inwarde happines, sweete were the lines you wrote, God wot vnto mee
your seruant howe comfortable, and how precious, knowing that their
premeditation had issue from those your peerlesse excellencies, & the
touch of those letters passed the guidance of your delicat hands, how
sharp or powerful soeuer be the weight of the same, the lesse shall be
the griefe, in that she whom I honour and estimate aboue all others,
hath vouchsafed to wish vnto my lot, y accōplishmēt of all those
excellencies, which none but her self can paragonize, and wherein she
onelie goeth beyond all others. Vouchsafe (sweete Mistris) that what
vnto you is intended to bee pleasing, may not seeme disgraced, by the
ornamente of _Eloquence_, the Soueraigne and praise-woorthie _Glorie_
whereof, beautifieth both speeches and reasons. Too dulle are my
senses (I confesse) to blaze foorth the weight of your merites, your
accomplishmentes beeing so manifold, as whereout (if euer anie earthlie
Deesse by anie excellencie were deriued) the same might bee thought
to haue alonlie proceeded. You may please of my loue to deeme as of
your owne deseuinges the foundation whereof cannot bee so slender, as
whereon so weake a thinge as fancie shoulde bee grounded. But as your
_vertues_ are permanent, so may you iudge of my loue to be perpetuall.
Let it once more accord with your curteous consent, that these letters
with the first may haue the like fauourable acceptaunce, whereby you
shall kindle in mee no other or greater presumption, then what best
fitteth vnto the woorthinesse both of your _vertue_ and calling. With
heartes longing and sighes sending, my Letters, and well wishinges
speede them togethers, crauing that you will euer holde and deeme of
me, as of him that in all protested faith, loue and loyaltie, is and
will bee alwaies.
Yours, &c.
_An answere vnto the second Letter._
Sir, your message is vnto mee as strange as your selfe, who are vnto
me a stranger, & what your good meaning vnto me is, I knowe not,
for giuing of hastie credite to your assertions, as you seem not
to chalenge it, so was I neuer hetherto of my self so hastie to do
it, hauing eftsoones bene taught, that of fairest speaches ensueth
often the fowlest actions: I cannot condemne your purpose, because I
entende the best of your dealings, and howbeit I am in no point so
restrained, but that in all reasonable sort that may be, anie accesse
may be granted: so when you shall by further notice sufficientlie make
apparant that with modestie I may doe it, I shall bee willing so farre
foorth as my yeares and present beeing, may minister occasion, in anie
thankfull requitall that may bee to yeelde my selfe vnto you. Till
which time I returne your token againe and my hartie thankes vnto you
by this bearer.
Your friend as one vnacquainted
hetherto may be, &c.
THE SECOND PART OF
the English Secretorie.
_Of Epistles Iudiciall. Chap 1._
=As I haue already exampled vnto you all sortes of |Epistles|,
contained vnder the two titles of |Demonstratiue|, and |Deliberatiue|:
So by the order and disposition formerlie vsed, it behooueth (as nexte
in course) I doe nowe come vnto the title |Iudiciall|. Why this title
is so called, I haue in that other booke alreadie deliuered. So that
nowe it may séeme fit, that herein as in the other twaine before going,
we deliberate what order and places for the well handling and proper
conueyance of |Epistles|, are principallie to be obserued.=
=You shall then vnderstand, that for so much as the efficacie of
this title is wholie caried in cause of |Accusation|, |Inuectiue|,
|Charge|, or |defence|, the matters whereof are wholie censured by
lawe, by common reputation, by custome, by authoritie or by iudgement,
