one thinge liuing to remaine stedfast, or in assured staie or certaine
condition at all times to endure and continue: no maruaile then (good
Sir) if your selfe beeing a mortall man, framed of the same earthlie
substance and qualitie, incident to terrene frailtie, and natures
imbecilitie, doe as other creatures alike participate the suddaine
euils, and daielie alterations thereunto annexed: a proofe whereof
resteth chiefelie in your present state and beeing, then which no one
thing may induce a more serious aduertisemente, of the vile accompte
and wretched contempte appropriat vnto your liuing. And albeit diuers
are the calamities wherwith not onelie your selfe, but sundrie others
your louing friendes carefull of your presente mishape, and grieued
to see the vncouth and bitter chaunge whereinto you are hapned, are
continuallie afflicted, in so much as there is not the stoniest and
flintiest minde of all that euer haue knowne you (your desperate vowed
enemies onelie excepted) but doe in some sorte or other, bewaile, and
as it were grieue to see the vnacquainted yoke thereof, with such
extremitie to be cast vpon you: I cannot yet but greatlie commende
the inuincible _fortitude_ of your high and noble minde, who by howe
much the more, the vehemencie of these sorrowes are to you vnknowne,
and therefore the more vnused, doe not withstanding by so much the
lesse permitte, the mightie power of them to rule or beare swaie ouer
you, neglecting or (which is greater) despising the sharp pricking
sting thereof, who by the deepe pearcing force of the same, is
woonted to gall the remembraunce of manie others, and (as it were by
a forcelesse contempte of such validities) not onelie not giue anie
token or signe at all in their vttermost practises, but seeme rather
to triumphe ouer the strength that thereby they had wrought, and by
an aduised, sage and woonderfull modestie and discretion, plainelie
to extinguish and put from you the furie of the same. Manifoldlie I
must confesse, haue you hereby deserued and much more euill, by the
wise and moderate entertainmente of these troubles, hath to your
aduersaries beene tendred, who in nothing so much do rest vnsatisfied,
as that in subduing your bodie, they cannot also yoke and bring vnder
by whatsoeuer extremitie the courage, and statelie progression of
your high and vnconquered minde. Wherein there is lefte in my opinion
great cause of comforte euen in the verie greatest of your miserie
vnto you, that in constant indurance thereof, you haue power to punish
them, that woulde disturbe you, and that in the perplexed imaginations
of their owne wicked and malicious enuie. Neither maie this that you
sustaine bee rightlie tearmed miserie, or such a one as your selfe
seeme to bee accompted miserable, whose minde in the verie captiuitie
inflicted vppon this your bodie is thus freede, and accompanied with
so ample and sweetened libertie: For these kinde of troubles as they
are worldlie, so haue they power also vpon the worldlie partes of
a man, and therein are cohibitions of such earthlie delighte, as
fauouring more vnto the satisfaction of a sensuall appetite, then
conducing to the excellencie of the inwarde minde, doe breede that
ordinarie restrainte wherewith men mortallie conceited, are for the
most parte troubled. But to the sweete imaginations of a pure and
innocent minde, what is left wherewith to bee discontented, but onelie
to haue committed anie thing vile, wretched, or otherwise ill beseeming
the vertue and excellencie wherewith the inwarde partes thereof are
throughlie indued. How manie waies then are lefte vnto you to reioyce,
vnto whose eies the continuall thirst of _vertue_ it selfe hath long
since laide open the momentarie pleasures of this worlde, the libertie
whereof is vnto a woorthie conceite a meere seruage, in whose fickle
and transitorie affections reposeth so slender assurance, and whose
effecacies contemplate no other then vaine and foolish obiectes: seeing
that you haue thereby so well perceiued howe much the instinct of a
braue and delicate minde climbeth far aboue the reach of the body,
with a pleasant and vncontroulled libertie. These things impugning I
must needes say a corporall appetite) permit you not, for such losse
of riches, possessions, children or friendes to become passionate, or
ouercome with extreame greefe, albeit participating as we doe with such
naturall causes, I doubt not but therewith you are sometimes touched,
though at no time conuinced. For which cause as often as you happen to
fall into the remembraunce of the same, suppose with your selfe that in
time, the bitter sting may yet bee repulsed, and that the lotte that is
fallen vnto you heerein, is no other but the common reward and hatefull
disquiet of the worlde, wherein the most noble and worthie minds are
commonlie the most vehementlie assaulted, and with deepest extremitie
by such kinde of meanes pursued.
