reasons arguments in diuers places dispersed are reduced together to be the better fixed and imprinted in the memory of the AudieÌ„ce as to say Right honorable and worshipful what will you that I say vnto you I haue first told you such a thing and such a thing c. and haue proued it by such reasons c. The conclusion demonstratiue is made as if a man should saye thus For the excellent beuties of women which are of such Angelicall shape hauing the booke of such ardent liuelyhood and the speach so gracious do passingly enamour the myndes of men Furthermore it is to be noted that diuers Epistles may begin with a perfect sentence authoritie or common prouerbe prouided that it be altogether agreeable to the purpose that we entend to perswade or disswade as for Example Denys the tyrant vvriteth to the Burgesses of Naples WHosoeuer denieth his soueraigne that which iustly to him is due is altogether vnexcusable For the soueraigne Lord may and ought for the affaires of him and his cuntrey demande ayde of his subiectes for to coÌ„serue them in peace seing that for them he daily hazardeth him selfe in a thousand perils of death Now so it is that I haue demanded of you an hundreth thousand duckats and ten thousand men for to make warre vpon the king of Chipre which demaund you wold not or else haue disdayned to vnderstand much lesse to accomplish 1 waying then the othe that you made vnto me I thought you wold haue kept promise and fealtie 2 considering also that you are not ignorant of the great necessitie y t I haue bothe of men money for the which I haue ofteÌ„ sommoned and required you Therefore seing your infidelitie and rebellion I accompt you as enimies and haue determined to extend vpon you myne indignation and crueltie euen to the abandoning and ransacking of you and your Citie by fyer and sworde and generall pillage of all your goods without any fauor or pardoÌ„ the which thing you might haue auoyded by loue fidelitie and obedience An answere to the same in like maner and foâ—rme THe Law of impossibilitie is so great most high and redouted soueraigne that thereby euery man ought to be and is lawfully excused and frée of all somoning and request for there as is not wherewithall neither dominion nor payment taketh place according to the common prouerbe where nothing is to be had the King loseth his right And as loÌ„g as we had wherwithal our good wil and loyall corage hath alwayes obeyed you plainely manifesting vnto you our fidelitie and obedience euen to the very consummation of our goods and slaughter of the strong men and youth of our Citie in such sort that now we haue nothing remaining vnto vs but onely the good will Beseching you most humbly to mitigate and assuage your anger and fury considering the great pittie and pouertie of vs. Note that in all Letters or in moste parte of them three things ought to bee obserued To wit that the demaunde be iuste that it bee possible and to shew the possibility assigning the rewarde of the benefit if these things be not expresly set then are they vnderstanded For if a poore man write vnto a rich to lend him money it is not nedeful to declare his demaund to be iust nor to declare his possibilitie but it suffiseth to praise the rich man of his vertue liberalitie whereby he helpeth the poore which are succourlesse Also he that demaÌ„deth to bynd himselfe nedeth not to speake of the rewarde of the plesure nor likewise wheÌ„ the Father writeth to his sonne or the Master to his seruant nor when a man writeth to his frende And here are to be noted foure things which let hinder the demaundant from being granted The first is to demand a thing to great more thaÌ„ a man ought wherefore saith Cato Quod iustum est petito aske thy duetie and no more The second is the tyme as to demaunde yee in soÌ„mer or that one should paie an obligation or rente before the time be expired The thrd is the place as if my debter should owe me x. pound to be payde in Paules Church I should demaunde it of him in Westminster Hall The fourth is the cause as to demaund that which hath been promised notwithstanding any thing that is done or sayd within the certain time that it be not satisfied As for Example O Lorde Christ I ought to haue and possesse heauen I am a ChristiaÌ„ I craue it of thée truely he wil say I haue giuen thée heauen if it be so that thou accomplish the will of my Father which is in heauen Moreouer if it happen that in Letters it be nedefull to make partes anb diuisions let it be don with breuitie and likewise if there be a NarracioÌ„ as of newes froÌ„ the court or of wars it must be dispatcht very briefly plainly in vsing coÌ„mon termes without long clauses or parentheses Thus hauing now declared set forth at large most part of the necessary precepts which belong to the well composing and endyting of Epistles and Letters I say necessary for if a man should make compose an Epistle well either in English or in any other language it were good to haue the perfect vnderstanding of all the rules both of Gramar Rethorike presently shalbe described the Style and fourme of certain letters And first wheÌ„ one maÌ„ writeth for an other commeÌ„ding him to the ende he might obtaine some dignity or prefermeÌ„t such a letter must containe .iiij. partes The first way to get beneuolence is in praising of him vnto whom we write for his liberalitie his bountifulnesse his iustice his vertue c. The second waie to purchase beneuolence vnto him for whome we write is to say that he is modest gentle to euery one a man not voide of knowledge The third is to make the demand honestly modestly which must be deuoide of the foure lets and impedimentes whereof we lately made mention and in so doing that it be iust honest facill and for the which he vnto whom we write may haue either honor or profit by graunting it The fourth to promise him all seruice and perpetuall obedience saying that what soeuer is demaunded for and in the fauor of such a man is estemed as though it were for our selfe as in this Example A Letter vvritten to the King in fauor of one pretending the order of Knighthode IT behoueth me not most Christian King to write familiarly to your sacred Maiestie for so might I be noted of presumption and â—olish hardinesse but considering your benignitie and humanitie whereby you giue fauor and supportacion euen vnto them that haue fully deserued it and vnto strangers For this cause therefore I haue taken audacitie to write vnto you vnder hope to obtaine that which I ernestly and most humbly require It is in the behalfe of
please you to visite me often with your Letters to the ende that notwithstanding the distaunce of the place betwixte vs our mindes may yet reioyce be comforted together praying you with all my heart to commaund me in your affaires euē as he that is always ready to do you seruice God to frend to whō c. How to write of some small affaires businesse or newes HAuing a matter of great importaunce to write yet many times we ar desirous to write of som smal businesse or newes of litle importāce so doing y e letters must cōtain .iij. parts First to declare the cause that moueth vs as in the stile before Secondly to salute him gētly telling some pretie mery newes Thirdly to offer him our seruice with hartie cōmendations vnto him others The example wherin one friende vvriteth to an other of certain small newes ALthough it bée long since I wrote vnto you right dere perfect frend yet is is it not for y e I had forgotten you but bycause I had not any matter to write vnto you therfore hauing now found a trustie Messanger I haue thought good to write vnto you these Letters whereby you might vnderstand y e god be praised who disposeth al things we are here in good helth beseching him y t it be so w t you all our frends there I haue bethought me considered with my selfe whereof I might write vnto you and haue founde none other thing saue onely to certifie you that by the cōmaundement of the King and the ordinance of the Court this day was made a great generall Iustice which was a wonderfull excellent thing to beholde considering the order that there was kept you haue heretofore séene but I thincke not so passingly well handled nor better ordred for surely the chalengers especially with so valiant corage and strength enforced themselues in the Iustice that wonder it was to sée and on the contrary side appeared also such manly hearts and boldned stomacks that great commendations obtayned both partes of all the assistants but yet in fine after many sturdie strokes on both sides the chalengers woon the price c. Thirdly if I had knowen any other newes I would haue written them vnto you praying you that you will still beare me good wil and often times write vnto me Recommending me especially to you and to such a one and to all our other frendes thereaboutes Beseching our Lord to send you comfort and health c. How to write letters contayning some pleasant Iestes of oure selues besydes other matter THere are yet other sortes of letters for these before written may be called simple now testeth there to expresse the composition of some mixed Letters which are of two or moe things And first we wil shew the style of a mery letter prouoking to laughter or reioycing yea and it oftentymes falleth that in weightye matters there is to be mingleh some pretie cōceate be it through iesting of our selues or of some other And such Letters must be deuided into three partes First we must pleasantly expresse the mery iestes or conceyte that we entend to vtter our honesty and reputation still obserued for that which we write is only to reioice our frend Secondly to leaue the iest or mery cōceit to change into some other matter to the ende that it be not sayd that we be altogether scoffers Thirdly to offer our whole seruice as in the letters before The Example