THE SECRETARY'S STUDY: CONTAINING NEW familiar Epistles: OR DIRECTIONS, for the formal, orderly, and judicious inditing of Letters.  

Whether Amorous. OR Loving.  
Whether Moral. OR Civil.  
Whether Economical. OR Household business.  
Whether Political. OR Witty.  
Whether Obiurgatory. OR Chiding.  
Whether Excusatory. OR Excusing.  
Whether Petitionary. OR Requesting.  
Whether Gratulatory. OR Giving thanks.  
Whether Nuncupatory. OR Relating News.   
By Thomas Gainsford, Esq.  
Sic juuat indulgere fugacibus horis.  
LONDON Printed by T. C. for Roger jackeson, and are to be sold at his shop in Fleetstreet, over against the Conduit▪ 1616.   

TO THE RIGHT HOPEFUL YOUNG GENTLEMAN Master john Mounson at Charter-house, and as likely to advance his Virtues to Honourable eminency, as any expectation can warrant.  
GEnerous Youth,  
without other ceremony or complement, I am now to adventure a journey (and a fearful one) as the first voyage that ever I made into the straits of opinion, or severe Censure: so that politic and temporising-men would contract a sure bargain with some rich merchant, honourable patron, or sufficient Statist to protect and countenance the enterprise: But in despite of adverse Fortune, or calumniation, I have made choice of your love, favour, virtue, and good condition, of which I take the advantage in your virgin chastity, and soul's purity, and wherein I will as much rejoice, as if larger embraces had opened themselves to make me credulous of sincere welcome: Be therefore yourself, (expectable Gentleman:) and do but love me for old loves sake; and I shall be so proud, yea, presumptuous in your acceptation, that neither winds nor seas shall affright me, until I have made a satisfactory voyage; or (being over-freighted with heavy Fortune) sink the whole Stock or Remain of mine abilities in this kind, in other like adventures: 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 stirred. p, 17. l. 6. r. even. fol. 19 l. 15. r. sorer. f. 26. l, 5. r. adornation. f. 27. l. 7. r. country life. f. 30. l. 7. r. go p. 31. l. 26. r. five. p. 34. l. 2▪ besides, for so. p. 34. l. 33. r. stake p. 35. l. 16. r. work. p. 36. l. 26 leave out to. p. 43. l. 27. r. sedation l. 29. r. invitations, p. 45. l. 13. re▪ a bettering. f, 46. l. 26. r. grow. l. 32. r. Lords favour, p. 47. l, 30. r. hold up p. 50, l. 11, r, you might gather, l, 14, r, having 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.  


Amorous, or loving Letters.  
THe Lover afraid to lose his friend contracted.  
The Lover troubled with suspicion of hazarding his desire.  
The Lover justifieth his love from inward virtues, and outward comeliness.  
The Lover findeth fault with neglect of titles.  
The lover complaineth of sequestration.  
The lover cannot endure a rival.  
The Lover cannot soon forget his love, after firm rooting.  
The lover desires secrecy, not over liberal discoveries.  
The lover doth not tie his affection to outward beauty.  
The lover is afraid to lose his contentment.  
The lover maintaineth that a little jealousy will season affection.    


Moral or Civil Letters.  
True Friendship.  
Friendly precepts.  
An other of the properties of friendship.  
Friends would have no unkindness taken for any thing.  
Necessity causeth importunity.  
Friendship is broken through denial of trifles, and presuming of another's weakness.  
Friendship is lost through unkindness and discontinuance.  
Ingratitude is not befitting a Gentleman:  
A man out of good manners must answer Letters.  
jealousy should not be shown without just cause.  
The difference between a willing and compulsed absence.  
Friendship is afraid to be forgotten.  
A good Wife compared to a Ship at Sea.  
A friend desireth a Gentlewoman to unite the inward virtues to outward comeliness.    


Economical Letters, or of household business.  
A Gentleman must take heed how he settles himself in the Country as a Farmer.  
If a Gentleman will be a Farmer, it is best to obtain the principal House, or credit of the highest place in the town.  
Concerning the building & ordering a house, with retaining of servants  
Whether a Gentlewoman may with her credit let out Lodgings for money.  
The danger of disagreement between man & wife, with their duties.  
How Children ought to be brought up.  
How Servants are to be instructed.    


Political, or witty Letters.  
Women in years should rather look for rich advancement, then wanton satisfaction.  
A Gentleman: should not be servant to any, that hath a sufficient estate of his own: and if he be, with what policy he must contrive it.  
No Oaths must be believed before marriage.  
He that will enrich himself by service, must follow some thryving Officer.  
The Lady must be observed, by such as mean to thrive under the lord.  
Some Lord or other must be made an Agent, to obtain a suit of the Prince.  
Suits in Court are not dispatched without great attendance.  
A military policy to restrain insolent mutineers.  
What policy soever ambition buildeth upon, it is cast down with death and destruction.  
Men must submit to their Fortune.    


Obiurgatory or chiding letters.  
Against a son, for his disordered life.  
Against inconstancy, and following a strumpet.  
Against swearing.  
Against covetousness.  
Against denial of trifles amongst friends,  
Against idle excuses.  
Against pride, and tyrannous behaviour in great persons.  
Against foolishness and dishonesty in a servant.  
Against Drunkenness.  
Against the breach of Wedlock in the man.  
Against Whoredom in the woman.    


Excusatory or defensive letters.  
Excuse for not lending money.  
Excuse for being importunate in the behalf of a friend.  
Excuse for keeping company, and going to Court.  
Excuse for sheltering with a stranger in a storm.  
Excuse for not dispatching a suit of importance.  
Excuse for tarrying too long from a Wife.  
Excuse for not dispatching of business.  
Excuse for not writing & attending unwilling persons to be spoken with.  
Excuse for not forbearing a friend, presuming to disgrace another.  
Excuse for not being surety for a friend.  
Excuse for not entertaining a friend as he ought to be.  
Excuse for not soothing up of humours.    


Petitionary, or Letters of Request.  
A Request to requite discourtesy.  
A request for Money.  
A request to entertain a daughter.  
A request for assurance of a Farm  
A request to forbear a debt.  
A request to forbear a dangerous ladies company.  
A request to be charitable.  
A request to entertain a Scholar for a Soldier.  
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 advise in matters of difficulty.    


Gratulatory, or Letters of giving thanks.  
Thankfulness for a daughter's good bringing up, and well-bestowing.  
Thankfulness for recompensing the giving of a Book.  
Thankfulness for an office.  
Thankfulness for defending one against a great adversary.  
Thankfulness for not believing a false report.  
Thankfulness for lending of Money.  
Thankfulness for a timely good turn.    


Nuncupatorie, or Letters of News.  
News from Xante and Candie.  
News from Constantinople.  
News from Scio.  
News from Metelline.  
News from Malta.  
News from Venice.  
News from Turine.  
News from Zidon & jerusalem.  
News from Cyprus.    
FINIS.   

AMOROUS LETTERS  

To the only Life of his desires.  
Sweet Soul? What mean you to do with me? 
The lover is afraid to lose his beloved.  or what think you I shall do with myself; considering your virtues, which I term excellencies have been Adamants of my ferventness, and I erected my building upon so good a foundation, that you have compared the Sympathy of our loves, to well tuned Music. From whence comes then this retraction? or how can you be so cruel to terrify me with suspicion? Oh do not think that I have praised those eyes, which my supposes, in absence, imagine to reflect a very Sunlike lustre? that I have doted on that favour and comeliness, which in the contemplation did ever transport me beyond myself? that I have been enamoured on your beauty, which in the gazing hath overcome me with admiration? that I have been ravished with those kisses, which seemed an infused life to my distracted heart? that I have been amazed on that face, which me thought was a very map of loveliness, and all in vain? as though I could pass over the remembrance of my contentment with slightness, and frame myself to believe contraries. No no, (Sweet soul) I shall not, may not, nor cannot. For it is not the father's frowns, nor the brother's storming, that I respect, but your sadness and tears, your sorrows and complaints, which me thinks resemble spots disgratiously chancing to pure linen: be therefore the pattern of yourself: Let virtue remain unmaimed: continue constant & well satisfied: & for my part, what ever goodness may arise from our allowable proceedings, I will justify. To be plain, let the assurance of your desires warrant my hopes, remove my jealousy, and I will lose this life, rather than thus hazard the life of my life. But I hope I have encountered with an understanding woman, and there shall need no such expostulation. Nay I am assured I have cast myself into the lap of virtue, which like the square Die being every way thrown standeth upright, so that if there should be any blocks in the course of our justifiable desires; either a strong arm of policy shall tumble them aside, or a noble resolution spurn them away in scorn: in which assurance I will rather breath with joy, then pant for fear; and at last proclaim to the world, there be women will remember their vows, and can be loyal in spite of contradiction or calumniation.  
Your afflicted friend.   

To his fullness of Contentment.  

The Lover distracted with fear of hazarding his desire.  MY only Beloved, I had not thought love, especially in such youth, had been capable of moderation, that already you can be contented to dispute the matter with reason, and to consent to the peevish restraint of ill concluding arguments; which some envious tongue hath whispered unto you. Oh that our first meeting had received this restraint: then with small grief I might have over passed my fear: or had the fire been kindled with artificial degrees, I might have prevented the flaming outright. But now when I am in the violence of my speed, when the heart burneth with passion, when my very life dependeth on the hope of your assent, and that, in a manner, you resolved my cure and redress, to stand at a stay, to dispute the matter, to find cause of distasting, worketh in me impatience, so that I know not how to demean myself. Oh, do not slightly pass over these things, or with an unkindly gravity censure my proceedings. Remember I have, will, and must love; and what cannot or dare not love effect? Is there a suspicion of prodigality? love will be a shepherd, nay a slave. Is there a mistrust of incontinency? love will settle desire, and quite extinguish all flames of unjust concupiscence. Is there a breaking out of folly? love worketh discretion, & reformeth abuses. Is there a fear of want? love hath no want, and contriveth impossibilities. Is there a doubt of any thing else? love attaineth any thing else, and facilitateth any difficulty. Alas, what could I not say to plead for myself? what would I not say, nay what would I not do to please myself, especially when such loveliness enamoreth? Do not therefore believe: faith and honesty bids you not believe? myself bids you not believe these slanderous enemies of affection, these brokers of misreports: for I protest you shall find it otherwise, and they in the disceptation prove ashamed of wronging the innocent. Let me therefore come to appease them, let me come to satisfy you, let me come to justify myself: nay let me come to die quickly or live happily: for this is intolerable, and I cannot credit my fears, nor believe these tormenting apparitions.  
Your living dying friend.   

To the only hope of his Fortunes. 
love occasioned through a unity of inward virtues and outward comeliness.  Mrs. B.  
MY Souls life, When I beheld you first, me thought nature determined to open a storehouse and show us some excellent workmanship, and so as a man longing for novelties, I looked and gazed on the same, yea with admiration commended her handiwork: but after I had considered what inward virtues caused the motion of this outward worth, and loveliness, I could not but compare it to a rich casket, containing within it more richer jewels: so that you must not wonder at my liking the same; but rather maintain the cause of my judgement, for bestowing itself on so well deserving a subject: nor is this flattery or idle discourse, but justice in yours, and necessity in my case: for as you have inflamed mine affection, so there must be used some means of satisfaction. Thus requesting you to consider me, as a man, whose thoughts, words, actions, life, soul, and all attend you, not darinng to behold the Sun of the world, till they receive comfort from the Sun of your savours, I remain  
The honourer of your matchless perfection.   

To her chiefeest Contentment.  

The Lover findeth fault with neglect of titles.  MY Love and joy, I have read, that the Emperors of Rome did commonly look on the date and superscription of their Letters; whereat, if they were distasted they rejected the same, and would not overview them further: but yet I will not serve you so by taking such state and imitation upon me; but impute your neglect of our covenant concerning reciprocal titles, to a gentle trial of my simplicity and love; withal, entreating henceforward, not to let forgetfulness, or contempt put in a finger, lest by intrusion or sufferance it bring in a hand, and so the whole body. For why should you give me any cause of suspicion, when a warrant is sealed of our happiness; or assume to yourself a counterfeit liberty of trying my patience, when you know I will pull out mine own heart, before it shall entertain a thought of alteration? Therefore I pray you remember yourself, and those vows you have conttacted; remember me, and that affection you have inflamed; remember virtue, and that goodness which you have commended; and remember love with that honesty you have professed: and so I expect, that as you are my chiefest content, your next Letter shall confirm me your choicest delight.  
None but yours.   

To the Honourable Lady, T.G.  
HONOURABLE, 
Love complaineth of sequestration.  and worthily honoured Lady: Although fame hath set open the enclosure of your praises, whereby Honour and Virtue remain exposed to the world, as you see a rich Diamond augmented in his lustre by the cunning of the workman: yet is misfortune so tyrannous unto me, that I am necessited to an untimely banishment, even when there appeared life in your patronage, and delight in your loveliness: so that now to sequester myself is an absolute walking in darkness, and a miserable staggering without supportation. Yet again, when I consider, with whom I have encountered, and that I am fallen into the hands of a generous spirit, and heroic worthiness; I conceive great pleasure in my confidence, and I begin to grow proud, that I may publish your virtue, I dare say loyal Constancy. Be therefore then yourself great Lady: and let the opinion I conceive of my fortunes, encourage my endeavour, that all the actions my industry shall undertake may receive life from the beams of your name. Then though I might raise my glory equal with the Sun I would not fail to lay it prostrate to your high acceptation: & so I request you give me leave to divulge to the world, that the sphere, in which I move, is governed by your influence▪ that I cannot live without your favour; that I will not love, except you vouchsafe it; that I have no other Lady, but yourself; no other world than the place of your residence. And thus I bid you fare as well as wishes can enlarge, leaving my soul in your tuition: which if you preserve for her own, yours, or my sake; Oh how happy shall I be, and with glad tidings will it return unto me, and (I hope) command me to return unto you: and so I rest in the best expectation, and bascia la honorata manu.  
Your honours devoted.   

To the Honourable and his highly respected Lady, B. S.  
RIght honourable Lady, I cannot deny but a Diamond is a precious stone, 
Love cannot endure a rival or competitor.  though embased in lead: but excellently polished, and set out to the best becoming, it must needs constrain a farther praise and admiration: so fareth it with Virtue, which no question is allowable in the meanest persons: but when there is a uniting of many graces, as beauty, generous mind, noble birth, settled wisdom, affable demeanour, and such like; it not only approacheth absolute perfection, but bindeth us to high and strict observation: of all which I must & dare publish you a instance, so that it is the pride of my life to justify my souls desire to serve you; and the glory of my bondage, that I am made servile to such worthiness: command therefore (great Lady) but with all command me to love; for I cannot live except I love; nor care to die so I may love you only, who are worthy of all love. Yet my dearest happiness, I beseech you mistake me not; for howsoever I have subjecteth myself, I (like a Sovereign) can endure no competitor: & although it cannot be chosen, but the very stars overwatch you, and therefore many eyes on earth look toward you, & many hearts wish you well; yet shall I never endure another's claim, much less a daring hand to take you in possession: be therefore thus circumspect for humanity's sake; not betray your virtue to corruption, nor my poor valour to inevitable danger. For if you frustrate my hopes either by willingness or wantonness, I renounce the world, all women, and myself. But if the high strongest arm stretch itself toward you with inhumanity, or compulsion; my rest is up to make it shrink back again, or cut it off in the extension.  
Yours in death itself.   

To the Noble and truly virtuous Lady, F.M.  
MOst worthy Lady had not my love received life from the breathing heat issuing from your gracious acceptation; 
Love will hardly be suppressed, after it hath taken firm rooting.  it might well have recoiled with the first violent rejection, and taken out a new lesson of restraint, with a civil acknowledging your greatness, and confessing that the stars are only to be looked upon with an abasing reverence; but you know, (and none but you shall know) that when I made myself a stop, as afraid to go further than either my strength or policy could direct me, a lovely hand took me by the arm, and drawn me along to the height of my happiness, wherein I will sit as glorious, as the Sun in his strength, & in despite of malign circumstances, or malevolent aspects, embrace my fortune with gladness. Therefore I pray you desist from questioning my presumptuous attempt, or affrighting me with your greatness, or tormenting me with discovery, or murdering me with suspicion, or sending me to hell with terror of your loss. For I dare, & will thus answer every 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 designs: and he is made famous in the attempt, though he fail in the conquest. It is a worthy resolution to aim at a well deserving object: and how ever the hazard be, there is a show of a generous spirit; sith fortune and love are painted blind in their portraitures. Concerning your greatness, we have many instances of Queens and Princes pulling up inferior persons to honour: nor is love tied to such laws of privacy; but being naked, himself shows plainly, that flesh and blood lies as naked to the incursions of his passions in high and low: the low not overawed with titular dignities, or outward shows; nor the pre-eminence of the hie privileged from amorous affecting the low. For myself, I am in blood generous, and in affection fully contracted to loyalty: concerning discovery, who shall betray us but ourselves? nay, who dare whisper against us but jealousy? and in that lies the secret of our prosperity. For what is difficult to get, is carefully preserved; and where there is danger in the adventure, there is sweetness, and joy exceeding other joys, when the peril is overpassed: therefore be you reposed, and let me bustle with mischance; for I am resolved to love you against all overwatching. Concerning suspicion, Oh give not wings to my fears, that some other will intrude and participate my immunities; or do you it only to make a trial of my spirit? Believe it; before I will consent to such baseness, I will pray for Sampsons' strength to pull down the house on all our heads together. And concerning your loss, Oh there is death in the very sound, and it cannot be raised out of any other circle, then envy at my prosperity, or your own desire of a more worthy servant, whereat I am now struck silent: and unless you confidently resolve me what to trust unto, I will not live to write you another Letter.  
Yours, not to live without you.   

To her best choice, C.D.  
MY loves Pride, 
Love desires secrecy, not over liberal discoveries.  Although I am informed, that by your liberal praises of me, some quick apprehension discovered your liking, yet cannot I take it so ill, as to draw you within the compass of reprehension, because I would not slack the first vehemency, wherein love hath nobly displayed his colours on all sides. Let us therefore continue resolute; and if by some small absence we sometimes slack the burning of these fires, shall it not resemble a Smith's forge, who casteth water on his coals to strengthen the heat, and make the flame more glorious? Yet by way of caution, it is not always befitting to speak what we think, nor report what we know, lest a captious ear mistake our discourse, and a passionate heart set the tongue at random. As for ourselves, there hath been made a reciprocal trial: & for my own part, as you expect constancy in me, I request secrecy in you, and so am resolved to love you, and none but you, while I am warm in my heart's blood.  
Yours in the midst of fear.   

To his virtuous and dearly beloved, M.A.  
SWeet Heart, 
True love is not tied to outward beauty.  What a strange countermand did you send me, not to visit you, because your late sickness had cast a defiance in beauty's face, as if my liking depended on outward shows! Why, good Soul? when reason had won the field of passion, I loved a virtuous Cassandra, not a fair Helen; a noble spirit, not an outward feature; a constant resolution, not a fading comeliness: and yet I am persuaded no disaster whatsoever can have power to control thy beauty or bounty; only time excepted, which must wear us out with death, and then shall our souls welcome a perpetuity: therefore I pray thee let me come, if it be but to show myself a man a lover of virtue, and maintainer of all constant and honest resolutions.  
Yours ever resolved.   

To the Mistress of his thoughts, F.D.  

Love is afraid to look his contentment.  MY Love and life, I hope it is not come to that pass, that you can be contented to dispute the matter with discretion, as though it lay in your choice, which way to travel to the palace of Felicity; as though wisdom had taught you to wipe away the forces of Fancy, with a commanding hand; as though some divine inspiration had forewarned you of ensuing mishaps. For sure no objection can now be made, which long since received not a foil in the encounter; therefore I pray you (if my fortunes be so bad, that I must revive your memory) go to that grove where we called the trees to witness, and swore by the pleasant shade, that nothing but the fruit of enjoying one another, should cool the fires of love, and there recount the words we counterchanged, the vows we contracted, the tears we drunk up from each others faces. But I can say no more, unless I shall be enforced to exclaim. I am unworthy to live; because my dearest life supposeth me unworthy to love, or be beloved: which if it be but in show; as you break the seals of these Letters, you break the strings of my heart.  
Yours dying in constancy.    

Civil Letters.  

To his best beloved and more than much respected Mrs. G.Z.  
WOrthily beloved, These pretty crosses and contradictions make Love the sweeter, 
A little jealousy seasoneth true love  and strengthen Fancy the more, when the vail of jealousy is taken away, and an honest heart hath taught a strong arm the cunning to turn aside all obstacles of our delight: yet believe me, it was a miserable temptation, for you to swear my falsehood, and lay the weight of disloyalty on the breast of an honest man. especially to raise your suspicion, from so unworthy a person, and degenerating a cause, when there was no motive to startle my resolutions, nor thought to disparaged your worth. Say the course of the Danse brought me with her to a turning change, and that afterward I commended her graces and comeliness, I could do no less out of courtship and good manner: but to say that either procceeded from amorous passion, is to be over passionate, & unwarrantable by reason, or laws of love. Besides, some tongues have traduced her for a wanton: and then is beauty as ill bestowed, as valour in a profane swaggerer: so that me thinks you should rather have challenged any other for depraving me in this kind, then been challenger yourself to raise a greater disease. But I hope you are now satisfied, as no such misprision shall ever endanger the unity of our loves again.  
Yours fearfully loving.   

To the worthiest of all my friends.  
MY other self, You have commanded me to write, and I durst not but obey: 
A letter describing true friendship.  nay, you have prescribed the method, and therefore I will not alter the manner: but make you believe I have apprehended your will, and would thus satisfy your desire. True friendship is an undissimuled consent of our affection towards one another, and a very transportation of two hearts into one body: so that two friends in a manner love with one mind, speak with one tongue, execute with one hand, live with one life, and sometimes die with one death. Amongst friends must be no contradiction, no disproportion of conditions, no dissimilitude in manners, nor talk of mine and thine. Doth he sorrow? thou must mourn: doth he rejoice? thou must not repine: doth he complain? thou must not accuse: doth he demand? thou must not deny: doth he want? thou must not murmur: doth he contrive? thou must practise: doth he desire? thou must not reprove. For though private thoughts are proper to ourselves, yet the fortunes, goods, persons, and estate of friends, are to remain in a pleasant community: upon this, some Philosophers have maintained, that one man can have but one friend; framing thus an argument, A contrariis. If there be danger in many enemies, by reason of the many and uncertain courses to revenge: there is trouble in many friends, by occasion of divisions in consent. According to the opinion of Aeschines, there was no such grief as to be divided from him we did love. For look what properties love ever contained, were in friendship maintained: and because love could not receive her estimation from untoward liberty to change; friendship hath been denied her desires to alter. Tully, the light of eloquence, had friendship in such account, that he preferred it before kindred, because in the dissolution of love, the name of a kinsman remained, but in the privation of friendship all titles and goodness 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 pass and repass reciprocally between us.  
Yours unseparable.   

To his highly esteemed.  
WOrthy Sir, 
A letter of friendly precepts.  Whereas you complain of my slowness in visiting you, and slackness in writing concerning yourself, I am determined to remain with the same faith and order I ever accustomed; & touching those latter motives, I will come as near your satisfaction as I can in this slender discovery. Understand me then, that my poor experience would open the mystery of this knowledge unto you: that fortune, which we so often profanely remember, is no way to be overcome but with Virtue: that Virtue is never so well to be entertained, as in youth: that youth is but some special flower in a curious garden, kept by extraordinary diligence, till an untimely blast perish the stalk, and impoverish the beauty: that beauty is like a white wall curiously trimmed, which if an envious hand do besprinkle with a few unclean drops, a present alteration daunteth the company: that company is like a strange net catching all fish, unless they slip into some unknown nooks, or avoid the danger by other cunning: that cunning is like holding the Wolf by the ear, which if you wrest hard, you are bitten; if you let go, you are in peril of life: that life is like a strong timbered tree, which at the masters appointment is cut down in a small time: that time is resembled to sweet smelling flowers, which must be stayed to please the sense, and stilled to heal the body, or else they will be fair to the eye, and as unprofitable as ill disposed friends: that friends are like children's sports, who for a new Counter refuse an old Angel, and to go to a strange nurse, forsake the nearest kindred: and that kindred are like Tantalus apples, which keep their show till they be touched; but once pressed, crumble to powder.  
These be principles to my grief experienced, and may without offence be to others good embraced; not that I go about to draw you into suspicion: but because I would preserve your remembrance toward me, whereby I must needs be satisfied, if you be not displeased.  
Yours as I have professed.   

