himselfe it maketh vs vnapt to the entertainment of such vertues as commonly helpe vs out of the filthy puddles of disreputation keepe vs secure from calumniation and bewitching corruption of profite therefore for honours sake for vertues sake for friendships sake for my sake for your owne sake for posterities sake remember where about you goe and how a good and free demeanour will preuaile when these hard enclosed hands seeme rather to threathen stroakes then promise hopefull entertainment Yours if you can be mine To her vnkinde Friend R.S. SIR I perceiue by my selfe that poore and vnfortunate persons may well be resembled to threatning tempests from whose violence euery man seeketh a present shelter else would one neuer haue bene so discourtuous as to haue denied me a small request or continued your despight in ababandoning my companie for feare of combersomenesse or importuning you to more then your owne free-will should condiscend vnto Is this the law of friendship Or what doe you imagine can bee the ende of such vnkindnesse Who taught you such rules Or can humanitie thinke well of such peruersnes Well I am a woman and therfore will be so farre from immodesty that I will impute it to my ill deseruing not your bad disposition but if I were a man howeuer I disclaime quarrels I would make this a matter of complaint wherein if your wit did not winde you out by the scrue of sufficiēt excuse it should surely turne to displeasure and cause other maligne circumstances to threaten you further Therefore from henceforth I will bee so farre from louing you that I will hate my selfe for deceiuing my kinde hart in affecting so vnkinde a friend And thus I bid you fare-well yea to fare as well as I did in the want of that I write for and the discomfort I endured to think how ill I had bestowed my first liking Yours if you will haue it so To his ill respected friend SVspitious sir what cause haue I giuen you to deny your selfe or how could I deserue so ill at your hands as to driue you frō your own house whē you were lockt in your study belike you thoght I came to borrow mony or beg a dinner in neither of which a friend such a friend as I presumed you to be by reasō of your own protestatiōs ought to be denied which makes me remember a tale in the Italian courtier of a gētl who cōming to aske for his friēd was only answered by a seruāt he was not within whervpō for his better intelligence he departed satisfied in shewe till some occasion directed the other to demand for him whereupon he answered aloud in his owne behalfe hee was gone from home Not so sayd the other for I heare your voyce and know it too well to be mistaken But sayd he againe you are a strange man I beleeued your maide when she told me you were not within And are you so incredulous that you will not beleeue my selfe But as I remember there hath bene no such passages betweene vs therefore I wonder at this sodaine dispatch and cannot be perswaded but you wish a dissolution of our combined loues For my owne part I will not come to the house of my friend to receiue any affront of deniall and he that wil take occasion of sequestration to make such a man of my condition stand without doores is not worthy to reioyce in true neighbourhood though there had bene a wanton in your armes or any Bagge a telling Yours if you be worthy To the worthy Lady R.C. GOod Lady If your honour and vertue resemble not the primum mobile of the Spheres to carry about the lesser circles of our duty and obseruation I see no reason why a generous and free borne Gentleman should betray the cause of GOODNES into the hands of GREATNES with degenerating conditions For to what end hath a voyce from heauen proclaimed the Godhead of Princes and higher aduanced persons but to resemble thē in perfection and highly exalted vertues as for shews and outward ceremonies they bee meere'y tumors of vanity pride ambitious desires and the best of your liues may be cōpared to a gaudy maske at Christmas which if it cary more state last a litle longer in the kings court then another place yet must it haue a melancholy farewel is forgotten like water spilt out of a Bucket whereas affabillity pious inclination liberall compensation regard of the afflicted raising the weake mercy compassion and such like be indeed faire resplendant starres worth praise and obseruation from whose influence can proceed nothing but auspitious presages and are sure to make you famous to posterity euen from the mouthes of widowes and orphanes when your painted sepulchers shall lye troden to dust and your proudest edifices be turned to other vses Be not therefore good Lady so transported with passion or open eard to euery flattering insinuating groome that I shall neuer be heard in my iustifications though worthy to cliame my owne nor enioy such priuiledges and immunities as my auncestors haue filed on record to their owne credit and posterities immitation For beleeue it there is no such corasiue to a gentle minde as to be deceiued in the expectation of anothers worth and where he hoped of support and countenance to be menaced with threatnings and contracted browes which if you saw how ill they became your louelines and beauty you would quickly admit of a sweeter cheerfulnes and make me happie with a plausible alteration Yours as a louer of honor To his seruant F. M. ALthough I haue plentifull matter of reprehending you affoorded me yet will I onely at this instant redeeme your foolishnes and dishonesty foolishnes in winding your selfe further into such intricate busines then either your cunning or strength can help you out of dishonesty in conuerting the mony appointed to generall imployment to your owne aduantage whereby the Tenants are disabled my selfe discredited and you stand vnder the burthen of my as iust and peraduenture heauy displeasure Therefore I charge you take some other course and that sodainly to preuent a further account and aggrauatiō thereof or you shall finde that as I can be a kinde Master so I know how to punish a lesse grosse crime and make you an obedient seruant To his miserable and most wretched sonne R.B. THou cupshot stain to my name torture to my thoughts All the while I looked on the filthy menstrous cloth of thy vices I remēbred the story of the old man of Lions who enquiting after his sons misdemeanours with a fond partialitie began to cloud them with one excuse or another as that gouernement and discretion would moderate his riot time would coole his blood and danger of the law terrifie him from swaggering marriage and the attractiue condition of a good wife would diuert him from lasciuiousnesse with such like till vnderstanding hee was a drunkard he wrong his hands washt
builded the glory of the Iewes established nor is there one Iewe remaining nor honest man to maintain a veritie yet is Zidon a harbour town some 28. English mile frō the same after the traueller or Marchāt hath performed his deuotion for great hyre certaine guides Ianissaries will conuoy him to Gran Cayro Arabia Persia Damasco or whither you please so that sometimes you shall haue 400. camells loden with prouision merchandize men to take a iourney into Persia and Ormus in the mouth of those Seas against the fishing for Pearle sometime the Christian for nouelties sake will apparel himselfe like a Turk with a Turban to view the city of Mecha in Arabia where Maehomet was entombed Sometimes the passage is made easie into Aegipt and wee come this way to Nylus from whence by Boate wee visite Cayro Alexandria and Athyopia it selfe Sometimes we take another course goe by sea to Scanderon and Aleppo and so trauell by Damasco to Babylon and Armenia and somtimes haue the fortune to go to Tauris and those places neere the Caspian-Sea but this is very seldome and neuer but when 4. or 500. Merchants make themselues strong both in arms and prouision For otherwise the Thieues of those places especially Arabia would make a prey and spoyle of all passengers This is all I can say this is all I dare write for feare of interruption but if euer the sunne will make our shadowes meete in England I will iustifie further particulars and make you wonder that so many wise and vnderstanding men as haue bene in these partes will bee transported against the veritie of Scripure and the infallible congruitie of iudgement and reason My owne in your memorie To his worthy Friend M. T. GOod Syr I neuer had such cause to remember the Phylosophers Banquet as when I lay in Nicosia in Cyprus For as I take it Epictetes hauing inuited certain Stoyck phylosophers to dinner for a latter bāquetting-dish brought out the globe of the world after they had called a councell Epictetes ouercouerd it with a fooles-cappe whereat Heraclites wept bitterly and Democrites laught heartily The first bewalling the miserie the latter deriding the vanitie of the same but if they had liued in Cyprus and seene such confusion of gouernment all yet ouershadowed with the Canopy of order and obedience to the State it would questionlesse haue put them cleane out of patience and turned their myrth into sorrow and their sorrowes into raging and phrenzie For the Bashaw expecting nothing but Tribute and legall iurisdiction is carelesse how other Nations eyther liue with vpright conscience or thriue with lawfull profite So that the better sort practise what they list because no man dare controwle and inferiours follow all libertie and licentiousnes because the others make way with ill example The church-men confirme religion but for pollicie and are onely proud they can terrifie the simple with feare of damnation and dazell the eyes of the ignorant with the gawdy colours of superstition The Iewe is grown so cruell in his vsurie extortion that wheras before