shall I say who vp-holdes the state of a Citty or the honour of a state vnder the King but the Merchant who beautifieth a Court with Iewels and outward ornaments but the trauaile of the merchant who be autifies the Gardens with sundry sorts of fruites and flowers but the trauailing merchant he may well bee called the merchant the Sea-singer or the maker of the Sea to sing the Sea-singer when hee hath faire winde and good weather and maketh the Sea to sing when shee sees the goodlie houses that floate vpon her waues and cast anchor in her Sands But let me leaue the Sea and come to the land consider of the sweet and ciuill manâ—er of their liues whose houses more neat whose wiues more modest whose apparrell more comely whose diet more daintie whose cariage more commendable valiant without quarrels merry without madnesse bountifull in their gifts and coy in all their banquets whose children are better nurtured whose seruants better gouerned whose house better stuffed and maintained Furthermore what comforte haue the distressed found beyond the Seas and howe many poore doe they relieue at home what Colledges what Hospitals what almes houses haue they builded and in effect what Citties haue they enlarged and what Countries haue they enritched how fewe Lawyers can say so if that be al true which much more might be said in their honor giue them their right say the Merchant is a royall fellow and goe forwardes with your intent if you will euer haue your sonne see any thing know any thing doe any thing or bee worth any thing put him to a Merchant and giue with him such a portion as out of his yeeres may set vp his trade or trafficke doubte not hee will doe well and think not he can almost do better so beseeching God to bles him in al his courses without which wil be worse then nothing I pray you doe as I wish you charge him to serue God and so turne him to the world and thus hauing truely written you my opinion touching your purpose wishing health and honour and all happinesse to all worthy true Merchants in hope of your health I commit you to the Almighty London this twentieth of August 1604. Your very louing cosen N. B. A Letter of Loue to a most sweet and wise creature SWeet were that spirit that by the instinct of loue doth vnderstand the silence of truth whose tongue is his hearte and whose worâ—es are sighes in which are hidden those secret fruites of comfort that onely growe in the grounde of your grace Uouchsafe therefore fair sweete with the sunne-bright eyes of youre beauty to cast one looke vpon the rude Lynes of this poore Letter which if it haue beene so vnhappye as to moue your displeasure let the fire bee the reward of his presumption but if through the fauor of the faults or the vertue of your gratious pittie it hath beene worthy the reading let mee be metamorphosed to worse then nothing if I desire to be any other thing then that may pleese you in all ceremonies and circumstances or in affection and therefore leauing my seruice to your commaund and my loue to the life of your fauour wishing to die like the Phenix to receiue in the beames of your beautie I rest full of vnrest til I may fullie rest Yours as you may of you will R. E. The Ladies answere WIse were that hearte which could pierce into the conceit of that spirite which with the art of loue seeketh to inchaunt the trust of simplicity which for not suspecting of euill-falls vpon the point of much miserie Oh poor truth how art thou made a vaile or couer for decet when vnder the shadow of paradise is sought the waie to hell Oh cursed trees that carry such fruite but not to wrong any creature Happy may that hearte liue which in faith onely seekes his felicitie and pardoned be that paper that doth but his dutye Let then all sighs be drowned in the deepth of obliuion while Silence vnderstandeth that Vertue speaketh Nowe for the nest of the Phenix if you can clime so high carrie awaie neuer a feather with you then it is but a fiction or vertue vnhappie but to waite the issue of honors hope to the blisse of vertues fauour I rest when I further vnderstand you as I thinke good to answere you and till then and alwaies rest Yours as falls as I well may A.B. A replie to the aunswere VNworthie were that minde of the thought of loue which could giue place to the treason of betraying of trust and more then miserable were that life that towards hell could make such a passage Oh Angel-like creature thinke not the world the habitation onely of the accursed nor do wrong to loue in suspition of truth You saie happie be that life that seeks happinesse in faithfulnesse but what doe you say to loue A simple conceit cannot descend into suspition and the thought of deceite is hatefull to loue Bee not then incredulous where loue is vertuous and for the fiction of the Phenix make the substance true in your selfe whose least thougte of fauour shall be worth all the feathers of the fairest bird that flieth So reposing hopes comfort on the honoure of your kindnes beseâ—ching you to vnderstand nothing of mee more then all yours I reste in that onely rest euer to rest Yours onely and all E. A. An Answere to the same VNhappie be that soule which in suspicion of truth should wrong the vertue of loue and blessed bee that heart which in hate of treason makes faith his felicitie Silence is a language that conceit is onely acquainted with and gentle is that warre which giues no deadly wound feare not then the paine that a breath will blow awaie when the hope of comfort wil cure the disease but what need more figures flie the waie to hell and finde the way