requestes, nor that you breake so manie promises with your friendes
for the gratifying of their courtesies: In that beeing thinges by
nature annexed as they are to so seruile a condition, they seeme (as
remedilesse) in all discreet iudgementes to bee borne withall. But that
I wonder at, is, howe my selfe (knowing as I doe, and hauing so often
tasted of that contemptible and harde disposition of yours towardes
mee) should yet be so assotted, as to straine my friendes, to spende my
money, exercise my wits, yeelde my trauell, bende my care, and passe
my credite, to relieue, vpholde, nourish and maintaine such a one, in
bringing him from nought to ought, from the dunghill to the court, from
woe to wealth, as hath neither honestie to regarde me, wit to vse me,
will to requite me, ciuilitie to respect mee, good nature to thanke
me, nor any one sparke of endeuour whereby so much in good seeming to
behaue himselfe towards me. Many occasions haue beene giuen mee before
time by some other misprizers of my curtesie, but you of all others
haue exceeded and do passe them all in vnhonestie. That I shoulde bee
occasioned thus to reproch you as I doe, is iwis vnto me no great
contentment, but that at my handes who alwaies haue so manifoldlie
deserued of you, you should so far forth challenge to be reproched,
that certainly is it whereof you ought most to bee ashamed. Howe many
wayes you haue wronged me, and howe little cause hereafter I haue to
entermedle or haue to doe with you, hauing so ingratefully, nay rather
inhumanelie dealt with me, let the world iudge betweene you and me. Had
I tried you in much, or in one halfe of that whereby in very dutie you
are charged vnto me, it had beene somewhat to haue denied me: But in a
matter so slender, so small valued, and but a trifle, to delay me, to
stande with mee, to breake promise with mee, and which is worst of all,
most vnciuillie therewith to bearde me, that of all others is the most
detested that may bee. Sorie I am, not that I haue knowne you, for the
knowledge shall keepe mee from you, but that in nourishing of you, I
forgot my selfe so much, as I coulde neuer till this present perceiue
nor looke after you. Fare as you will for me, who euer hereafter desire
neither to know nor see you. From B. this of, &c.
_An Epistle exprobatory, more largely exampled._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
[Sidenote: _Hyperbole._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
Albeit vnto a gentle minde there is nothing lesse proper, then a
reproching of benefittes: nor any thing more contrarying, then to bee
touched with discurtesies: yet respecting the weight of the manifold
wrongs done vnto me, & most iniurious deuises, wherein thou hast
contrary to all lawes of nature, vertue, or honestie, gone about to
abuse mee, rewarding not euill, but worse then mischiefe it selfe,
for good, and doing that which all men hate, and the most discreet
doe abhorre in requitall of that which I chieflie deserued of thee, I
hold my selfe neither to be touched in gentlenes, nor deemed at all
in discurtesie, if to such a Camelion I giue his due colours, of so
vile a viper doe bewray the feature, to so ingratefull a wretch doe
blaze forth his picture, and of so vglie a beast do yeeld his due
portraiture, to the ende that at least it may appeare vnto thy selfe,
howe vnlike to that thou hast euer seemed vnto me, I haue nowe found
thee, and how contrarying to that my selfe haue manifoldly bounde thee,
thou hast now shewed thy selfe vnto me.
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Brachiologa._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
[Sidenote: _Anthipophora._]
To the opening whereof let mee call to remembraunce that beeing here
a great while sithence a straunger, spoiled of that thou haddest,
laden with sicknesse, pursued of thy foes, burdensome to thy friends,
subiect to a number of casualties, of death, pouertie, hatred, penurie,
griefe, trouble, and want, I tooke thee, I kept thee, I relieued thee,
I prouided for thee, and that at such time as when forsaken of all
others, thou wast onely compassed with extremitie, had not this one
curtesie, nay rather vnaccustomed kindnes, beene sufficient alone,
wherewith to haue bound thee? Questionlesse it had, rested there at al
any sparke of good condition within thee, yet had this been all that I
had done for thee, happilie could I then haue contented my selfe, and
haue thought that thou haddest therein alone dealt but ingratefullie.
