to offer a golden saddle to an Asses backe: yet (not that I thinke
either the Sowe worthie of the pearles, or the Asse fit for the saddle)
I haue written vnto you, the one cause to manifest vnto you the vile
and bad parts of your sonne whereof you will take no notice, and of
which this Letter herein closed shall beare sufficient testimonie: the
other for charities sake, to admonish you which are his father, that
by your timelie looking to those matters, you may winde him from that,
which by small sufferance will breed your woes, and his irrecuperable
destruction, I haue vnderstood that hauing beene found heretofore in
the like pilfering with two Masters that he serued, and the secrete
information thereof beeing brought to your eares, you misliked his
courtesie that tolde you, iustified the matter to bee false that was
deliuered you, and not so much as examining the action, (which a good
father would haue done by all manner of industrie) you allowed your
sonne for honest, and affirmed that it was vnpossible hee should
enter into anie such theeuerie. If I see the childe of such a father
come to an euill ende, I will not maruell at all, seeing that besides
the ordinarie inclinations alreadie graffed in his young yeares, his
parentes are content by winking at it, to giue him furtheraunce, and
in a manner to affirme it shall so bee, in so much as thereby seemeth,
the sonne hath sworne hee will neuer liue honestlie, and the father
hath promised that hee will set him forwarde to _Tiburne_, for his
villainie. Is it reason that men (of zeale and conscience) should
goe about to pittie their misfortunes, who haue protested neuer by
compassion to preuent in themselues, the iust and appropriate rewarde
of their owne euilles? What shall I say to the vnhappie father of such
a sonne, or rather vnhappie childe of such a father, whether shall I
forewarne him or you, the one purposing, the other animating, to what
vnto each of you in the ende muste become a particular desolation?
Trulie these thinges will not continue, they can not long holde. Well
(not in respect that eyther of you haue deserued so much at my handes)
but for pities sake, I am content to beare with your infirmities, and
(so you will not vrge mee to your owne harmes, by your courteous,
though not so much as honest vsage, for honestie willeth I shoulde haue
mine owne againe, or recompence) will part with my losses: but yet
therewithall warne you (to which ende I haue written this Letter) that
you preuent your mischiefes betimes, you doe consider the successe of
your owne harmes. So long the potte goeth to the Riuer, that at last
it commeth broken home, euerie man will not deale with you as I doe.
It can not bee, but you must needes knowe, nay rather bee a partaker
of your sonnes euilles, howe euer you dissemble with the worlde, and
face out the matter before people. Take heede I say, God when hee
striketh, smiteth home, you will else repent it, for it will none
otherwise bee. Because I haue yet some hope, that by driuing into your
conceyte the enormitie hereof, and discouering the packe, which you
saide was lockt vp from your seeing, that at the least wise for the
feare of God, and to saue him from the gallowes, you will endeuour to
chastise him. I haue sent this bearer, who can infourme you of the
truth, time and place, of that which you goe about to shrowde vp so
couertlie, and if afterwardes you will not bridle him, I protest his
shamelesse foreheade must bee corrected by iustice, and the lawes must
further passe vppon. Surelie not for enuie of the person, but for the
shamelesse browe hee beareth, as one that had done none offence, to
prouoke mee by euill vsage to blaze his faultes, that otherwise by good
counsell, woulde haue couered them: I thinke it a deede meritorious
to haue him punished, if you haue a desire as a father to cherish him,
haue a regarde as a friend betimes to correct him, otherwise you shall
sooner see him come to shame, then anie waies climbe vnto credite. But
for ought I can heare, both father & mother are so addicted to the
bolstring of his doings, as that it seemeth they haue alreadie vowed
their infamie to the world, and his life to the gallowes: good counsell
may do much, and though in taste I seeme a bitter enemie, the proofe in
triall shall be better then of a fawning friend.
_An example reprehensorie wherein a man of wealth sufficient is
reprehended for mariage of his daughter, to the riches
of an olde wealthie Miser._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
[Sidenote: _Metonomia._]
[Sidenote: _Propositiō._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
Sir, I am not a little grieued for the loue I owe you, to see that
in these ripe yeares of yours, wherein men commonly are freight with
discretion, you neuertheles do verie indiscreetlie goe about to
compasse a matter so repugnant to reason, or any maner of considerate
and sage aduisement, as whereat the worlde can but woonder, and whereof
all that know you, or by any meanes may vnderstand of the match, will
no question greatly accuse & for euer condemne you. It is deliuered
with vs here for certain, that you are intended (vpon the doting
affection of a miserable old man, your neighbor, whose yeares are as
well fraught with diseases, and his manacled and benummed old ioynts
with imperfections, as his barred coffers with coine) to marry vnto
him my neece your yoongest daughter vpon a suddaine, and that to the
furtherance thereof, you offered to contribute of your owne store a
reasonable and sufficient portion.