The recordation whereof, may returne vnto you one principall and great
occasion of comfort, in that by distinction of your woorthinesse,
though you bee partaker of common trouble, yet are you sequestred
from the entertainment of a common opinion. It dooth not a little
reioyce mee to see that with such impregnable stoutnesse you doe so
farre foorth endeuour to resist your appetites, wherein (besides the
expectation of that which is incident also to these alterations, a
chaunge, I meane, and reuocation of woonted pleasures) you shall in the
meane time giue greater glorie to your actions, in not appearing for
anie worldlie estate, riches, or contentment to bee surprized in your
imaginations. Praying the comfort of all comfortes to bestowe vppon you
the deawe of his heauenlie grace in assistaunce of your extremities, I
take my leaue, this of, &c.
_A consolatorie Epistle of the third sort, wherein a Gentlewoman
is comforted of the death of her husband slaine
in the warres._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Paramologia._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
[Sidenote: _Etiologia._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Climax._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote:_Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Dialisis._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Antipophora._]
[Sidenote: _Etiologia._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
Albeit my selfe (hauing receyued the sorrowfull newes of the vntimelie
death of my dearest kinsman, and your deceased louing husband) was in
the first hearing thereof so greatlie troubled, as by reason of the
griefe then presentlie conceyued for the same, my selfe happilie might
seeme to neede that comfort, which nowe I goe about to bestowe vpon
others: Yet weighing in my minde the state wherein you stande, and
beeing also informed with what great extremitie you haue entertayned
the newes of his losse, I cannot but in respect of the great loue
I ought to him, and remembraunce of the like care, wherewith hee
principallie entertayned you, enforce my penne hereby to yeelde vnto
you those comfortable speeches, by the veritie whereof my selfe in so
great a storme of griefe, coulde hitherto as yet bee verie hardlie
satisfied. It was deliuered vnto me by my brother F. B. that beeing
nowe a Moneth or somewhat more passed, since by Letters out of H. the
maner of your husbandes death was vnto you reported, you immediatelie
vppon the reading of the Letters grewe into so great aboundance of
teares, and to so woonderfull impatience, as hauing euer sithence
continued the same, you will in no sort thereof bee recomforted.
Assuredlie my good Coosen, I must needes conclude with your owne
speeches, and the waight of your interchaungeable likinges, that there
is great cause left vnto you to become sorrowfull, as hauing lost the
chiefe and principall iewell of all your worldlie loue and liking,
the fauoured Companion of all your pleasant and youthfull yeares, the
entire comfort and solace of your present happinesse, and such a one,
who aboue all worldes, or anie earthlie estimation at all, accounted,
honoured, and entyrelie receyued and loued you: but that you haue
so great and vrgent cause of extremitie to continue with so hard
impacience as you doe, it befitteth not, it is vnnecessarie, yea it is
in my iudgement of all others the most insufferable. For when it is not
denied vnto you, that you haue cause to mourne, that it is fittest vnto
the matter of your loue, to weepe ouer him, and bewaile him, it is then
thereby intended that there must be a meane therein, that the force
thereof must be limited, that the appearance beare shew of discretion.
Doe we not all know I pray you, and are witnesses that he was a mortall
man, that as our selues he was borne, vnder the selfe same condition,
that hee must once die, that hee had his time set, beyond which hee
might not passe, and that God who gaue him life thus long to liue
with you, hath nowe called him againe from this earth to leaue you?
Are we ignorant that Nature compelleth the wife for her husbande,
the husbande for his wife, parents for their children, and kindred
for their kinsfolke, to weepe and lament? But followeth it not also
therewith that the losse and want of them beeing layde downe by an
immooueable necessitie: wee can by no meanes afterwardes bee in hope to
reclaime them? What great follie doe wee then commit in thus searching
after the ghostes of our deceased friendes? Or what other thing doe wee
therein performe, but yeeld a plaine demonstration, that our teares are
to none other ende, but to bewaile them, because they were mortall?
whome death could neuer haue shunned without they had beene immortall.
