thy kinde perswastons hoping thou will take no exceptions at my constructions intreating thee to belâ—ue of me no more then thou needest and to loue me as thou doest in the faith of that affection that holds thâ—â— beare to my loue I rest during life Thine obliged and diuoted W.B. A Letter of comfort to a sister in sorrow DEare sister I heard lately of your husbands departure for the Indies when with no little sorrow I considered your heauie case in which finding his wants to be grieuous and your friends colde in comfort I could not chuse without unkindnesse but remember these fewe lines of my loue unto you I knowe your state is weake how faire so euer you make your weather but the more is your patience worthy honour that can so nobly conceale your discontentments for my selfe I would I were able to doo you good but what I haue or can procure shall not faile to doo you pleasure but if your minde be too great to stoupe to be beholding what I am able to doo take a dutie in my brothers loue good sister therefore be of good cheare and put your care upon me I will soe you often and loue you euer for a creature of your worthinesse is seldome found in your sere that for her husbands loue will aduenture the state of her liuing your children are not many but such as are shall be mine and you to me as myselfe take therefore as litle thought and as much comfort as you can no doubt but God that trieth his seruants will blesse them hope then of my brothers happie returne and fill he come commaund me shortly God willing you shall see mee in the meane time let me entreat you kindly to accept this little token of my greater loue which is but an assurance of a beginning of my affections neuer ending in which predicament of true friendship I rest euer assured Your very louing sister E.W. Her answere SWéete sister I haue receiued your kinde Letter and louing token for both which I am your thankefull debtor but toâ—ching which husband though his wants were grieuoâ—s yet to want him is my greatest sorrewe for in the stay of his loue was the state of my liuing I am sorie that you know my weakenesse and with it but in strength to â—unswere your kindnesse but good sister though I am willing to conceale my crosses to be beholding to so honourable a spirit I count iâ— not the least of my happinesse Therefore though I haue diuâ—ted my selfe to solitarinesse in his absence your company shall bee to me as light in darknesse and noâ—ing the nature of your kindnesse will euer be beholding to your loue come then to me when you will and commaund me what you will for I will be as goe and you will my children are my worlds ioyes and my hearts Iewels in whose faces I will behold their father in whose loue I will spend my life so in a merrie goe sorrie grieuing for his abâ—ence and wishing your presence praying for his happie returne your health and mine owne patience that in too much passion of affection I fall not upon indiscretion with most heartie thankfull loue I commend my life to your commaundement Yours affectionately bound E.G. A Letter of loue to a faire Mistresse Farre Mistresse to trouble you with a long circumstance â— might perhaps feare you with the losse of time and to make an end ere I begin might argue little care in my conceit but to auoyd both suspitions let me a little entreat with your patience to peruse in a fewe words the summe of a long tale in which the truth of loue to the latest houre of death protesteth the ioy of â—iâ— life but in the fruite of your fauour of which the thought of his unworthinesse toth too much shewe his unhappinesse Time makes me too briefe but in your wisedome is my hope of understanding that in my tryall you may trust me and by desert esteem me in which if I deceiue your expectation let me die in the misery of your disdaine Thus not to flatter you with a faire â—â—le in the state of your worthie commendation beseeching to be commaunded by the kinde care of your discretion in the handes of avowed seriuce I humbly rest Yours alwaies assured R.O. The Answere SIr as I would be loth so be thought proud I would as vâ—willingly be found idle either to beleeue too well of my selfe or not to haue a respect of other Truthe is sildome marked with smoothe words and loue is not bredde but upon great contentment your lyking may be greater then my desert and so alter vpon a better consideration but mistake not your happinesse in my fauours unworthinesse where the best of my commaundement may be the least of your contentment Your consideration of time may excuse my shortnesse of writing where in a word you may understand that in deed I intend that Truthe in honourable in loue and vertue the fairest ioy in affection in which it I not misconstrue your conceâ—â— I will answere the care of your kindnesse in which according to the due of desert you shall finde the effects of your desire And so for this time I rest