it was much to forfeit goods and lands now hee exacts vppon their very flesh and blood glorying at nothing more then to see penurie and wants eate vp a Christian and coldnesse of charitie trouble his very soule The Lawyer insults with the peace of the time and to wring the gold out of mens purses wrests the Law to theyr owne Fancies so that they iustifie their actions onely with legall authority The Cittizen is bountifull in faire words and so hee may make his merchandize vendable hath learnd the tricke of aequiuocating and deceyuing his best customers The crafts-man studieth for nothing but to be craftie in his cunning The Courtezan resembles the horsleach who neuer falls off till he be full and when hee hath suckt the blood from the veynes leaues a man to looke pittifully on his sores and deformity The Souldier sweates with rage at that hee cannot remedie and curseth peace because it warres with his profit nor will apprehend any goodnes but in the ill of licentiousnes The Noble-women study for nothing but to seeme not to bee honest yet haue they a clawse to affright inferiors for calling their actions in question so giuing the more scope to their greatnes to runne the more at random in pleasure The Turkish wiues vnderstanding these particulars repine at their Prophet so murmur at their sequestration that to haue some vse of the world they visite the Balneas come to buy iewells make maskes in English atttyre vse perfumes and rather then they will not please themselues allure their very slaues to carnall pleasure To conclude if euer the Diuell compassed the earth and considered men to make them subiects of hell Cyprus is now a patterne and the Turks there despise their Alcaron the Iewe smileth at their Religion the Christian derideth the scripture and all men and people make a mocke of purity and sanctifying graces or the true-way to saluation So that I am weary of this prophane countrey and desire nothing more then the blessednesse of our owne England where the very soyle is the reuiuer of our spirits and good gouernment the load-starre to eternall felicitie Yours in the midst of temptation A Dumpe or Passion I Cannot sing For neither haue I voyce Nor is my minde nor matter Musicall My barrē pen hath neither form nor choyce Nor is my tale or tales-man comicall Fashions and I were neuer friends at all I write and credit that I see and knowe And mean plain troth would euery one did so I cannot faine mee vnto subtile faction No prompt affection to an idle ghost Nor doe I fauour any in detraction Nor do I praise them that themselues dos boast Small fire sufficeth vnto little roast A poor mans tale's soon told as soon reproou'd Neuer assisted though neuer so much soothd For credite is not of a common stampe The fairest gamesters are not alwayes winners The strōgest ioynts are troubled with the cramp And many good men are reputed sinners Yet shallow foords seem best for yong beginners The water's surest where we feele the ground But all are not as safe as they be sound Conceyt's a current forcible and deepe Simplicitie a shiftlesse shippe of feares A man may dream amisse sinne asleepe And foxes may accuse the asses eares Patience and plainnesse euer burdens beares And best they may For custom doth invre it And he is fit to beare that will endure it Not euery stomacke brooketh euery meate A dainty mouth can ill affect plaine fare All appetites at all times cannot eate Nor compleat merchant that hath euery ware Nor thriues hee euer that doth euer care Wishers and woulders practise conspire all haue their hopes not euery hope their hire For some are blessed other some corrected Some for their worke and some for their intent Nor are all whō our GOD hath made elected Nor can all that offend as well
more miserable for the want of Vertue then want of money therefore I am resolued to bee reposed and if you thinke me woorth the keeping I pray you hereafter forbeare those disloyall and palpable discoueries vndecent contradictions vnkinde denials and triuiall excuses For a small helpe will stay a fainting man when a strong arme cannot lift him vp that is falne flat on the ground I vrge not this to draw you to any inconueniences concerning your purse but to keepe vs both vpright touching our credits and so with a meere disturbed hand and troubled minde I bid you farewell but I am resolued to endure no further vnsauory iests against me for any hopes of worldly helpes Yours as I haue cause To his Honorable friend Sir G.S. WOrthy Sir Had not my life receiued heate from the Sunne of your fauours and as I may say from the first influence wherewith that Noble Lord so graciously beheld me I might quietly go forward without once looking backe to see wherefore I am despised why without offending debarred from the same But because I must and will acknowledge it and in a maner confesse my selfe all darkenesse without it yea readie to bee plunged into euery durty bogge irrecouerable danger I humbly beseech you therfore either to extend a gracious hand to stay a fainting soule from sinking or giue mee leaue to blame my misfortune that hath thus subiected mee to the violence of so dangerous displeasure whereby if you be not the more noble discontinuance shall make me worse then water spilt out of a vessell neuer to be taken vp againe For what a terror is this nay how vnexcusable for my selfe to haue you in towne and I not to visite you or so much as once to bee thought vpon yet it may be this eternall horror of gentle minds shame and wants haue onely stirred vp iealousie to afflict me without cause considering you will be still your selfe and loue me for being honest and endeuouring to make vertue proud that pouertie cannot abase her In which hope I send you my true and faithfull heart howeuer I remaine most miserable in the feare of your losse Yours in true friendship To his Honourable friend Sir T.B. WOrthy Sir In those times when Dracon the tyrant of the East aduanced himselfe to the height of soueraignty ingratitude and iniustice were punished with death so that if he vnderwent the imputation of cruelty it was not for satiating a blood-thirsty-minde but reuenging the neglect of his statutes now if examples endure longer then precepts had not wee neede in these corrupt times to stand on a guard of circumspection not to vilipend vertue lesse then the heathen nor practise impietie worse then idolaters and if they thought ingratitude worthy of death I hope we shall at least suppose it vnbefitting a Gentleman Wherefore without further complement or larger circumstances for those many fauours wherewith your plentifull hand hath euen laden me I open the exchecquour of the poore and thanke you with a publike acknowledgement of the same Yet giue me leaue considering mischances are multiplyed vpon me to resemble my selfe to a man tumbling downe a staires who neuer leaues falling till he come to the bottome And concerning your last promise vnperformed how can I be compared better then to a man lying faint and wounded on the ground whom some courteous hand seemeth to aduance but lifting him vp halfe way letteth goe his hold and so he falleth backe againe to his sore hurt therefore good Sir either giue my hope fuller wings that it may take a higher flight of security or let me die at once to auoide an euerliuing misery and this I vrge the rather because in cases of vntoward distresse there is courtesie in quicke dispatch as in the benefits of friendship there is a double pleasure in the timelinesse and orderly disposing of fauour Now my request is if any vngentle hand hath cast durt into the pure streame of your loue Oh let it not so remaine but either cleanse it your selfe or giue me leaue to pull it out what danger soeuer I incurre and if my fortune be so malignant that a slauish report hath ecchoed against my peace Oh let me know the particulars and answer for my selfe accordingly And thus assuring my selfe that I shall fall into the hands of iudgement with quicke apprehension I leaue all to fauourable construction and commit you to his hands who can aduance you to the height of your desire and merit of your woorth Post scriptum Gratia ab officio quod mor a tardat abest Your thankefull friend To his much esteemed Friend C.G. SIR I am sorry that my letters were either vnsauory for the matter or tedious for the length considering that out of the rules of ciuilitie I was to answer yours and the necessitie of my businesse to importune further then you thought good manners But such is the misery of wants and poore men are resembled to ruinous walles which euery man shunneth for feare of falling vpon them otherwise I could excuse my selfe many waies First to auoide idlenesse wherein the Persians were so obseruant that they would rather whittle stickes or rip the seames of their coate and sewe them vp againe Secondly to eschew ingratitude which is a vice vnbefitting a generous minde of all other Next to exercise my vnderstanding for to write to so delicate a iudgement and apprehensiue a wit craueth study and a carefull foresight then to better my knowledge For if I doe well your commendation can confirme me if I fall into errors your wisedome can reforme and restraine me Fifthly to make you beleeue there is some good thing in me allowable and iustifiable and therefore worthy of a small regard as noble Sir Phillip Sydney was wont to say Let vs loue him for one good qualitie for a great many haue none at all and no man hath all Lastly to know what to trust vnto for to hope for a thing which commeth not and to loue them that care not for vs be two of the liuing deaths in this world Therefore Good Sir let me not pleade in vaine that pleade so truely and vrge these reasons rather to know how your loue shall bee inlarged then my vaineglory published and if you please to second my enterprise I shall with a further cheerefulnesse proceede in my businesse if not as good fall at first and all at once as liue in expectation of more mischiefe and greater troubles Thus I bid you farewell and to fare better then I can fare vnlesse you wish me well Yours as a louer of Vertue To her newly displeased Friend M.I. GOod Sir How commeth it to passe that you draw my loue and modesty in question for my ciuill entertaining of a Gentleman last night as thogh I could do lesse then affoord him a salutation and performed too much in continuing our morall discourse Beleeue me I am not ignorant that loue is seasoned with a