[Sidenote: _Antiphrasis_]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
Trust mee when I heard it at first, I deemed it as a counterfeit ieast,
thinking that the man whom I so wel knew before time, could not on
a sudden become such a paragon, as whereon a maiden of her feature,
youth, accomplishment, and fauor, could so quickly become enamored,
neither thought I that howsoeuer the dotage of the olde man stood as a
conceit to smile at, that you for your part would so much as vouchsafe
to hearken to it, especially at any time so seriously to speake of
it, much lesse to open your purse to become a purchaser of it, or by
constraint at all to enforce her fauors, to giue signe or token anie
waies vnto it.
[Sidenote: _Ecphonesis._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Emphasis._]
[Sidenote: _Prosonomasia._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Metonoia_]
[Sidenote: _Hyperbole._]
Alas sir, was there no one thing more wherein besides you coulde
ouershoote your selfe, but onelie in so bad a purpose, an action so
vnhonest, an intendment so vile, a matter so much impugning nature, as
that the verie earth, or hell it selfe, coulde not belch out againste
the fayre Virgine, so huge and so intolerable a mischiefe, to match
I say, the matchlesse fauour of so young and dayntie a peece to the
filthie, tawnie, deformed and vnseemelie hue of so wretched and ill
fauoured a creature? What nature is this, to worke vnto her, whome of
your owne flesh you haue ingendered, whome so long you haue nourished,
whome to such and so manie perfections you haue trained, vppon a
suddaine, naie euen in one moment, so manifest an occasion to cast
her awaie, not yeelding vnto her heauy censure, so great a benefit as
death, but ten thousand griefes, the least of all which is worse then
any death that may bee, wherein comfortlesse she may complaine, grieue,
and bemoane her selfe without any reliefe at all, but by the precious
price and hazard of her own soule.
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Hypotyposis._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Antiphrasis._]
[Sidenote: _Antiphrasis._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
Howe vnequally doe you deale herein, to render vnto her being scarce
sixteene yeares of age, a husbande enfeebled by fourescore yeares and
vpwards, whose toes are swolne with the gowt, and legs consumed with
the dropsie, whose leane carcase beareth no apparance but of old scars,
and stifned limmes become vnweldie supporters of his pined corps,
whome furs must fence from the least blast of cold, & dew of nappy Ale
cherish with warme fires, whose nightcap carrieth more store of heat,
then al his body doth of agility or strēgth, and nose far more fruitful
then sauory, with distilling drops down trilling from thence in
freshest spring of the ioliest seasons, maketh ill fauored refections.
What wrong do you tender the poore maiden therin? How vnworthy and
far ill beseeming is the same to her, who hath such a father, and
apparantly shal be known to be such a mans daughter? shall you not
therein bee noted of great folly, will not all men laugh at it, pitie
it, crie shame of it, and her selfe poore soule praie to God to reuenge
it.
[Sidenote: _Commoratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Anthypophora._]
It is too much intollerable beleeue mee, that you should endeuour in
this sorte by colour of your Fatherlie authoritie to constraine her,
whome (albeit shee is your owne childe) yet maie you not thus forciblie
compell vnto so vnnaturall an extremitie: Consider with your selfe
howe grieuous the thing you goe about to compasse, may returne vnto
her, and whereas liking and choise is of all other things in case of
marriage to bee accounted most dearest, you not onelie agaynst her
will, do endeuour to induce a breach thereof, but also do giue her
ouer into the handes of such a one, whose inequalitie so far forth
disseuereth frō her appetite as that it cannot otherwise be, but (as
vnto all others, so vnto her chiefly) it must become vnsufferable. Haue
you no more care of her that is your daughter, but when nowe you haue
brought her to the passe, wherein shee should participate the vertuous
and modest vse of that, whereunto her yeares haue adapted her, and for
which ende and purpose, marriage was by Gods sacred ordinance at the
first ordayned, in steede of a louing and contented husbande, to giue
her a withered olde Truncke, in lue of sweete and mutuall societie, to
wedde her to sorrowe and euerloathed griefe, to endow her with larger
profite then with honest contentment, thinke you that shee is a stone,
that her senses from others are different in their right operation
and qualities, that shee more or lesse, or in stranger sort then anie
others, can become therein more forcible, or lesse iniuried? No sir,
assure your selfe, you must needes heape vp no other but extremities
vppon her, it cannot bee but if you proceed herein, you must of force
vndoo her, the ende and conclusion is so vtterlie bad, as it cannot be
remooued.