to heauen Let thy heart goe with thy tong and the Eccho wil giue a happy sound Till when not doubting the diuine nature of loue to be free from the diuelish poison of deceit I rest as I find reason Yours in aâ—fection though not assuring M. I To his deerest fairest and worthiest of loue honour and seruice Mistris E. T. IF I should commend you aboue the Moone and compare you with the Sunne you would put me in the cloudes for a flatterer but knowing your owne worth and finding the substance of my truth you cannot blame in admiration to speake truth of your perfection which of what power it is in drawing the seruice of reason if you would beleeue loue would quicklie tell you but the course of inconstancie in the vnwise breedeth distrust of truth in the most faithfull but all birds are not of one feather nor all men of one mind In briefe not to make a long haruest of a little torne which being ripe woulde be gathered in good time let truth be my spokes-man and beleefe my comfort the hope whereof as
wits goe a woolgathering among shrewes that haue bad â—â—eâ—ces they may be kind but not constant and loue loues no out-lookers besides light heads haue no staied heeles and a little wealth soone spent who knoweth the woe of want can tell you the difference betwixt an old mans darling and a young mans warling Why how can they loue that scarce know how to like I know you haue manie suters of worth but none that I thinke worthy for none can loue you so much nor esteeme you so well for I haue knowne the world and care not for it nor for any thing but you If therefore all I haue may please you and my selfe to loue and honour you make my comfort your contentment and I will seeke no other paradise in this world Thus hoping that reason in your fauour wil effect the hope of my affection leauing to your selfe to be youre selfe I rest Yours or not his owne T.P. SIr if I could euer see yoâ— but in a Letter I should delight much in your presence but contraries are not correspondeÌ„t a grâ—y bâ—ad and a greene minde fit not your perswasions were forcible were not your selfe of too much weaknesse but though for your good will I thank you yet for nothing will I be indebted to you not for a world would I be troubled with you for as your yeeres so I feare our fancies will be different and then patience mouing choller may breed discontentment when to be an old mans dâ—rling is a kind of curse to nature you say wel who can loue that knowes not howe to like and the seâ—ces vncapable of their comfort what is imagination but a dreame a blind man can iudge no colours a deafe man hath no skill in musique a dumb man no eloquence and an old man little feeling in loues passionâ— for my sutors they sute my time and serue their owne and for their worth I shal iudge of the most worthy nowe for their wittes if they lose not their own fleeces let them gather wool where they can but for your loue I will not venture on it least beeing too old it be not sweet and for my youÌ„g sutors I hope I shal take heed of shadowed sourenesse and for fortune while vertue gouernes affection I will not feare my felicitie so hoping your own reason wil perswade you to haue patience with your passion and leaue mee to my better comfort meaning to be as you wish me my selfe none other I rest Not yours if mine owne P. M. A letter of a young man to his sweet heart MY loue if I could haue as good passage as my Letters I would bee a better messenger of my thoughts then my words can expresse but as the secret of my hearte is sealed vp in my letter so is the secret of my loue sealed vp in my heart which none can see but your eies nor shal knowe but your kindnesse Let me not then languish in the lingring hope of my desires but hasten my comforte in the onely answere of your content you know the houre of the first meeeting of our fantasies the true continuance of our irremoueable affections and why will you not appoint the conclusion of our comforte Triall cannot let you doubte my loue and loue will bee sworn for the securitie of my truth both which thus far plead for me in your fauour giue truth the reward of triall and loue the regard of truth and desire not the sentence of iustice to let me liue or die in your iudgemente for imprisoned I am in youre beauty bound in 〈◊〉 â—ands of your seruice and liue but in the hope of your fauour in which I rest euer and only to rest happie in this world Yours though not yours R. E. An answere to this letter MY sweet I rather wishe your self theÌ„ your letter though in the hast of your desire your presence had bene to little purpose for deeds are in a good way that are subscribed and sealed but till the deliuery be made the matter is not fully finished haue therfore patience for a time for it is soon enough that is wel enough and yet I confesse in kindnes delaie is little comfort yet stay for a faire day though it be almost at noon be perswaded of my affection and let faith feare no fortune for loue can be no changeling and so imagine of my selfe when you offend I will punish you and when you â—oe please I wil praâ—se you so assuring truth beliefe and loue comfort I rest so soon as I wel may to giue the reason of your best rest and till then and â—uer wil rest Yours as I may M. I. A merry letter of newes to a friend RIght Troiâ—â— I know thou louest no complement nor carest for anie trickes but as a good fellowe and a friende wouldeâ—t heaâ—e how the world goeth with al the world I am not acquainted with and therefore I know not what to say to it but for the little part of it the pettie place or parish where I dwel and