlye enter without good aduisement what in the performance therof may be chiefly considered The Methode of which notwithstanding is in this sort pursued An example Petitorie concluding a briefe request and courteous remembraunce of a thing before time promised NOW is the time wherein if your pleasure be you may perform what erst you haue promised I therefore desire you as hartily as I may that your intent being to do me good you will now execute the same And albeit I dout not of your willingnes herin whose courtesie hath not beene straunge towardes me yet rather inforced by mine own necessity and continual remembrance of my vnprouided estate I prepare these lines solicitors of your expected promise which bearing in their front a token of oportunitie would praie you not to let slip occasion but with asmuch speede as willingnes to accomplish the same Remembring how manie waies I am beholding vnto you I remaine in accompt of your courtesies rather studious to thinke on them then anie waies able to requite them c. Another example of the like effect EVen as a bold begger the more he is relieued the more he still preasseth forwarde vppon the bounty of those whom he supposeth to fauour him so fareth it with me who hauing eftsones enioyed your trauaile to my no small benefit am neuerthelesse so shamelesse as still to importune you in the same I haue good M. G. I confesse by your good meanes receaued sondrie fauours at the handes of my L. which I can not nor euer shall be able to requite vnto you the matter of my sute notwithstanding hetherto depending before his honour I neither can or maye so farre foorth withdraw my selfe but I must needes now and then solicite you as the Gent. by whose onelye courtesie and perseueraunce in wonted care and good affection towardes me I doe liue and so liuing continue my dayes and yeares with suche assured respecte as hee that hath sworne and vowed in him selfe neuer to forget you It doth sir so much stande me vppon the procuring of his L. letter in my behalfe for the indifferent tryall and hearing of my cause as without in speciall and earnest speaches the same bee directed forme to the Iustices and Commissioners I am in great dispayre how the case will goe with me It is you therefore good M. G. that must helpe me heerein and by your onelye meanes I muste bee warraunted in this action the intendement whereof furthering so muche vnto right and cause of equitie as it doth I hope his L. vpon your mocion will the easelier condiscend vnto This is it that I requyre at your handes and to the speedy dispatch whereof I maye not cease to importune you Whereon concluding for the present I doe hartelye bid you farewell c. Another of the same GOod M. D. I am more beholding vnto you then I can well recount for the great paines and louing indeuour wherein you haue trauailed about my redemption as I may terme it which althogh it hath wrought in effect my assuraunce yet is there somwhat more to be added according to my friendes direction as by this inclosed you may at large perceaue Wherefore sir I beseech you as before thinke it no paines to make a good ende of that which you haue so well begunne My request is that you will now vse this discretion for me wherewith so many times you haue stoode me in stead I meane in conference with suche personnes whose names herein shall be vnto you deliuered Your dealing circumspectlye with
fithence continued the same you wil in no sort therof be recomforted Assuredly my good coosin I must needes conclude with your owne speeches and the weight of your interchaungeable likings that there is great cause left vnto you to become sorrowfull as hauing lost the chief and principall iewell of all your worldly loue and liking the fauored companion of all your pleasaunt and youthfull yeares the entire comfort and solace of your present happinesse and suche a one who aboue all worldes or any earthly estimation at all accompted honoured and entirelie more then anie others receiued and loued you but that you haue so great and vrgent cause of extremity to continue with so hard impatience as you do it befitteth not it is vnnecessarie yea it is in my iudgement of al others the most insufferable For whē it is not denied vnto you that you haue cause to mourn it is not fittest vnto the matter of your loue to weep ouer him and to bewaile him it is then thereby intended that there must be a meane therein that the force thereof must bee limitted that the apparaunce beare shewe of discretion Doe we not all know I pray you and are witnesses that he was a mortall man as our selues hee was borne vnder the same condition that hee must once die that he had his time set beyond whiche hee might not passe and that God who gaue him life thus long to liue with you hath now called him again from this earth to leaue you Are we ignoraunt that nature compelleth the wife for her husband the husband for his wife parentes for their children and kindered for their kinsfolke to weepe and lament but followeth it not also therewith that the losse and want of them being layd downe by an immooueable necessity we can by no meanes afterwardes be in hope to reclaime them what great folly do we then commit in thus serching after the ghosts of our deceased frends or what other thing do we therein performe but yeeld a plaine demonstration that our teares are to none other end but to bewayl them because they were mortal whom death could neuer haue shunned without they had bin immortall Are we not eftsoones put in minde by the common casualtie of al thinges that there is nothing stable that daily and hourely kingdomes decaye prouinces are shaken countries destroyed cities burned townes wasted people consumed and that it remayneth a thing so ordinarie with vs dayly to be conuersant in these euils the losse of al or eyther of which if they may be accounted euils why then doe we giue our selues by vnmeasurable griefe to a perpetuall continuaunce and renouation of those euils But you will hereunto alleage that it is loue that inforceth you vnto the same and that such is the continual remembrance you haue as you cannot forget him Alas how fruitles is this loue and zealous remembraunce in the deliueraunce thereof howe far sequestred is the vehemencie of the same from the serched recompence why learne wee not rather of the wisest and worthiest how to mitigate the impatience of our owne imperfections In whose precepts examples and councels if the immoderate vse or enterteygnement of any thing bee forbidden shall we not then in this aboue all others bee chiefly reprehended when wee enforce our selues by continuall meditation of our losses to shead so many teares to no purpose what if your husband had not now died at this instant he must you knowe haue died he coulde not alwaies haue liued yea but he died you saye vntimely what call you vntimely I pray you If in respecte of the force preuayling vppon him wherby he was slaine you name it vntimely then doe I graunt vnto it But if in regarde of the time of his life you affirme it I denie that the same may then bee saide vntimely For why hath not the eternall creator of all thinges ordered by his deuine wisedome each matter to passe his course in sort to himselfe best beseeming and most pleasing howe can you then say that to bee vntimelie which by his heauenly moderation was so appointed assure your selfe if hee had then beene at home wyth you he had also died you could not haue preuented it his houre was come so was it determined which way could she shunne it What then greeueth you in this action is it that he was slaine Consider with your selfe it was in his princes seruice his death was thereby the more honourable for in so dieng he died as a man as a souldier as a gentleman Yea but you shall neuer you say see him more true indeede but what of that is this deathe now greater then his absence before yes forsoothe it is in deede and why because you had hope then to see him againe which by this meanes is taken away verie well You did then while he was liuing recomfort your selfe with hope content your selfe now with necessitie because it must needes be so and you can no waies amend it Is not this an ende sufficient to determine all sorrowes If you weepe lament crie out and become grieued requisite were it the same shoulde returne to some end that all your care sorrow griefe lamentation or what els should not appeare fruitelesse that the intendment determination therof shuld be to some special purpose See you then herein is no supplie the effectes are berest the end taken away Bee not thē so fond as to bedew that with your teares wherunto belongeth neither redresse nor meane of recouery Who is hee that woulde bee so mad as crie out vnto him of whome he might bee assured neuer to obtaine remedie By cunning art beastes wee see thoughe they be most fierce are tamed a meane is found wherewith to breake the marble the Adament how hard soeuer it be may be deuises bee mollified Onely deathe is of such force as no waies can be conuinced At the leastwise if neyther of these argumentes might moue you to suppresse your exceeding sorrows you must finally consider that wee are Christians and by the benefite of this corporall death doe make exchaunge of an vncorruppted life that the withdrawing vs from this vile earthlie bodie of clay and filth is a commutation to a sacred and heauenly progression and that we haue nothing lefte vnto vs in all the trauailes cares disquiets and heauie turmoiles of this wearisome liuing whereof to reioice vs but the expectation wee haue of happinesse and euer flourishing gladnes Suppose the ghost of your husband were here present to see you in all this extremitie what thinke you would he say how much disordered imagine you would he thinke you to be in your affections And were it not that so many costes hadde seuered him both by land and seas peraduenture wearied with your bitter outcries in the conceited image shape of death you might in apparance heere him in these like speeches accusing rebuking such your