[Sidenote: _Peroratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
Returne then vnto your selfe, and thinke herein what best beseemeth
your daughter, remember that what you take in hande in that action
is vngodlie, iniust, seuere, and vnnaturall, that in giuing such a
husband, you shall giue her (without the greater grace of God) and
him both to the diuell. Consider, that you are with pietie, and to
a Christian purpose and ende, to moderate your authoritie, weigh
with your selfe that the couetousnes wherwith you are ouercome is no
purchase to her of safety. And ballancing all these in the waight and
cords of equalitie, withdraw your selfe, and by such meanes become
disswaded from so great an absurditie. So may you the more easilie
performe that vnto her belongeth, as a kinde and louing father, and for
the profite by this trauell reaped at your hands, bind her and all vs
with greater feruencie, to loue you. Whereon concluding the scope of
all my former desires, I end, &c.
_An Epistle reprehensorie to a young
Gentleman._
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
About seuen dayes passed, I receyued Letters from my Brother N. the
long expectation whereof, and desire I had to bee infourmed of your
well dooing, made mee inwardly reioyce at the first viewe of them,
supposing that as I deliuered you out of my handes, I should still haue
found you in the same predicament, without alteration, or so much as
anie surmize of that wherof I haue beene thereby aduertised.
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
It is long since indeede that you were with mee, at which time you were
in manner a childe, neuertheles in those tender yeares so towardlie
giuen, and of so milde and gentle disposition, as there was great
cause whie then I should esteeme of you, and much matter offered to
all others that knewe yee, whereupon to commend you: But nowe if it
bee true as I am informed, your actions are turned quite contrarie,
you are become a chaungeling, you are no more the same, but another
in qualitie, minde and operation. If this bee so, you haue surelie
taken a wrong course, in exchaunge of vertue, to make choise of vice:
in steede of laudable exercises, to admit a number of lewd qualities:
in place of good and honest vsage, to enter into a life vnciuill,
lewde and sauage: your companie keeping is (as is reported) without
anie order, your studies are carelesse, your pastime recklesse, your
tabling drunkennesse, your liuing vnthriftinesse: finallie, blushing
before time at all thinges, for their noueltie, you dare boldlie nowe
to aduenture anie thing bee it with neuer so great infamie. These
things, my good Coosen, I must tell you are vnfit for a Gentleman,
and much ill beseeming that education of yours, whereunto they were
neuer accustomed. From these, if you will doe aright, you are nowe
to weld your speedie course, and quicklie to depart, calling to your
remembrance, that what approcheth the condition of euerie ordinarie
person is not meete for your credite, and what in men of common account
appeareth to bee no blemish is in your reputation helde to be a great
and notable faultinesse.
[Sidenote: _Hirmos._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
When men desire to bee well famed, and by true renowne to rise
vnto worthinesse, they flie sloath, and giue themselues to auoyde
all occasions of Idlenesse, they endeuour to become painefull and
industrious to couet thinges of highest accompt, and to bee in companie
with the most vertuous. Their credite hath no supporte by vanities,
they seeke not their reputation among raunnagates, they conuerse
not with Tauerne-haunters, and bibbers, they liue not with men of
vilde accompt, dissolute and vngratious, such kinde of meanes (as
insufficient to glorie) they deeme wretched and opprobrious.
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
You nowe if you would bee such as you ought to bee, must also pursue
the tracte of these, the sweetenesse and delicacie whereof (if but a
little you will pierce into the sowre and harsh taste of the other)
you shall quicklie conceiue, marke but the praise, benefites, estimate
and good reporte, entertained with the one; and on the other side, the
discredite, shame, discommoditie, and vile reckoning alwaies made of
the other, and then iudge by your owne decernement, howe much and howe
greatlie you are ledde awrie, in thus careleslie roaming vppon others
vilities, and concluding with your selfe vppon the ill conceipt that
all good men haue of such hatefull and disorderlie kinde of liuing,
returne betimes, ere too late, for want of good aduisement, you
foolishlie begin to crie out of your winning.
_Principiis obsta, sero medicina paratur,_
_Cum mala per longas conualuere moras._
First stop the cause, too late doth phisicke come,
When euils smal, to great (by sufferance) run.