wherin a Souldier writeth to his Captayne IT is no maruell redouted Captayne though you make great account of me for if I shold be in any réencōter against our enimies where it were necessary to part it with blowes you should sée how I would handle my selfe yea the grat feare that I haue of it doeth make me already trouble and quake considering y e I neuer fought but vnder the curtaine and with the pot and the spiggot I beleue I durst not assault the snayle if she were armed with hir shell and hornes for as hardy a felow am I as euer was drawne out of a bowease yea in such a matter I woulde loue well the sound of the retraicte and if euer you sawe man of warre play better with a two footed swoord then say boldly that I am a lyar for I would runne with the formost to the forewarde of a good Tauerue there to giue the onset Secondly my Captayne all this I haue written but onely in iest For in déede to saye the truth none dispraysed there is no man in the whole companie that more willingly or more coragiously woulde aduenture himselfe in the battayle than I woulde doe For by the faythe that I owe vnto the King and to you I haue so much before mine eyes the publike weale and haue so much pitie of the misery and calamytie of the poore people that at all houres both day and night I am purposed to hazard my life in the defending thereof and repulsing of the enimies to the ende that folowing the steps of other valiant Champions I may purchase honor renowne Thirdly neuerthelesse valiāt Captain I pray you not to put your selfe in danger without a cause but if you sée that it be nedefull either for your owne defense or otherwise you shall fynd in me such facts as I wil not vtter with mouth always prest and redy to obey your good pleasure and commaundement How to write Letters concerning mery iestes or taunts by some other IF we would merily taunt him vnto whome we write or some other of whom we write it must be done euen as in the style before written sauing that in the second part we must ernestly cōtinue on the matter The example wherin Cicero iesteth with Valerius COnsidering with my selfe at this present my perfect frends Valerius the great negligence that is in you that synce your departure you haue written nothing vnto me I can not excuse you but to say that you haue the palsey or else the seuer lurden and that the hands which were wont to write often vnto me can now no longer holde the penne If it be so recommend your selfe to the Saints of Paradise or if not learne so write with your féete euen as you haue well done with your handes Secondly although iesting bourding yet knowe I not any other thing which might be more gratefull vnto me or wherin you might doe me more pleasure than now amongst the great affaires that I haue for the publike weale to giue me some consolation by your letters to the ende that I may be certayne of your health You know my heart how I loue you doe not request any other thing of you at this present if not that it wold please you to write often vnto me Thirdly as for me if there be any thing wherein I may imploye my selfe to pleasure you you may command me euen as him y e is gladly redy to accōplish your good desyre How to write letters
And certainly also this pleseth me well that it should so bée for this cause for often tymes I presupposed and as it were prognosticated that it would so come to passe therfore I pray thée hold on as thou hast begon Diuine to the ende that thou maist likewise make me a true Diuinator In respect of that that thou extollest y e Marsilian in euery place with passing praises I doe maruell no whit at all Who is he that in pronouncing his proper praises is not vehement and warmeth not him selfe who is hee so vnsensible that delyteth not himselfe in that which belongeth vnto him selfe Francus declared vnto vs that thou hast had talke of vs with all the wise and learned especially with Hirmolaus Barbarus What wilt thou that I do for thée certainly I wil willingly do it Farewel Politianus answereth vnto Marsilius Ficinus THou perceiuest not in me euery day new things which are worthy to be praised but rather new things in thy selfe through y t which thou praisest mée and that which semeth vnto thée such abundance is thy excéeding loue whereby as Propertius recyteth of nothing is raysed a great history And veryly I think thou wilt make me a Diuinator for thou hast caused me to Diuine whē as euery day I say and preach that thou art a Diuine Farewell Innocent Pope to Angelus Politianus MY welbeloued Sonne health and Apostolicall benediction The booke which thou lately didst sende vnto vs translated out of Greke into Latin we haue hartely and gladly receiued aswell for the noueltie of the thing as for the iudgement of diuers whome in these partes we esteme for learned and wise It is so well furnished with learning and wit that therewith our Lybrarie shalbe greatly adorned and therfore we giue thée most hartie thanks recommending thy vertue vnto our Lord and exhorting thée from henceforth to perseuer in such lyke things to the ende that by these honest labours thou mayst one day get greater prayses and that thou maist deserue at our hands more fertile grace And in token aswell of the good will that we know to be in thée as for the great fatherly loue that we beare towards thée we haue thought good to send thée two hundred Crownes by our welbeloued sonne Iohn Turnabon to the ende that by suche succour of liuing thou mightest more easyly support and accomplysh thy labours and workes Youen at Rome at Saint Peters vnder the Seale of the Fisher The .xvj. of August 1487. The third yere of our Pontificalitie Innocent the eight Pope to his vvelbeloued sonne Laurentius de Medicis VVElbeloued sonne health and Apostolicall benediction We giue thanckes vnto thy deuotion for that through the same our welbeloued sonne Angelus Politianus a man very learned and expert hath sent vs a booke translated out of Greke into Latin the which he dedicated vnto our name the which not onely by our owne iudgement but also by the iudgement of other wyse men vnto whome we haue shewed it is greately commended It shall be of vs as appertayneth greatly estemed and honoured and shall bée an ornament in our Librarie the whiche shall bée a Testimonye of his Vertue and Learning wée exhort thée aboue all things to prouoke and moue the same Angelus by thy authoritie to make and compose like workes which shall bring forth vnto him vulgar estimation and vnto vs no small delectation who for so honest labours partly by benefits partly by other things will cause that worthy thanks reward shalbe employed and giuen vnto him And now in token therof we haue appointed to be sent vnto hym by oure welbeloued sonne Iohn Turnabon .ij. C. Crownes to the ende that this booke shold not remayne without recompense Youen at Rome at Saint Peters c. Angelus Politianus to Innocent the .viij. Pope rendreth Salutaion I Knowe not in what sort to render thée thanks most holy Father Innocent Soueraigne Bishop which hast with so great prayses and ample liberalitie rewarded our small labours which thing I consider and interpret to haue ben so done for this cause to wit that it hath pleased thy holynesse and blessednesse by this meanes to erecte and stirre vp the myndes of learned men whiche of long tyme haue lien still and as it were slombred when they vnderstand to be in such a worthy Bishop of this time suche and so great humanitie and liberalitie that now euen the basest and least in order remayne not only praysed and honored but also liberally recompenced Certainly these prayses togither with the presēt and vnloked for benefits on me bestowed haue added vnto me as it were spurs and pricks and haue charged me with a great carefulnesse so to kepe and behaue my selfe that at no time or by no cause I be found to be vnworthy of this thy liberalitie and fauour wherevpon I will take care and will so enforce my selfe that this our tender territorie to the tillage whereof thy magnificence hath now giuen such and so great succoure shal bring forth hereafter new reuenues to thy sacred Maiestie Valeat tua sanctitas Florentiae c. A certayne man writeth to a Bokebynder of Paris VVOrshipfull Syr assured I am that if I should commend me an hundreth thousand times vnto you yet shold I doe lesse than nothing if it pleased you not to accompt me for one of those that wish you well therefore I pray you commend me vnto you certifying you that synce my departure I haue written sufficient matter vnto you according to my rudenesse whereunto you haue made me no aunswere Howbeit I maruell not thereat considering that you haue ben so busyed about the vrgent affaires of the king that you haue had no leysure to attend thereunto wherefore you are worthely to be excused And though it be so that I am transported into a farre cuntry to execute needfull things yet is it not to be supposed that true loue shold decay through the visible seperatiō made betwene two frendes whereof you are the one and I the other at the least I am yours and beleue that you are myne And therefore as myne I haue not nor wil not deferre to write vnto you trusting and being assured that through the receiuing of my Letters I shall cause you to be more ioyfull and to haue me in remembrance Doing you also thereby to vnderstand that if it would so please you I would gladly haue certaine little bookes whereof I spake vnto you dispatched from the bynding hansomely and fynely as you know wel how to doe them yea farre better than it is possible to expresse or write vnto you Of a thing well done the praise remayneth to the Author and doer thereof wherein I know you shall be partaker for that you worke so perfectly that no man will nor can fynde fault therewith Moreouer if there be any thing in these partes wherin I may plesure you doe but commaūd it and I will obey according to the possibilitie of your sayd frend not