that the validitie thereof be aunswerable vnto the one the others goodnesse or greatnesse that the intendment be sound lawfull and to no euill purposes that it conteine not matter of scurrilitâ—e filthie and base kinde of villanie that the very decorum required in all kinde of writers be herein obserued most principallte And finally auoyding all vnseemely and bad kind of deliueraunces erepugnant to ciuilitie that nothing therein be found that may be deemed ill sitting or otherwise than beseemeth a direction so worthie This decorum the very direct square and measure wherof conduceth all thinges with such exquisite performance as whereunto neuer afterward ensueth any iust reprehension willeth as Horace in his booke de arte poetica excellentlie deliuereth that vnto euery thing bee geuen his true nature collour and proportion aswel with pen as pencill abhorring as monstrous and enemie vnto skill what otherwise vnaduisedly shall be portrayed or described by reason whereof whatsoeuer carryeth wyth it selfe a iust decorum is sayde to be neate apte and comelie the contrarie whereof as altogeather impugned is sayde to be vnmeete or vnseemely And in somuch as this decorum is a worde among sundrye that are vnlearned more often repeated then manye tymes well vnderstoode I will somewhat declare what order the same beareth in thys kinde of proportion It is therefore in an Epistle a singuler Decorum when of a common and meane cause wee yeeld common and playne speeches An indecorum agayne when vppon a grosse conceite a trifling toye a matter of no valewe wee seeke to frame high and loftie sentences To a person of meane condition Decorum willeth in writyng we giue a meane regard and a great Indecorum it shalbe to a persoÌ„ of greater account not to giue sufficient and due regard A matter of grauity deliuered with weight a matter of sorrow reported with griefe a matter of pastime discoursed with pleasure a matter of follie intermingled with laughter doe eche shewe the decorum therein contained and what agreement falleth out in euery seuerall discription where contrariwise to a person sorrowfull to write of iestes to talk learnedly vnto a clown to salute an olde man with childishe fantasies in causes of common wealth to aduaunce trifles what thing more absurde or greater matter of indecorum canne be founde placed in any writing I doe remember where once I did see an Enbleme of Alciat in counterfeit by a cunning workeman excellently depainted and thus it was A man by his finger on hys mouth remaining mute yet very grauely clav not otherwise deciphered but by hys apparell and countenaunce the inscription thus shewed Cum tacet haud quicquam differt sapientibus amens Stultitiae est index linquaque voxque suae When men stand mute what difference remaynes Twixt mad and those whom wisedome rules at beck The toong it is that yeeldes or els restraines The perfect shew of wit or follies checke And no maruell for that follie her selfe layd forth in wisedomes garmentes who will doubt that heareth noâ— her vtteraunce but that her speache will sound to great purpose and like to the habite importe matter of great grauitie For this cause seeing before speache hadde which is the true note and testimonie eyther of wisedome or follie all men in theyr seuerall callinges are holden indifferent yet doe wee see that when suche men are discerned by theyr speeche forthwith there falleth a separation and the reuerence that all menne for the moste part yeelde to discretion maketh sufficient apparaunce what regarde skilfull vtteraunce beareth from such hatefull follie And sith common experience according to their effects and conditions giueth almost vnto euerye person what to saye and speake whereby they are not greatlye discerned vntill in matters more waightie they are employed yet how much more in vse of writing the difference thereof shall sooner be made in yeelding foorth a certaine triall of euerye mans discretion according to the seuerall occurrents whereof he shall be occasioned to envite I leaue to euery mans practize to sounde and to the vnderstanding of the grauest to conceaue Now then for somuch as hereby appeareth that onlye tryall yeeldeth difference of eache mans abilitie and what by nature he is most pliable vnto whether wisdome or follye and that by how much the nearer each one for his indeuour seeketh to attaine the perfection by suche means required wherby y e finenes of each wit is the more thoroughly sifted by so much the more he is to be regarded accompted of and especially commended It shall behooue each one in framing his Letters seeing Letters also are but a formall kinde of mutuall talke both speach and writing seruing onely to declare a mans meaning to indeuor according to the waight or lightnes of the cause to contriue his actions that they be such as wherein this decorum both in person and matter may be imbraced and the repugnauncie thereof to be vtterly auoyded the ready meane of which he shall the sooner attaine vnto by diligent regarde had and due obseruation of those three especiall notes heretofore already remembred And now to the residue in the discourse following touching the method of these Epistles to be in order pursued Of the habite and partes of an Epistle SEeing an Epistle hath cheeflye his definition hereof in that it is termed the familiar and mutuall talke of one absent friend to an other it seemeth the Character thereof shoulde accorâ—ing therevnto be simple plaine and of the lowest and meanest stile vtterly deuoyde of anye shadowe of hie and loftye speeches yet neuertheles forsomuch as in the argument of a great many of them whose seuerall distinctions heereafter shall appeare is required a more high and lofty deliueraunce partaking many wayes with that kinde accustomed in Orations and is therefore accordinglye to be necessarily furnished with the points therevnto incident we will for the present sort all kind of Epistles onely into these two maner of differences the one part whereof shall bee sayde to be generall and the other speciall Under this title of generall shall bee comprehended all such as eyther for fashions sake custome duty courtesie or other familiaritie doe ordinarilye passe from one part to an other rather of a pleasaunt conceit or some other more district or seuere motion then of any extraordinarye cause forme or substaunce in eyther of them contained Such are those as whom either long acquaintance or auntient familiarity haue caused interchaungeably to haue performed or fatherly reuerence and seruile duetye haue bound by graue authoritye ouer children kindred or seruants accustomably to be continued These for the common and ordinary matter in euerye of them vsed beeing vtterly exempte from anye waight or grauitye at all are rightly termed by the name of familiar letters They now that be speciall are such the matter of whome as I sayd before do admit both higher stile and more orderlye deliueraunce according to the waight of the argument in anye
causes wyth honest quiet and sufficient contentment yet conceauing a delight neuer to be sequestred from some coyle of the worlde will still bee cloyed with many thinges as it were of purpose to occupie themselues and with theyr continuall bayting to inure theyr friendes In the course whereof the burthen of theyr vnprofitable acquaintaunce becommeth so wearisome and tedious that to hym that preferreth his competent quiet before a superfluous vnmeasurable encrochment it might seeme more tollerable to paye out of hys owne pursse for all the aduise countenaunce and pleasure that in a whole yeare might bee reaped for him at the handes of some other then but for the space of one weeke to be pestered with his messages Yea it is a payne but to reade the lettters of suche a one so intricate so importunate so peeuishe so balde and therewithall so endlesse are the progressions of the same whereof not one in a week but foure or fiue in a daye shall sometimes come coursing one after another because â—ee to whome hee writeth may stand the more assured neuer to bee lefte vnoccupied Hath not a man thinke you a fayre iewell of such an acquaintance especially when his nigeâ—ralitie shalbe such as he had as leue for all this see him hanged almost whome hee thus toyleth as he should fare but the value of ten shillings the better by him I meane that of his owne franke will the somme therof should drop out of his own purse to his safegard But such as these standing in the moste worste degree of so detestable and shamelesse importunacy let them rest and wee in the meane tyme may admit this regard that hauing to doe with our betters touchyng oure affayres wee are by duetie estraunged from anye kinde of tediousnesse wherewith to pursue them bee it with our equalles humanitie will not permit it and standing with our inferiours bountie and courtesie wil neuer allow it And when as by anie occasion we are with writing to commend our letters to any one before our selues preferred in greater accompt needful shall it be that measuring the state of our cause with the weight of hys calling we eyther diminishe or amplifie the same as by the one may be vrged and by the other tollerated knitting what we would when leysure may not attend it in as short deliueraunce as may be and hauing scope of allowance to confirme it agayne in as weightie sorte as can be The humor likewise and accompt of the partie to be vnderstoode shall not be a little furthering as whether he be delighted with suche continuaunce of argument or taketh pleasure in shorte sentences whether hee would be sued to with difficultie or commended by entreatie whether he affecteth pleasaunt vtteraunce or is amated wyth grauitie whether he taketh felicitie in well doyng or affoordeth it hardly Requisite it is that whosoeuer taketh vpon him an entraunce into any such endeuour be wel aduised of all these the rather to purchase that opportunitie which otherwise at moste handes hee may perchaunce attayne but very slenderlie For suppose the matter stoode to bee handeled betweene my reasonable acquayntaunce and me beeyng sucâ— whome perchaunce I hold in some degree of familiaritie it might happe that for the good suppose and credite I haue with hym he would doe much in a cause for me wherein if vnaduisedly I shoulde presse hym by vehement writing without respect of the present oportunitie twentie to one but it might fall out that he woulde vtterly deny me by meanes wherof I should euer after become frustrate of any hope to attayn from hym any courtesie Opportunitie therefore is many times of greater force eyther to commend or vtterly disable the somme of eche mans habilitie wherin care is chiefly to be had that when those to whome our affayres are annexed remayne moste busie we doe prosecute them with lesse vehemencie And in like manner when leysure serueth that a man writing or importuning may bee regarded not to ouerpasse by too muche negligence what with ease and small solliciting may bee obtayned yet this to be done with suche consideration of the matter and partie as that we forget not if occasion so requireth that rather by bountie or other courtesie our request is to bee harkened vnto then by vayn challenge of any other respect tending to an inforced duetie An other thing which I thought good to giue in notice is to admonishe the learner to auoyd in his writing the giuing forth of anie vnused wordes or confused kinde of deliuerie of anie thing the phrase whereof impugneth the meaning of the writer or is impropper to the sence or matter in handling or vnfitting the state of the partie to whome it is directed As for example one that somtimes intended not a little of hys owne inuention tooke vppon hym to write a loue letter to a woman of very meane reputation In which after he hadde drawne God Cupid by the name of the blinded boy from those parts of fauour that neuer were in her and shewed himselfe muche passionate for the loue he ought her he concludeth the matter in this sorte Thus crauing your lawfull beneuolence in not me reiecting your aunswere comfortable and not intollerable c. The woman not accustomed to suche hote entertainment and rather bluntly before tyme pursued then daintily entreated began hereupon for sooth to waxe coy and to intend great matter of her selfe and vauntyng her fauour at a higher rate theÌ„ he belike semed afterward willing to become a purchaser of remayned as shee was and himselfe at hys more profitable studies The conclusion of his letter was very improper in somuche as requiring liking by the name of beneuolence he both misprised his owne demaund and seemed to induce a worde more sounding to a charitable reliefe or courteous contribution of money then to any such purpose as hee ment it Besides your aunswere comfortable and not intollerable If these had passed in a iest it had bene more conuenient but vsed bona fide it was too too bad especially respecting the partie what shee was from whome one would haue supposed that suche a one as himselfe coulde neuer haue receaued but by too muche tolleration anye discoutentment at all This errour wee see is not onely common to the vnlearned for aswell this one who in his profession as I was informed by hym that shewed me the letter was well reputed of but also some of the forwarder sort onely by affection of wordes whiche they haue vsed ha ue bene misliked and yet learned inough Among which a doctor of phisicke long since intending to bee very eloquent in wordes and suche as euery Carter shoulde not conceaue of began an Epistle to a booke by hym published in this sort Egregious Doctors and maysters of the eximious Archane Science of Phisick of your Vrbanitie exaspe rate not your selues against mee for makyng of thys little volume of Phisicke Considering that my