Are wee not eftsoones put in minde by the common casualtie of all
thinges, that there is nothing stable, that continuallie Kingdomes
decay, Prouinces are shaken, Countryes destroyed, Cityes burned, townes
wasted, people consumed, and that it remayneth a thing ordinarie with
vs, daylie to bee conuersant in these euilles, the losse of all, or
eyther of which, (if they may bee accounted euilles) why then doe we
giue our selues by vnmeasurable griefe, to a perpetuall continuance
and renouation of those euils. But you will heereunto alledge, that
it is loue that enforceth you vnto the same, and that such is the
continuall remembraunce you haue, as you cannot forget him. Alas, howe
fruitlesse is this loue, and zealous remembrance in the deliuerance
thereof? Howe farre sequestred is the vehemencie of the same, from
the searched recompence? Why learne wee not rather of the wisest and
woorthiest, how to mitigate the impacience of our owne imperfections?
In whose precepts, examples, and counsels, if the immoderate vse or
entertainment of anything bee forbidden, shall wee not then in this,
aboue all others be chieflie reprehended, when wee enforce our selues
by continuall Meditation of our losses to shedde so manie teares to no
purpose? What if your Husbande had not nowe dyed at this instant, hee
must, you know, haue dyed; hee could not alwayes haue liued. Yea, but
hee died you say, vntimelie, what call you vntimelie I pray you? If
in respect of the force preuayling vppon him, whereby he was slaine,
you name it vntimelie: then doe I graunt vnto it: But if in regarde of
the time of his life you affirme it, I denie that the same may then
bee sayd vntimelie. _F_or why? hath not the eternall Creatour of all
thinges ordered by his diuine wisedome each matter to passe his course
in sort to himselfe best beseeming and most pleasing? howe can you then
say that to bee vntimelie, which by his heauenlie moderation was so
appoynted? Assure your selfe if hee had then beene at home with you,
hee had also died, you could not haue preuented it, his houre was come,
so was it determined, which way could he shun it.
[Sidenote: _Antipophora._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
[Sidenote: _Antipophora._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote:_Brachiologia._]
[Sidenote: _Asindeton._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
[Sidenote: _Paradigma._]
What then grieueth you in this action? Is it that hee was slaine?
Consider with your selfe it was in his princes seruice, his death was
thereby the more honourable, for in so doing, he died as a man, as a
souldiour, as a Gentleman. Yea, but you shall neuer, you say, see him
more? True in deed, but what of that? Is this death now greater then
his absence before? Yes forsooth it is indeede, and whie? because you
had hope then to see him againe, which by this means is taken away?
verie well. You did then while he was liuing recomfort your selfe with
hope, content your selfe nowe with necessitie, because it must needes
be so, and you can no wayes amend it. Is not this an ende sufficient
to determine all sorrowes? If you weepe, lament, crie out, and become
grieued, requisite were it the same should returne to some ende, that
all your care, sorrow, griefe, lamentation, or what els should not
appeare fruitles, that the intendment and determination thereof shoulde
be to some speciall purpose. See you then, herein is no supply, the
effects are bereft, the end taken away. Be not then so fond, as to
bedew that with your teares, wherunto belongeth neither redresse, nor
mean of recouerie. Who is he that would be so mad, as to crie out vnto
him of whom he might be assured neuer to obtaine remedie? by cunning
art beasts we see, though they be most fierce, are tamed, a meane is
found wherewith to breake the Marble, the Adamant howe hard soeuer it
be, may by deuises be mollified: Onely death is of such force as no
wayes can be conuinced.
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Procatalepsis._]
At the least wise, if neither of these argumentes might mooue you to
suppresse your exceeding sorrowes, you must finally consider that wee
are Christians, and by the benefite of this corporall death, doe make
exchaunge for an vncorrupted life, that the withdrawing vs from this
vile earthly bodie of Clay and filth, is a commutation to a sacred and
heauenlie progression, and that wee haue nothing left vnto vs, in all
the trauelles, cares, disquiets, and heauie turmoyles of this wearisome
liuing whereof to reioyce vs, but the expectation wee haue of happines
and euer flourishing gladnesse. Suppose the Ghost of your husbande were
heere present to see you in all this extremitie, what thinke you woulde
hee say? Howe much disordered imagine you woulde hee thinke you to bee
in your affections?
[Sidenote: _Prosopopœia._]
[Sidenote: _Metanoia._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Paradigma._]
[Sidenote: _Parenthesis._]
[Sidenote: _Peroratiō._]
And were it not that so manie coastes had seuered him both by lande and
seas peraduenture wearied with your bitter out cries in the conceited
image and shape of death, you might in apparance heare him, in these
like speaches accusing and rebuking such your distemperate actions.
