THE SECRETARIES STVDIE CONTAINING NEW familiar Epistles OR DIRECTIONS for the formall orderly and iudicious inditing of Letters Whether Amorous OR Louing Whether Morall OR Ciuil Whether Oeconomicall OR Houshold busines Whether Politicall OR Wittie Whether Obiurgatory OR Chiding Whether Excusatory OR Excusing Whether Petitionary OR Requesting Whether Gratulatory OR Giuing thankes Whether Nuncupatory OR Relating Newes By Thomas Gainsford Esq. Sic iuuat indulgere fugacibus horis LONDON Printed by T. C. for Roger Iackeson and are to be solde at his shop in Fleetstreet ouer against the Conduit 1616. TO THE RIGHT HOPEFVL YONG GENTLEMAN Maister Iohn Mounson at Charter-house and as likely to aduance his Vertues to Honorable eminency as any expectation can warrant GEnerous Youth without other ceremony or complement I am now to aduēture a iourney and a fearefull one as the first voiage that euer I made into the streights of opinion or seuere Censure so that pollitick and temporising-men would contract a sure bargaine with some rich marchant honorable patron or sufficient Statist to protect and countenance the enterprise But in despight of aduerse Fortune or calumniation I haue made choyce of your loue fauor vertue and good condition of which I take the aduantage in your virgin chastitie and soules puritie and wherein I will as much reioyce as if larger embraces had opened themselues to make me credulous of sincere welcome Bee therefore your selfe expectable Gentl and doe but loue mee for olde loues sake and I shall bee so proud yea presumptuous in your acceptation that neyther windes nor seas shall affright mee vntill I haue made a satisfactory voyage or beeing ouer-freighted with heauy Fortune sincke the whole Stocke or Remaine of mine abilities in this kinde in other like aduentures which if it should so fall out I could but conclude Hic finis Priami Yours assured though there be no assurance amongst men Tho Gainsford Non opus est digitis per quos arcana loquaris Errata pag 5. lin 4. read tracted Pag 10. m. read loose p 13. l 24. read sturd p 17. l. 6. r. euen fol. 19. l. 15. r. sorer f. 26. l 5. r. adornation f. 27. l. 7. r. country life f. 30. l. 7. r. goe p. 31. l. 26. r. fiue p. 34. l. 2 besides for so p. 34. l. 33. r. stake p. 35. l. 16. r. work p. 36. l. 26 leaue out to p. 43. l. 27. r. sedation l. 29. r. inuitations p. 45. l. 13. re a bettering f 46. l. 26. r. grow l. 32. r. Lords fauor p. 47. l 30. r. hold vp p. 50 l. 11 r you might gather l 14 r hauing p 53 l 12. r. for the p 57 in the mar following described l 21 r O God! that p 107 l 30 r obsolete THE TABLE Amourous or louing Letters THe Louer afraid to loose his friend contracted The Louer troubled with suspition of hazarding his desire The Louer iustifieth his loue from inward vertues and outward comelinesse The Louer findeth fault with neglect of titles The louer complaineth of sequestration The louer cannot endure a riuall The Louer cannot soone forget his loue after firme rooting The louer desires secrecie not ouer liberall discoueries The louer doth not tye his affection to outward beautie The louer is afraide to loose his contentment The louer maintaineth that a little iealousie will season affection Morall or Ciuill Letters True Friendship Friendly precepts An other of the propertyes of friendship Friendes would haue no vnkindnes taken for any thing Necessitie causeth importunitie Friendship is broken through denyall of trifles and presuming of anothers weaknes Friendship is lost through vnkindnesse and discontinuance Ingratitude is not befitting a Gentl A man out of good manners must answer Letters Iealousie should not be showne without iust cause The difference between a willing and compulsed absence Friendship is afraid to be forgotten A good Wife compared to a Shippe at Sea A friend desireth a Gentle-woman to vnite the inward vertues to outward comelinesse Oeconomicall Letters or of houshold businesse A Gentleman must take heede how hee settles himselfe in the Countrey as a Farmer If a Gentleman will bee a Farmer it is best to obtaine the principall House or credite of the highest place in the towne Concerning the building ordring a house with retaining of seruāts Whether a Gentle-woman may with her credite let out Lodgings for money The danger of disagreemēt betweene man wife with their duties How Children ought to be brought vp How Seruants are to be instructed Politicall or witty Letters Women in yeares should rather look for rich aduancement then wanton satisfaction A Gentl should not be seruant to any that hath a sufficient estate of his owne and if he be with what pollicy he must contriue it No Oathes must be belieued before marriage He that will enrich himselfe by seruice must follow some thryuing Officer The Lady must be obserued by such as mean to thriue vnder the lord Some Lord or other must bee made an Agent to obtaine a sute of the Prince Suites in Court are not dispatched without great attendance A military pollicie to restraine insolent mutiners What policy soeuer ambition buildeth vpon it is cast downe with death and destruction Men must submitte to their Fortune Obiurgatory or chiding letters Against a sonne for his disordered life Against inconstancie and following a strumpet Against swearing Against couetousnes Against denyall of trifles amongst friends Against idle excuses Against pride and tyrannous behauiour in great persons Against foolishnes and dishonesty in a seruant Against Drunkennes Against the breach of Wedlocke in the man Against Whoredom in the woman Excusatory or defensiue letters Excuse for not lending money Excuse for being importunate in the behalfe of a friend Excuse for keeping company and going to Court Excuse for sheltring with a stranger in a storme Excuse for not dispatching a suite of importance Excuse for tarrying too long from a Wife Excuse for not dispatching of businesse Excuse for not writing attending vnwilling persons to bee spoken with Excuse for not forbearing a friend presuming to disgrace another Excuse for not beeing surety for a friend Excuse for not entertaining a friend as hee ought to be Excuse for not soothing vp of humors Petitionary or Letters of Request A Request to requite discurtesie A request for Money A request to entertaine a daughter A request for assurance of a Farm A request to forbeare a debt A request to forbeare a dangerous Ladyes company A request to be charitable A request to entertaine a Scholler for a Souldier A request for the Knighting of a friend and worthy Gentleman A request to defend a Widow in her right against all wrong and calumniation A request for an office for another A request for aduise in matters of difficultie Gratulatory or Letters of giuing thankes Thankefulnes for a daughters good bringing vp and well-bestowing Thankefulnes for recompencing the giuing of a Booke Thankefulnes for an office Thankefulnes
