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
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
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
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
is an honest trade wheÌ„ a churl wil grudg at his groat for a shillings worth of labour in beating quick sence into a dull wit who if hee bee not capable of a good vnderstanding yet shall the fault of his imperfection be imputed to thy negligence and thou vndeserued receiue either a frowne or a foule worde for thy laboure nowe the proud Peacock that hath a little more mony theÌ„ wit wil perhaps entertain thee to a blew coate and forty shillings which how gratious it will be to a good spirit thou shalt find and I shal be sory to hear Beleeue me if thou haue al the sciences be furnished with manie languages and art acquainted with honourable courses and hast a heart as honest as can liue yet if thou lack wealth to grace al the rest thou shalt haue a foole come ouer thee and a knaue abuse thee he whose wit goes no further then his trade so play vpon thy misery with scaÌ„ning thy cours of life that thou wilt wish rather neuer to be borne then to be borne downe with vnhappines yea for necessities sake thou shalt be enforced to bestowe thy studie in fictions and follies and to spend thy spirit in vain yea I may saie vile inuentions to commend an vnworthy person to the wound of thine owne conscience who though he loue to heare himselfe flattered yet perhaps when he hath very miserablie rewarded thee yet will he lye of his bounty which is little better then beggery Oh what a plague is it to a noble spirit through meer want to present an Asse with a burthen of wit or a base spirit with a tract of honour Oh deare VVill the wealthy that haue but a little wit wil grow rich with making a benefit of thy labours while thou not waying thy lacke of iudgement in the first directing of thy course wilt pine away with sorrow to thinke of thy mistaken fortune in briefe therfore follow my counsell studie all the Artes superficially but chiefely Arithmetique for it is the assured way to wealth bee not ignorant in Diuinity for it is the soules comfort and take heede of Poetry leaste it runne away with thy wit for it hath commonly one of these three properties belibelling the wicked abusing the honest or pleasing the foolish and therfore though some excellent man may haue an excellent humour doe thou rather reade in an euening then make thy daies worke in the studie of idlenesse giue them praise that deserue it but doe not thou bend thy delight towards it for in a word it is more full of pleasure then profit Thus haue I writ thee a tedious letter hoping that if thou wilt followe my aduise it will doe thee no harme and if so much good as I desire I shall be glad to see it in the meane time leauing thy courses with thy selfe to the guiding and tuition of the almightie I rest Thine in much affection R. P. To his most honoured Lady Madam Izabella Tarina HOnourable Madame how my vnworthinesse may hope of your goodnesse I cannot find but in the notes of your noblenesse which as it may well challenge the heighth of your Title so doth it bind a world of seruants to your good fauour among whome my selfe more desirous then able to deserue the least of your good countenance am yet presumptuous to trouble you with an humble sute I haue a sister of yeares sufficient to vnderstand betwixt good and euill and of disposition I thanke God not a misse her bringing vpp hath beene chiefely at her booke and needle but yet is shee not vnfurnished of other parts fit for a seruant of her place which if it mighte so stand with your good pleasure shoulde bee to attende your honour in your chamber her trueth I will vndertake for her diligence I will not doubte of her kinde nature I can speake of and her affection vnto your Ladishippe I knowe is not a little if therefore in all these shee may bee pleasing to your entertainemente I shall bee bound to your good fauoure in the honour of her preferment which beeing the highest aduancement that her duty can deserue I leaue her seruice with mine owne to your honourable emploiment So crauing pardon to my boldnesse with fauor to my sute I humblie take my leaue Your Ladiships in all humblenesse F. W. To my most beloued God-father T. H. GOd-father at the Font you gaue me a name and as I haue heard and read of others you vndertooke to see mee brought vp in learning and in the feare of GOD I doe not remember that euer I yet receiued pennie from you towardes the charge thereof and you hauing neither charge of wife nor children might doe well to bestowe your blessing vppon mee in somwhat better then a bare hand which wil buie nothing is it possible that hauing one foot in the graue the other should be so farre off am I your nearest in nature and shall I bee furthest off in loue I know not the cause but what euer it be misconceiued in vnkindnes let me intreat you to beleeue my loue and I desire