Credite me (whome euer you haue knowne to fauour you) the disgrace that
quickly you shall sustaine, if betimes you relent not these euils, wil
to a good mind become so vile and so odious as not without great sorow
and griefe, may bee wiped away. I disguise not with you in that I saie,
for you shall finde it and proue it to be true. It is a shame for any
man in those yeares, wherin of al others his towardnes should chiefly
be effected, to be accompted then bad, vilde, lewd, and ill demeaned,
much more for a Gentleman, whose education was so good, whose infancy
so well trained, whose adolescency so formerly with al kind of vertues
indued, to become, now when most discretion should swaie in him, worse
then before, more disordered then when hee was to be corrected, lesse
commended in his owne gouernment then when he was vnder anothers
intertainment.
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
The loue that I beare vnto you, maketh mee the more largelye heereof
to enfourme you, which for that I deeme not of anie ill seede sprong
out of your owne nature, to bee growne vppe into such kernels, I doe
thereby adiudge, that with more facilitie they maie be disseuered, the
braunches I knowe are of others wearing, which I neuer wish to bee
so farre foorth lyked, as to become of your owne gathering. From the
inconuenience whereof, I hitherto haue studyed thus much to withdrawe
you, as hee that most of all desireth aboue anie other to enioie you.
The haste of the messenger, and wearinesse of writing enforce mee
to leaue. God, who is the conductor of all happie endeuours, blesse
you, and till I heare from you againe, my selfe will exspect the best
reformation that any good opinion may induce in mee, as yet to conceyue
of you. Fare you well, this of. &c.
_Of Epistles Amatorie. Chap. 19._
=Diuers other patternes of sundrie occasions concluded vnder this
Tytle, might besydes these heere bee put downe, whereof because I haue
so largelie spoken in the discourse before these Epistles, I thinke
the examples alreadie proponed to bee sufficient. And nowe the last of
all these diuisions yet vnspoken of is |Amatorie|, whereof because the
humours of all sortes with loue possessed, are so infinite and so great
an vncertaintie in them remaineth, as that perchance euen in yᵉ verie
writing of his letter, the louer himself is somtimes scarce certain
of his own intended purpose therein, the lesse must of necessitie
be the precepts of the same, for that in some of them wee require
and entreate in others expostulate the matters and occasions falling
in the necke therof, other times complaine, another while fawne and
speake faire, then purge or cleare an accusation supposed agaynst vs.
Finallie, innumerable are the deuises wherewith the reynes of loue are
conducted. But in as much as I haue heretofore giuen vnto all other
titles their seuerall preceptes, I will somwhat also in this place
speake to the purpose thereof: In which I must first referre the writer
vnto the consideration of the honestie of the action by him pretended
to be written of, and then for the places of request, complaint,
expostulation, or auoydance of anie thing therein happening to the
waight of his owne affection, which how vehemently, or slenderly it
weigheth, himselfe can best testifie, and lastly, for the well ordering
of either of these, to the examples |Petitorie, Expostulatorie,
Defensorie|, and |Excusatorie| in this booke plentifullie deliuered,
wherein howbeit the matter of loue is no wayes expressed, yet to anie
capable or wel disposed conceit, the conueyance thereof cannot in the
selfe exchange of the subiect be without some import vnto them.=
=In this place there might also bee made a distinction of loue where
in a |Sympathie| of minds from man to man aswell vniteth togither by
an indissoluble league of amitie their hearts in one, as betwéene man
and woman, and that for the most part by a far more waightie league,
and more inuiolable discretion. But sith the alteration thereof, as it
much differeth in qualitie from the other, is also alike exchaunged by
title, that one tearmed by the name of |Friendship|, and this other
chalenging onelie to be deciphered by |Loue|, these amours in this
definition shall onely be intended such, as are modestly tendered from
men vnto women, and so accordingly herein to be exampled and written
vpon.=
=And howbeit the little experience I haue had of some conuersing in
this kinde of studie, hath sufficientlie taught mee to knowe, that the
verie instinct or setled impression of this kinde of fantasie is such
a Schoolemaister to inuention, and so cunning a refiner of any well
disposed conceit, as that with very small help, it thereby commonlie
performeth much more then well could bee otherwise intended. To the
helping and putting forwardes whereof, a number of excellent penned
discourses onelie pertinent and seruing to the efficacie of those
amours, are with the greatest singularitie that may bee deliuered, yet
in so much as this booke taking vpon it to set foorth of euerye the
tytles therein distinguished, some one or other particular example,
may not by the defect of these, seeme to haue anie want of that,
which by it hath bin formerlie promised. I haue thought good for order
sake, to pursue also in this place, the effect of this Methode. The
circumstances whereof by the examples following shall bee tendered.=
_An example of an Epistle, for the first entreatie
of good will_.