make me repent that I either denied or contested with him Therefore deare Sir let me flie to you for refuge and as farre as true manhood may auoyd the imputation of quarrels and dangerous blood-shedding cling to your side vnder the shield of your noble protection wherin I will desire you to proceed no further then by petition to my H. G. and orderly attendance on the high Commissioners And this I take both waies to be iustifiable and assure my selfe this you would doe for a stranger that had not estranged her selfe from good demeanour and faire courses of a vertuous inclination Yours and sworne to be so To his Honour able good Friend L. HOnourable Sir I would not now resemble the fish Caepia which cast into any water troubles the same nor be compared in my importunity to your Court tapers which burne out themselues to pleasure others so that in pleading thus in my friends behalfe I may peraduenture doe him no good and yet spend the splendor of your worthy loue to as little purpose concerning my selfe But presuming still to finde you more and more generous as you more and more approch vnto honour and dignitie I am the bolder to expose vnto you the honest request of Master H. and make it the marke of my aime wherein if I cā come but so neare as your kind acceptation vpon those conditions which in a manner you gaue life vnto I shall then thinke my selfe much bound vnto you because of many blessings cast into my lap at once by that meanes as the confirmation of your loue and regard the gratuitie of two hundred pound besides the summe appointed for you the discharge of the dutie of a friend the answering certaine friuolous obiections against my credit the corroboration of his good opinion and neighbourhood the assured establishment of his alliance and the preferring of true vertue and desert to noble and orderly entertainement For I can assure you hee is not onely worthy of the place but extraordinarily quallified to moue like a faire Planet in his owne Orbe for sufficiencie Besides when he knowes it is your pleasure to admit him to more priuate familiaritie you shall finde him reposed in iudgement quicke in conceit witty in discourse pleasant in conuersation and aboue all a louer of vertue and ciuill in all his actions Therefore I haue reason to plead in so good a cause and for your sake in some sort am proude that I haue such interest in the businesse whereby if you nobly consent to dispatch then shall you double the fauour and make vs both obliged vnto you for euer For as in harsh and vnpleasant newes a quicke deliuery easeth much the heart which otherwise would weary with expectation So in all good turnes a timely sending forth makes the benefits gratious the benefactor to resemble a sweet swelling spring to a thirsty soule Yours if you thinke me worthy To her assured friend GOod Sir Common experience hath brought women into the field of this knowledge that it is an easie task to giue good counsell and priuate trials of your great vnderstanding hath assured me that you know when to aduise your friend with all the other circumstances of place and persons whereupon I am now inforced to ouer-burden you with petitions and make one request for all that you deny not the bèst directions though I seeme to examine you on particulars I pray you then consider on the assurance of my dowry and whether it be not preiudiciall to my estate if in surrendring I make a change for the manor of F. which may bee for any thing I know subiect to some encombrances Secondly remember the conueiance of those lands for my daughters portions and yonger sonnes annuities and I pray you be carefull that the pleasing of our selues in present times endamage not the Orphants in future changes Thirdly send me word what enquiry you haue made of Sir G. P. who would make me beleeue a second mariage cannot bee preiudiciall to my fortunes and may adde to my comfort and augmentation of estate mutuall society of a worthy husband and setled prosperitie when the minde is contented and a woman satisfied in her last desires Fourthly let your former care I pray you extend thus farre that this secret enemy to the thriuing of all Gentlemen 10. in the 100. doe not steale vpon vs like a priuy thief cary such a mastring hād ouer our prosperity that we bee not able to eate meat in good order nor hold vp a cheerfull face of entertainment as we were accustomed and last of all that my rents may bee duely sent vp and without further trouble or danger then the stewards fee the tenāts dinner not that I wold enter into any league with couetousnes or sparing but because I would leaue no president of encombring my Children nor their presumption to claime an vnbefitting priuiledge Thus as farre as I am beholding to remembrance I haue patched together as you see my requests and make no doubt but you will accordingly endeuor to continue my assured Friend as I resolue to bee your well-willer in any thing to my power Yours relying on your aduise Gratulatory Letters To her carefull Friend M. S. H. WOrthy Syr I perceiue by you that custome is as great a preseruatiue of vertue as furtherer of vice For as in abuses it oftentimes falles out that those sinnes which at first we were afraide to touch we afterward make a pastime to handle so in worthy proceedings a continuall progression maketh the race so pleasant that a generous man walketh in no other tract nor practiseth other actions then noble and heroicall Thus haue you begun with friendship to the Father setled regard toward the mother continued with care to the daughter and put charity on her best wings to flye for vs all Thus haue you remembred a dying friend supported a distressed Widow relieued a succourlesse Virgin and taught farre more neerer kindred a lesson of true charitie Nay thus haue you holpe the fatherlesse defended the innocent raised vp the fainting soule and loued vertue for vertues sake so that my poore childe may thinke her selfe happy to be borne in such an houre when you were a witnesse of the same and I blesse the time in which I obtained your fauor to christen her But is this sufficient or shall I thanke you recompence such an inestimable benefite I confesse it cannot considering you haue not onely prouided for her infancie ouer-watched her childehood instructed her youth taught her good manners and brought her out of the darknesse of ignorance to the light of vnderstanding but haue also made it the worke of your owne hands to marrie her to a worthy Husband as if therein lay the secret of all businesse and that it were the perclost of eache action Therefore as a small aduātage I adde the publike acknowledging of the same and the continuall presenting our selues and endeuors to your acceptation
THE SECRETARIES STVDIE CONTAINING NEW familiar Epistles OR DIRECTIONS for the formall orderly and iudicious inditing of Letters Whether Amorous OR Louing Whether Morall OR Ciuil Whether Oeconomicall OR Houshold busines Whether Politicall OR Wittie Whether Obiurgatory OR Chiding Whether Excusatory OR Excusing Whether Petitionary OR Requesting Whether Gratulatory OR Giuing thankes Whether Nuncupatory OR Relating Newes By Thomas Gainsford Esq. Sic iuuat indulgere fugacibus horis LONDON Printed by T. C. for Roger Iackeson and are to be solde at his shop in Fleetstreet ouer against the Conduit 1616. TO THE RIGHT HOPEFVL YONG GENTLEMAN Maister Iohn Mounson at Charter-house and as likely to aduance his Vertues to Honorable eminency as any expectation can warrant GEnerous Youth without other ceremony or complement I am now to aduēture a iourney and a fearefull one as the first voiage that euer I made into the streights of opinion or seuere Censure so that pollitick and temporising-men would contract a sure bargaine with some rich marchant honorable patron or sufficient Statist to protect and countenance the enterprise But in despight of aduerse Fortune or calumniation I haue made choyce of your loue fauor vertue and good condition of which I take the aduantage in your virgin chastitie and soules puritie and wherein I will as much reioyce as if larger embraces had opened themselues to make me credulous of sincere welcome Bee therefore your selfe expectable Gentl and doe but loue mee for olde loues sake and I shall bee so proud yea presumptuous in your acceptation that neyther windes nor seas shall affright mee vntill I haue made a satisfactory voyage or beeing ouer-freighted with heauy Fortune sincke the whole Stocke or Remaine of mine abilities in this kinde in other like aduentures which if it should so fall out I could but conclude Hic finis Priami Yours assured though there be no assurance amongst men Tho Gainsford Non opus est digitis per quos arcana loquaris Errata pag 5. lin 4. read tracted Pag 10. m. read loose p 13. l 24. read sturd p 17. l. 6. r. euen fol. 19. l. 15. r. sorer f. 26. l 5. r. adornation f. 27. l. 7. r. country life f. 30. l. 7. r. goe p. 31. l. 26. r. fiue p. 34. l. 2 besides for so p. 34. l. 33. r. stake p. 35. l. 16. r. work p. 36. l. 26 leaue out to p. 