Emperour and of him taketh hys name as Norumbergh in signification Neroes Berghe and so much the rather doth it appeare by sundry auntient monuments therin yet remayning The Citie besides that it is situate in a most delicate and pleasaunt soyle wooded and watered moste plentifully on euery side with goodlie trees fayre and delicate riuers and springs is both of great strength in the walls of the same and plentifully builded with high stately towres on euery part The edifices of the Citie are rare of most sumptuous and stately appearance insomuch as there is no one house in any row that exceedeth an other in height but all of them builded leuel by a very geometrical proportion The insides are not more polished with riches ornaments of great beautie then the outsides with brauerie the very fronts of all which aswell of rich as poore are moste curiously embossed in a hard kinde of substaunce suche I thinke as is oure plaster of Parris with artificiall and liuely pictures containing histories of diuers memorable and strange effectes that with such wonderfull excellencie as any wayes may be conceiued The cost hereof is continually mayntayned repaired enlarged and preserued by a generall contribution of the most worthy and honorable of the city Besides the coullours so freshe so braue and delicate layd in oyle for defence agaynst weather wherewith they are beautified and set forth are very strange The streetes are wide fayre and excellently well paued The stone they vse for the moste part is marble white gray and black wherof is great plentie besides other kinds which very wonderfully they cut and square in diuers small proportions artificially poynted and shaped The houses are not high but backward built and inwardly large This citie retayneth yet the auntient gouernement of the Romains for at this instant they haue their Consuls Tribunes Senators Pretors Quaestors Aediles and other interchangeable offices as sometimes had Rome being in her greatest prosperitie The attire also alyke to their dignities of all sortes of honourable personages accustomed to their callings Playn are their habits for the moste part nothing sumptuous retaining stil one the self same antient fashion The constitution of theyr bodies as well men as women are fayr cleer and of sound cōplection Frugal in diet expence and no thing prodigal My L the Duke is here of great sway entertained with honorable accompt Thus much haue I thought good to aduertise you in discharge of my debt and your desire attending by the returne of this messenger the newes of your good health To whome and all other our friendes in sound and good affection I eftso ones doe recommend me At Norumberge this of c. ¶ An other example wherein the state of a Country is solie described I Dout not N. but that thy hart longeth and minde is yet vnquieted because of my sodayn departure from thee and ignoraunce of my estate and present beeing whereof that thy desires may nowe at full be resolued knowe my good N. that not hauing beene scarce sixe monethes from thee I did long since perceiue my selfe to bee out of Englande and that it maye appeare vnto thee that I haue iuste cause so to saye thou shalt somewhat vnderstand by me the state of this Countrey We liue heere in a soyle delicate I must confesse for the ayre and pleasaunt for the scituation with good leysure I must tell thee may we heere attend our deuotions as hauing no cares wherewith to encomber vs but the needles searche of that whereof we neuer finde likelihoode to annoy vs. As vncompelled by seuere decrees and interdictions wee limit vnto our selues an abstinence thou mightest thinke we do it of zeale but in truth it is of want wherein we haue more fasting daies by◠a great many then abilitye to beare them Our conuersation is with elementes with waters with fieldes with trees with valleis with hilles in the generall vse whereof we finde nothinge els but their proper shapes And if by chaunce anye other sortes of creatures doe appeare they are naked shapes formed as men and weomen fierce sauage wilde not capable of anye our reasons nor we of their speaches Our foode is rootes dryed fishes berries and I know not what other harshe kinde of fruictes and sometimes fowles besides a kinde of grayne growinge in great coddes whereby wee sometimes obtaine though not the naturall yet some vse of breade vnlike to that you eate in taste goodnesse or propertye Our lodginges and places of repose are caues entrenched in the grounde the earth our beddes and cloathes our coueringes And these also hard as they are enioye we not in quiet but beeing awaited of the naked multitude whose pollicies insinuate by nature are farre greater then their strength we are faine by much industry to preuent them into whose handes if anie of vs doe chaunce to fall our deade carcases in hastie morsels are conueyed into their entrailes Hereby iudginge of our estate thou maiest accordinglye deeme of our pleasures The next message that thou shalt attende from me shal be my speedy retourne the Seas and windes being not lesse fauourable then they were at my going foorth Meane while recommending my self to thy wel wishing and our safeties to God I ende as thou knowest this of c. An example wherein the death of a Noble man is onely described THE decease good Madame of my L. your brother hath occasioned vnto your Lad. the sight of these Letters wherein I haue rather acquited my self of that whervnto by your honourable commaunde I was enoyned then any waies satisfied the griefe that by my selfe among manye others for his losse is entierly conceaued The maner whereof maye please you now to be informed of which was thus On tuesday beeing the thirteenth of this instaunt hauing as it then seemed vnto his L. and others beene reasonablye recouered from the wonted force of his long consuming disease beeing importuned by the dispatch of some present affaires as otherwise to haue some conference with her Maiestye he went from his house of B. to the Court where all that day he remained and retourned againe at night not for all this finding him-selfe at all disquieted or the least motion of anye the panges wherewith before time he had so often beene vexed The most part of that night he was very well reposed towards morning the next day he began somwhat to be agrieued but nothing as acustomed in which state the most part of that day he also cōtinued At night againe hauing eaten some small pitance to supper towardes nine of the clocke he began most vehemently to be passioned till which time we all had verye good expectation of his health and recouerie which his L. perceauing after he had beene a while set vp in his bedde he sayde I know my good friendes and faithfull loue
in the latine toong was so perfect his progression in the greek so excellent his skill and deliuery of forraign languages so wonderfull his princely towardnes in al things so rare and so plentifull as manie times moued al the regarders to admire him but fouÌ„d none of al his associats in the same exercises that were euer able to followe him Nowe if 〈◊〉 shall come to his riper years and how therein hee profited in the towardly exercise and vse of armes beseeming a Prince of so hie and expected admiration what could be wished in any one that in him was not fully accomplished So comly and with such vncontrolled dexterity could he sit ride and gouern his horse so couragiously and with such nobility could he welde and vse any weapon either at tilte barriers or turney with such hie and approued direction ordered he al his complementes to eyther of these belonging as did wel manifest the magnanimitie and worthines of his mind and what maner a one he wold afterwards become towardes the bewtifiyng of hys Countrey A more playne and euident demonstration wherof did at any one time in nothing so much apeare as euen then when he was yet in his minoritie For when there was remayning as yet no signe or token at al of manly shew in his fâ—ce being neuertheles of stature seemly and tall and of goodly constitution in hys body wel beseeming the yeares he then caried also attendant on the mighty king his father in the warres of Fraunce what thinges did hee there performe what weightie enterprises and those beyond all expectation would he vndertake in honour of his royall progenie was it not to to strange that beeing in comparison of yeares as it were a childe deuoyd of so confirmed and auntient graffed experience as beseemed the warres he vndertook notwithstanding at xviii yeares of age with halfe his fathers power by incessaunt intreatie vppon a most couragious desire of an euer thirsting glory committed to his leading with condition and charge eyther there to eternise his death by an euerlasting memory or backe to return agayn with triumphant gained victory to ioyn with the whole and mighty power of Fraunce and al the chiualrie therof wher to his immortal and surpassing hie renowne he attained vppon them by the permission of God a moste memorable tropheye But why dwel I in these slender discourses small God knowes in respect of those mightie conquestes by him afterwardes atchieued in deteining you from the sweete and ardent remembraunce of the rest If he being yet sequestred in yeares from any ripenesse at all when it was then to be supposed hee moste needed gouernment could by suche stately and inuincible valor so moderate his great and weightyest actions as to become at that verye instaunt so redoubted and famous what might wee deeme of hym afterwarde beeing once perfectly established in all kinde of manly directions but that of necessitye hee should by many degrees exceede and goe beyond the formost shewe of all hys excellencyes and the greatest expectation that might bee of all hys progressions and so vndoubtedly he did For beeyng once attayned to mans estate hee grewe immediately to become a Prince sage discreete polliticke and wise in all hys actions of rare and singuler circumspection and prouidence benigne and of all others most fauourable and courteous fortunate and euer inuincible in the warres liberall to hys followers and of a hye replenished bountie to euery one a verye Patron and defender of innocents absolutely fauouring always the right Magnanimâ—ous as touching his estate the high and weightie enterprises he took in hand exceedingly feared abroad woonderfully beloued at home mixing alwaies thinterchaungeable exercise of armes with continuall studie of learning Of suche exceeding modestie and temperance as is