some few miles aboute it I will tel you there is a fall of Connies for there is such a world of them euery day in the market that except they be youÌ„g and fat there is little mony bidden for them â—ackenie Iades are â—â—arce worth theire meat and euerie house hath such a dog that not a begger â—are come neere a door and not a mouse at a cheese but a catte is at her heeles Maide-marion of late was got with child in her sleep and the Hobby-horse was halfe mad that the fool should be the father of it a great talke there is of setting vp of a newe â—auerne but Tobacco is the thing that will vent the old sack there is spoken so much gibbâ—ng that wee haue almoste forgot our mother tongue for euery boy in our schoole hath latine at his fingâ—s ends marrie t is in a book for all his wit is in his copie for in capite he hath little our free school is nâ—w painted with wisdome ouer the gate for within excepte some vnhappie wag there is no more wit then is necessarie uowe for other newes I will tel you wet weather frights vs with a hard harâ—est and vsurers are halfe mad for lack of vâ—terance of theire monie Lawe was neuer more in vse nor men more out of monie for woemen they are strange creatures for some of them haue three faces and so fine in proud paces that if they carry it as they doe they wil put manie men out of countenance for other ordinarie matters they are as you lefte them a pot of ale to worth a pennie a Bawd will haue braue cloathes the man in the moone is aboue the cloudes and the knaue of Clubbes will stil make one in the stocke other things there are that I am shortly to acquaint you with in the meane time write vnto me how thou doest and how the minde blows on your side and so sorrie I haue no good
Fortune and mee for my good will and so till I see thy liuerie I leaue thee to thy selfe Thine if I like M.T. A kinde Sister to her louing Brother MY deere Brother as you knowe our loue began almoste in our Cradles so I praie you let it continue to our graues I haue had a bad husbande and you no good wife and yet with patience wee haue liued to see the straunge chaunges of times but wee muste one daie walke after our friendes and therefore in the mean time let us make muche one of another write vnto mee howe you doe in bodie and minde and when I shall bee so happie as to enioie youre good companie for being alone you may bee as a husbande and a Brother to controll my seruants and comforte my selfe beleeue me I long to see you and in the meane time to heare from you and therefore I praye you let no Messenger passe without some fewe lines of your kinde loue which are as deare to me as my life this I praie you let me not fail off And so with my heartie Commendations and most â—inde Loue in my dailie praiers for thy health I leaue thee to the Almightie Thy very louing Sister A.N. His Answere SWeete Sister I haue receiued your kinde letter for which I returne you manie kinde thankes my bodie I thanke God is in good healthe but my mind somewhat out of temper for I see three thinges that doe muche grieue mee A Foole riche a Wise man wicked and an Honest man poore for the firste either Prodigallie waste himselfe or like a dogge in a benchehole hoords vp his monâ—e hee knowes not for whome the second turnes witte to an euil course that mighte compasse better matter and the thirde liues in griefe that he cannot shewe the vertue of his condition But when I consider againe that heere is no paradise the Aungells liue in Heauen and Hell is too neere vnto the Earthe I am glad I can fall to praier to shunne the trappes of the deceiptfull And since I cannot goe from the course of Fates to take my fortune as patientlie as I can You saie well wee haue liued to see much and yet must die when wee haue seene all you are tidde of a trouble and I well freed of a tormente yet are there crosses enough to trie the care of a good Conscience in which I doubte not youre wisedome nor shall you of my will but as patience is the salue of miserie so is Loue the ioye of Nature in which as wee are neerelie lincked so let vâ— liue vnseparable shortlie I hope to see you and til then and euer will loue you The Lorde of heauen blesse you and in his good mercy keep you So with my harts loue to you to the Lords tuition I leaue you Your verie louing Brtother E. B. A young man to his first Loue. SWeete Loue since first I sawe you I haue seene none like you nor like anie but onely you my reason is drawne out of manie grounds and all in your graces For firste youre Beautie beeing such as exceedeth my commendation your wit too high for my reason to reach and youre demeanure so discreete as driues mee onelie to woonder beleeue my affection to be vntouched with vntruthe and requiâ—e my loue with some token of your good liking for beeing the firste starre that hath made me study Astronomy let me not liue in the clouds of your discomforte least in a mist of misery I fal to the lowest of Fortune Leauing therefore my life to your fauour or my death to your frowne I rest restlesse til I may rest Yours onelie and all T. P Her Answere If your heart were in your eyes and your wordes were all truth I should beleeue a strange tale of the great force of faÌ„sie but I must entreat your pardon to pawse vpon my iudgement of your opinion I would I were as you writ me though I did not requite you as you wish me for though I would not be vnkinde yet wil I not be vncarefull Astronomie is too high a studie for my capacitie the clouds are fittest dwellings for them that are so high minded that the earth cannot hold theÌ„ In briefe therefore build