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Commoratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Aporia._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Paradoxon._]
[Sidenote: _Hyperbole._]
Abhorrest thou not in the perusing hereof to thinke howe thou hast
vsed mee? Well knowest thou that on this hie point of curtesie, I
stucke not alone with thee, for after a recouery by my meanes had, and
restitutions of thine estate, vnto thy wonted possessions, health,
freedome and libertie, I not only so setled thee, but beeing haled thy
selfe (as it were) out of the Lions iawes, I made thine aduersaries a
praie vnto thee, I fauored thee, I loued thee, I esteemed thee when
none would regard thee, when all men despised thee. Were not these
benefits sufficient, to haue yoked any good or honest disposition vnto
me? What Viper may I then terme thee? what monster or hellish imp
that not onely hast not vouchsafed so much as to requite, but scornest
in apparance so much as to beare a good opinion towardes me? Is it
possible that man than a Serpent, or than the very Crocodile it selfe
should become more malicious, yet hast thou in far greater quantitie
then these contained thy venome, the Hydra was not answerable vnto thy
propertie, the very Sauages themselues could not equall thee, thou art
infine beyond all, and there are none beyond thee, for both men and
beasts do abhor thy treachery.
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Sententia._]
[Sidenote: _Pleonasmus._]
[Sidenote: _Polyptoton._]
What then auaileth that of such a one I haue merited so highlie?
Whereto serueth it to haue extended on him so greate and vnused bounty?
The dog fawneth by kinde where he is loued, the Tyger by gentlenes
is from his cruelty disturned, the Lion wil not suffer a kindnes
vnregarded. But thou (hatefull of all others) degenerating from all
nature both of men and beasts weighest not of friendship, reiectest
fauors, hatest all gentlenes, regardest no kindnes, contemnest merits,
and kindlesse of all kinds, or rather sequestred from any kinde, giuest
thy selfe to rewarde the best deseruinges, with vnauoidable and most
destestable villanies.
[Sidenote: _Epizeuxis._]
[Sidenote: _Anaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
Had I not too much deserued as I haue done at thy handes, it might in
some sort haue sufficed me. Had I by any known or pretended euill,
euer pursued thee, had I meant at any time badly vnto thee, it might
yet haue cōtented me, that forgetfull of al that before passed, thou
shouldest in this hatefull manner haue dealt with mee. But hauing onely
heaped on thy head a multitude of fauors, receiued thee as I haue
done with so sundrie curtesies, imbraced thee as thou knowest with
infinite contentmentes, deliuered thee from death, and verie hellish
tormentors, what kindnesse could be more, or what merite so ample?
And contrariwise, what requitall so slender, what acknowledgement so
bad, or what recompence so euill, then wherewith besides all course of
iustice and equitie thou hast most vnnaturally acquited me? One only
comfort resteth, that of all honest minds thou art hated deseruedly,
and out of all gentle company art excluded perpetually, wherin hauing
the only solace vnto my grieued conceits, that for the present may be
acquired, I liue in hope to see thee once againe to haue neede of mee,
when according to thy demerits I shall thinke of thee, and in the meane
while esteeme of thy fashions, as thou hast giuen me cause to accompt
of them.
Of Letters inuectiue.
_Chap. 5._
=To these |Exprobratorie| epistles, doth next follow the title
|inuectiue|. A sharpe and bitter inueighing against the person, déedes,
or behauiours of men, occupied altogether in condemning, disabling, and
wresting, whatsoeuer maie bee collected to the reproofe, diminution,
or impugning of anie one, and that by all maner of quips, tauntes,
reproches, blames, imputations, or designmentes that maie bee of
euils. And yet this not by a disordered, malicious or railing humour,
vniustlie and without great and forcible cause to be pursued, but by a
learned, discreete, lawfull, or reasonable toleration to be followed,
which in all maner of directions is principallie to be required. The
conueiance is as full of Art as anie others, that heretofore haue
beene exampled vnto you, and as well for rife and quicke inuention,
as orderlie disposition, enforcementes, and neate deliuerie, hath his
speciall commendation.=
_An example of an Epistle Inuectiue of a father
against his sonne._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
[Sidenote: _Metonoia._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
[Sidenote: _Liptote._]
[Sidenote: _Periphrasis._]
The sight of your letters, and message receiued by your seruant haue
(good Coosen) bred to mee in perusing and harkening vnto the same,
no small matter of disquiet, not that your letters or messages for
themselues are, or haue beene at anie time ill welcome to my hands,
but in respect of him for whom they come, whom in truth I neuer recke
if I heare of, so filled haue I beene long since with the euils by him
committed. I am nothing ignorant that of loue and meere good will you
beare to mee and mine, you framed your speeches vnto me, which with how
much tediousnes I haue considered of, and with what willingnes I could
haue omitted to answere them, no one can so wel giue testimony, as the
burthen of mine owne sorrow beareth witnes vnto me.