merueilous Insomuch as the king his father being heere in England when in the great fight of Poicters hee hadde discomfited and ouerthrowne in one day three mighty battels of the French and taken in the last of them king Iohn and his sonne prisoners he was not puffed vp at all with the honor of â—oâ— stately and triumphant victorie neyther grew he insolent vpon the same but entertained the king his son in his own tent so honorably and therwithal with so great nobility and surpassing courtesie as that hee neglected not to serue them himselfe at supper and seemed verely at that season in all thinges to haue bin reputed in hys own intendmenr as if he had neuer bene conquerour The shewe whereof so much encreased his incomparable bountie and so mightely honoured the estate of hys victory as that the king then confessed that to become the prisoner of suche a one it coulde bee no disparagment vnto so mighty a soueraigne as himselfe seeyng that hee was by the force of that onely ouerthrowe made companion of the greatest nobilitie that euer he saw Manie honourable partes could I heere inferre vn-you of him infallible arguments of his incredible modestie for long after this when this mighty Prince had atchieued so many and weighty honours throughout all Fraunce as the regard wherof made his name a terrour and his becke a commaund to compell theyr soueraigntie vnto his fathers obedience he was required by king Dampeter of Castile to help him agaynst Henrie his basterd brother who had then expulsed hym vnlawfully vsurped vpon his kingdom Wherupon hauing by the couragious endeuour of himselfe and hys knights and by their sole and only prowesse brought downe the vsurper and driuen him cleane out of the country albeit his strength was suche and the admirable fauour of the people so great as might easily haue inuited him there to the wearing of a crowne hee neuerthelesse of a high and noble disposition holding it far more honourable to make a king then to be a king so farre forth declared his temperance at that very instant not commonly happening vnto euery one especiallye in causes of a kingdome as that hee vtterly abstayned so much as to beare an appetite or liking thereunto but to hys immortall renowme placed and restored therin againe the true and lawfull inheritour of the same setling him according as was first intended to hys crowne and kingdome Could there my L. in any one haue appeared greater argumentes of magnanimitie Iustice Temperaunce then was remayning in thys Prince Was euer any more replenished with all kynde of excellencies then those wherewith himselfe was posessed And yet if continuall happinesse in all worldly attempts if neuer ceassing and eternised famous victories if the commendation and honour done vnto hym of his mightiest enemies if strength and glorye of hys country and honoured titles of his victorious father if confirmed leagues of diuers mightie Princes Confederates and Alies if feruent and of all others the most principall and ardent loue of his knightes subiectes and followers if all or any of these might
chaunge to leaue the delicacie of his own soile now in his primier â—olity to pursue straunge coasâ—es and the admirable scituation brauery pleasure noueltie vnknown wonders of other countries needfull shall it be that I do first make a description of the same places their diuersities and pleasures either by skill or experience to be laiâ— down as near as may be gessed In which if any one thing chance to appeare more excellent more pleasing or more wonderful then the rest that will I set forth at large and according to the worthâ—â—es quantity or admiration therof preferre it to the vttermost the rather to draw him to that wherein I endeuour so fully to haue him perswaded It also I should go about to induce an vntoward sonne to the obedieÌ„ce of a wel disposed father I must first describe the office and duty wherein as well by the lawes of God as by impression of nature children are tied and bound to an humble and reuerend regard of their parents Next I will by doble example commende and extoll with praise the tendred duty and louing obedience of those who in al memory and accompt are registred to haue well deserued of their elders and then the infamie shame wicked endâ— and destruction of such as by a secure stubborne and carelesse demeanour haue neglected or attempted the contrarie the generall praise or common mislike of each of the one or the other shall be a meane that our perswasions in such a cause may be deemed the more waighty Perswasion likewise of Friendship of Loue of Conuersation of Gouernment of Honest life beeing subiectes of those great Virtues formerly in our Hortatorie Epistles remembred maye heerein by their seuerall descriptions and praise of their worthinesse bee plentifullye perfourmed As in Friendship the description may be shewed in the efficacie which by nothing so much as example is confirmed and approoued by the common affinitie that each thinge hath with other The prayse also by the sweetnesse of Societie is preferred by the firme trust repose and loyalty thereby assurâ—d by the equall participation of ioyes of sorowes of euils of losses of discomfortes by a similitude of the same condition the same intendment affection or liking by the somme of ioyes happines and felicity therin contained In Loue likewise charged by nature by dutie by obedience the descriptions and praises are to bee handled in their seuerall arguments As by Nature beeing descending from parents to their children being interchaungeable also betweene sisters and brethren By Dutie which principallye belongeth vnto God to our countrye to our kinsfolke to our benefactors and followers By Obedience to our Prince to our Parents and to our superiours Conuersation also Gouernment and Honest life the descriptions wherof are in the hawnts entertainment of companies moderation in all sortes of common and vsuall exercises chast sober and laudable kinde of liuing of euery one The praises vnto them incident deduced from the estate betternes or nobilitie of any indued withall or the greatest nâ—mber of these To all which particularities may be added suggestions and diuers inforcements whereby to perswade a man to the acceptaunce and embracing of either of them as wherin the weight of all good counsels are chiefly preferred These and such as these are comprehended in epistles Swasorie by the neat conueyaunce whereof we moue the affects of any one to the allowaunce of our writing For which cause it shall behooue that such reasons of inducement as shall be laid downe do carrie with them their pithines and valiâ—itie beseeming the argument we haue in handling â—o which end these briefe aduertisementes may be receaued beeing as it were steppes and degrees wherwith the learner may be stayed vp to a more perfect consideration of the purpose and deliuery of whatsoeuer he shal be occasioned to write of by the parts of this or any other example to be the more plentifully ordered Another example of an Epistle Swasorie perswading the carefull acceptance and regard of one brother to an other THe sound and entire familiaritie wherwith your Parâ—ntes in their life time sometimes entertained me and the neerenes of neighbourhood twixt both our friendes and long education wherein ioyntly we haue conuersed together moueth me at this instaunt somewhat to write vnto you in respect of the reputation credite and accompt that in the world you now beare and also the rather to winne you to the regard of that which to the state of your present being and worthines of your former offspring may be found meetest and conuenient It is giuen me to vnderstand of a younger brother you haue here in London who at the time of your fathers dearh being committed to your charge is for default of maintenance badly inured worse trayned and most perilously by all kinde of likelihoode thorough such sufferance in the loosenes of his liuing already hazarded Trust me I woondered not a little when I heard it and so muche the more was the matter troublesome vnto me in that respecting it was not tolde in secret it seemed vnto me by the lookes gestures of the whole companie that heard it your good demeanour therby was very hardly censured in that standing in suche case of credite as you doe your wealth so aboundant and and your Parentes so well accompted of you would in this sort and in that place of all others suffer him to wander carelesse whome you ought to haue constrayned by any possible carefulnesse How ill beseeming it is both to you and yours that it should so fal out you may by supposes many wayes coniecture For my part it greeued me when I heard it and I was not quiet till I found conuenient time to aduertise you of it And if my opinion may at all preuayle with you you shoulde quickly call him home from hence and see him more better to bee prouided for and more worthily to bee trained vp Consider I pray you the life hee taketh in hand befitteth not suche a one whose originall was so honest is ill beseeming the yonger brother of your selfe vnworthie his birth or name of a gentleman and altogether repugnant to the qualitie of your behauiour or anye part of your liuing You are to remember that he is yet very greene now pliable to whatsoeuer may bee impressed in him as chafed waxe apt to receaue any figure like vnto a new vessell to be seasoned with whatsoeuer licour what he now taketh taste and sauour of that he holdeth what habit you now cast vp on him the same shadowe hee lightly beareth Great cause haue you therefore now to be warie how and in what sort he liueth Your industry your brotherly care your loue your especiall regard and kindnes it is that must be aiding in this you and none other are the same on whome he relieth you are to prouide for him and it is your selfe that must aunswere him Think that Nature Loue Duty yea verie Pietie