no castles in the aire least they happen to fall on your neck distrust not your fortune where your affectioÌ„ is faithful nor put your life to loues passion least it trie your patience too much howsoeuer it be carry reason in al your courses and your care will haue the more comfort to which I wishe you as much hope as a true hearte may deserue and so not knowing your rest wil trouble you no further but rest as I haue reason Yours in good vvill A.M. A Trauailer beyond the Sea to his wife in England DEare wife the miserie of my fortune is more then can eastlie be borne and yet the most of grief is to be absent from thee and my little ones but as a Denne to her Chickens be kind to them till I see thee and praie for my successe as I do for thy health from manie daungers God hath deliuered me and I hope wil after many storms send mee a faire daie to doe me good and a faire winde to bring me home in the mean time I will haue patience and entreat thee the like for loue so long setled I know cannot loose his nature and therefore not doubting thy constancie I commend me to thy kindnesse kisse my babes for me and kindly receiue for thy selfe and them such tokens as by this bearer I send thee for thee and them thus hoping of thy health as my hearts greatest happinesse in this world in prayer for the same and thee and thine euermore I rest Amsterdam this 20. of August 1604. Thy deare louing husband T.M. SWeet hart let mee entreat thee to be as merry as thou caÌ„st in spight of fortune and all her furie for if thou hast but life to bring home yet loue shal bid thee welcome my praier and thy little ones is dailie for thee we al long to see thee think it long to be so long without thee but knowing thy intente for our good we will haue patience til thy comming and praye for the speed of it with good successe of thy trauail the posts hast is great and therefore I muste end for thy kinde letters and tokens I thanke thee so mewhat by this bearer I haue sent thee my notes in my letter wil tel you what with my hearts loue which can holde nothing from you but auoweth al I am and haue readie for you so with my babes kisses and my owne in prayer for thy health and hearts-ease I commit thee to the Almighty London This 23 of September 1604. Thy verie louing wife E.A. To his friend that was in loue HOnest VVilkin I cannot but mourne for thee to see thee in such a taking as I thought neuer to haue takeÌ„ thee in I heare sait thou art in loue is it
A POSTE WITH a packet of madde Letters The second part LONDON Printed by R. B. for Iohn Browne and Iohn Smethicke and are to be solde in S. Dunstones churhyard 1606. TO THE READER READER I knowe not what you are and therefore I cannot well tell What to saye to you onelye this at aduenture if you bee wise you will not play the fool in scoffing at that which perhappes may deserue a better countenaunce if you bee not wise I can but praye for your better vnderstanding howsouer you bee I will hope the beste of you that you will think of my work as it deserues which is as much as I desire if you get any good by it thank me for it if hurt thanke your selfe for youre abuse of that mighte serue you better this is all I can and will at this time saye vnto you my intente was to pleasure manie and you maie be one of them and to hurt none at all and therefore not you So leauing my booke to your liking as it falleth out I rest as I haue reason Your friend Nich. Breton A Poste vvith a Packet of madde letters The second part The letter betweene the Knight R.M. and the Lady E. R. SWeet should be that spirit which through the instinct of loue vnderstaÌ„deth the silence of truth whose tonge is the hearte whose words are sighs in which are hidden the secret fruites of those trees that onely grow in the paradise of reason vouchsafe then faire eie more brighte then the sunny beames with one faire glaunce of â—our gratious fauoure to blesse this rude and vnworthy paper the which if it haue made you any offence in the fire consume it but if thorough the power of the fates or the effect of your kindenes it maie doe you the leaste pleasure Let him be Metamorphosed to worse then nothing that woulde be any thing but that letter during your reading or euer any other thing then your will in your seruice for that vnder heauen hauing no cause of comforte but in my concealed hope of your grace let all worlds sweet be as bitternes to my thought that shal seeke sweetnes in other sence so looking for no felicitie but in the nest of the Phaenix in the admiration of honour in the humilitie of loue I rest Yours deuoted to be commanded Her Answere WIsedome mighte well appeare in that hearte which could pearce into the conceipte of that spirit that with the figures of loue deceiues the sence of Simplicitie which not suspecting euill findes seldome other substance O poore truthe how is thy Title made a shadow of deceipt while in seeking of paradise folly falls into hell yet not to wrong any Creature happy maie that liue that makes faith his felicitye and pardoned be that paper that doth but his masters message let then sighs be buried in the depth of forgetfullnes while silence vnderstandeth that vertue speaketh and in the fier of that flame whose heat is more felt then seen be that letter burned that offendes me with pleasure so assuring my selfe that if from the nest of the Phaenix you passe without a fether either the figure will be a Cipher or the fancie affection so leauing your beste thought to a blessed Issue I rest Affectionately Yours in what I maie E R. His Replie VNworthy should that heart bee of