[Sidenote: _Apostrophe._]
[Sidenote: _Noema._]
[Sidenote: _Liptote._]
But for that I see you are ill conceyted at my heauinesse, and of your
owne good nature woulde gladlye finde meane to recouer that vnto mee,
which my selfe am out of hope for euer to compasse, I am content,
though ill pleasing to my remembraunce, and the rather also that by the
extremitie of the euilles your owne minde maie bee disswaded from anie
further dealing in the cause, to shewe vnto you the good conditions of
him you sue for, what manner a sonne hee hath alwayes beene vnto mee,
what reason thereby I haue to commaunde him from mee, and howe farre
wide you are, that in such sort as you declare, doe conceiue both of
him, and of mee.
[Sidenote: _Paralepsis_]
I neede not repeate heere vnto you, with what fatherlie care I haue
brought him vppe to mannes estate, by what prouident foresight, I
sought both with maintenaunce and conuenient place of credite, to
continue him as a Gentleman, howe vnwilling I was to enter into the
search of euerie small offence, but attributing the force thereof
to his tyme of youth, was content to winke at that manie times,
the sufferaunce whereof I doubted would turne to the ruine that it
presentlie carrieth. I will but giue you an instaunce of the same, to
the intent that as you shall knowe thereof, so may you in reuoluing the
rest, consider the better howe vnkindlie, yea, more then vnnaturallye I
maie saie, hee hath rewarded me, and therewith will come to the present
estate wherein he now remaineth.
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Commoratio_.]
It is I iudge about three yeares sithence, to the intent to retaine
him in some good order of life, I placed him with a right godlie and
worshipfull Knight, Sir H. D. who for my sake both loued him, and I
knowe tooke paines to the vttermost to reforme him, before that time
I had placed him in an Inne of Courte, where with expences sufficient
I kept him. In both of these places hee brought mee more then I will
rehearse indebted, ranne himselfe on the rockes, durst not besides
(for that priuilie hee had taken vp) to shewe his head. Complaints
were infinite against him, this man could not bee in quiet for him,
that mans seruant hee misused, this partie hee deceyued, that other
hee highlie wronged: what coulde I doe vnto these thinges, but as one
desirous to reclaime him whom he knewe to be his owne (though with a
resolute vow neuer to deale with him,) I then had cast him off, yet
by intreatie of his friends, and his earnest submission I receiued him
againe. Sithence which too much it is to be reuealed, how stubbornlie
euen in mine owne house, how iniuriously among mine owne people, he
hath behaued himselfe, by reason whereof as compelled for the quiet
of mine owne familie, I appoynted him to goe from hence into S. there
to remaine with his Vncle. And because it was against a Christmasse,
and that I woulde not dismisse him vnfurnished of that belonged vnto
a Gentleman, (besides that, with a couple of good Geldings I horsed
him and his man, and suted him of apparell, and what other needfull
necessaries) I deliuered him twentie pounds in his purse. Hee was no
sooner gone to D. beeing not past twentie myles from my house, but the
verie same night hee loste all his money at dice, pawned his horses for
twentie Nobles, and was faine of an honest friend of mine to borrow
tenne poundes for his expences, and to redeeme his Geldings, one of my
poore Tenants there refusing to supplie his wantes, hee fowlie beate,
and if companie had not come in to the rescue, had like to haue slaine
him.
Nay, what hath hee done more, but knowing that these his ill demeanours
comming once to mine eares, I woulde neuer after repute of him, hee
hath confederated with a wicked rascall that once was his man, who
beeing the verye same night in his companie, the next day after came to
my house and robbed me.
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Prolepsis._]
[Sidenote: _Prosopopœia._]
Are not these impieties (thinke you) verie straunge? What Nature is
in such a sonne, nay, where in him are those district lawes of Nature
become, that commonlie enforceth in all other children, an awfull
loue and reuerent regarde vnto their parents? Where is the feare of
diuine and humane lawes, the one threatning a sharpe scourge for such
vndutifulnesse, and the other punishing by penall forfeytures and
imprisonments, the manner of such detestable and disordered loosenesse.
To what issue is the auncient right and laudable custome of our
forefathers alreadie runne, that whilome by seuere directions compelled
the runnagate vsage of their children to a more district imposition and
farre estranged exaction then nowe vsed, of a most rare and singular
obedience? Why is the common intendment earst in our predecessours
tymes, of lawfull and good so accustomablie vsed, thus quite forworne,
and in these our seasons (filled with all kind of carelesnes) so far
forth disgraced? who is he that now recketh farther then his owne
fantasie, or what sonne wil for any zeale or dutie once seeke to repell
his owne appetite? Whither are ye gone yee iust and seuere iudges, by
whose sentence and opinion definitiue sharpe and bitter tortures were
laid downe vnto them, that durst presume by any outward shewe in the
world, but once so much as to countermaund the authoritie of their
fathers?
