out contrary to expectation you shall therefore doe well before you trouble any of them in it to make sure of the matter in such sort as may be best for your profit for the sute being effected to good purpose leaue to me to deal in it to your conteÌ„t ther is much muttering that you are like to be crossed in it I would therefore wish you to trie your strength in it not to slip time for it is pretious in a good course bear with me I beseech you if I moue your patience in vrging your speed for it is for your owne good against your comming to town I will haue some what else for you to set on foote for he that wil work must not haue the fire without an yron but not knowing your businesse I will forbear at this time to trouble you with idle newes and only praying for your health and harts ease coÌ„mit the consideration of your owne causes to the mannaging of your good discretion so humbly take my leaue for this time and rest alwaies Your Worships humble seruant I. T. To my assured louing friend T. B. with speed NOne paiment of debts is not onely a crack in credit but a losse of friends vpon your letter I furnished your want and fortune hauing bene your friend a large conscience mee thinketh doth not wel your excuse I yet know not noâ— can wel deuise it but acquaint me with it that I may not wrong your disposition for a seeled affection expecteth the like measure in kindnes the mony you had of me is not much but if it haue done you pleasure I am glad of it and if you can well spare it by this bearer I pray you returne it or the cause why you detaine it I haue lately bought sheepe to store a pasture that I haue taken to farme and my mony being short I am boulâ— to write to you for mine owne which if it come shall be welcome if not so that I know how it may steed you I will forbear it and for the conference betwixt your sonne and my daughter I think they are more ready for vs then wee for them youre mind I know and am contented with it for as I see their proceedings we will soone fall vpon agreement and to be plaine with you I think I were best rather to prouide you more mony then demand any more that you haue and therefore making your excuse in this onelie point of affection intreating pardon for my plaine manner of writing assuring you that if this matter goe forward as it is no other like as their loâ—es so shal our purses be one and thus hoping of your health as mine owne with commendations to youre kind sonne youre selfe and your good Shrew I commit you to the Almighty Caunterbury this fourth of August 1604. Your very louing friend N.T. To a Iudge in the behalfe of an offender MY good Lord your honourable care of Iustice I hope is seasoned with the charitable weight of mercy for though the law cutteth off offence by sharpe punishment yet death takes away repentance and where there is sorrow ther is signe of grace the best Iudge of true Iustice Christe Iesus pardoned the great sinner and with the gentle rebuke of sin no more called her to great grace now shall Iustice vpon the first fact vse an other course vpon an offender I knowe it is your oath to doe iustice yet may you giue time of repentance in reprieuing this poore man whose pardon will bee easily attained Your honor shall doe a good deede God in imitating his course in iustice will surely regard and reward you the penitent offender shall be bound euer to pray for you my selfe with all his friends will truly honor you and no doubt but our King who is full of mercie when his Maiestie shall heare of it will commeâ—d you beseeching therefore your honour to stay the sentence of his death vntill the next Aâ—â—ise or to graunt him a reprieue til the said time leauing the poore mans life to a word of your mouth with my humble and bounden seruice to your hoâ—orable commandemeÌ„t in prayer for your good health and all other happinesse I humbly take my leaue Your honors in all humblenes D. H. A Letter of complements To my very good friend master H. W. at his house in Kelton SYr if I could haue let passe so fit a messenger without some thankful remembrance I were vnworthy of so good a frieÌ„d but your kindnesse being such as wil euer worke in a good mind I praie you let me salute you with this little tokeÌ„ of my loue The runlet is of sucâ— sacke as Bristowe hath no better and the suger-lofe for your good Lady I assure you is right Barbary which at this time is bere of some price but vpon the câ—â—sing of the troubles there I hope we shall haue it cheape here in the meane time howsoeuer it be what you neede command in that or what else may bee in my power to accomplish and so wishing I were with you at the killing of one of your fat Buckâ— with my heartie commendations to your selfe and your good bedfellow manie thanks to you both foâ— my great good cheare and most kind entertainment hoping to