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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
friend_n	worthy_a	write_v	year_n	129	4	4.1482	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66844	The gentlewomans companion; or, A guide to the female sex containing directions of behaviour, in all places, companies, relations, and conditions, from their childhood down to old age: viz. As, children to parents. Scholars to governours. Single to servants. Virgins to suitors. Married to husbands. Huswifes to the house Mistresses to servants. Mothers to children. Widows to the world Prudent to all. With letters and discourses upon all occasions. Whereunto is added, a guide for cook-maids, dairy-maids, chamber-maids, and all others that go to service. The whole being an exact rule for the female sex in general. By Hannah Woolley.	Woolley, Hannah, fl. 1670.; Faithorne, William, 1616-1691, engraver.	1673 (1673)	Wing W3276A; ESTC R204109	139,140	297

THE Gentlewomans Companion OR A GUIDE TO THE Female Sex CONTAINING Directions of Behaviour in all Places Companies Relations and Conditions from their Childhood down to Old Age VIZ. As Children to Parents Scholars to Governours Single to Servants Virgins to Suitors Married to Husbands Huswifes to the House Mistresses to Servants Mothers to Children Widows to the World Prudent to all With LETTERS and DISCOURSES upon all Occasions Whereunto is added A Guide for Cook-maids Dairy-maids Chamber-maids and all others that go to Service The whole being an exact Rule for the Female Sex in General By Hannah Woolley LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell for Dorman Nowman at the Kings-Arms in the Poultry 1673. To all Young Ladies Gentlewomen and all Maidens whatever I Have formerly sent forth amongst you two little Books the first called The Ladies Directory the other The Cooks Guide Both which have found very good Acceptance It is near Seven years since I began to write this Book at the desire of the Book-seller and earnest intreaties of very many worthy Friends unto whom I owe more than I can do for them And when I considered the great need of such a Book as might be a Universal Companion and Guide to the Female Sex in all Relations Companies Conditions and states of Life even from Child-hood down to Old-age and from the Lady at the Court to the Cook-maid in the Country I was at length prevailed upon to do it and the rather because I knew not of any Book in any Language that hath done the like Indeed many excellent Authors there be who have wrote excellent well of some particular Subjects herein treated of But as there is not one of them hath written upon all of them so there are some things treated of in this Book that I have not met with in any Language but are the Product of my Thirty years Observations and Experience I will not deny but I have made some use of that Excellent Book The Queens Closet May's Cookery The Ladies Companion my own Directory and Guide Also the second part of Youths Behaviour and what other Books I thought pertinent and proper to make up a Compleat Book that might have a Universal Usefulness and to that end I did not only make use of them but also of all others especially those that have been lately writ in the French and Italian Languages For as the things treated of are many and various so were my Helps I hope the Reader will not think it much that as the famous Lymner when he drew the Picture of an exact Beauty made use of an Eye from one of a Mouth from another and so cull'd what was rare in all others that he might present them all in one entire piece of Workmanship and Frame So I when I was to write of Physick and Chyrurgery have consulted all Books I could meet with in that kind to compleat my own Experiences If any shall wonder why I have been so large upon it I must tell them I look upon the end of Life to be Usefulness nor know I wherein our Sex can be more useful in their Generation than in having a competent skill in Physick and Chyrurgery a competent Estate to distribute it and a Heart willing thereunto The like Apology I have for my Prolixity about Cookery and Carving which being essential to a true Houswife I thought it best to dwell most upon that which they cannot dwell without unless they design to render themselves insignificant not only in the world but in those Families where they are As for what concerns Gentlewomens Behaviour I have the concurrent advice and directions of the most able Professors and Teachers both here and beyond the Seas yet durst not be so airy and leight in my Treatise about Ladies Love and Courtship as some of the French Authors have been but have taken out of them what I found most taking with our English Gentry The like I may say for Habits and Gesture I am not ignorant of the vanity of some Mens stiles upon these Subjects and that young Ladies are too apt to take what may gratifie their Fancies and leave what may better their Judgments about true Behaviour I know I may be censured by many for undertaking this great Design in presenting to all of our Sex a compleat Directory and that which contains several Sciences deeming it a Work for a Solomon who could give an account from the Cedar to the Hysop I have therefore in my Apology to the Bookseller declared how I came to be of Ability to do it reciting to him the grounds of my knowledg in all those Sciences I profess and also what practice and experience I have had in the World lest any should think I speak more than I am able to perform I doubt not but judicious persons will esteem this Essay of mine when they have read the Book and weighed it well and if so I shall the less trouble my self what the ignorant do or say I have now done my Task and shall leave it to your candid Judgments and Improvement your Acceptation will much encourage London Nov. 10. 