no more for when you are wearie of the flatterie of those that feede vppon you among the greate showers of your kindnesse that you dailie raine downe vppon their fieldes you will I hope bestowe one droppe of grace vppon my grounde I will â—ege nothing but your will and will loue you more then they which tell you more bee not couetous to gather for them that gape for your goods and bee not fast handed to him who loues you more then al you haue and the good that you will doe let it be in your life that you maie see your contentmeÌ„t in the issue of your kindnes loath I am to wearie you with words and therfore in the loue of a true heart which dailie praieth for your health and heartes ease hoping that God wil moue you for my good whosoeuer is a meane of my hurt I cease further at this time to trouble you but rest alwaies in the dutie of mine humble loue Your affectionate god sonne T B. To my dearest beloued friend on earth H. W. HOnest Harry out of the troubled spirit of a tormeÌ„ted heart I write to thee and therefore beare with my skill if it be not in the pleasing nature of so good an humor as I could wish and thou art worthie of but as I know thee able to iudge of colours better then the blind eies of beetel heads and of that true kindnesse that can and dooth rather comfort the afflicted then encrease the sorrowes of the distressed let mee imparte to thee some part of my passion that patience in thy pitie may the better plaie her part in my spirit what shall I saie I liue as without life pleasuring in nothing crossed in all hopes put in manie feares languishing in manie sorrowes troubled with the grief of a wounded conscience not with the horror of murther the feare of treason nor delight
of sinne but with the crueltie of fortune the vnkindnesse of friends and the breach of my credit and most of all with them whom I most loue Oh God my heart aketh and blame it not and my spirit mourneth and reprooue it not for though patience bee a vertue that maketh men diuine yet there is but one Christ men are no Angels and let me tell thee true the miserie of my life is intolerable in the sense of nature for compare the afflictions of the most patient with the causes of my passions and prouide a world of pittie to behold the mappe of my miseries hath one man beene wealthie becom poore so am I hath another suffered wrong so doe I another buried his parents children deare friendes so haue I another trauailed farre in hope of gaine and return with losse so haue I another been wounded in the wars fared hard laine in a cold bed manie a bitter storme and been at manie a hard banquet all these haue I another imprisoned so haue I another long beene sicke so haue I another plagued with an vnquiet wife so am I another indebted to his hearts griefe and faine would paie and cannot so am I another in loue so am I another out of loue with himselfe so am I in summe when anie of these crosses are able to kill the heart of a kind spirit and all these lie at once so heauie vpon mine hart as nothing but the hand of God can remoue besides my continual toile for the reward of vnquietnesse while that which should be my comfort is my corrosiue imagine how with all this I can liue and think what a death it is thus to liue Oh the scorn of the proud the abuse of the vngratious the scoff of the foolish and the scanning of the vnkind the companie of the discontentiue and the want of the most affected the disgrace of learning the losse of time and the miserie of want If there be a Hell on the earth it cannot be farre from this caue of my discomforte where I am sure the diuel seeing my desire to serue God laieth all the barres he can in the waie of my best comfort but I deâ—â—â— him and hope in Christ that my liuing and louing God who hath tried my soule in aduersities wil one day in his mercie so look vpon me that the diuel shall be driuen back from his purpose and the tears of my sorrow wipt away I shall reioyce in such a ioy as all my griefes cleane forgotten my hart and soule shall in the ioy of all my sense in the heauenlie harmonie of a holy himne sing a new song of praise to the glorie of my Sauiour for the hastening whereof in my deliuerance from my torments and comforts in his mercies I will frame my dailie prayers and bee assured of thy Amen but I feare I am too tedious and therefore wil thus end God continue my patience but not my sorrowes giue me deliuerance from my miseries and make me thankful for his blessings blesse thee with as much happines as thou knowst I want so leauing my hopes to his mercies and vs both to his tuition I rest with as little rest as I think any man can rest Thine or not mine owne N.R. To his faire Mistresse and heartes honour Mistresse A. T. LAdie I haue been so ill a scholar to loue that I neuer yet learned the courting of beautie neither would I willingly vse Act to abuse vertue and therefore if plaine truth may haue grace I will vse no Atturneie in this case which being to be iudged in your