To his esteemed friend, C.N.  

The properties of true friendship.  SIR, Had not our friendship received reciprocal strength from true virtue, and worthy conversation; I could slightly have passed over your last denial of trifles, and quietly gathered the rains of discretion to restrain the forwardness of impudence or combersomnesse: but when I remembered our combination, and with what conditions we contracted a league, especially the nature and property of friendship, me thought there was a pleasure to name you so, and a comfort to find you so: therefore from henceforth let us understand one another better; either firmly to maintain the cause of kindness, or lightly to leave it under the colours of courtesy. For the best Philosophers have chained love and friendship with equal goodness, so that as love can endure no competition, friendship must abide no community: as love can have but one favourite; friendship should admit but of one companion: as love pardoneth, friendship forbeareth; as love commandeth all, friendship is denied nothing: as love entereth when he list, friendship doth so uncontrowled: as love triumpheth over the heart and affection, friendship reigneth over body & goods: no excuses, no drawings back, no contracted brow, no delays, no hiding the head, no daintiness, or absurd ceremonies; but a happy Sympathy to strengthen goodwill, and an absolute power to command, and readiness to obey one other. If then with these conditions, you can be contented to march arm in arm to the house of contentment, I am yours as you mine; and both to show the world an example of happy imitation.  
Yours indissoluble.   

To his assured friend, F. L.  
SIR, 
The properties of true friendship.  To crave pardon were to submit, and more than you look for: obstinately to offend were injurious to you, and not befitting a Gentleman. To avoid therefore the one, and to eschew the other: For not writing, imagine want of skill: for not coming, suppose my business to hinder me: for not sending, think I could not conveniently: thus you see I am willing to be excused, where I am loath to be accused; & considering I love you better than other men, I would not distaste you if it were possible: especially because I have tied myself to true observation, as you have professed a happy contract of kindness. In hope or rather assurance hereof, I pray you present my service to that lovely party, whom I compared at our last meeting to a rich Diamond orderly enameled, and extraordinarily set out to the best grace; and all to show the cunning of the workman: so that if my fortune could but conduce me to the way of entertainment, it would sure exceed the world's happiness, and I durst search the whole earth for Aesculapius' bones to restore her eyes: but if you play the truant with me to show her this letter, give me leave to be my own interpeter, and let not your excellent wits triumph over my simplicity.  
Ever your own.   

To her tried and trusty friend.  

Necessity causeth importunity.  WOrthy Sir, Having relied on your noble promises, and knowing myself on a sure and honest ground, concerning the secrets of my discontents, I rested some way satisfied in the expectation of the performance; and thought myself happy in this unhappiness, that I had fallen into the hands of so noble a Gentleman: so that if there were no more in it, than love and assurance of yourself, I would have been silent, till your own leisure had served you rightly to consider me. But necessities knocking so hard and so fast, and conspiring with the suddenness of time against my patience and quiet, I am enforced to overpass all limits, and step to an earnest importunity, to request both your confidence of my honesty in this business, and supplement to keep me out of the hand of misery and despair. This humanity challenges at your hand, this occasion compelleth me to request: so that if I find you no less than I hope, nor no worse than I deserve, we shall both be pleased; and I have cause to proclaim your worth even to my best friends: and thus I have cast myself down into the scale of equal consideration; take up then an upright hand, and peize me accordingly: but withal, I pray you let no indirect strength turn the beam aside. For I have ever loved you truly, and therefore rely on your friendship at this time absolutely.  
Not living without you.   

To his assured Friend, G.M.  

Denial of trifles, and presumption of another's weakness, maketh a breach in friendship.  SIR, I would not willingly have our friendship receive any maim, lest my wounds grow festered for want of a skilful Chirurgeon; considering I have loved you above all men, and found you many ways true and freehearted: yet I am afraid we do both fail in judgement and true use of conversation. For you see, that that hand which hath, or should cover my nakedness, hath not only left me bare, and subject to cold: but ever turned the worst side to the view and derision of passengers; insomuch that your last denial of trifles, and glorious liberty of deceivable speeches to please yourself, hath made me contemptible to servile creatures, and debarred my desires, when I determined but a small satisfaction, which with a little supplement had had a free passage. But now I see myself more miserable for the want of Virtue, then want of money; therefore I am resolved to be reposed: and if you think me worth the keeping, I pray you hereafter forbear those disloyal and palpable discoveries, undecent contradictions, unkind denials, and trivial excuses. For a small help will stay a fainting man, when a strong arm cannot lift him up, that is fallen flat on the ground. I urge not this, to draw you to any inconveniences concerning your purse, but to keep us both upright touching our credits, and so with a mere disturbed hand, and troubled mind, I bid you farewell; but I am resolved to endure no further unsavoury jests against me, for any hopes of worldly helps.  
Yours, as I have cause.   

To his Honourable friend, Sir G.S.  
WOrthy Sir, 
Discontinuance and unkindness loseth friends in the end.  Had not my life received heat from the Sun of your favours, 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 back to see, wherefore I am despised, & why, without offending, debarred from the same. But because I must and will acknowledge it, and in a manner confess myself all darkness without it, yea ready to be plunged into every dirty bog & irrecoverable danger: I humbly beseech you therefore, either to extend a gracious hand to stay a fainting soul from sinking, or give me leave to blame my misfortune, that hath thus subjecteth me to the violence of so dangerous displeasure; whereby if you be not the more noble, discontinuance shall make me worse, than water spilled out of a vessel never to be taken up again. For what a terror is this? nay, how unexcusable, for myself to have you in town, and I not to visit you, or so much as once to be thought upon? yet it may be, this eternal horror of gentle minds (shame and wants) have only stirred up jealousy to afflict me without cause; considering you will be still yourself, and love me for being honest, and endeavouring to make virtue proud, that poverty cannot abase her: In which hope I send you my true and faithful heart, however I remain most miserable in the fear of your loss.  
Yours in true friendship.   

To his Honourable friend, Sir. T.B.  
WOrthy Sir, In those times, when Dracon the tyrant of the East, advanced himself to the height of sovereignty, 
Ingratitude is not befitting a gentleman.  ingratitude and injustice were punished with death: so that if he underwent the imputation of cruelty, it was not for satiating a blood-thirsty-minde, but revenging the neglect of his statutes: now if examples endure longer than precepts, had not we need in these corrupt times to stand on a guard of circumspection, not to vilipend virtue less than the heathen, nor practise impiety worse than idolaters; and if they thought ingratitude worthy of death; I hope we shall (at least) suppose it unbefitting a Gentleman. Wherefore without further complement, or larger circumstances for those many favours, wherewith your plentiful hand hath even laden me; I open the exchecquour of the poor, and thank you with a public acknowledgement of the same. Yet give me leave (considering mischances are multiplied upon me) to resemble myself to a man tumbling down a stairs, who never leaves falling, till he come to the bottom. And concerning your last promise unperformed, how can I be compared better than to a man lying faint and wounded on the ground, whom some courteous hand seemeth to advance, but lifting him up half way, letteth go his hold, and so he falleth back again to his sore hurt? therefore, good Sir, either give my hope fuller wings, that it may take a higher flight of security, or let me die at once, to avoid an everliving misery: and this I urge the rather, because in cases of untoward distress, there is courtesy in quick dispatch; as in the benefits of friendship there is a double pleasure in the timeliness, and orderly disposing of favour. Now my request is, if any ungentle hand hath cast dirt into the pure stream of your love; Oh, let it not so remain, but either cleanse it yourself, or give me leave to pull it out, what danger soever I incur: and if my fortune be so malignant, that a slavish report hath echoed against my peace, Oh, let me know the particulars, and answer for myself accordingly. And thus assuring myself, that I shall fall into the hands of judgement, with quick apprehension, I leave all to favourable construction, and commit you to his hands, who can advance you to the height of your desire, and merit of your worth.  
Post scriptum, Gratia ab officio, quod mor a tardat, abest. Your thankful friend.   

To his much esteemed Friend, C.G.  

A man out of good manners must answer letters however they prove unsavoury in the acceptation.  SIR, I am sorry that my letters were either unsavoury for the matter, or tedious for the length, considering that out of the rules of civility I was to answer yours, and the necessity of my business to importune further, than you thought good manners. But such is the misery of wants; and poor men are resembled to ruinous walls, which every man shuneth for fear of falling upon them; otherwise I could excuse myself many ways. First, to avoid idleness, wherein the Persians were so observant, that they would rather whittle sticks, or rip the seams of their coat, and sew them up again. Secondly, to eschew ingratitude, which is a vice unbefitting a generous mind of all other. Next, to exercise my understanding; for to write to so delicate a judgement, and apprehensive a wit, craveth study and a careful foresight: then, to better my knowledge: For if I do well, your commendation can confirm me; if I fall into errors, your wisdom can reform and restrain me. Fifthly, to make you believe, there is some good thing in me allowable and justifiable, and therefore worthy of a small regard, as noble Sir Philip Sidney was wont to say, Let us love him for one good quality; for a great many have none at all, and no man hath all. Lastly, to know what to trust unto; for to hope for a thing which cometh not, and to love them that care not for us, be two of the living deaths in this world. Therefore, Good Sir, let me not plead in vain, that plead so truly, and urge these reasons, rather to know how your love shall be enlarged, than my vainglory published: and if you please to second my enterprise, I shall with a further cheerfulness proceed in my business; if not, as good fall at first, and all at once, as live in expectation of more mischief, and greater troubles. Thus I bid you farewell, and to far better than I can far, unless you wish me well.  
Yours, as a lover of Virtue.   

To her newly displeased Friend, M.I.  
GOod Sir, 
jealousy should not be shown without cause.  How cometh it to pass, that you draw my love and modesty in question, for my civil entertaining of a Gentleman last night, as though I could do less, then afford him a salutation, and performed too much in continuing our moral discourse? Believe me, I am not ignorant, that love is seasoned with a little jealousy, but being out of Italy, grow proud of England's liberty, where the practices of humanity teach us the true use of conversation. So that an uncorrupted heart is Canon-proof against a slanderous tongue, but a wanton mind will turn virtuous sentences to lasciviousness: if then you were well persuaded of my virtue; to put all out of doubt, there passed not one word, which a divine might not have been partaker of; otherwise be resolved, that if I had not been limited with the bands of respecting you, I would have been tied to the conditions concerning myself, and neither have given ear to immodest parley, nor way to any undecencies: and so if you are satisfied, I am pleased. But from henceforth be more confident of my worth, and less suspicious of my loyalty.  
Yours, if you wrong her not.   

To her best resolved friend, F.G.  
MY true and worthy friend, Your late discourse concerning absence and jealousy, 
The difference between a willing and compulsed absence.  as if they were rather inflamers, than extinguishers of love, hath almost startled my resolutions concerning the negative: that is, whereas I held an opinion that jealousy & absence were rather deficiencies in themselves, and merely obstacles to continuing kindness, I am now persuaded, they may so march in the army of passions, as to have the Vanguard in the encounter of affection: but withal I have learned so much cunning in morality, as thus to distinguish between their abuses. Concerning absence, there is a difference in that which is constrained, and that which is voluntary. For there may be honourable causes of the one, when the other at (the best) is but an untoward trial of one another, as employment in martial affairs, legation to foreign Princes, travel to enrich experience, necessity of traffic and such like: to all which no worthy party beloved, but will afford a helping hand, and admit of hope of return; patience to endure, and wisdom to hearken after his endeavours: but voluntary absence, if it could be veiled under the adulterate show of trials, hath so many ill companions, that it can neither do well itself, nor bring them to any good order. For commonly, it is accompanied with carelessness, slackness in observation, suspicion, fear of idle humours, unkindness; and, at last, meets with utter oblivion, with divers of that sort: and what shall the party beloved conceit, if she first demand reasons of his departure, and after find a breach of vows for his return? so that allege what philosophical inference you may, and gild it over with the imposturing Art of Oratory: I absolutely conclude, that however pleasure is the stronger in his rarity; love, true, honest, and perfect love is no way beholding to a wilful absence. Touching jealousy, I confess I have read of a holiday in hell, when love and jealousy were married together: but however they feasted for that day, I am sure, all the time after they were turmoiled with despite: For except a great discretion overmaster suspicion; fear, rage, madness, watchings, disquiet, abstaining from meat and rest, torment of mind, and untoward distractions accompany us, especially if there be the least cause given of the breach of vows. Oh then, love proves like a beautiful glass, which once broken, can never be cemented again: yet I confess, there may be a civil emulation concerning a rivals worthiness, and honest fear to hazard the thing unobtained: but once, wived and contracted unseparable, there can be no man jealous, but upon his wives disloyalty; and she that gives the occasion, must adventure her honour. I will not therefore have the married man jealous; and would tie the amorous suitor within certain bounds, lest by transcending, he transshape his own discretion into fury, and quarrelsome humours, of which, a well disposed Gentlewoman would, nor should be any way guilty: and so, till I hear further, I leave what you have heard, to a favourable construction.  
Yours wheresoever.   

To the worthy and Noble. L.B.  
MY best Lady, I would not now prove recreant to my former constancy, 
Friendship is afraid to be forgotten and so pleadeth in her own behalf.  considering I have not only played the wanton with affliction; but have had you a looker on to my great encouragement: yet some unkind fear begins now to stagger my resolution, because I find a falling away amongst yourselves, like loose earth from a main bank; and am resolved that this banishment will utterly disjoint the frame of our long acquaintance, and at last pull in pieces the bands of true friendship: else how can it be, that I am unworthy the remembrance? and who would have thought I should so long have passed unregarded? But this is the corruption of greatness, either you think to make us slaves by observation, or dare not be yourselves virtuous, for fear of combersomnes: as for friendship, kindness, love, faith, loyalty, respect, and generous dispositions: they are but voices and smoke, and as you all use the same, like Tantalus Apples, which once touched, turn into cinders, and yet hang with glorious shows to the eye. But will you serve me so indeed? and as the devil seduced the woman, the woman enticed the man, the man offended his Maker; run arm in arm in the race of contempt, and at last triumph in my dejection? Why, do a God's name; and then shall you see me smile in distress, and reach at the help of all helps out of heaven itself: yet for all this, I pray you do not mistake me, but rather impute all to the distraction of my own fears, than your defects: for I have ever loved your worth, and while I live, will think you worthy to be beloved: so that if amongst your other virtues, you can pardon this unsavoriness, I shall receive a new life, and with a further cheerfulness present my duty once again unto you.  
Yours, if you prove worthy.   

To his much esteemed Mrs. P.  

A good wife commended & compared to a ship at sea.  Mistress, Me thinks I behold you like a goodly ship at sea; so that, I which am a slander on the shore, must needs be afraid, when I consider the danger of boisterous winds and raging billows; the peril of the shelves and sands; the terror of rocks and shores; the inconveniences of harbours and long voyages, and the hazard of encounters with pirates and men of war. Yet again, when I remember the excellent workmanship in your contriving, the strength of your building, the comeliness of your raising up, the delicacy of your trimming, and above all, the cunning and experience of your Pilot and steersman, I am somewhat pacified, and had rather expose you to the glory of famous voyages, then see you lie still in safe harbour, where time and many inconveniencies shall wear out your keel, and obscure your beauty: therefore go forth a God's name, and let me see you under sail. For the wisest of men, hath compared a good wife to a ship at sea, which bringeth her food from a far; and so I make no doubt you will esteem yourself, and not adventure abroad without care, order, and good provision. In which hope, I leave you to the fortune of the world, and send my good wishes after you, to fill your sails with the best wind, and bring you home again with the fullness of prosperity.  
Yours, and Virtues.   

To his well advised Friend, Mrs. H.  
GOod Mistress, 
A friend desireth a Gentlewoman to unite the inward virtues of the mind to outwardlovelinesse.  Obedience is better than sacrifice; and therefore do I send you these trivial letters according to your command imposed, requesting you not to be too quick in apprehending any thing amiss, nor stupid in not conceiving what belongs to your portion: For I protest, I mean to say nothing, to draw your worthiness in question: nor will leave out any thing, which may manifest my good opinion of you. I then must begin with a certain custom of the Schoolmasters in Lacedaemon, who at the first admittance of their scholars, brought them a glass to look in: If they were fair and comely, they then advised them to take heed, that the inward virtues answered the outward loveliness; otherwise they might resemble painted sheaths covering only wooden swords, so that true beauty and handsomeness consisted in noble parts, not outward feature. If they were misshaped, or outwardly deformed, to endeavour for the adoration of the mind, the light of understanding, and the lodestar of wisdom, whereby they should see no man except against the first shape: and here may man overpass the imperfections of nature, by extolling the conditions of nurture. Now I hope I shall not need to apply this to yourself, because I am assured you look in a glass every day; and although you do not with Narcessus dote on your own form: yet you cannot choose, but be thankful to nature for so extraordinary benefits conferred; and withal, remember, what a happiness will make you perfect in this world, if you unite such inward graces, as begin already to take you by the hand, to pace out the measures of worth and modesty. Go on therefore, go on, that I may live to say, Yonder goes the wonder of time, and the true example of nobleness and beauty But I dare not enlarge my wishes, lest I fall into an ecstasy, and from giving good counsel to others, cross mine own judgement for not doing as I should myself: yet I swear, if my fortune were worthy the name of a fortune, I durst triumph amongst other masters of earthly contentments, that you think me of deserving to be commanded by you, and put me in the Catalogue of your chiefest friends. The business you inserted, shall be dispatched, and the next letters discover, what I think of the choice of a husband, and to what conditions I would tie man and wife, living in a generous liberty.  
Yours well advised.    

Household Letters.  

To his dearly beloved friend, M.T.  
GOod Sir, 
A gentleman must take heed how he settles himself in the counitry as a farmer.  I well perceive by your worthy disposition, that oblivion cannot get the mastery of virtue in judicious and honest friends. For however we are remote in body, you have justified your remembrance toward me, yea continued a good opinion, and strengthened it with a conceit of my understanding somewhat; concerning your retired country, 'tis so, that some thing must now be said, drawing near to satisfaction, but especially to discharge the duty of a friend, and faithful well-willer. Believe it then, that in divers persons a country life neighboureth contemplation and quietness, according as we adapt ourselves to the same. For a Gentleman, of any reasonable estate, desiring to free himself of city vanities, continual resort, extraordinary expenses, superfluous diet, curiosity of apparel, and alluring temptation, may so seat himself and persecute his passion, as to meet with profit and reposednes, in the country: but then his resolution must be, not for any occasion to overpass the limits of his intended expenses; because, if he once step into the vainglorious reputation of a housekeeper, a giver of alms, and desire of salutations from russet coats: his very Hall will eat up his Parlour, and he shall be drawn in to spend more at a Christmas, than his upper chamber in the city did in a twelvemonth. But for a free spirit, and a liver only upon a stock, to be emboldened with the hope of commodity, and bettering his estate by a husbandly pains-taking, is as far from expectation, as to feed a hunting horse on the commons, and yet presume to run with him for the best game. For he that must say to his servants, Go, and to his men, Do this, must be a Centurion, who lives upon an annual entrade: but 〈…〉 a vine-dresser, must labour and take pains himself, yea have both art and discretion to manage his affairs, that when he sees a barren figtree, he may not in a rage go and cut it down, or stock it up: but prune it, dung it, dig the earth about it, and make trial of another year. Besides, for a Gentleman of worth, to live in any town in suspicion of a decayed estate, or necessity to increase himself by industry: especially where they do but seem better men of eminence, is, as if a man should go from his understanding friends, who out of civility would neither disteeme him, nor reveal his secrets: and proclaim the same in public, exposing himself so to derision. For believe it, however the country man may bid you good morrow, and stubbornly bend his knee, his heart is full within, and at home he cares not what he murmurs against you; except you are in office to control him, as a justice of peace: or in ability to pleasure him, as Lord of the Manor: or incredite to terrify him, as some officer at Court: or in estimation to master him, as some noble man's man or other; especially, a privy counsellors. Besides, the servants will loiter, the Bailiff will soothe you up with flattery to deceive you; the cattle will famish or diminish, the plough will go untoward, the whole family live in confusion, and the best byword shall be for you: a poor Gentleman Farmer. All which considered, I could be contented to see you here again, where you may eat meat with the best, and sort out your pleasures at as easy a rate, as you list.  
Your plain and true Friend.   

To his loving and long expected Friend.  
GOod Sir, 
If a Gentleman will be a Farmer, it is the best to obtain the principal house: or the credit of the highest place in the town.  I would not have you play with me, as the jews did with jeremy about their going into Egypt, ask his opinion, and swearing a conformity, till his resolution was contrary to their own minds, & so they retracted, scorning the Prophet's advice: thus it may be you expect at my hands to jump with your desires, and please you by way of soothing, and applaud your pretences: surely I only cast but a doubt, and therefore will thus plainly tell you my opinion. The house and Farm you have taken, as I understand, is the Manor house, and having many Tenants, you have as many privileges by their serviceable tenors. Here questionless you did very well: for by this occasion you shall keep the stubborn man in awe, and confirm the well disposed with security: beside, whereas peradventure you cannot take pains yourself, or attend the plough in person; the principal point of husbandry and trick to win the game for a mean estate: you shall be sure that the very best husbands will overlook your grounds for you, as glad to spy a fault in them, or come with a tale to pleasure you, even with offering his service to amend it himself for you. But withal, is not the house of too great receipt, costly to furnish, chargeable to repair, dangerous to keep, and drawing on extraordinary expenses even for fuel and maintenance? beside, is there not a certain expectation of extraordinary housekeeping, and entertaining of passengers? Wherein to proceed, it will drink up the profit of the Farm like a Sponge; wherein to draw back, will drown your reputation in vilipending. This is that I would say unto you, so that if you meet with discretion, and judgement in so intricate a business; surely I must applaud your choice for taking the manor house; but if you chance upon jollity, or vainglory, determining to thrive, you will take as wrong a course in being a farmer, as I have done in advising you against your mind, and desires.  
Yours, with good wishes.   

To his well advised friend, S. G.  