1672. Your Most humble Servant Hannah Woolly THE TABLE INtroduction Page 1. The duty and qualification of a Governess to Gentlewomens Children 4. A short account of the Life and Abilities of the Authoress of this Book 10. Good Instructions for a young Gentlewoman from the age of Six to Sixteen 15. Advice to the Female younger sort 17. The duty of Children to their Parents 21. Of a young Gentlewomans deportment to her Governess and Servants in the Family 25. What Qualifications best become and are most suitable to a Gentlewoman 29. Of a Gentlewomans Civil Behaviour to all sorts of People in all places 33. Of the Gait or Gesture 37. Of the Government of the Eye 39. Of Speech and Complement 41. Choice and general Rules for a Gentlewomans observation in Conversation with Company 43. Rules to be observed in walking with persons of bonour and how you ought to behave your self in congratulating and condoling them 53. Of Habit and the neatness and propriety thereof of Fashions and their ridiculous apish Imitation 54. Of New Fashions 62. Of young Gentlewomens fit hours and times for their recreations and pleasures and how to govern themselves therein 81. What Recreations and Pleasures are most fitting and proper for young Gentlewomen 83. Of the guiding of a Ladies love and fancy 87. The Gentlewomans Mirrour or Patterns for their imitation of such famous Women who have been eminent in Piety and Learning 98. Of Marriage and the duty of a Wife to her Husband 103. Of Womens Behaviour to their Servants and what is to be required of them in the House or what thereunto apppertains 109. Ferms for Carving all sorts of Meat at Table 113. Quaint Directions for the Carving all manner of Fowl 114. Artichoaks Fried 117. Artichoaks stewed ibid. An Almond-Pudding ibid. An Almond-Pudding in Guts ibid. An Almond-Tart 118. Almond-Cream

and Practices of John de Wit Pensionary and Ruwaert Van Putten his Brother with others of that Faction Translated out of Dutch Brevia Parliamentaria Rediviva in thirteen Sections By W. Prin. A Plea for Indulgence By W. Prin. The Christian Mans calling or a Treatse of making Religion ones Business wherein the Christian is directed to perform in all Religious duties Natural Actions particular Vocations Family-directions and in his own recreations in all relations in all conditions in his dealings with all men in the choice of his Company both of evil and good in solitude on a week-day from morning to night in visiting the sick and on a dying-bed By George Swinnack Mr. Caryl's Exposition on the Book of Job Gospel-Remission or a Treatise shewing that true Blessedness consists in the pardon of sin By Jeremiah Burroughs An Exposition of the Song of Solomon By James Durham late Minister in Glasgow The real Christian or a Treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God in drawing the Soul to Christ being opened according to the holy Scriptures some things required by our late Divines as necessary to a right Preparation for Christ and a true closing with Christ which have caused and do still cause much trouble to some serious Christians and are with due respects to those worthy men brought to the ballance of the Sanctuary there weighed and accordingly judged to which is added a few words concerning Socinianism By Giles Firmin sometimes Minister at Shalford in Essex Mount Pisgah or a Prospect of Heaven being an Exposition on the fourth Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians By Th. Case sometimes Student in Christ-Church Oxon and Minister of the Gospel The vertue and value of Baptism By Za. Crofton The Quakers Spiritual Court proclaimed being an exact Narrative of a new high Court of Justice also sundry errors and corruptions amongst the Quakers which were never till now made known to the world By Nath. Smith who was conversant among them fourteen years A Discourse of Prodigious abstinence occasion'd by the twelve Months fasting of Martha Taylor the fam'd Darbyshire Damsel proving that without any miracle the texture of humane bodies may be so altered that life may be long continued without the supplies of meat and drink By John Reynolds The Life and Death of that Excellent Minister of Christ Mr. Joseph Allin Also his Christian Letters full of spiritual instructions Published by several Ministers Death Unsting'd A Sermon Preached at the Funeral of Tho. Mowsley