43. l. 27. r. sedation l. 29. r. inuitations p. 45. l. 13. re a bettering f 46. l. 26. r. grow l. 32. r. Lords fauor p. 47. l 30. r. hold vp p. 50 l. 11 r you might gather l 14 r hauing p 53 l 12. r. for the p 57 in the mar following described l 21 r O God! that p 107 l 30 r obsolete THE TABLE Amourous or louing Letters THe Louer afraid to loose his friend contracted The Louer troubled with suspition of hazarding his desire The Louer iustifieth his loue from inward vertues and outward comelinesse The Louer findeth fault with neglect of titles The louer complaineth of sequestration The louer cannot endure a riuall The Louer cannot soone forget his loue after firme rooting The louer desires secrecie not ouer liberall discoueries The louer doth not tye his affection to outward beautie The louer is afraide to loose his contentment The louer maintaineth that a little iealousie will season affection Morall or Ciuill Letters True Friendship Friendly precepts An other of the propertyes of friendship Friendes would haue no vnkindnes taken for any thing Necessitie causeth importunitie Friendship is broken through denyall of trifles and presuming of anothers weaknes Friendship is lost through vnkindnesse and discontinuance Ingratitude is not befitting a Gentl A man out of good manners must answer Letters Iealousie should not be showne without iust cause The difference between a willing and compulsed absence Friendship is afraid to be forgotten A good Wife compared to a Shippe at Sea A friend desireth a Gentle-woman to vnite the inward vertues to outward comelinesse Oeconomicall Letters or of houshold businesse A Gentleman must take heede how hee settles himselfe in the Countrey as a Farmer If a Gentleman will bee a Farmer it is best to obtaine the principall House or credite of the highest place in the towne Concerning the building ordring a house with retaining of seruāts Whether a Gentle-woman may with her credite let out Lodgings for money The danger of disagreemēt betweene man wife with their duties How Children ought to be brought vp How Seruants are to be instructed Politicall or witty Letters Women in yeares should rather look for rich aduancement then wanton satisfaction A Gentl should not be seruant to any that hath a sufficient estate of his owne and if he be with what pollicy he must contriue it No Oathes must be belieued before marriage He that will enrich himselfe by seruice must follow some thryuing Officer The Lady must be obserued by such as mean to thriue vnder the lord Some Lord or other must bee made an Agent to obtaine a sute of the Prince Suites in Court are not dispatched without great attendance A military pollicie to restraine insolent mutiners What policy soeuer ambition buildeth vpon it is cast downe with death and destruction Men must submitte to their Fortune Obiurgatory or chiding letters Against a sonne for his disordered life Against inconstancie and following a strumpet Against swearing Against couetousnes Against denyall of trifles amongst friends Against idle excuses Against pride and tyrannous behauiour in great persons Against foolishnes and dishonesty in a seruant Against Drunkennes Against the breach of Wedlocke in the man Against Whoredom in the woman Excusatory or defensiue letters Excuse for not lending money Excuse for being importunate in the behalfe of a friend Excuse for keeping company and going to Court Excuse for sheltring with a stranger in a storme Excuse for not dispatching a suite of importance Excuse for tarrying too long from a Wife Excuse for not dispatching of businesse Excuse for not writing attending vnwilling persons to bee spoken with Excuse for not forbearing a friend presuming to disgrace another Excuse for not beeing surety for a friend Excuse for not entertaining a friend as hee ought to be Excuse for not soothing vp of humors Petitionary or Letters of Request A Request to requite discurtesie A request for Money A request to entertaine a daughter A request for assurance of a Farm A request to forbeare a debt A request to forbeare a dangerous Ladyes company A request to be charitable A request to entertaine a Scholler for a Souldier A request for the Knighting of a friend and worthy Gentleman A request to defend a Widow in her right against all wrong and calumniation A request for an office for another A request for aduise in matters of difficultie Gratulatory or Letters of giuing thankes Thankefulnes for a daughters good bringing vp and well-bestowing Thankefulnes for recompencing the giuing of a Booke Thankefulnes for an office Thankefulnes
winne the game for a meane estate you shall be sure that the very best husbands will ouer-looke your grounds for you as glad to spie a fault in them or come with a tale to pleasure you euen with offering his seruice to amend it himselfe for you But withall is not the house of too great receipt costly to furnish chargeable to repaire dangerous to keepe and drawing on extraordinarie expences euen for fewell and maintenance besides is there not a certaine expectation of extraordinary house-keeping and entertaining of passengers Wherein to proceede it will drinke vppe the profite of the Farme like a Spunge wherein to drawe backe will drowne your reputation in vilipending This is that I would say vnto you so that if you meete with discretion and iudgement in so intricate a businesse surely I must applaude your choise for taking the mannor house but if you chance vpon iollitie or vaine-glory determining to thriue you will take as wrong a course in being a farmer as I haue done in aduising you against your minde and desires Yours with good wishes To his well aduised friend S. G. SIR When I opened your last letter and ouerviewed the sentences diuided into interrogatories I was almost affrighted as if there had bene a citation sent for me but after I considered the particulars and saw they were onely houshold aduertisements or if you will husbandly questions for the better setling a man in the possession of contentment I cheered my selfe and thought it good manners thus to answer them wherein if I pay you in your owne coine and not once to looke into the treasure house of Oratorie for any rhetoricall amplification remēber the iustice of my cause and the low flight of my subiect But to the purpose VVhereas you demand how you should build your house I answer thus That though former times esteemed it better to haue a house too litle for a day then too bigge for a whole yeare and cared for no conueniencie of lodgings so the hall and kitchin were bigge enough to dresse meate and entertaine company yet doe not you so but discouer a good spirite by the outward fashion of your building choose a handsome prospect and wholesome scituation let your lodgings bee warme and light for you may darken them at pleasure your staires easie and your roomes of entertainment large delightsome the out-houses conuenient the gardens and orchyards to the South and your owne chambers neere your husbandrie yet as farre from annoyance as you may In a word let the whole frame discouer your willingnesse to do well rather then brand you to hereafter memory for couetous and basely disposed and if you can leaue an estate of a thousand markes behinde you let the passers by viewing the house imagin it a 1000. pound a yeare For so a second good husband a good family to match in may raise it in another age and then followeth a kinde of repining that my father or grandfather was not well aduised and esteemed more of money then the reputation of his family But aboue all take heed you exceed not this proportion lest either you incurre derision for beginning a worke you were not able to finish or leaue the house to emptinesse and decay if your next heire be not sufficient to adorne and furnish it Whereas you demand what retinue to keepe I answer Haue rather one too few then two too many of al other things take heed to an idle seruāt for corrupting the rest for I cannot but resemble him to a stinking broad spreading burre who is not onely bad in it selfe but hinders the rest of the grasse growing round about it And concerning outward shew by that time your Clearke Coachman Butler keeper of your Wardrobe chiefe Bailiffe and better sort of husbandmen be instructed the houre of attendance and haue also an honest care and cunning cleanely to shift themselues there may be a sufficient ostentation for a hundred pound a yeare Wheras you demand what fare you should keepe I answer thus let not the Sunday so exceed as there be scarcitie in the weeke following giue the laborer sufficient for dainties fill not the belly allow not euery one a breakefast nor euery day three meales haue your meate warm and good but do not reserue the best dish till it be starke naught if a neighbour come in about businesse let him tarry a Gods name if he be inuited set before him what he hath not at home rather haue a litle fresh thē return a great deale to smell of the dry larder and aboue all let not the end of the table be so forgotten either to be serued with blowne drinke stale bread or refuse meate For goers and commers by the dore will looke for that and better because such a heart and tongue may sit at your boord as will repine at his nasty entertainment and be bold to publish your reproach Wheras you demand what cattell to keep I answer thus For a Gentleman Oxen are better then Horse because after any mischance they may be fed for the butcher and few men of sort would cart for mony or attend the court with a Teeme let such doe that as loue toile and mony and tast any paines taking with the sauerines of profit those geldings you keepe let them be wel orderly kept so that if your country must be serued you haue one in readines the seruāts which