the |Rhetoricians|, for the more excellent setting foorth of the
|Oratoriec| partes hereof, haue vnto the generalitie of the same,
allotted thrée states or principall heades, whereout by imitation, all
our |Epistles| vnder this title are wholie to be caried. The first is
called |Coniecturall|, that is, where a matter by coniecture onlie of
time, place, estate, or condition of the person, or other likelihoodes
to the same agréeing, may be supposed or enforced.=
=The second is |Iuridicial|, wherein not by coniecture, but by matter
in action, sentence, lawe, or iudgemente, wee aggrauate the cause in
question, in which remaineth the qualitie, circumstance, or greatnes
to be decided, and howe vehementlie or slenderlie it hurteth or
importeth.=
=The third is tearmed _Legitima_, which by |Lawes|, customes, common
vsage, or |allowance|, defineth a thing to bee good or bad, tolerable
or not to be suffered. Out of these heades ariseth the plentie of all
our following diuisions, which also hereafter are in their places to
be collected, the first whereof, containing matter of |Accusation|
or |Charge|, may be saide to be |Accusatorie|, |Expostulatorie|,
|Exprobratorie|, |Comminatorie| and |Inuectiue|. The Second, beeing
|Responsorie| to either of these, may be saide to be |Excusatorie|,
|Purgatorie|, |Defensorie| or |Deprecatorie|. The compasse aswell of
the one as the other, either for matters |accused, obiected, purged,
excused, entreated for|, or |Defended|, are simply or wholie included
vnder all or one of these heads before remembred.=
=The efficacie of either of these, aswell for inforcementes, as for
clearing or auoydance of anie matter do séeme to be drawne, _per
locos absolutes_, places absolute, and _locos assumptiuos_, places
assumptiue.=
=_Loci absoluti_ are such, as containe in them enforcementes not to be
auoided, whether it be in charge, matter |inuectiue|, or |defence|, for
that they are collected of vnauoidable groundes, that is to say, of
|Nature|, |Lawe|, |Custome|, |Contract|, |common allowance|, |Righte|,
|Lawfull| and |Good Sentence| and |Iudgement|. These aswell to the
state |Iuridiciall|, as to the other of _legitima_, are alike ordinarie
and common, this onely difference, that in that of |Iuridicial|, they
are all enforced to condemnation: in that of _legitima_, censured by
their qualitie, vse or toleration.=
=_Loci assumptiui_, are only collections by coniecture, and not matter
in certainty, but such as may be vrged by likelihoods yet greatly
enforce to accusation, and serue alike to mitigate by defence or
excusing, this to the state |Coniecturall|, and this of Juridiciall doe
remaine alike common.=
=The parts and places |Cōiectural|, for the heaping of likelihoods,
either to accuse, excuse, purge or defend, haue respect vnto the
|Wil, dispositiō|, or |ability| of any one. The |Wil| is searched by
the outward quality or condition of a man, by his readines, hate,
affection, or mislike to a thing, |Dispositiō|, by the country or soil
wherein one is borne, as if wee shoulde say at this presente of a
forraine aduersarie, |Hee is a Spaniard, how can hee beare good will
to England?| By his ofspring, as if we should saie, |Being born, and
bred of lewde parents, how can the issue be good.| By his education, as
thus, |He was so looselie trained vp, and so vilelie inured, that there
is no hope at all to be in him expected.| By his studies, as to saie,
|Consider but the application of his whole manner of liuing, weigh
his continuall practises, see but into his particular and ordinarie
studies, and then tell mee what you may iustlie suppose of the
residue of his beeing|. And likewise by sundrie other circumstances.