an Apothecary who died July 1669 with a brief Narrative of his Life and Death also the manner of Gods dealing with him before and after his Conversion drawn up by his own hand and published by James Janeway Minister of the Gospel Memorials of Gods Judgments Spiritual and Temporal or Sermons to call to Remembrance By Nich. Lockier Minister of the Gospel A Plat for Marriners or the Seamans Preacher delivered in several Sermons upon Jonah's Voyage By J. Ryther Preacher of Gods Word at Wappin The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey The present State of Russia By Dr. Collins The fulfilling of the Scriptures or an Essay shewing the exact Accomplishment of the Word of God in his Works of Providence performed and to be performed Small Octavo The Life and Death of Mr. Tho. Wilson Minister of Maidstone in the County of Kent Drawn up by Mr. George Swinnock Hieragonisticon or Corahs Doom being an Answer to two Letters of Inquiry into the ground and occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy and Religion The Comparison of Plato and Aristotle with the opinions of the Fathers on their Doctrine and some Christian Reflections together with Judgment on Alexander and Caesar as also on Seneca Plutarch and Petronius out of the French Observations on the Poems of Homer and Virgil a Discourse representing the excellency of those Works and the perfection in general of all heroick Actions out of the French The present State of Russia in a Letter to a Friend at London Written by an eminent person residing at the Great Tzars Court at Mosco for the space of Nine Years Illustrated with many Copper-plates Misterium Pietatis or the mystery of Godliness wherein the mysteries contained in the Incarnation Circumcision wise Men Passion Resurrection Assension of the Son of God and coming of the Holy Ghost are unfolded and applyed By W. Annand Fellowship with God or 28 Sermons on the first Epistle of John chap. first and second By Hugh Binning late Minister in Scotland The mystery of Faith open'd or some Sermons concerning Faith By Andrew Gray late Minister in Glasgow Lazarus Redivivus or a discovery of the Trials and Triumphs that accompany the work of God in and about his people with an Essay tending to clear up those mistakes men have about it Laid open in several Sermons By Nicholas Blakie Minister of the Gospel Octavo and Twelve Vindiciae Pietatis or a Vindication of godliness from the imputation of folly and fancy with several directions for the attaining and maintaining of a godly life By R. Allin Heaven on Earth or the best Friend in the worst times to which is added a Sermon preached at the Funeral of Thomas Mowsley Apothecary By James Janeway A Token for Children being an exact account of the conversation holy and exemplary lives and joyful deaths of several young Children By James Janeway Justification only upon a Satisfaction By Rob. Ferguson The Christians great Interest or the tryal of a saving interest in Christ with the way how to attain it By William Guthry late Minister in Scotland The virtue vigour and efficacy of the Promises displayed in their strength and glory By Tho. Henderson The History of Moderation or the Life Death and Resurrection of Moderation together with her Nativity Country Pedigree Kindred and Character Friend and also her Enemies A Guide to the true Religion or a Discourse directing to make a wise choise of that Religion Men venture their Salvation upon By John Clappam Rebukes for sin by God's burning anger by the burning of London by the burning of the World and by the burning of the wicked in Hell-fire to which is added a Discourse of Heart-fixedness By T. Doolittle Four Select Sermons upon several Texts of Scripture wherein the Will-worship and Idolatry of the Church of Rome is laid open and confuted By William Fenner The Life and Death of Dr. James Usher Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland A most comfortable and Christian Dialogue between the Lord and the Soul By William Cooper Bishop of Galloway The Canons and Institutions of the Quakers agreed upon at their General Assembly at their new Theatre in Grace-Church-street A Synopsis of Quakerism or a Collection of the Fundamental Errors of the Quakers By Tho. Danson Blood for Blood being a true Narrative of that late horrid murther committed by Mary Cook upon her Child By Nath. Partridge with a Sermon on the same occasion The welcome Communicant Six several Treatises By Nich. Lockier Minister of the Gospel Bonasiis Vapulans or some Castigations given to Mr. Durel for fouling himself and others in his English and Latin-book By a Country Scholar A Discourse Written by Sir George Downing the King of Great Britain's Envoy Extraordinary to the States of the United Provinces Vindicating his Royal Master from the Insolencies of a Scandalous Libel Printed under the Title of An Extract out of the Register of the States General of the United Provinces upon the Memorial of Sir George Downing Envoy c. And delivered by the Agent de Heyde for such to several Publick Ministers Whereas no such Resolution was ever Communicated to the said Envoy nor any Answer returned at all by Their Lordships to the said Memorial Whereunto is added a Relation of somé Former and Later Proceedings of the Hollanders By a meaner Hand The Assemblies Works in 120 with the larger and smaller Catechisms Scotch Psalms alone or with the Bible FINIS