ride with you let them be honest carefull and well prouided and take heed of basenes as plowing cattell broken saddles patcht bootes vnmatched spurres a sword without a chape nay I would not haue the sword and hangers of one fashion and girdle or dagger of another with infinit such disparities and meerely ridiculous nastinesse Wheras you demand what gouernment to obserue I answer generally thus and for particulars you shall heare more heereafter Aboue all remember the Sabboth and rather feast of any day then of that not but that the Sabboath is a continuall feast but how for spirituall purposes not filthy gurmundice more then necessity of life and good vse of conuersation let no swearer nor prophane person once or twise admonished tarry with you giue good examples by your owne praiers and rather by gentle exprobration then filthy vndecncies reprehend your seruants but suffer them not to be masters amongst themselues To conclude be charitable towards offenders gentle to inferiors willing to giue carefull of good neighbours and remember the sicke labourer and fainting soule Yours with a true heart To his respected Friend Mrs. G. MY old acquaintance I vnderstand by your first seruant that you haue enlarged your minde with your house determining to lodge ciuill Gentlemen and to raise a benefit from their entertainment besides you adde for excuse want of company and that your house is ouer-great for your owne family here is now a subiect of plentifull matter and in dilating the same I must needes incurre displeasure on all
passions nor can any man come vnto them at any time but diuers shall bee found afore him who challenge a dispatch of their businesse according to the priority of their suites therfore your honor must lay no such burthen of the state to thinke if there were such an interposition that any mans priuate malice could preuayle with the authoritie grauitie and wisedome of the rest Besides it may be there is a further policie to draw out the thred of this cloth of businesse at the greatest length to keep you from a further suite or troubling the king with other matters of importance till this be dispatched and hung on the file of assurance in your behalfe This I presumed to write vnto you because you commanded but in regard there bee some things you will not command nor I can iustisie in the answer I meane to reserue them till I haue opportunitie to present my dutie vnto you as you haue shewed a generous minde to manifest your good opinion toward me Your Honours deuoted To his well experienced friend and noble minded Gentleman G. P. NOble Sir Whereas at your last conference you told me comming from Germany to Antwerpe you saw no watch set and a kinde of fearefull stilnesse amongst the souldiers wherein I could not resolue you so suddenly because you spread no larger cloth of nouelties and peraduenture durst not in that place raise any suspition by demanding many questions I haue now thought good to adde to your experience some intelligences of my owne whereby as you well sayd then I doe gather the occasion of that defection and desisting from their martiall ceremonies You must then vnderstand that the Garrisons haue newly mutined and from insolent attempts drawne a fearefull execution on some principall offendors the Gouernour of the towne and citadell did put in practise an ancient vsance and policie of martiall discipline to command a cessation from orderly watch and souldier-like seruices And this was an absolute custome euen amongst the Romans that when insolent and tumultuous souldiers had looked with grimme and traiterous visages on the face of good order and made a repugnant disobedience against all law and restraint the Captaines presently prohibited any calling to the watch any preparation to the Parado beating the drums attending the colours or to vse any ceremonious brauerie whereby the mutiners that were so lusty before seeing what a confusion they had wrought and how they presented a sort of Padlarie reapers in a scattered field beganne to bewaile the want of their honourable customes and to confesse their former rudenesse and ouersight And this was the cause of the stilnesse in Antwerpe at your lodging in the towne And amongst other policies of warre according to the seuerall businesse in hand of which you shall heare more hereafter when we haue further leisure to dispute of other occurrents Yours in terror of death To his well disposed Friend Mr. M.D. GOod Sir Conceiue of me what you please there is not a man in this kingdome shall haue more interest in me then your selfe and that you shall well perceiue by my plain and true satisfaction of your demands although it be somwhat too intricate to deale in such confused questions and dangerous relation of businesse Whereas then you demand the reason why so many great and noble persons haue as it were met with death and destruction in the violent race of their turbulent innouation and insolent wilfulnesse not taking warning by precedent examples nor terrified with the euer-impending reward of treason which is the ouerthrow both of themselues and families I answer that truely I can yeeld you no reason because all they pretend is not onely against reason but many times against policie and at all times against honesty and religion yet can I giue you some false fires and as it were contriue adulterate excuses out of fauour and partialitie You haue read then that the diuell in compassing the earth did consider mens frailties in his progresse and as the principall marke of the world hee most gloriously attempts principallities and powers so that sometimes hee pleadeth the axiomes of Philosohers and reciteth a pestilent position out of Euripides that if faith and loyaltie be to be rent asunder it is excusable in compassing a Diademe and reaching at a Crowne Thus Stephen Earle of Blois vsurped the kingdome of England and made warres on the faction of the Empresse And thus Henrie the fourth in fringed his first vowe to steppe no further then the Dutchie of Lancaster but when hee found no hinderances hee quickely ranged ouer all other territories and iurisdictions Sometimes hee dilates Matchiuilian policies and telleth men that are cruell and ambitious that they which meane to haue a smooth walke to contentment yea to passe the time in any Orchard or Garden of pleasure must not onely remooue the greater blockes stickes and stones but as occasion serues picke out the sharpe pibbles and rowle the same smoother Thus Athaliah destroyed the kings stocke to gaine the Diademe And thus Richard the third first remooued the Queenes kindred after vsurped the persons of the two Princes Sometimes hee whispereth in the eares of moderate kings that they may bee iealous in pointes of soueraigntie and who shall controwle them if they settle their feares and peace though they see the bleeding neckes of such as they feare Thus Adoniah fell vnder his yonger brother Thus Nero put Corbulo and Germanicus to death because they were reputed worthie of the kingdome Thus was Mortimer in Henrie the fourths time as it were banished from the Court Thus was long before that Robert Duke of Normandie depriued of his eyes Thus was Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke imprisoned and destroyed with many such like Sometimes hee maketh the iustifying of a faction and the louing of one another and honest cause of rebellion As you saw in the Barons 〈◊〉 in the beginning of Henrie the fourth when the king should haue bene destroyed at Oxenford and afterward when the Percies maintayned the coadiutements of Worcester and Mortimer Sometimes hee rayseth innouation and treason out of the circle of ambition and vaine-glory vpon any pretence of a title as you saw in the first claime of Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke and in the last tumults of the Earl of Warrewicke in Edward the fourths time Sometimes hee deceiueth honour with couetousnesse and bogges the mindes of generous spirits with hope of increase of liuing and augmentations of titles Thus was the Duke of Buckingham caught in a snare of the Earledome of Hertford and not onely streched his arme out to helpe Richard the third to mount on the throne of Maiestie against all religion and pietie but to spreade the colours of his owne reuenge against the tyrant himselfe whereby hee lost his head Sometimes hee impostures men with the fanaticall hopes of diuellish promises from forcerie and witchcraft As you may reade of Elinor Cobham who well expected the preferment of the