see you at my house at your comming to towne where you shall make your owne welcome I commit you to the almightie London this xx of Iulie 1604. Your very louing and assured friend C. R. To his assured friend master Tho. Rise at his house in the Strand AGainst this time of my atteÌ„dance vpon the Iudge of this circuit I shall haue occasion to vse manie things whereof I am now vnfurnished your skill in chusing the best and knowing the prices I know long since by your kindnesse in the like trouble and therefore entreate you once more to take a little paines with this bearer my seruant in helping him in the laying out of his monie vpon such parcels as in my note for mine vse I haue set down your trauel nor kindnes shall not be vnthankfullie forgotten and wherin I may in this countrie or elsewhere pleasure you you shall not faile of my best meanes If you haue anie newes I praie you acquaint me with them and if the shippers be come from the Indies what good successe they haue had but some earnest businesse makes me briefer then I otherwise would be and therfore hoping of your health and not doubting of your kindnesse with heartie commendations I commit you to the Almightie Salop this twelfth of Iune 1606. Your assured friend T. M. To his very good friend Master S. B. at his house in Ferill SYr where you wrote vnto me touching the Sale of your Lorshippe of Bar I cannot answer you for two causes the one of price is too high the other your hast of monie is too great for touching your price the land you know is much impaired since the death of your father the woods are
my onely worldes happines referring onely to the care of your kindnes in the faith of true affection I rest Yours auowed and assured R. N. A letter to a friend to borrow a piece of mony SIr as nothing more trieth a friend then calamitie so is there nothing more grieuous then to bee beholding In kindnes therefore if I maye become your debtor for fiue pounds it is not much yet will it pleasure me more then a little your appointed day I will not breake with you and wherein I may thankfully require you you shall find no forgetfulnes of your kindnes but time is precious and therefore entreating your speedie answere in hope of no deniall I rest Your assured friend to command T. W. The Aunswere I Would be as glad to pleasure you as any man but truth cannot be blamed for more then for my necessary vse that I cannot spate I am not presently furnished I praye you therefore take not a deniall vnkindly for iâ— my credit will pleasure you I will not faile my best to doe you good if otherwise you would vrge mee it will â—â—e to little purpose and therefore sory that I am not in tune to satisfie your expectation I must leaue patience to your kind discretion which as you know me shall commaund me for I am and will bee to the vttermost of my power You re assured friend D. S. To my best beloued Cosen mistrisse H.C. at her house in pe Chest. MY good Cousen I remember at my last being with you wee had some conference aboute consideration beleeue me when I consider the worlde and what I haue seene in it and the best things of it and that all if it effect is as nothing or rather worse if any thinge at all I wonder howe men who haue so much iudgement of good froÌ„ euill will shewe so little vnderstanding of good in following of euil how can those meÌ„ that know the in certaine time of death liue as though they thought neuer to die hâ—we can hee that readeth or heareth the word of god and beleeueth the truth of it bee so carelesse of it and so disobedient to it will men bee sicke that may bee whole â—or dye that may liue what shall I say but as Paule saide to the Corinthians O yee foolish people who hath bewitched yee it is the worde of God that transgression is as the sinne of witch-crafte and surely if men were not bewitched with sinne they could not so delight in wickednesse being the crosse and barre to all their happines coulde the theefe consider the doome of the lawe or the miserie of the dispoyled surely hee would not steale if the adulterer did consider the filthines of his action and the shame of his folly surelye hee would turne honest if the murtherer did consider the horror of death and the terror of sinne hee woulde neuer kill In briefe if any sinner woulde looke into the foule nature of sinne hee woulde bee out of loue with it and if â—ee did consider the power of Gods wrath hee woulde bee afraide of it Nay could or would man consider the goodnes of God towards him in commaunding and forbidding nothing but that which is good for him howe could hee bee so forgetfull of his owne good in offending the Author of all goodnesse If the vnthrifâ— coulde consider the misery of wanâ— sure he would not be carelesse of his estaâ—e if the couetous coulde consider the misery of the poor he would be more