much the more iust and right the occasion is of their defence by so much the sooner will they and are able to preuaile against you I recke not that you haue courage sufficient that you are hardye bold aduenturous the vse wherof being employed to good and laudable purposes were I confesse much more effectuous but herein how euer the case staÌ„deth I see nothing so likely as an impossibility insomuch as if you be delighted to become infamous in the memory of a shameles life to hazard your self to a shameful death then may you enter into it once this I know that her can you neuer find so slenderly accompanied that with small force you can carrye her but within a momeÌ„t alwaies ther wil not be wanting a nomber that shall bicker for her from whose in-sight you are altogether vnable if her self consented thereunto to conuey her But grâ—nting vnto your wiâ—full imagination asmuch in all thinges as you can desire suppose you might win her conueye her keepe her and that the daunger of lawe limited at all no hazarde the contrarye whereof you well know beeing guerdoned with no worse then losse of life doe but yet againe retourne to your selfe you muste in the ende call to minde your byrth your familye your profession your maner of liuinge your Parents who were worshipfull your stock highly reputed of your profession Armes your liuing a Gentleman is it consonant or agreeing to all or any of these to commit any outrage yee such as to any were not so proper as to a villaine a wretch a raskall such a one as neither by nature education or custome knoweth to doe otherwise What would you exercise I pray you on her if you had her Once you confesse shee doth not loue you then no question would shee ten times more hate you your aunswere I know woulde bee either by intretie to perswade her or by force to subdue her The conclusion is friuolous if beeing now her supposed well willer you can by no meanes allure her immagine you then by prayers to conuince her after you haue once shewed your selfe so extremely to hate her And if force be it you pretende it is repugnant to gentlenes yet be it you neglect what therin to be considered assure your selfe her malice neuerthelesse towardes you will neuer be quenched For that of our selues we can not freelye accept of we neuer by compulsion can be procured to like of With you now the case is quite contrarye for so iminent euerye waye are the perils thereof vnto you as if her friendes shoulde abstaine it yet the lawes will punish it and if no lawes were at all yet God would reuenge it If therefore you will hearken to me you shall bee disswaded from all such intendementes wherein if my selfe shoulde haue becomme so gracelesse as to haue set in foote with you iustlye we might haue confessed eache of vs to haue beene drowned in all vnhappinesse And now good brother vse I pray you that means herin that with greatest commendation may beseme you weigh with your selfe that such distemperate motions are not to be followed conceiue that Virtue whose seruant you became in your first creation forbiddeth you to be led by such sensuall appetites think that the honor of armes which you haue professed extendeth not it selfe to the fraile and weake subduing of a womans condicion who by reason of her sexe rather challengeth at your haÌ„ds a defence theÌ„ any manlike enforcement besides much vnworthye should it be vnto your reputatioÌ„ by violence to dishonor whose estimate and accompt by reason of your liking you ought to prefer with all honour In fine frame your selfe to do that vncompelled which by force you shall be constrained to wish once to haue performed so shall you euer do that beseemeth you and giue me cause as my deare and louing brother euermore to accoÌ„pt of you Our former loue liking willeth me euermore to greet you your sister and mine commendeth her hartelye vnto you Fare ye well B. this thirteenth of Nouember c. IT apeareth in this Epistle to be Responsorie to an other letter wherein is to be conceiued that the writer was perswaded to ioyne in that action which herein so greatly he disswadeth Herein the places are more effectuall then in any the other examples for that in deed the matter of this letter induceth the forme thereof with farre greater circumstances In this because the purpose concerneth an attempt to be taken in hand is laid foorth Difficulcie Perill and Impossibilitie besides such other places as formerly in the other Epistles you finde also to be applied And this generally must I note vnto you that aswel in these as in many others of like kind the matter disswaded is made so much the more vehement by how much the circumstances thereof are truely to be dispraised or absolutely to be condemned notwithstanding it falleth not out in all Epistles of this title in such sort to be handled For sometimes men are disswaded from a matter in respect of the little necessitie thereof the great vnquiet thereby ensuing though not in an other sort perchaunce to be misliked the waight resting peraduenture farre beyonde their reache and other suppositions the nomber whereof I leaue in their selfe conceipts to be frequented knowing the scope heereof to bee so large and the occurrents so infinite as it were vnpossible to set downe examples conducing to the seuerall imaginations of the same Much no question auaileth it for anye one that studieth well to write to bee sufficientlye instructed in these two kindes of Swasorie and Disswasorie to know the better vppon what groundes the force of each of them may be deliuered so common are their places in diuers other Epistles to be induced as in Petitorie Monitorie Reprehensorie Inuectiue and such others Let it therefore firmely be aduised for either of these that whatsoeuer we endeuour to perswade all the commodities thereunto incident may firste be considered then by circumstaunces the same are againe to be amplified againe if therein be anye discommodities to be supposed them must we diminishe or as much as we can refel which vnder Confirmation and Confutation are contained and if anye other common reasons besides the meere matter of the thing may be imagined they shall thereunto be annexed as some peculiar virtue thereunto encouraging liking and good opinion benefite honor health comfort pleasure and a thousand others In disswading likewise that all the discommodities matters offensiue causes of detriment insufficiencie hazarde or whatsoeuer before remembred be herein collected put forwarde and amplified with like annexing of common reasons and inducementes as in the other is aduised and in the examples hereof you see to be tendred And to say sooth such intermixing of these two so ordinarily happening in manye letters as verye few matters do fall out in which some one part of them is not somtimes handled I know not
your L. and for this present turne so apt necessary as I can not easely imagine how you maye be serued better Pleaseth your L. the rather for the great good will I beare him and harty wel wishing I owe vnto him to accept employe and accompt of him I nothing doubt but your L. hauing by such meanes giuen credite to my choice shall finde him such as for whose good seruice besids your honorable accompt towards him you shall haue further occasion to thinke well of me for him Whereof nothing doubting vpon your admittaunce once passed I do refer both him and my selfe in all humblenes to your best and most fauorable opinion from my house in B. this of c. A letter Responsorie to the same AFter my verye harty commendations vnto you Sithence the receipt of your last letters and recommendacion of P. B. into my seruice I haue had smal occasion either to write or sende vnto you till this present And for so much as vpon your certaine notice deliuered vnto me in fauour of his preferment I helde my selfe so well assured in all thinges of his behauiour as I doubted not therupon to receiue him in place of greatest fidelitie and with vndoubted affiaunce to reteine him I haue thought good hereby to let you to vnderstand what great pleasure I haue taken in his diligent attendaunce assuringe you that for many vnexpected qualities which I haue approued to be in him I doe wonderfully well like of him and that with so good affection as I intende not to omit anye thing that may tend to his aduācement In beholding him often times me thinkes he manye waies doth resemble his father who in sounde trouth I doe suppose might haue bene entertained with the best for his wel deseruing This bearer shall informe you of some especiall causes concerning my affaires in the country whō I do pray you to conferre with and to afford your trauaile for his present dispatch which I will not fayle hartily to requite vnto you For your care had of my wants diligent supply of such a one I do many times thank you and haue promised in my selfe for the same to becomme a debtor vnto you And euen so I do bid you hartily farewell From the Court this of c. An other Epistle Commendatorie of the sort before deliuered MY very good L. I am informed by this Gentl. the bearer hereof that by meanes of one of your Chaplins a motion hath beene made of his preferment vnto your L. seruice And for so much as those his good frends are not now in towne who in respect of their accompt with your L. might stande him in verye good steade I vnderstanding his willing mind and great desire thereunto for that I wish verye well vnto his aduancement haue taken vpon me hereby to entreat albeit I maye not presume so farre as to prefer a man vnto your L. that it may yet please you vppon my speeches to haue the better liking of him Assuring your L. that both by the credit of my La. F.M. who vpon verye good conceipt towardes him wished his preferment with her late deceased brother and last L. C. and also by the knowledge my selfe haue had of him and others besides whom your L. hath in speciall and choyce regarde he is one so sufficient and euerye way so well furnished to do seruice to any honourable personage as by trial and proofe made of whose good parts and behauiour your L. shall not reape occasion of ill conceipt to whome soeuer haue vndertaken to preferre him vnto you And if it shall notwithstanding seeme farther conuenient vnto your L. to make stay of his acceptaunce for some priuate causes he therto vnsatisfied I shall yet in his behalfe neuertheles become thus far a sutor vnto your L. that the rather at this my earnest peticion it maye please the same to repute the knowledge heereby deliuered in so good and assured accompt as it maye becomme a speedier meane the better to induce your L. vnto his good liking For the conceipt whereof I shall thinke my selfe as in many other occasions besides vnto your honourable opinion most deeply beholden In acknowledgment of which and respect of my humble and dutifull regarde to the same I do now and euermore remaine your L. c. THese two examples Commendatorie are concluded to one effect the foremost whereof with little alteration may become a president for any recommendation whether it be to fauour friendship choyce or accompt and not vnto seruice at all for that herein is shewed in what sort men for their virtues may be recommended Now if there be any other particular occasion in the person besides these inducing matter of good liking the same in place and stead of the other or togeather with the other may be then alleadged and the course herein deliuered at all times indifferently to be obserued And as these are from inferiour persons directed vnto their superiours so will we sort out some others that from noble men in like sort haue beene passed to their inferiours examples wherof are in like maner hereunto annexed An example Commendatorie from a Noble man to his inferiour wherein one is recommended to an office AFter my very hartye commendations vnto you where I am geuen to vnderstande that you are in election and it is also very likely you shall be pricked by her maiestie hie Sheriffe for this yeare of the Counties of Sussex and Surr. And that this Gent. the bearer hereof is one whom for many respectes I doe greatly fauour and for his learning skill and honest vsage haue long time vsed and reputed of I haue thought good by these my letters if it so happen you shall this yeare be named thereunto to recommend his allowaunce also to bee admitted your vnder-sheriffe putting vnto you suche good and reasonable securitie as appertaineth for discharge of the said office And hereby also most instantly to pray you that the rather for my sake and for the especiall choice reconing I haue euer made of him you will now before hand make certaine acceptaunce of his skill by refusall of whatsoeuer other that maye be recommended vnto you for the exercise of the same office assuring you for that I haue well knowne and approued to be in him you shall be so well furnished as you would wish And besides in that you haue gratified me herein I shall not faile in anye sort I maye to requite it And euen so I byd you hartely farewel HErein is the honour and nobilitie of the personage greatly to be respected who by so much the more his estate countenaunce or authoritie requireth it by so much the lesse may it be considered that in the inviting of these Letters he shoulde with ouer large intreatie be charged but rather with fewer speaches and lesse circumstaunces to demaund what he purposeth The conformitie