part In some respects now fully play Hir to imbrace that hath my hart And sometimes in my bed to lay I should fynde better pastime sure Than poore Pigmalion could procure But oh I dare not burning brest Ne lingring loue to hir vnfolde For feare of further dangers prest If that the same disdaine she should Therefore with Sisiphus I mone Thus rolling still the restlesse stone FINIS A louer hath his Ladiees hart And writes to hir as is his part LYke as the valiant Soldier stoute when conquest he hath wonne Reioyceth much expulsing dout for such a practise done Or as the Shipman when that hée the strugling stormes hath past Doeth ioy in mynde at length to sée the calme and gentle blast Or as the Marchant when great toyle and trauell he hath had In many a forren countrey soyle at his retorne is glad So I lykewise whom Cupid sore hath troubled with his warre And tossed with his raging rore of Seas that make or marre With daunger great at length I haue the gods I thank therefore Attaynde the thing which I did craue so that I ioy much more Than any of the foresayde states and iust cause is there why For if I had not had good fates right well this know doe I My grief had ben much more than theirs with nothing lesse than death Or liuing else in deadly feares whilst I had ioyde this breath But sith that all my doutes are past I ioy and ioy againe For that I haue obtainde at last redresse of greatest payne And you déere dame to whome I write myne onely ioy and stay Be glad with me reuiue your spirit as well I trust you may For though the tyme not yet be come it is not long behynde Ere we shall ioy the totall some and haue our wished mynde Which time when that it come shal be I know and that right well Our ioyes we shall then perfect sée our comfort shall excell Then shalbe tryde our truthfull harts then shall our loue be showne Then shal be left our lingring smarts then shall no griefe be knowne But in the meane tyme faythfully as doth of right behoue Let eche shew other constancie with stedfast fixed loue Let both our myndes together gré◠as though they were but one Sith both our harts so fixed bee as can be better none Whereof I dout not god I take to witnesse at this tyme For I had rather life forsake than chaunce should such a cryme The lyke in you I know doth rest and shall continue still As faithfully you haue exprest your true loue and good will Therfore these lynes I do not send bicause I stand in dout But onely thereby to extend our faithfull hearts throughout So take it then my heart my deare who makes my ioyes excell The gods vs guide from douting feare and thus my heart Farewell FINIS A Louer sick for very loue To pitie doth his Lady moue SIth God doth guide the course of man directing all his wayes And ordreth euery lyuing thing as his good will doth please We mortall men must nedes submit our selues to gods decrée And looke what fate that he doth sende therewith content to be Sometimes by health wealth he doth declare his feruent loue And oft againe with sicknesse great our vessels frayle doeth proue As for example I my selfe of late his hand haue felt But now at last he louingly with me againe hath delt Yea Atropos he had almost cut my vitall thréede a sonder Yf th'other Sisters had not sayd it should continue longer Yea dreadfull death stode at the doore and would haue stepped in Yf mightie loue who ruleth all had not contrary bin Thus haue I tost the toyling strife twixt lingring life and death Which almost had bereft from me this present vitall breath Then iudge nothing amisse my dere ne let me blamed bée Although in déede of many dayes I haue not ben with thée For sure thou hast ben still with me and present in my mynde Though feble ioynts lacke of strength at home my corps assignde So that I could not come to thée as I would faine haue done And as I will by gods grace sure when I my health haue wonne But in the mean time this shalbe thée hartily to pray That if thou haue occasion for to come or goe this way To take the paines to visit mée with passions yet opprest For sure thy presence will me ioy and sende to me great rest Thus being bolde now for to craue this fauour at thy hand With fingers faynt I finish here and still thy seruant stand FINIS A faithfull Louer feling smart doth nippe his Ladie false of hart LYke as the Crocodyle that beast of cruell kynde Doth wepe wayle make great mone mans senses so to blynde And doth dissemble much with flattring false intent As though great loue and frendship eke to him poore man she meant Vntill such time that she haue caught him in hir clawes But then alas with bloody téeth she kills where is no cause So thou déere dame hast done or wouldest at least by mée Not forcing for to hurt thy frende though no iust cause there bée May I not iustly say Oh cruell Tygar than What meanest thou in raging wise to kill a faithfull man Is faith full firmely fixt is promise perfect made Of thée dere dame no more estéemde then cruell is thy trade W 〈…〉 ldest thou destroy 〈…〉 that would thée well An 〈…〉 easant frendly words 〈…〉 y selfe so fell How canst thou then excuse thy double dealing heart When vndeserued certainly thou causest me to smart But for thy fickle faith and promise broken so The gods no dout shall thée rewarde with pinching paine and wo. Then shalt thou iustly feele how thou hast delt with mée And then also shall I reioyce thy punishment to sée I reade how Harpelus faire Phillida did pray But she with checking taūts mocks his purpose did gainesay The gods regarding this tooke pitie on his case And punished hir cruell fact within a litle space For why hir heart was set on fyer with Corins loue Who passed not a pin for hir as she did plainly proue Wherby she pynde away the lyke may chance to you Or greater punishment no dout sith you haue ben vntrue Think not therefore you can vnpunished remayne For why your fault is worse than hirs an hundreth fold certaine Well well I say leaue of thy cruell scourging mynde And practise not thy fayth to bée so false and so vnkinde Else shalt thou surely féele the force of Cupids bow Whose arrows haue not toucht thée yet as thou dost playnly show And thus dere dame adieu sith that thou art so strange For certainly I know right well that England is no graunge Therefore I will take holde vpon some stedfast stay And force not for the slippry Eele sith she will néedes away But as the burned childe the fyer still doth drede So am I warned now at
the Minor whereby we gyue him to vnderstand what our mynde is by Epistle or letter The consequent or conclusion is of it selfe sufficiently knowne The first style or maner wherein the Cause is specified SYr you haue written vnto me and desired me that I would lend you send you by your lacky this bearer one of my bookes for youre recreacion and pastime And bicause that I know the greate affection and desire of you by your Epistle so eloquently composed and endyted I therefore am constrained and by youre letters full of humanitie compelled to make you aunswer as one who altogether is determined to shew you pleasure to lend and send you the booke that you demaund for in so doing I hope that In casu simili vel maiori you will answere me according to my desire which may engendre betwene vs not onely a mutual loue but also a perpetuall beneuolence and a continuall good will The three foresayd partes must be in euery Letter and Epistle either couertly or plainely And a man may also adde to other necessary and superabundaÌ„t clauses euery thing in as briefe order as may be and according as the cause requireth importeth it is not nedefull alwaies to write the cause but it is requisit to write the intent the consequence or coÌ„clusion for the consequence dependeth of the two first the which must be very much either persuading or dissuading He that can artificially and workmanlike handle an Epistle may begin with the intent afterwardes tell the cause end with the consequence or begin with the consequence after declare the intent and then the cause ordring the whole matter as vnto himselfe shal seme best most decent The second Style wherein the Cause is first afterward the Intent and then the Conclusion THe thing which God and Nature would principally should be desyred with most harty affection and the which I perceiue to be imprinted in my selfe more than any other thing my singular and perfect frende is to know to learne and to practise all honesty and humanitie And bicause that aboue all Orators writing of humanitie the sentences of Tully are preferred and bycause that he is estemed of all men the Prince of eloquence yet notwithstanding partely vnknowne in these quarters and notoriously manifested at Paris the Fountaine of Science therefore haue I thought good to write vnto you as to him whom I accompt my singular frende requesting you aboue all the pleasures that you desire to do me and also that you hope as I may imagine that it may be the cause to erect make me a man of vnderstanding that it wold please you to send me the booke of Tullie And in sending I will not forget the recompence of your humanitie which shall not be defrauded of me thorough ingratitude c. The third Style in this order the intent the Cause and the Conclusion I Would dere frende that you tooke as great pleasure to lende me the Paradoxes of Cicero as I desire to haue them of you and throughly to peruse them ouer by coÌ„tinual reading but I haue always deferred to demand them of you bicause they were nedeful for you in your ordinary lectures Notwithstanding for y t I am now aduertised y t your lecture hath takeÌ„ end to your great honor good renown I suppose that the booke is out of your seruice together also as I vnderstand it is more corrected than any other For this