more miserable for the want of Vertue then want of money therefore I am resolued to bee reposed and if you thinke me woorth the keeping I pray you hereafter forbeare those disloyall and palpable discoueries vndecent contradictions vnkinde denials and triuiall excuses For a small helpe will stay a fainting man when a strong arme cannot lift him vp that is falne flat on the ground I vrge not this to draw you to any inconueniences concerning your purse but to keepe vs both vpright touching our credits and so with a meere disturbed hand and troubled minde I bid you farewell but I am resolued to endure no further vnsauory iests against me for any hopes of worldly helpes Yours as I haue cause To his Honorable friend Sir G.S. WOrthy Sir Had not my life receiued heate from the Sunne of your fauours and as I may say from the first influence wherewith that Noble Lord so graciously beheld me I might quietly go forward without once looking backe to see wherefore I am despised why without offending debarred from the same But because I must and will acknowledge it and in a maner confesse my selfe all darkenesse without it yea readie to bee plunged into euery durty bogge irrecouerable danger I humbly beseech you therfore either to extend a gracious hand to stay a fainting soule from sinking or giue mee leaue to blame my misfortune that hath thus subiected mee to the violence of so dangerous displeasure whereby if you be not the more noble discontinuance shall make me worse then water spilt out of a vessell neuer to be taken vp againe For what a terror is this nay how vnexcusable for my selfe to haue you in towne and I not to visite you or so much as once to bee thought vpon yet it may be this eternall horror of gentle minds shame and wants haue onely stirred vp iealousie to afflict me without cause considering you will be still your selfe and loue me for being honest and endeuouring to make vertue proud that pouertie cannot abase her In which hope I send you my true and faithfull heart howeuer I remaine most miserable in the feare of your losse Yours in true friendship To his Honourable friend Sir T.B. WOrthy Sir In those times when Dracon the tyrant of the East aduanced himselfe to the height of soueraignty ingratitude and iniustice were punished with death so that if he vnderwent the imputation of cruelty it was not for satiating a blood-thirsty-minde but reuenging the neglect of his statutes now if examples endure longer then precepts had not wee neede in these corrupt times to stand on a guard of circumspection not to vilipend vertue lesse then the heathen nor practise impietie worse then idolaters and if they thought ingratitude worthy of death I hope we shall at least suppose it vnbefitting a Gentleman Wherefore without further complement or larger circumstances for those many fauours wherewith your plentifull hand hath euen laden me I open the exchecquour of the poore and thanke you with a publike acknowledgement of the same Yet giue me leaue considering mischances are multiplyed vpon me to resemble my selfe to a man tumbling downe a staires who neuer leaues falling till he come to the bottome And concerning your last promise vnperformed how can I be compared better then to a man lying faint and wounded on the ground whom some courteous hand seemeth to aduance but lifting him vp halfe way letteth goe his hold and so he falleth backe againe to his sore hurt therefore good Sir either giue my hope fuller wings that it may take a higher flight of security or let me die at once to auoide an euerliuing misery and this I vrge the rather because in cases of vntoward distresse there is courtesie in quicke dispatch as in the benefits of friendship there is a double pleasure in the timelinesse and orderly disposing of fauour Now my request is if any vngentle hand hath cast durt into the pure streame of your loue Oh let it not so remaine but either cleanse it your selfe or giue me leaue to pull it out what danger soeuer I incurre and if my fortune be so malignant that a slauish report hath ecchoed against my peace Oh let me know the particulars and answer for my selfe accordingly And thus assuring my selfe that I shall fall into the hands of iudgement with quicke apprehension I leaue all to fauourable construction and commit you to his hands who can aduance you to the height of your desire and merit of your woorth Post scriptum Gratia ab officio quod mor a tardat abest Your thankefull friend To his much esteemed Friend C.G. SIR I am sorry that my letters were either vnsauory for the matter or tedious for the length considering that out of the rules of ciuilitie I was to answer yours and the necessitie of my businesse to importune further then you thought good manners But such is the misery of wants and poore men are resembled to ruinous walles which euery man shunneth for feare of falling vpon them otherwise I could excuse my selfe many waies First to auoide idlenesse wherein the Persians were so obseruant that they would rather whittle stickes or rip the seames of their coate and sewe them vp againe Secondly to eschew ingratitude which is a vice vnbefitting a generous minde of all other Next to exercise my vnderstanding for to write to so delicate a iudgement and apprehensiue a wit craueth study and a carefull foresight then to better my knowledge For if I doe well your commendation can confirme me if I fall into errors your wisedome can reforme and restraine me Fifthly to make you beleeue there is some good thing in me allowable and iustifiable and therefore worthy of a small regard as noble Sir Phillip Sydney was wont to say Let vs loue him for one good qualitie for a great many haue none at all and no man hath all Lastly to know what to trust vnto for to hope for a thing which commeth not and to loue them that care not for vs be two of the liuing deaths in this world Therefore Good Sir let me not pleade in vaine that pleade so truely and vrge these reasons rather to know how your loue shall bee inlarged then my vaineglory published and if you please to second my enterprise I shall with a further cheerefulnesse proceede in my businesse if not as good fall at first and all at once as liue in expectation of more mischiefe and greater troubles Thus I bid you farewell and to fare better then I can fare vnlesse you wish me well Yours as a louer of Vertue To her newly displeased Friend M.I. GOod Sir How commeth it to passe that you draw my loue and modesty in question for my ciuill entertaining of a Gentleman last night as thogh I could do lesse then affoord him a salutation and performed too much in continuing our morall discourse Beleeue me I am not ignorant that loue is seasoned with a
of a story Although decaied with time when head is hory Yet is it made adulterate hy arte When a false hand hath playde a cunning part Opinion is a Monster amongst vs all Yet doth not terrifie with outward shape Onely our selues doe as we rise and fall After the censures of the people gape And therevpon by force of vicious rape Bereaue sweete uertue of her chastitie With anxious hearts swelling in vanitie Life and the best life but a topping tree Set in the midst of a confused grange Which whē the Lord thinks good he doth agree to fell or roote it vp for some newe change Or trie some stranger form by such exchange Yea peraduenture burned in the fire subiects must yeld to what their kings require Apparell monstrous by our monstrous wills Disguising our defests seeking to hyde Natures deformitie when purse fulfills An humorous wantonnesse on euery side Yet frō substantiall truth most largely wide For when that we must naked goe to graue What will become of that wee seeme to haue Vertues and vices neither good nor bad But as the owners states giue them their test For who in estimation can be had For greatest vertues if they doe not rest In wealth or good opinion of the best And vicious who but he that cannot hide And keepe his faults from being soone espide Buildings of sumptuous cost the prey of Fire are somtimes curst with sobbing poor mes cries When to erect what greatnesse doth desire A hundred cottages in rubbish lyes And many an Orphan vnrelieued dyes But where the morter of an house is mixt With blamelesse bloud it cannot long be fixt Pearls pretious stones the glasse of plēties pride Riches and Friends vnstaid in mood minde Kinred but Natures chaffe Whē they are tride For they will flye away with Stormy winde In whom nor loue nor truth at all we finde These shapefull monsters daily alter so as wee can hardly credite what we know The fraudfull Fox deals friēdly with her whelps There is no beast that to her owne is cruell All things were by creation made for helpes And kinde to kinde is still a friendly iewell The Fire doth giue him fire that giueth Fuell Euen there where contraries enforce despight Nature in nature teacheth 〈…〉 Then if thou wilt be man and not be kinde Disdaine thy needlesse int'rest in creation Be to instruction deafe to nature blinde With neioher man nor beast haue conuersation Abandon hope of grace abiure saluation Be both aliue and dead harmfull and hatefull Be any thing if thou wilt be ingratefull And lay aside absurde Affinitie Vnlesse to