friend will refuse it for I would have the health in a circular orbe move round about the table till every man hath had it And so as I said before I begin this health Ad salutem Amicorum To the health of all our friends wishing them as full a measure of all happinesse as this cup is full of Wine I hope you 'le pledge me Gentlemen 21. To promise to pledge it SIr héere 's no man will refuse it for my part I will continue the health for I am bound to second it since it is in memory to our friends and therefore I will pledge it though the glasse were so big that the Moone might make a câ—ver to it 22. To desire to be excused GEntlemen I must entreat your pardon for I dare not drinke such health since I know I should loose mine owne health by it Besides I hold it a heathenish custome and not becomming a Christian I shall therefore estéeme it a courtesy in you to dispence with my pledging it for to shew love to our friends by wronging our selves were a part of folly rather then friendship To which purpose I have written these verses T is an â—ld rule now amonst Bacâ—ius traine That from our owne healthes drinking we refraine Yet now they doe begin healths to their friends Which with the losse of their owne health still ends And thus while of our friends too much we make We love our friends but our owne selves we hate 23. To acquaint one with a journey I Am to ride this morning toward London and if you please to command mee any service I shall be carefull in the performance of it or if you have any thing to buy pray let me be your steward I le buy it as cheape as I can for it is a happinesse to me to have any imploy ment from you If therefore you have any businesse or cause to solicite trust me with it and I will use the best diligence I can to effectuate your desires or if you please to command me any other service you shall finde me your ready servant 24. To thanke one for a courtesie SIr I must acknowledge my self indebted to you for your last courtesy the remembrance makes me your debtor till I can finde some opportunity of requitall neither will I bée ungratefull for your last favour but will returne it with interest when Fortune shall enable me in the mean time I would desire you to reckon me in the number of those that are beholding to you and for your former crurtesies to take the payment of a friend in a currant English shankes 25. To excuse a friend in his absence SIr it is the part of one friend to excuse another in his absence and therefore I intreate you not to be offended with him till you know the truth but to interprete all things to the best For I know it would much grieve him to gaine your displeasure and therefore let not your wisedome censure him in his absence for I know hée will cleare himselfe at his returne Bée pleased therefore to suspend your anger a while and let not your passion pronounce him guilty before you know the truth for if you will uniustly condemne him I must rise up in my friends defence for howsoever his enemies have incensed you against him I dare engage my selfe hée is not guilty of those calumnious slaunders which are heaped on him Let me entreate you therefore not to give credit to the reports of malicious informers who can with ease defame and cast aspersions upon the best men but I would rather have you thinke the best of him till you know the worst and then determine of as you find cause If hée deserve it let him continue still your friend if not let him be wiped out of the number of your friends 26. The Wooers Complement SWéet Maide the Sunne hath almost gone his yearely iourney about the World since first I beheld the Sunne of your beauty which hath so dazled mine eyes that I behold all other things as trifles in respect of those glorious beames which do shoot themselves from thence If therefore câ—ntinuance of time may bée any assurance of fidelity in love you must néedes confesse that I have long béene a devoted servant to your perfections Bée pleased therefore now to accept that love of mine which my fond heart cannot conceale you are the darling of my thoughts the treasure of my heart the â—appinesse of my life neither would I live â—ndéed but that I hope in time by my true serâ—ice and obedience to obtaine your favour Neither would I have you thinke that I slatâ—er you for my tongue doth but interpret â—o my heart and the heavens know with what a due reverence I honour you If therefore my love be grounded upon vertuous desires you ought to cherrish it but if I seeke your wrong by satisfaction of my owne desires let me perish in your favour which is to me above all punishments You are the Load-stone of my affection your lips are the moyst Adamants that doe attract me one touch from your hand hath power to revive the dead faculties of age There is musick in your voyce and a lovelines in all your actions Blame me not then for loving you but blame your selfe