Concerning the building and ordering a house with retaining of servants.  SIR, When I opened your last letter, and overviewed the sentences divided into interrogatories, I was almost affrighted, as if there had been a citation sent for me: but after I considered the particulars, and saw they were only household advertisements, or (if you will) husbandly questions, for the better settling a man in the possession of contentment: I cheered myself, and thought it good manners thus to answer them; wherein, if I pay you in your own coin, and not once to look into the treasure house of Oratory for any rhetorical amplification, remember the justice of my cause, and the low flight of my subject. But to the purpose: Whereas you demand, how you should build your house? I answer thus; That though former times esteemed it better to have a house too little for a day, than too big for a whole year, and cared for no conveniency of lodgings, so the hall and kitchen were big enough to dress meat, and entertain company; yet do not you so, but discover a good spirit by the outward fashion of your building, choose a handsome prospect and wholesome situation; let your lodgings be warm and light, for you may darken them at pleasure; your stairs easy, and your rooms of entertainment large & delightsome; the outhouses convenient, the gardens and orchyards to the South and your own chambers near your husbandry, yet as far from annoyance as you may. In a word, let the whole frame discover your willingness to do well, rather than brand you to hereafter memory for covetous and basely disposed; and if you can leave an estate of a thousand marks behind you, let the passers by, viewing the house imagine it a 1000 pound a year. For so a second good husband & a good family to match in, may raise it in another age, and then followeth a kind of repining, that my father or grandfather was not well advised, and esteemed more of money, than the reputation of his family. But, above all, take heed you exceed not this proportion, lest either you incur derision, for beginning a work you were not able to finish; or leave the house to emptiness and decay, if your next heir be not sufficient to adorn and furnish it. Whereas you demand what retinue to keep? I answer, Have rather one too few, than two too many, & of all other things, take heed to an idle servant for corrupting the rest: for I cannot but resemble him to a stinking broad spreading burr, who is not only bad in itself, but hinders the rest of the grass growing round about it. And concerning outward show, by that time your Clerk, Coachman, Butler, keeper of your Wardrobe, chief Bailiff, and better sort of husbandmen be instructed the hour of attendance, and have also an honest care and cunning, cleanly to shift themselves, there may be a sufficient ostentation for a hundred pound a year. Whereas you demand what fare you should keep: I answer thus; let not the Sunday so exceed, as there be scarcity in the week following: give the labourer sufficient, for dainties fill not the belly: allow not every one a breakfast, nor every day three meals: have your meat warm and good, but do not reserve the best dish, till it be stark nought: if a neighbour come in about business, let him tarry a God's name; if he be invited, set before him, what he hath not at home; rather have a little & fresh, than return a great deal to smell of the dry larder; and above all, let not the end of the table be so forgotten, either to be served with blown drink, stale bread, or refuse meat: (For goers and comers by the door will look for that, and better) because such a heart and tongue may sit at your board, as will repine at his nasty entertainment; and be bold to publish your reproach. Whereas you demand what cattle to keep, I answer thus. For a Gentleman, Oxen are better than Horse, because after any mischance they may be fed for the butcher, and few men of sort would cart for money, or attend the court with a Teeme: let such do that, as love toil and money, and taste any pains taking with the saverines of profit: those geldings you keep, let them be well & orderly kept: so that if your country must be served, you have one in readiness: the servants which ride with you, let them be honest, careful, and well provided, and take heed of baseness, as ploughing cattle, broken saddles, patched boots, unmatched spurs, a sword without a chape: nay I would not have the sword and hangers of one fashion, and girdle or dagger of another, with infinite such disparities, and merely ridiculous nastiness. Whereas you demand what government to observe? I answer generally thus: and for particulars, you shall hear more hereafter: Above all, remember the Sabbath, and rather feast of any day, then of that: not but that the Sabboath is a continual feast, but how? for spiritual purposes, not filthy gurmundice: more than necessity of life, and good use of conversation: let no swearer nor profane person, once or twice admonished, tarry with you: give good examples by your own prayers: and rather by gentle exprobration, then filthy undecncies reprehend your servants, but suffer them not to be masters amongst themselves. To conclude, be charitable towards offenders, gentle to inferiors, willing to give, careful of good neighbours, and remember the sick labourer, and fainting soul.  
Yours, with a true heart.   

To his respected Friend, Mrs. G.  
MY old acquaintance, 
Whether a gentlewoman may with her credit let out lodgings for money.  I understand by your first servant, that you have enlarged your mind with your house, determining to lodge civil Gentlemen, and to raise a benefit from their entertainment: beside, you add for excuse, want of company, and that your house is overgreat for your own family: here is now a subject of plentiful matter, and in dilating the same, I must needs incur displeasure on all sides. But there is now no remedy; you have in a manner enjoined me to deliver my opinion, & I will be brief and plain, according to my skill. I than would with one blow cut off the Hydra's head of confusion, and overthrow all distinction by the negative, thus; That a Gentlewoman, whether widow or wife, living in the freedom of reputation, is not to be servile in any thing, nor to bedurtie herself with the dregs of any covetousness, or sinister practices against her credit. For as it is unbefitting to a Gentleman to be guilty of any servile crime; so it is undecent to a Centlewoman to incur the hazard of her honesty by any base inclination. Now what can the best lodging and lodgers maintain, but the inconveniences depending will quickly oversway the the profit following? For if they be only men, they must have servants, and comers, and goers; the servants shall bedurty your carpets and coverlets (if the masters themselves are tied within the circle of respect and civility) wipe their boots and scabbards on your best furnitures, toss your kitchen, command your utensels, turmoil your house, and upon the least contradiction burst out into violent and offensive terms: and for yourself at the best, you shall pass with the character of Hostess, Landlady, Sweet heart, or some such invention. The comers and goers shall be of all sorts, yea many times Seamsters, Launderers, kinsewomen, and such like, not without some venomous inclination to incontinency and riot, under the handsome green grass and colour of business, and entertainment. If they be only women, I can say no more, but women will be women, who cannot live without the company of men; and than if the fire and tow be put together, there must needs be combustion, what glorious show soever the flame appear with; or what admirable cunning is used in the kindling or extinguishing: so that, hold the balance of an upright conscience how you will, you shall not scape the imputation of dishonest practices from base calumniation, however the better sort hold their peace to make you an instrument for their pleasures. If they be men and women, so a doubling of many inconveniencies; there is but only this excuse afforded, that Opportunity is a bawd to Corruption, and unclean persons are now safe, being so conveniently lodged. This is briefly my opinion touching a Gentlewoman that lodgeth for money. But for others that are tradesmen, and must advance their estates from the gains of their profession, I dispute not at all, but leave it as a thing indifferent to my approbation, however I would not have them lose the benefits of their endeavours, when they may make double use of them. First, in the rent of their chambers, next, in the increase of customers for the venting such wares as they expose to sale, wherein their credit lieth, only at the state in those customary usances of swearing, lip-labour, and the secrets of their business, so that letting their lodgings, may seem less offensive through a cunning ignorance, than many indirect speeches through a customary dissembling.  
Yours, well affected.   

To his assured friend Mr. S.S.  
GOod Sir, 
The danger of disagreement between man and wife with their duties.  It was an unsavoury news to me, when I heard that some ominous action had divided the mutual agreement between you and your wife, wherein I cannot resemble you better, then to a churlish husbandman, who putteth some headstrong horse into his Teeme, and when they go forward, he striveth backward, the servants beating him to greater rage, and the Master wanting discretion to take him away, till a more convenient season, so that however they disquiet themselves, I am sure the war in hand, is rather hindered then forwarded. Thus is it, when man and wife are not fast tied in the bands of love and discretion, but subject the whole house to confusion, and send disgraceful rumour abroad to busy idle tongues, with many untruths amongst some certainties. For alas, what man will be so foolish that loveth cleanliness, as to besmear himself with dirt and filth? what husband will be so senseless as to revile his wife, and bring his own name in question? what shall the children think to hear their mother called whore? what shall the servants imagine to see their mistress distracted with jealousy and suspicion of one side, and shame and calumniation on the other side? what shall the neighbours imagine, to be acquainted with such disgraces, and whisper that a Gentleman so abused himself, or durst discredit his wife. Come, this must not be; For as women must admit of an honourable obedience, rather than imperious control, of sweet and gentle persuasion, rather than contentious exprobration: of a modest disposing themselves to all household affairs, than a busy intermeddling with their husband's affairs; of a fashionable entertainment at all seasons, especially a wise observation according to time and occasion: rather than a sudden apprehension of their husband's distemperature, either in passion or affection: so must men abandon themselves from home inconveniences, bear with their wives imperfections, not taunt before servants, not burst out into filthy and scurrilous chiding, or reproaches at all; be charitable even concerning offence, not churlish for trifles, not deny necessaries, and in no sort give ill example by lewd life, or bad husbandry: lest wants knock at the door, and then will bitterness and displeasure enter. So that concerning falling out between man and wife, I thus conclude; If it be possible to avoid all eruptions against civil life, lovely behaviour, or necessary business: but if disagreements begin to show a face, let the man leave the wife for that time, and not endure the contention: let the wife retire herself, if the man begin, and not dare to reason the matter.  
Yours, in religious care.   

To his approved Friend, R.S.  

How children ought to be brought up.  GOod Sir, Your last letters were so passionate, that sure in the writing you vented sighs, if you did not shed tears, and I cannot blame you: For, a father that hath an irrigular son, and a dangerous daughter, not only weareth out his time to provide them maintenance, and leave a competency behind him, that they may rank in the forward of civil people: but watcheth his hours, and grows grey with care, lest one will not be reclaimed, and the other step aside into wantonness. Therefore saith the wise man, that he that settleth his son, hath laid a strong foundation, and he that marrieth his daughter, hath dispatched his chiefest business. Whereupon I would advise you, concerning your sons, not to cocker them too much, or be overnice, either at their uprising or diet: not to let slip their years, but commit them as soon as you can into the hands of instruction: be not of that mind, that the rod must be a tyrant to them, but rather endeavour that they fear to offend for the love of virtue, then fear of punishment: suffer neither oath nor uncleanely speech to profane or defile their mouth, nor let them presume proudly to insult, or unmannerly to revile the meanest servant. Coming forward, and growing to understanding, make not nature a slave to cunning or profit; that is, enforce them not against their own inclination to follow that which is irksome unto them. For, if you tie a great spirit to a servile trade, he will never prove good chapman; or contend with dull capacity about mystical secrets, he will never grow good scholar, & so in the rest: let them ever be, where either the best company shall give good example; or if inconveniences follow, they may have the shadow of honourable purposes: but above all, let them neither practice deceit nor dishonesty: for, when a mind is once corrupted with baseness, it resembles a stinking vessel, which will never be thoroughly sweetened. Concerning your daughter, presume not too much of our country liberty; for wantonness standeth at the corner of every Street, to invite the commers-by: yet do not so restrain her, that she may either murmur at the same, or complain to her neighbours of her Parents hard hand, as though she were viciously inclined by nature. If it be possible, rather school her within doors, than adventure her with a pedant abroad; and for dancing, courtship, and such like: let them be used rather like a feather to a little dust, which may be brushed from the garment, the guard or seam, which shall wear out with the cloth: give them warning of familiarity with the servants: For a courteous civility becometh the children of Gentlemen, but wanton embraces, sitting on the knee, bearing in arms, and such like, be fearful signs of following confusion, and too forward desires: sitting up late, allow not; nor give way unto night banquets: For they resemble the stolen bread in the Proverbs: and a strumpet's Title is the nethermost hell, wherein the name of Virgin is perpetually damned: make them not proud, either of nature's portion, or the father's dowry. For women will look in a glass, and shall not want any flattering to seduce them to vanity: and concerning the upshot of all reckonings, which is marriage, let her neither assume so dangerous a liberty, as to run at random without your consent: nor be you so transported with a variety of self-love, as to draw her perforce to unpreventable inconveniences, yea many times mischiefs, and confusion. For, these matches in infancy, as (contracts for money without liking; enforcements, to unequal years, or nasty disparily, with divers of that kind) are merely, pulleys to wind up care, sorrow, and discontentments, and at one letting flippe the hold, to hurry them on the head of a poor afflicted virgin.  
Yours, in true libery.   

To his ill advised friend, I. M.  
SIR, I am not ignorant, that the two mastering corbes, that govern the reins of the whole world, 
how servants ought to be instructed.  are praemium and Poena, reward, and punishment. I do also know, that in a statute against stabbing and wilful murder, there is a clause of exception inserted, for fathers and masters in correcting their children and servants: yet will I give no such way to the violence of passion, as that a Gentleman, or otherwise civil disposed liver, should strike or wound his servant with any dangerous weapon: nor can I any way colour your temerity, for contending so long with that boisterous knave, as to be compelled to free yourself: (for such be the words of your excuse out of his robustious closing with you) by the stab of a dagger, which ran 9 inches upward over his pap. Believe me, it was a fearful falling off, and I wish in my heart there had been no such occasion given to draw your discretion in question, nay to endanger your person and estate. For if he had miscaryed, the king having lost a subject, you must needs have been brought to judicial trial, & then laws are according to the judges construction, or jurors interpretation. Well, I hope from henceforh you will be better advised, and rather bring up your servants so, that either they shall not offend, or after the offence be apprehensive of instruction with more gentle correction. Therefore choose the sons of such men, as rather will second their father's honesty and credit, then follow their own wantonness and riot: let every one have instruction for their feveral places, yet teach them all to obey when you command, and not one to command another: have an eye unto the honest diligence of the meanest, and grace him with a cheerful reward. If you chide for good occasion, let the ptowdest be the subject of your first admonition; wherein be so temperate, that undecent revilings heat not your mouth, but words savouring of wisdom and justice. Thus shall the rest stand in awe, when they see you are not partial or fearful: if advice serve not, spare not a smarting blow; which if it prove a stirrer up of rage or contempt in him, bring him to public justice, but be not you on him, your own executioner: suffer neither oaths nor profanation: no gaming on the Sabbath, nor for much money at any time: nay, let it be rather a recreation, with a modest acknowledging your winking at small faults, than any comaunding voice to pass away the time, or please themselves: let them not slack the hours of attendance, nor the entertainment of friends: give ear to no busy bodies, taletellers, nor flatterers of your imperfections, lest government, turn to confusion; and recreation to dissipation: as pride is a drawer on of filthy enormities, so nastines and uncomely adorning themselves brings surquedry, and loathsomeness. To conclude, in one word, let your servants be such of all sorts, as shall do what you prescribe, rather than make use of the time to maintain their own pleasures, and licentiousness: as for such as must perform inferior servile duties, pay them truly, and send them to their work orderly: neglect no service of God for any cause: and if you have (as you ought) private prayers, let all come, and know what reverence meaneth: hearken to the time of sickness, and let them not complain for want, nor cry out to God for sustaining more than they can away with: upon good deserving, add a recompense, and let none presume to strike or revile another. Infinite other particulars would draw on many lines, but these shall sufice, till better conveniency to show my love and duty, and serve for caution and advertisement.  
Yours, in charitable advise.    

Politic Letters.  

To his noble Lady and Virtuously respected, T.G.  
WOrthy Lady, I think it not befitting the time, nor the tenderness of your sex, to give such life to your memory, as Catalogue the praises of that worthy knight deceased, 
Women in years should rather look for rich advancement, then wanton satisfaction.  or draw in question his want of judgement in this one point, or peradventure ability, in leaving you thus wrapped untowardly in accounts, and bringing you (as having five daughters to marry) to the house of care and sadness, further than the sorrow of his loss, and the ceremonies of his exequys pretended. But I would rather open the storehouse of instruction and comfort, and show you the Emblem of Fortune, or Time shadowed with a hairy foretop, as if we might take hold thereon for any purpose; and a bald head behind, as if opportunity let slip, were not to be recovered. Therefore without ceremony, if there were not necessity, yet out of a necessary policy, let not the noble judge be dallied with in his honourable purposes: and considering the heat of youth is spent; and as the Poets sing, that Hiperions' fires burn not with a wont blaze, be rather cautelous for a well disposed life, then indirect satisfaction of fancy: this I would say if you were rich and childless, good helps in all times both good and bad: but as time hath brought you to wrestle with some inconveniences, you must learn if it be possible to give a fall, rather than a take foil: & both for your own and children's sake, dispense with wantonness, and be rather providently ambitious, than ambitiously improvident. For by this match, your quietus est shall be obtained, your peace shall be made without disquiet; your accounts shut out of the king's Exchequer; your household affairs reducted to an uniformity; your lap filled with money; your ears with submissive petitions; and your chamber with the better sort of visitors; your daughters shall still walk in the school of courtliness and befiting suitors, and rather be taught to step up to honour, then fall down to fear of preferment: even their youthful desires for ornament and cost shall be so supplied, that you shall grant without grudging, and they demand without timorousness or cumbersome importunity: their portions shall be sure of augmentation. For though he do not open the strings of his own purse, yet from custom, the under officers will bring in presents: and such Gentlemen as before would make question of some incombances, shall now attend your house for resort and noble conversation: so that without controversy there is no refusing his love, nor disputing with any malign circumstances of his years and humours.  
Yours, in honest advise.   

To his much disquieted Friend, A.S.  

A Gentleman should not be servant to any man that hath a sufficient estate of his own: but if he be with what policy he must contract it.  SIR, I am ashamed to show myself a traitor to gentry, and bind a free spirit to the servitude of control: for the wisest & greatest must fail through imperfections, and he which submits to the command of another, cannot tell how he may be driven to impatience: so that I could swear, that it were unbefitting to a man of your estate, a Gentleman of blood, a housekeeper of account, a justice of peace, and a commander of many servants, to fall back into the contemned estate of servitude, & wear another's blue coat. Yet because policy hath some secret walks into which Virtue will not enter, and that I see errors hale us along to dangerous inconveniences, without satisfaction of humours, I am contented at this time to deceive your apprehension with the mist of policy, with guileful feeding of ambitious and contentious humours. If then your fear be so great of the knight your adjoining neighbour, and Lord of the manor, that either you must come to trial of the law, and profuse expenses, or meet with contracted brows, and perilous encounters: there is no such way to wipe away the fear of these encumbrances, as the supportation of the great Lord you speak of, whose service must be orderly implored, but cunningly obtained: wherein I would have you resemble the Lapwing, which crieth farthest from her nest; and so fasten yourself upon him, rather with admiration of his virtues, which have altogether attracted your submission, then fear of your own defects, or desire to be, by his help, revenged on your adversary: and this you must strengthen a while with attendants and presence, marking whom he admits to his secret familiarity, and consorting with them, not so much for fellowship, as to be a mediation between your Lord and yourself when occasion shall burst out; & show some particulars of your wrongs, where by way of discourse you may intimate, that you wonder at your adversaries audaciousness, not to forbear you now for his honours sake, considering one virtue inclined to another, and he would not maintain any injustice for a world. As for those controversies impending, his Lordship should command him as his servant, and overrule all, as should seem good to his honourable pleasure. This is the surest channel, as I take it, to launch forth your ship in the troublesome Sea of contentions, with your betters, or at least such, whom the worlds estimation reputeth in a higher eminence: So that if you can dispense with some disgraces, which may chance by distemperature of your Lord, and calumniation standing on the tip of idle tongues abroad, you may meet with sedition of country troubles, and peradventure carry the sway of applause and observation, even at public imitations, as your credit with your master is subject to report or opinion.  
Yours, in honourable love.   

To her loving Niece, G. B.  

No oaths to be believed before marriage.  MY dearest Love, There hath passed and overpassed a rumour of the young Counts affecting you, wherein love hath dealt like himself, and chained him to certain straits of passion: so that by voluntary oath he hath protested conditional marriage, if you please to afford him a primordial satisfaction: wherein love may Sympathize between you I know not, but merely out of honest & honourable policy, go into the open channel, rather than come near the banks of Nilus, where Crocodiles may deceive you with tears; & of all other things, let no man boast of dividing you, till you yield him possession of all together: & this is a caution even amongst wantoness, not to marry with him to whom dotage or misfortune hath prostituted them. For what hope is there but a following eternal jealousy? & when a breach is so made, a continual roaring and thundering of whole volleys of checks, taunts, and opprobrious terms, of whore, strumpet, filth? What had I, but another might have gotten? and what know I, but thou art still a broken glass never to be cemented again? Therefore sweet Niece, stand upon a strong guard of circumspection, and do not expose the certainty of your honourable merit and high attracting worthiness, to the uncertainty of deceivable promises: I care not, though I term them fully resolved oaths. For one way they are yet in the pleasure of the first maker: another way, in the danger of better resolved conceit, when the heat of wantonness is reclaimed, and some new displeasure shall open a gap of both your oversights. But I hope I need not ambiguously handle the cause of your virtue, and modest inclination; considering you have many times cast a defiance in the face of temptation: and will now surely, when you are to be tried pure gold indeed, not make it adulterate by ambitious desires, or foolish credulity.  
Yours, in prevailing truth.   

To his loving Cousin at Court, H.A.  
GOod Cousin, Seeing you are resolved to follow the sway of time, 
He that will enrich himself by service must follow some thriving officer.  and become a Courtier, with an intent to depend upon the favourite of the kingdom, that noble and generous Count: you may take your own race to leap, as high, and far as you can: But as my advise and experience whispers to pleasure you, there is no policy in it at all, considering your project to yourself of bettering your estate, and husbandly desires to fill your purse, and not vainglorious ostentation, or public glistering with feathers and colours, which many times bear better men than yourself, to dangerous inconveniences; and at the best, draw on expenses without other satisfaction, then courtly smiles, and deceitful smoke-promises. Besides, there shall be so many before you hanging on expectation of suit preferments, that when you shall think to step forward, there will scarce be room for you to lay on a finger on the prevailing end of the beam of prosperity. Therefore be ruled by me, considering some good parts may add to your youth reputation, and to good carriage more respect; place yourself as near some quiet officer as you can, and by serviceable attendance, not obscuring your quality; give him notice of your willingness to be commanded, and aptness to be employed, as he shall think convenient.  
Thus shall you contrive and wind yourself into some profit at home, and be known well enough abroad: yea so well, that performing your duty for the private affairs of your Master, when alteration shall happen, you may by some voices be called to the public managing affairs for the state.  
Yours, as you can desire.   

To his dearest brother, G. D.  

The Lady of the house must be observed of such as mean to thrive under the Lord.  GOod Brother, as I am glad, that you have extracted the love of your honourable Lord: so would I be the gladder, if you did contrive the continuance of the same. For there is no less cunning in keeping a thing well gotten, then in attaining it before it be in possession; but if it be as I hear, you are so far from true policy in this kind, that I am afraid presumption will trip your expectation on the ground, and give your forwardness a foil. For they say, that you disagree with my Lady, and under colour of my Lord's profit, oppose her in trivial demands: take heed (I pray you) in time, and if you mean to stand firm, as you sometime, for reverence of her estate, take her by the arm to lead her along, let her likewise take you by the hand, to settle you in security. For if women wrought Solomon the wisest and greatest of all Princes, out of his full course of virtue and piety, such a woman as she will quickly conceive, if she be disesteemed of you, and as quickly gone to mislike of your peremptorines, or audatiousnes, and as quickly desire to be revenged, wherein if she be resolute, you shall not know who hurt you, nor she care, how you are overthrown: therefore good brother, be not deceived in this contumacy, but reduce yourself to understand, there is no advancing the colours of establishment on the citadel of your Lady's favour, if the Lady Barricado the entrance, or seem envious after your proceeding.  
Yours, in all occasions.   

To the honourable L. and his high esteemed Patron.  
RIght Honourable, Although all the rivulets of favour and grace, 
Some Lord or other must be made an Agent to obtain a suit of the king.  have their source and flow from the fountain and spring of Majesty: (for neither is honour bestowed, petition granted, commission sealed, nor any things disposed without the kings liking and firm:) Yet is there a kind of policy to be used in contriving and compassing the same. For to step bluntly to a king, and urge him to a grant, or peradventure expostulate the matter with him, may seem unsavoury, and without the sure ground of a high exalted favourite, receive a protraction, if not a denial: therefore your honour must be contented to do as the Lords of France amongst themselves, one to prefer the suit and request of another: so that if this Baron would have an addition of honour, that Counselseller is engaged, and intimates to the Prince his worth, his valour, his virtue, his former employment, and such like. If that Earl would have such a grant, then doth the other take a time to illustrate the latters praises, and infer the necessity of acknowledging & rewarding the same, with all the gracious properties of liberality incident to a Prince. Thus must your Lordship make some second means, and how ever Honour could be contented to repine to depend upon the liking of inferiors: yet must policy restrain passion, and discretion give you notice when the king is disposed to grace: and so though a present must be exacted, you need only hold your head, and be contented till your business be determined, in which you must apply yourself to the time, so far as in honesty you may: But you must speak them fair whom you like not; and smile where the heart swells, and go along even with the observation of Court, though you should take a journey another way to better purpose. These be the passages to which time and fortune drives all attendants in Princes courts, and so it is fit so far as policy may not hinder the peace of a good conscience. For God hath said, they are Gods, and there is no such proximity to a godhead, as with a breath to advance whom they will, to have mercy on whom they please, and to cast down the presumption of such who abuse their favour for unhonest pretences. And thus I leave your honour to the order prescribed, and success of affairs.  
Your honours observant.   