the least of loues happines that can haue power to giue place to the poyson of deceeite and more then miserable were the life that to hel makes sutch a passage Oh blessed creature do not thinke the world to be the Caue of the accursed nor doe a wrong to loue in the suspition of truth Simple faith hath no feare and true loue cannot faine but if Silence be the onely Aunswere of the expectation oâ— comforte hope in obscurenesse mâ—st seeke the happinesse of desire but let not fancy bee Cipher when faith knowes no fiction but let your fauoure bee the fether in the neste of my honours Phenix which till I maie kindly receiue I shal in the sunne beames of your beautie consume to the ashes of discomfort in which commending the sum of my life to the true and honourable seruice of loue I rest Yours what mine owne R. M. Her aunswere VNgratious is that spirite that thorough suspition of deceipte doth Iniury to loue and blessed is that fancie that liues onelie by faithe sweet is the warre where kindnes endes the quarrell and little the hurt where hope is a moste present and readie helpe in briefe they are blinde trauailers that in seeking to finde heauen goe to hell and if loue bee himselfe he hath life in Assurance let it then suffice you to finde the due of desart where desire exceedes not the limits of Reason so in the nature of that honour that giues vertue her best Grace commending the comfort of your care to the condition of your conceipte I reste as I haue occasion to equall honoure in true affection Yours as I finde cause E. R. A merry letter from a conceited friend to his like familiar HOnestie I hope I am in the righte excepte the greate winde haue blowen cleane awaâ—e youre beste witte giue me leaue spight of your teeth to tell you that I loue you leaâ—t I should growe deafe I would bee glad to heare of you for thoâ—gh I am â—ot blinde yet I cannot see you and therefore hauing a lit messenger I thought it not amisse to write to you not for any thing that I haue to saie to you but that while I think on you you shoulde see I doe not forgot you for though complimentes are but idle yet they make wordes in steed of better matter and so forth now to the purpose you shall vnderstand that at the writing hereof a sodaine occasion of busines made mee make an end ere I had begon thereore intending to write I know not what to abridge my conceite I know not how but hoping that you are wise enough to thinke what you lift I will onely praie for you that being in as good health as I leaâ—t you as soone as conueniently you can I may meet with you 〈◊〉 where it shal please you for as you know I am for you in al kindnes to quite you and so to him that made you euer to blesse and keepe you with my heartes commendation I leaue you Yours what mine owne B. An Answere to the same WAgge-pasty I am sure I am not in the wrong excepte the Sunne haue dried vp your brains since I left you Let mee for I will tell you that in my loue I outleape you and will not be so idle as not to answere you that my sences doe not so fayle me but that I vnderstand you and hauing no better company would be glad to bee troubled with you for you haue not a kind thought wherein I doe not quarrell with you whether is more force in the nature of true friendshippe which because fortune fauoures few fooles this yeare wee must
my onely worldes happines referring onely to the care of your kindnes in the faith of true affection I rest Yours auowed and assured R. N. A letter to a friend to borrow a piece of mony SIr as nothing more trieth a friend then calamitie so is there nothing more grieuous then to bee beholding In kindnes therefore if I maye become your debtor for fiue pounds it is not much yet will it pleasure me more then a little your appointed day I will not breake with you and wherein I may thankfully require you you shall find no forgetfulnes of your kindnes but time is precious and therefore entreating your speedie answere in hope of no deniall I rest Your assured friend to command T. W. The Aunswere I Would be as glad to pleasure you as any man but truth cannot be blamed for more then for my necessary vse that I cannot spate I am not presently furnished I praye you therefore take not a deniall vnkindly for iâ— my credit will pleasure you I will not faile my best to doe you good if otherwise you would vrge mee it will â—â—e to little purpose and therefore sory that I am not in tune to satisfie your expectation I must leaue patience to your kind discretion which as you know me shall commaund me for I am and will bee to the vttermost of my power You re assured friend D. S. To my best beloued Cosen mistrisse H.C. at her house in pe Chest. MY good Cousen I remember at my last being with you wee had some conference aboute consideration beleeue me when I consider the worlde and what I haue seene in it and the best things of it and that all if it effect is as nothing or rather worse if any thinge at all I wonder howe men who haue so much iudgement of good froÌ„ euill will shewe so little vnderstanding of good in following of euil how can those meÌ„ that know the in certaine time of death liue as though they thought neuer to die hâ—we can hee that readeth or heareth the word of god and beleeueth the truth of it bee so carelesse of it and so disobedient to it will men bee sicke that may bee whole â—or dye that may liue what shall I say but as Paule saide to the Corinthians O yee foolish people who hath bewitched yee it is the worde of God that transgression is as the sinne of witch-crafte and surely if men were not bewitched with sinne they