And with breathing spirit to crie out vnto you saying, What is it
you goe about? what meane you by teares to search out for a thing
so irrecuperable. Whie torment you your youthful yeares, with such
vnprofitable, or rather as I may call it, desperate kinde of mournings?
whie with such vniust complaints accuse you Fortune, & so often doe
appeale death, and destinie of so hainous trespasse? Is it for that
you enuie my happie state, so soone transported from this vntowarde
soile, to a more prosperous felicitie? thus credit mee, and in this
sorte (were it possible he coulde speake to you) woulde hee accuse
you, in which consideration, were there not iust cause thinke you (of
such intemperance) whie you shoulde be greatlie ashamed? Beleeue mee
good Cosin, there is neither profite or liking at all, of this bitter
continuance reaped, you haue alreadie waded sufficientlie in your
teares, you haue mourned for him in earnest loue as beseemed a wife,
it is nowe high time you bee after all this comforted. Thinke that
the greatest storme is by time at length ouerblowne, superfluitie of
coales encreaseth rather heate then flame, the ardencie of affection,
with vehemencie sufficient may be expressed, though not by extremitie
enforced. What shuld I say vnto you? You may not as other foolish
creatures, that are neither gouerned by wit, nor ordered by discretion,
make your selfe a spectacle to the world, but rather with such
temperance (for euen in this extremitie of sorrow, is also planted
a rare patern of modestie) seek in such maner to demean your selfe,
as the lookers on may rather pittie you, by insight of your greate
discretion, then in this sorte to tormente your selfe by a needlesse
supposition. Much more haue I considered with my self, whereby to
satisfie my greeued imaginations, in which beeing recomforted, and
reposed in my secrete thoughtes, I haue deemed it necessarie hereby to
imparte the same vnto you, beseeching that as well in regarde of your
selfe, as the little pleasure your friendes haue to behoulde you in
this straunge kinde of perplexitie, you will enioy the fruites thereof
with such sufficient contentment and satisfaction as verie heartilie I
doe wish vnto you. And euen so tendring my selfe in all thinges to your
curteous and gentle vsage, I doe heartily bid you farewell, S. this of
&c.
=Touching these |Consolatorie Epistles|. It is to bee intended that
ouer and besides the examples formerly deliuered, their vse is also
in causes of banishment, losse of parentes, goods, or friends, in
times of imprisonment, slander, persecution, sicknesse, in miserable
olde age, or plagued by disobedience, in ill successe of mariages,
in pouertie, and finally in whatsoeuer griefe of minde, trouble, or
aduersitie. In each of all which is as I said before, vsed a great
efficacie of perswasion for the mittigation of the same, by laying
the troubles and vncertain state of the world, with innumerable euils
annexed to the turning whéele thereof, the communitie of the mischiefe
to all, who though not with the selfe same, yet in some sorte or other
are alike disquieted, that the best way to expell the griefe thereof,
is by meditation of our estates, the condition wherein we liue, the
ineuitable force of that which is befallen vs, which because wee are
worldlinges must néedes in like sorte betide vs, howe neare thereby
wee may bee drawne in contempte of earthlie vanities, the inticing
baites, whereof are enuenomed with so manie and sharpe poysons, that
troubles are sent vnto vs from God, to call vs thereby home vnto him,
that they are the scourges of our disobedience, that by such meanes
wee are discerned to bee his children, that by pacient sufferance,
and entertainment of our harmes, we do nearest approch vnto him, who
beeing in humane shape on earth, conuersing with men, was persecuted,
slaundered, tooke vpon him the most despised estate of pouertie, and
by cruell death was constrained, that they who are cloyed with most
aboundance, haue therefore the greater charge laide vppon their neckes,
and that no one then they are nearest to destruction, the height of
whose estate, oftentimes occasioneth their vntimely deaths: finally,
that it were bootlesse to striue against their forces, in that we
thereby seem ignorant of Gods pleasure and ordinance, who working all
things vnto the best, knoweth perchaunce the punishment to be most
fittest for vs, wherewith if we were not entangled, we might happilie
forgette him, and become carelesse regarders of his high and mightie
excellency. So and in such maner may we wade in these actions, whereof
hauing now deliuered sufficient, wee will adde hereunto one example
more, and therewith of this title conclude.=
_An Example consolatorie, pleasantly
written to one, who had buried
his olde wife._
The posting newes hitherwarde of the late decease of my good old
mistris your wife, hath made me in the verie going away of mine ague
fit, to strain my selfe to greet you by these letters. In the inditing
wherof, I manie time praied in my thoughts, that I were as readilie
deliuered of this my tertian feuer, as your selfe are in mine opinion
deliuered by such meanes of a hateful and verie foule encombrance.