hell thou wilt allye thy selfe And so the Diuell graunt immunitie As is thy trust in him and in thy wealth Abortiue potion of foule poysoned pelfe Sorrrow of soule and surfet of vile sinne Man had bene happy if thou hadst not hin An honest minde informer time did show More pietie then now the best of kinne That was because the time was honest to Much better then this age that wee are in Such are the putrefactions of sinne Our almes our neighbor-hood our humanity Turnd diuell discord and immanitie Neighbour indeed is now by stranger nam'de Cousen by cousnage kindenesse is vnknowne And friends of friendship are so much ashamde As custome hath concluded there is none None that doth good the Psalmist saith not one It is the Prophet it is GOD doth say it And man were much to blame to disobey it As hee 's as much to blame that doth belieue Any that liues in ioy vnusde to moorne Doth loue can loue commiserate or grieue Father or brother haplesse and forlorne For pitty onely is to plenty sworne And hee 's a bastard vnto worldly blood That doth a poore man eyther grace or good Yet GOD forbid that GOD should causer be That wee for lacke of knowing him do erre He gratious suffers whilest that gracelesse wee His tollerance into negligence trans-ferre Whereby it makes the Atheist to auerre The soule of man immortall in the least 〈…〉 as it doth in beast Men cannot doe what cannot be vndone Nor suffer more then flesh and blood can beare Who playes with fortune sildom times hath won T' is labour lost to worke aganst the haire Then not preuaile it s better to forbeane A thing vndone is easily preuented Doe to vndoe is neuer vnrepented Glorious designes are ammelled in blood The way to greatnes is vneuen and hard He neuer was that for preferment stood That was not often with mischaunces barrd The body of attempts haue crosses scarrd Who liu'de and sought for honest labours hyre And was not forst to worke it out of Fire Courts and occurrences of Kings Pallaces Where some soone rise to fall againe as fast Show the conditions of the fallaees Whose fruits doe scantly blow before they blast Planted with care and with repentance past So that cōpare the gains with losse surmoūting And saue a labour and auoyd accounting T' is pittie Warre were not at warre with this But let the worthlesse Souldier be aduanced The better times made better seruices Where best endeuors best rewards enhanced But now the best of Beggars is best chaunced A heauy Fortune that such hazard yeelds Either to starue at home or die in Fields But heare my counsell in a Grand-sires phrase All doe amisse let all amisse amend Self sauing workes are best deseruing praise And praise on workes in prudence done attend All actions are approoued as they end Who made the feast will fast to mind the pay whē vnthrifts care not who the charge defray Then sith the ende is good of these my Rimes Theyr plainnesse showes no vainnesse but the Times FINIS The louer is affraide to lose his beloued The Louer distracted with feare of hazzarding his desire Loue occasioned through a vnity of inward vertues and outward comelinesse The Louer findeth fault with neglect of titles Loue complaineth of sequestration Loue cannot indure a riuall or competitor Loue will hardly bee supprest after it hath taken firme rooting Loue desires secrecie not ouer liberall discoueries True loue is not tyed to outward beautie Loue is affraid to looke his contentment A little iealousie seasoneth true loue A letter describing true friendship A letter of friendly precepts The properties of true friendship The properties of true friendship Necessitie causeth importunitie Deniall of trifles and presumption of anothers weakenesse maketh a breach in friendship Discontinuance and vnkindnes loseth friends in the end Ingratitude is not befitting a gentleman A man out of good manners must answer letters howeuer they proue vnsauory in the acceptation Iealousie should not be shewne without cause The differēce betweene a willing and compulsed absence Friendship is afraide to bee forgotten and so pleadeth in her owne behalfe A good wife cōmended compared to a ship at sea A friend desireth a Gentlewoman to vnite the inward vertues of the mind to outwardlouelinesse A gentleman must take heede how he settles himself in the counitry as a farmer If a Gentleman will be a Farmer it is the best to obtain the principall house or the credite of the highest place in the towne Concerning the building and ordring a house with retaining of seruants Whether a gentlewoman may with her credit let out lodgings for money The danger of disagreement between man and wife with their dueties How children ought to be brought vp how seruants ought to be instructed Women in yeares should rather looke for rich aduancement then wanton satisfaction A Gentlemā should not bee seruant to any man that hath a sufficient estate of his owne but if he be with what policy he must contract it No oathes to be beleeued before marriage He that will enrich himselfe by seruice must follow some thriuing officer The Lady of the house must be obserued of such as meane to thriue under the Lord. Some Lord or other must be made an Agent to obtaine a suite of the king Suites in court are neuer dispatched without great attendance A military policy to restraine insolent mutinies Wat policy soeuer ambition build vpon it is at last cast downe with death and destruction Men must submit to their fortune A sonne reprehended for his disordered life Loue findeth fault with inconstancy and follow a strumphet who is desired Against 〈…〉 Against coueteousnesse Against deniall of trifles amōgst friēds and feare of combersomnesse Against idle excuses Against pride and tyrānous behauiour in great persons Foolishnes and dishonesty in a seruant condemned Against drunkenesse Against the breach of wedlocke in a man Against whordom in the woman Excuse for not lending money Excuse for being importunate in the behalfe of a friend Excuse for keeping company and going to court Excuse for taking shelter in a shower of raine with a strange gentleman Excuse for not dispatching a suite of importāce according to expectation promise Excuse for tarrying too long from a wife Excuse for not dispatching of busines Excuse for not writing attending unwilling persons to bee spoken with Excuse for not forbearing a friend presuming to disgrace another Excuse for not beeing Surety for a Friend Excuse for not entertaining a friend as hee ought to bee Excuse for not soothing vp of humors A request to requite a discurtesie A friendly request for money A request for the entertaining of a daughter A request for assurance of a farme A request to forbeare a debt A request to forbeare a dangerous Ladies cōpany A request to be charitable A request to admit a scholer for a soldier For the knighting a friendly worthy Gent For to defend a widow gentlewoman in her right against all wrong calumniation A friend entreateth for an office for another For aduice in matters of difficulty A thankefulnes for a daughters good bringing vp good bestowing A thankfulnes for recompencing the giuing of a Booke A thankefulnes for an office A thankefulnes for defending one against a great aduersary A thankefulnes for not beleeuing a fals report A thankefulnesse for lending of mony A thankefulnes for a timely good turne Newes from Xante and Candy Newes from Constantinople Newes from Scio. Newes from Meteline Newes from Malta Newes from Venice Newes from Turine Newes from Ziion and Ierusalem Newes from Cyprus