Protector her husband and of Hâ—â—â—ford Duke of Buckingham whom the Cardinall ouerthrew in Henry the eights time Somtimes hee bloweth the bellowes of popularitie and swelleth men ouer bigge with the windy breath of opinion as in diuers worthy presidents and instances of our owne wherin euen the best subiects haue yet taken a wrong course to curbe their Princes and making good causes as reformation of disorders remoouing of euill Councellours protecting of Iustice and maintaining the honour of martiall discipline c. Baudes to wicked and troublesome spirits haue in the ende pulled on death and insupportable affliction on themselues and families and sometimes he inciteth euen coÌ„mon persons to presumptuous darings and dangerous troubles falsifying their wicked pretences on the glorious shewes of the kingdomes good as in the Irish expeditions the rebellions of Straw and Cade the wicked purpose of Perkin Marbeck the clamours of Ket the insurrections of the North and such like In all which from the beginning to the ending there is no one sound and substantiall reason but must needs be ouerthrowne with the shoulderinsg of truth and vprightnes And thus could I fill you volumes with precepts and instances and both diuide and subdiuide to infinit particulars wherein greatnes and pollicy resemble poison in the hearts of corrupt persons which runneth from veine to veine and neuer desisteth till all be infected and at last the very life blood contaminated Nay I could haue spread your letter to a greater bredth euen with modern examples and daily positions but I cannot name them without offence and traducing of many of their imperfections and follies and therefore I will leaue what I may not write to a priuate relation when we may meet with securitie Yours to trust onely To her deerest husband MY onely life I may not write at large nor one word but what another ouersees therefore I pray you consider of me and your children and how euer your vertue fill your heart with constancy yet remember that in all ages and with all persons vertue doth not thriue alike nor must a man proclaime all he knowes or divulge what he thinkes so that there is no remedy for your enlargement but a patient enduring a politike silence an humble submission and plausible casting your selfe and cause into the lappe of the Queenes fauor and vnder the shadow of that great Lords mantle No more neither I dare nor must but that I am and will be Your euer louing wife in distresse Chyding Letters To his ill aduised Sonne T.G. MOst foolish and idle headed I haue heard thee sometimes discourse of historicall relations because I should strengthen my opinion that thou hast not bene a truant at schoole nor a traitor to nature in ouerthrowing some good parts alotted as thy portion But I wonder that amongst the rest thou dost not remeÌ„ber a certain law of the Lacedemonians against disobedient children who were publikely whipt and when they continued refractary they were despightfully hanged as enemies to the commonwealth so that if thy profuse expences riotous courses disobedient wilfulnesse irregular conditions dangerous company and intemperate abusing the time were in those dayes to follow thee to that barre of censuring I should surely take no further care for thy punishment nor feare for thy hereafter ouerthrow But because thou liuest in a corrupt age and commonwealth belike thou thinkest thy selfe disgraced out of the fashion if thou be not corrupt too nay monstrously wicked degenerating For what hope can I haue of the preseruation of my estate and family after death when thou darest presume in my life to carry an absolute sway against my prescriptions and runne three hundred pounds in debt to all our troubles And if thou come to particulars how bare and poorely will thy excuse seeme how vgly and deformed will thy vanity appeare I brought thee with a gentle hand to the study of the law whereon both profite and honours depends and thou hast not onely neglected the same but with a kind of contempt and despight abandoned thy study and because we should be sure of thy hate and vilipending such a iewell thou art bold to boast of pawning thy bookes and that thou wilt not curbe a braue spirit thou mayst say a diuellish ruffinlinesse with stupid and dull inclosing thy selfe in a Cabinette and poaring on harsh and vnpleasant lines I taught thee a way to handsomnesse and ciuilitie shewing thee like a Father the difference betweene pride and comelinesse and thou art so farre from the modest vse of Gods creatures in this kinde that thou hast transshaped thy selfe with filthy disguises of long-haire diffused Apparell coloured Bands gaudie Ornaments ridiculous fashions yea thy very heele and spurre-leathers shew the lightnes of thy minde vanitie of thine affections and deformities of both So that from top to toe the best excuse is the fashion the best of these fashions so out of frame that wisedome hateth them and pietie pittieth them I instructed thee with the modest oratory of good demeanour and how weakly they were armed that stood at defiance with patience and vertue building a poore frame on the high exalted Title of valure as though vice must either be carryed vp with the strong arme of robustiousnes or coloured ouer with the sophisticate paintings of good-fellowship courage not disparaging of Gentrie and that a man liuing in eminence and expectation of glorie must not giue way to any discredite But thou like a resty-iade hast runne backwards and affrighted thy owne good spirite with fearfull blood-sheddings quarrells and contentions exposing thy selfe to barren and beastly destructions in despight of order and good gouernment So that I cannot compare that valour which thou wouldst haue graced with such an Epithite better then to the beautie of a strumpet who is eyther mercenarie to all commers or so kinde that shee cannot gainsay any asking the question and at last maketh her self abhorred or vilipended There be other matters of offence wherewith I could loade you but these for this time shall startle you a little and prepare you to some better consideration against I examine you further or absolutely determine to shew you a stronger hand of reformation therefore be aduised you were best and if you dare forget I am your father and must maintaine you remembet you are a Christian and liue vnder a religion and law which will clip the wings of such licentiousnes and deplume the feathers of all such consuming birds of prey Your displeased Father To her wilfull and seduced friend M. G. VNkinde and ill aduised To what purpose haue you made me beleeue that you neuer spake sentence but loue ioyned the wordes neuer breathed vow but vertue instructed the heart neuer performed action but my worth was the magnes to draw you into industry and yet you can bee contented to wipe away all with the slight hand of carelesnes and to forsake me without a cause yea to despight me the
more to abandon a faithfull and true friend for the beastly shew and loue of a strumpet whose eies sparkle with deceit very smiles are more dangerous then Crocadiles teares which commonly weepe ouer such they meane to destroy O that thou either hadst discouered this falshood before whereby I might haue taken the way of better assurance and conformable honesty or wilt thou yet defend the poore troopes of chastity against the mighty armies of incontinency and wantonnes then should this wanton know what it were to betray modesty into the handes of filthy vnconstancy and to bring simplicity into the bondage of passion and affection But I preethee let me dispute with thee a little Haue I not seene thee laugh a fellow to scorne as a buffone or iester for wearing great guilt rings full of coulerd glasses garded cloaths capons feathers and a ridiculous aspect and what is a strumpet but sutable in euery thing Haue I not read of a foole that was led like an Oxe to the slaughter and went in the shutting of the euening into the house of a strumpet Haue I not heard thee tell the tale of a passenger who comming ouer a dangerous water vpon a narrow bridge being drunke and returning the next day to to see what aduenture hee had escaped died with the apprehension And what is a whores conuersation but a sudden perill ouerpassed with feare and trembling And so in infinite particulars whereby it cannot choose but either you are insensible of good or desperate of all bad otherwise you would not come within the reach of heauens vengeance and vertues curses I meane my owne poore cries and teares which if they once should be vented with bitternesse of my soule beleeue it they would preuaile with the God of mercy to draw thee and thy perfidiousnesse into the house of vengeance for thy cruelty mischieuous abusing so constant and innocent a friend Your poore abused Friend To his much disordered Friend F.M. GOod Sir If I were not tyed by the band of friendship to all those duties wherein honest men are or should be actors yet am I bound by the lawes of Christianitie to pleade Gods cause and not to suffer as farre as in me lies so great a iustice to be ouerthrowne with the violent thrust of desperate and irreligious shouldrings To what end then dare you so prophane the name of God or to what purpose do you breath out the smoke of oathes yea common periuries as if the sulphure of that infernall furnace were raised vp to darken the light of the firmament Doe you know what danger you incurre the vengeance prepared the threatnings denounced and the punishments appropriate to such idle and defiling wantonnesse Do you not reade that you shall be guilty before Gods seate for taking his name in vaine Doth not the Prophet tell you that plagues shall inuade that house where the swearer remaineth Hath not our Sauior instructed vs with yea and nay shewing plainly that whosoeuer digresseth out of that path walketh to perdition And are not the Apostles the voyces of many waters and the sounds of Gods trumpets against further irreligion and vndecent oathes And how dare you then continue in horrible prophanation and either not beleeue or not apprehend this truth Besides if Sathan had taught vs cunning enough to excuse other vices The glutton may say he is a hungred the vncleane person he is ready to burne the couetous man he is afrayd to want the murtherer reuenge is sweete the drunkard that his drought is great the theefe that he is in distresse and such like But the swearer hath neither reason nor excuse for his idlenesse no man enforceth him the flesh inticeth not the world prouoketh not onely custom and the diuell raise a commotion against pietie and sinceritie So that it is almost come to passe that a swearer and a lier moue in the same orbe of incredultty and as the shepheards ranne so often in vaine to the boy that told them the Wolfe was come into the fold that when he came indeed they did not beleeue him So doth euery man abandon a swearer in his most vrgent occasions because