To the Right Honourable and worthy L. G.  
RIght Honourable, seeing you have vouchsafed to descend so low a degree of humiliation, as to make me partaker of your secrets: 
Suits in court are never dispatched without great attendance.  I will surely raise up myself (as far as I dare) to yield you some reason for our last conference; and warrant your honour, that there is no unkindness thrust upon you, though your business seem detracted, and (as you supposed) procrastinated: For believe it, there is a policy of state, not to dispatch suitors too fast, for diminishing the glory of the present court, and weakening the majesty of the Prince: if every one should be admitted at their own pleasure: & as in the height of martial discipline, some things must be absolutely commanded, not disputed upon, all secrets are not to be revealed, and every man that dare ask a question, must not be resolved: so in the Counsel of kings, and their best ordered courts, no man ought to contest with the judgement, that the Chancellor shall pronounce: or traduce the last verdict after he hath appealed to the Prince. For if you seldom bring a Physician in question, that knowing his patient out of danger of death, and of such a constitution, that some excellent potion will quickly advance him to the pristinate state of health, and yet dallieth with him awhile, peradventure to show some secrets of arts: peradventure to make him believe a difficulty in the recovery, and peradventure to enrich his purse by an often resort to him that is able to give. There is no reason to presume so far, as to call in question the affairs of great Counsellors, especially determining for the common good, without partial interposing either their own purposes or passions: nor can any man come unto them at any time, but divers shall be found afore him, who challenge a dispatch of their business, according to the priority of their suits: therefore your honour must lay no such burden of the state, to think, if there were such an interposition, that any man's private malice could prevail with the authority, gravity and wisdom of the rest. Besides, it may be there is a further policy to draw out the thread of this cloth of business at the greatest length, to keep you from a further suit, or troubling the king with other matters of importance, till this be dispatched, and hung on the file of assurance in your behalf. This I presumed to write unto you, because you commanded: but in regard there be some things you will not command, nor I can justify in the answer; I mean to reserve them till I have opportunity to present my duty unto you, as you have showed a generous mind, to manifest your good opinion toward me.  
Your Honour's devoted.   

To his well experienced friend, and noble minded Gentleman, G. P.  

A military policy to restrain insolent mutinies.  NOble Sir, Whereas at your last conference you told me coming from Germany to Antwerp, you saw no watch set, and a kind of fearful stillness amongst the soldiers, wherein I could not resolve you so suddenly, because you spread no larger cloth of novelties, and peradventure durst not in that place raise any suspicion by demanding many questions: I have now thought good to add to your experience some intelligences of my own, whereby as you well said, than I do gather the occasion of that defection, and desisting from their martial ceremonies: You must then understand, that the Garrisons have newly mutined, and from insolent attempts drawn a fearful execution on some principal offenders: the Governor of the town and citadel, did put in practise an ancient usance and policy of martial discipline, to command a cessation from orderly watch, and soldier-like services: And this was an absolute custom even amongst the Romans, that when insolent and tumultuous soldiers had looked with grim and traitorous visages on the face of good order, and made a repugnant disobedience against all law and restraint, the Captains presently prohibited any calling to the watch, any preparation to the Parado, beating the drums, attending the colours, or to use any ceremonious bravery: whereby the mutineers, 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, began to bewail the want of their honourable customs, and to confess their former rudeness and oversight. And this was the cause of the stillness in Antwerp, at your lodging in the town. And amongst other policies of war, according to the several business in hand, of which you shall hear more hereafter, when we have further leisure to dispute of other occurrents.  
Yours, in terror of death.   

To his well disposed Friend, Mr. M.D.  
GOod Sir, 
Wat policy soever ambition build upon, it is at last cast down with death and destruction.  Conceive of me what you please, there is not a man in this kingdom shall have more interest in me, than yourself; and that you shall well perceive by my plain and true satisfaction of your demands, although it be somewhat too intricate to deal in such confused questions, and dangerous relation of business; Whereas then you demand the reason, why so many great and noble persons have (as it were) met with death and destruction, in the violent race of their turbulent innovation, and insolent wilfulness: not taking warning by precedent examples, nor terrified with the ever-impending reward of treason, which is the overthrow both of themselves and families. I answer, that truly I can yield you no reason, because all they pretend, is not only against reason, but many times against policy, and at all times against honesty and religion: yet can I give you some false fires, and (as it were) contrive adulterate excuses out of favour and partiality. You have read then that the devil in compassing the earth, did consider men's frailties in his progress, and as the principal mark of the world, he most gloriously attempts, principalities and powers: so that sometimes he pleadeth the axioms of Philosohers, and reciteth a pestilent position out of Euripides: that if faith and loyalty be to be rend asunder, it is excusable, in compassing a Diadem, and reaching at a Crown. Thus Stephen, Earl of Blois, usurped the kingdom of England, and made wars on the faction of the Empress. And thus Henry the fourth in fringed his first vow, to step no further than the Duchy of Lancaster: but when he found no hindrances, he quickly ranged over all other territories and jurisdictions. Sometimes he dilates Matchivilian policies, and telleth men that are cruel and ambitious, that they which mean to have a smooth walk to contentment, yea to pass the time in any Orchard or Garden of pleasure, must not only remove the greater blocks, sticks, and stones: but as occasion serves, pick out the sharp pebbles, and roll the same smother. Thus Athaliah destroyed the king's stock to gain the Diadem. And thus Richard the third, first removed the Queen's kindred, after usurped the persons of the two Princes. Sometimes he whispereth in the ears of moderate kings, that they may be jealous in points of sovereignty; and who shall control them, if they settle their fears and peace, though they see the bleeding necks of such as they fear? Thus Adoniah fell under his younger brother. Thus Nero put Corbulo and Germanicus to death, because they were reputed worthy of the kingdom. Thus was Mortimer in Henry the fourth's time, as it were, banished from the Court. Thus was long before that, Robert Duke of Normandy deprived of his eyes. Thus was Edward Plantagenet Earl of Warwick imprisoned and destroyed: with many such like. Sometimes he maketh the justifying of a faction, and the loving of one another, and honest cause of rebellion: As you saw in the Baron's 〈◊〉, in the beginning of Henry the fourth, when the king should have been destroyed at Oxenford, and afterward when the Percies maintained the coadiutements of Worcester and Mortimer. Sometimes he raiseth innovation and treason out of the circle of ambition and vainglory, upon any pretence of a title, as you saw in the first claim of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York: and in the last tumults of the Earl of Warrewicke, in Edward the fourth's time. Sometimes he deceiveth honour with covetousness, and bogs the minds of generous spirits with hope of increase of living, and augmentations of titles. Thus was the Duke of Buckingham caught in a snare of the Earldom of Hertford, and not only stretched his arm out to help Richard the third to mount on the throne of Majesty, against all religion and piety: but to spread the colours of his own revenge against the tyrant himself: whereby he lost his head. Sometimes he impostures men with the fanatical hopes of devilish promises from sorcery, and witchcraft: As you may read of Elinor Cobham, who well expected the preferment of the Protector her husband, and of H●●●ford Duke of Buckingham, whom the Cardinal overthrew in Henry the eights time. Sometimes he bloweth the bellows of popularity, and swelleth men over big with the windy breath of opinion: as in divers worthy precedents, and instances of our own, wherein even the best subjects have yet taken a wrong course to curb their Princes, and making good causes (as reformation of disorders, removing of evil councillors, protecting of justice, and maintaining the honour of martial discipline, etc. Bawds to wicked and troublesome spirits, have in the end pulled on death and insupportable affliction on themselves and families: and sometimes he inciteth even common persons to presumptuous dare and dangerous troubles, falsifying their wicked pretences, on the glorious shows of the kingdoms 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 substantial reason, but must needs be overthrown with the shoulderinsg of truth and uprightness. And thus could I fill you volumes with precepts and instances, and both divide and subdivide to infinite particulars, wherein greatness and policy resemble poison in the hearts of corrupt persons, which runneth from vein to vein, and never desisteth till all be infected: and at last the very life blood contaminated: Nay, I could have spread your letter to a greater breadth, even 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 leave what I may not write, to a private relation, when we may meet with security.  
Yours, to trust only.   

To her dearest husband.  
MY only life, I may not write at large, nor one word but what another oversees: therefore I pray you consider of me and your children, 
Men must submit to their fortune.  and how ever your virtue fill your heart with constancy; yet remember, that in all ages, and with all persons, virtue doth not thrive alike; nor must a man proclaim all he knows, or divulge what he thinks: so that there is no remedy for your enlargement, but a patient enduring, a politic silence, an humble submission, and plausible casting yourself and cause into the lap of the Queen's favour, and under the shadow of that great Lords mantle. No more: neither I dare, nor must: but that I am and will be,  
Your ever loving wife in distress.    

chiding Letters.  

To his ill advised Son, T.G.  
MOst foolish and idle headed, 
A son reprehended for his disordered life.  I have heard thee sometimes discourse of historical relations, because I should strengthen my opinion, that thou hast not been a truant at school, nor a traitor to nature, in overthrowing some good parts allotted as thy portion. But I wonder, that amongst the rest, thou dost not remember a certain law of the Lacedæmonians against disobedient children, who were publicly whipped, and when they continued refractory, they were despitefully hanged, as enemies to the commonwealth: so that if thy profuse expenses, riotous courses, disobedient wilfulness, irregular conditions, dangerous company, and intemperate abusing the time, were in those days to follow thee to that bar of censuring, I should surely take no further care for thy punishment, nor fear for thy hereafter overthrow. But because thou livest in a corrupt age and commonwealth, belike thou thinkest thyself disgraced, & out of the fashion, if thou be not corrupt too; nay monstrously wicked, & degenerating. For, what hope can I have of the preservation of my estate and family after death, when thou darest presume in my life to carry an absolute sway against my prescriptions, and run three hundred pounds in debt, to all our troubles; And if thou come to particulars, how bare and poorly will thy excuse seem? how ugly and deformed will thy vanity appear? I brought thee with a gentle hand to the study of the law, whereon both profit and honours depends: and thou hast not only neglected the same; but with a kind of contempt and despite, abandoned thy study, and because we should be sure of thy hate and vilipending such a jewel, thou art bold to boast of pawning thy books, and that thou wilt not curb a brave spirit, (thou mayst say a devilish ruffinlinesse) with stupid and dull enclosing thyself in a Cabinette, and poring on harsh and unpleasant lines. I taught thee a way to handsomeness and civility, showing thee (like a Father) the difference between pride and comeliness: and thou art so far from the modest use of God's creatures, in this kind, that thou hast transshaped thyself with filthy disguises, of long-haire, diffused Apparel, coloured Bands, gaudy Ornaments, ridiculous fashions: yea, thy very heel and spurre-leathers show the lightness of thy mind, vanity 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 wisdom hateth them, and piety pitieth them. I instructed thee with the modest oratory of good demeanour, and how weakly they were armed, that stood at defiance, with patience and virtue, building a poor frame on the high exalted Title of valour: as though vice must either be carried up with the strong arm of robustiousnes, or coloured over with the sophisticate paintings of good-fellowship; courage, not disparaging of Gentry: and that a man living in eminence and expectation of glory, must not give way to any discredit. But thou like a resty-iade, hast run backwards, and affrighted thy own good spirit, with fearful blood-sheddings, quarrels, and contentions: exposing thyself to barren and beastly destructions, in despite of order, and good government: So that I cannot compare that valour, which thou wouldst have graced with such an Epithet, better than to the beauty of a strumpet, who is either mercenary to all comers, or so kind, that she cannot gainsay any, ask the question: and at last, maketh herself abhorred or vilipended. There be other matters of offence wherewith I could load 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 show you a stronger hand of reformation: therefore be advised you were best, and if you dare forget I am your father, and must maintain you: remembet you are a Christian; and live under a religion and law, which will clip the wings of such licentiousness, and deplume the feathers of all such consuming birds of prey.  
Your displeased Father.   

To her wilful and seduced friend, M. G.  
Unkind, and ill advised. To what purpose have you made me believe, 
Love findeth fault with inconstancy and follow a strumphet, who is desired.  that you never spoke sentence, but love joined the words: never breathed vow, but virtue instructed the heart: never performed action, but my worth was the magnes to draw you into industry: and yet you can be contented to wipe away all with the slight hand of carelessness, and to forsake me without a cause; yea, to despite me the more, to abandon a faithful and true friend, for the beastly show and love of a strumpet, whose eyes sparkle with deceit, & very smiles are more dangerous than Crocodiles tears, which commonly weep over such, they mean to destroy. O that thou either hadst discovered this falsehood before, whereby I might have taken the way of better assurance, and conformable honesty; or wilt thou yet defend the poor troops of chastity, against the mighty armies of incontinency and wantonness? then should this wanton know, what it were to betray modesty into the hands of filthy unconstancy, and to bring simplicity into the bondage of passion and affection. But I prithee let me dispute with thee a little: Have I not seen thee laugh a fellow to scorn, as a buffoon, or jester, for wearing great guilt rings full of coulerd glasses, guarded clothes, capons feathers, and a ridiculous aspect? and what is a strumpet, but suitable in every thing? Have I not read of a fool, that was led like an Ox to the slaughter, and went in the shutting of the evening into the house of a strumpet? Have I not heard thee tell the tale of a passenger, who coming over a dangerous water upon a narrow bridge, being drunk, and returning the next day to to see what adventure he had escaped, died with the apprehension? And what is a whore's conversation, but a sudden peril overpassed with fear and trembling? And so in infinite particulars; whereby it cannot choose, but either you are insensible of good, or desperate of all bad; otherwise you would not come within the reach of heavens vengeance, and virtues curses: I mean my own poor cries, and tears, which if they once should be vented with bitterness of my soul, believe it, they would prevail with the God of mercy, to draw thee and thy perfidiousness into the house of vengeance, for thy cruelty & mischievous abusing so constant, and innocent a friend.  
Your poor abused Friend.   

To his much disordered Friend, F.M.  

Against 〈…〉  GOod Sir, If I were not tied by the band of friendship, to all those duties, wherein honest men are, or should be actors; yet am I bound by the laws of Christianity to plead God's cause, and not to suffer (as far as in me lies) so great a justice to be overthrown with the violent thrust of desperate and irreligious shoulderings. To what end then dare you so profane the name of God? or to what purpose do you breathe out the smoke of oaths, yea common perjuries? as if the sulphur of that infernal furnace, were raised up to darken the light of the firmament. Do you know what danger you incur? the vengeance prepared, the threatenings denounced, and the punishments appropriate to such idle and defiling wantonness? Do you not read, that you shall be guilty before God's seat, for taking his name in vain? Doth not the Prophet tell you, that plagues shall invade that house, where the swearer remaineth? Hath not our Saviour instructed us, with yea, and nay? showing plainly, that whosoever digresseth out of that path, walketh to perdition. And are not the Apostles the voices of many waters, and the sounds of God's trumpets against further irreligion, and undecent oaths? And how dare you then continue in horrible profanation, and either not believe, or not apprehend this truth? Besides, if Satan had taught us cunning enough to excuse other vices: The glutton may say, he is a hungered: the unclean person, he is ready to burn: the covetous man, he is afraid to want: the murderer, revenge is sweet: the drunkard, that his drought is great: the thief, that he is in distress, and such like. But the swearer hath neither reason, nor excuse for his idleness: no man enforceth him, the flesh enticeth not, the world provoketh not, only custom and the devil raise a commotion against piety and sincerity. So that it is almost come to pass, that a swearer and a liar move in the same orb of incredultty, and as the shepherds ran so often in vain to the boy, that told them the Wolf was come into the fold, that when he came indeed, they did not believe him. So doth every man abandon a swearer in his most urgent occasions, because unurged he made no conscience of an oath. Therefore, if not for God's love, Christian duty, sweetness of conversation, and assurance of our contracts & friendship; yet for fear of hell, and in regard of salvation, let me divert you from this horrible, and hateful vice.  
Yours, in reformation.   

To her miserable rich Friend, P.D.  

Against covetousness.  SIR, Although it appertaineth not to our sex to take the rod of restraint into our hands, and seem free Denizens in the kingdom of wisdom, & good counsel, more than men: yet because I am engaged for you to that honourable Lady: & set open the enclosure of your praises from my own judgement, and experience of your worth: I must needs presume (beyond your expectation) and crave pardon, if I seem to have a more daring confidence in this reprehension. To what end then have you cast dirt and filth into the stream of your spirit, where a confluence of many virtues make a flood of perfection, and even now, when a very miser should set at large his hardbound heart for expenses, have damned up the same, with the mud of avarice: you that have carried away good opinion with you in times passed for courteous, affable, courtly, well-descended, free, noble, and (above the rest) a liberal Gentleman: now to make a stop, and darken all that lustre with a miserable sparing, and niggardly conversation. And when in a time of professing love, which seemeth to shed tears at your degenerating condition, and to whom? to a Lady of honour and judgement: whose very presence may command presents and extraordinary expenses; and where? in both your countries, where reproach stands watching for any occasion, and envious eyes behold you with repining, and would fain look justly awry upon the least deformity. Be therefore (good Sir) better advised, and remember, that in religion covetousness is resembled to Idolatry: in Philosophy, to all wickedness, and overthrow of the best resolutions: in morality, to the dropsy, an insatiate disease, which the more corruption it hath, the more it desires? in civil conversation, to a nasty combersomnesse, which terrifieth one another, and breaketh the band of true friendship. Alas, what do you gain by unmeasurable hoarding up of wealth? but a base report, and a ridiculous pointing at, even as you ride along. Nay, you shall be compared to a barking Dog at cattle, feeding on hay, which will neither let them take a repast, nor can help himself to satisfy nature. O, good Sir, though I am no Scholar, yet can I read what other men do write: and of all the vices which are enemies to a quiet soul, and free borne Gentleman, covetousness is the worst, basest, and most ridiculous. For, besides that, it detaineth us from the civil use of God's blessings in the world, so that neither in diet, nor ornament, a man is master of himself: it maketh us unapt to the entertainment of such virtues, as commonly help us out of the filthy puddles of disreputation, & keep us secure from calumniation, and bewitching corruption of profit: therefore, for honour's sake, for virtues sake, for friendship's sake, for my sake, for your own sake, for posterities sake, remember where about you go, and how a good and free demeanour will prevail, when these hard enclosed hands seem rather to threathen strokes, then promise hopeful entertainment.  
Yours, if you can be mine.   

To her unkind Friend, R.S.  
SIR, 
Against denial of trifles amongst friends and fear of combersomnesse.  I perceive by myself, that poor and unfortunate persons may well be resembled to threatening tempests, from whose violence every man seeketh a present shelter: else would one never have been so discourtuous, as to have denied me a small request, or continued your despite, in ababandoning my company, for fear of combersomenesse, or importuning you to more, than your own free-will should condescend unto. Is this the law of friendship? Or what do you imagine can be the end of such unkindness? Who taught you such rules? Or can humanity think well of such perverseness? Well, I am a woman, and therefore will be so far from immodesty, that I will impute it to my ill deserving, not your bad disposition: but if I were a man, however I disclaim quarrels, I would make this a matter of complaint, wherein if your wit did not wind you out, by the screw of sufficient excuse, it should surely turn to displeasure, and cause other malign circumstances to threaten you further. Therefore from henceforth I will be so far from loving you, that I will hate myself, for deceiving my kind heart in affecting so unkind a friend. And thus I bid you farewell; yea, to far as well as I did, in the want of that I write for, and the discomfort I endured, to think how ill I had bestowed my first liking.  
Yours, if you will have it so.   

To his ill respected friend.  

Against idle excuses.  SVspitious sir, what cause have I given you to deny yourself? or how could I deserve so ill at your hands, as to drive you from your own house, when you were locked in your study? belike you thought I came to borrow money, or beg a dinner, in neither of which, a friend, & such a friend as I presumed you to be, by reason of your own protestations, aught to be denied: which makes me remember, a tale in the Italian courtier, of a gentl: who coming to ask for his friend, was only answered by a servant, he was not within: whereupon (for his better intelligence) he departed satisfied in show, till some occasion directed the other to demand for him: whereupon he answered aloud in his own behalf, he was gone from home: Not so said the other; for I hear your voice, and know it too well to be mistaken. But (said he again) you are a strange man, I believed your maid when she told me you were not within: And are you so incredulous, that you will not believe myself? But, as I remember, there hath been no such passages between us; therefore I wonder at this sudden dispatch, and cannot be persuaded, but you wish a dissolution of our combined loves. For (my own part) I will not come to the house of my friend to receive any affront of denial; and he that will take occasion of sequestration, to make such a man of my condition stand without doors, is not worthy to rejoice in true neighbourhood, though there had been a wanton in your arms, or any Bag a telling.  
Yours, if you be worthy.   

To the worthy Lady, R.C.  
GOod Lady, If your honour and virtue resemble not the primum mobile, 
Against pride and tyrannous behaviour in great persons  of the Spheres; to carry about the lesser circles of our duty and observation: I see no reason why a generous and free borne Gentleman, should betray the cause of GOODNESS into the hands of GREATNESS, with degenerating conditions. For, to what end hath a voice from heaven proclaimed the Godhead of Princes, and higher advanced persons; but to resemble them in perfection, and highly exalted virtues? as for shows and outward ceremonies, they be meere'y tumours of vanity, pride, & ambitious desires, and the best of your lives may be compared to a gaudy mask at Christmas, which if it carry more state, & last a little longer in the king's court, than another place; yet must it have a melancholy farewell, & is forgotten, like water spilled out of a Bucket: whereas affabillity, pious inclination, liberal compensation, regard of the afflicted, raising the weak, mercy, compassion, and such like, be indeed fair resplendent stars, worth praise and observation; from whose influence can proceed nothing, but auspicious presages; and are sure to make you famous to posterity, even from the mouths of widows and orphans, when your painted sepulchres shall lie trodden to dust, and your proudest edifices be turned to other uses. Be not therefore good Lady, so transported with passion, or open eared to every flattering insinuating groom, that I shall never be heard in my justifications, though worthy to cliame my own, nor enjoy such privileges and immunities, as my ancestors have filled on record to their own credit, and posterities imitation. For believe it, there is no such corrosive to a gentle mind, as to be deceived in the expectation of another's worth, and where he hoped of support and countenance, to be menaced with threatenings, and contracted brows, which if you saw, how ill they became your loveliness and beauty, you would quickly admit of a sweeter cheerfulness, and make me happy with a plausible alteration.  
Yours, as a lover of honour.   

To his servant, F. M.  

Foolishness and dishonesty in a servant condemned.  ALthough I have plentiful matter of reprehending you afforded me, yet will I only at this instant redeem your foolishness, and dishonesty: foolishness, in winding yourself further into such intricate business, then either your cunning or strength can help you out of dishonesty: in converting the money appointed to general employment to your own advantage, whereby the Tenants are disabled, myself discredited, and you stand under the burden of my as just (and peradventure) heavy displeasure. Therefore, I charge you take some other course, and that suddenly, to prevent a further account and aggravation thereof; or you shall find, that as I can be a kind Master, so I know how to punish a less gross crime, and make you an obedient servant.   

To his miserable and most wretched son, R.B.  
THou cupshot, stain to my name, & torture to my thoughts, All the while I looked on the filthy & menstruous cloth of thy vices, 
Against drunkenness.  I remembered the story of the old man of Lions, who enquiting after his sons misdemeanours, with a fond partiality, began to cloud them with one excuse or another; as that government and discretion would moderate his riot, time would cool his blood, and danger of the law terrify him from swaggering: marriage and the attractive condition of a good wife would divert him from lasciviousness, with such like: till understanding he was a drunkard, he wrong his hands, & washed them with tears, as desperate of his recovery. For in this vice, custom & age are so forcible, that men are so far from reformation, as they grow from bad to worse, & from worse, to be loathsome to themselves and all civil company. So played I with thee, and dried up thy mother cheeks with my kisses, kept her rage from desperate fury with excuses; held her hands from wring with sweet persuasions; showed her instances of many licentious young men redused to government, till we heard of this eruption of beastiality, past all limitation, or hope of amendment: A drunkard! that I have lived to see this day, and my own shame and disgraces ripened in thy rottenness. Let me tell thee, how the Lacedæmonians were wont to do, after they had found a drunkard wallowing in the dirt, and (like a Swine) besmeered in his filthiness, to bring forth their children, to beget in them a deadly detestation of the spectacle they beheld. But how? that if any forewarned, and by such exemplary cautions terrrified, fell into the bogs of such by-ways, out of the tract of Temperance, and pathway of discretion, they were publicly whipped: but I am afraid thou wilt serve me like the beastly younker of Strasborough, who when his father led him to such a spectacle, where besides the loathsomeness of the party wallowing in his vomit, the ridiculousness of the action, set the spectators on work, to the clapping their hands, and extraordinary jollity: was so far from misliking of the same, that he only demanded, where the good wine was, which had made the good man in such a taking. And wilt thou serve me so indeed? Are the pleasant voices of my fatherly instruction discords unto thee? Is there no remedy, but I must see thee irrecoverably plunged in a quagmire of so loathsome a vice? Oh that I might rather see thy death, than this disorder; and cease to be a Father, then to have so untoward a son. My prayer is, Either mend, or end: And so I leave thee.  
Your Father, if you be sober.   