could not so delight in wickednesse being the crosse and barre to all their happines coulde the theefe consider the doome of the lawe or the miserie of the dispoyled surely hee would not steale if the adulterer did consider the filthines of his action and the shame of his folly surelye hee would turne honest if the murtherer did consider the horror of death and the terror of sinne hee woulde neuer kill In briefe if any sinner woulde looke into the foule nature of sinne hee woulde bee out of loue with it and if â—ee did consider the power of Gods wrath hee woulde bee afraide of it Nay could or would man consider the goodnes of God towards him in commaunding and forbidding nothing but that which is good for him howe could hee bee so forgetfull of his owne good in offending the Author of all goodnesse If the vnthrifâ— coulde consider the misery of wanâ— sure he would not be carelesse of his estaâ—e if the couetous coulde consider the misery of the poor he would be more charitable if the Swaggerer could consider the comelines of sobriety and the shame of immodesty surely hee would be more ciuill If the magistrate did consider the misery of the poore he woulde not be so careles of their torment put them to such sorrow but remember that iustice without mercie is to neere a tuch of Tiraâ—ny If the offendant did consider the griefe and shame of punishment he would containe himselfe within the compasse of a better course If â—ee that preacheth the worde and followeth it not could consider the heauinesse of Gods iudgemente and the shame of his folly hee woulde doubtlesse bee more carefull of his soul and more kinde to his flock If the lawyer could consider the lawe of god hee would neuer grieue his clyent nor speake against a knowne truth but as I saide before to leaue tediousnesse it is the onely lack of consideration that maketh the heedlesse will of man to runne the waye of error to the ruine of his beste comforte and therefore entreat you notwithstanding my allowance of your iudgement touching the heauenly prouidence and power in the motion of al good actions yet so to allow of my opinion touching consideration that it is a great and one of the greatest causes of the confusion of reason by the corruption of nature and knowing that the care of your consideration is such as doth and may wel giue example to the most expert to follow the rules of your directions in the whole course of your life wishing my selfe so happie as to enioy the company of so good a friend till I see you and euer I rest in fast setled affection Your very louing friend N. V. To my sweet loue mistris E. P. SWeet Loue if absence could breed forgetfulnesse then fortune should doe much harme to affection but when the eye of the mind looketh into the ioye of the hearte the sentence may well be spoken As in silence you may heare me so in absence you may see me for loue is not an hours humour nor a shadowe of light but it is a light of the spirit and a continuing passion thinke not therfore I do or can forget thee or loue my sefe but for thee shortly I hope to see thee and in the meane time though not with thee yet not from thee nor well at rest with my selfe til I may reste only with thee I rest alwaies to rest Thine onely and all â— VV. Her Aunswere MY deare if delayes were not a death to loue excuse were currant in the construction of kingdomes but sentences are better spoken then vnderstood and a pleasing presence is better then an excused absence remembrance is good but possession better and loue holdeth memorie but a kind of melancholie Let your selfe therefore be your messenger rather of your loue then your letters least fortune in a mad fit be a crosse to your best comforte not in respect of my constancy but my parents vnkindnesse This is all I will write at this time but wishing a happie time to the beginning of a neuer ending I rest til that time and at all times on the same Yours as you know E. P. An old mans letter to a young widdow VVIddow I haue neither a smooth face nor a filed tongue to cheate your eies nor abuse your eares withall but a true hearte and a constant minde that doth inwardly loue you and will nâ—uer deceiue you fickle heads and vnbrideled wills know not wher nor how to bestow themselues when their
possible to be true that the spirite of error could euer haue taken such possession of thy wit to make a saint of an Idoll and loose thy selfe in a maze why first the thinge loue is another worlde then this and hath little businesse with such creatures as thou keepest too I am sorrie to heare how thou windest thy selfe into such a net that thou canst no waie get loose fit vpon folly leaue thy faÌ„sy least thou be sorry too late then no maÌ„ wil pitty there whatâ— haue both eies and bee stark blinde ears and hast hearde nothing a nose and can smell nothing a witte and can perceiue nothing and a heart that can feele nothing to put thee froÌ„ this new-nothing which thou hast met with called loue Why let me tell thee what it is simplie I cannot tell thee but what are the qualities of it as I haue heard and read of it I wil deliuer thee It will Cuckold age and befoole youth betray beautie and wast wealth dishonor vertue and worke villanie this kind of loue I meane that makes thee dance trenchmore without a pipe it will not let one sleepe nor eat nor drink nor staÌ„d nor sit in quiet it will teach a foole to flatter a knaue to lye a wench to dance and a scholler to be a Poet before he can hitte the right way of a kind verse it will make a Souldiour lazie a Courtier wanton a Lawyeridle a Merchant poore and a poore