your selfe and those vowes you haue conttacted remember mee and that affection you haue inflamed remember vertue and that goodnesse which you haue commended and remember loue with that honesty you haue professed and so I expect that as you are my chiefest content your next Letter shal confirme me your choisest delight None but yours To the Honourable Lady T.G. HONORABLE and worthily honoured Lady Although fame hath set open the enclosure of your praises whereby Honour and Vertue remaine exposed to the world as you see a rich Diamond augmented in his lustre by the cunning of the workeman yet is misfortune so tyrannous vnto me that I am necessited to an vntimely banishment euen when there appeared life in your patronage and delight in your louelinesse so that now to sequester my selfe is an absolute walking in darknesse and a miserable staggering without supportation Yet againe when I consider with whom I haue encountred and that I am falne into the hands of a generous spirit and heroicke worthinesse I conceiue great pleasure in my confidence and I begin to grow prowd that I may publish your vertue I dare say loyall Constancie Be therefore then your selfe great Lady and let the opinion I conceiue of my fortunes encourage my endeuor that al the actions my industry shal vndertake may receiue life frō the beams of your name Then though I might raise my glory equal with the Sun I would not faile to lay it prostrate to your high acceptatiō so I request you giue me leaue to diuulge to the world that the sphere in which I moue is gouerned by your influence that I cannot liue without your fauour that I will not loue except you vouchsafe it that I haue no other Lady but your selfe no other world then the place of your residence And thus I bid you fare as vvell as vvishes can enlarge leauing my soule in your tuition vvhich if you preserue for her ovvne yours or my sake Oh hovv happy shall I bee and vvith glad tidings vvill it returne vnto me and I hope command me to returne vnto you and so I rest in the best expectation and bascia la honorata manu Your Honors deuoted To the Honorable and his highly respected Lady B. S. RIght honorable Lady I cannot deny but a Diamond is a pretious stone though imbased in lead but excellently polished and set out to the best becomming it must needs constraine a farther praise and admiration so fareth it vvith Vertue vvhich no question is allovvable in the meanest persons but vvhen there is a vniting of many graces as beauty generous minde noble birth setled vvisedome affable demeanour and such like it not onely approcheth absolute perfection but bindeth vs to high and strict obseruation of all vvhich I must dare publish you a instāce so that it is the pride of my life to iustifie my soules desire to serue you and the glory of my bondage that I am made seruile to such vvorthinesse command therefore great Lady but vvith all command me to loue for I cannot liue except I loue nor care to die so I may loue you onely vvho are vvorthy of all loue Yet my dearest happinesse I beseech you mistake me not for hovvsoeuer I haue subiected my selfe I like a Soueraigne can indure no cōpetitor although it cannot be chosen but the very starres ouervvatch you and therefore many eyes on earth looke tovvard you many hearts vvish you vvel yet shall I neuer endure anothers claime much lesse a daring hand to take you in possession be therefore thus circumspect for humanities sake not betray your vertue to corruption nor my poore valor to ineuitable danger For if you frustrate my hopes either by vvillingnesse or vvantonnesse I renounce the vvorld all vvomen and my selfe But if the high strongest arme stretch it selfe tovvard you vvith inhumanity or compulsion my rest is vp to make it shrinke backe again or cut it off in the extension Yours in death it selfe To the Noble and truely vertuous Lady F.M. MOst worthy Lady had not my loue receiued life from the breathing heate issuing from your gracious acceptation it might vvell haue recoyled vvith the first violent reiection and taken out a nevv lesson of restraint vvith a ciuill acknovvledging your greatnesse and confessing that the starres are onely to be looked vpon vvith an abasing reuerence but you knovv and none but you shall knovv that vvhen I made my selfe a stop as afraide to go further then either my strength or policie could direct me a louely hand tooke me by the arm and drevv me along to the height of my happinesse vvherein I vvil sit as glorious as the Sunne in his strength in despite of maligne circūstances or maleuolent aspects embrace my fortune vvith gladnesse Therefore I pray you desist frō questioning my presumptuous attēpt or affrighting me vvith your greatnes or tormenting me vvith discouery or murthering me vvith suspition or sending me to hell vvith terror of your losse For I dare vvill thus answer euery particular Concerning my presumption It is easier to reach at a high bough then to stoop to a low straw it is glorious to be busied in honourable designes and he is made famous in the attempt though he faile in the conquest It is a worthy resolution to aime at a wel deseruing obiect and how euer the hazzard be there is a show of a generous spirit sith fortune and loue are painted blind in their portraitures Concerning your greatnesse we haue many instances of Queenes and Princes pulling vp inferior persons to honour nor is loue tyed to such lawes of priuacy but being naked himselfe shewes plainely that flesh and blood lies as naked to the incursions of his passions in high and lowe the lowe not ouer-awed with titular dignities or outward shows nor the preheminence of the hie priuiledged frō amorous affecting the lowe For my selfe I am in blood generous and in affection fully contracted to loyalty concerning discouery who shall betray vs but our selues nay who dare whisper against vs but iealousie and in that lies the secret of our prosperitie For what is difficult to get is carefully preserued and where there is danger in the aduenture there is sweetnesse and ioy exceeding other ioyes when the perill is ouerpassed therefore be you reposed and let me bustle with mischance for I am resolued to loue you against all ouerwatchings Concerning suspition Oh giue not wings to my feares that some other will intrude and participate my immunities or doe you it onely to make a triall of my spirit Beleeue it before I will consent to such basenesse I will pray for Sampsons strength to pull downe the house on all our heads together And concerning your losse Oh there is death in the verie sound and it cannot bee raised out of any other circle then enuy at my prosperitie or your owne desire of a more worthy seruant whereat I am now strucke silent and
vnlesse you confidently resolue me what to trust vnto I will not liue to write you another Letter Yours not to liue without you To her best choyce C.D. MY loues Pride Although I am enformed that by your liberall praises of me some quicke apprehension discouered your liking yet cannot I take it so ill as to draw you within the compasse of reprehension because I would not slacke the first vehemency wherein loue hath nobly displayed his colours on all sides Let vs therefore continue resolute and if by some small absence we sometimes slacke the burning of these fires shall it not resemble a Smiths forge who casteth water on his coales to strengthen the heate and make the flame more glorious Yet by way of caution it is not alwaies befitting to speake what wee thinke nor report what wee know lest a captious eare mistake our discourse and a passionate heart set the tong at randome As for our selues there hath bene made a reciprocall trial for my owne part as you expect constancy in me I request secrecy in you and so am resolued to loue you and none but you while I am warme in my hearts blood Yours in the midst of feare To his vertuous and dearely beloued M.A. SWeet Heart What a strange countermād did you send me not to visite you because your late sickenesse had cast a defiance in beauties face as if my liking depended on outward shewes Why good Soule when reason had won the field of passion I loued a vertuous Cassandra not a faire Hellen a noble spirit not an outward feature a constant resolution not a fading comelinesse and yet I am perswaded no disaster whatsoeuer can haue power to controwle thy beauty or bounty onely time excepted which must weare vs out with death and then shall our soules welcome a perpetuitie therefore I pray thee let me come if it be but to shew my selfe a man a louer of vertue and maintainer of all