To her unkind Husband.  
WRetched and miserable man: How darest thou lift up thy Adulterate eyes to heaven, and behold the pure and crystalline Firmament, 
Against the breach of wedlock in a man.  wherein that everlasting Lawgiver sits in Triumph, against the day of vengeance, to judge such perseverant delinquents, as thyself? or dost thou imagine, that those strict duties (commanded from the beginning) were but matters of policy? or that position of man & wife, being one flesh, was merely breath and exhalation? Surely it must needs be so with Atheists and profane livers; And I am afraid to the hereafter horror of thy soul, that thou wilt tumble into the pit of burning lasciviousness: from whence it is easier to be kept from falling, then once fallen, to recover out. But O fool, look again with brighter eyes, and read with more iudicivos understanding: the lips of a whore are as sweet as honey, to the taste of fools; but in her heart is the sting of scorpions, yea, the poison of asps, lies under her lips: and wilt thou then adventure the stinging, when there is no Cataplasm for the soar? Wilt thou forget the honest wife of thy youth, for a disloyal and impudent stranger? Wilt thou despise thy children, resembling olive branches about thy Table, being buds of the Blessings promised a good man, for Bastard's plants, which the hand of Divine justice will soon root out? wilt thou run into the sink of lustful confusion, that mayst trace the fair walks of contentment, with chaste embracings? Oh do not so I charge thee: nay, by the contracts to our first vows, I conjure thee, return to the pleasant springs of our amity: and I will wash thee clean again, and make thee sweet, with tears and kisses of a loving wife.  
Your true wife, in your untruth.   

To his perjured and lascivious wife.  
THou for sworn wretch: To what end hast thou prostituted thyself to filthiness, 
Against whoredom in the woman.  & abandoned the strong and certain supportation of grace, for the momentary tickle of pleasure: so that by this filthy dashings of lusts loathsome chariots, we are all bemyred, deformed, & made odious to the world: thyself art branded for a strumpet, and in the best excuse but a broken glass, never to be set together again. I am made a byword, & a pointing-stocke; not that the disloyalty of a whore can overthrow the reputation of a virtuous & honest man: but because corrupted times have taught men a mischievous lesson, of taunts & contemptuous scorn: thy children appear not but with suspicious faces; and I dare not look upon them for fear some harsh news should whisper in mine ear their bastardy: our friends and acquaintance dare not meet without murmuring; and me thinks I hear them say, what shall we do in the house of shame, and eat at the table of incontinency? Oh that thou hadst remembered judah against Thamar, that she should be burnt for playing the whore; & yet a widow, and before the law: But when the jews were reduced to obedience, adultery was punished with death. But me thinks I hear the devil to prompt thee, that they which dare adventure their souls, dare hazard their lives: and now it is not so strict as it was in the time of the law: For Christ himself forgave the woman taken in adultery, and we live in a commonwealth far from such extremity Is this your sophistry? take heed of cozening your own soul, and deceiving the trust which Christ hath reposed in thee, making thee thereby partaker of his precious blood, and thy own redemption. But how? neither to spill the one by casting it abroad with unclean and polluted hands; nor betray the other by conspiring with presumptuous sinners, to rebel against grace, repentance, & newness of life; wherein if thou dost not examine thyself, & prepare to better conformity, I need not breath out vengeance against thee, or seek a greater justice, than thy mischievous will, & unpenitent life shall pull upon thy disguised shameless face, and defiled misshapen soul.  
Your husband if you do not divide him.    

Excusing Letters.  

To his best Friend, G.L.  
GOod Sir, I would not have you stagger in your opinion of me, considering I have always with an upright hand held up the beam of our friendship: 
Excuse for not lending money.  & would never give my heart leave to entertain a thought of politic misdoubt, either of your ability or honesty. For the very name of a friend shall command my person, much more my goods: but such a man as yourself hath interest in my life & spirit. Therefore believe it, I was so destitute of money at that time, that casting up an irksome account of my brother's departure, necessity enforced the pawning of my utensels to furnish him; wherein if any experience, or example have taught my tongue the cunning of excuses, let it hereafter grow too big for my mouth, & when my wants knock at the door for supply, let hands of Adamant admit them no entrance to my insupportable afflictions. But whereas you lay a further imputation upon me, that my credit carried an overswaying command of my rich neighbour: true it is, that in former times, as Doves resort to glistering painted houses; as Farmers bring their seed into fat ground; as Beasts & cattle resort to feeding places; & as all the world is transported with private respect, I carried up a head of thriving wantonness, & he looked upon me with a correspondent alacrity, but no sooner came the pulling hook to throw down the fruit of my fertile trees, whereby he perceived the boughs bare, and saw the knots and branches battered in pieces: but he suspected my prosperity, and added withal a fearful prophesy of hereafter canker-eating, & decay both of root and rind. Thus are my hopes abortive concernining my interest in him: & to speak the truth, I am so fearful of a denial, that I had rather sit still with some ease, then rise and fall with utter despair. Thus if I have won the field against your incredulity, and brought up prevailing forces to strengthen your love, and good will still on my side: I am then myself again, and protest I rejoice more truly in your sweet conversation, than a wanton could do, if his mistress were to hang about his neck with deceivable kisses, and counterfeit embraces. For they commonly resemble the Yuy, running up a tower with dangerous loosening the stones, when true friendship is like Atlas and Hercules, supporting of the heaven of prosperity, and life from falling, yea from failing.  
Your justifiable Friend.   

To his Honourable, L.G.  
HOnourable Lord, Whereas I understand, that you excepted against my last importunity, as if I transcended the bounds of good manners; 
Excuse for being importunate in the behalf of a friend.  and abased your greatness with carrying too slight a respect toward you; I hope I shall find you so favourable, both to admit of my justifiable excuses, and to distinguish between presumption and necessity. Wherefore I pray you, remember the story of Aurelianus the Emperor, who once proclaimed a stately sequestration of his person from common intruders, inhibiting all soldiers and subjects, to advance themselves in his presence for any suit whatsoever: Yet notwithstanding, when a Captain had infringed the edict, and was attached by the guard to receive a condign punishment; the Emperor stepped forth, and said, if he come for himself let him die; if he determine for his friend, let him be released. In like manner do I overthrow this objection at the first charge, & besides your Lordship's apprehension, say plainly, that if I had not been tied by the laws of friendship, to expose unto you the desires of another, I would not have diverted you from more serious affairs, by my tedious discourse, and unmannerly importunity. And thus making no doubt of your worthy and noble disposition toward a man, that doth study nothing, but to love and honour you, I commit myself to that part of your virtue, which can make extension of pardon and favour, as I have done of submission and duty.  
Yours, as you will be mine.   

To her over suspicious Friend.  
GOod Sir, I am not ignorant, how the Poets have invented a marriage between Cupid and jealousy: 
Excuse for keeping company, and going to court▪  and true love is many times seasoned, and made sweeter by pretty contradictions, and softly raised suspicion: but to be over-vehement in accusation, and absolutely to conclude a negative by fond supposes and cruel constructions, are beyond my reason, & your fair demeanour. For, be it, I went to the play with my sister, I endured the mask, I danced the measures: I will not much stand upon the commendations of such customary practice: Yet was there any thing here worthy the traducing? or could a Gentlewoman do less, considering the circumstances and commanding majesty of the place? But you will object, that fancy now settled, and the mind contented with another's control: it was idly done to go at al. I could say so too; if a mother's well-wishes, a sister's importunity, a solemn festival, a time of revels: and above all, a presumption of your noble disposition and free hearted discretion, had not mustered themselves far stronger than my weak denials: wherewith at first I came so forward, that they wondered at my mortification, and swore it was a counterfeit retiring to more dangerous business. Besides, I was not (as I take it) under any penalty of infringing your will, you not imposing such a task on me: nor would I be so absolute a slave, though the name of husband and wife had linked us together with the Church's ceremonies. Be therefore I pray you satisfied with my justifiable excuses, and believe it; I will rather forswear the hopes of marriage, and the glory of costly ornaments, before I will leave you again in such an hell of affrighting jealousy.  
Yours, so you be resolved.   

To her jealous Friend.  
SVspitious Sir: I perceive that ignorance is many times a mistress of quietness, 
Excuse for taking shelter in a shower of rain, with a strange gentleman.  and too much learning layeth the heart open to lewd example, and idle instances. Thus because you have read of the Hunting which Dido prepared for Aeneas, and that opportunity, and a strange accident brought them to an Amorous encounter, in that solitary cave (whither they retired) to avoid the peril of the storm: therefore must I be suspected, for that at the last Hunting I met with S. G. in the thicket, and not able then to endure the shower, mounted up into the stand: If there were no other excuse then necessity, and the accidental proffer of civil courtesy, me thinks it might carry credit with understanding: but lest I cannot handsomely gather together my forces to satisfy you, I will tell you true: There came both my brother, and his man, to prevent any overflowings of a wanton tongue, or idle conference: so that we were so far from any occasion of loves encountering, that we were glad to shake our hats, and wring our clothes, for fear of catching cold: yet say, that the accident had prevented other company: hath the opinion of his worth, so ill a ground in your thoughts, that you can so quickly cast it out from any sound rooting? Or am I such a truand in the school of modesty, that you stand in doubt of my loitering, or at least of my insufficiency, to prove an honest proficient? But I will answer for you, it is loves fault and not yours: and there can be no good will, where many questions arise not to contrarieties: yea, sometimes to distasting, & fall out: which if it be so, I am contented to offer my Taper, at the altar of his deity, and hope to find you the faster hereafter, by letting me lose a little, and giving some small liberty to the fears of my loss, and proving counterfeit.  
Yours in her very thoughts.   

To his worthy Friend, Sir I. D.  
SIR, 
Excuse for not dispatching a suit of importance, according to expectation & promise.  it pleased me much, that you supposed me over shadowed with the high exalted favour of such a Queen, who as she is the mirror of all ages, for her magnificent government: so is she the precedent of all actions for her virtues & majestical properties. But withal, you must consider the condition of her greatness, and the custom of Princes, who do not allow of too much easiness in access, or facility in subscribing to petitions, for fear of diminishing the glory of their palaces, and making us careless in our service and observation. Therefore I pray you be resolved, that I neglect no opportunity to infer your former merit, and present aptness to the place, nor found her any way obdurate, more than in her plain resolution you might tarry a while: As for that imputation, that I was tempted with a thousand angels to speak for D.C. and so bore you in hand to feel Esau's roughness, when yet Jacob's voice was deceitful: do not believe it. And let one protestation serve for all, that no man but yourself shall alter my journey to her Majesty: nor any business but this set the loom of my industry a work, till the web of your prevailing be dispatched: or at least, what I can warp out, made up accordingly: as for the report, or, if you will, suggestion of your murmuring, that you attended overlong, and yet went away not speaking with me: I can assure you, the fault depended not on my greatness, or willingness to distaste any man, much less yourself, who are as welcome to me as any man: and (if I might speak it without flattery) in a farther degree of acceptation with me then any man: but merely the misprision of your person from the groom, that turned the key: who mistaking you for another, which had reviled him, put this poor trick of revenge upon you to make you believe, I was busy, when I neither knew of your being without, nor would have had any business, to have overborne my respect toward you if I had known it. If this may draw toward a satisfaction, & keep you from contracting a brow of displeasure against me, I am proud we shall agree, and glad there was occasion of this pretty contradiction.  
Yours in despite of suspicion.   

To his loving wife, B.G.  
MY only beloved, I am now to deal with a woman, that can spread the mantle both of love and discretion. 
Excuse for tarrying too long from a wife.  Of love, not to give way to any sinister and indirect conceit for my tarrying so long from you. Of discretion to apdrehend the difficult passages, wherein Court-suters traverse their grounds, and are sometimes like a ship under sail, ready to enter the haven of their desires, driven far back by contrary gusts, into the troublesome and turbulent Ocean of crosses & unexpected changes. Thus as you have often told me yourself, are men sometime protracted, examined, promised, denied, and many times afronted with competitors, whose particeans would gladly prefer their friends before a strangers. But for the giving rains to any extravagant and licentious corruption, either for incontinency, gaming, or pleasure, more than what the better sort of men may draw me along unto by the cords of conversation, do not believe it, though it should be reported; nor report it, though some untoward suspicion may hasten you to belief in this kind. And thus relying on your wisdom, more than my own fortunes or good merit, I commend these civil excuses to your favourable construction, and commit that little, which the poor remainder of my discretion hath compassed to your care and government.  
Your husband resolved.   

To his loved loving wife, C.G.  
MY dearest and best beloved, 
Excuse for not dispatching of business  Although your unsavoury letters are framed on the foundation of unkindness, so that you seem to justify the advancing the pile of your grudges and repine upon good occasions enforced: yet I hope by that time I have filled your ears, and impressed your heart with honest excuses, you will quietly gather together the disperse forces of your care and duty to affright misreport and sinister understanding. First then concerning the money to be paid to your cousin; I was so far from receiving it then, that there is no hope ever to have it hereafter. Concerning the not accompanying your brothers in his suits, and attending with him in the court, you know how unsavoury such a servitude is unto the freedom of my spirit; and how untoward he is in his spleenful wilfulness, otherwise I will ride, run, or go, yea lackey by him to do him good: but to make myself servile upon every occasion, and wait on those days, wherein no business is determined, cannot stand with policy or discretion. Concerning the not having the things from the Mercer, whereby you think yourself more then forgotten, yea forsaken and vilipended; I answer truly, there is but one you know, to the warmth of whose bosom I can repair, and he being out of town, I cannot presume on any other: so that forbearance being no quittance, you must be contented to attend a more thriving hour. Concerning the sending your son over, there is no hope of him in any befiting courses of a man. For all that he practiseth is merely repugnant to virtue, and my willingness to see him do well; As for savouring martial affairs, some uncivil and erroneous report hath affrighted him with painful marches and watchings, hard lying, unpleasant fare, careless regard, (what hunger ot sickness ever chance:) and above all, slight entertainment, with sudden step before him, through the favour of Letters, or Officers, of men inferior to his supposes, and presumption of his own worth. Therefore I can do no more, then speak to the Capt: and engage myself for his attendance, draw out extraordinary promises of respecting him, & encourage him what I may: but he being a back retirer, and pleading insufficiency of body, I have left it, without further vexation: however I could for your sake enforce my unwillingness; and considering his unsupportable humours, to set him on foot, to prevailing according to his own desires.  
Your careful Husband.   

To his best, and Noble Lady.  

Excuse for not writing & attending, unwilling persons to be spoken with.  MY best Lady, whereas you wonder at my slackness in writing: & attendance of your Father, without complement or ceremony; I answer both thus: The best letters resemble but the passage of a Ship, who leaveth behind no impression of her course; and if they savour of cumbersomnes, they seem as poison represented in a golden cup: so that however we entertain the thing containing, we quickly reject what may be noisome to the taste, and dangerous to the stomach: As for my personal performing my duty; Shall I now walk in a Hall, that was wont to come up stairs, without control? Shall I now be afraid to speak to a groom, who will smile in my face, and bring counterfeit excuses to my sight? Shall I betray my virtue to baseness, when he is willing to make his greatness to look big upon me? Shall I come to a man ennobled with report, who yet disableth his worth, by a woman's malice? Oh, I may not do so! For though he can strike away the secrets of friendship with a commanding hand, I may not forget the properties of a man, the liberty of my life, the royalty of my profession: So that till I can recover my pristine glory, and jollity of familiarity, I will submit to these disasters, and make this unworthy banishment, the author of Contemplation, and trial of affliction: In which, if my prayers ascend like a smoke of a sweete-smelling Sacrifice, I will thank the God of comfort, for his Fatherly correction; and remember in the same, that you may flourish in the world, like a fair fruitful Tree, and prosper in your desires: as if Jacob's seed did sow in the Land of Abimelech: where he received an hundred for one. As for your Mother, I wish her the blessings of Rahel and Lea: to be honoured of her Husband, reverenced by her Children, esteemed of her Neighbours, famosed by strangers, respected of Friends, and above all, loved of GOD; who will never leave to love such as understand, what true love importeth.  
Yours, though I thrive not.   

To his Honourable Friend, Sir G.L.  
WOrthy Sir, 
Excuse for not forbearing a friend, presuming to disgrace another.  I am loath to use a further preamble with you, then may stand in equal poised with your judgement, and my duty: yet because I would not seem too peremptory, in justifying myself, I will confess, that virtue looketh with a more confident aspect, in the maintaining a well gotten possession, then in the first Fortune of kind embraces: so that I infer according to your own proposition, that there is more cunning in keeping, then getting a Friend. But withal, if a Friend will so presume on the weakness of another, to tie him overstrictly to observation, or burden him with intolerable impositions, because there hath passed upon him some descendings of gratuities: I see no reason to curb his manhood, or liberty in such a fashion: especially, if the standers by be ignorant of their combination, or jealous that he is subject to some malign circumstances of Fortune or Time: and thus much in general. Now to the particulars: As you wonder at my repugnancy, and absolute contradicting your arguments in the last conference: I marvel that you would so apparently maintain such a Paradox: and amongst all the rest, draw me into the circle of wrestling with our wits, whereby either I must cowardly leave poor truth in the hands of venomous, and corrupted sophistry: or fearfully bring my prevailing forces forward, to foil your understanding & judgement; whereby, in the contention, friends must needs fall out: whereas you wonder that I would hazard your love, by so sudden a denial, of such an easy command, wherein better and greater Friends never disputed.  
I marvel why you should at that time, above all others, and before such persons, burst out to show your greatness and power over me, or discover my weakness, only to be insulted on, when you had attendants of your own for servile business; or might have made some groom an actor in the same, to prevent all exceptions? Otherwise I swear for honourable purposes, when the whole body should be exposed to your service, I would not have denied the Legs from going of an errand into the Kitchen for you. Whereas you wonder that I departed discontented, without ceremony, or making you once acquainted, when all the company wished me well, and expected a conclusion of the discourse. I marvel both at your putting me to it, before such curious ears, and solid judgements, and at the strange entertainment of a man, whom you know could not look upon me, but with Basilisks eyes: nor I endure him, without dislike and discontent. Therefore to prevent, untoward disturbance, and to scatter my jealousy abroad, lest it should gather a head of assurance, that you did it of purpose; I left you to murmur at my unmannerlines, but pleased myself in a supposed prevention of further mischief. Thus, if these sad lines have better fortune than their master, it may be you will admit of them as excusatory, and of me in them, as willing to please you in noble and justifiable actions.  
Your servant and assured.   

To his suddenly displeased Friend.  
GOod Sir; 
Excuse for not being Surety for a Friend.  you saw at the beginning, that the devil was so envious of man's felicity, that he never desisted, till the bands of his first contract were dissolved, & the hope of salvation abandoned: and so hath he continued ever since, as an adversary to all goodness, and virtuous dispositions; whereof (even at this instant) I am a poor witness, and in this foil, which our friendship is likely to receive an unhappy instance: else could not you have demanded the only thing I have forsworn: nay, am legally bound to take heed of: nor I have denied you any thing which might seem dissonant to our contract: so that I request you, with tears (if a man can shed them without ridiculousness) make trial of me, if it stood with the secrets of our love, in any thing (Surety-ship excepted,) command my person, rifle my goods, pawn my Leases, open my purse, and take whatsoever I call mine: but to draw me and my posterity into the terror of bondage: Nay, to fasten, and (as it were) to sigillate, and affix us to the unmercifulness of men, and cruelty of Cutthroats, is so terrible to a poor estate, that I start at the naming of a Statute, and am afraid of mine own shadow, lest my hand should be counterfeit. For, I have known the debt discharged, and for want of honesty in some, & cunning in others, to cancel the Recognysance, a new enformation hath made a hurly burly in the family: and the Law hath claimed for the Prince, against all prescription of time, & releases of men: because the record was a living voice: and echoed out, you must discharge the debt again: Therefore I request you, let not this denial make any breach against the fortification of our love: nor let the banks of out friendship be so slightly cast up, that so small an Inundation shall either overflow the same, or burst down with violence, that which we once presumed was strong enough against most impetuous shoulderings, either of Rivers, or Seas.  
Yours, when you command.   

To his well resolved Friend.  

Excuse for not entertaining a friend, as he ought to be.  GOod Sir; let it not seem strange unto you, that I neither durst bid you welcome: nor open my mouth with so pleasing a voice as the harmony of our hearts was wont to tune together. For you know I am subject to an others controwll, and this name of a servant, hath in me overmastred the condition of a Friend: so that I can but curse the occasion, when first my Lord let in an ill opinion of your worth, into the closet of his former affection, and blame that ominous night of feasting, which ended so mischievousty, ro distaste you both: but I hope time will either weaken these inflictings, or your fair demeanour work upon a better anvil of constancy, and regard of virtuous nobleness in you both; so that I shall perform the part of a Friend, in working your reconciliation: and you the part of a wise man, in giving way unto some humours, that otherwise might confound all our quietness. Be therefore (I pray you) yourself, and pardon me a while: if my duty to him restrain me a little, from running too violently in the race of our friendship: otherwise be assured, that no other restraint could keep me from flying into your arms, and prostrating myself to your second command in any thing.  
Yours when mine own.   

To his well deserving Friend.  
MOst dear Friend: If I could prevent my disgraces, as well as I can excuse my bad disposition, you should neither complain, 
Excuse for not soothing up of humours.  nor I be terrified with fear of my utter ruin: therefore I pray you be satisfied with this assured confidence of my love, that I neither opposed to your brother's peremptoriness, out of any pride of my own, or willingness to overthwart him: nor crossed your mother in her peevish insultings over my decayed estate, from any prejudicated malice, or desire of contradiction: but merely to countenance the cause of virtue, and establish the right of truth: Therefore I pray you consider of me, and as you were wont, maintain that old goodness which hath made you famous to all well-willers, and me happy in your worthiness and kindness. For to come to particulars, who could have sworn, that virtue was seeldom or never innated in a poor person, or of mean condition: if he had said, it was little esteemed, as the wise man maintaineth, that wisdom in a poor man, maketh a slender oratory, it had carried some reasonable colour of argument: but to discharge it quite from the service of inferior persons, is merely swellings of pride, contempt, and filthy desires. Again, whereas your mother resolved that no estimation could arise to any man, but from an aggeration of wealth, and raising his Fortunes from land and greatestates, I had reason to swear they were both base & corrupt positions, from ignoble and degenerating burstings out of frailty: So that however the duties of a child may restrain you from public condemning your mother's wilful esteeming of the world, before religion, or a brother's pitiful opinion of true virtue indeed: I hope you know better how to raise up the frame of goodness, & when it is raised, to keep the possession against all disseasures, or intrusions of sin and wickedness.  
Yours assured.    

Requesting Letters  

To his honourable Lord: The L. C.  