vnurged he made no conscience of an oath Therefore if not for Gods loue Christian duety sweetnesse of conuersation and assurance of our contracts friendship yet for feare of hell and in regard of saluation let mee diuert you from this horrible and hatefull vice Yours in reformation To her miserable rich Friend P.D. SIR Although it appertaineth not to our sexe to take the rodde of restraint into our hands and seeme free Denizons in the kingdome of wisedome good counsel more then men yet because I am engaged for you to that honourable Lady ser open the enclosure of your praises from my owne iudgement and experience of your worth I must needes presume beyond your expectation and craue pardon if I seeme to haue a more daring confidence in this reprehension To what ende then haue you cast durt and filth into the streame of your spirit where a confluence of many vertues make a flood of perfection and euen now when a very mizer should set at large his hard-bound heart for expences haue damned vp the same with the mudde of auarice you that haue carryed away good opinion with you in times past for courteous affable courtly well-descended free noble and aboue the rest a liberall Gentleman now to make a stoppe and darken all that lustre with a miserable sparing and niggardly conuersation And when in a time of professing loue which seemeth to shed teares at your degenerating condition and to whom to a Ladie of honour and iudgement whose very presence may command presents and extraordinary expences and where in both your countreys where reproach stands watching for any occasion and enuious eyes behold you with repining and would faine looke iustly awry vpon the least deformity Be therefore good Sir better aduised and remember that in religion couetousnesse is resembled to Idolatrie in Philosophy to all wickednesse and ouerthrow of the best resolutions in moralitie to the dropsie an insatiate disease which the more corruption it hath the more it desires in ciuill conuersation to a nastie combersomnesse which terrifieth one another and breaketh the band of true friendship Alas what doe you gaine by vnmeasurable hoording vp of wealth but a base report and a ridiculous pointing at euen as you ride along Nay you shall be compared to a barking Dogge at cattle feeding on hay which will neither let them take a repast nor can helpe himselfe to satisfie nature O good Sir though I am no Scholler yet can I reade what other men doe write and of all the vices which are enemies to a quiet soule and free borne Gentleman couetousnesse is the worst basest and most ridiculous For besides that it detaineth vs from the ciuill vse of Gods blessings in the world so that neither in diet nor ornament a man is master of
repent Nor hath he pardond all whom he hath shent Nor mad them happy whom he doth forbeare And so much wiser in so much mistrust They haue most hope that haue most doubt of tim the best assured hart must beare or brust Bare honesty is poore as Ballet-rime And somewhile counted for an heynous crime Yet store's no soare because the honest-wise Are feasted when they haue what will suffise Content's a royall portion for a Prince A minde at peace excelleth gouernment Hee hath abundance that hath competence Pleasde is a treasure neuer to be spent The patient man did neuer yet repent Nor hope in vaine nor yet in vaine repine For sufferance is sufferantly diuine And yet it is a hinderance to my Creede That neither sexe nor sorts in meanes or minde Neither for cause matter desert or deede Should haue a care of loue or loue of kinde Lost-labour so to seeke and such to finde Then seeke no more to finde such labours losses T is better not to liue then liue with crosses For touching life that we doe loue so much And court with such variety of fauour If that our wisedome and our grace were such To weigh our losse of time with losse of labour And iudge the mischiefe of our misbehauiour In both the courts of conscience repentance Our selues might giue both euidēce sentēce And scape the scrupule of a froward minde And clense the filth of our corrupted sence And in the molde of vanity soone sinde The foule occasions of our vilde offence Purging diseased sinnes with some pretence Wherby we liue so wretchedly so wrought on as neither GOD nor any good is thought on O wicked world growth of inconstant passions Wherein no vertue is at all abiding If now at ease streight sicke at least of fashions With whose impatience there is no desiding From whose deuises there is no diuiding Now this then that euē as the humor bread Now honor'd much aboue our small desert Anon more low then is the seruile slaue In whom ther is no hope no worke nor Art To purchase or prolong to wish or craue Oppression's humble and opinion's braue All things vncertaine yet most certaine too That what so ere Time made it shall vndoo Times past present teach vs what 's to come That fraile mortality is as fruitlesse aire Thogh much desirde honord much by some By some lesse happy in as much despaire In some most fowle in other some most faire Most fowl most fair most desprat most desird And all but with infection most inspirde So all alike the Noble and the Clowne Dye and with them their deeds as well as they For after-ages put the former downe Their murthred monumēts haue nought to say Their beauties with their bodies ayre clay Caesar and Alexander dead rotten The actors and their actions quite forgotten Dauid the Darling of th' Almighties-heart Predominant in pleasure and in power Most worthily till wickednes did thwart That heauenly Sunshine with a worldly showre The greatest winner hath a loosing hower For GOD did neuer yet make that man liue That hath not in his life some cause to grieue How trust we then to vaine abilitie The breath of howrs giddy Fortuns fauors Whose alterations worke debilitie And our loose-hopes with loosing happes mislabours time hūteth fools as fools hūt hares with tabers Beating vpon the toppe of stiles and stockes Tlll in the fire of pride they burne like blocks Sencelesse of all sence but sencelesse pleasure And that it selfe euen as it is affected Subscribing onely to the humors leisure By which alone they wholly are directed Till ill by worse be worthily detected Then car'd as little for as they haue car'de They feele the differēce to be spoyld or sparde Beauty and strength are but a vulgar blast And shape a subiect vnto euery beast Euen sence it selfe will leaue our selues at last When this shall be the subiect of the feast That vertues store will neuer be decreast Wher good men may recoūt without controule The golden reckoning of an humble soule And to dilate the matter somewhat more Let 's looke a little ore the world againe And see if that we haue not causes store to fret our selues and on our selues complaine that any worldly Soyle our soules should staine When nothing in the world is good or sure ther 's nothing good that can the world endure Princes of state the game of Fortunes wheele Are treasons subiects thralls to base despight tormented in their soules when as they feele A guilty conscience open inward sight to see how wrongs haue ouergrowne the right And how so ere theyr titles make them proud Yet must they dye like mē GOD saies aloud Nobles the breath of Kings are vaine in pride And vainer in opinion of vaine men Swelling with factious hearts gainst wind and tyde If they be crost or countermanded when The Lyon mongst the beasts coms from his den And peraduenture takes the Ape to play When Beasts of nobler kinde are chasde away Great Officers the wantons of the time Sifting theyr sences through sleight vanitie Teaching poore vertue that this durt slime Must worke our worldly base felicitie And further pleasures in iniquitie As for the soule let simple men regard it For being simple simple worths reward it Friends yet vntryde like golden hanging fruite With wordes of fauour and as smooth as oyle Smoake promises to helpe thee in thy sute But all to countnance pride and to beguile Simplicitie with many a fained smile For touch them once they crumble vnto dust like burnt cole-fruit which Tātalus did trust Acquaintance onely bubbles in the ayre Made out of sope and water by young boyes Swelling a while with pleasant shape and faire As long as our owne breath augments the ioyes but blown on burst prouing thēselues slight toyes For if that our misfortunes are espide They quickly shrink hang their heads aside Children the care of cares and harts disease In such a time of brauery and sinne Where disobedient sonnes must needs displease And daughters faire themselues to know begin Seeking a dangerous libertie to winne For what a Feuer makes the Father quake whē daughters hāds with fool or whore do take Women the torments of vnsetled hearts The very Fewell vnto burning lust Yet in themselues doe acte contrary parts Against such men as doe them truely trust For if they swell with wantonnesse vnburst They practise slye deceyts if they be good Yet oft with chafings they doe vexe thy blood Strūpets most dangerous baytes a burning fire Blacke coales consuming or for to bismeer Trothles to trust wrought vp with greater hire A foule consumption of the soule most deere Yet making boyles and botches to appeare O that fond mā wold liue with sweetned breath For their darke stincking houses lead to death Beautie a pleasing ornament to sight Ordainde to shew the Makers noble glorie But see how Pride and Nature doth delight To ouerthrow the goodnes