cause I request you to send it me y e which I hope you will easely performe And so doing I shall acknowledge the good will which you beare vnto me in sending me the booke which perchance you loue best whereof it may be that you haue most néede And shalbe bound to lend you what soeuer you shall demaund me according to my possibilitie Promising moreouer bothe my seâ—e and goods at your commaundement c. The fourth Style in this order the Conclusion the Cause and the Intent YOu should do me a great and singular pleasure yea and also shold binde me for euer if it wold please you to agrée to my request the which is nothing preiudiciall vnto you and vnto me very necessary and profitable It is to lende me your booke of Rhetorike for many times when I talke or declare a matter to the ende to perswade or disswade or otherwise I perceiue my selfe so naked and vnfurnished of termes and phrases for the purpose and such as I accustomably vse I apply them so ill that eueryone is weary and ceasseth to giue eare vnto me for the discorde of my speach But if any do tary to heare the ende they be either poore ignorant women or else such as deryde me to my shame confusion great dishonour Therefore I am constrained humbly to require you that it would please you to lend me your booke of Rethorike for to haue thereof the copie to the end that I may auoid such inconuenience which hapneth vnto me through the fondnesse and abuse of my language Here is to be noted that the conclusion is made but in three sortes onely to wit by Amplificacion and enlarging by commiseration and pittie or by Epiloge and briefe rehersall By Amplification as inducing laughter or ioy by commiseracion as in mouing to pitty pardon by Epiloge as in collecting briefly together that which hath ben amply and at large declared in the Epistle before especially when it conteyneth many long partes And the Epiloge is made to the ende the Readers or the herers be not defrauded of the purpose conclusion But this is more decent conuenient in Epistles than in Letters for letters ought to be briefe and short And yet bicause this place shall not be left darkely obscurely I wil giue more ample intelligence of commiseracion amplification Epiloge also of demonstration CoÌ„miseracion must be made of swete pitiful humble laÌ„guage like to a CoÌ„medie must be brief for it is ynough if a man do but somwhat moue the Audience to pittie as to say thus with humble modestie wold to God right worshipfull that I had wept to you not haue prouoked you to wepe for with great paine can I scarce vtter one onely worde of myne inteÌ„t through the abundaÌ„ce of teares which my heart causeth to distil from mine eyes c. Amplification is made when for to moue the AudieÌ„ce to honest myrth somtimes to indignatioÌ„ or sometimes to pittie there is spoken in augmeÌ„ting the termes of the CoÌ„clusion somthing for to encrese the termes phrases as to saye thus Right honorable I aduertise you that the cause appertayneth to God and to men of great authoritie Also if you wyl not accept this charge you refuse a great goodnesse and honour which God doeth sende you The Epiloge by nature should be briefe and is made alwayes at the end of the discourse wheÌ„ brefly and in suÌ„me the
such a one a man bothe wise valiant whereof I attest vnto you by the knowledge that I haue had of long time that his name armes and high prowesse are approued of all people in such sort that none dispraised he ought to haue the praise and price aboue all It is well knowne worthy soueraigne what enterprises deliberacions and subtilties in the feats of warres he vsed at the expeditioÌ„ against the Turkes and Infidels especially at the voyage of c. where he caried away the honour by the report of men of good reputation and credite that were there present as namely of such a one and such a one He is now determined eueÌ„ redy to depart homewards But for the great affection that he hath to serue your maiestie as he promised me he wold very gladly by you be made Knight and hath requested me to write for him And bicause that I consider his demaund to be iust and very honest and that it is very decent and conuenable that he should be preferred in honour as one that hath rightly deserued no lesse with great payne and trauail of his bodie and that this shal be an occasion giuing to other good valiaÌ„t hardy Champions to serue you alwayes better and better waiting for suche lyke or better reward Therefore do I humbly besech you to haue him in remeÌ„brance Promising your maiestie that aswell I as he and his wil render you immortal thaÌ„ks beseching God to maynteine preserue you in your triumphant quiet raigne Note that we are not accustomed to speake by thou nor thee as diuers other nations whome we call strangers and barbarous people do except it be in some respects whereby is easely perceiued the loue the gentle nature humanitie curtesie reuerence honour that we haue and beare one to an other yea euen in wryting speaking to our enimies and strangers Notwithstanding I wil not take in haÌ„d to restraine any man by rule or otherwise to vse either you or thou seing that alreadie many good Oratours haue vsed those termes as they haue thought best obseruing as I may rightly coÌ„iecture the perfection of the Latine tong And likewise the Emperor the King the Iudge such other personages although their persoÌ„ be singular yet they vse these termes we say we wil. c. And the cause is for that they neither say nor do any thiÌ„g without couÌ„sel Bicause therfore that our elders betters haue so vsed theÌ„ that they haue ben so obserued time out of minde together also for other resons I leaue them to the iudgement of such as haue desyre further to search and finde out the causes of things for I intend to be briefe Hovv to vvrite in a mans behalfe for a Ciuil cause WRiting in a ciuil cause we must deuide our Letter into foure partes First to get the beneuolence of him vnto whom we write by praysing of his iustice or other vertue agreable to the thing that we would obtayne of him saying that the good hope that we haue to obtayn the thing that we demaunde of him doeth moue vs to write vnto him Secondly to purchase good wil vnto him for whom we write Thirdly to get beneuoleÌ„ce through the iust cause of the thing whereof we intrete saying that it is rightfull easy playne and profitable and that thereof may ensue great honor profit and praise Fourthly to open the demaund requesting that he for whom we write may be had in remembrance in promising our seruice c. The Example THere is in you so great equitie of Iustice right excellent and soueraigne Iudge y t it is manifestly known not onely vnto me but also to the whole cuntrey in such sort that euery one may safely without any aduocate commit his iust cause into your hands how poore soeuer the man be all feare fauour or disdaine cast asyde c. For this cause and for the mutuall loue betwixt vs good stedfast hope doth encorage me to write vnto you in the behalfe of one of my frendes vniustly oppressed by his aduersary trusting that you will preserue vnto him his right For I aduertise you my Lord that he for whome I write vnto you is my auncient and speciall frende and agréeable to all men through his wisdom and gentlenesse yea and by his vertues getteth the loue good will of euery one And bycause he hath before you my Lord certaine processe of diuers wrongs vexacions done vnto him by his aduersary as he hath informed me therefore hath he requested me to write vnto you in his behalfe hoping y t by this meanes you will be vnto him a iust and fauorable Iudge For this cause for y t he is my very singular frend also for y t I wold shew him any seruice or pleasure y t I were able I most earnestly hartely besech you to haue him in remeÌ„braÌ„ce for this other his affaires processe depending before you And in so doing my lord he hath promised me to be your perpetual seruaÌ„t daily Orator praying to God for you all your frends so will all they do y t loue him whereby you shalbe prayed for and praysed amongst many good worthy men of whome he hath alwayes y e familiaritie good acquaintaÌ„ce Hovv to vvrite in ones behalfe for an Offence or cryminall Cause IN a criminal cause or iust excuse the Letter must be deuided into foure partes First to get beneuolence by expressing the vncorrupcion and equitie of the iudge to whome we write And as for the offender to write that he hath alwayes lothed abhorred such a crime wherof he is accused or noted that case may simply be aggrauated howbeit without excusing any thing at al. SecoÌ„dly we must say that although we neuer thought to haue written of any such matters yet we wer moued thereunto coÌ„sidering the coÌ„moditie profit ether publik or priuate or the miserable pitie of him for whom we write who in all other matters was of good coÌ„uersatioÌ„ in whose persoÌ„ was neuer found any other notorious fault alleaging his vertues diligeÌ„ce coÌ„sequeÌ„tly saying that the man is to be regarded and not the voice Thirdly to coÌ„mit to memory the praises of the accnsed recouÌ„ting his vertuous acts good graces Fourthly to promise y t he will no more do any such thing but y t froÌ„ theÌ„ceforth he wil exercise all vertuous acts offering al seruice c. Example I Know for a certainty most vncorruptible Iudge that you haue always hated abhorred and had in abhomination all sortes of malefactours and euill persons correcting them and ministring vpright Iustice as muche as in you is possible especially such as through impieâ—ie are wilfull murtherers of their parentes kinsefolkes or neighbours And for my part most worthy and rightfull iudge I do not only require to flee their company but also detest their cruelty in such sort that it is contrary to all humanitie and to