for being so worthy of love and since your beauties haue wonnded me let your gracious answer cure mée by consenting to tie that holy knot of Marriage which I have often urged Make me happy in your answer 27. The Mayds answer SIr as you are a friend to vertue I cherish your Love and am perswaded you love mée but alas wée Maydes have no power to give away our selves withouâ— consent of Parents neither can we dispose oâ— our selves or be liverall of our affections tilâ— our Parents be acqutinted with it And therefore you must now become a Sutor to my Father his liking obtain'd mine shall follow and if you get his good will my hand shall give you my heart in the Church before the whole Congregation in the meane time rest assured you shall find me constant in affection and therefore you néede sollicite mée no further I am yours 28. The Wooers answer I Desire no more happinesse for by your answere you have revived my drooping heart neither would I change my estate with rich Croesus since I value the obtaining of your love above the Empire and Dominion of the whole world I doubt not but we shall live and love together And as for your Father I hope he will grant us the priviledge due to al hearts to love to enioy and I wil shortly take some fit opportunity to sollicite his consent in the interim I must force my heart to take my leave of you not daring to salute you for feare one kis should tempt me back againe but t is no matter what we spare now we will take out upon our Wedding day Farewell 29. To invite one home SIr I have often desired your
CVPIDS SCHOOLE Wherein Yong men and Mayds may learne diverse sorts of new witty Amorous Complements Newly written and never any written before in the same kinde Complaine unto thy Love with flattering Art For gentle words do move the hardest heart Printed at London by Rich. Cotes and are to be sold by Francis Grove dwelling on Snow-hill neere the Sarasins-head 1642. The Character and Description of a Complement IN the old time their Garments were plaine and so were their words and meaning But afterward some more witty than the rest finding what power perswaâ—ion hath over the minde of man invented a new art of words called Complements which â—s indeed nothing but an effable and courteous manner of speech and yet is now growne so necessary that nothing can be done without â—hem For men now a-dayes regard not vertuous qualities but onely a pleasingnesse of nature and condition so that hee that speaketh best â—eeds best and shall be sure to be preferred before the plaine meaning man So that the neâ—essity of these times doth enforce us to learne â—he Art of Complements which I will prove â—nto you by particulars and first in love he that â—hinkes to winne affection by telling a Mayd in plaine tearmes that hee loves her is much deceived for when she heares you begin so plainly she will start backe from you and think you to be some ignorant Coridon that know not Cupids language when on the contrary hee that can deliver his minde in amorous words doth seeme to keepe the keyes of their Maydenheads of which he can take possession when he list for their hearts are at his devotion while the other poore Lover that cannot expresse his minde in a Complement may pine away with sorrow unregarded for he that loves most is many times neglected and he that loves least is oftentimes most respected Therefore it behooves a Lover now adaies to use some Complement insinuation to procure affection for a man can prevaile in nothing without Complements your friend will not thinke you his friend without you salute him with a Complement you cannot invite one home nor entertaine him afterward without Complements neither can you keepe company or be sociable without the mutual enterchanging of Complements To conclude therefore a Complemenâ— is the language of Callants the Conquer our oâ— Mayden-heads the quintessence of wit the resâ—ner of speech and necessary both in City anâ— Countrey For though the Countrey-man be plaine yet faire and courteous words will prevaile much with the goodnesse of his nature and this may be seene by the fable of Mercury and Iupiter who wandring one night upon the plaines not knowing where to get a lodging at last they came to the house of old Baucis and Philemon an old marryed couple who had long lived together in a poore cottage here Iupiter beginning to make his case known the old wife Bauciâ— began to scold and told him plainely she had no lodging for him till at last Mercury so farre prevailed with his complementall eloquence that the good wife being ravished with his sweete words straight opened the doore lighted a candle and entertained them with all kindnesse and courtesie whereby you may see that such is the power of Complements that it breakes lockes opens doores at mid-night and will give you accesse to the mistresse of your heart if you can but handsomely