|Abilitie| is vrged by |Oportunitie|, by |Time| and |Place|, |Aydes| or
|Supportes|, and the means of either of these, measured by the credite,
affection, want, companie, conceit, or instabilitie of the person we
goe about to accuse, excuse, purge or defend.=
=Thus haue I largelie deliuered vnto you, the sum and scope of
what in speciall to be intended vnder this title, the vse and more
particular shew whereof shall bee by their seuerall Epistles more
amplie explaned vnto you. And howbeit I could here a little dwel by
some continued discourse, in the commendable aduancement vnto you of
the woorthinesse of this present part we haue now in hand of well
writing, wherein not onelie these places alreadie remembred, but in a
manner all other partes of the |Deliberatiue| and |Demonstratiue| kinde
are most plentifullie accited: Yet will I but remember vnto you howe
effectuallie by the well handling of anie the particulars therunto
belonging, and howe farre more singularlie then in anie others, the
excellencie of a good witte and a quicke, and fine inuention is most
fullie deciphered, feeling that in the occurrents heereof, the writer
is neuer tyed to anie one course in particular, but hath scope to wade
into all things in generall.=
=For that by the verie order of these Epistles, hee shall sundrie
times haue occasion to vse the partes |Descriptorie, Laudatorie,
Vituperatorie, Hortatorie, Swasorie, Disswasorie, Petitorie, Monitorie,
Conciliatorie, Reprehensorie|, and at many times diuers or the most
part of them altogithers. Wherefore leauing any further respect hereof,
vnto the ready conceite of such as thereunto may bee enabled, we will
proceed vnto the rest.=
=The partes for |Disposition| required in these Epistles, are as in
the others before going, that is to saie: |Exordium, Narratio|, or
_Propositio_, _Confirmatio_, _Confutatio_, and _Peroratio_.=
=The first of the distinctions vnder this part Iudiciall to be
prosecuted, appeareth to be |Accusatorie|, which either simplie by
coniectures, or by matter of knowne or verily supposed troth, as you
haue before remembred, or both wayes at once, may bee conueyed. Whereof
the first in sequence which I will deliuer vnto you for example, shall
be in the state coniecturall, which being framed to be questionable
betwéene a Merchant and his seruant, falleth out in sort following to
be performed.=
_An example of an Epistle Accusatorie in the state Coniecturall, from
a merchant to the father of his seruant._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
Sir, you will perchaunce maruell to see the sudden accesse of these my
letters vnto you, togither with the hastie repaire of my man, (such as
heretofore hath not beene accustomed betweene you and me, sithence our
formost acquaintance) but to stay that doubt, and to enforme you at
large, what vrgent occasion I haue so to doe, it may please you with
as little discontentment as may bee, to giue your selfe to the view of
these Letters, and thereupon to censure on my behalfe the matter of the
same accordinglie.
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
Your sonne sir, who nowe these three yeares passed to your good lyking
hath continued in my seruice, and whome your selfe doe verie well
knowe, that for the reputation of his parentes and friendes, I alwayes
for the most part haue entertayned with especiall trust and regarde,
beeing this last Summer returned out of Barbarie, with an aduenture
in a shippe of mine owne, I did vpon great choyce, immediatelie after
his account deliuered, place in the ouersight, disposition and rule
of all my whole goodes, stocke, and Merchandise. And in expectation
and assurance of his especiall and more then ordinarie care and good
behauiour therein, did about September last (vppon a iourney which I
had to the North partes with diuerse of my nearest friendes, whereby I
was compelled to bee foorth by the space of two Monethes) commit vnto
his like credites, the custodie of diuers summes of money alreadie
receyued, as also the collection and further receyte of sundrie other
paymentes of great waight, at the dayes and times wherein they were
payable, by him to my vse to bee reserued and layde vp, sithence
which, by what sinister humour I knowe not, nor by what vntoward
conceit can I yet imagine, in the time of my absence, and a little
before my returne homewards, hee is gone away, no man knoweth whither.
Vpon the newes whereof being greatly aflighted, I haste to his counting
house, search his bookes of receits and paiments, and there withall
breake open his deske and coffers, in which after all reckoninges
fullie perused and considered of, I find my selfe to bee backewards of
diuers allowances, the certainty whereof I cannot yet determine, but
the greatnesse by the likelihoode, is verie vehemently to be suspected,
by reason that in this sort, without anie other occasion he is fled,
and from so great a charge without knowledge of anie one about me, so
suddenly departed.