Your poore friend A.T. A Letter of counsaile from a kinde Father MY deare sonne you must not from your father looke for a flattering loue noâ— take it unkindly that I suspect your â—ll courses for I haue passed the dangereus tune y â— you now are in and haue hardly goâ—e through the briers and therfore in a iealous feare from an inward care I cannot â—hâ—se but giue you wâ—rning of what may preâ—â—dice your good Beautie is a bewitching obied and â—antoâ—nes is the ruine of wit prodigality quickly makes a poore man and he is only rich that liues contented But my good sonne aboue all things serue God and keep a cleane conscience passe not the limits of allegeance nor build Castles in the aire take hâ—â—d of extremities for they are out of the course of discretion and the fruite of Ignorance yeelds but the sorrow of repentance young men may be wittie but â—â—ldome wise and sometime though â—rt be a great perfecter of Experience yet obseruation is better then conceited â—unning â—rpence is necessary upon occasion and hope is not amissâ— upon desert but Reason sometime is more regarded then rewarded where â—ill is too powerfull to be resisted I heare that you are much giuen to Alchâ—mistry it is a studie of great charge to many and profiteth â—ewe yet I forbid you no good labour so that you loose not by the bargaine â—â—e therefore a care in the imployment of your time and wherein my helps may further your good seeke no other friend for your comfort For though I would not wish you to disdaâ—ne any kindnesse yet would I haue you as litle as you may to be beholding to any man for the prodigall are commonly talkatiue and the couctous negatiue and what a griefe it is to want
â— pray God you neuer knowe Any qualitie in a mediocritie â— gâ—â—dly allow you but let not your loue be carried away with ang iâ—le imagination I haue sent you a hundreth Crownes wâ—â— may you vse them and when you need any moe send to me for them for your affection touching marriage I would it were bestowed as I could with it howeuer it be it shall be much amisse it I miâ—kâ—ke â— I haue sent you likewise a Horse now and than to manage in a morning but I pray you forbeare to use him as a â—ackney to ride up and downe the streetes in idle humors Conuerse with no fooles for you shall loose time with them and take heede of knaues for there is much to be feared in them Long not after newes least you be guâ—d with a â—east and take heed of drunkennesse for it is a healthy humor Make much of thy money and abuse not thy friend be carefull of thy selfe and forget not thy Father whose earthly ioy is but in the hope of thy happinesse and whose deadly sorrowe would be to soe thee 〈◊〉 amisse What shall I say more to thee â— thou knowest I loue thee and only in my loue am I thus carefull ouer thee Accept then my admonitions and ponder vpon the constructions they may happe to 〈◊〉 thee good but harme they can doo thee none â—se them therefore for thy best auaile After the Terme the bacation will call thee into the Countrey where knowing thy Fathers house thou maist make thine owne welcome â—ill when and alwaies I will pray for thee that God will so blesse thee that I may haue ioy in thee Your louing Father H. W. A kind Answere of a louing sonne My deare Father as I wil not flatter myselfe with your loue so can I not but ioy in your kindnes whose carefull counsell within the compasse of so fewe words I will lock up in my hart as the best iewel of my life for to serue God is the dutie of a Christian and no longer let me line then in the care of that comfort A cleane conscience I finde like a cleane paire of sheetes where the soule after labors may take a safe place of rest to passe the limits of allegeance merits the losse of life and he is borne â—â— happie that is unnatural to his country and aâ—ery castles are but mad mens imaginations I know extremes are not durable nor often prefitable and repentance a paiment that pincheth the â—art of understanding I finde the instruction of the aged to be the best direction of the youthfull and obseruation with Experience to make the perfâ—ction of Art the necessitie of Experience cannot be aâ—yed but the hope of desert may be deceiued for while will standes for iudgement there is no holding of argument touching Alâ—hamistry I heare much but beleeue little and for the charge I will not waste your Lande to make a new mettall but if by my industry I can doo good I will take the benefite of Time for qualities I thanke your large allowance the best meanes with labour to attaine them for Teachers are worthie their rewards to be beholding I loue not and hate to be ungratefull But as I follow not the prodigall I haue little pleasure in the courtous and for idle imaginations I can vse them as fictions for your Crownes I humbly thanke you and hope to bestow them to your 〈◊〉 Your â—orse will doo me much pleasure and cause me