kindnes I will onely craue audience and stand to your arbitrement my case being mine owne lawyer thus I plead your eies haue stolne my hearte now I must either be accessarie to mine own hurte or accuse you of the fellonie but rather willing to loose my heart in your eyes then keepe them to looke on other light I wil onelie appeale to your selfe what to doe in this passion If I loue you must know it for your eies haue my hearte and if I loose my hearte you must haue it for your eies are wel worthie of it but now you haue it preserue it for your seruice let it not die in displeasure that hath no life but in your loue of it could speak it would tell you how dearlie highlie and onelie it honours you and if you will beleeue it you shal quicklie find it for it is dedicated to your seruice and hath no care but of your fauoure keepe it then to your vse vse it to your pleasure and let it dye in other comfort In summe not to dwel â—pon ceremonies it is nothing mine but al yours and if it maie liue in your eyes it seekes no other heauen in this world driue it not then froÌ„ you that hath no life but in you and take it wholly to you that is as nothing without you so leauing it with my selfe to the honour of your onelie seruice I take my leaue for this time but will rest euer Yours â—â—â—wed and deuoted R. S. To his very good friend Master R. B. at his house in Coll. SYr I knowe you loue no long letters and my sute being tâ— most men so vnpleasing I would be loath to be tedious I haue purchased a peece of land and laied out al my mony now vpon the sodain an vnexpected occasioÌ„ puts me to an extraordinarie charge for the furnishing wherof I am constrained to try my good frinds among which presuming of your kind promise vpon any vrgent occasion to stand me in steed I am to intreat you by this bearer to helpe me to forty pounds wherein you shall so much pleasure me as so much maie doe and as I can requiâ—e it I will not forget it I would haue it for sixe months my daie I will not breake I will take it kindelie and deserue it thankfully my seruant is trusty and therefore I praie you send it by him and as you will bee assured of mâ— loue feede mee not with delays nor excuse for I knowe you haue it and you know I will paâ—e it Thus loath to vse you like a broker to send you a pawne as an honest neighbour let me be beholding to your kindnesse in which you shal giue me cause in the like or a greater matter to rest vpon at as short a warning Your assured friend to vse R. H. To the Right worshipfull my very good master Syr Thomas VVard Knight at his house in Padow SYr after mine humble duty I haue talked witâ— diuers of those parties to whoÌ„ you directed me touching y e benefit to be made of the sate which you haue in hand whose opinions I fiâ—de diuers yet all agreeing in this that if you can procure it irreuocable the mony will be aduentured otherwise they are loth to engage their states and credits too far vpoÌ„ bare hopes for liues are vncertaine and in the change of times diuerse things fall
for though the old trust my father and olde â—ramme my mother will not come out with their Crownes I care not I am all theire Sonnes and therefore I shall haue all the Landâ— and therefore hauing a good Farme wee shal make shifte for mony And therefore sweet hart for so I well dare call thee I pray thee bee of good cheere wash thy face and put on the Glouâ—s that I gaue thee for we are full askte next Sonday the Sonday after you knowe what for I haue your fathers good will and you haue my Mothers and therefore if Buckle and Thonge holde we will load our Packes together I would haue said somewhat else to you but it was out of my heade and our Schoolmaister was so busie with his boyes that hee woulde scarce write thus much for mee But farewell and remember Sonday Thine ovvne from all the vvorlde T. P. To her hearte of Golde and best beloued NOwne Loue and kinde soule I thank thee for thy sweete letter a thousand times I warrant thee it hath bene reade and reade ouer againe oftner then I haue fingers and toes euery nighte I gette vp our man into my Chamber and there by my beddes side he sittes and reads it to mee still still til I am almoste aslâ—epe but when hee reades so often sweet heart and I loue thee Oh saie I you doe lie and hee sweares no and then I saye I thanke you Tâ—â— no loue loste for I am no changeling and when hee comes to dream and wake and wish I will not tell you what I thinke yet but one daye I will tell you more in the meane time bee content and trust mee I haue a band in hand for thee that shall be done afore the time and let our friendes doe theire willes we will not hang after theire humors No I am thine and thou art mine and that not for a daie but for euer and euer My mother hath stolne a whole peck of flower for a Bryde-Cake and our man hath sworne hee will steale mee a braue Rose-marie bush I haue spoken for â—le that will make a Catte speake and the Youth of our Parish haue sworne to bring