What presumptions I haue, and those verie large, by such kinde of
dealing, whereby I may iustly burthen him, you may heereby coniecture,
as first his disposition, giuen (as sithence hath verie crediblie bin
reported vnto me) to be verie prodigall, & of most excessiue expence,
then the occasion offered by such immoderate confidence in him reposed:
next, the vncontrolled rule hee bare throughout all my dealings:
lastlie the time and secrecie of his departure, beeing thus hasted in
mine absence, and here withall some such things which are missing, as
whereof none were priuie but himselfe, and whereunto no accesse could
bee without himselfe. Insomuch as the losse which I reckon of, and
wherefro I can yet finde no release, by reason of this his vnknowne
departure, cannot (for ought I hitherto perceiue) amount to so little
as CC.li.
By some fewe that since his going away haue encountred with him,
it appeareth, that not onelie he is well monied, but also of his
iourneying Westward, whereby I am led to thinke his resort to be no
way so likelie, as to you which are his father, or to some other his
friends there about you. For which cause I haue directed these togither
with my man, as well to referre vnto your consideration what hath
passed, as also to pray that by your due search and examination of the
action, both his person may be answered, and my suspition of him the
better and more manifestly be cleared: and euen so recommending my
selfe and cause to the furtherance of your good direction, I take my
leaue. This of, &c.
=This letter hauing direction from the maister to the father, in
seeming a Gentleman of some good account, we will according thereunto
frame you an answer, which in this place according to the nature
thereof may be tearmed |Excusatorie|. The conueiance of which, either
lesseneth by vehement likelihoods the qualitie of the offence, or
otherwise (though not clearlie auoydeth) yet by the naked truth
or simplicitie of the action it selfe, maketh it seeme of farre
more slender moment or importance, then before it might haue béene
coniectured. And forasmuch as the father was a by partie to the wrong
suggested, and onely in that it was his son, and the reformation of the
thing opposed, might by him in some sort bee redressed or recompenced,
wee will suppose herein the Letter in forme following by him to be
answered, and the residue vnspoken of to be left to the purgation or
defence of the other on whome the fault is charged, and to whome in
particular, it belongeth to sée the same answered.=
_An example excusatorie returned to the effects of this coniectural
epistle, from the father to whome the same was written._
Maister R. I haue receyued your Letter, to no small griefe (at the
first) of my priuate conceyts, but sithence hauing examined the matter
am somewhat deliuered of doubt, by the satisfaction that in search of
the cause I haue alreadie receyued. My sonne (as you write) was here in
the Countrey, at my brothers house, not farre from mine owne dwelling,
and yet so newlie come thither, as he had reposed himselfe but one
night ere the sight of your present Letters and messenger were arriued.
To the action wherewith you do charge him, I can say nothing more then
that himselfe hath written, which agreeing with the formost speech, and
first examination had by his Vncle, I must hold as yet vndetermined
till I heare your further answer. For the coniectures you haue
deliuered, whereby to induce that you are a greater looser by him then
without further grounde I can hitherto imagine. I aunswere thus much,
that the alteration were verie strange, and humour too sudden, to finde
him now so lauish, whom before time your selfe haue commended to bee so
frugall, and especiallie in whatsoeuer to his charge and gouernment
hath by you beene committed.
To the residue I will be silent, because himselfe that first bredde the
occasion appeareth meetest to answere it.
If I heare not from you before the middle of this tearme, my intent
is by Gods grace to bee at London, where your apprentice and my sonne
shall be in person forth comming vnto you. At which time if I find
farther defects, or more equitie to charge him, contrarying to that
which alreadie haue bin answered by him, he shal not be mine by anie
his ill dealings to be vpholden, but yours as belongeth in any sort you
like to chastise him. And euen so recommending my selfe heartilie vnto
you, I do bid you farewell. This of, &c.
_An example Purgatorie from the partie chalenged in answer of the
Epistle accusatorie before remembred._
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
It may please you sir, on Munday last, beeing the next day after
my comming to my Vncles, he sending to T. to my fathers house to
vnderstand his pleasure, worde was returned immediatelie, of a
messenger and letters receyued from you, whereby it was my fathers
pleasure to commaund me to his presence, and to require mine vncle to
be there present also in companie.