[Sidenote: _Emphasis._]
[Sidenote: _Aporia._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Orismus._]
[Sidenote: _Peroratiō._]
O times more iniurious then euill it selfe, by whose onely sufferance,
mischiefe spreadeth her selfe so highly as it doth, into such manifold
branches. What would you haue me to say in these things? thinke you
not that I haue alreadie receiued discontentment inough at such
a ones hande? or would you wish me againe by returning him home
weetinglie, to sucke vp mine owne misfortune, and by nourishing an
expugnable wickednesse, to see a demonstration of mine owne sorrowe and
destruction daylie before mine eyes? No, no, coosin, I haue (I hope)
taken order sufficient for these thinges, his presence I am resolued
shal no more disquiet mee, by hearing or remembrance of him, if no
friend of mine doe otherwise vexe mee, for needes a vexation must it
bee, be it but the least suppose, to conceiue that I haue yet remayning
vnto mee such a sonne. Take heede (good Coosen) that as hee hath
deceyued a great manie others, but mee of all others most especiallie,
he also doe not deceyue you. Driue him quicklie from your presence, and
thinke that a greater plague can you not receyue into your familie,
then a person so vile, and of all others demeaned so wickedlie. This
is all that I can delyuer you of my present opinion, but not the least
of a thousande other accidents occasioning the same. Whereon I am
determined fullie to repose my selfe. Sending in the meane time my
heartiest commendations and earnest thankes for the indifferent care
had of my being both to you and your bedfellow, this of, &c.
_An answere purgatorie of the sonne touching matters Inuectiue
of the former Epistle._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
Were it not sir that my presence might more offend you then I wish,
or by anie action of mine owne, woulde willinglie deserue, I had
(emboldened by the equitie and right of my cause) in all humble
reuerence and dutie, tendered my self vnto you, but vnderstanding howe
greatly the malice of mine auncient enemies haue preuailed towards mee,
and that without the verie pietie of your selfe, and equall regarde
had to the due information of my cause, there is no place of fauour
left vnto me, I choose as the meetest to abandon for a while the
yeelding vnto you (by my accesse) of anie such annoyance, and in the
meane time, to frame these humble lines, pacifiers of your more then
ordinarie discontentments, that as true aduertisers of the course of
that wherwith I am charged, they may plead pardon of your protested
mislike, and winne vnto me (as I hope) that intertainment againe, from
which hitherto by the vndeserued proceedings of mine aduersaries, I
haue iniuriouslie beene detained.
[Sidenote: _Insinuatiō._]
[Sidenote: _Paresia._]
And albeit there is no reason whie, in the measure of all your actions,
I shoulde or ought to deeme, that you doe, or enterprise anie thing
vnaduisedlie: yet for so much as the secret sting of malice is such,
as is able to penetrate the wisest, and that where much is feared, the
least matter inducing thereunto is made occasion to question of, I doe
in as lowlie manner as I maie, beseech that but with indifferencie you
will see howe and in what sort I am wronged, and giuing credite to what
hereby in mine owne defence alledged, you will censure the rest, as to
the respect of your fatherlie pietie appertaineth.
[Sidenote: _Propositiō._]
[Sidenote: _Anaphora._]
The weight of that, for which as I vnderstande you are agreeued agaynst
mee, is that heretofore you haue had suggested vnto you that I am
verie vnthriftie, that I keepe lewde companie, that I consume all at
dice, that I am a quarreller, and lastlie, that you surmize you were
robbed by meane of mee, or by my assent, all which to confirme, mine
aduersaries seeme to haue gathered vppon me great aduantage, in that
notwithstanding, beeing often forewarned the contrarie, I sithence fell
into companie, played at dice, brake a mans head, and that my man that
robbed you, was the night before in my companie.
[Sidenote: _Sententia._]
[Sidenote: _Paramologia._]
Much more euill commonlie carrieth the reporter, in deliuering an ill
suppose of a reasonable conceyted matter, then oftentimes dooth the
action it selfe, in the most woorst degree of truth that can bee,
beeing equallie considered of, for example, was it euer helde a thing
insufferable for a Gentleman to frequent companie or to plaie at dice?
May it not sometimes be iustifiable to breake a mans heade? is it a
matter of preiudice that hee who once did mee seruice was seene in my
company? Your selfe, sir, I knowe wil aunswere for me to all these, No.