complement with the Maid and come over her with melting language onely you must remember to mingle some kisses and line her Apron with gold and then you may be sure to obtaine your owne desires Besides as Complements are necessary in wooing so you cannot counsell your friend to refraine from any vicious course unlesse you use the insâ—nuation of a Complement fortruth is so sharpe that it is displeasing to all men and seemes to grate their eares if it be not sweetned by some pleasant discourse and therefore when you are to doe the tenderest office of a friend which is to lay his shame and vice before him there is nothing can give a more ready entrance to your words or make him more willingly endure the sharpenesse of good counsell than to beginne in a loving and complementall manner Seeing therefore that a CoÌ„plement is so gracefull to the speaker so delightfull to the hearer and so powerfull to winne affection I hope young men will imbrace and love this Booke which teacheth them how to obtain their love And I hope young Mayds will lay it under their pillow and read it when they goe to bed since it will instruct them how to give an Answer to their amorous Sutors And so wishing to all young men and Maydes the accomplishment of their desires I leave these complements to their perusall A Complement to the Reader Gentle Reader IT is some perswasion to read a Booke when wee dare say that the matter is new and that there was never any thing written in the same kind This we may affirme of these Complements and therefore hauing had no patterne of imitation to direct me I hope kind Reader thou wilt so much the rather vouchsafe out of thy wonted kindnesse to grace them with thy favourable acceptance Let their newnesse perswade thee to rerd and then I doubt not but thou shalt find some amongst them so pleasant and delightfull as will induce thee to crowne my labours with thy free commendations For as I am studious to benefit thee in in any thing I may so all the ayme of my desire is to bee thought worthy of thy liking and good opinion which if thou grant mee it shall oblige the service of my Pen to pleasure thâ—â— in this or any other kind So I rest Thine as mine W. S. The Author to the Reader VVHen thou dost chance to fall in love by power of Cupids bow If thou these Complements doe prove their vertue thou shalt know Suppose thy Sweet-heart fled from thee as Daphne fram Apollo Yet she at last changed will be if thou the câ—ace doe follow And if these Complements thou use in fitting place and time The Maid that did thy love refuse shall unto love incline For though my selfe did never try yet I have heard it said Faire words and opportunity will winne the coyest Maid The Contents 1 TO wooe a Mayd 2 The Mayds answer 3 To urge a sute the second time 4 The Mayds answer 5 The Lovers reply 6 Master Brainelesse his wooing of Barbara 7 To excuse some inconsiderate speeches to â— Gentlewoman 8 To welcome one home 9 To perswade by way of counsell 10 To entreate a courtesie 11 The Answer 12 To bid a Bride goodmorrow 13 To bid a Bridegroome goodmorrow 14 At the first meeting of a friend 15 The other friends answer 16 To present a gift to a Mayd 17 To bid a friend farewell 18 To entreat a courtesie of a stranger 19 To aske a Fathers good will to marry his Daughter 20 To begin a health 21 To promise to pledge it 22 To
therefore in a word I wish you all ioy 13. To bid a Bridegroome good morrow MAster Bridegroom I must congratulate the ioyes of Marriage and wish they may increase daily to both your comforts you have enioyed to night a happinesse which my knowledge did never yet arive at and therefore it is unpossible for me to guesse it however I doe not envy but wish you al happinesse with your faire choyce And though by your heavy eye I discerne you have not tooke your due of rest to night yet you may take it out the next for I could wish my Bedde were troubled with such fleas on that condition I slept not these two nights All that I can wish is this that no fatall time day or houre may produce a change or alteration in your affections But that you may live like Turtle Doves you ioying in her and shée with mutuall delight making you the obiect of all her happinesse that so your marriage may proove a merri-age 14. At the first meeting of a friend SIr you are well met and most happily returned for fame hath given out a sinister report that you were miscarried in your iourney but I am glad the old proverbe is true that fame is often a lyer I pray let a pint of Wine be the Scrivener to renew the bonds of our friendship for I am even full of ioy to behold you and my heart would bid you welcome in better phrase but that I want words to expresse the integrity and truth of my affection I have forgot all this while to enquire of our friends health my thoughts were so wholy busied to bid you welcome But I hope Sir they are well 15. The