yet she fears her Shepherd should not spy her Whatever you do be not induced to marry one you have either abhorrency or loathing to for it is neither affluence of estate potency of friends nor highness of descent can allay the insufferable grief of a loathed bed Wherefore Gentlewomen to the intent you may shew your selves discreetest in that which requires your discreetion most discuss with your selves the parity of love and the quality of your Lover ever reflecting on those best endowments which render him worthy or unworthy of your greatest estimation A discreet eye will not be taken only with a proportionable body or smooth countenance it is not the rind but the mind that is her Loadstone Justina a Roman Maid no less nobly descended than notably accomplished exclaimed much against her too rigid fate in being married to one more rich than wise And good reason had she being untimely made by his groundless jealousie a sad tragick spectacle of misery For the whiteness of her neck was an object which begot in him a slender argument of suspect which he seconded with rash revenge Let deliberation then be the Scale wherein you may weigh love with an equal poize There are many high consequent-circumstances which a discreet Woman will not only discourse but discuss before she enter into that hazzardous though honourable state of Marriage Disparity in descent fortunes friends do often beget a distraction in the mind Disparity of years breeds dislike obscurity of descent begets contempt and inequality of fortunes discontent If you marry one very young bear with his youth till riper experience bring him to a better understanding Let your usage be more easie than to wean him from what he affects by extremity Youth will have his swing time will reclaim and discretion will bring him home at last So conform your self to him as to confirm your love in him and undoubtedly this conjugal duty mixt with affability will compleatly conquer the moroseness of his temper If he be old let his age beget in you the greater reverence his words shall be as so many aged and time improved precepts to inform you his actions as so many directions to guide you his kind rebukes as so many friendly admonitions to reclaim you his Bed you must so honour as not to let an unchast thought defile it his Counsel so keep as not to trust it in any others breast be a staff in his age to support him and an hand upon all occasions to help him If he be rich this shall not or must not make you proud but let your desire be that you both employ it to the best advantage Communicate to the Needy that your Wealth may make you truly happy That is a miserable Wealth which starves the Owner I have heard of one worth scores of thousands of pounds who bought billets not for fewel but luggage not to burn them and so warm himself but to carry them on a frosty morning up stairs and down and so heat himself by that labouring exercise Wherefore let me perswade you to enjoy your own and so shun baseness reserve a provident care for your own and so avoid profuseness Is your Husband fallen to poverty let his poor condition make you rich there is certainly no want where there wants no content It is a common saying That as Poverty goes in at one door Love goes out at the other and love without harbour falls into a cold and aguish distemper let this never direct your thoughts let your affection counterpoize all afflictions No adversity should divide you from him if your vowed faith hath individually tyed you to him Thus if you expostulate your Christian constant resolves shall make you fortunate If your fancy be on grounded deliberation it will promise you such good success as your Marriage-days shall never fear the bitter encounter of untimely repentance nor the cureless anguish of an afflicted conscience Now as I would have you Gentlewomen to be slow in entertaining so be most constant in retaining Lovers or Favourites are not to be worn like Favers now near your bosom or about your wrist and presently out of all request Which to prevent entertain none so near your heart whom you observe to harbour in his breast something that may deserve your hate Carefully avoid the acquaintance of Strangers and neither affect variety nor glory in the multiplicity of your Suitors For there is no greater argument of mutability add leightness Constant you cannot be where you profess if change you do affect Have a care vows deliberately advised and religiously grounded are not to be slighted or dispensed with Before any such things are made sift him if you can find any bran in him task him before you tye your self to take him And when your desires are drawn to this period become so taken with the love of your Choice as to interpret all his actions in the best sense this will make one Soul