it behoueth to deuide the letters into foure parts First to get beneuolēce shewing y t we know not howe to begin to render him condigne thanks by reason of our insufficiencie Secondly the beneuoleuce must be consented vpon the thing for we must say that it is very cōmodious profitable for vs. Thirdly we must render thanks after the best maner that may bee declaring all due recompense offering our selues c. The Example I Know not right wise and learned Aduocate by reason of the smalnesse of my vnderstanding how I might expresse or write the fourme to render you condigne thanks and worthy prayse for the benefit that I haue receiued of you in that you haue not onely with a good will taken the charge to conduct and folow my processe whereof I wrote vnto you but briefly haue made expedition therein to my profit with such apparant diligēce that you are greatly to be commended and vnto you belong immortall thanks praises ouer bisides my recōpēce rewards What greater ioy could come vnto me than to be out of care and trouble which I was in for this processe considering y e torment wrōg y t mine aduersarie offered wold haue done vnto me wherof your careful diligēce hath deliuered me made me ioyful quiet this considered I know not how I may worthily reward you which notwithstāding I desyre to the vttermost of my power Nowe seing that I esteme the goodnesse which I haue receyued of you to be perpetuall and immortall reason wold that I should render you perpetuall and immortal thāks which is impossible for me therefore bicause I can not do it I offer you my body goods my selfe myne to remaine to you in continuall seruice c. How to request a Corporall benefit AS cōcerning the maner howe to demaund corporal things as a booke a horse or such lyke the Letter must be diuided into foure partes First we must get the good will of him to whome we write ▪ by praising his liberality and principally of the power authoritie that he hathe ouer the thing that he is demaunded Secondly we muste declare our demaund request to be honest necessary without the which we cānot atcheue to our determinate ende purpose Thirdly that the request is easy to be granted cōsidering his abilitie and that in a more difficil thing his liberalitie is ordinarily expressed Fourthly to promise recompence as golde siluer or some kinde of seruice ¶ The Example I Haue knowen of long time most renoumed Doctor your zele towardes y e poore louers of learning knowledge which you manifest by imparting to thē not onely your Doctrine most effectuously with good corage but also doe not spare to distribut euē to y e vnknowē your temporall faculties wherein you shew your wysdom and worthinesse getting therby praise in the world diuine grace innumerable merits You know right skilfull Doctor that I haue a long time sayled in the déepe sea of Theologicall facultie ordinarily hearing your sacred Lectures but the want of bookes doeth much hinder me from profiting in that faculty and I haue no assured recourse sauing to your liberalitie without the which I shold be cōstrained to frustrate myne endeuor to abandon my studie The matter is not greatly difficill vnto you to ayde me in this my great affaire vrgent necessitie no more than to wil may for you haue in like maner kept diuers other from falling downe haue erected them to high dignitie For this cause I besech you to lend me your boke of Sentēces that I may escape the perils of diuers vncertainties dark ignorances in so doing I wil not shew my self vngrate towards you in ministring such thāks seruice as for me is possible How to answere granting a Corporal benefit HE that will decently aunswer Letters requiring a corporall thing must deuide it onely into three parts First to get the good wil declaring vnto him to whom he writeth that he is affected to please him and to do him seruice Secondly it shall be good somewhat to praise the gift graunt without boasting or vayneglory declaring that it is not only done for that the graunt is profitable but for that he perceiueth that such a graunt is acceptable and pleasant vnto him to whome he writeth and that therefore he desireth to do it for him Thirdly in offring the gift or graunt he declareth him selfe to be readie to do any thing that hee knoweth might pleasure him The Example THe Letters that I haue lately receiued from you my singular perfecte frende haue giuen me great ioye and spiritual recreation for amongst y e cares and waighty businesse wherewith you know that I am ordinarily occupyed I take pleasure and consolacion to heare of your newes chiefly that you should be studious to the end you might attayn to the perfection of a skilfull and learned man which thing I coniecture wil come to passe for I sée fewe that in studying are more diligent than you wherein you employ your selfe by continual vigilacion not losing one Lecture nor disputacion You write vnto me that I shold send you my booke of Sentences and seing the earnest affection that you haue to profit in lerning as you haue written vnto me I do easely and with a good wil condescend vnto you and fauoring your request I send you by this berer the said booke to y e ende that hauing receiued it you may study at your pleasure and for your profit which shall be greatly to my contentation especially if God so graūt that I may once sée you a worthy doctor in y e facultie And I instantly desyre you y t if in any other matter you haue neede of any thing y t I may helpe you withall that you wold not spare me but cōmand it and by Gods grace I will acomplish it with a good will c. How to giue thanks for a Corporall gift receiued TO render thāks for the gift of a corporall thing receiued the letters must be deuided into three partes First to get beneuolēce by reason of the thing giuen Secondly to get beneuolēce by reasō of our selfe saying that we haue neither wit strength nor goodes nor any other thing sufficient to answer vnto the gift the good will c. Thirdly to render thāks in the best sort that we can offrīg al things at his cōmandemēt c. The Example COnsidering with my self your great liberalitie right honorable Doctor and waying the magnificence of the gift which it hath pleased you to impart vnto me I know not as one altogether abashed what thing I eyther might or ought to do For if I should not render you great thanks for the good turne that you haue done me I were worthy to be noted of to much ingratitude or if I should take vpon me to thanke you all my wordes would not be able to suffice that which my heart willeth
mortall nourished him mortall that he is mortally dead rendring the tribute of nature euen as it is appoynted to euery one of vs yet should neither my letters nor consolacion serue to no effect But sith in deede you know well ynough that both yong olde yea euen your selfe shall wax rype and dye ceasse therefore such wéepings and lamentations which better beseeme the female kynde than a wise and prudent man such one as you are and mitigate your strong passions with stronger reasons in doing the déede of a vertuous man employ now your wysdome seing that it is time néedefull to the ende that euery one yea they that know you not may sée to appeare in your persō the constancie and pacience which you haue tolde them to be in you I well remember I haue oftentimes seene you reioyce in prosperitie and therfore if you shold now shew your selfe otherwyse you should giue occasion to think that it were your custome at sometimes to reioyce afterwards bitterly to sorrowe The remedie against such mutabilities and vnconstantnesse is equally to sustaine all prosperous and aduerse fortunes Therfore at my request let not so many vertues which are in you remayne deuoide of pacience I know that you vnderstand this and a thousand other good reasons méete for such a purpose better than I am able to speake or write them vnto you yea you your selfe haue accustomed to comfort your frendes being in aduersitie And I aduertise you that this which I write vnto you is not to instruct or teach you but only to giue you to vnderstand the great good wil that I beare vnto you and that I wold according to my possibilitie plesure you both with body goods without sparing of any thing Hovv to vvrite letters being in exile vnder hope to obtaine restitution ayde counsell or comfort WE must deuide our Letters into three partes First to purchase the beueuolence of the person to whome we write hoping of his loue and prudence by the which he may vnderstād that such a fortune is common to all men Secondly to shew the good deedes that we haue done to our cūtrey or vnto him by whom we are exiled neuerthelesse not vsing any arrogācie but to the end that we may euidently shew that we are wrongfully exyled then shall we declare through whose iniury it was as by our enemies c. whome we know doe hate vs in that they shew vs vngratitude iniury Afterwards we must say that we hope to haue vpright iustice by the whiche we shall obtaine honor and our aduersaries be confounded punished Thirdly we must thereupon demaunde ayde and counsell recommending vs and our matters to our frend which we willingly present vnto him The Example wherein Cicero lamenteth to Lentulus that for the hatred of Clodius he is exyled IT is my custome my singular frende Lentulus when there hapneth vnto me any aduersitie to haue recourse vnto my frendes for theyr ayde counsel or consolation Therfore vnto you whom I repute not onely my frende but aboue all other most especiall for y e you esteme my aduersities to bée yours I haue thought good to write a misfortun which is hapned vnto me through malyce to this ende that by your ayde and counsel I might in so great an euill fynde some comfort and remedy Euery one knoweth and it is common inough to all men what great paynes trauells and charges I haue manfully susteyned to illustrate defende and preserue the publike weale and so doing I