constant and honest resolutions Yours euer resolued To the Mistresse of his thoughts F.D. MY Loue and life I hope it is not come to that passe that you can bee contented to dispute the matter with discretion as though it lay in your choice which way to trauell to the palace of Felicitie as though wisedome had taught you to wipe away the forces of Fancie with a commanding hand as though some diuine inspiration had forewarned you of ensuing mishaps For sure no obiection can now be made which long since receiued not a foile in the encounter therfore I pray you if my fortunes be so bad that I must reuiue your memory goe to that groue where we called the trees to witnesse and sware by the pleasant shade that nothing but the fruite of enioying one another should coole the fiers of loue and there recount the words wee counterchanged the vowes we contracted the teares wee drunke vp from each others faces But I can say no more vnlesse I shall bee inforced to exclaime I am vnworthy to liue because my dearest life supposeth me vnworthy to loue or be beloued which if it bee but in shew as you breake the seales of these Letters you breake the strings of my heart Yours dying in constancie Ciuill Letters To his best beloued and more then much respected Mrs. G.Z. WOrthily beloued These pretty crosses and contradictions make Loue the sweeter and strengthen Fancie the more when the vaile of iealousie is taken away and an honest heart hath taught a strong arme the cunning to turne aside all obstacles of our delight yet beleeue me it was a miserable temptation for you to sweare my falshood and lay the weight of disloyaltie on the brest of an honest man especially to raise your suspition from so vnworthy a person and degenerating a cause when there was no motiue to startle my resolutions nor thoght to disparage your worth Say the course of the Danse brought mee with her to a turning change and that afterward I commended her graces and comelinesse I could doe no lesse out of courtship and good manner but to say that either procceeded from amorous passion is to be ouer passionat vnwarrantable by reason or laws of loue Besides some tongues haue traduced her for a wanton and then is beauty as ill bestowed as valure in a prophane swaggerer so that me thinks you should rather haue challenged any other for deprauing me in this kind then beene challenger your selfe to raise a greater disease But I hope you are now satisfied as no such misprision shall euer endanger the vnitie of our loues againe Yours fearefully louing To the worthiest of all my friends MY other selfe You haue commanded me to write and I durst not but obey nay you haue prescribed the method and therefore I wil not alter the maner but make you beleeue I haue apprehended your wil and would thus satisfie your desire True friendship is an vndissimuled consent of our affection towards one another and a very transportation of two hearts into one body so that two friends in a manner loue with one minde speake with one tongue execute with one hand liue with one life and sometimes die with one death Amongst friends must be no contradiction no disproportion of conditions no dissimilitude in manners nor talke of mine and thine Doth hee sorrow thou must mourne doth hee reioyce thou must not repine doth hee complaine thou must not accuse doth hee demaund thou must not denie doth hee want thou must not murmure doth hee contriue thou must practise doth hee desire thou must not reproue For though priuate thoughts are proper to our selues yet the fortunes goods persons and estate of friends are to remaine in a pleasant communitie vpon this some Philosophers haue maintained that one man can haue but one friend framing thus an argument A contrariis If there be danger in many enemies by reason of the many and vncertaine courses to reuenge there is trouble in many friends by occasion of diuisions in consent According to the opinion of Aeschines there was no such griefe as to be diuided from him we did loue For looke what properties loue euer contained were in friendshippe maintained and because loue could not receiue her estimation frō vntoward liberty to change friendship hath bene denied her desires to alter Tully the light of eloquēce had friendship in such account that he preferd it before kindred because in the dissolution of loue the name of a kinsman remained but in the priuation of friendship all titles and goodnes ended If then with these properties you can bear with my imperfections I with these conditions will tolerate your defects and so shall this name of friendship passe and repasse reciprocally between vs. Yours vnseparable To his highly esteemed WOrthy Sir Whereas you complaine of my slownesse in visiting you and slacknes in writing concerning your selfe I am determined to remaine with the same faith and order I euer accustomed touching those
passions nor can any man come vnto them at any time but diuers shall bee found afore him who challenge a dispatch of their businesse according to the priority of their suites therfore your honor must lay no such burthen of the state to thinke if there were such an interposition that any mans priuate malice could preuayle with the authoritie grauitie and wisedome of the rest Besides it may be there is a further policie to draw out the thred of this cloth of businesse at the greatest length to keep you from a further suite or troubling the king with other matters of importance till this be dispatched and hung on the file of assurance in your behalfe This I presumed to write vnto you because you commanded but in regard there bee some things you will not command nor I can iustisie in the answer I meane to reserue them till I haue opportunitie to present my dutie vnto you as you haue shewed a generous minde to manifest your good opinion toward me Your Honours deuoted To his well experienced friend and noble minded Gentleman G. P. NOble Sir Whereas at your last conference you told me comming from Germany to Antwerpe you saw no watch set and a kinde of fearefull stilnesse amongst the souldiers wherein I could not resolue you so suddenly because you spread no larger cloth of nouelties and peraduenture durst not in that place raise any suspition by demanding many questions I haue now thought good to adde to your experience some intelligences of my owne whereby as you well sayd then I doe gather the occasion of that defection and desisting from their martiall ceremonies You must then vnderstand that the Garrisons haue newly mutined and from insolent attempts drawne a fearefull execution on some principall offendors the Gouernour of the towne and citadell did put in practise an ancient vsance and policie of martiall discipline to command a cessation from orderly watch and souldier-like seruices And this was an absolute custome euen amongst the Romans that when insolent and tumultuous souldiers had looked with grimme and traiterous visages on the face of good order and made a repugnant disobedience against all law and restraint the Captaines presently prohibited any calling to the watch any preparation to the Parado beating the drums attending the colours or to vse any ceremonious brauerie whereby the mutiners that were so lusty before seeing what a confusion they had wrought and how they presented a sort of Padlarie reapers in a scattered field beganne to bewaile the want of their honourable customes and to confesse their former rudenesse and ouersight And this was the cause of the stilnesse in Antwerpe at your lodging in the towne And amongst other policies of warre according to the seuerall businesse in hand of which you shall heare more hereafter when we haue further leisure to dispute of other occurrents Yours in terror of death To his well disposed Friend Mr. M.D. GOod Sir Conceiue of me what you please there is not a man in this kingdome shall haue more interest in me then your selfe and that you shall well perceiue by my plain and true satisfaction of your demands although it be somwhat too intricate to deale in such confused