the blind fidler well bee of good cheere on Sondaye I will bee at Church and if there bee any dauncing I hope to haue about with you And til then and the Sondaie after and euery daie after that God bee with you Written by our man at my beddes side at midnighte when the folkes were all asleepe Your true louing in heart till Death vs depart E. S. An angry letter by a young Louer in the Countrie to his Loue. M. N MArgerie the truth is you doe not vse me well what doe I get by you to loose my daies worke and sit on a stile blowing my fingers in the colde in hope to meete you a milking and you send an other in your roome and goe to market an other waie well if I bee not your sweete hearte much good doe you with your choice I hope my fathers sonne is worthie of your mothers daughter Your Pricking in a cloute is not so good as a plough and for your portion I can haue your betters but t is no matter hee is curste in his Cradle that trustes anie of your wordes and therefore since t is as t is let it be as t wil I will not put at my hearte that you hang at your heeles Well to be short take it for a waâ—â—ing for I am angrie if you serue mee soÌ„ againe you shall serue me so no more that is once and therefore either bee as you shoulde bee or bée as you list for I will not disgeste more then I can that is the truth other folke see it as well as I what a foole you make of mee but t is no matter I maye liue to be meete with you but yet if you will giue ouer your gadding and bee rulde by your friendes counsaile I can bee contente to forget al that is past and to be as good friends as ere we were And so hoping to heare better of you then some folkes thinke of you meaning to bee at your towne the next market daye if you will meet me at the Rose we will haue a Cake and a cup of Ale and maye happe bee merrie ere wee parte and so farewell Your Friend as you vse mee B. D. BArnaby you are much too blâ—me to fal out with your selfe for wante of better companie If you bee angrie turne the buckle of youre girdle behinde you for I knowe no Bodie is in loue with you What 's heere to doe with my Fathers horse and youre mothers mare Why I wonder what you ayle is the Moone in the Eclipse that you are so out of Temper Nowe truth t is pittie a foole cannot haue a little witte but hee will spende it all in a fewe wordes Alas the daye it will bee nighte by and by and if you bee so peeuish to put pepper in the Nose if you canne sâ—â—ese both waies you are in no danger of Death Well to bee plaine care for your selfe if you will for in truth I will take no charge of you For if you will holde on your course you maie walke whither you will and no bodie looke after you for my selfe I will forgette your Name and proper person I hope there is none so madde as to be in loue withall In conclusion come not to mee till I sende for you nor look after mee till I bidde you I will drinke no Bottle ale with such a bottle nose nor desire to come to market to meete such a companion and so glad to haue this occasion to try your patience the foreman of fooles be your woodcocke father and teach you better howe to vse your witte if you haue any And so in as little loue as I can sauing my charitie In hartie good will I leaue you as I found you and so rest Your fâ—iend as you see M. A. To her more friendly then beleeued faithfull M. Tho. Ievvell A Bitter sweete is like a Phisicall potion if I be so to your thoughts I hope I shall purge your head of ill humours and then faming fancie that would deceiue plaine simplicitie will abuse neither of vs and if your flatterie were not grosse in my complexion I should haue no suspect of your condition with how farre it is from your protested truth I leaue to the secret confession of your little affection wordes followe thoughts at the heeles and thoughts keepe the head not the heart where the brains a little troubled it puts the wit much out of temper and therefore wishing you to leaue honoure to the noble and seruice to the wealthy giue me leaue to like of equality and to settle my affection in discretion which hating to disgrace the wel deseruing cannot but dayly fauour y â— faithful distrust is a kind of iealousie which if I could loue I should perhaps be acquainted with but solitarinesse bâ—ing so sweete a life why should I seek my hurt in a worse course yet am I not borne for my selfe and therefore will harken to reason and yet no further then to know the worth of a Iewei before I pay too deare for the wearing of it and therefore let this suffice you that no heauen being in this woâ—lde take heede of a â—ell of your owne makinâ— and putting awaie the cloudes of idle humors looke into the height of that loue that by the direction of vertue may bring you to honour to which if my helpe may auaile I wil say Amen to such prayers as may bee made in a good mind In which hoping you will labour to rest in I leaue you to your best rest and so rest Your friend as farre as I may not be mine ovvne enemie S. P. FINIS