charitable if the Swaggerer could consider the comelines of sobriety and the shame of immodesty surely hee would be more ciuill If the magistrate did consider the misery of the poore he woulde not be so careles of their torment put them to such sorrow but remember that iustice without mercie is to neere a tuch of Tiraâ—ny If the offendant did consider the griefe and shame of punishment he would containe himselfe within the compasse of a better course If â—ee that preacheth the worde and followeth it not could consider the heauinesse of Gods iudgemente and the shame of his folly hee woulde doubtlesse bee more carefull of his soul and more kinde to his flock If the lawyer could consider the lawe of god hee would neuer grieue his clyent nor speake against a knowne truth but as I saide before to leaue tediousnesse it is the onely lack of consideration that maketh the heedlesse will of man to runne the waye of error to the ruine of his beste comforte and therefore entreat you notwithstanding my allowance of your iudgement touching the heauenly prouidence and power in the motion of al good actions yet so to allow of my opinion touching consideration that it is a great and one of the greatest causes of the confusion of reason by the corruption of nature and knowing that the care of your consideration is such as doth and may wel giue example to the most expert to follow the rules of your directions in the whole course of your life wishing my selfe so happie as to enioy the company of so good a friend till I see you and euer I rest in fast setled affection Your very louing friend N. V. To my sweet loue mistris E. P. SWeet Loue if absence could breed forgetfulnesse then fortune should doe much harme to affection but when the eye of the mind looketh into the ioye of the hearte the sentence may well be spoken As in silence you may heare me so in absence you may see me for loue is not an hours humour nor a shadowe of light but it is a light of the spirit and a continuing passion thinke not therfore I do or can forget thee or loue my sefe but for thee shortly I hope to see thee and in the meane time though not with thee yet not from thee nor well at rest with my selfe til I may reste only with thee I rest alwaies to rest Thine onely and all â— VV. Her Aunswere MY deare if delayes were not a death to loue excuse were currant in the construction of kingdomes but sentences are better spoken then vnderstood and a pleasing presence is better then an excused absence remembrance is good but possession better and loue holdeth memorie but a kind of melancholie Let your selfe therefore be your messenger rather of your loue then your letters least fortune in a mad fit be a crosse to your best comforte not in respect of my constancy but my parents vnkindnesse This is all I will write at this time but wishing a happie time to the beginning of a neuer ending I rest til that time and at all times on the same Yours as you know E. P. An old mans letter to a young widdow VVIddow I haue neither a smooth face nor a filed tongue to cheate your eies nor abuse your eares withall but a true hearte and a constant minde that doth inwardly loue you and will nâ—uer deceiue you fickle heads and vnbrideled wills know not wher nor how to bestow themselues when their
low and verie backward by cutting it afore their ful growth and your trees are so wasted that thee is scarce a piece of timber worth the felling your Moor is shrewdly spoyled for lack of draining and your pastures are so ouergrowne with bushes that it wil aske greate cost in stubbing before it be brought to any good passe yet not withstanding for that we haue been vpon speech for it and that you seeme willing to deale with me if you wil pitch a reasonable price your mony shall not bee long deferred I pray you therefore â—f I may haue it as I told you if it be a hundreth pounds more I care not but further indeed I will not goe a penny let me know your mind by this bearer out of hand for I am offered I thinke a better bargaine but for my Records sake and the rather to be your neighbour that we may now and then haue a game or two at Bowles hoping of your good health your bedfellowes I commit you to the Almightie From my house this 13. of Iune 1604. Your very louing friend E. F. A letter to a proud Mistris HOwe beautie will make a foole proude I would your plaster worke did not witnesse but had you witte to helpe wickednesse you would put a Parrat out of countenance your countenance is made after your conceite as ful of merrye tricks as a Monkey and for your foote pace I thinke you haue sore heeles you walke so nicely as vpon Eg-shels your haire is none of your owne and for your steeple tyre it is like the gaude of a Maide-Marian so that had you a foole by the hand you might walk where you would in a Morice daunce Oh fine