rule two hearts and one heart dwell in two bodies Before you arrive to this honourable condition all wanton fancy you must lay aside for it will never promise you good success since the effect cannot be good where the object is evil Wanton love hath a thousand devices to purchase a minutes penitential pleasure Her eye looks and by that the sense of her mind is averted her ear hears and by it the intention of the heart is perverted her smell breathes and by it her good thoughts are hindred her mouth speaks and by it others are deceived by touch her heat of desire upon every small occasion is stirred never did Orlando rage more for his Angelica than these Utopian Lovers for their imaginary shadows These exorbitancies we must endeavour to remedy and that therein we may use the method of art we must first remove the cause and the effect will follow Let me then discover the incendiaries of this disorderly passion next the effects arising from them and lastly their cure or remedy The original grounds of this wanton fancy or wandring phrenzie are included in these two lines Sloth Words Books Eyes Consorts and luscious fare The lures of lust and stains of honour are For the first sententious Seneca saith He had rather be exposed to the utmost extremities Fortune can inflict on him than subject himself to Slotb and Sensuality For it is this only which maketh of Men Women of Women Beasts and of Beasts Monsters Secondly Words corrupt the Disposition they set an edg or gloss on depraved liberty making that member offend most when it should be imployed in profiting most Thirdly Books treating of leight Subjects are Nurseries of wantonness remove them timely from you if they ever had entertainment by you lest like the Snake in the Fable they annoy you Fourthly Eyes are those windows by which death enters Eve looked on the fruit before she coveted coveting she tasted and tasting she perished place them then on those objects whose real beauty make take them

any former service yet adding withall that knowing her goodness and the delight her Ladiship takes in bestowing courtesies on the undeserver she fears not a denial If it be upon an urgent occasion let her endeavour to move her to compassionate her misery exaggerating the greatness thereof infisting that she hath no other way to retrieve her misfortune that if she cannot hereafter find any way a requital yet she shall notwithstanding retain the remembrance of her love or charity fixed in her heart Conclude with a Prayer to God so to increase her relicity here that she may never stand in need of a kindness from any till the Almighty hath fixed on her head a Crown of Glory Of Recommendation IN the recommending of a person you must shew your motives for so doing as first either as she is a Kinswoman or Friend and a person so worthy as deserving all favour that were it not for her goodness and virtue you would not utter a word in her behalf and conclude that what kindness is done her is shewn to your self How elegantly to complain of injuries done THis may be done several ways if you would mildly complain of a friend and yet not break with him or her let your complaint be mixt with praises saying that you are sorry the persons deportment hath not been such as your friendship required however you are so charitable as to believe the offence was not committed willingly but rather through misprision or ill perswasion But let the offence be ever so great do not rail in opprobrious terms though in smart and significant expressions saying that you have connived too long patiently at the injuries done you but finding instead of amendment the person growing worse you would be more sensless than stones if you should not speak referring your self to his own judgment if passion hath not quite extinguisht the eye of reason whether you are not very much wrong'd however upon a just acknowledgment you are willing to forget all and retain him or her still in the estimation of a friend Forms of Address or Visit. IN the first place insinuate your contentment in discoursing with your friend face to face but since you are deprived thereof you are happy still in having the opportunity and conveniency of writing That you desire to hear of her welfare both as to health and other concerns that your desire is earnest to see her and that those days wherein you see her not are years and those years seem ages especially when you receive no Letters from her that if she will continue that correspondence she shall find occasion of finding fault on your side more of importunity than carelesness or neglect and so conclude with a protestation of the continuance of an inviolable friendship Forms of Congratulation THis is done when we desire to rejoice with our friend for some great good that hath befaln him or her either by escaping from some eminent danger or sickness There are several other subjects of this nature which you may treat on as they happen and therefore I cannot prescribe you exact rules only you must testifie the great satisfaction you receive in your friends welfare and that your joy is not