to see you the sooner For gallopping the streets it is like children upon â—obby horses but giâ—â—ie heades haue such humours that God knoweth what will become of them for mariage though the course be honourable yet could I be content to forbeare it though in the â—â—reâ—ion of my affection I wiâ—l be much ruled by your discretion Fooles câ—nnot understand mee and knaues wil but trouble me but from the company of 〈◊〉 conditions the Lord of heauen deliuer mee good newes come neuer too soone nor badde too late and therefore as they are I wil estâ—â—me them For drunkennesse neâ—er doubt mee for it is most lâ—athsomâ— to my nature and for my mony though it being seruant I will hold it as my good friend for my friend he shall be my selfe but my father my hearts loue and my lifes comfort in whose carefull admonitions how kinde I fâ—â—de the ininstructions the obedience of my dutie shall make knowne to your contentment the vacation is neare and I will not be long from you where finding you well shall be my best welcome so thinking my selfe bless in the heauens to haue so good a Father on the earth beseeching God to make me ioyfull in your eyes by the graces of his mercies in praier for your long health with your hearts euer happinesse In all humble thankes I take my leaue Your obedient sonne T.W. A Merchants Letter to his Factor As I haue reposed trust in your care I looke for your performance of my credit your abilitie in managing such matters as I haue committed to your charge I make no doubt of and therefore hoping in your discretion to heare of my expected contentment I will looke by your next Letters to heare of the summe of my desire in the meanetime let me tell you that I haue sent you ouer foure score broad cloathes and thirtie Carâ—ies with such other commodities as I thinke fit for your use in those parts I pray you make your best market and take heed of your Creditors for I heare there are men reputed of great wealth in suspition to play banquerupâ—s haue therefore a care of your businesse your trauels shall not bee unconsidered your French Wines I heare this yeare are very small and your Gascoigne Wines very deare Prunes cheape but you know your markets and so I hope you will haue care in disbursing your money for it is hardly come by and as this world goes â—ooth much in great matters if there boe any Newes of woeth acquaint me with them and in any wise doo not trouble me with untruthes your Couâ—en telles mee that you are in good regard with the Gouernour for certaine cloathes that you lately bestowed on him hee tolde mee the cause and therein I commend your discretion for sometime it is better to giue then to saue when it turneth to aduantage In summe let this suffice you without further circumstance you haue my loue and my purse I pray haue a care of them both so till I heare from you I rest Your loving Maister W.H. His answere Sâ—â— I beseech you mistrust not your trust nor haue any fearâ— of my care for hauing both your loue and your purse how can the one let me forget the other â—o sir bee you assureâ— howsoeuer banquers play banquerouâ— sure pawnes will deceâ—ue no credite and touching such affaires as I haue in charge doubt not your expectation of my dispatch your cloathes â— haue receiued and like them very well year Carâ—ies are verie good I would you
as I haue alwaies found of your selfe Consider therefore of my case and in your kindnes answere me Time is pretious and therfore least by disapointment I be disfurnished and so perhaps discredited I pray you speedâ— your answere which howsoeuer shall be welcome and therfore â—arnestly intreating you to helpe me now that I may the better â—uil your kindnesse hereafter with many thankes for your great fauours which cannot be forgotten to be deserued I take my leaue further at this time to trouble you but will rest in what I shall be able euer to pleasure you to make you know how much I loue you Your louing friend at commaund T. R. The debters Answere SIr your request is so reasonable and your kindnes so much that for a greater matter then your demand if my purse were not in tune I would strain my credit very farre for you â—eare then with my a little forgetfuâ—â—es of my day and thinke it â—o trouble to my patience to be put in minde of my credit your sea losses I am sorâ—â— for and wish your recouery by land Debters that will not paâ—e make Credâ—â—ors they cannot lend but for my selfe to make you know how much interest you haue in my affection let me tell you that though by some inexpected expences I am short of my hoped reckoning yet vpon the receit of your Letter I haue bene thâ—s carefull for you your money I haue sent you and as much more for so long time I will lend you which you shall recâ—iâ—e of this bearer and in my Letter the day of paiment which if it may pleasure you so much as I wish you I am glad I had it for you howâ—oeuer it fall