haue bestowed not onely my goods ▪ but also my time and labour which leauing vndone I might haue profyted in other greate affaires True it is that in so doing I haue obteyned honour but you know that the wicked doe alwayes malyce the good and can not suffer vertue to haue place for through their wicked steights subtilties they haue so wrought that all the profit commoditie that I deserued had of the publike weale I haue now in one houre lost it al. Against me is raysed vp this wicked hatred of God the world Clodius vnto whome I haue done many good déedes whereof as vngrate he will not remember him selfe but shewing his malice doth rendre me euill for good going about to put me to death for he hath inuēted a thousand fictions and dreames before the Senate with his false wicked witnesses lyke vnto him self hath so wrought that I am banished sent into exyle whereby I am falne into such sorow griefe that I esteme the death to be much sweter and lesse paineful than to liue in such torment And certainly it were impossible for me to liue any longer if there remayned not vnto me a certayne hope which cōforteth me that is that a tyme wil come wherin the truth shalbe knowen and my honor wholy restored and then shall I haue an ende of these euils And to the end that you might hastē this time I pray you herein geue me ayde comfort and counsell for of you onely I require and demaunde it offering vnto you rewarde and gift of me my family and goodes with humble recommendations How to comfort our frend in his exile VPon such an occasion we must deuide our Letters into three partes First must be declared the griefe that we sustaine for the aduersitie of our frende which we must say to be cōmon vnto vs by reason of our mutuall loue Secondly we must get the beneuolence of his person by praysing his great wisdome and vertue declaring vnto him the vyces of his aduersary who through enuie hath ben the cause of his exile Thirdly we must put him in hope shortly to returne and to be restored to his honor with promise to employ our selues to the vttermost of our possibilitie The Example vvherein Lentulus comforteth Cicero who through the malice of Clodius vvas exyled I Can not giue thée to vnderstand by writing my singular friend Cicero nor expresse vnto thée by any meanes what and how great dolour and sadnesse I had when I first conceiued by your letters that this false and wicked Clodius through hatred and yll wil had banished and expulsed you out of our worthy Citie And certainly my frende I am not only sory for your aduersitie euen at the very heart but also when and as often as I remēber that he that hath done so many good déedes to his Cuntry is thorough enuie exyled then gusheth from myne eyes such a spring of teares and in so great abundance that by good similitude they may rightly be called a very Riuer for the great loue that I haue to you And for a truth it wold be so cōtinually with me if I were not restrayned by thincking y e through great wrong to the great dishonor of them that did it you are thus exyled Lord God it is wel knowne vnto thē what humanitie gētlenesse you haue shewed thē insomuch that to none were he neuer so base you haue at any tyme
and also cause it to be manifested Offering our selues c. The example wherein Cicero declareth vnto Caesar the conditions of Appolonius of Rhodes Orator THere is nothing so difficile weightie or paynefull Noble Caesar which with a frée heart for the loue of you I would not take in hande throughe the singular and affectuall good wyll the which I doe beare vnto your most noble Maiestie And thereunto I féele my self bounden by meanes of y e benefits gratulations y t you haue done stil daily do vnto me You haue writtē vnto me that in all diligence I should enquire of the maners and conditions of Appolonius of Rhodes and that I wold write vnto you the veritie I do you to vnderstand that in the iudgement of all thē that know him he is a singular man and not onely in Rhetorike but also in Philosophie doeth get by his workes an immortal name And I certifie you that when he departed from Rhodes he went vnto Athens and there found not his lyke in somuch that the Students sayd that he was a second Pallas yet once againe descended from the braine of Iupiter into their Citie Many other things might I write vnto you of him but wherefore For whosoeuer you shal enquire of you shal fynde them to haue the like good opinion of him so that if you cause him to come to the Citie you shall do a singular cōmoditie not onely vnto your self but also to the whole common weale And if you will that I shal do any other thing for you beholde I am altogether redy to please and obey you recommending me once againe vnto your good grace Hovv to vvrite a Proficiat or Congratulation for an Office or Dignitie WHen a man hath obtained an Offiice or Benefice or any other thing by his good fortune that we would shew our selues to be ioyfull of it we must deuide our letters into three parts First beneuolence to the person vnto whome we write with commending of his merits and vertues Secondly to declare our affection by the which we doe participate of his ioye Thirdly to pray vnto God that the same dignitie office or fortune may be vnto his profit and perpetuall praise offering our whole seruice c. The Example vvherein one frend reioyceth with an other of the office that the king hath giuen him I Know not whether vnto me or vnto you singular frend I ought to say Proficiat for the office which through your vertues and spedy diligence you haue obtained of the king and I assure you that the profit honour yea and glory if it be lawfull to glorifie in wel doing are of no smal estimatiō sith in so yong age you haue obtayned such dignitie surpassed the merits of your elders whereof I ought muche to reioyce for from hence forth your vertues shall be manifested and my honours and profit shall encrease seing that I haue such a frend who through the brightnesse of the glorie hapned vnto him shal driue from me the darkenesse of griefe and shall cause me to haue good participation of his honours ioye and profit Much good doe it you therefore this dignitie which you neuer obtained through ambition but onely through the vertues that are in you for the which there are yet greater benefits due vnto you And as for my parte it is not without a cause that I reioyce for the benefits of fortune are common omongst frends causeth the loue which is in both their bodys to haue but one spirite and in bothe of them is perceiued but one only minde I besech God that you may still prosper go foreward frō good vnto better that by your vertuous faith you may purchase immortall glory and as long as you lyue to remayne in his holy fauour and grace Hovv to vvrite Letters reioycing for oun frendes health or safe returne IF your frend haue recouered his helth or be safely returned from his iorney in such a case our Letters must bee deuided into three partes First to get beneuolence of our owne behalfe for that we were sore affrayde of his sickenesse or that there should happen vnto him any misfortune or aduersitie abroade in his voyage Secondly to declare the ioy that we haue had of his mending or returne praying vnto God to kepe him from all euill Thirdly to offer our whole seruice c. The Example vvherein one frend reioyceth of anothers recouery to health IT is not possible for me to write vnto you neither is the heart of man able to thinke my singular and perfect frende what sorrow and griefe I had when it was reported vnto me that you were greuously sick in great danger for then me thought that I euen felte your sicknesse through the good wil and loue that I beare vnto you and wold gladly that my sorow might haue diminished or eased your passion But by suche and lyke meanes that I had greate sadnesse and griefe for the first newes I haue now inestimable ioy for that it is tolde and affirmed vnto me for a certaintie that you haue wholly recouered your health and welfare I giue vnto you the Proficiat vobis my singular frende for suche a treasure recouered and besech our lord that he will preserue and kepe you in as good and long helth as I wold wish euen vnto myne owne person And I giue you to vnderstād that I. N. M. and all the rest hereabouts are thanckes be giuen to God in good health and welfare prest redy to accomplish all your good requests and commaundement How to exhort to vertue and to good maners TO exhorte vnto Vertue and goodnesse bee yt to auoyde griefe or to get profit the letters or Epistles must be parted into foure partes First to acquire beneuolence by reason of the matter declaring how worthy it is how profitable and necessary for him vnto whome we write and thē that it shalbe a worthy praise for euery good man so to doe Secondly shalbe expressed the thing to be possible and easy to be done Thirdly that it is very necessary for him to doe it and if he doe it not that there may happen vnto him damage dishonor Fourthly and fynally to declare what is to be done and this latter parte may bee placed in such order as shall seme good vnto the endyter The Example vvherein a frende exhorteth a yong man to obtaine vertue THere is nothing in the world wittie yong man that more profiteth aswel to atcheue to common as priuate goods nor which causeth more to augment and get honor and good renowne than the trade of good maners and vertue for by that meanes the wise not onely in their houses haue taken a forme of regiment by good order keping but also kingdoms and publike affaires are by them gouerned mayntained and augmented Beholde the Athemans the Romains and diuers other haue they not alwayes florished when vertuous and wise men had the gouernmēt of their publike