particular but all in general have it when good and virtuous persons are advanced and do prosper Of Consolation LEtters of Consolation seem to mitigate any evil or adversity that hath befaln a friend which being various cannot well have one remedy applied to them If the evil be but small alledg they have no such great cause for their sorrowing the subject not deserving it that they ought to have courage for pusillanimity wrongs the reputation or if it be great insist that it will not last long But if the disaster be very great indeed you must then acknowledg how much you are concerned in his or her sufferings and that having so great a share in her misfortune you are fitter to condole than comfort her therein yet however the interest of alliance or friendship oblige you to apply some lenitive That you cannot perswade her from grieving for that would argue inhumanity having sustain'd so great a loss of a Husband a Wife Father Mother c. but hope she or he will not be so heartless as to be carried away in the torrent of a fruitless grief that Reason must be used for Nature is not obliged to alter its course to please him or her particularly and exempt it self for the sake of one from those Laws to which the whole world is subject In short when a misfortune cannot be withstood immoderate grief doth but exasperate it and that being a Christian there ought to be a submission to Gods Will and subscribe with a prayer to the Almighty to give him or her patience to overcome this great affliction Form of thanks for Courtesies received THanks we must apply as well to the nature of the Courtesie as to the quality of him that hath done it You must begin with a commemoration of the Courtesie received acknowledging the receiver not worthy thereof having never done any obliging service or if you have yet this hath made double satisfaction then promise that the remembrance of her love shall be deeply engraven in your heart and that you will always retain a resentment of her kindness This you may write if the kindness be so highly qualified that the person looks for no other satisfaction than acknowledgment only I have given you several forms of Letters let me now shew you the parts of a Letter the common ones are Superscription and Subscription The Superscription of Letters is twofold the one external the other internal the outward Superscription is that when the Letter is folded up and containeth the name title and abode of the person we write unto but above all you must have a care that you give proper titles such as befit the quality of the person The Title of a King is To His most Excellent Majesty To the Queen the same altering the article To all Sons or Brethren of the King of England To His Royal Highness To a Duke To His Grace To a Duchess the same To all Earls Marquesses Viscounts and Barons To the right Honourable To Marchionesses and Countesses by Patent To the right Honourable To all Lords To the right Honourable To Knights To the right Worshipful To all Justices of Peace High Sheriffs Counsellors at Law Esquires either by birth or place c. To the Worshipful The Subscription is placed at the lower end of the Letter and in writing to great Persons you must subscribe thus   My Lord or Madam Your most humble and most obedient Servant or Your most faithful and most obliged Servant S. G. To persons of meaner degree subscribe your self thus   Your Servant or Your Friend and Servant If kindred write one to another the greater may express the relation in the beginning of the Letter but she that is of the meaner quality must be content to specifie

it in the Subscription Besides Superscription and Subscription you must set down what year and day you writ this Letter in and the place from whence it came yet it is not always convenient to mention the place nor the relation the person hath to you to whom you write The beginning of all your Letters ought to contain some small Complements by way of insinuation with a short proposal of what you intend to say this is only observed in long Letters otherwise you may fall upon the Matter immediately As for the Matter that is according to your Concern and I need not use much order in the discoursing it but write what falls under your pen not standing much upon connexion unless it be in Letters of Answer and then you must follow the order of those Letters using some small transition In the Conclusion it is requisite that you testifie your affection with hearty wishes and prayers for the person you write unto For the stile of your Letters let it not be affected but careless not much differing from our usual way of speaking In Letters of Complement supply the barrenness of your matter with the smoothness of your rhetorical exornations but have a care that in striving to avoid affectation you do not run into improprieties of speech or barbarisms Consider seriously what best befits the things you are to write of regarding person time and place It would be absurd for any one to write to a superiour as to a familiar and that which would suit very well with an ancient man or a person in Authority