A request to requite a discourtesy.  RIght Honourable, In those poetical fictions, such were the prerogatives of deity, that whatsoever one god confirmed, no other would disallow: nor by any contradictory courses, weaken the reverence due to their sufficiency. So that if Teresias were stricken blind, there was no restoring of his eyes, however he might be helped with the gift of divination. If jupiter give again the sight to january, (as in Chaucer's Tale) to discover his wives incontinency, juno could quicken her spirits to such a witty answer, as might pacify all indignation: and so in divers other particulars, from whence I recollect thus much in this civil administration of Commonwealths: that when the Law hath had a passage from authority, there is no stopping it by a subjects hand, however the prerogative of a Prince may countermand the same, in another kind: Therefore my Honourable Lord, I dare not attempt so far, that you should overthrow the verdict against me, or by sinister course of greatness, wrest aside the penalty inflicted, but humbly request you to raise as great a punishment on my adversary, by reason of his wilful abusing your Honour: and me your poor servant, and tenant, as may answer in proportion my forfeiture, and oppose against his malicious inclination to overthrow my poor estate. And whereas these trials in Law are mere distractions both of our peace and purses: you will give him this notice, that except he condescend to fair conditions of agreement, you will open a larger flood of dipleasure against him, considering the circumstances. For truly my good Lord, he began with me, as that wicked man in the Gospel, who, when infinite sums were remitted him, notwithstanding ran and took his fellow by the throat, and most cruelly demanded 500 pence: These things I leave to your particular consideration, and am resolute to rely more on your wisdom, in the managing the same, than my Fortunes, in overcoming the affliction.  
Your Honours in respective duty.   

To his honourable Friend, Sir D. L.  
NOble Sir: However there hath lurked some dangerous poison of encumbrance, 
A friendly request for money.  under the tufted greengrasse of civil complement, and other protestations: yet I was never an absoute and apparent beggar till now, nor had thought to have stepped so rudely, as to press your courtesy. Therefore I request you, lay the blame on necessity, and pardon this eruption of ill manners: but withal, so far to consider my business, that these lines remain uncancelled, & my suit be not tripped down, in the first setting forward. For (good Sir) if you vouchsafe not to send me x. ll, as well to defray the charges of the suit, as to help toward the payment of the other debt, I shall not only lose the benefit of our first proceedings, but endanger my poor estate, which being a mortgage, hath a time of forfeiture annexed, and day of terror covenanted in the Articles. So that I cannot compare myself better then to a man holding the Wolf by the ear, which if he pull hard, he is bitten: if he let go, he is in danger of further mischief. Therefore I request you, hold up so far an advancing hand of supportation, that I may wade through the current of these troubles, and land on the bank of security and contentment: which, for that it is not to be effected without your assistance, I am the bolder to make you believe (as it is indeed) it is a work both glorious and charitable.  
Your expectable friend.   

To her much esteemed good Lady.  

A request for the entertaining of a daughter.  GOod Lady, I desire not willingly to deal with you, as jealous husbands with their wives, who commonly look for that they would not find: So that if I should suspiciously make trial of your many worthy promises, and find them Court vapours, or formal protestations, it would prove an unsavoury search, and dull my desires in their forwardness toward you. Therefore I will proceed more confidently, and frame my request on the iustifiablenesse of the motion, and the worthiness of your merit. I beseech you therefore good Lady, take this poor gentlewoman by the hand, my only daughter, and settle her in the school of observation, that she may look toward you, as the eyes of David's handmaid; and toward herself as that good servant, that doubled his talents; to which purpose I have instructed her with a mother's love, and a woman's experience; wherein I hope she will proceed rather for the love of virtue, then fear of displeasure. But good Lady, withal, I humbly request you, that she may be orderly led to the sight of her errors, and know with what face displeasure can look when she doth amiss, especially in the desire of liberty, or acquaintance with wantonness, two such dangerous gulfs, that I have seen very tall and well built ships swallowed in their whirlings: and therefore I have reason to fear so slender a bark, and ill provided, as she is. Besides, there are some things, wherein ignorance hath a privilege: For man was never unhappy, but in the knowledge of good and evil: not that there is any harm in understanding to do well, and avoid the mischief of practising ill: But because we are rather prone to vice then goodness, and (quickly seduced) run violently into the breake-necke race of precipitant iniquity. My last request is, that you will pardon my presumption, and impute it rather to the confidence of your worth then my own bad disposition: and so emboldened accordingly, I leave her and myself to those virtues, that can bear imperfections, & regard our dutiful service toward you.  
Your Ladyships in all impositions.   

To his Honourable Lord.  
HOnourable Lord, Among all the blessings afforded man in this world, none may equal mutual society, nor come near the beautiful motions of worthy neighbourhood, 
A request for assurance of a farm.  and friendship: and of this I am an instance, and may well resemble divers trees and plants which prosper the better, when the cunning gardener hath rooted by them, such kind of fruits and herbs, as in nature they desire, and in growing advance their heads in jollity. For as Philosophers affirm, all things are distinguished and governed by Sympathy and Antipathy. This made me affect the place, wherein (as a poor tenant, Gentleman, and neighbour) I would willingly do you such service, as befitteth my condition and quality to yield unto: and your honour and gravity to command. I humbly therefore request you, that I may have some certain assurance of the farm in possession, as you have from me of my best love, & then (no doubt) I shall with cheerfulness and sufficiency make my approaches in such manner, that you shall neither be afraid of combersomnesse, nor I ashamed of any desparagement. But withal, I (again and again) desire, that you subject me not to inferior grooms, and tie me to so strict a behaviour, as that the falling of a tree, the plashing of a hedge, the kill of a Partridge, & such like accidental occasions, draw my actions within your servants censuring, or indirect information of busy bodies. And thus with a submissive resolution to love and honour you, I commit you to his hands that can add to your merits, honour upon honour, and make me happy in the fullness of your opinion, and your noble respect, according to that I shall endeavour to deserve.  
Your Honours humbled.   

To his loving Friend, Mr. G. M.  

A request to forbear a debt.  SIR, I dare not over-guild with acquaint terms, and rhetorical Phrases (though I had such a prerogative by nature) my suit unto you at this instant, lest you grow suspicious of some bad inclination, and secret cunning in crying with the Lapwing furthest from her nest; that is, making a show of one thing, and determining another. Therefore I will plainly desire you to forbear the debt another year, that I may with a more cheerful look consider the spots and stains of my dirty face, and so at leisure make it clean, or with a stronger arm cast it lightly from my shoulders, when I shall have time to rest myself; and prepare to stand firmly under the load: otherwise, I may fall in making too much haste, and besmear me the more in attempting with a foul & filthy clout, rashly to purify me. Herein likewise you shall show yourself free from hard and griping exaction, wherein divers usurers are compared to Harpies, who never seize on any thing, which they let go without carrying something away; nor overmaster at all, where they do not utterly destroy. Besides, I shall proclaim you a charitable Gentleman, and enlarge my wishes for your prosperity, as you tie me to love and respect you for so undeserving a courtesy.  
Yours, if you be not offended.   

To her unkind Friend.  
GOod Sir, 
A request to forbear a dangerous Lady's company  However these dangerous practices of yours may be at the best veiled over with excuse of trials, & as it were touchstones of my constancy: yet I pray you deal not with me, as some strange Physicians do with their patients, who, because they find the body strong and well composed to some endurances, will therefore add violent potions, and raging poisons to their receipts: and so peradventure to see you visited of friends, accustomed to civil conversation, courting of Ladies, and affording pleasant changes, as time and place requireth: I can pass over as things of course, and make my heart believe, there is no peril in such adventure, nor hazard of true love in circumstances: but to hear, that you daily converse with that fantastical Lady, whose eyes are nets to entrap wiser men, and whose hands have with the Spider's web woven twisted threads to tie the roving fancy to straighter admirations: concerning her beauty: of stronger & more wary men than yourself: I cannot endure, nor will afford my opinion of you, so strong a presumption, that you can come away unsnared or uncorrupted with allurement. Therefore I humbly request you, if not for love, yet for pities sake, leave me not in this suspicion, nor throw me so violently into the turbulent sea of jealousy. For I am a poor slender bark, and built for shallow waters: no man of War, nor high decked ship to endure all wind and weather. I am a slender reed placed in lower grounds to avoid the boisterous puffs that assail the highest mountains: no Cedar of Lebanon, to advance my head against all menacing storms and tempests: I am a true hearted lover, who can be contented with only one honest man, and have taught my soul a lesson of belief, that you are master of yourself, and a conqueror of affection; nay a follower of truth, and good remembrance concerning our contracts and marriage. To what end then do you affright me with these indirect stragglings abroad, and set my patience on the tainter-hooks of cruel expecting your return, and how you will reason the matter to pacify this displeasure? Well, I pray you be a little more reposed, and take some sudden course to come and satisfy me better: otherwise I will not believe, but you wish an alteration, and I must prepare for some pitiful, either change or distress.  
Yours and yet displeased.   

To his Honourable good Lord, and Patron.  

A request to be charitable.  RIght Honourable, I am very unwilling to make a perilous mixture of divine precepts, and civil introducements; for fear I should not with sufficient reverence settle myself, and prepare you to hear the same: otherwise, I could with Saint Paul to Agrippa, demand, whether you believe the Scriptures: and answer for you, that I know you do believe them: and out of them can collect thus much; that by mercy we approach to God, and from compassion are led to the bar of acceptation with the divine Majesty. This made Saint Paul write to Philemon, to pardon the misled servant, and soundeth out the tune of charity, as the sweetest note in all the Scriptures: and this hath incited me to request your Honour to come as freely forward to the remission of my friend, as you can; and once again admit him under the covert of your favour, and good opinion: For I know his heart is not only impressed, with an acknowledgement of his fault, but (as it were) cast in a new mould to amend his life, and entertain a true conversion into the new built house of his conscience. Therefore, good my Lord, I beseech you again for him, that he be not oppressed with despair, and so cast down on the bed of affliction irrecoverably: and again and again, for myself, that I bring him not worse tidings of your displeasure toward me, for urging you beyond either my duty, or your own will and worth. But I am persuaded, that so great a blood and generous mind will not look with a tyrannous brow upon such submission: nor greatness prove implacable, where humility is suppliant. In which confidence, I leave your honour to a noble consideration of us both, and worthy acknowledgement of many apparent benefits.  
Your honours in all duty.   

To the Honourable Colonel, Sir F.P.  
WOrthy Sir, Although martial men naturally affect not either complement or rhetorical ampliation, as knowing that wisdom itself is sometimes unseasonable: 
A request to admit a scholar for a soldier.  yet having good experience of your own sufficiency many ways: and remembering a noble speech concerning the commendation of (M.R.) whose only oratory, and eloquent persuasion, kept the troops whose together, and reunited the dispersed forces flying away, whereby those unexpected sallies of our strong enemy were defeated, and a new life infused into our soldiers fainting courages; I am now the bolder to present this worthy Gentleman & scholar unto you, in whom a great spirit, and true desire of honour hath prevailed against industry, & peaceable addiction to civil employment: so that if he prove as good a proficient in this martial school, as he hath done in the exercises of several Arts, I make no doubt, that as a double Band binds stronger than a single, so shall he give that harshness of a soldier, a further lustre: & beside, a general good to his country, by such endeavours, gain a particular grace from yourself, for well applying such gifts as nature hath admitted him to receive out of her chiefest store house. Thus much emboldened from the secrets of our former friendship, and the merit of this my kinsman; whom I am so well persuaded of. I commit you to his hands that hath helped your hands to reach at honour: and and commend ourselves to your good consideration, of so reasonable a request.  
Yours, sworn to worthiness.   

To his right Honourable Lord.  

For the knighting a friendly & worthy Gent:  RIght Honourable Lord, I would be loath to open any enclosure of ridiculous folly, or dangerous ambition, in the prosecution of of my suit, and justifiable request, for the Knighting of M.G.S. considering many captious tongues, and envious eyes, are busied on the Theatre of the world, to pry into the demeanours of men, and burst out with calumniation, against the least imperfection: so that if a man stand not upright indeed, upon the sure frame of prosperity, and good opinion: a poor virtue shall be easily shouldered aside, and quiet spirit made the Tennis-ball of boisterous contempt, which commonly laugheth men to scorn with vilipending, not for any insufficiency in the other: but because idleness and presumptuous conceits run at random without control in themselves. Thus might I be terrified, because I have heard some make a Tush at the motion, and know others overdaring to traduce him in private, and yet touched to the trial, disclaiming the least conceit of mislike.  
But if it please your Honour to be yourself, and recollect your own memory, I hope you will answer for us both: For myself, that being my friend, and such a friend into whose bosom (when I shivered for cold,) I have shrouded myself for warmth: I could do little, if I would not prefer so easy a petition, to so noble a Lord, and such, as had brought me long since, out of the narrow entry of suspicion, to a manifest confidence of love, and tied his honour to the performance of a greater matter for my sake. Concerning him, he is in blood, so generous, that his grandfather was the thirteenth Knight of his Family: in revenues so enriched, that he may improve his living, when he will, to an 1200. pounds a year, in stock so plentiful, that a 1000 pounds cannot counter-poise the same: in judgement so reposed, that however his great enemy hath kept him from being Commissioner: yet hath he ended divers contentions amongst his Neighbours, and regained the best opinion: in demeanour so delicate, that his house seemeth a well ordered and furnished Palace, and his Stable, a storehouse of excellent and well appointed horses: in conversation, so pleasing, that the best Ladies have taken pains to revisit him, and went away with admiration rather than satisfaction: and in eloquence so facet, that though he have not been a traveler, or soldier: yet can he dispute of both, and ouer-beare a good resolution, to confirm it in either.  
All which being considered, I make no doubt but I have reason to infer the same: he is worthy to be remembered with the immunities of his ancestors: and your Honour so respective, that neither flattery nor detraction shall pull us within the danger of your displeasure: And for the main point, which is disbursement of money, he hath sworn the contrary, and is not determined to spend your friendship so mercinarily; because he can so dispatch it by meaner men, meaner trouble, and a meaner account, or giving reckoning of his fortunes.  
Your Honours, as you can devise.   

To her highly respected Friend, Sir T.B.  

For to defend a widow gentlewoman in her right against all wrong & calumniation.  HOnourable Sir, I have read, or at least, given ear unto other folks reading, that in ancient times, when honour and arms were mounted on a throne of estimation, there was a military oath prescribed to soldiers & knights with divers limitations: amongst which, repulsing of injuries, and defending of Ladies were principal; & truly if a woman might be admitted unto a court of war, more thinketh it was necessary and honourable. For what is virtue, but a natural inclination to charitable actions, and noble resolutions? and how dare a Gentleman take upon him the title of Chivalry, that will defile his heart with malicious and dangerous revenges, open his mouth to undecent speeches and filthy opprobry, stretch his hands to entertain fury and revenge; yea frame the whole course of his life, either to a bestial liberty, or barbarous doing of injury? Therefore Noble Sir, remember yourself, and from whence you are extracted, near in alliance to me, and one, on whom I have leaned for supportation, and relied in all these eruptions of misfortune. Remember me a poor Gentlewoman, a widow in distress, and groaning under the heavy and cruel hand of a great and merciless adversary. Remember the cause, that it is virtues, the defence of chastity, and keeping us all from penury and wants; and remember my adversary, that he is merely malicious; and because he could not obtain, what he unlawfully desired, he now soundeth out no note but revenge: and sweareth he will make me repent, that I either denied, or contested with him. Therefore dear Sir, let me fly to you for refuge, and as far as true manhood may avoid the imputation of quarrels, and dangerous bloodshedding, cling to your side under the shield of your noble protection: wherein I will desire you to proceed no further, then by petition to my H. G. and orderly attendance on the high Commissioners: And this I take both ways to be justifiable, and assure myself, this you would do for a stranger, that had not estranged herself from good demeanour, and fair courses of a virtuous inclination.  
Yours, and sworn to be so.   

To his Honour able good Friend; L.  
HOnourable Sir, I would not now resemble the fish Caepia, which cast into any water troubles the same; 
A friend entreateth for an office, for another.  nor be compared in my importunity to your Court tapers, which burn out themselves to pleasure others: so that in pleading thus in my friend's behalf, I may peradventure do him no good, and yet spend the splendour of your worthy love to as little purpose concerning myself. But presuming still to find you more and more generous, as you more and more approach unto honour and dignity, I am the bolder to expose unto you the honest request of Master H. and make it the mark of my aim, wherein if I can come but so near as your kind acceptation upon those conditions, which in a manner you gave life unto: I shall then think myself much bound unto you, because of many blessings cast into my lap at once by that means: as the confirmation of your love and regard, the gratuity of two hundred pound besides the sum appointed for you: the discharge of the duty of a friend; the answering certain frivolous objections against my credit: the corroboration of his good opinion and neighbourhood: the assured establishment of his alliance, and the preferring of true virtue and desert to noble and orderly entertainment. For I can assure you, he is not only worthy of the place, but extraordinarily qualified to move (like a fair Planet) in his own Orb for sufficiency. Besides, when he knows it is your pleasure to admit him to more private familiarity; you shall find him reposed in judgement, quick in conceit, witty in discourse, pleasant in conversation, and, above all, a lover of virtue, and civil in all his actions. Therefore I have reason to plead in so good a cause, and for your sake in some sort am proud, that I have such interest in the business: whereby if you nobly consent to dispatch, then shall you double the favour, and make us both obliged unto you for ever. For, as in harsh and unpleasant news, a quick delivery easeth much the heart, which otherwise would weary with expectation. So in all good turns, a timely sending forth, makes the benefits gracious, & the benefactor to resemble a sweet swelling spring to a thirsty soul.  
Yours, if you think me worthy.   

To her assured friend.  
GOod Sir, Common experience hath brought women into the field of this knowledge, 
For advice in matters of difficulty.  that it is an easy task to give good counsel, and private trials of your great understanding hath assured me, that you know when to advise your friend; with all the other circumstances of place and persons: whereupon I am now enforced to over-burden you with petitions, and make one request for all, that you deny not the bèst directions, though I seem to examine you on particulars. I pray you then consider on the assurance of my dowry, and whether it be not prejudicial to my estate, if in surrendering I make a change for the manor of F. which may be for any thing I know subject to some encumbrances. Secondly, remember the conveyance of those lands for my daughter's portions, and younger sons annuities: and I pray you be careful that the pleasing of ourselves in present times, endamage not the Orphans in future changes. Thirdly, send me word, what inquiry you have made of Sir G. P. who would make me believe, a second marriage cannot be prejudicial to my fortunes, and may add to my comfort and augmentation of estate mutual society of a worthy husband, and settled prosperity, when the mind is contented, and a woman satisfied in her last desires. Fourthly, let your former care I pray you extend thus far, that this secret enemy to the thriving of all Gentlemen (10. in the 100) do not steal upon us like a privy thief, & carry such a mastering hand over our prosperity, that we be not able to eat meat in good order, nor hold up a cheerful face of entertainment, as we were accustomed: and last of all, that my rents may be duly sent up, and without further trouble or danger, than the steward's fee, & the tenants dinner, not that I would enter into any league with covetousness, or sparing, but because I would leave no precedent of encombring my Children, nor their presumption to claim an unbefitting privilege. Thus as far as I am beholding to remembrance, I have patched together (as you see) my requests, and make no doubt but you will accordingly, endeavour to continue my assured Friend, as I resolve to be your well-willer in any thing to my power.  
Yours, relying on your advise.    

Gratulatory Letters.  

To her careful Friend, M. S. H.  

A thankfulness for a daughter's good bringing up, & good bestowing.  WOrthy Sir: I perceive by you, that custom is as great a preservative of virtue, as furtherer of vice: For as in abuses, it oftentimes falls out, that those sins, which at first we were afraid to touch, we afterward make a pastime to handle: so in worthy proceedings, a continual progression maketh the race so pleasant, that a generous man walketh in no other tract, nor practiseth other actions then noble and heroical.  
Thus have you begun with friendship to the Father, settled regard toward the mother, continued with care to the daughter, and put charity on her best wings, to fly for us all: Thus have you remembered a dying friend, supported a distressed Widow, relieved a succourless Virgin, and taught far more nearer kindred a lesson of true charity: Nay, thus have you holp the fatherless, defended the innocent, raised up the fainting soul, and loved virtue, for virtues sake: so that my poor child may think herself happy to be borne in such an hour, when you were a witness of the same; and I bless the time in which I obtained your favour to christian her. But is this sufficient? or shall I thank you recompense such an inestimable benefit? I confess it cannot: considering you have not only provided for her infancy, over-watched her childhood, instructed her youth, taught her good manners, and brought her out of the darkness of ignorance, to the light of understanding: but have also made it the work of your own hands, to marry her to a worthy Husband; as if therein lay the secret of all business, and that it were the perclost of each action: Therefore, as a small advantage, I add the public acknowledging of the same, and the continual presenting ourselves and endeavours to your acceptation; wherein I am the rather emboldened, because I hope I have encountered with such a man, that did not so much glory in the pleasuring of us, as rejoice in bringing his own good purposes to perfection.  
Your true observant.   

To his Honourable Friend.  
WOrthy Sir, 
A thankfulness for recompensing the giving of a Book.  Amongst many others, martial hath a pretty Epigram against an hypocritical Moecenae of learning: who, when a reasonable Poem was presented unto him, accepted the same, but returned the author without recompense: which when Martial perceived was a trick of covetousness and bad disposition: he called him cozener, and urged the reason; he said, he had cheated him of his Time, labour, wit, spirits, and passion: For how could a poor Scholar but repine at the misery, and curse the occasion, that had prevented him from a further benefit elsewhere? But on my soul: you were not affrighted with this: For I have known you requite the writing of a Letter, and when you rendered great recompense for a small kindness, I have heard you say: 
Sic parvis componere magna solebam.   
As for my poor business: I wondered at your profuseness, and thought it a donative from heaven: and when I was telling of three pound, for three sheets of paper, I suspected myself for dreaming, till a creditor came in, and not only awaked my fears, with assurance it was gold: but was contented to take the most part of it away, in part of payment of a greater sum.  
Thus from your Noble bounty was I relieved, a debt paid, your Honour divulgued, a good example discovered, and all of us assisted: And thus must I swear you worthy of all worth, and be myself proud, that ever I knew your name, and participated of your good condions: wherein (I hope) as a Magnes, you will draw others to imitation, and teach me to take out a new lesson of love, duty, and obedience, toward you.  
Yours, as you have restored him.   

To the right Honourable Lord. L.  

A thankfulness for an office.  MOst Honourable Lord, As often as I was comforted with the glorious sight of gold, so often must I needs remember your Honour, but when I make use of the same, to worthy purpose, I bless the cause, and pray the giver of all blessings, to establish you as firmly, as wishes and worldly means can contrive. Oh what a difference is there between wants, and abundance, between preferment, and standing at a stay, between employment, and idleness? whereas before I walked unre-garded, now I fit at ease admired; and how ever the heart, is corrupted, I am sure of an obsequious ceremony, and cheerful countenance; where as before I was scarce welcomed to any, I am now entertained of all; and in steed of fretting myself for lack of presents to give my friends, am now made cheerful with many gratuities, even from my enemies: whereas before I could not prevent necessities with great pains taking, and trouble, I now supply even wantonness with cheerfulness and pleasures. So that the fear is as great to be corrupted with felicity, as the vexation was grievous to be tormented with adversity: whereas before my sons were afraid to be called the children of a beggarly Gentleman, and the daughters sequestered themselves for want of outward ornaments, the boys dare now flourish with the best fashion; and the girls take upon them to demand, what livings shall equal their dowry: and all this heat cometh from the Sunshine of your favours; all this glory from the rays of our regard; all these riwlets of spreaching graces, from the sweetening spring of your effectual love toward me: so that as I live I am beholding to nature, but as I live well, I am beholding to you, and (the highest only excepted) none but you, nor will acknowledge any upholder of my state but yourself, while I live.  
Yours, however established.   