other friends answer SIr your friends are all well and are mâ—ndful of you in the remembrance of their love Neither am I lesse ioyfull at our fortunate méeting which is a happinesse I have long wished for and though my tongue cannot interpret the inward ioy of my heart yet I would not have you thinke that love is least which hath least expression of it selfe For a full vessell yéelds no sound and a heart full of affection cannot so easily express it selfe in a smooth way of Complements in a word I am heartily glad to sée you and to say more were but to speake the same in more words 16. To present a gift to a Mayd FAire Mayde I would desire you to accept this small Ring as an embleme of my affection which like a circle shall be ever endlesse I know it is unworthy your acceptance yâ—t vaine out of the graciousnesse of your humility to receive this unworthy pledge of that love and service which I shall ever owe you till time shall inable me to expresse my love in some more worthy gift And if at any time this toy doe chance to draw downe your eye unto your finger if you please to remember me thereby and thinke on me who hath de voted my selfe to your service I shall thinke my selfe the lesse unhappy in my absence though indéed till I returne againe I shall be able to rellish no taste of comfort since all my ioy is to enjoy your company but my businesse doth enforce me away so that leaving this with you as a memento of my affection I take my leave with as sad a heart as ever lover parted with his Mistresse 17. To bid a friend farewell SIr I am so unwilling to be deprived of your swéete society and so sorty to loose the fruition of your good company that my heart will hardly permit mée to take my leave of you yet since the necessity of your occasions doth enforce us to part I can but wish you a prosperous iourney and with my prayers daily solicite heaven for your safe returne I will not buâ—then your memory with severall commendations but onely desire you to remember my love and service in generall to all our friends in the Countrey This is all I require of you and since though unwilling wée must endure your absence from us I will promise in the meane time to bée your Beades-man to pray for your happy iourney and will onely kéepe so much of my heart as may kéepe me alive the other half shal go with you Now I see why death is called departing for departing of friends is a short death give me your hand the ancient embleme of affection and I pray be carefull of your selfe since in your welfare consists the welfare of all your friends And so farewell 18. To entreat a courtesy of a stranger SIr though I am unknowne unto you yet the report of your knowne courtesâ— makes me bold to preferre a suit to your favourable consideration Which if I might obtaine I should think vertue hath not quite forsaken the World but that there lives such sparkes of goodnesse in your brest as may be able to enflame posterity with an emulation of your goodnesse I beséech you therefore be not afraid to doe me a courtesie because I am a Stranger For by how much you have lesse inducements to shew me any favour you shalâ— thereby make your vertue shine with more illustrious glory I must confesse I have no great mans Letter to prdcure your liking and good opinion of mée yet since my desires are modest and such as you may grant with ease I hope you will grant my request in requitall whereof I will proclaime your noblenesse and courtesie wheresoever I come and will be sure to mention you alwayes in my prayers who have with the eyes of pitty lookt downe upon the necessities of a stranger But I will not urge you with any further importunity but leave my suit to your consideration Verbum â—at bono few words prevaile with good men in a good cause 19. To aske a Fathers good will for marrying his Daughter SIr it hath pleased your Daughter to bestow her affection upon me and now I must become a sutor to you for your good will liking For so farre shâ— hath granted me her love if it be seconded by your good allowance I would intreat you therefore be pleased to ratify and establish by your frée consent what the Heavens have already decréed For our hearts are already married in heaven and we lacke nothing now but your consent which I hope I shall obtaine and since we have both béene obedient in making you acquainted with our desires I beséech you séeke not to crosse our loves but give us both your blessing 20. To begin a health GEntlemen since we are now unable to commemorate our friends any other way than by remembring them in a health I am bolo out of the overflowing of my love to dedicate this health to the memory of our absent friends I will fill it so full that a flye may drinke of it at the top and will drinke it so clearely off that a flye shall not be able to drink at the bottome And thus Gentlemen I begin it hoping that no man that honours his