come to it howe it fiddles like a Hackney that would tire at halfe a mile Wel your Tabacco breath with your tooth lesse chappes will be shorâ—ly such bad ware that you will stand in the Market and no man bid a pennie for you but what doe I meane to spoile paper with such matter and therefore I wil heare abruptlie end wash your face scoure your hands put on a cleane smock get you to your prayers repent youre wickednesse and mourne to death for your soules sake for your carkasse is not worth the carrying to the earth and so hoping that in a good humour you wil doe somewhat better then hang your selfe I leaue you to his mishappe that finds you for the most filthy creature on this earth till you be neuer more seene in the world Your poore friend at a pinch B.T. A vile answere of a perilous wench BEtwixt a railing Knaue and a Rascall what is the difference and from a nitty Rogue what can be lookt for but a Lowse Oh diuell incarnate who euer knew such a villain Your haire I will not meddle with for feare of a fall but I wonder the Iewellers doe not deale with you for a face where a pinne can scarce stand betwixt a pearle and a Rubie Oh the french Rewme bids you keepe out of the winde for fear your suel stakes scarce hold vp a rotten carkasse nowe in steed of a morice dance you know the hey vp Holborn where the Hang-man at the Gallowes stayes to learne you a newe turne but thou wretched worme vnworthy the name of a man get thee to thy knees aske forgiuenes of all the worlde make thy confession in the Cart and commend thy soule to the Lord for thy flesh the dogs will not meddle with and so in hast hoping my letter may come to thee afore the last cast I end in hast Thy charitable friend B. C. A letter of Challenge to a Swaggerer SYrra your swaggering is so foolish that children laugh at you where you goe and for youre valour if your father bee awaie your sworne will doe no hurt your tossing of pots feare none but flyes and for youe braue wordes they are nothing but winde but least I doe you some pleasure in telling you of your faults let this suffice to make an end of al matters Tomorrow in the morning you shall haue mee by eight of the clock in the field beyond your lodging neere vnto the poolâ— where if you dare come alone you shall find me without companie ready to doe more the I will speake till when expecting no other answere then your selfe I rest Your auowed enemy I. T. A dogged Answere DOE you imagine mee a Philistian that you beginne to plaie Goliah in a Letter I assure you if your deedes be like your wordes my father will not abide the winde of you but for my sword it hath a point and therefore cares not a pointe for you if you be not drunke I muse what madnes doth possesse you but the best is I hope nowe you haue spoken you haue done for I will be there where you appoint but I thinke will not performe but as you tell me of my faults I hope to whip you for yours and so sorrie to haue lost so much time about idlenesse I end Yours as I haue reason F. R. To my very good cosen M I.D. at his house in Swandes COsen I vnderstand you are determined to put your younger sonne apprentise to a Merchant beleeue mee I allow of your resolution heerein for I that haue trauailed farre and seene much can speak somewhat of them and theire noble profession I could well giue it a higher title for a righte Merchant is a roiall fellow hee is desirous to see much to trauail much and sometime to gaine a little doth aduenture much though sometime for a little adueÌ„ture he doth gain much but what are the sundrie natures of perils as well at Sea as at land as well of his goods as his person none knoweth but himselfe or like himselfe but hauing trauailed farre and finished his voyage after his safe returne hauing giuen God thankes note what is the course of his life to obserue a comely order in the citty and enrich many poore men by the retailing of his goods who sit at ease and sell in their shâ—ps that he with great â—oil danger fetched out of farre Countries Now say his gain be great let it be answered 〈◊〉 y e desert of his trauaile shall a faire or a fine horse brought out of Barbarie bee heere finely kept well fed and neatly dressed and richly attyred and shall not a Merchant that hath trauailed many Miles beyond Barbarie not bee thoughte worthy of a fine house good land dainty faire and an honorable title for the resolution of his aduenture and the toyle of his trauaile shall a Lute or a Citerne brought out of Italy bee put in a case of veluet and laced with gâ—ld for well sounding and shall not a Merchant that fetcht that Lute and went farre further then that couÌ„trie for better commodities not be thought worthy of his gaine and honoured for his minde shall the Lawyer fâ—ll breath at an high rate and shall the merchant be grudged his price for his wares what