your own appetite I leaue to your contentment Blame not mee but him that ledd me and so foorth to an end Commend mee but not condemne mee for I shall once doe you a better turne this is but the first the next may be worse better I would say And so fare yee well c. TIme it is nowe I should leaue this last title of Epistlrs as hauing thereof spoken alreadie sufficientlie and giue my selfe to the deliuerie of the next which are Consolatorie so tearmed in respect that in them is contained manie occasions of comfort bestowed commonlie on such as are greeued according to the weight or qualitie of the matter where with they are perplexed And for that the life of man is circumuented with so manie and so vnlooked causes of sorrow and griefe as it manie waies needeth to haue the remedie of comforts to bee applied vnto it yet not the equalitie of al sorts of minds such as in one and the selfe same degree can accept and beare it It shall therfore be meet and conuenient that in deuising to yeeld this sweet and gentle remedie to anie troubled conceite we doe so moderate the matter as that in the Discouerie thereof we rather strike not to a farre greater impatience or extremitie of vnmeasurable sorrow than before vpoÌ„ vntimelie thrusting forward or ignoraÌ„t pursuit of the same seeing that the mindes of some are of so hie and imcomprehensible stoutnesse as they shonne in themselues and account it a slauerie to be ore whelmd with woes Others againe so rise and abundant in teares as the least shew of repetition in them induceth matter enough of continuall mourning for which cause we will sort these matters of comfort into three seuerall orders The first wherof shall be at choyce playnely and simplye as occasion serueth to be deliuered in the argument whereof we may by generalitie perswade that beeing mortall and fraile as wee are there is no cause for vs in heauie sort to greeue seing vnto a wise man no one thing can returne cause of disquiet but the shrowde of filthinesse and darkened shame neither can he be hurt of anye one without him-selfe These the more sensible they are with whome wee deale and of greater capacity the more vehemently may we inforce by all sortes of forcible examples and assured promises The second of these must by insinuation bee entered into as suppozing a personage of a hie and statelie minde the weightines of whose griefe suppressed by a kinde of vnconquered fortitude we would go about to comfort We may not with these deale as in case of common sorrow of the others but rather insinuating a deniall that respecting the inuincible valure we knowe to be resting in their mindes shonning to bee tainted with the least touche of sweltring griefe wee doe offer our speeches or letters to comfort them whose heartes we knowe cannot yeelde to any force thereof at all but that considering the great validity of their wisedome a minde in them so vnconquered by any stormes of fortune to be remaining not witstanding wee see daily in others before our eies the contrarie and imminent cause therunto must of force confesse to be inducing they neuerthelesse by a most hie and stately instincte by great skil and approoued experienee graffed within them are and must be enabled stoutly to bear what others as weakelinges doe lie groueling vnder by reason wherof we find greter cause to reioyce in the worthines of so goodly a minde then occasion and waies to go about to relicue their sorrowes The thirde and last likewise must in an other sort be conuaied as finding the passionate and perplexed conceipts of some yet fresh bleeding vpon the heauie wound of their sorrowes we may not abruptly enter with them into the iust occasion they haue so to bee distempered but rather for the lenefiyng of their grieues for in sorrow also to be accompanied breedeth often some coÌ„fort to seeme to take vpon vs one part of their euils by declaration how grieuous for some especiall causes the same becoÌ„meth vnto vs insomuch as by the handling hereof we may more fully intend in all our speeches to giue heed to our own woes then to goe about to deal at all with the others sorrowes For commonly it is giuen vs to mislike such as dissent from our affections and loue them againe who make them selues partakers of our euils It auaileth also very greatly to extenuate or lesseÌ„ as much as we may the cause of griefe either by the incertaintie of thinges casuall being in some respects subiect to frailtie or by the hope of short continuaunce or by the necessitie of the action which may not be with-stood or by some comfort or expectation left to mitigate the same The reputation also of wisedome grauitie permutation of times and seasons the dimunition of the occasion beeing nothing so great or vrgent as we deeme it the indurance of the thing to be a meane vnto virtue and among all other causes principallye to inculcate as much as we maye the common lot and condition of all men subiected vniuersally to mishap to sorrow griefe sicknes disquiet iniuries wronges oppressions and all kind of euilles the generall recordation wherof aboue any other thing whatsoeuer swayeth ouer the passions of the mind so forciblye by deepe regard of the vniuersallitie of the same as that it soonest of all others beareth downe the weight of al kind of sorrowes and ill conceauinges whatsoeuer Herein the quicke sentences and pitâ—ie sayings of Philosophers may also be a great spurring and finally al pâ—ssible arguments that may be whereby men are anye wayes perswaded or led to forget their euils In this place it is principally to be obserued that in ministring comfortable speaches to the redresse of anye mishaps we doe not by preferring of toyes and sporting deuises seeke for to relieue them for that albeit in times of pleasure the humour of the partie might in some sort be therewith greatly delighted yet in causes of such extremitie all persons for the most part very batefully do endure the putting forwardes thereof as too much impertinent to the heauines wherewith by sorrowfull remembraunces their mindes are commonlye amated But if the cause be light then may it not be much amisse to vse some pleasaunt deliuerance to such a one especially whose appetite standeth in or towards the same but it also in such louing sweet and gentle sort to be done as that true comforts may seeme to be mingled with those conceipted pleasures Neither may we in any case seeke in vaunting sort to thrust into their priuate view the present tranquillitie and happines wherin our selues repose the obiection whereof were too rusticall For that as societie in miserie it selfe lenesteth the force of the greatest grieues so the opposition of an others pleasure and freedome is a corrisiue or sting to the want of any one that is sequestred from the same All these obseruations in causes Consolatorie
euerye man will not deale with you as I doe It can not chuse but you must needes know nay rather be a partaker of your sons euils how euer you disseÌ„ble with the world face out the matter before people Take heed I saye God when he striketh smiteth home you will els repent it for it will none otherwise be Because I haue yet some hope that by driuing into your conceipt the enormity hereof and discouering the packe which you said was lockt vp froÌ„ your seeing I haue hoped that at the least wise for the feare of God to saue him from the gallowes you wil endeuor to chastise him I haue sent this bearer who can inform you of the truth time place of that which you go about to shrowd vp so couertly and if afterwards you will not bridle him I protest his shameles forhead must be corrected by iustice and the lawes must further passe vpon him Surely not for enâ—y of the person but for the shameles brow he beareth as one that had don none offence to prouoke me by euil vsage to blaze his faults that otherwise by good couÌ„cel would haue couered theÌ„ I think it a deed meritorious to haue him punished If you haue a desire as a father to cherish him haue regard as a friend be times to correct him otherwise you shal soner see him come to shame then any waies climb vnto credit But for ought I can heare both father and mother are so addicted to the bolstring of his doings as that it semeth they haue already vowed their infamy to the worlde and his lyfe to the gallowes Good councel may do much thogh in tast I seeme a bitter enemy the proof in trial shal be better then a fawning friend DIuers other patternes of sondrye occasions concluded vnder this title might besides these be here put downe whereof because I haue so largelye spoken in the discourse before these Epistles and that as well this Monitorie as all other letters passing vnder the Deliberatiue kind do consist chiefly in aduising or disswading whereby the Theame belonging to euerye of them is inlarged I thinke the examples alreadye proponeâ— to be sufficient And now the last of all these deuisions yet vnspoken of is Amatorie whereof because the humors of all sortes therewith being possessed are so infinite and so great an vncertaintie as perchaunce euen in the very writing of his letter the louer him selfe is sometimes scarce certaine of his owne conceipts the lesse must of necessity be the precepts of the same directions for that in some of them we require and entreat in other some expostulate the matters and occasions falling in the neck therof other times complaine an other while fawne and speake fayre then purge or cleare the accusations supposed against vs. Finally innumerable are the supposes wherewith the raynes of loue are conducted For which cause leauing the curious regarder of these to the ordering of his owne imaginations vpon what conceipt so euer the same shal be grounded I will also amongst the rest present vnto the readers choice some small nomber of these in pursuing whereof the seuerall occasions beeing annexed maye giue the more perfect measure vnto the conueiance of their particular meaninges You shall therefore vnderstand for the first of these examples that the writer thereof louing a Gentlewoman whose inward virtues surmounted far the parts of her outward fauour and hauing sondry times receaued at her hands both allowaunce and libertye to declare his mind whereunto she neuertheles gaue a modest courteouz refusal he thereupon deuised to conuay the residue of his imaginations into the melancholy form of this letter following MAdonna when I doe consider with my selfe the sondry casualties and manifolde inconueniences wherwith mortal men are daily afflicted I do suppose that in the chariot of this wearisome life there is more occasion left to beholde our ineuitable miseries then mean sufficient to be founde how and in what sort to preuent their euilles The naked ensamples of others yeelding heereunto but a bare addition might peraduenture seeme of small moment for the confirmation hereof if happelye our selues by crooked mischaunces did not also in some sort participate the common occasion thereunto most chiefly ministred But leauing this generalitie to be applied in the vtmost boundes of my selfe it may fall out that with your