place scrued and although he shall meddle to speake more of mée yet sir you may iudge of the whole for you know wel what part beareth ignorāce and innocencie Wholly offeryng my humble seruice to you and yours c. Howe to write Domestical and familiar Letters or Epistles DOmestical or houshold letters are more in vse than any other forsomuch as of their nature they are very necessary to let our frendes vnderstande of our estate and of our businesse be it of helth prosperitie sicknesse aduersitie or any other domesticall and familiar thyngs and in such matters the Letters or Epistles must be deuided into thre partes If we write of our owne estate health or sicknesse or of the healthe or sickenesse of an other First following Tullie and others we may as they do adde the Latin sentence Si vales bene est ego quidem valeo If you be in good helth god be praised for it for thanks be to God I am Secondely wee shall recite our owne health or the causes of the amendment thereof and also the helth or sicknesse of our frend whiche we shall esteme euen as our owne gladde of his recouerie or prosperitie rendring thankes vnto god who hath so disposed it likewise if there be hapned vnto vs any fortune or misfortune we shall write the state therof be it riches or pouertie dignitie or depression to admonyshe oure friende either to reioyce or sorow with vs. Thirdly we say cōmonly Thus not hauing wherewith further to enlarge at this present but beseeching the Lorde to keepe and preserue you in his holy tuition we finish From such a place c. By yours altogither to command c. or otherwise as shal please the enditer The Example of a common Style in that case IF you be in health and mery I am very glad for great thanks to be giuen to God on my behalfe I fynde my selfe in very good health and welfare You do peraduenture greatly maruell for that I was wont to write often vnto you of late haue deferred so to do wherof it may be that you woulde accuse me of negligence howebeit it hath not bene through negligence for an ague hath so weakened me of late that I had small hope to haue escaped without treading the trace out of this worlde into another yea I was brought so low that euen the Physitions had quite giuen me ouer and I had no hope saue onely in God to whose good aide I still committed my selfe Secondly his soueraigne bountie hath brought me to my former helth notwithstanding it hath not ben without great expense of money Beholde therefore the causes why I coulde not write vnto you but frō henceforth I will write vnto you more oftener if God grant me time and space so to do Thirdly I shall desire you to write vnto me of your prosperitie and of such a one assuring you that if there be any thing that I may do for you do but cōmaund me and I will do myne indeuor to accomplish it God to frende whome I besech to graunt vnto you your harts desire From such a place c. How to write other domestical Letters of familiar businesse WE must deuide thē into thre partes First Secondly as in the other going before Thirdly shal be put the conclusion saying that we haue thought good to aduertise hym of suche businesse bycause hee is oure very friende The Example wherin one Friend aduertiseth an other of the processe that he hath wonne IF it bée well with you my singular friende then is it very wel with me For euen as I am God be praised in good health so woulde I desire that it shoulde be lykewise with you And bicause I know that the loue betwixt vs two hath alwayes made vs equall in our fortunes therefore haue I thought good to write vnto you of my businesse and affaires bicause in déede you might be the more ioyfull Secondly you are aduised of the time trouble cost that I was at in the sute that I had against such a one and how oftē I haue cursed the houre whensoeuer I heard talke of it euen ready many tymes to gyue it quite ouer Yet neuerthelesse by trauel and diligence and by importunate sute my good right vpon Tuisday last notwithstanding any clamor that my aduersarie made to his greate confusion I obteined sentence to my profite wherof I render immortall thankes to Almighty God Thirdly I know well that of my profite honour and ioy you are as ioyfull as my selfe and séeing that my aduersities do bryng you desolation it is good reason that my prosperities should bring you consolation Therfore I pray you do it to vnderstāde to all our friends there to the ende that they may participate of oure ioy And if there be any thing that it will please you to commaunde me be you well assured that of me you shall haue an infallible friende And thus end I at this present beséeching our Lorde c. How to visit our Frend with Letters not hauing any great matter to write OFten times it chaunceth that we haue no matter to write to our frend yet we would gladly visit him with our Letters speaking of him or of his businesse such Letters must containe three partes First to get boneuolence on our owne behalfe saying that bicause we loue him we thought it good to write vnto him and to recreate him by communicating vnto hym our Letters to the end that we may take plesure in that which he shall write vnto vs again cōsidering that there is nothing more appropriate vnto frēdes than often to write to fro Secōdly we shal say that we are in health and good estate desiring to know of his helth and prosperitie praying vnto God to keepe and preserue him from all euill Thirdly we shal desire him to visit vs often with his Letters to this end that hering of his helth prosperitie we may haue cause of consolation offring our selues c. The Example of the Style in that case ALthough I haue no mater to write vnto you my deare friend for that I knowe not of any newes hereabouts chaunced yet neuerthelesse the greate loue equall betwixt vs will not suffer me to lette passe any messanger that I know goeth towards you without sending you Letters by him for I beleue verily that you haue as great ioy to rede my Letters as I haue to reade yours Secondly my friend you shall vnderstand that I and all my familie are god be praised in good health earnestly desiring to know of your prosperitie and howe all our frendes thereaboutes doe For I assure you there is nothing vnto vs more pleasant ioyfull nor agreable than to vnderstande of your health good fortune and prosperitie but this causeth loue my frende bicause that from the time of our youth we haue ben ioyned together with that bande And therfore my deare and perfect friend I earnestly request you that it would
where as you will me to sende you my bookes of the lawe I would gladly doe it but for the occasion of these troublesome tymes I thinke it néedeful to tary til things be more peaceable and than will I satisfie that which you desyre that is to say you to commaunde and I to obey c. Hovve to vvrite Letters conteyning diuerse and sundry matters LEtters conteining many sorts of matters may be deuided into asmany parts as they cōtaine sundry matters and we must begin with the most principal part alwayes obseruing the rules before written and afterward the most necessary and so consequently euen vnto the ende so that the whole be finished in order by articles howbeit it is good to place in the beginning some preamble fyt for the matter and fynally to offer as before Note also that if there be question bothe of our frendes affayres and our owne then is it decent to begin wyth those of our frendes and afterwardes to speake of our owne thereby to giue him to vnderstād that we haue his affaires asmuch or more in remembraunce than our owne The example wherein Tully writeth to Pompilius of comforting graue and domestical matters I Vnderstande my very perfect frende Pompilius by Letters receyued from some of our frendes that your valyant Father is deceassed out of this world this know ye that in as much as we are firmely ioyned together in frendeship therfore it is very heuy for me to suffer yea I esteme it euen as myne owne aduersitie as frends ought to do But whē I consider how well borne he was and that he came in maryage with noble and sage parents by his vertues got such dignities and authorities as can not be recyted yea and moreouer which is almost impossible that he was alwayes in fauour both with the Lords and the people that he hath runne his course of nature and that he is godly departed I finde no cause to lamēt but with all my heart to render thanks vnto god that hath giuen him so many giftes of vertue in this worlde and then after many yeares hath called him frō darknesse to his cleare light Secondly let vs now speake of other matters you shall vnderstande that it is reported vs euen to the whole Senate y t the french men prepare a great host against oure common weale and haue alreadie ouer runne our fields therefore is it condescended that manfully and with a good courage we shall go against them And this to doe is established by Pompeius who in wisedome counsell and warfare authoritie hath none like vnto him for to conduct oure armie Therefore I counsell you to leaue Cumane and to come into this Citie duryng the expedition of this warre for to auoyde the hurt that might come vnto you Thirdly you write vnto me that I should receyue money of youre detters I wyll doe it willingly But during this tumulte I determyne nothyng in the Senate nor elsewhere vntyll that thyngs bée more quiete and I dare boldely write vnto you that yf you come hither you may get honour and profite and you shall sée what dylygence I haue vsed towardes your creditours and to magnifie youre name assuring you that I am wholly at your commandement How a Prince faithfully certifieth the vvorthie qualities of a man ALl or moste parte of the styles before written are addressed eyther to oure superiours equalles or inferiours whiche mighte seeme to suffise for thys lyttle woorke yet neuerthelesse bycause I woulde haue the gentle Readers to vnderstande that I delyte to expresse aboundance of Stiles I haue thought