man a begger it will make a wise man a fool and a fool quite out of his wits it will make a man womanish and a woman Apish To be short there is so much ill to be said of it that he is happy who hath not to doe with it If therefore thou be not too farre gone come back againe if thou caâ—st leaâ—e thy studie laie awaie thy booke and think of other matter theÌ„ the mouth of Venus least Mars bee angry or Vulcan play the villane when Cupid shall be whipt for shooting awaie of his arrowes In fine giue ouer thy humor for it is no bettter theÌ„ a fansie and liue with me but a daie thou wilt bee in hate with it all night for the desire is fleshly and the delight is filthy the sute is costlie and the fruit of it but folly Leaue beauty to the painter to helpe him in his Arte wit to the Scholler to helpe the weaknesse of his memorie and welth to the Merchant to encrease his stock Cases to the Lawyer to helpe his pleading honour to the Souldier to put forth his valour and so let thy mistris be deuided among them and when they are all together by the eares come thou awaie to mee and liue with me and credit mee thou wilte in the end thanke meâ— for dealing thus truelie and plainlie with thee In the meane time let me heare from thee what I shall hope of thee for as thou knowest I loue thee so in my loue haue I written to thee what I knowe is good for thee and what I wishe maye doe good with thee And thus till I see thee in heartie praier for thee and like commendations to thee to the Lord of heauen I leaue thee Thine as thou knowest L.E. Her Answere GOod Goose eate no more haye what a noise haste thou made with keaking at nothing Thou hast heard thou knowest not what and talkest thou knowest not howe take a woodcocke in a spring and touch not me with these termes now for thy mourning let it be for the losse of thy wit for I haue no feare of had I wist Loue quoth he yes neuer knew what it is and yet speake so much of it either you wrong it or your selfe that you no better vnderstand it for let me tell you you are mistaken in it it is the light of beautie the blis of nature the honour of reason and the ioie of time the coÌ„fort of age and the life of youth it is the tongue of truth the staye of wit and the rule of vnderstanding it is the bridle of wil the grace of sence it makes a man kinde and a woman constant and while fools and Apes play bo-peep for a pudding Louers haue a life that they would not leaue for a mountaine Now for Mars and Venus they are studies for schole boyes and hee that feareth Vulcan let him be whipt for Cupid To bee shorte thou art strangelie out of tune to write me such a peece of musique for were I but in the waie shal I turne back to thy whistle no thou knowest not what it is and therefore talk no more of it for hadst thou but once kindly had a tast of it thou wouldst die ere thou wouldst leaue it beleeue it I know it and therfore for thy derision of my mistrisse I wil take it as a dream and be sorry that awake thou hadst no more witte then to write it but let all vnkindnesse passe it may bee I wil shortly see thee and then make thee glad to yeeld to me that thou art in a foule error to wish me leaue my loue to liue with thee but since I know thy kindnes I will beare with thy weaknesse and in the faith of an old friend hearken to thee in an other matter so wishing thee no more to enuy so much against a matter of so excellent vertue I will leaue thee for this time and rest alwaies Thine as mine ovvne R.P. To his onelie and all beloued E. S. TRuelie sweet heart I am so out of order with my selfe with the extreamity of loue that I beare you that my hart is euen at my mouth to say sweet hart when I think on you and if I but hear your name it makes me start as though I should see you and when I looke on my handkerchiffe that you wrought me I thank you with couentry blew oh how I lift vp mine eies to heauen and saie to my selfe oh there is a wench in the world well goe to but when â— see my iet ring that you sent me by your brother Will I doe so kisse it as if you were euen within it Oh Nell t is not to be sâ—oken y e affection that I beare thee why I fereted all night for the Rabbot I sent â—hâ—e and haue been in the wood all day to seek a fine birds nest for â—hee my mother is mâ—king of a cheese-cake and she hath promisâ—d â—t me for thee well beleeue me loue thee and my 〈◊〉 shooes come home on Saterday â—le see thee on Sundaâ—e and we will drinke togethâ—r that 's once â—or indeede I to loue thee Why my heart is neuer from thee for ouer and besides that I think on thee al daie I â—oe so dream on thee al night that our folkes say in my sleep I call thee sweee hart when I am awake and remember my dreame I sigh and say nothing but I would I wotte what but t is no matter it shall bee and that sooner then some thinke