questions and dangerous relation of businesse Whereas then you demand the reason why so many great and noble persons haue as it were met with death and destruction in the violent race of their turbulent innouation and insolent wilfulnesse not taking warning by precedent examples nor terrified with the euer-impending reward of treason which is the ouerthrow both of themselues and families I answer that truely I can yeeld you no reason because all they pretend is not onely against reason but many times against policie and at all times against honesty and religion yet can I giue you some false fires and as it were contriue adulterate excuses out of fauour and partialitie You haue read then that the diuell in compassing the earth did consider mens frailties in his progresse and as the principall marke of the world hee most gloriously attempts principallities and powers so that sometimes hee pleadeth the axiomes of Philosohers and reciteth a pestilent position out of Euripides that if faith and loyaltie be to be rent asunder it is excusable in compassing a Diademe and reaching at a Crowne Thus Stephen Earle of Blois vsurped the kingdome of England and made warres on the faction of the Empresse And thus Henrie the fourth in fringed his first vowe to steppe no further then the Dutchie of Lancaster but when hee found no hinderances hee quickely ranged ouer all other territories and iurisdictions Sometimes hee dilates Matchiuilian policies and telleth men that are cruell and ambitious that they which meane to haue a smooth walke to contentment yea to passe the time in any Orchard or Garden of pleasure must not onely remooue the greater blockes stickes and stones but as occasion serues picke out the sharpe pibbles and rowle the same smoother Thus Athaliah destroyed the kings stocke to gaine the Diademe And thus Richard the third first remooued the Queenes kindred after vsurped the persons of the two Princes Sometimes hee whispereth in the eares of moderate kings that they may bee iealous in pointes of soueraigntie and who shall controwle them if they settle their feares and peace though they see the bleeding neckes of such as they feare Thus Adoniah fell vnder his yonger brother Thus Nero put Corbulo and Germanicus to death because they were reputed worthie of the kingdome Thus was Mortimer in Henrie the fourths time as it were banished from the Court Thus was long before that Robert Duke of Normandie depriued of his eyes Thus was Edward Plantagenet Earle of Warwicke imprisoned and destroyed with many such like Sometimes hee maketh the iustifying of a faction and the louing of one another and honest cause of rebellion As you saw in the Barons 〈◊〉 in the beginning of Henrie the fourth when the king should haue bene destroyed at Oxenford and afterward when the Percies maintayned the coadiutements of Worcester and Mortimer Sometimes hee rayseth innouation and treason out of the circle of ambition and vaine-glory vpon any pretence of a title as you saw in the first claime of Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke and in the last tumults of the Earl of Warrewicke in Edward the fourths time Sometimes hee deceiueth honour with couetousnesse and bogges the mindes of generous spirits with hope of increase of liuing and augmentations of titles Thus was the Duke of Buckingham caught in a snare of the Earledome of Hertford and not onely streched his arme out to helpe Richard the third to mount on the throne of Maiestie against all religion and pietie but to spreade the colours of his owne reuenge against the tyrant himselfe whereby hee lost his head Sometimes hee impostures men with the fanaticall hopes of diuellish promises from forcerie and witchcraft As you may reade of Elinor Cobham who well expected the preferment of the
Protector her husband and of Hâ—â—â—ford Duke of Buckingham whom the Cardinall ouerthrew in Henry the eights time Somtimes hee bloweth the bellowes of popularitie and swelleth men ouer bigge with the windy breath of opinion as in diuers worthy presidents and instances of our owne wherin euen the best subiects haue yet taken a wrong course to curbe their Princes and making good causes as reformation of disorders remoouing of euill Councellours protecting of Iustice and maintaining the honour of martiall discipline c. Baudes to wicked and troublesome spirits haue in the ende pulled on death and insupportable affliction on themselues and families and sometimes he inciteth euen coÌ„mon persons to presumptuous darings and dangerous troubles falsifying their wicked pretences on the glorious shewes of the kingdomes good as in the Irish expeditions the rebellions of Straw and Cade the wicked purpose of Perkin Marbeck the clamours of Ket the insurrections of the North and such like In all which from the beginning to the ending there is no one sound and substantiall reason but must needs be ouerthrowne with the shoulderinsg of truth and vprightnes And thus could I fill you volumes with precepts and instances and both diuide and subdiuide to infinit particulars wherein greatnes and pollicy resemble poison in the hearts of corrupt persons which runneth from veine to veine and neuer desisteth till all be infected and at last the very life blood contaminated Nay I could haue spread your letter to a greater bredth euen with modern examples and daily positions but I cannot name them without offence and traducing of many of their imperfections and follies and therefore I will leaue what I may not write to a priuate relation when we may meet with securitie Yours to trust onely To her deerest husband MY onely life I may not write at large nor one word but what another ouersees therefore I pray you consider of me and your children and how euer your vertue fill your heart with constancy yet remember that in all ages and with all persons vertue doth not thriue alike nor must a man proclaime all he knowes or divulge what he thinkes so that there is no remedy for your enlargement but a patient enduring a politike silence an humble submission and plausible casting your selfe and cause into the lappe of the Queenes fauor and vnder the shadow of that great Lords mantle No more neither I dare nor must but that I am and will be Your euer louing wife in distresse Chyding Letters To his ill aduised Sonne T.G. MOst foolish and idle headed I haue heard thee sometimes discourse of historicall relations because I should strengthen my opinion that thou hast not bene a truant at schoole nor a traitor to nature in ouerthrowing some good parts alotted as thy portion But I wonder that amongst the rest thou dost not remeÌ„ber a certain law of the Lacedemonians against disobedient children who were publikely whipt and when they continued refractary they were despightfully hanged as enemies to the commonwealth so that if thy profuse expences riotous courses disobedient wilfulnesse irregular conditions dangerous company and intemperate abusing the time were in those dayes to follow thee to that barre of censuring I should surely take no further care for thy punishment nor feare for thy hereafter ouerthrow But because thou liuest in a corrupt age and commonwealth belike thou thinkest thy selfe disgraced out of the fashion if thou be not corrupt too nay monstrously wicked degenerating For what hope can I haue of the preseruation of my estate and family after death when thou darest presume in my life to carry an absolute sway against my prescriptions and runne three hundred pounds in debt to all our troubles And if thou come to particulars how bare and poorely will thy excuse seeme how vgly and deformed will thy vanity appeare I brought thee with a gentle hand to the study of the law whereon both profite and honours depends and thou hast not onely neglected the same but with a kind of contempt and despight abandoned thy study and because we should be sure of thy hate and vilipending such a iewell thou art bold to boast of pawning thy bookes and that thou wilt not curbe a braue spirit thou mayst say a diuellish ruffinlinesse with