good to recite some stiles whiche writers and learned men haue accustomed to vse following therein the example of diuers good Orators And the first stile shall be a letter of fidelitie to wit VVhen a Prince writeth to one or to many the veritie and truth of a thing euen as it is giuing perfect notice that it is so and such letters must containe three partes Fyrst the Prince putteth his name his title and other qualities agreable to hys hyghnesse Secondely muste bee placed the discourse or entraunce fitte for the purpose whereof wee intende to write Thirdely to purchase beneuolence to the thing or to the person wherof we write causyng credite to be giuen thervnto expressing the very truth of that which we commende or the vertues of the person The Example wherein the Duke of Venice certifieth the vvisedom and science of G. A. AVgustine by the grace of God c. To all them that shall see these letters helth and comfort Secondly the Maiestie of a Prince his magnificall authoritie is not onely to punishe correcte vices but with his whole power he ought to deiect chase away all vicious persons and euē so likewise ought he of Iustice and honestie the good and vertuous full of Sapience and studie not onely to amplifie with goodes and honour but also in all thyngs to gyue them support fauor and praise Thirdly and for that it is many yeares agoe since we haue perfectely knowne Georges Alexander Doctor very experte and skilfull as well in the Greke as in the Latine tongue yea loued estéemed and honoured of all men for the grauitie of his eloquence wherfore besides the benefites that we haue shewed him it is yet our minde that by our faithful witnesse the vertues whiche are in him should be knowne vnto all men and by your relation to be magnified And therfore we recommende vnto you the sayde Georges Alexander in al his affaires for that citie or towne may thinke it selfe very happie wherein he shall vouchsafe to abide for the excellent doctrine that is in him And if there be any seruice or plesure done vnto him for our sake we estéeme it euen as if it were done vnto our self and for the same will giue perpetuall thankes In witnesse whereof wée haue sealed this with oure Seale manuell Youen here the such a day c. How a great prince writeth of peace or warres c. THere is an other sort of letters when a great Prince writeth generally to all or to a vniuersitie a towne a Citie a countrey a communaltie or to some publike person as to entreate of peace warres apointment c. And such letters must be deuided into three partes Fyrste the name of the Prince and al his titles with salutation Secōdly the cause mouing wherefore we write declaring that it is iust honest profitable the which we shall proue as well by reasons as to depresse oure aduersarie and to desire alwayes to maynteine Iustice and equitie Thirdly the matter that wee intende be it of peace or of warre or of some other greate matter and lette the conclusion be tendyng to oure purpose contaynyng the fynall clauses agreable necessary therevnto according to the rules before written The Example wherin the Emperour maketh peace vvith the kyng of Hungarie FRederike by the Diuine grace Emperoure of the Romanes of Austrie of Syrie Duke
the bearer hereof named Dauid Berthon viij hundreth Frenche crownes and cause hym onely there to giue good and sure pledge for the sayd summe For so hath the same Dauid here promised vs to do gyuyng him .vj. monethes daye of payment I pray you take sufficient assurance to the ende that our goodes be not lightly loste It suffiseth to shewe pleasure you therefore fulfyll the contentes hereof And thus fare you well c. One Friende writeth vnto an other DEare and well beloued friende after moste heartie Commendations vnto you and your good bedfellow c. The chiefest cause of my writyng vnto you at this presente is to lette you vnderstand that we are still in greate tribulation by reason of the men of Armes and aduenturers by whome the poore people of Mousne doe sustayne inestimable damage The countreye is altogether deserte and that which is also more pitifull is that many worthie maydens are by them caryed away into other places and some by force violated as also are many mens wiues bothe faire and honeste Consider you into what abundaunce of teares they haue bene brought O vnfortunate Fraunce nowe florishinge in armes is it possible that thy auncient vertue shuld be altogether extinguished O my perfect friende the eternal God moued me to sende vnto your house at Bloys Iane my wife and my daughter out of so great perill Yesterday from my wife and from my daughter I receyued comfortable Letters by the which I am plainely certifyed that that your bedfellowe vseth vnto them al curtesie gentlenesse O the eternall God graunt me life to y e end that if not in al yet at the least in part I may rēder some recompense vnto the benefites from you receyued for the which I am become a great detter vnto youre goodnesse And thus the eternall haue you al in his keeping and send vs a mery meeting c. The aunswere of one friende vnto an other WElbeloued Friend I heartily recommende me vnto you wishing youre healthe and prosperitie euen as mine owne c. Be well assured that so long as I lyue my house and all that I haue shall at all tymes be at your commaundement or any of your friendes And that shall you manyfestly knowe in processe of time And would to God that I mighte shewe such fidelitie loue and charitie towardes you as at youre house at Mousne you discouered vnto me and myne Thanks be vnto God we make good chéere but certainly I and my wife doe féele great anguish for the losse of our goodes which through our mutual amytie we suppose to be our losse and assuredly we greatly lament also the vexation which you susteyne by the hands of the Soldiers wherof we haue vnderstanding by your letter God of his goodnesse delyuer you from them c. One friende vvriteth in a nothers behalfe ALthough worthy syr I know that it is not lauful to molest your wisedome in any thing appertayning vnto Iustice neuerthelesse to satisfie the dutie which I owe to this bearer vnto whome through the fidelitie and affection that is betwene vs I am bound to doe euen that which I would doe if it were for myne owne cause I therfore beseche your worthinesse that you will without delay make a iust ende of his sute And so doing I shall remayne alwayes bound vnto you c. The aunswere vnto his frende WHat nedeth it y t you should write vnto me in the behalfe of him whome I equally loue aswell as you So great are his vertues that of euerie man of what estate soeuer he be he is worthy to be beloued and defended I beleue y t through his great wisdome he will demaunde me nothing which shalbe against the dignitie of myne offyce for which cause and for the dutie of Iustice I am boūd to administer vnto him and euery one fauorable and lawful audience But though there were no cause at all yet thy auncient amitie would constraine me to ayde and fauour him for which cause be well assured that I will so vse the matter that he shal plainly perceiue that thy requestes haue not ben brought in vayne c. To write vnto a Prince in a Prisoners Behalfe I Haue heretofore cōtinually knowne and now at this present more than euer do know of what force true amitie and frendship is the which constraineth a man to be gētle and amiable euen vnto the person whome he hateth therby to satisfie his frende that entreateth for him therfore knowing y e fauour which your highnesse beareth vnto me I dout not to request you in the behalf of Cleophas Orillat who although through his crymes he deserue to receiue no pardon yet bicause VVilliam Ardiller of whom I haue receiued infinit plesures and am bounde vnto him for euer doeth force me so harde by Letters and messangers and knoweth certainly what I can doe with your Maiestie y t there shold be no domage done neither vnto his persō nor goods I therfore most hūbly besech you for the inestimable loue y t beare vnto you y t he may plainely perceiue of what force strength that goodnesse of yours is towards me and so trust at this presēt to make experiēce of the great affection which is betwixt vs through our auncient and singular loue c. The aunswere of the Prince declaring the demaund to be vnhonest ALthough I haue in times past had perfect intelligence and knowledge what thing frendship and good will hath ben and is so that the demaunde of a friende ought to be satisfied especially whē it is iust yet neuerthelesse it ought alwayes to be foreseene that the demaunde be honest and frendly For if the demaunde be made against true Iustice and honest lyfe it is nedeful many tymes to leaue the good will least we fail of Iustice Otherwise many wicked examples should be giuen to diuers and infinite persons to do euil I vnderstand your Letter by the which you pray me that I wold graūt to release your frend out of captiuitie not peraduenture considering the great crime excesse by him cōmitted the whiche is so great and abhominable that he deserueth not death in his person onely but also therewith cruell tormentes whereof I am sory for the mutual affection that is betwene vs bicause I can not of myne honour in this case pleasure you Though your demaunde be not lawfull nor honest yet loue and frendship moueth you to demaund and to speake for that which all law denieth And for that malefactours ar to be punished the good to be exalted and safely to goe abrode in the world I pray you though I doe not satisfie your demaunde yet at this time haue me excused bicause that Iustice doth force me to denie that request c. The excuse for that the demaund vvas against Iustice I Consider that many tymes the loue affection of one friende vnto another harmeth the conscyence and suffreth it not to discerne the truth of reason and Iustice but when