To the worthy of Honourable titles, Sir F. H.  
NOble Sir, 
A thankfulness for defending one against a great adversary.  I perceive that virtue and discretion is so predominant with you, that you keep equal correspondency in all things. For as I walked in your orchard, I saw a young tree scarcely rooted, and doubly defenced for fear of a shaking wind, and boisterous shouldering of careless comers and goers; whereby▪ remembered myself and business, and when I recounted, that in my last presumption by plunging myself into a turbulent sea, (that is, in adventuring to contend with my great and malicious adversary) I was ready to sink under water, had not your stretched out arm held my head upright: I blessed heaven for sending such succour; I blessed you for taking such compassion; I blessed the cause that thrived so well; and I blessed myself, that had obtained such favour; so that I must not only be thankful for the same: but request the perseverance to your continual glory. Oh how happy is he that runneth well: but ten times more happy, that obtains the reward. The good desires of men have some allowance, their charitable actions great estimation, their noble beginnings warrantable hopes; but a constant resolution and perseverance assurance of felicity. Therefore (worthy Sir) as much for your own honour, as my good, I humbly request you to consider still of me, and as you holp me out of a dangerous tempest, so now vouchsafe to pull me out of a raging fire: not that I would have any contumacy in me abetted by your greatness; but see true nobleness in you spring up to the eminentest height. For, Sir G. threateneth further, and when he was not to be answered, told me in public, that neither I, nor my Champion should carry it away, as we presumed. But, good Sir, you plead for virtue and innocency, and therefore I know will not be out-dared; with power made wilful by peevishness, in which confidence I will neither accumulate your praises, nor flatter my well deserving; but settle my resolution, to desire nothing at your hands, which is uniustifiable; nor despair of any thing, which your love to me, and regard of the justness of the cause, may contrive.  
Yours resolved.   

To the Honourable Lady, M.  
MOst worthily honoured, when David gave only care unto Zibas complaint, 
A thankfulness for not believing a false report.  lame Mephibosheth was wronged, and half his land was given to a Parasite: which made Solomon more cautelous, and from his father's unjust proceeding in this kind, prevented the calumniation in himself: and so admitting the harlot's face to face, decided the controversy for the living child. So that it cannot choose but that you have thrived in searching the Scriptures, and made use of the same to your eternal comfort. For which I thank you; and believe it, it was nobly done, both to send my accuser away without entertainment, and not condemn me for any trivial enforcement before you heard my justifications. Why (my best Lady) you know, and many better men, than he, have told you, that I am so far from wronging you with a falsehood, that I have maintained your honour against any, as far as truth would give me leave: when (as the time was) that you gave me cause to distaste your unkindness; I would not permit another to whisper against your injustice: Nay more, when I was threatened for being a supporter of your disobedience, I plunged myself into a gulf of troubles, to keep you from falling into the danger. Therefore I pray you continue your own worthiness, and good opinion toward me. For however out of passion I may suspect my thriving in your estimatimon; believe it, out of judgement, and the true duty of love and friendship, I will not suffer any other to traduce you.  
Yours, only to be commanded.   

To her well esteemed Friend.  

A thankfulness for lending of money.  MY dearest Friend, Although I am a woman, & should rather busy myself with household affairs, wherein a good wife is resembled to a well manured ground, yielding increase to a rich advantage. Yet can I not choose but hear of many discourses, especially touching thriving business, whereby friendship hath been maintained in the lending of money, for which great recompense hath been made by interest and other gratuities: so that now we do not dispute of the unlawfulness of usury, but suppose him well satisfied, that can have money lent him at any reasonable rate: which seeing necessity and corruption of time hath brought so to pass, Oh how blesssed was that occasion! how happy were those steps? how fortunate was that hour? how careful was that Genius? and how compassionate was that overwatching eye, that brought you to my house? whereby you did not only hear my complaints, commiserate my grief, relieve my wants, and cheered me in discomfort: but lent me money; and how much? 500 mark, and how long? without limitation: & upon what security? my honest word, & my servants bond: & wherefore? gratis, without a penny usury or augmentation of profit. O rare and worthy example! more fitter for Fame's golden Clarion to echo in the world for admiration, than a silly woman's thankfulness to acknowledge to her friends of necessity. So that believe it, if prayers could prevail by ceremony, I would not only kneel, but kneel so long as I could, till God had heard my request to grant you your desires. Nay I would hold up my hands and mine eyes, and lift up my heart and all, and never leave looking, till I saw comfort from heaven, spreading over your head the mantle of prosperity. In which assurance I bid you farewell; because I fare so well from the assurance, whereby you have warranted your love and friendship unto all of us for ever.  
Yours, most dutiful if you would accept of the humiliation.   

To his true helping Friend.  
GOod Sir, This last was a timely favour, and represented the first and second rain to a thirsty ground: 
A thankfulness for a timely good turn.  whereby as you haaes affrighted all imputation of formality and smoke promises: I have, and must acknowledge the same as a worthy kindness, and duty of a true Gentleman. For however men may run away with the titles of honour and greatness; yet (believe it) in the professing of friendship, there is a manifest duty to be observed toward the meanest. This caused Poets and Philosophers to describe a friend from the effects of his actions, and supplement of others in adversities: this raised the difference between a good neighbour and a bad in holy Scripture: this taught the Italians to cry out, that Dono multo aspettato è venduto è non donato: a gift long expected, is sold and not bestowed as a kindness: and this hath taught you the way to true worthiness, whereby I stand supported by a strong arm, and you remain exposed to the world, as a fair moving planet in a serene firmament.  
Your recovered Friend.    

Letters of News.  

To his worthy Friend, Adventurer into the straits.  
Worshipful Sir: The fame of Warde (our English Pirate) hath the same passage here, as all rumours commonly enter into: 
News from Xante and Candy.  so that if there be the least certainty of some occurrencies, many lies shall be augmented, and a mint of foolish trivial absurdities set on work: but because there is but one Truth, and that you expect something at my hands may come somewhat near the same, I will deliver what I know of myself, and am informed from others: Out of the closet then of mine own knowledge, I gather thus much, that being in Xante, and attending my passage for Constantinople, certain Italian ships bound for Cyprus & Scanderon, durst not stir out of harbour for fear of Warde, who was supposed to lie on the other side of an Island called Sapientia, and watched but the opportunity of their setting forwards: which they so procrastinated for fear of surprising, that two English ships went to Candy, unladed their goods, made up their accounts, and came back again for Currens at Xante, before the other could overmaster their fear, or durst make trial of their fortune: but when these ships had made relation of a new merchant man of London, cast away on the coast of Candy for want of a good Pilot, or orderly direction to prevent a North-east wind, which is most dangerous at the spring of the year, we were somewhat perplexed, and the Posts were sent immediately over-land, to advertise the merchants not to come into the straits, so slenderly provided as they did. For questionless since our peace with Spain, divers of your company presuming on the same, have improvidently set out weak shipping, and slenderly provided; so that what with piracy, shipwreck, and the Florentines, and Maltesses, we lost more within these five years, than we did in forty before, when we stood on our guard, & prepared to encounter with experted foes. From the advertisemenrs, of others we gather together abundell of these occurrences, that Ward had the fortune to take a Venetian Galeas, which he brought into Tunis, cthad raised an estate by it, but that it miscarried in harbour; that he lived there in great fear & jealousy, both of the Bashaw, whom he was fain to bribe extraordinarily; of the Turks, whom he only corrupts with reward; & of his own followers whom he suspected upon the least discontentment would betray him to the Venetian, or send him to his majesties Ambassadors: as for that smoky report he carried, it is nothing so; only he lives in a house when he comes on shore, and is reasonable politic, if he had any wealth, not to make show of it for fear the janissaries themselves should rob him altogether. But in truth the spoil hath been far greater of his piracies, than the goods orderly brought to land, and out of them so maextractions, as there can little remain to his own share. For by that time the Bashaw is compounded with: the charges defrayed, the Turks paid, and his own company contented, there will be such an abatement, that out of ten thousand pound, his share and part groweth to an height of pride, if it raise itself to five hundred pound: and how dearly he must live in the rate of housekeeping, every passenger can tell. Concerning your particular business, your factor both in Xante and Candy hath sent you many letters and bills, which I leave with this of mine to receive speedy dispatch and orderly pardon, if any errors are committed.  
Yours undivided, though far off.   

To his noble Friend, S. I. S.  
WOrthy Sir; There need no filling a letter of news, with preamble, complement, or circumstance, and therefore I will only tell you, 
News from Constantinople.  I am proud of any remembrance, when I expose your worth, to my conceit, & glad of any good fortune, when I can avoid the imputation of ingratitude, by acknowledging your many favours, and writing the same under my hand and seal: This I will do still, even in this letter from Constantinople, entreat you to admit of my custom, and pardon me, if I take the plain highway of reciting particulars: without stepping into any ambiguous nooks of phrases, and eloquent advantages: I came then to Const. in Aug: and found Sir Tho: Glover, and his Lady so well settled, in an honourable correspondency to their estates, that I was proud in my countries behalf, that a man had raised his Fortunes merely by worthiness and desert; and a woman had showed such an heroic spirit, that she was never distempered with the tediousness of her journey, nor affrighted, though she met with Cap: Ward, at the passage to Nigroponte: For when M. Clarke the master of the Ship & she went in, they disputed the matter, as if it were Ward indeed, and seeming to make a stop at the same, she told him, there was no remedy but to fight, and he might be made for ever, if he had the good fortune to bring his fame on the ground, and deliver our Confederates from so great a fear:— Touching the City itself, it is in a manner a Triangle, double walled, with beautifall Towers, and may resemble a painted Courtesan, deceiving you, with sophisticate comeliness, and adulterate shows, but within corrupted, and full of confusion and bestiality: yet are many excellent things remarkable in the same: namely, within the Town itself, called of the Turks Stanbole, or comely: the Turks, Seraelio, or Palace, containing two miles about: the seven Towers, a goodly Prison towards the Southeast: the Wall itself, without any Suburbs: the Mosques, or Churches, to the number of 800. amongst whom, the Sophia, Almorata, and Sultanina, are the principal beautiful Fabrics? the Besisteine, a place like our Exchange, or Rialto at Venice, for delicate commodities: but for advantage, there are men and women sold, like horses in Smithfield.  
The jews Sellers are all underground, with iron gates, where the whole treasures of the Commonwealth are secured, both from Fire and Earthquakes: the Conduits of water at many corners of streets, where a kind of Officer attends, to give to all comers. divers monuments of Porphyry, Brass, Marble, Obeliscos, Pyramids, and such like, showing some face of Antiquity, and placed where the ancient greeks were wont to celebrate their Turniaments. The Balneas, which through corruption of time, and manners, are mere Brothels and stews: The bashaws houses, Palaces of state, and of great capacity: as containing divers places of sequestration, according to their number of Wives & Concubines, which they maintain. A place called jobs-toombi, celebrated for the burial of the emperors children.  
divers Seralias for men and women, as Hospitals, to keep them till they come to age. Constantine's Palace, and the patriarchs houses, as solet edifices, and showing the ruins of time, and memorable Antiquities: the guard of janissaries, to the number of 50000, when the Army is at home, and the burying places, both of jews and Turks, remote, at least a mile from the Wall, and superstitiously, Dedicated to the memory of the dead. Without the City, the admirable haven, called Sacra porta, 20. fathom deep, close to the wall of both the Cities.  
Galata, a City walled over against Constantinople, only divided by sea, as broad as our Thames: the vines of Pera, a great Suburbs to the same, where the English, French, and Venetian Ambassadors were resident. Towards the North, the Arsinall of galleys, toward the South, the office of artillery, called Tapinau: the passage to Pompey's pillar, and the black tower, 20. mile orderly, beautified with bashaws houses, and other edifices, proud of comely exornation, till you enter the blacke-Sea itself, which extendeth a great breadth northwards, and a 1000 mile to the East, as far as Trebizond.  
But if you would hear of a work of wonder and magnificence, you must ride into the Country, some 15. miles off, and overlook the Aquae-ductus, which are raised in the Valleys, to the tops of certain hills, about 500 foot high, and so carry the water level, from one to another, till they fall into a Cistern: from whence it hath a passage through divers Pipes, to many Conduits in the City.  
I dare not enlarge my Letter greater, with these trivial things, because I know you have read many discourses more peculiar and pertinent, and expect at my hand a farther discovery, when we shall meet at more convenient leisure.  
Yours, amongst Infidels.   

To his respected worthy Friend, Sir L.  
Worthy Sir, I was almost ashamed to write any thing from these parts, 
News from Scio.  as news, or matter worth the enquiring after, but that I received a letter from you while I was in Scio, which seemed to command me, and taught me the way of good manners to satisfy your pleasure. I would hasten to an end, lest some curious eye make a tush at these papers, when they examine, that I would fill a letter with such poor and common intelligences. I than came to Scio, of purpose to tarry for master Bradshaw, whom we expected from Scandaron, but such was the misery and trouble of these times and places, that the Florentines and Maltessis had sent out divers ships to intercept the transportation of Turks in any Christian vessel whatsoever, and lighting upon him, put him to a dangerous fight, in which he was sorely wounded, and had much ado to come off with utter destruction: so we lost our passage, and spent our money in this Island, where the Greekish women are extraordinarily beautiful, rich, and handsome: and the English Merchant liveth at great expenses not daring to trust any of us without good bills of Exchange, or good sufficient assurance of a better estate, then most commonly a traveler can enlarge. We did also hear that Master Pindar our Consul at Aleppo, behaved himself very worthy of the best report indeed, and had much ado in those Turkish tumults for to save his life, and keep the town and Merchants from spoiling. Besides, at Scanderon a most intricate business about Master E, a Merchant, and a Frenchman, who had contracted a bargain for Gawls to the value of 10000 collars, raised his fame for the well contriving, in saving all their lives. For the Turks maintaining justice in the strictest manner, and punishing the least corruption that way with death, found an occasion to bring these parties to judicial trial, because it was supposed, that the Moor which sold them was deceived in the weight by a corrupted Turk, who was the officer of the customs, and broken upon the wheel upon the first complaint: so that there was a present demand of the like justice both on the English and French merchants; and was not determined without a great sum of money, and bribing the Bashaw: wherein there was no other face of prevention to be seen, than disbursement of a fine, and acknowledging a fault, and so with great difficulty the matter was concluded. About the same time Master M. having been some two year before surprised by the Maltesses, and then protesting never to be so overmastred, or overshot, undertook a dangerous encounter between Sicilia and Candy with a Venetian Galeas, in a ship called the corselet. For coming toward the gulf, & having some uncustomed, or peradventure prohibited goods aboard: as also neglecting those naval and marine ceremonies appropriate to the State, he held it stubbornly out, rather than he would be searched, or abased in veiling his bonnet, and so the fight continued a whole day, till he was hurt, & many of his men slain, but being taken and over mastered he was carried to Venice, where with much ado his liberty was obtained, to the great honour of Sir Henry Wotton our Ambassador, and contentment of the merchants, both here and at home.  
Your memorable friend.   

To the Worthy Doctor, T.  
Reverend Sir, 
News from Meteline.  While I lay ill at ease in Meteline, I received a letter from you, by the hand of Sir H. B. as he came a shore to see the Island, and belike taking easy journeys in a Turkish Carmisan, heard at Gallipolis and the castles, that I was sick there. Notwithstanding, I raised up a pale face with a cheerful heart, and understood by the same, that you desired a kind of account concerning the Greek Church, and Turkish government. Truly your letter was most acceptable unto me, as understanding thereby the health of him I love so well: but the contents affrighted me, as knowing nothing could come from me worthy your view, or bearing any show of delight, especially satisfaction, considering the judicious apprehension and great reading of the receiver: yet again, when I knew (if the worst fell out) I was to encounter with love, and civil acceptation, I took advantage of a day wherein my Fever did not rage, and thus huddled up this unfashionable piece, which if it resemble the confused lump, wherein nature helpeth the Bear in the deliverance of her burden, you must with her industry, either reduce it to fashion, or your own goodness wink at the deformities. I will therefore begin with the greeks, who are so envious and malignant toward the Latins, that they had rather live in servitude under the Turks, then require either aid or assistance of the Romish Bishop, contesting with him even from priority of place, and ancient possession of the Christian religion: so that in their account he is but a mere usurper of their glory and promotion, which he hath overmantled with diuises and men's traditions, that neither they can acknowledge him a father in the true Church, nor he them, as obedient children to his holy Consistory. Concerning their civil government, it is a mere mangled body. For no man possesseth either lands, goods, or scarcely their lives in security; but either the Turks command makes them slaves, or the Timatriots or quartering of soldiers by the name of Capoges, or Spahies subjecteth all to licentiousness and incontinency: they have no munited cities, but upon the frontiers of Transiluania and Hungary, nor permitted the possession of armour or munition: only Gratianopolis, Andrinopolis, Philopolis, Salenica, Galipolis, and some towns in the islands are populous and full of Edificies, but far from their ancient beauty, or other cities of Europe. To conclude in a word, they are the mere pictures of miserable confusion, and ruins of time. Concerning their religion, it is so corrupted with age & pride of precedency, that it will entertain no reformation; saying plainly, that Antioch was the first Christian Church, and the greeks made the sheep of Christ's fold before ever Paul was carried prisoner to Rome: as for Peter's persecution, or being there at all, they absolutely deride it: and assure us, that he was twenty year elders of Antioch, and appointed the Apostle over the jews. In poverty they almost come near the Primitive Church. For their Monasteries are much diminished, and their Churches and Congregations very small, and of little entrade: they deny purgatory, and the Pope's supremacy, saying plainly, that if such a title were extant or necessary, it belonged to john Patriarch of Constantinople, with whom Gregory the Great of Rome, had many encounters to suppress that tumour: they baptize with oil and water, have four Lents, fast precisely, wear long hair like the Nazarites, allow of no Saints but in the Bible, nor have pictures in the Church but from thence: yet do they celebrate certain feasts to Saint George. Nicholai and Demetrius, they are much given to mirth, and exceed in contraries. For at their marriages they have great pleasure and pastime: in their burial great sorrow and lamenting, even to the groveling on the ground, and watching night and day over the graves. Many Countries acknowledge their religion, as Russia, Georgia, Mengrelia, Armenia, and the people of Aethyopia, under Prester-Iean: Of whose particulars, you have whole volumes; Amongst whom an understanding wit may select the best, though many absurdities are intermingled with some truths.  
Concerning this Turkish government, never came Monarchy to the height of such a prevailing. For there is no subject of hereditary eminence but himself, and this Emperor Sultan Achmat, is the 14. of the house of Ottoman: the doctors of their Law called Alcharon, and the mufti the principal Priest, rule the Empire, although it seem managed under the government of the 5. Vizeeres, & other bashaws: the strength of his kingdom is merely supported by the janissaries & soldiers, who are the sons of Christians, and depend upon the pleasure of their Emperor, as without either Friend or Parent, but the Turks pension: They love justice: punish Adultery with death: hate Drunkenness, and Blasphemy: do nothing but to purpose: eat no swynes-flesh: nor should drink any wine: They wear long garments: never uncover the head, which is all shaven, except one lock on the top, by which they suppose to be pulled up to heaven by Mahomet their great prophet: They have many wives & concubines to prevent adultery: they write bias, and read backward, as the Hebrues; and neglect all languages but their own, Persian, and Arabian: None but of Mahomet's race weareth green, and all are obedient to their Bashaws: & they absolute slaves to the Emperor; For their religion, it is full of great reverence: They call to their churches or mosquees 4. times a day, by the voices of men, on the top of a tower: and on friday (their sabbath) 5. times: No living thing is pictured or engraven in their churches or mosqueis, to avoid idolatry. The principal Priest is the Musti, of great account with the Emperor: For he & the doctors of their law, overrule in many civil things. The order of Deruices is suitable to the Capuchin friars, and are called Turner's: They allow God the Father, but deny the Trinity: They reverence the three professors of the three religions: Moses for the jews: Christ for the Christians: & Mahomet for themselves: They hate in others profanation or blasphemy, and observe naturals, madmen, and fools: They bury their dead with a singing noise, and watch over the graves, with mourning & howling. Infinite other particulars may be observed, but these shall suffice, till a larger discourse can bring me within the reach of your acceptation▪ and show, how I have not employed my time amiss: and am willing to give you notice of the same; whom of all other men I would content in this kind.  
Yours, with a true heart.   

To his honourable Friend, Captain S.  

News from Malta.  MY noble Companion, without further compliment; when we parted from Messina, you for Venice, and I for Constantinople: News came to our English Consul, that the Vineyard (a ship of London) was surprised by the Maltese, the goods confiscate, and one Harris the Master, terribly threatened, for transporting Munition, or other prohibited merchandise to the Turks: wherein the Gran-Prior is so resolute, that he hath presumed to write into England, to justify the action: and added withal, that the next offender shall lose ship and all. For you must consider, that there is a kind of Confederacy between the Pope, the Duke of Florence, and these Maltese, 'gainst the Turk: and whereas all other Princes are now as it were under a protection of a peace: these only dare to proclaim a war: And what they cannot perform with the bravery of open hostility at land, they will execute with the cunning of private surprises at Sea: and by reason the Knights of the Rhodes abated their flourishes in the loss of that Island, they are retired to Malta, to recover their credit: & ever since that happy repulsing the Turks, by that miraculous defending their city and Castle, have stood at defiance, both with this enemy of Christians, & all such as shall support him, to make him a stronger enemy, than they suppose he can be of himself: And herein the Pope is so charitable, that he blesseth their enterprises, and encourageth many Gentlemen, (of divers Nations) to enrol themselves under the Holy Banner: & account it a glory to be a true Soldier for religion: So that a Knight of Malta holdeth up a countenance of such reputation, that he supposeth his Honour to precede any temporal dignity under a Baron: and the Gran-Prior himself will not abate a jot of a Prince's estimation.  
Yours for ever, though we never meet again.   

To his approved Friend, G. A. Esq.  
GOod Sir: 
News from Venice.  There is no one thing in the world, in which I desire to have an honourable contention with you, as in courtesy and good conditions: So that whether it be emulation, or a natural motion to do well, I care not: but am assured you have exposed such a pattern of true friendship, that I must answer the proportion, and frame myself to an orderly satisfaction: you have loved me, therefore I must affect you: you have visited me, therefore I must not seem strange: you have been bountiful, therefore I must be thankful: you have written, and therefore I must answer: yea, and that from Venice, the wonder of Europe, and the glory of Italy: where I have encountered with News, which I am proud to make you partaker of: because within the memory of man, never was so remarkable an accident. Know then, that after the Pope had swelled, with the repining against the Venetian contumacy, Friar Paul of the order of servi, was condemned for an heretic, burnt in his image at Rome, and attempted many times to be murdered: his offence raised from certain books against the Pope's secular jurisdiction, over Princes and free states: his discourses grounded on the love of his Country, at such time as the Venetians determined a stopping of certain Mortmaineses, with pretences of money satisfaction: lest time and seduction should weaken their glory by diminishing their lands, & giving away their territories to monasteries: his reward, an annual pension of 500 ducats, and glorious Title by sound of Trumpet of Theologo designato: At which the Clergy so stormed, that they made it a matter of treason, against God and his Angels, thus to extenuate the authority of the Mother-Church, by such presumptuous restraints, against the will & pleasure of the Pope and his Cardinals. Whereupon, without further disputing, a severe fulmination passed forth against them: which also so vilipended them, that fire & sword was proclaimed, and nothing but submission and absolution could deliver them from the savage strokes of revenge.  
This so startled the Venetians, and roused up the drowsy eyes of other Princes, that they all looked up to see with what face these controversies and accidental displeasures, would terrify the world: and not contented with verbal protestations, they mustered their Armies, and at my coming into Italy, I heard nothing else but the clamours of war, and war against the Pope himself. In which hurly burly, a noble man of Venice, of the house of Donatus now Duke, having been long since Bandited by the State, for murdering a Gentleman: to whose wife love had formerly enthralled him, determined to work out his reconciliation, by prostrating his service to the State: and attending the same (if need and occasion required) with 50. Horsm: at his own charge; and because they should not lay imputation upon him of formality, and ceremonious bravery, from wind and smoke, he brought them by Sea into the City itself, and had licence to make a Martial show before the Ladies and better sort of the people: And thus in a sequestered place, at their fundamento nuovo, he mustered 50. Horsm: with reasonable equippage, and proportionable discipline, which was never seen in Venice before. For there is neither horse nor cart, neither freshwater, nor wholsome-ayre, neither sword nor cloak for the Gentleman: of Venice himself: nor any pleasant walk to pass the time with recreation, more than the delicate entertainment in their Gondolas, and some comical shows on their Grand-Canal: Amongst which, the rarest that ever I saw, was a costly and ostentous triumph, called a Regatto, presented on the Grand-Canal, to entertain the Princes of Piedmont and Mantua, who came hither of purpose to see the City, and the pleasures of the same: which I must needs say for liberty of life and conscience, Courtesans, Mountebanks, Music, and Monastical presumption, surpasseth any City in the world. The show itself was briefly thus: divers young Gentleman: according to their ability and willingness, were selected by the order of their Balls, as Capt: of several Barges, which were decked up in orderly representations, of whales, unicorns, dolphin's, elephants, woods, fountains, and such like: wherein all the Mariners and attendants, with several warlike instruments, and music of lower sound, were placed, both for ornament, glory, magnificence, and adapted congruity, to the thing they attended: and thus they passed all in order, 2. English mile in length, under the Rialto-bridge: attended with infinite Gondaloes, and Boats, who rowed for wagers, and strived for the mastery of the best and speediest passage.  
Yours, in all places and times.   