would be ridiculous for to use to a man of mean degree or of the younger sort surely we are not to use the like expressions to a Soldier as we do to a Scholar or Lady Be not too prolix in your writing nor too short but observe a mediocrity or mean betwixt them In the avoiding of tautologies do not omit any thing that may conduce to the illustration of your matter Do not study for hard words but such as are either plain or very significant this perspicuity of writing is to be measur'd according to the capacity of the person to whom the Letter is directed for some will easily conceive what is difficult and hard for others to comprehend Have especial care of blotting your paper giving it a large Margent and be curious in the cutting your Letters that they may delight the sight and not tire the Reader Lastly be curious in the neat folding up your Letter pressing it so that it may take up but little room and let your Seal and Superscription be very fair Having given you general instructions how to compose and indite Letters it follows that I here insert some of the best patterns for your imitation Letters upon all Occasions Of Complement Madam I Am by so many Obligations yours that the only want of occasion to give you testimony thereof alone breeds in me all my discontent esteeming my self unfortunate in nothing so much and that the passion which carrieth me to your service proves as unprofitable as extream which forceth me to have recourse to intreaties beseeching you to honour me with your commands that other means failing my obedience may oblige you to believe that I am Madam Your most humble and affectionate Servant Another of the like nature Madam THough I have told you a thousand times by word of mouth how much I am your Servant yet my Pen shall once more assure you of the same I only wait for some eminent proofs to demonstrate the truth of my profession I do heartily wish that you would not longer make me expect an opportunity but lay your command which may satisfie my impatience to make you know and confess at the same time that you may have more powerful and more considerable Servants but never Madam One more obedient and faithful Their Answers Madam I Will be so presumptuous since you desire it as to believe you love me but on condition that you will acknowledg the passion I have to serve you For as it only makes me merit the honour of your friendship so I should be very glad that you would everlastingly conserve the memory thereof Continue then in loving me as much as you please and likewise esteem infallibly that I am more than all the world besides Madam Your very Servant Another Answer Madam I Am not so unfortunate as I thought I was since I see I hold some place still in your memory yet the grief which I entertain for not deserving the honour hath reduced my thoughts to such a moderation that I am in doubt whether I should complain or rejoice It remains in you only to allay the discontent of my mind by giving me some employment in your service which may witness the passion I have to maintain the quality of Madam Your faithful Servant A Letter from a Gentlewoman at a Boarding-School in Hackney to her quondam School-fellow in London Indeared Friend I Have laid aside the exercise of my Needle that I may employ my hand some little time in the management of my Pen that herein I may assure you that the strong inclinations I have to manifest my self your friend upon all accounts will not permit me to let slip any opportunity wherein I may evidence this truth I am troubled that you are not always as ready to honour me with your commands as I am zealous and forward to obey them That cordial respect I bear you hath so strongly link'd me to you that into whatsoever condition fortune shall throw me I shall still retain the memory of your affection and must not live when I cease to love you whom above mine own welfare I esteem and therefore must subscribe my self dearest friend Your most affectionate c. M. G. The Answer to it Most Obliging Friend I Am ravisht with content to see how your curious art and delicateness thereof can so happily translate your hand and fancy from one flower to another the one as the draught of your Needle the other of your Pen were I to be judg I knew not to which to give the greatest praise or encomium The Flourishes of the Pen or the Flowers of the Needle the one might make Arachne's Maids of Honour I mean those delicate finger'd Nunns to blush to be out-done and from the other a Secretary to a Queen may gather eloquence and fancy You need not make the least question of my love or the integrity thereof for although I want the art of Rhethorick to represent it yet my deeds and services shall be the elaborate Elocutors which shall express my self to be Your most cordially affectionate Servant S. L. From the above-nam'd M. G. to the said S. L. acknowledging her and her School-fellows sorrow for her absence giving an account of the accustomed care of her Governess Dear Friend WE remain in the state and condition you left us there being no access as yet of any more numbers but only of