[Sidenote: _Prosonomasia._]
At my comming thither, many things were laid forth as wel by your
writing, as by the mouth of your man, how grieuouslie you were damaged
both by diuers summes wherein you were short in reckoning, and other
thinges by you missing, vppon my running away (as you tearme it) the
muchnesse whereof was not so much enlarged by your letter, as the
ouerlauish deliuerie of your man had to the great encrease of ill
opinion in my father, with diuers vnbeseeming tearmes, augmented the
same.
And nowithstanding I had in mine own conscience sufficientlie, and with
sound appearing trueth to the viewe of others answered the occasion,
yet forasmuch as neither seemed the same a full satisfaction to my
father, nor a matter clearlye auoided towardes you, till in your plaine
and certain notice, I had also confirmed the same, I was commaunded
by him to write what I there affirmed, and accordinglie to aduertize
you of the state of your busines, and inualidity of your coniectures,
that by the verity thereof I might with more liking be reputed of, and
himselfe haue lesse cause then he supposed whereat to be grieued.
To the matter of your letter, whereby I am accused, and in which you
saie you are backward I knowe not in what, it appeareth that for the
finding out of the certaintie or likelihoode thereof you entred vpon my
desk and coffers, and searched my books of account and payments, which
beeing so, if you were as circumspect in my behalfe, as you were in a
rash surmize of your own harmes, you might haue assured yourselfe, for
to haue found no one penie of any summe wanting at all, or where any
was missing, either by exchange at your own appointment, or vpon other
good occasions to haue also seene howe the same was bestowed, or where,
or vpon what it was els where imploied.
[Sidenote: _Metonimia._]
For your better assurance wherein (if hitherto you vnderstande not so
much) my boxe marked with this letter A. lying in the neather parte
of my deske, will confirme the same. And least I might be deceiued in
ought, before your comming, by the sinister practise of some such as
had more enuie at my honest credite with you, than care of your good
(whereof I mistake not at all, if I iudge this _viper_ to be one) I
not onelie reserued notes of euerie thing, caused one whome you will
beleeue (though to what purpose I protest hee then knewe not) not
onelie to tell euerie summe of money remaining in euerie bagge, and
to see the same sealed vp, but also to set his hand to my notes, as
witnesse to the same, so much I knowe I lefte, and of the residue the
declaration of a trueth shall bee witnesse sufficient of mine owne
fidelitie.
Finallie, touching the likelihood of my going awaie without knowledge,
and that also in your absence, to bee a token of some waste or wrōg
to you offered, which you value not to be so litle as CC. poūds, I
trust sir (albeit the sum be great where little remaineth, and if
also it were lesse, it were yet too much to bee lost) your selfe
notwithstanding can tell verie well, that more then once I haue bin
credited with ten times the value of that at your handes, when by great
similitude, I could with more facilitie haue benefited my selfe to a
farre greater value, if I had bin so disposed, then what herein to be
accompted of, and (if so I had beene then also minded) coulde haue been
therewith farther out of your reach then euer I yet entended. And where
you suggest that it is sithence told you of my lauish expence, I can
thereunto say nothing more then euerie one knoweth, that trulie will
speake of me, and so you find not the hindrance in your owne accompte.
I trust you will beare equallie what in others opinions maie bee
construed of reasonablie.