out vse it to your owne discretion and so far be alwaies assured of my loue that my word and deed shall be all one in your comfort And so leauing cerenâ—onâ—ous complements in vnfained good will I rest Alwaies to my vttermost power Yours as mine owne D. W. A Letter of Newes TO performe my promise in my last Letter my kinde and best Couzen you shall vnderstand of such occurrents as I heare goe currant for truth I heare there are certaine olde people that speake much of Prophecies where they set it downâ— for a certaine rule that this yeare and many to come he that wants mony in his purse and a friend in the Court may walke into the Country and picke strawes for his comfort for the lawe is verie daungerous for begging and Charitie is so cold that the poore must starue rather then the rich will want Old men shall neuer be young againe in this world and beautie in a young woman will not let her know her selfe Honestie without wit will die on the foole and craft without credit will labour to little purpose In summe there will be a great plague among the poore with lacke of mony among fooles for lacke of wit and knaues for lacke of honestie but it may be Nature may alter her course in many things and Prophecies may fall out in contrarieties Howsoeuer it be welcome that comes on Gods name and so hoping thou louest no legerdemaine nor wilâ—â—e led away with blind Prophecies writing this only for exercise of a merry humor I rest Thine what mine P. R. The Answere SUch idle Prophets as you méete with haue such kind of matter as you write of but let the world wagge as it list there is not a truer wagge in the worlde then thy selfe and were it not that I feare my Letter would come to light I would answer you in your kinde But to be short let me tell you that lawes are good to take order with such outlawes as after prodigalitie put themselues vpon Charitie And yet to crosse your rule of little experience old men may haue young humors faire wenches put wise men to their wittes and honestie may thriue with a mean trade when a craftie knaue may loose by his câ—â—â—ing broking As for the plague I feare me it is neuer from you for if neighbors agree yet their wiues may fall out and while the poore fret and the riche frowne there is little hope of health where the world is so out of quiet And therefore hoping that you haue wit inough to beware the knaue and the foole and to make your choise of best company wishing your continuance of your good humor with thankes for your waggish Letter I rest in our old league Yours as mine 〈◊〉 R. W. A Letter of perswading to marriage DEare Couzen I â—oo not a little wonder at your solitary life and more at your little care to match your selfe in marriage with some virgin worthy your loue wil you leaue the world without memorie of your name your inheritance to no issue of your owne honour and runne a course of too little comfortâ— Meâ—thinketh that your knowledge of the diuersitie of â—arietâ—â—s should settle your content vpon some especiall vertue what if some women be aged some are youthfull and some frâ—warâ— other may be kinde and some wanton there are better stayed and some sullains some are louing and is there nâ—nâ— can fit your humor God forbid the lawe of Nature the lawe of Reason the lawe of God doth wil it that loue breed encrease by a vertuous coniunâ—tion which cannot be performed without the honor of this course Bastards wil be witnesses of their parents wickednesse when natural children are the ioy of their Fathers and â— a true louing wife is worth a thousand wilde walkers her care in the house her kindnes at the Table and her comfort in the bed are pleasures better conceiued then expressed fall theÌ„ abâ—â—rd with such a Bird as you may hold for your Phoenix and thinke thy mind at best libertie when it is â—ree frâ—m the bandes of folly In â—ne let me intreat thée to make thy house a home thy wiâ—e thy worldes loue and thy children thine earths ioy which as I hope â—hou wilâ— be glad to haue I shall be glad to see For good spéede whereof in hartie praier I rest Thy louing Coâ—â—en R. W. His Answere MY kinde Couzen I sée you are better redde then experienced for Batchellers wiues and Maidens chiâ—â—ren are pretie things to plaie withall but he that knowes many daungers wil take héed of all A wife is an euerlasting substance which if it be not of the better nature is a perillous thing to meddle â—ithall for if it catch hold of the hands it may put the heart to a fore paine and the Phoenix is such a figure as if I must find hee in a woman I feare me I must séeke a great way for her For the lawes that you speake of I yéeld to truth but loue is so nice an humor that he â—lâ—ome settles in a place for Bastards I loue not the bréed and better children wil doo well when they come For bed and boord and those trickes let them ioy in them that haue them when I fâ—nd time I wil thinke