thou canst neuer be a Counsellor neuer thinke to be Ladies are lowly but beautie is costly and the charge of attendance may bring hope for assurance In mine opinion therfore thy intent is not good and thy proceeding will be worse in thy humour of Courting Now for armes Is it not better to read of the noble acts of Conquerours then to trie the miserie of the conquered and to suffice nature with a little then to starue for want of food Oh the danger of death the doubt of victorie the crosse of valour the terror of a sigh sacke of a cittie the defence of a battaile the sight of blood the cares of the sorrowful and the consideration of conscience oh these with many other iâ— banquets bitter stormes deadly wounds cold lodging hard fare stinking drink and louzy rags and who knowes howe long these things I say with what else I say not are sufficient I hope to disswade thee from so desperate a course rather reade of true valour and vpon good cause and fit time aduenture life for honour for thy country thy religion or thy life otherwise vnder y e shewe of seeking honour goâ— not like a hired butcher to kill beasts like a bloudy tyrant to kill men for mony remember what thou hast read Blessed are the peace-makers seek peace ensue it for God wil blesse it if he make it Yet if needs thou wilt goe to the field begin not with the court least dainty fare ease and idlenes make thee vnfit to aduenture the hard course to honour but though in regard of the great trauailes and peâ—ills in those passages the tittles of honour do most truelie belong to the well deseruers while valour showne in mercy doth grace noblenes in goodnesse yet for that I think thy body not answerable to thy spirit out of my loue I haue writen thee my aduise hoping that it will take effect though not as I with yet such as may be to thy good and so knowing thy iudgement sufficient to determine of thy best course I leaue thee with it to y e direction of the Almighty whom I beseech euer so to bles thee that I may alwaies heare wel of thee and reioyce to see thee from my lodging in the little Colledge this tenth of August 1605. Thine more then spoken N. B. A letter of a Batchelar to a ritch widdowe WIddow if you wold not be sowre I would cal you sweet for though you know I loue you yet you wil say I flatter you but yet bee it how it will this is truth beleeue it as you wil your eies haue caught my hearte who hath sworne me a seruant to your wil I cannot with eloquence court you but I can truelie loue you and think my selfe blessed if I might enioie you for as your presence may please the wisest so your wisedome may commaund the honest for your wealth be it more or lesse then is reported your selfe being of more worth then you can haue I wish your selfe rather then what is yours you fear perhaps youths inconstancy it is triall that proueth truth and for my loue it shall end with my life but what are wordes vnbeleeued or hopes not firmly grounded like the vision of a dream which awake proues nothing yet good widow if you be kinde pitty mee and if pitiful fauour me and if gratious loue mee God will reward you loue will be true to you and I wil dye ere I wil deceiue you you may encrease your coyne and decrease youre comfort when a coughing sung at midnighte maie make you weepe before day but venture a little and haue much what I am or haue you shall haue all my loue my seruice my life what can you haue more a little more drinke to make the cup run ouer and perhaps marre the drink that was good before A little more coyne to fil the tother bagge and perhaps fal out to prooue a peece of false monie when coÌ„mended by a Coistrel that will serue for nothing but a Câ—ckold or kirbd by a Gub that wil grate you to the bones for an old groat you wil curse your treasure that was the cause of your destruction No no good widow be good to thy selfe in being kind to me hear mee beleeue me loue me take me for I wil be a seruaÌ„t to thy wil a companion to thy kindnesse as a steward of thy substance this as I liue hope of thy loue thou shalt finde for my heart hath auowed it and I wil not be a villain to mine own soule In which paying for thy health and to bee made happy in thy kindnesse to say Amen to my prayers I rest Thine auowed howsoeuer regarded T.M. To my louing friend VV. D. at his fathers house in Couentrie HOnest VVill I heare by your mother that you are going to the Uniuersitie where no doubt but with good care diligence you maie doe your selfe much good but for that I haue passed the place y t you are going toâ— haue tried the natures of those studies and the profit to be made of them let me tell thee mine opinion of them and which I thinke best for thee to follow for thy good first for the bâ—tter blessing of whatsoeuer thou followest bestow some labour in the reading of the diuine loue that done note what I tell thee for the increase of thy stocke when thou shalt come to haue any dealings in the world for thy better instructions in such courses as may be for thy coÌ„moditie obserue y e rules that I wil read thee first for Grammer it is euery Ushers of pettie schooles common â—laiâ—e Logick is but for the Uniuersitie for musick it brings more crotchets then crowns for Astronomy it goes too high aboue the cloudes to doe any good on the earth Cosmography is good for a trauailer and Astrology for a Sea-man but for him that meanes to gather wealth and grow rich let him bee perfect in Arithmetick to be sure of his numbers it will be a meane to gather wealth many waies for if you keepe a merchants booke you shall learne his accounts the prices of his wares and the gaines of them as well by greate as by retaile as wel outward as homeward this is a sure waie to wealth againe if thou be aduanced to place of office to keepe account of the number of the people the duties tributes and what paiments so euer to be made by them for Subsidies Fifteens customes and what els soeuer Arithmetick is most necessary for thy speedy dispatch of all those businesses for howsoeuer honour may be sought or bought by them that haue enough seeke thou wealth and that will bring thee what the world can giue thee for if thou fall into want and impairing or spending thy stocke bee forced to take some meane course for thy maintenaÌ„ce I wil tel thee what thou shalt find true the honest wil only pitty thee and say thou maist keepe a schoole t