Then will not I, not only not deny but I did all these, but by your
fauour, iustifie to their faces, that honestlie, lawfullie, without
offence against you, or reasonable mislike of anie other, I haue and
might againe at any time enter into the like vsage of all or any of
these, as at that time I did, when they so complained of me.
[Sidenote: _Commoratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Hypotyposis._]
[Sidenote: _Metonomia._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
The company whereof I am accused were such onely and none other as
I found in mine Inne, gentlemen ech to you wel known and of all men
generallie well reputed, the plaie that I vsed was with them, the
set by agreement not great, concluded vpon more to passe time, then
whereof to make gaine. Hereunto commeth a bad fellowe out of the town
accompanied with one of your tenaunts, who looking on a good while,
craued at last hee might set, which being granted, a cast fell between
him and me of a nūber to be decided, for his opinion he dared me a
good time with twenty Nobles to my geldings, I accepted the wager, the
boorde went with mee, your tenant excepted, who against all others
stood against me, and hauing this wager in his custody would not
deliuer it me. Words by such meanes multiplied, and they both arose
against mee, whereupon forced to some impatience, my hand made way to
my right, wherewith I quailed their resistance. Lo now sir, the matter
thus highly framed against me, lo here the losse, the pawning, the
borrowing of money, and what killing and slaying against mee reported.
See here I beseech you the vnthriftines, the misrule, the il company,
and what else that malice could any waies deuise to ouerthrow me.
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
And yet if but truely in their verie supposes they shoulde haue dealte
with me, what conceipt could they then haue found in all this to obiect
against me? Is it not a thing ordinary among Gentlemen when they
meete together to solace themselues with some one or other reasonable
pastime, in allowance whereof, no one is ordered by himselfe, but by
common liking of the rest? Is it not a thing naturall to man, after
wearisome trauels to vse vnto his minde some honest recreation? Is
it not accordant to ciuilitie to entertaine times and occasions?
Affoorded you not therefore the money you gaue mee, in companie well
reputed, and in their honest exercises, moderatelie to maintaine
mee? Agreeth not hereunto your onelie dailie conuersation, your
entertainments, your continuall vse of companie applied in your owne
behauiors, and in others commended before me?
[Sidenote: _Anthypophora._]
[Sidenote: _Paramologia._]
[Sidenote: _Epanodis._]
What then may bee saide to condemne me? the common name (perchaunce)
of the plaie, carying with it a continuall surmize of inconuenience?
I need not here lay vnto your wisdome for my defence, that as well
therein, as in all other demeanors, there is _vse_ which is allowed,
and _abuse_, that in it selfe is insufferable. To commende the moderate
vse hereof, I can induce nothing more then _custome_, and for the
choise of the best obseruation, the company must cleare mee. Nowe in
auoiding the enormities, the charge (if I misconceiue not) you gaue
me, extended to the fellowship of the worst, in whose societie nothing
is so common as ill vsage, and in whose pleasures, no one thing so
ordinarie as vnthriftinesse, each of which occasioning that euill which
I seeke to shunne, hath beene herein so far exempted, as I protest
there resteth in veritie, no suspicion at all wherewith I may be
charged.
[Sidenote: _Apostrophe._]
[Sidenote: _Paradigma._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Polyptoton._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
But if nowe sir, you will reason of your tenauntes hurte, what therein
may bee obiected that shall not euery waie further mee: who is hee
that by nature could bee so restrained, but by the verie instinct
thereof, hee will rather kill if neede bee, then stande to be killed?
Hath not the Soueraigne mother of all our earthlie beeing, armed euen
the verie Beastes themselues to their owne defence? hath not the Lyon
his clawes, the Bull his hornes, the Dogge his teeth, and the Boare
his tuskes? Doe not the worthiest sort of mankinde also contemne to be
misprized, and naturallie couet where they bee enforced, immediatlie
to be reuenged? Allotteth not the lawe vnto euerie man his right? Was
it not by Conuention agreed, that the winner shoulde haue the wager?
And did not the vniuersall sentence of the whole boord, adiudge it
to me? What resteth any waies then to bee alleadged whereby in this
action to accuse mee? Nay rather what is vnleft herein to condemne him,
that being your tenaunt, hauing his liuing of you and yours, beholding
as hee is to all yours, woulde yet be so vile conceipted against any
of yours, as not with ordinary speeches alone, but with vnfitting
tearmes, with violent force woulde goe about to withstande me, to hurt
mee, yea desperatelie to confederate with another of my life and money
to bereaue me.
[Sidenote: _Dialysis._]
[Sidenote: _Ecphonesis._]
[Sidenote: _Expeditiō._]
[Sidenote: _Dichologia._]