of a story Although decaied with time when head is hory Yet is it made adulterate hy arte When a false hand hath playde a cunning part Opinion is a Monster amongst vs all Yet doth not terrifie with outward shape Onely our selues doe as we rise and fall After the censures of the people gape And therevpon by force of vicious rape Bereaue sweete uertue of her chastitie With anxious hearts swelling in vanitie Life and the best life but a topping tree Set in the midst of a confused grange Which whē the Lord thinks good he doth agree to fell or roote it vp for some newe change Or trie some stranger form by such exchange Yea peraduenture burned in the fire subiects must yeld to what their kings require Apparell monstrous by our monstrous wills Disguising our defests seeking to hyde Natures deformitie when purse fulfills An humorous wantonnesse on euery side Yet frō substantiall truth most largely wide For when that we must naked goe to graue What will become of that wee seeme to haue Vertues and vices neither good nor bad But as the owners states giue them their test For who in estimation can be had For greatest vertues if they doe not rest In wealth or good opinion of the best And vicious who but he that cannot hide And keepe his faults from being soone espide Buildings of sumptuous cost the prey of Fire are somtimes curst with sobbing poor mes cries When to erect what greatnesse doth desire A hundred cottages in rubbish lyes And many an Orphan vnrelieued dyes But where the morter of an house is mixt With blamelesse bloud it cannot long be fixt Pearls pretious stones the glasse of plēties pride Riches and Friends vnstaid in mood minde Kinred but Natures chaffe Whē they are tride For they will flye away with Stormy winde In whom nor loue nor truth at all we finde These shapefull monsters daily alter so as wee can hardly credite what we know The fraudfull Fox deals friēdly with her whelps There is no beast that to her owne is cruell All things were by creation made for helpes And kinde to kinde is still a friendly iewell The Fire doth giue him fire that giueth Fuell Euen there where contraries enforce despight Nature in nature teacheth 〈…〉 Then if thou wilt be man and not be kinde Disdaine thy needlesse int'rest in creation Be to instruction deafe to nature blinde With neioher man nor beast haue conuersation Abandon hope of grace abiure saluation Be both aliue and dead harmfull and hatefull Be any thing if thou wilt be ingratefull And lay aside absurde Affinitie Vnlesse to hell thou wilt allye thy selfe And so the Diuell graunt immunitie As is thy trust in him and in thy wealth Abortiue potion of foule poysoned pelfe Sorrrow of soule and surfet of vile sinne Man had bene happy if thou hadst not hin An honest minde informer time did show More pietie then now the best of kinne That was because the time was honest to Much better then this age that wee are in Such are the putrefactions of sinne Our almes our neighbor-hood our humanity Turnd diuell discord and immanitie Neighbour indeed is now by stranger nam'de Cousen by cousnage kindenesse is vnknowne And friends of friendship are so much ashamde As custome hath concluded there is none None that doth good the Psalmist saith not one It is the Prophet it is GOD doth say it And man were much to blame to disobey it As hee 's as much to blame that doth belieue Any that liues in ioy vnusde to moorne Doth loue can loue commiserate or grieue Father or brother haplesse and forlorne For pitty onely is to plenty sworne And hee 's a bastard vnto worldly blood That doth a poore man eyther grace or good Yet GOD forbid that GOD should causer be That wee for lacke of knowing him do erre He gratious suffers whilest that gracelesse wee His tollerance into negligence trans-ferre Whereby it makes the Atheist to auerre The soule of man immortall in the least 〈…〉 as it doth in beast Men cannot doe what cannot be vndone Nor suffer more then flesh and blood can beare Who playes with fortune sildom times hath won T' is labour lost to worke aganst the haire Then not preuaile it s better to forbeane A thing vndone is easily preuented Doe to vndoe is neuer vnrepented Glorious designes are ammelled in blood The way to greatnes is vneuen and hard He neuer was that for preferment stood That was not often with mischaunces barrd The body of attempts haue crosses scarrd Who liu'de and sought for honest labours hyre And was not forst to worke it out of Fire Courts and occurrences of Kings Pallaces Where some soone rise to fall againe as fast Show the conditions of the fallaees Whose fruits doe scantly blow before they blast Planted with care and with repentance past So that cōpare the gains with losse surmoūting And saue a labour and auoyd accounting T' is pittie Warre were not at warre with this But let the worthlesse Souldier be aduanced The better times made better seruices Where best endeuors best rewards enhanced But now the best of Beggars is best chaunced A heauy Fortune that such hazard yeelds Either to starue at home or die in Fields But heare my counsell in a Grand-sires phrase All doe amisse let all amisse amend Self sauing workes are best deseruing praise And praise on workes in prudence done attend All actions are approoued as they end Who made the feast will fast to mind the pay whē vnthrifts care not who the charge defray Then sith the ende is good of these my Rimes Theyr plainnesse showes no vainnesse but the Times FINIS The louer is affraide to lose his beloued The Louer distracted with feare of hazzarding his desire Loue occasioned through a vnity of inward vertues and outward comelinesse The Louer findeth fault with neglect of titles Loue complaineth of sequestration Loue cannot indure a riuall or competitor Loue will hardly bee supprest after it hath taken firme rooting Loue desires secrecie not ouer liberall discoueries True loue is not tyed to outward beautie Loue is affraid to looke his contentment A little iealousie seasoneth true loue A letter describing true friendship A letter of friendly precepts The properties of true friendship The properties of true friendship Necessitie causeth importunitie Deniall of trifles and presumption of anothers weakenesse maketh a breach in friendship Discontinuance and vnkindnes loseth friends in the end Ingratitude is not befitting a gentleman A man out of good manners must answer letters howeuer they proue vnsauory in the acceptation Iealousie should not be shewne without cause The differēce betweene a willing and compulsed absence Friendship is afraide to bee forgotten and so pleadeth in her owne behalfe A good wife cōmended compared to a ship at sea A friend desireth a Gentlewoman to vnite the inward vertues of the mind to outwardlouelinesse A gentleman must take heede how he settles himself in the counitry as a farmer If a Gentleman will be a Farmer it is the best to obtain the principall house or the credite of the highest place in the towne Concerning the building and ordring a house with retaining of seruants Whether a gentlewoman may with her credit let out lodgings for money The danger of disagreement between man and wife with their dueties How children ought to be brought vp how seruants ought to be instructed Women in yeares should rather looke for rich aduancement then wanton satisfaction A Gentlemā should not bee seruant to any man that hath a sufficient estate of his owne but if he be with what policy he must contract it No oathes to be beleeued before marriage He that will enrich himselfe by seruice must follow some thriuing officer The Lady of the house must be obserued of such as meane to thriue under the Lord. Some Lord or other must be made an Agent to obtaine a suite of the king Suites in court are neuer dispatched without great attendance A military policy to restraine insolent mutinies Wat policy soeuer ambition build vpon it is at last cast downe with death and destruction Men must submit to their fortune A sonne reprehended for his disordered life Loue findeth fault with inconstancy and follow a strumphet who is desired Against 〈…〉 Against coueteousnesse Against deniall of trifles amōgst friēds and feare of combersomnesse Against idle excuses Against pride and tyrānous behauiour in great persons Foolishnes and dishonesty in a seruant condemned Against drunkenesse Against the breach of wedlocke in a man Against whordom in the woman Excuse for not lending money Excuse for being importunate in the behalfe of a friend Excuse for keeping company and going to court Excuse for taking shelter in a shower of raine with a strange gentleman Excuse for not dispatching a suite of importāce according to expectation promise Excuse for tarrying too long from a wife Excuse for not dispatching of busines Excuse for not writing attending unwilling persons to bee spoken with Excuse for not forbearing a friend presuming to disgrace another Excuse for not beeing Surety for a Friend Excuse for not entertaining a friend as hee ought to bee Excuse for not soothing vp of humors A request to requite a discurtesie A friendly request for money A request for the entertaining of a daughter A request for assurance of a farme A request to forbeare a debt A request to forbeare a dangerous Ladies cōpany A request to be charitable A request to admit a scholer for a soldier For the knighting a friendly worthy Gent For to defend a widow gentlewoman in her right against all wrong calumniation A friend entreateth for an office for another For aduice in matters of difficulty A thankefulnes for a daughters good bringing vp good bestowing A thankfulnes for recompencing the giuing of a Booke A thankefulnes for an office A thankefulnes for defending one against a great aduersary A thankefulnes for not beleeuing a fals report A thankefulnesse for lending of mony A thankefulnes for a timely good turne Newes from Xante and Candy Newes from Constantinople Newes from Scio. Newes from Meteline Newes from Malta Newes from Venice Newes from Turine Newes from Ziion and Ierusalem Newes from Cyprus