I doubt not sir, but you doe nowe take the matter heauilie, being
thereby dispossessed as you are of such an intollerable delight, as
wherewith you were continually cloied by the nightlie embracements of
so vnweldie a carcase. I haue, I must confesse, verie seldome known
you for anie thing to mourne, neuerthelesse, if by such meanes you be
happily constrained to change countenance, I haue prepared a golden
boxe wherein I meane to consecrate all the teares you shed for that
accident, to _Berecynthia_ the beldame of the Gods, as a relique of
your great kindship and curtesie.
Beleeue mee T. I am sorie that mine ague had not lefte mee, and that
I were not nowe in L. with thee, were it but to viewe thy lookes and
manlike behauiour, after so harde a bickering and incounter wherein
thou was berefte a hearte of golde so daintie, as I promise thee to
some graue sober fellowe, might haue become pretie conceited, and a
verie sweete pigges nie. Well T. thou must needes loose her, _ferendum
est quod mutari non possit_, bee not sadde I pray thee, wee will finde
out a better match wherewith to delghite thee. Thou must consider that
it is requisite that all thinges shoulde bee done with indifferencie,
shee hath lefte a thousande pounde in goodes, and a C. markes by yeare
vnto thee, let that content thee: what though she was not maried a
moneth to thee, thou must be a pacient man, her long continuance with
so much wealth might peraduenture haue glutted thee. The gods haue
become more fauourable to thy young yeares, then thy selfe doest
consider of. Shee might I knowe haue liued longer time for age, (for
foure skore yeares olde I graunt is nothing) the woman also in verie
good plight too, by Saint Margerie: but what of that, wee must, as
I saide before, beare with necessitie. I praie God thou beest not
ouercome with sorrowe, but thou maist take it quietlie. There bee men
in the worlde that are so carelesse of their fortune, and so verie
fooles in their wishing, as they coulde content themselues greatlie to
bee in the like predicamente with thee: but thou I assure my selfe art
of a cleane contrarie opinion, sweare no more good T. I am perswaded
alone that it vtterly discontenteth thee. But hearest thou, plaie not
the madde man for all that, I will rather comfort thee my self, then
that thou shouldest die for sorrow.
One thing greatlie misliketh mee, I heard saie thou tookest an othe
vpon her death bed neuer to marie againe? See howe loue may leade mē?
Good God it is strange? I promise thee I could hardly be perswaded thou
didst so, without I shuld hear thee swear it. Be not so sottish good
boy, remēber thy self, and think on the _P_hilosophers words: _non
nobis solum nati sumus_. Thou maist haue a wife man, and become the
father of ninetie nine children perchaunce ere thou die. Forsweare thou
nothing good T. but building of monasteries and entring into religion,
for these my selfe dare vndertake thou neuer wilt nor meantest to doe,
I woulde faine talke longer with thee, but I am wearie, and therefore
intende to leaue the expectation of the rest, till I fortune to see
thee. Fare (as otherwise thou canst not chuse) well, hauing neither
olde wife nor feuer, wherewith to encomber thee. At S. this of &c.
=What answere may be returned to all or any of these Letters, is to be
expected according to the griefe or presente condition of the partie.
The efficacie of the one whereof may bee such, as endureth small
arguing, and the inclination of the other so plausible, as beareth
with whatsoeuer may sounde vnto them comforting. But for because the
labour were endlesse to measure by writing, the affections of each
one in particular, I will onely set downe for this one fourme, the
generalitie wherof may be inferred to the circumstances of any other.
A Letter |Responsorie| therefore vnto anie of these Epistles, should in
the generall parts thereof containe (as séemeth me) a |Remuneration| or
friendlie acceptance of their good wils, that so haue béene imploied
in comforting, and (if the partie so thinke meete, or the occasion so
standeth) to commend the wisedome, learning, fauour, care or liking of
him that so writeth, and therein also the good effects, the same haue
wrought, if some things (that may bee alledged) did not impugn it,
shewing his counsel is far lesse vehement then our euill, and therfore
swayeth not in respect therof, in our minds, so much as might haue done
with many others. In conclusion, that we acknowledge neuerthelesse
his great discretion therin, & that deserued account of his trauell.
Each of which places, howe they are to be distributed appeareth in the
example following.=
_A Letter Responsorie to be conferred to an
Epistle Consolatorie._
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]