My going away is apparant, I cannot denie it, wherein if happelie
I haue done more then beseemeth, yet none so much as my selfe hath
thereby beene wronged, for that such occasion hath by meanes thereof
ensued, whereby my credite by sinister reports hath so greatly been
hazarded, yet was not yᵉ same altogether done without cause, nor voide
of honest excuse, for if either I had beene certaine of your so speedie
returne, or had not had so presumptuous an intruder vppon the trust
to mee committed (as at my comming to London I shall make more plaine
vnto you) I had not done as I did. And this assure your selfe sir, that
howe farre soeuer you imagine or are informed, that mine vncontrouled
rule in your house stretched, if I might with performaunce of as honest
trust haue discharged the same vnto you, as I alwaies had endeuoured, I
neither had lefte your house or stocke, to haue depended vpon so harde
supposed reckoning, nor lost you one houres commoditie of my seruices,
as you nowe challenge me to haue done.
[Sidenote: _Peroratiō._]
My endeuour towardes my self, my fathers care, and your woonted good
opinion, hath mooued mee in sort as you see, to giue items of those
whome iustlie I am to complaine of, and to praie you that surceasing
all other surmizes vppon our hastie comming to London you will more
circumspectly in the meane time consider both of your dealings and my
writing, which in as dutifull manner as beseemeth, eftsoons crauing at
your handes, I doe (as euer I haue been) remaine, and take my leaue, &c.
Your seruant confirmed in all fidelity
towards you, &c.
_An example of an Epistle Accusatorie in the state Iuridiciall
and Coniecturall._
[Sidenote: _Exordium, Anadiplosis._]
Iniurious R. iniurious I maie iustlie tearme thee, whose long
acquaintance with mee, and interchangeable good liking passing
betweene vs, bredde yet so little respect in the waight of the same,
as could not forwarne me of an euill so imminent, by meanes whereof
I doubt and cannot forbeare to thinke, but that I am vtterly induced
to the shipwracke of mine owne estate, and burthened with such
infortunitie, as I shall neuer cease to remember.
[Sidenote: _Emphasis._]
[Sidenote: _Metanoia._]
But why (sencelesse as I am) make I doubt vnto thee of that, whereof
both the condition, abilitie, disposition, and euerie accident and
circumstance of the partie, whom I am forced to accuse, beareth so
sound witnesse, as if men and Angels should goe about to countermaunde
the same, not beeing able by a more certaine veritie in open shewe to
impugne it, there is none I am sure would beleeue no anie one that in
respect of the manifolde likelihoodes thereof, would almost so much as
vouchsafe to hearken vnto it.
[Sidenote: _Epizeuxis._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Irmus._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Parison._]
[Sidenote: _Ecphonesis._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
But if in the foremost deliuerie of these thou alreadie musest, and art
desirous to be resolued what it is, wherein so questionles I deeme my
selfe thus deepelie to be wronged: knowe then, that finding here at L.
thy kinsman, thy vnhappie kinsman, wandering as a straunger, conuersant
with badde fellowes, threedbare in apparell, forsaken of his neerest
kindred and friendes, readie to perish almost for want of foode, and
so pennilesse, and therewithall estraunged from all good account, as
beeing amongest other lewde persons, brought before a Iustice vppon
suspition of his wretched liuing, my selfe beeing in presence, and
taking vppon mee in hearing of his name, to bee knowing both of his
parentes and Countrey, had such credite with the Iustice, as hee
foorthwith discharged him, wherewith not contented I did for thy sake,
and in regarde of thee alone, take him home to my lodging, apparelled
him, saued his life, recouered againe his lost credite, and restored
him: Were not these benefites, thinkest thou sufficient to binde an
honest nature, to thinke himselfe beholding to such a one? Happie had
I then beene, if neuer more had I intermedled with him, neuer better
regarded him, or at no time after giuen farther credite and liking vnto
him. Alas, was it alone my chance among so manie that had cast him off,
euen then to entertaine him, to relieue him, to reckon of him, nay
rather beyond all reason (as thy selfe by the sequell wilt confesse) so
farre foorth to dote of him, as nourishing my secrete mischiefe, as it
were in mine owne lodging, vnder the shadowe of mine owne couert, yea
in my verie bosome, I must lead him yet farther along, in the end to
spoile me, and to meditate nothing so much, as my intended destruction?
[Sidenote: _Paradoxon._]