fauour and courteous remeÌ„brance of my passed speeches hauing heard also and heerein pondered the iuste accusation of my owne infortunitie you will rather pittie the litle pleasure that I haue in my bountifull penurie then thinke that vnaduised I am led to exclaime vpon the sodaine chance of my late iniuries To decipher you as a friend I can not To make you the choyce occasion of my euill I may not To leaue you as a straunger I dare not And to giue you ouer with silence I must not To wade in all these extreamities were insufficient to anye one mans possibilitie but to be touched with the least of theÌ„ breedeth an vnacquainted mysery If I herein speak yet blame me not If I require aide condemn me not If too liberally I do proffer impugne me not And if I stay on hazard enuy me not Thinke good La that if I am attached with liking the choyce was my louing if I prostrate my liberty the cause is your excellency if I pine in extremitie your loue yeeldes a remedye So it might stand with your modesty I could inferre herein many occasions to your reading why and wherefore I loue you and might I not speake the same presumptuously I could shew you also why and how you could and might vouchsafe to requite me What necessitie I haue to vrge me I leaue to knowne experience how farre I am induced by mine owne intended loyaltye I commend to silence Onely if my deserts by your fauour may seeme sufficient I pray that you will vouchsafe such remedy as in triall may be founde expedient I woulde be loath to seeme importunate in cause of demanding least I might seeme vnfortunate that haue bowed my selfe to your commaunding If I might not be deemed partiall I woulde affirme that as I neuer founde you vncourteous so in anye respect you ought not nor in equitie may becomme iniurious vnlesse in transgressing the boundes of loue you wilfully do inferre more cruelty then at an other time maye be wyped away with protested piety Because my letters shal not be tedious I will ende my complaint with this one peticion that if in the greatest of mine affection I may deserue any little remembraunce at your handes you will reward with good countenaunce my protested inuiolable seruices in the depth wherof accompanied with hope and expectation of your assured courtesies and vowing the residue of my liuinge to the contemplation of your surpassing excellencies I seale vp the foldes heereof with the impression of innumerable sighes and bequeath them as hastely as they maye to the touch of your
and fro what best befitted his alteration concluded at last to searche out if it were possible at hys mistresse handes the vtmost occasion yet before he departed beeing better instructed in the some of all that stoode against hym hee lastly resolued to take notice of the action and by iust defence therof to qualifie as he might the moste part of vnkindnesse The readinesse of his penne and conceipte concurring togethers these lines sorted out according to hys present disquiet in this disordered proportion MY good mistresse in that so carefully you haue commended vnto my friend the especiall good care you alwaies had of me and wish of greatest choice and liking without that you cannot graunt in youre owne person might any wise betide vnto mee I doe thanke you as hee that in no state desireth otherwise then to be beholding vnto you And albeit vnweeting to my selfe I am particularly touched with one speciall partie whose conceites I knowe not nor of whose fancie I am priuate whiche I may not nor am able heerein to leaue vnremembred yet doe I take it for noe lesse woonder then straunge howe the vanitie of suche a surmise engendered vpon no occasion should rayse so sodayne mislike without matter of effecte to maintaine the continuance For the man I know not but as I haue seene for the cause I enquire not as being assured of my truth In neyther parte curious as thinges neuer spoken of For which cause seeing I finde the inducement soe rare as the message you haue commended vnto me seemeth straunge I hope I may as iustly withdraw your opinion from the insufficiencie as the misreport of the other hath led you by too muche credulitie It is good Mistris your sole onely good reckoning and not the malice of anye other that so muche I accompt of your curtesie and good acceptaunce of my endeuoures that solie and of all others most princypalllye contenteth mee from the benefite whereof I nothing doubte but the protection of your former liking shal so farforth conduct me as therof I shall neuer bee depriued without due desert to the contrarye My loweliest affections beeing estsoones recommended to your wonted curtesie I continue c. HErewith the other Gentle that by this time had inckeling sufficient of Distris Mawdâ—ins quippe by what meanes I know not appearing maruelous ill contented to see his honest speeches abuzed by suche ill demeaned follie had prepared an other letter aunswering to the others sawcy taunt deliuered as you haue heard reported before y e recitall of this last letter By the course of which it appeareth she was attendaunt vpon the Gentlewoman beloued and had in charge by diuers occasions to accompanie her by which meanes ouer hearing some wordes of this Gentle and not thorowly approouing the sute by the follower to whome vppon some secret grudge shee bare a particuler enuie she had first wrought the disgrace aforesayd and the more to giue him to byte vpon glaunced out the other speeches formerly remembred the conuaiaunce whereof includeth more matter then may be heere rehearsed but such was his letter MIstres what you are I know not and what I suppoze you to be I write not onely for that I finde you in the place of a Gentlewoman I determine for this season to entertaigne you accordinglye And for that my new acquaintaunce is founded vpon the deliuerie of a disdainful message take it not I pray you in skorne that in some things I touche you which haue too far displaied your selfe by your needelesse curiositie Trust mee for mine owne part I neither looked to see you much lesse to be offended for you I vnderstande you are nipped I knowe not with what and would bee healed I knowe not by whome for whiche cause finding such nicenes in your owne conceiptes you are angrie with Margerie for keeping company with Marrian which moued you to vtter suche matter of modestie that in aduising an other to beware you must affirme that you could not chuse bnt laugh to see pleasure breed by liking and trust vpon triall I am sorie beleue me you past away with emptie hands being so wel accustomed to lapfuls as you haue ben none in preseÌ„ce to greete you I wisse little soule your prettie else was an ace aboue 31 when you forgot your selfe so farre to vtter more then your charge For albeit you had in commaund to admonish neyther was it in your misterisse good pleasure or pertinent to her courtesie that you by scoffing obiections should skorne others in thinges especially whereunto in truth they were neuer parties and the cause not concerning your selfe whome to be plaine with I doe suppose to haue as litle discretion in the same as you hadde consideration in deliuerie of the rest For whiche cause wishing you in his behalfe whome I loue to refraine youre priuie skoffes without occasion and enuie without deserte who for the Vertues in him appearing deserues more allowaunce then at the handes of a better then your selfe might verie well haue perceiued I herewith endâ— my letters He that would haue aunswered you if he had heard you R. B. THe ill successe of this letter hauing set a higher cullour then accustomed on the top of Distresse Mawdlins vizard made her nose more rubie like a great deale then the cullour of the painters Vermilion who beeing more chollericke then of fleagme could haue serued a fierie face to anie skarlet die in this towne but at this instant was somewhat whotter then a winters tost Whervpon growing to great agonies the market by her means was so enhaunst that our sutor at the next meeting could not so much as haue a sight of that he liked neither by intreatie nor mony Now began the Louer to be perplexed and becomming as one in a straunge countrie voyd of knowledge or acquaintance knew not which way to bend his passage He cursed in his imaginations the ouer rashe charge of his friend without entertainment of anye daliaunce wherein mistresse Mawdlin being touched with Lapfulles could not for her life be qualified w e cartloades so wonder fullie exceeded she by so great impatiency Then was hee angrie with himselfe that coulde not consider how silence at sometimes was farre more necessarie then speache and that he who hath sutes in hande must otherwhiles honour a knaue with the seruice of a Lord and be faine to set vp a candle before the deuill till his purpose be obteined But after wit commeth too late and so he resolued deeming it needefull to the state of his liking that with wodden prickes would not easily be expelled to assay if he could by all meanes to entreat her hee once againe gathered to him paper and inke and breaking foorth into manie and extreame tokens of a discontented minde he setled in the end his imaginations to this present matter following THe great care I haue sweete misteris aswell to auoyd any cause of mislike on your part as also to continue my selfe by
that the cause we take vpon vs to preferre be iust lawfull and honest Fourthly that it be in his habilitie or power to councell ayde protect preferre or relieue vs. Fifthly the order or meanes whereby the same may be wrought and accomplished Sixtly our gratitude and remuneration worthily tied to the thankeful acknowledgement or requitall of the same In the first sorte of these the cause standing fauorable or indifferent wee may the more bolder endeuour to produce or lay foorth the aptnesse or beseeming thereof In the second greater modestie and a more shamefast deliueraunce is to be reteined the preferring whereof would best be by Insinuation the better by couert meanes to wade into the depth of our Petition In this place a more then ordinarie bathfulnesse to be admitted which giueth no small furtherance to euery demand as audacious and wanscot impudency on the other side returneth the greatest impediment in any thing to be obteined For no man willingly would do benefit to such a one which in maner goeth about as of dutie and not of courtesie to exact the same and rather as a commaunder then crauer would impudently thrust him selfe to the obteining therof And because the whol course heereof obserued by way of euery Petition is by inference of many circumstances to bee altogether determined the order as I haue related vnto you before must be conueied by places Swasorie resting very often in confirmation of y e honesty goodnes lawfulnes needfulnes of our petition And if y e Exordium be happily framed of his person to whō we direct our letters it shal not be amisse that therein we briefly doe capitulate some part of his vertues courtesies humanity bounty readines to comfort pleasure or dorelief vnto any wherby we may priuatly draw his fauor good acceptance vnto vs besides if he haue made vs before time beholding vnto him we shal gladly acknowledge y e same and declare y e being already indebted we study more therby to yoke our selues vnto him If of our own persōs thē shall we lay open w e what great expectation regard we do in our conceits entertain the desertes and worthines of such a one modestly preferring what