The long and considerate regarde, by which in deepe contemplation I
haue eyed your most rare and singular vertues, ioyned with so admirable
beautie, and much pleasing condition graffed in your person, hath
mooued me good Mistresse E. among a number whome entirely I knowe to
fauour you, earnestlie to loue you, and therewith to offer my selfe
vnto you. Nowe howbeit I may happilie seeme in some eyes, the least in
woorthines of a number that daylie frequent you, yet may you vouchsafe
in your owne priuate to reckon mee with the greatest in willingnesse,
wherein, if a seded and immooueable affection towardes you, if feruent
and assured loue grounded vpon the vndecaiable stay and proppe of
your vertues, if continuall, nay rather inexterminable vowes, in
all perpetuitie addicted vnto your seruices, if neuer ceasing and
tormenting griefe vncertainlie carried, by a hazardous expectation,
closed in the circle of your gracious conceyte, whether to bring vnto
the eares of my soule a sweet murmure of life, or seuere sentence of
a present death, may ought at all preuaile either to mooue, entreate,
sue, solicite, or perswade you, I then am the man, who shrining in my
inwarde thoughts, the dignitie of so woorthie a creature, and prising
in deepest weight (though not to the vttermost value) the estimate of
so incomparable a beatie, haue resolued liuing to honor you, and dying
neuer to serue other but you, from whose delicate looks, expecting
no worse acceptance, then may seeme answerable to so diuine an
excellencie, I remaine.
_Your most passionate, loyall and
perpetually deuoted, &c._
=This example seeming to be in the superlatiue degree, it is intended
that the direction thereof or the like, shoulde passe vnto such a
one, whose birth, education, or other complements, maie sufficientlie
answere the greatnesse and efficacie thereof, otherwise to one meanlie
demeaned, or farre lesse enabled, to indite or offer the like, it might
seeme vnto the writer, a great indignitie, as well in iudgement, as by
an apparant want of some other sufficiencie. For which I thought good
to admonish thus farre in this place, howbeit in the seconde Chapter
of this booke, I haue touching a respect in all writing to bee had
vnto the partie, his partes, place and qualitie, plentifullie alreadie
discoursed.=
_Another example to that purpose._
Good Mistresse E. I am bolde though a straunger, to make these Letters,
messengers at this present of my good meaning towards you, wherein you
may please to thinke that I goe not about by pretence of a most entire
and heartie good will which I professe to beare you, to make present
surmise thereupon, that on so bare an assertion you should immediately
credite me, I prise your worthinesse at farre greater value, and weigh
your good allowance so much, as I onelie desire, that by your fauorable
liking I may intreate to haue accesse vnto you, not doubting but by my
being in your presence, I shall so sufficientlie by apparant proofe
maintaine the efficacie of that I now protest, and giue you so good
occasion to deeme well of mee, as you shall haue no reason to repent
you, that vpon so honest and louing request you haue condiscended to
my entreatie. Whose health and prosperitie tendering in all things as
mine owne, I sende you with my Letter a token of that great affection I
beare you, which I most heartilie praie you to accept of, and weare for
mee. And euen so doe continue.
Yours, if so you please to accept of me, &c.
_An answere to the first of these Epistles._
That men haue skill, and are by sundrie commendable partes enabled
to set foorth their meaning, there needeth, as I thinke no other
testimonie then your presente writing, your eloquence is farre beyonde
the reach of my poore witte, and the multiplicitie of your praises
fitter for a Poeticall Goddesse, then to the erection of anie such
earthlie Deesse. For my parte, I houlde them as the fancies and toies
of men, issuing from the weakest of their humours, and howe farre my
selfe can deserue, none then my selfe can better conceiue. Beeing one
of good sorte, as you are, I coulde doe no lesse then write againe vnto
you, the rather to satisfie the importunitie of your messenger, wishing
such a one to your lot as wel might paragonize those excellencies your
write of, and answere euerie waie vnto the substaunce of all those
inestimable prayses. So hauing, your loue and your writing, might (as I
take it) bee best suted togethers.
Yours, as far as modesty will, to aun-
swere your curtesies, &c
_A replie to the same answere._