stupid and dull inclosing thy selfe in a Cabinette and poaring on harsh and vnpleasant lines I taught thee a way to handsomnesse and ciuilitie shewing thee like a Father the difference betweene pride and comelinesse and thou art so farre from the modest vse of Gods creatures in this kinde that thou hast transshaped thy selfe with filthy disguises of long-haire diffused Apparell coloured Bands gaudie Ornaments ridiculous fashions yea thy very heele and spurre-leathers shew the lightnes of thy minde vanitie of thine affections and deformities of both So that from top to toe the best excuse is the fashion the best of these fashions so out of frame that wisedome hateth them and pietie pittieth them I instructed thee with the modest oratory of good demeanour and how weakly they were armed that stood at defiance with patience and vertue building a poore frame on the high exalted Title of valure as though vice must either be carryed vp with the strong arme of robustiousnes or coloured ouer with the sophisticate paintings of good-fellowship courage not disparaging of Gentrie and that a man liuing in eminence and expectation of glorie must not giue way to any discredite But thou like a resty-iade hast runne backwards and affrighted thy owne good spirite with fearfull blood-sheddings quarrells and contentions exposing thy selfe to barren and beastly destructions in despight of order and good gouernment So that I cannot compare that valour which thou wouldst haue graced with such an Epithite better then to the beautie of a strumpet who is eyther mercenarie to all commers or so kinde that shee cannot gainsay any asking the question and at last maketh her self abhorred or vilipended There be other matters of offence wherewith I could loade you but these for this time shall startle you a little and prepare you to some better consideration against I examine you further or absolutely determine to shew you a stronger hand of reformation therefore be aduised you were best and if you dare forget I am your father and must maintaine you remembet you are a Christian and liue vnder a religion and law which will clip the wings of such licentiousnes and deplume the feathers of all such consuming birds of prey Your displeased Father To her wilfull and seduced friend M. G. VNkinde and ill aduised To what purpose haue you made me beleeue that you neuer spake sentence but loue ioyned the wordes neuer breathed vow but vertue instructed the heart neuer performed action but my worth was the magnes to draw you into industry and yet you can bee contented to wipe away all with the slight hand of carelesnes and to forsake me without a cause yea to despight me the
them wirh teares as desperat of his recouery For in this vice custome age are so forcible that men are so far frō reformation as they grow from bad to worse from worse to be loathsome to thēselues and al ciuil company So played I with thee and dryed vp thy mother cheekes with my kisses kept her rage from desperate furie with excuses held her hands from wringing with sweet perswasions shewed her instances of many licentious yong men redused to gouernment till we heard of this eruption of beastiality past all limitation or hope of amendment A drunkard that I haue liued to see this day and my owne shame and disgraces ripened in thy rottennesse Let mee tell thee how the Lacedemonians were woont to do after they had found a drunkard wallowing in the durt and like a Swine besmeered in his filthines to bring forth their children to beget in them a deadly detestation of the spectacle they beheld But how that if any fore-warned and by such exēplary cautions terrrified fell into the bogges of such by-wayes out of the tract of Temperance and path-way of discretion they were publikely whipt but I am afraide thou wilt serue me like the beastly younker of Strasborough who when his father led him to such a spectacle where besides the loathsomnes of the party wallowing in his vomit the ridiculousnes of the action set the spectators on worke to the clapping their hands and extraordinary iollitie was so farre from misliking of the same that hee onely demaunded where the good wine was which had made the good man in such a taking And wilt thou serue me so indeed Are the pleasant voyces of my fatherly instruction discords vnto thee Is there no remedy but I must see thee irrecouerably plunged in a quagmire of so loathsome a vice Oh that I might rather see thy death then this disorder and cease to bee a Father then to haue so vntoward a sonne My prayer is Eyther mend or end And so I leaue thee Your Father if you be sober To her vnkinde Husband WRetched and miserable man How darest thou lift vp thy Adulterate eyes to heauen and behold the pure and christalline Firmament wherein that euerlasting Law-giuer sits in Triumph against the day of vengeance to iudge such perseuerāt delinquēts as thy self or dost thou imagine that those strict duties commanded from the beginning were but matters of pollicie or that position of man wife being one flesh was meerly breath and exhalation Surely it must needs bee so with Atheists and prophane liuers And I am afraide to the hereafter horror of thy soule that thou wilt tumble into the pit of burning lasciuiousnes from whence it is easier to be kept frō falling then once fallen to recouer out But O foole looke againe with brighter eyes and reade with more iudiciuos vnderstanding the lips of a whore are as sweete as honie to the taste of fooles but in her heart is the sting of scorpions yea the poyson of aspes lies vnder her lips and wilt thou then aduenture the stinging when there is no Cataplasme for the soare Wilt thou forget the honest wife of thy youth for a disloyall and impudent stranger Wilt thou despise thy children resembling oliue branches about thy Table being buds of the Blessings promised a good man for Bastards plants which the hand of Diuine Iustice will soone roote out wilt thou runne into the sincke of lustfull confusion that maist trace the faire walks of contentment with chast embracings Oh doe not so I charge thee nay by the contracts to our first vowes I coniure thee returne to the pleasant springs of our amity and I will wash thee cleane againe and make thee sweete with teares and kisses of a louing wife Your true wife in your vntruth To his periurde and lasciuious wife THou for sworne wretch To what end hast thou prostituted thy selfe to filthinesse abandoned the strong and certaine supportation of grace for the momentarie ticklings of pleasure so that by this filthy dashings of lusts lothsome chariots we are all bemyred deformed made odious to the world thy selfe art branded for a strumpet and in the best excuse but a brokē glasse neuer to be set together againe I am made a by-word a pointing-stocke not that the disloialty of a whore can ouerthrow the reputation of a vertuous honest man but because corrupted times haue taught men a mischieuous lesson of taunts contēptuous scornings thy children appeare not but with suspitious faces and I dare not looke vpon them for feare some harsh news should whisper in mine eare their bastardy our friends and acquaintance dare not meete without murmuring and me thinks I heare them say what shall we do in the house of shame and eate at the table of incontinency Oh that thou hadst remembered Iudah against Thamar that she should be burnt for playing the whore yet a widow and before the law But when the Iewes were reduced to obedience adultery was punished with death But me thinks I heare the diuell to prompt thee that they which dare aduenture their soules dare hazzard their liues and now it is not so strict as it was in the time of the law For Christ himselfe forgaue the woman taken in adultery and we liue in a commonwealth far from such extremity Is this your sophistry take heede of cousening your owne soule and deceiuing the trust which Christ hath reposed in thee making thee therby partaker of his pretious blood and thy own redemption But how neither to spill the one by casting it abroad with vncleane