in fauour of him and common equal loue hath passed betwene vs. If of the interchangeable loue liking and courtesie whilome resting betwene our predecessors or auncestors then the weight force therof we shall put forwardes accordingly If of the the person of our aduersary against whom we demand any assistance fauor protection or remedie we may inferre if any such be y e common mislike of both of vs towards him how ill he hath deserued at eythers hands and therupon require aid against him If of y e thing or matter it self the same be to be caried we shall shewe the valew godlines goodnes or common benefite of the same that the matter is vnto him easie to vsof great importance and if without arrogancie it may be done we may enforce some occasiōs of benefit or other contentment thenceforth to happen vnto him And if any discommoditie doe happily seeme to appeare in laying open the same the likelihoode wherof may eyther alienate his mind or withdrawe his assistaunce or other liking from vs. that shal we either studie to extinguish or otherwise as much as we may to qualifie or auoyd By such kinde of meanes behoueth we prepare our selues to the deliuerie of our Petition which beeing in as apt plaine terms as may be laid open we shal by such inforcements as in moouing affections hereunto may be deemed pertinent quickly and with great facility procure to be effected An example of an Epistle Petitorie in a cause indifferent THE studie and great desire wherewith Sir I see you bent continually to the vniuersall aide and benefite of all men for whiche to your great praise you haue generally so well deserued and deseruedly are euery where reputed hath moued me in the behalfe of this poore man to become a Peticioner vnto you About two monthes since hee had dealinges with a neighbour of yours touching a farme whiche hee was for terme of yeares to take at his handes and notwithstanding a promise and graunt thereof to this bearer made in consideration whereof hee payde him then in hand a good part of his mony the iniurious cormorant glutting himselfe with extorting from the pouertie of this and many others hath sithence that not onely passed a demise as his act deed in writing to an other but goeth about to defraud the poore foule of his mony the some whereof is the whole patrimonie riches and stocke of himselfe his poore wife and familye And for somuche as without the countenance of some one fauoring the poormans right he is like to be ouerborn with the weight of the other and so consequently to be vndone I haue thought good to make thus bolde to request your lawfull fauour in his furtheraunce that by your aucthoritie and meanes some honest satisfaction and end may to his behoofe be performed You shal doe therein an acte most honest and laudable dealyng for such a one for the procuring of whose right hys heartie prayers for your safetie shall witnesse well the comforte you shall doe him therein I am perswaded your speeche and aide may herein preuaile very much as a thing which with great facilitie you may cause to bee dispatched And for my selfe as I shall at no tyme rest vnmindefull of my request tendered vnto you herein so shal I not faile in what I may to the vtmost of my power to satisfie you by whatsoeuer possible requitall And euen so with my heartie commendations I doe bid you most heartily farewell R. this twelfth of Aprill c. THis Epistle notwithstanding the same is written in fauour of an other yet is it Petitorie and retaineth the partes thereof throughout for in the first being the Exordium the matter of the same is drawne out of the person of him to whome it passeth by preferring his care willingnesse to do good Then the Narration and Proposition setting foorth the occasion of the demaund The Petition next the Honesty and goodnesse therof in respect the deed cannot be but praise worthie that is occupied in relieuing the poore and furtheraunce of the right Then the Possibilitie and meane deliuered to compasse the same the one liable to his authoritie the other to his trauaile Lastly a remuneration by declaration of good acceptance promise of requital The like order hereof is generally to be entertained through out all the residue of these Epistles whose obseruation in the other examples shall more particularly be effected An example Petitorie in the nature of Reconciliatorie from a sonne to hys displeased father IF floudes of teares sealed with hard and bitter sighes if continuall sorow and neuer ceasing care if consuming griefes not of a diseased bodie but of a pestered minde might haue rendered sufficient and
no one thing liuing to remaine stedfast or in assured stay or certayne condicion at all times to induce and continue no maruaile then good Sir if your selfe being a mortal man framed of the same earthly substaunce and qualitie incident to terrene frailtie and mundane imbecilitie do as other creatures a like participate the sodaine euils and dayly alterations therevnto annexed and belonging a proofe whereof resteth chiefly in your present state and being then which no one thinge maye induce a more serious aduertisement of the vile accompt and wretched contempt appropriate vnto our liuing And albeit diuers are the calamities wherewith not onely your selfe but sondry others your louing friendes carefull of your present mishap and greeued to see the vncouth and bitter chaunge whereinto you are happened are continually affected insomuch as there is not the stoniest and flintiest minde of all that euer haue knowne you your desperate vowed ennemies onelye excepted but doe in some sort or other bewaile and as it were greeue to see the vnacquainted yoke thereof with such extremitie to be cast vpon you I can not yet but greatly commend the inuincible Fortitude of your high and noble minde who by how much the more the vehemencye of these sorrowes are to you vnknowne and therefore the more vnused do notwithstanding not onely by so much the lesse permit the â—igâ— tye power of them to rule or beare swaie ouer you but neglectinge or which is greater despisinge the sharpe prickinge stinge thereof who by the deepe pearcing force of the same is woonted to gall the remembraunce of manye others do also as it were by a forcelesse contempt of such validities not onely not giue anie token or signe at all in their vtmost practises but seeme rather to triumphe ouer the strength that thereby they hadde rought and by an aduised sage and woonderful modestie and discretion plainly to extinguish and put from you the furie of the same Greatly I must confesse haue you heereby deserued and muche more euill by the wise and moderate entertainment of these troubles hath to your aduersaries bin tendred who in nothyng so much doe rest vnsatisfied as that in subduing your body they cannot also yoke and bring vnder by what soeuer extremitie the courage and stately progression of your high and vnconquered minde Wherein there is left in my opinion great cause of comforte euen in the verie greatest of your miserie vnto you that in the constant indurance therof you haue power to punishe them that would disturb you that in the perplexed imaginations of their own wicked malicious enuie Neither may this that you sustaine bee rightly termed miserie or such a one as your self seeme to be accompted miserable whose minde in the verie captiuitie inflicted vpon this your bodie is thus freed and accompanied with so ample and sweetned libertie For these kinde of troubles as they are worldly so haue they power also vpon the worldly parts of a man and therin are cohibitions of suche earthly delight as sauoring more vnto the satisfaction of a sensuall appetite then conducing to the excellencie of the inward minde do breede that ordinary restraint wherewith men mortally conceipted are for the moste troubled But to the sweete imaginations of a pure and innocent minde what is left wherwith to be discontented but onely to haue committed any thing vile wretched or otherwise ill beseeming the Vertue and excellencie wherewith the inward partes thereof are or ought to be indued Howe manie waies then are left vnto you to reioyce vnto whose eies the continuall thirst of hie and sacred Vertue hath long since laid open the momentarie pleasures of this world the libertie whereof is vnto a worthie conceite a meere seruage in whose fickle transitorie affections reposeth so slender assurance whose efficacies contemplate no other then vaine and foolish obiectes seeing that you haue thereby so well perceaued how much the instinct of a braue and delicate mind climeth farr aboue the reach of the bodie with a pleasant and vncontrolled libertie These things impugning I must needes say a corporal appetite permit you not For suche losse of riches possessions children or friendes to become passionate or ouercome with extreame griefe albeit participating as wee doe wyth suche naturall causes I doubt not but therewith you are sometimes touched though at no time conuinced For whiche cause as often as you happen to fall into the remembrance of the same suppose with your selfe that in time the bitter sting may yet be repulced and that the lott that is fallen vnto you heerein is no other but the common reward and hatefull disquiet of the worlde wherein the moste noble and worthye mindes are the most vehemently assaulted and wyth deepest extremitie by suche kinde of meanes pursued The recordation whereof may returne vnto you one principall and great occasion of comforte in that by distinction of your worthinesse though you be partaker of common trouble yet are you sequestred from the entertainment of a common opinion It doth not a little reioyce me to see that with suche impregnable stoutnesse you doe so farre foorth endeuour to resist your appetites wherein besides the expectation of that whiche is incident also to these alterations a change I mean and renouation of wonted pleasures you shal in the meane tyme geue greater glory to your actions in not appearing for anie worldly estate riches or contentment to be surprised in your imaginations Praying the comfort of al comfortes to bestow vpon you the dew of his heauenly grace in assistaunce of your extremities I take my leaue this of c. A Consolatorie Epistle of the third sorte wherein a gentlewoman is comforted of the death of her husband slayn in the warres ALbeit my selfe hauing receiued the sorrowfull newes of the vntimely death of my deerest kinsman and your deceased louing husband was in the first hearing therof so greatly troubled with the heauie newes as by reason of the great griefe by me conceiued in the same my selfe happily might seeme to neede that comforte whiche nowe I goe about to bestowe vppon others Yet weighing in my mind the state wherein you stand and beeing also informed with what great extremitie you haue entertained the newes of his losse I cannot but in respect of the great loue I ought to him and remembraunce of the like care wherewith he principallie fauoured you enforce my pen hereby to yeeld vnto you those comfortable speeches by the veritie whereof my selfe in so great a storme of griefe coulde hetherto as yet be verie hardly satisfied It was deliuered vnto me by my brother F.B. that being nowe a moneth or somewhat more passed since by letters out of H. the maner of his death was vnto you reported you immediately vppon the reading of the letters grewe into so great aboundance of teares and to so wonderful impatience as hauing euer