To his honourable Friend, S. I.  
WOrthy Sir: I perceive by you, that wise men will smile sometimes, and the best gravity can give care to trivialll discourses: 
News from Turine.  yea, and I am afraid, 'tis man's natural imperfection, to hunt after Novelties, and the mind is much delighted with variety: elf could you never have given way unto such trivial letters as I sent you, and with a kind of cheerfulness welcomed them, discoursing only of the passages of Savoy, the height of the Alps, the snow in julie, the falling of the water with such impetuosity, & dangerous rupture, the pines on the mountains, the ploughing on the hills, the strength of the Forts and Ramparts: especially Agabella, Mount-Melian, Moriana, and Saint Katherine's: and the bravery of the Spanish Garrisons in those parts.  
Because therefore I perceive you of such fair demeanour, and willingness to support your Friend in his weakness: I will go forward in my passage of thankfulness▪ and make you believe I write to you still more for to express my love, then come near your satisfaction. Believe it then however, I have seen the admirable Castles of the Hellespont, which be the keys, to open and shut in the glory and strength of the Turkish Empire, the natural situation of Corfu, the Fort of Xante, the Citadel of Naples, the many Fortifications of Italy, and other strengths of Sicilia, Rhodes, Cyprus, and such like: yet may none of these compare with the Castle of Milan, for Garrisons glory, greatness, Munition, Bulwarks, Counter-scarphs, Casamattes, and all things pertaining to the managing of Martial ostentation, and Military necessity: So that this one place is the Anchor-holde of the Spaniards usurpation in Italy: and the affrighting countenance, which keepeth many worthy Princes and Provinces in awe, from attempting an invasion in the Government, however their hearts are affected, if any mischief should burst out against him: and this is most apparent in Savoy itself: For the Spaniard understanding of a contract between Piedmont & Mantuá, with an other combination of Modena, sent divers agents to Turine: yea, employed many Knights of Malta, and the better sort of Genoa, to work a means, that the Savoyen Princes might be sent into Spain, under the tuition of the Grandes and Clergy: To which when the Secretary seemed to incline, he was imprisoned for his Spanish affection: and till the Cardinals Aldabrandino and Caesario, with the Pope's Nuntio, had straightened these crooked measures, and confirmed the Italian marriages, unreleased: But the truth is, that, concerning the displeasure which these great personages bear one another, it ariseth both from covetousness and ambition.  
For the Savoyen having married a Daughter of Spain, and seeing long since the Enfanta quietly settled in the pride of the seventeen Provinces: much repined, that either Naples or Milan, especially Milan for the proximity, was not proportioned unto him. And so, as (far as he durst, or could,) both repined against the same: and hath laboured with his Holiness to be led, and invested in a greater field of dominion and sovereignty. But for all this, I am resolved, no one thing troubles him more, than the escape of Geneva, from his proud attempts, and reaches.  
So that if either policy, or strength could prevail, with time and success, to make him master of the same, he would quietly cast himself into the arms of contentment, and seem proud in the glory of such an achievement.  
Your everlasting Friend.   


News from Ziion, and jerusalem.  To his especial Friend, Capt: Abr: Yo.  
NOble and worthy Friend: you and I may well vent out the breath of common proverbs, that men may meet, but not Mountains. For as I remember, we embraced in France: ranged over Ireland: yea, stamped in the dirt, at Kinsale: encountered in Germany: saluted one another in Italy: played the wantoness at Venice: and divided ourselves again; as if the arms of the north & south, should open a larger embracing: For you prepared for Sweden and Ruscia: and I for Zidon, & the bottom of the straits; where I received a letter from you so compendious and well compacted, that I protest I made use, concerning the occurrences of those times and places: and received delight from your invention and phrase: not desisting, till I read and read it again and again; but when I came to your demand of another of mine, for particulars, concerning the passage to jerusalem, I started back, as if I had seen an adder in a path, and was afraid, as if some mischief indeed were threatened or intended; Not that there was any difficulty in writing to my Friend, a Soldier and apprehensive man, who could both pardon out of love, and bearewith imperfections out of favour: but because the papist will repine at my truth; the traveler complain of my simpicitie; and the curious desirer of Novelties make a tush at my information: For good Sir, however the Templars out of their policy, and imposturing cunning, erected a kind of structure, to make jerusalem look with some face of novelty, and framed a Vault, in which they deceived the world, with the Tomb of our Saviour: So that the adulterate daughter of religion, superstition, filled their Monastery and palaces with infinite wealth and Ornaments, wherewith they made liberty and licentiousness wanton with custom, & filthy abuses: and for which they were condemned by a general council, and the Papal decree: and however some corrupted Pope hath since given way to divers Pilgrimages, and permitted certain friars to revive former memories, and gather together the scattered stones of the first Monastery, whereby there is a way open to simple credulity, to believe some thing, & pay much for the same: yet without controversy, since the last devastation, and that the Turk hath piecemeal rend asunder the goodly edifices of those places, as we were wont to exclaim Nunc seges ubi Troiafuit: now corn grows where Troy stood: we may well cry out, now are there heaps of dust, & some barren vines where jerusalem flourished: and according to his prophecy, that cannot err, there is not one stone left upon another: only the crafty Turks, & the covetous Bashaw of Aleppo, the governor of those parts, are contented to bear with things even contrary to the laws of their Alcheron, impugning altogether the Godhead and incarnation of Christ: as the jews against his poverty and humiliation: & for great sums of money, & annual entrado, suffer still divers friars & religious persons to entertain pilgrims, travelers, ignorant devotists, superstitious papists, and simple credulists, with impudent, lying, & deceitful relics. For otherwise if rivers might be turned, there is neither show of City, temple, edifice, nor the brook ●●dron itself: no, an understanding man dare not say (by any seeming probability) that it is the same ground where jerusalem was builded, & the glory of the jews established; nor is there one jew remaining, nor honest man to maintain a verity: yet is Zidon a harbour town, some 28. English mile from the same: & after the traveler or Merchant hath performed his devotion, for great hire, certain guides & janissaries will convoy him to Gran Cayro, Arabia, Persia, Damascus, or whither you please: so that sometimes you shall have 400. camels laden with provision, merchandise, & men, to take a journey into Persia, and Ormus in the mouth of those Seas, against the fishing for Pearl: sometime the Christian for novelties sake, will apparel himself like a Turk, with a Turban, to view the city of Mecha in Arabia, where Maehomet was entombed: Sometimes the passage is made easy into Egypt, and we come this way to Nilus, from whence by Boat we visit Cayro, Alexandria, and Athyopia itself. Sometimes we take another course, & go by sea to Scanderon and Aleppo, and so travel by Damascus to Babylon and Armenia: and sometimes have the fortune to go to Tauris, and those places near the Caspian-Sea: but this is very seldom, and never but when 4. or 500 Merchants make themselves strong, both in arms and provision. For otherwise the thieves of those places, especially Arabia, would make a prey and spoil of all passengers. This is all I can say, this is all I dare write, for fear of interruption: but if ever the sun will make our shadows meet in England, I will justify further particulars, and make you wonder, that so many wise and understanding men as have been in these parts, will be transported against the verity of Scripure, and the infallible congruity of judgement and reason.  
My own, in your memory.   

To his worthy Friend, M. T.  
GOod Sir, 
News from Cyprus.  I never had such cause to remember the Philosophers Banquet, as when I lay in Nicosia in Cyprus. For as I take it, Epictetes having invited certain Stoyck philosophers to dinner: for a latter banquetting-dish brought out the globe of the world: & after they had called a council, Epictetes overcoverd it with a fooles-cappe, whereat Heraclites wept bitterly, and Democrites laughed heartily.  
The first bewalling the misery, the latter, deriding the vanity of the same: but if they had lived in Cyprus, and seen such confusion of government; all yet overshadowed with the Canopy of order and obedience to the State, it would questionless have put them clean out of patience, and turned their mirth into sorrow, and their sorrows into raging and frenzy. For the Bashaw expecting nothing but Tribute and legal jurisdiction, is careless how other Nations either live with upright conscience, or thrive with lawful profit: So that the better sort practise what they list, because no man dare control, and inferiors follow all liberty and licentiousness, because the others make way with ill example: The churchmen confirm religion, but for policy, and are only proud: they can terrify the simple with fear of damnation, and dazzle the eyes of the ignorant with the gaudy colours of superstition. The jew is grown so cruel in his usury & extortion, that whereas before it was much to forfeit goods and lands, now he exacts upon their very flesh and blood: glorying at nothing more, then to see penury and wants eat up a Christian: and coldness of charity trouble his very soul. The Lawyer insults with the peace of the time, and to wring the gold out of men's purses, wrists the Law to their own Fancies: so that they justify their actions only with legal authority. The Citizen is bountiful in fair words, and so he may make his merchandise vendable, hath learned the trick of aequiuocating, and deceiving his best customers. The craftsman studieth for nothing, but to be crafty in his cunning. The Courtesan resembles the horseleech, who never falls off till he be full: and when he hath sucked the blood from the veins, leaves a man to look pitifully, on his sores and deformity. The Soldier sweats with rage, at that he cannot remedy, and curseth peace, because it wars with his profit, nor will apprehend any goodness, but in the ill of licentiousness.  
The Noble-women study for nothing but to seem not to be honest, yet have they a clawse to affright inferiors for calling their actions in question: so giving the more scope to their greatness, to run the more at random in pleasure. The Turkish wives understanding these particulars, repine at their Prophet, & so murmur at their sequestration, that to have some use of the world, they visit the Balneas, come to buy jewels, make masks in English atttyre; use perfumes, and rather than they will not please themselves, allure their very slaves to carnal pleasure.  
To conclude, if ever the Devil compassed the earth, and considered men, to make them subjects of hell, Cyprus is now a pattern; and the Turks there despise their Koran: the jew smileth at their Religion: the Christian derideth the scripture, and all men and people make a mock of purity and sanctifying graces, or the true-way to salvation: So that I am weary of this profane country, and desire nothing more than the blessedness of our own England, where the very soil is the reviuer of our spirits, and good government the lodestar to eternal felicity.  
Yours, in the midst of temptation.    

A Dump or Passion.  

I Cannot sing; For neither have I voice,  
Nor is my mind nor matter Musical:  
My barren pen hath neither form nor choice  
Nor is my tale, or tales-man comical,  
Fashions and I were never friends at all:  
I write, and credit that I see, and know,  
And mean plain troth; would every one did so.   

I cannot feign me unto subtle faction,  
No prompt affection to an idle ghost,  
Nor do I favour any in detraction,  
Nor do I praise them, that themselves does boast  
Small fire sufficeth unto little roast:  
A poor man's tale's soon told, as soon reproved  
Never assisted, though never so much soothed.   

For credit is not of a common stamp,  
The fairest gamesters are not always winners:  
The strongest joints are troubled with the cramp  
And many good men are reputed sinners,  
Yet shallow fords seem best for young beginners.  
The water's surest, where we feel the ground  
But all are not as safe as they be sound.   

Conceyt's a current forcible and deep,  
Simplicity a shiftless ship of fears:  
A man may dream amiss, & sin asleep,  
And foxes may accuse the asses ears:  
Patience and plainness ever burdens bears:  
And best they may, For custom doth invre it,  
And he is fit to bear that will endure it.   

Not every stomach brooketh every meat,  
A dainty mouth can ill affect plain fare:  
All appetites at all times cannot eat,  
Nor complete merchant that hath every ware  
Nor thrives he ever that doth ever care:  
" Wishers and woulders practise & conspire,  
" all have their hopes, not every hope their hire   

For some are blessed, other some corrected,  
Some for their work, and some for their intent:  
Nor are all, whom our GOD hath made, elected  
Nor can all that offend, as well repent:  
Nor hath he pardoned all, whom he hath shent,  
Nor mad them happy, whom he doth forbear   

And so much wiser in so much mistrust,  
They have most hope that have most doubt of tim  
" the best assured heart must bear, or burst,  
Bare honesty is poor as Ballet-rime:  
And somewhile counted for an heinous crime;  
" Yet store's no soar, because the honest-wise,  
Are feasted, when they have what will suffice.   

" Contents a royal portion for a Prince,  
" A mind at peace excelleth government:  
" He hath abundance, that hath competence,  
" Pleased is a treasure never to be spent,  
" The patient man did never yet repent:  
" Nor hope in vain, nor yet in vain repine,  
" For sufferance is sufferantly divine.   

And yet it is a hindrance to my Creed,  
That neither sex nor sorts in means or mind:  
Neither for cause, matter, desert, or deed,  
Should have a care of love, or love of kind,  
Lost-labour so to seek, and such to find:  
Then seek no more to find such labours losses  
" 'tis better not to live, then live with crosses.   

For touching life, that we do love so much,  
And court with such variety of favour:  
If that our wisdom and our grace were such  
To weigh our loss of time, with loss of labour,  
And judge the mischief of our misbehaviour:  
In both the courts of conscience & repentance  
Ourselves might give both evidence & sentence   

And scape the scruple of a froward mind,  
And cleanse the filth of our corrupted sense:  
And in the mould of vanity soon find  
The foul occasions of our wild offence,  
Purging diseased sins with some pretence:  
Whereby we live so wretchedly so wrought on  
as neither GOD, nor any good is thought on.   

O wicked world! growth of inconstant passions,  
Wherein no virtue is at all abiding:  
If now at ease, straight sick at least of fashions,  
With whose impatience there is no desiding,  
From whose devices there is no dividing:  
Now this, than that▪ even as the humour bread.   

Now honoured much above our small desert,  
Anon more low than is the servile slave:  
In whom there is no hope, no work, nor Art,  
To purchase, or prolong, to wish, or crave;  
Oppression's humble, and opinion's brave:  
All things uncertain: yet most certain too  
That what so ere Time made, it shall undo.   

Time's past & present, teach us what's to come  
That frail mortality is as fruitless air:  
Though much desired, & honoured much by some  
By some less happy, in as much despair,  
In some most fowl, in other some most fair:  
Most fowl, most fair, most desperate, most desired  
And all but with infection most inspired.   

So all alike the Noble and the Clown,  
Dye, and with them their deeds, as well as they:  
For afterages put the former down,  
Their murdered monuments have nought to say  
Their beauties with their bodies, air, & clay:  
Caesar and Alexander, dead & rotten,  
The actors and their actions quite forgotten.   

David, the Darling of th' Almighties-heart  
Predominant in pleasure and in power:  
Most worthily, till wickedness did thwart  
That heavenly Sunshine, with a worldly shower  
" The greatest winner hath a losing hour.  
For GOD did never yet make that man live  
That hath not in his life some cause to grieve.   

How trust we then to vain ability?  
The breath of hours, & giddy Fortunes' favours:  
Whose alterations work debility,  
And our loose-hopes, with losing haps mislabours,  
time hunteth fools, as fools hunt hares with tabor  
Beating upon the top of styles and stocks,  
Tlll in the fire of pride they burn like blocks.   

Senseless of all sense, but senseless pleasure  
And that itself even as it is affected:  
Subscribing only to the humours leisure,  
By which alone they wholly are directed,  
Till ill by worse be worthily detected:  
Then cared as little for, as they have car'de  
They feel the difference to be spoiled, or spared.   

Beauty and strength are but a vulgar blast,  
And shape a subject unto every beast:  
Even sense itself, will leave ourselves at last  
When this shall be the subject of the feast,  
That virtues store will never be decreased:  
Where good men may recount without control  
The golden reckoning of an humble soul.   

And to dilate the matter somewhat more,  
Let's look a little o'er the world again:  
And see, if that we have not causes store  
to fret ourselves, and on ourselves complain,  
that any worldly Soil our souls should stain,  
When nothing in the world is good or sure:  
there's nothing good that can the world endure.   

Princes of state, the game of Fortune's wheel,  
Are treasons subjects, thralls to base despite:  
tormented in their souls, when as they feel  
A guilty conscience open inward sight  
to see, how wrongs have overgrown the right:  
And how so ere their titles make them proud  
Yet must they (die like men) GOD says aloud.   

Nobles (the breath of Kings) are vain in pride  
And vainer in opinion of vain men:  
Swelling with factious hearts 'gainst wind and tide  
If they be crossed, or countermanded, when  
The Lion 'mongst the beasts comes from his den  
And peradventure takes the Ape to play,  
When Beasts of nobler kind are chased away.   

Great Officers (the wantonness of the time)  
Sifting their senses through sleight vanity:  
Teaching poor virtue, that this dirt & slime  
Must work our worldly base felicity,  
And further pleasures in iniquity:  
As for the soul, let simple men regard it,  
For being simple, simple worths reward it.   

Friends yet untryde, like golden hanging fruit  
With words of favour, and as smooth as oil,  
Smoke promises to help thee in thy suit,  
But all to countenance pride, and to beguile  
Simplicity with many a feigned smile:  
For touch them once, they crumble unto dust  
like burnt cole-fruit, which Tantalus did trust   

Acquaintance only bubbles in the air,  
Made out of soap and water by young boys:  
Swelling a while with pleasant shape and fair,  
As long as our own breath augments the joys,  
but blown on burst proving themselves slight toys  
For if that our misfortunes are espied,  
They quickly shrink, & hang their heads aside.   

Children the care of cares, and heart's disease  
In such a time of bravery and sin,  
Where disobedient sons must needs displease,  
And daughters fair, themselves to know begin  
Seeking a dangerous liberty to win:  
For what a Fever makes the Father quake,  
when daughters hands with fool or whore do take.   

Women the torments of unsettled hearts,  
The very Fuel unto burning lust,  
Yet in themselves do act contrary parts,  
Against such men as do them truly trust,  
For if they swell with wantonness unburst:  
They practise sly deceits: if they be good,  
Yet oft with chafings they do vex thy blood.   

Strumpet's most dangerous baits, a burning fire  
Black coals consuming, or for to bismeer:  
Trothless to trust, wrought up with greater hire  
A foul consumption of the soul most dear,  
Yet making boils and botches to appear:  
O that fond man would live with sweetened breath  
For their dark stinking houses lead to death▪   

Beauty, a pleasing ornament to sight,  
Ordained to show the Maker's noble glory:  
But see how Pride and Nature doth delight,  
To overthrow the goodness of a story,  
Although decayed with time, when head is hoary  
Yet is it made adulterate by art,  
When a false hand hath played a cunning part.   

Opinion is a Monster amongst us all,  
Yet doth not terrify with outward shape:  
Only ourselves do as we rise and fall,  
After the censures of the people gape,  
And thereupon by force of vicious rape  
Bereave sweet virtue of her chastity,  
With anxious hearts swelling in vanity.   

Life and the best life but a topping tree  
Set in the midst of a confused grange:  
Which when the Lord thinks good he doth agree  
to fallen, or root it up for some new change,  
Or try some stranger form, by such exchange.  
Yea peradventure burned in the fire,  
subjects must yield to what their kings require   

Apparel monstrous by our monstrous wills,  
Disguising our defests▪ seeking to hide  
Nature's deformity, when purse fulfils  
An humorous wantonness on every side:  
Yet from substantial truth most largely wide.  
For when that we must naked go to grave,  
What will become of that we seem to have?   

Virtues and vices, neither good nor bad,  
But as the owner's states give them their test:  
For, who in estimation can be had,  
For greatest virtues if they do not rest  
In wealth, or good opinion of the best:  
And vicious who, but he that cannot hide  
And keep his faults from being soon espied?   

Buildings of sumptuous cost, the prey of Fire,  
are sometimes cursed, with sobbing poor mes cries:  
When to erect what greatness doth desire  
A hundred cottages in rubbish lies,  
And many an Orphan unrelieved, dies:  
But where the mortar of an house is mixed  
With blameless blood, it cannot long be fixed.   

Pearls, precious stones, the glass of plenty's pride  
Riches and Friends, unstaid in mood & mind,  
Kindred, but Nature's chaff, When they are tried  
For they will fly away with Stormy wind,  
In whom nor love, nor truth at all we find:  
These shapefull monsters daily alter so,  
as we can hardly credit, what we know.   

The fraudful Fox deals friendly with her whelps.  
There is no beast that to her own is cruel:  
All things were by creation made for helps  
And kind to kind is still a friendly jewel:  
The Fire doth give him fire, that giveth Fuel;  
Even there where contraries enforce despite  
Nature in nature teacheth 〈…〉   

Then, if thou wilt be man, and not be kind,  
Disdain thy needless interest in creation:  
Be to instruction, deaf, to nature blind:  
With neioher man nor beast have conversation,  
Abandon hope of grace, abjure salvation:  
Be both alive and dead harmful and hateful  
Be any thing, if thou wilt be ingrateful.   

And lay aside absurd Affinity,  
Unless to hell thou wilt ally thyself:  
And so the Devil grant immunity:  
As is thy trust in him, and in thy wealth.  
Abortive potion of foul poisoned pelf:  
Sorrrow of soul, and surfeit of vile sin,  
Man had been happy if thou hadst not bin.   

An honest mind informer time did show  
More piety than now the best of kin:  
That was because the time was honest to,  
Much better than this age, that we are in,  
Such are the putrefactions of sin:  
Our alms, our neighbourhood, our humanity,  
Turned devil, discord, and immanity.   

Neighbour indeed is now by stranger named,  
Cousin by cousnage, kindness is unknown:  
And friends of friendship are so much ashamed  
As custom 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 he's as much to blame that doth believe  
Any that lives in joy, unused to mourn:  
Doth love, can love, commiserate, or grieve,  
Father or brother hapless and forlorn,  
For pity only is to plenty sworn:  
And he's a bastard unto worldly blood,  
That doth a poor man either grace, or good.   

Yet GOD forbid, that GOD should causer be,  
That we for lack of knowing him do err:  
He gracious suffers, whilst that graceless we  
His tolerance into negligence transfer,  
Whereby it makes the Atheist to aver:  
The soul of man immortal in the least,  
〈…〉 as it doth in beast.   

Men cannot do, what cannot be undone,  
Nor suffer more than flesh and blood can bear:  
Who plays with fortune, seldom times hath won  
'tis labour lost to work against the hair,  
Than not prevail, it's better to forbeane:  
" A thing undone, is easily prevented▪  
Do to undo is never unrepented.   

Glorious designs are ammelled in blood,  
The way to greatness is uneven and hard:  
He never was that for preferment stood,  
That was not often with mischances barred,  
The body of attempts have crosses scarrd:  
Who lived and sought for honest labours hire  
And was not forced to work it out of Fire.   

Courts and occurrences of Kings & Palaces,  
Where some soon rise, to fall again as fast:  
Show the conditions of the fallaees,  
Whose fruits do scantly blow before they blast,  
Planted with care, and with repentance past:  
So that compare the gains with loss surmounting  
And save a labour, and avoid accounting.   

'tis pity War were not at war with this  
But let the worthless Soldier be advanced:  
The better times made better services,  
Where best endeavours best rewards enhanced,  
But now the best of Beggars is best chanced:  
A heavy Fortune that such hazard yields,  
Either to starve at home▪ or die in Fields.   

But hear my counsel in a Grandsires' phrase,  
All do amiss, let all amiss amend:  
Self saving works are best deserving praise,  
And praise on works in prudence done, attend  
All actions are approved as they end:  
Who made the feast will fast to mind the pay,  
when unthrifts care▪ not who the charge defray.   

Then sith the end is good of these my Rhymes;  
Their plainness shows no vainness, but the Times.   
FINIS.