and polluted hands nor betray the other by conspiring with presumptuous sinners to rebel against grace repentance newnes of life wherin if thou dost not examin thy selfe prepare to better conformity I need not breath out vengeance against thee or seek a greater iustice then thy mischeeuous will vnpenitent life shall pull vpon thy disguised shamelesse face and defiled mishapen soule Your husband if you do not diuide him Excusing Letters To his best Friend G.L. GOod Sir I would not haue you stagger in your opinion of me considering I haue alwaies with an vpright hand held vp the beame of our friendship would neuer giue my heart leaue to entertaine a thought of politicke misdoubt either of your abilitie or honesty For the very name of a friend shal cōmand my person much more my goods but such a man as your selfe hath interest in my life spirit Therefore beleeue it I was so destitute of mony at that time that casting vp an irkesome account of my brothers departure necessity enforced the pawning of my vtensels to furnish him wherein if any experience or example haue taught my tung the cūning of excuses let it hereafter grow too big for my mouth when my wants knock at the doore for supply let hands of Adamant admit them no entrance to my insupportable afflictiōs But wheras you lay a further
repent Nor hath he pardond all whom he hath shent Nor mad them happy whom he doth forbeare And so much wiser in so much mistrust They haue most hope that haue most doubt of tim the best assured hart must beare or brust Bare honesty is poore as Ballet-rime And somewhile counted for an heynous crime Yet store's no soare because the honest-wise Are feasted when they haue what will suffise Content's a royall portion for a Prince A minde at peace excelleth gouernment Hee hath abundance that hath competence Pleasde is a treasure neuer to be spent The patient man did neuer yet repent Nor hope in vaine nor yet in vaine repine For sufferance is sufferantly diuine And yet it is a hinderance to my Creede That neither sexe nor sorts in meanes or minde Neither for cause matter desert or deede Should haue a care of loue or loue of kinde Lost-labour so to seeke and such to finde Then seeke no more to finde such labours losses T is better not to liue then liue with crosses For touching life that we doe loue so much And court with such variety of fauour If that our wisedome and our grace were such To weigh our losse of time with losse of labour And iudge the mischiefe of our misbehauiour In both the courts of conscience repentance Our selues might giue both euidēce sentēce And scape the scrupule of a froward minde And clense the filth of our corrupted sence And in the molde of vanity soone sinde The foule occasions of our vilde offence Purging diseased sinnes with some pretence Wherby we liue so wretchedly so wrought on as neither GOD nor any good is thought on O wicked world growth of inconstant passions Wherein no vertue is at all abiding If now at ease streight sicke at least of fashions With whose impatience there is no desiding From whose deuises there is no diuiding Now this then that euē as the humor bread Now honor'd much aboue our small desert Anon more low then is the seruile slaue In whom ther is no hope no worke nor Art To purchase or prolong to wish or craue Oppression's humble and opinion's braue All things vncertaine yet most certaine too That what so ere Time made it shall vndoo Times past present teach vs what 's to come That fraile mortality is as fruitlesse aire Thogh much desirde honord much by some By some lesse happy in as much despaire In some most fowle in other some most faire Most fowl most fair most desprat most desird And all but with infection most inspirde So all alike the Noble and the Clowne Dye and with them their deeds as well as they For after-ages put the former downe Their murthred monumēts haue nought to say Their beauties with their bodies ayre clay Caesar and Alexander dead rotten The actors and their actions quite forgotten Dauid the Darling of th' Almighties-heart Predominant in pleasure and in power Most worthily till wickednes did thwart That heauenly Sunshine with a worldly showre The greatest winner hath a loosing hower For GOD did neuer yet make that man liue That hath not in his life some cause to grieue How trust we then to vaine abilitie The breath of howrs giddy Fortuns fauors Whose alterations worke debilitie And our loose-hopes with loosing happes mislabours time hūteth fools as fools hūt hares with tabers Beating vpon the toppe of stiles and stockes Tlll in the fire of pride they burne like blocks Sencelesse of all sence but sencelesse pleasure And that it selfe euen as it is affected Subscribing onely to the humors leisure By which alone they wholly are directed Till ill by worse be worthily detected Then car'd as little for as they haue car'de They feele the differēce to be spoyld or sparde Beauty and strength are but a vulgar blast And shape a subiect vnto euery beast Euen sence it selfe will leaue our selues at last When this shall be the subiect of the feast That vertues store will neuer be decreast Wher good men may recoūt without controule The golden reckoning of an humble soule And to dilate the matter somewhat more Let 's looke a little ore the world againe And see if that we haue not causes store to fret our selues and on our selues complaine that any worldly Soyle our soules should staine When nothing in the world is good or sure ther 's nothing good that can the world endure Princes of state the game of Fortunes wheele Are treasons subiects thralls to base despight tormented in their soules when as they feele A guilty conscience open inward sight to see how wrongs haue ouergrowne the right And how so ere theyr titles make them proud Yet must they dye like mē GOD saies aloud Nobles the breath of Kings are vaine in pride And vainer in opinion of vaine men Swelling with factious hearts gainst wind and tyde If they be crost or countermanded when The Lyon mongst the beasts coms from his den And peraduenture takes the Ape to play When Beasts of nobler kinde are chasde away Great Officers the wantons of the time Sifting theyr sences through sleight vanitie Teaching poore vertue that this durt slime Must worke our worldly base felicitie And further pleasures in iniquitie As for the soule let simple men regard it For being simple simple worths reward it Friends yet vntryde like golden hanging fruite With wordes of fauour and as smooth as oyle Smoake promises to helpe thee in thy sute But all to countnance pride and to beguile Simplicitie with many a fained smile For touch them once they crumble vnto dust like burnt cole-fruit which Tātalus did trust Acquaintance onely bubbles in the ayre Made out of sope and water by young boyes Swelling a while with pleasant shape and faire As long as our owne breath augments the ioyes but blown on burst prouing thēselues slight toyes For if that our misfortunes are espide They quickly shrink hang their heads aside Children the care of cares and harts disease In such a time of brauery and sinne Where disobedient sonnes must needs displease And daughters faire themselues to know begin Seeking a dangerous libertie to winne For what a Feuer makes the Father quake whē daughters hāds with fool or whore do take Women the torments of vnsetled hearts The very Fewell vnto burning lust Yet in themselues doe acte contrary parts Against such men as doe them truely trust For if they swell with wantonnesse vnburst They practise slye deceyts if they be good Yet oft with chafings they doe vexe thy blood Strūpets most dangerous baytes a burning fire Blacke coales consuming or for to bismeer Trothles to trust wrought vp with greater hire A foule consumption of the soule most deere Yet making boyles and botches to appeare O that fond mā wold liue with sweetned breath For their darke stincking houses lead to death Beautie a pleasing ornament to sight Ordainde to shew the Makers noble glorie But see how Pride and Nature doth delight To ouerthrow the goodnes