in distresse HOnest Will I Condole with thée in thy discontentments though I cannot ease thee of thy sorrowes but though my comfort be little let not my Counsell dislike thée to tell thée what I thinke that will not be amisse for thee to thinke on The Traueller must not giue ouer till he come to his iourneys end and till the daies worke be done there is no looking for wages deepe waters are dreadfull to them that feare to wet their feet but wisedome will through though shee wade vp to the Chin beleeue it it is the Euening praiseth the Day and he is only happy that holds out to the end stand therefore to your tackling For though your crosses are greeuous yet surely is your blessing great in being so well able to goe through them and therefore fight the good fight and your conquest will be comfortable and if not héere yet in Heauen shortly God willing I will see thee and till then pray for thee that thy faith may neuer faile thee and that I may find thee in such rest that I may ioy in thy Resolution till when and alwaies I rest Thine or not mine owne D. S. The Answere KInde Robin I am sory you are sory for me because it will doe you more hurt then me good yet am I so far comforted in your Counsell that if I could be my selfe I should be much benefited by your instructions but if oppression make the wiseman mad beare with the imperfection of Fooles and know that when patience is put to her strength passion puts Grace to her Triall I speake not this in dispaire of mercy for God is all-sufficient as well in Comfort as Correction but crosses abroad and crucifyings at home vnkindnesse of kin vnfaithfulnesse of friends breaches of vowes delaying of times scorns of beggars and scoffes of fooles with frustrating of hopes in prayers of faith and teares of repentance haue almost broken my heart which onely liues in the Grape to know an end of my griefe yet will I tarry the Lords leasure and till then rest full of griefe Yours what mine owne A Letter from a Nephew to his Vncle from the Vniuersitie GOod Vnkle you writ vnto me to know what fruit I haue made of my study To tell you truth in reading ouer my Alphabet I found in all the Crosse Rowe the worst letter was O especially when I went before it and V followed after it For there finding that I o u and can not yet come out of your debt I cannot be agrieued that you are diâ—contented that I o u and can not help it yet thus much I gaine by my reading to finde in my conscience the charge of my debts which I will discharge with all the spéed that I am able and in the meane time entreat my friends to that patience that shal be nothing to their disprofit among whom holding your loue in no little account assuring you ere long to héere from me and in the meane time not vnthankefull for your kindnes I rest Your bounden louing Cosen R. W. The Answere GOod Cosen in your Alphabet you say you find o the worst Letter now with me it is not so for I finde it rather in h which I féele not in my Toe for I am not so Rich as to haue the Gowt nor in my head for I thanke God I haue reasonable good health of body but it is onely at my Heart to thinke of my vnhappinesse to haue so ill comfort of my kindnes yet let mee not write this to trouble you your Debt beeing but a Trifle and therefore knowing your honest heart I leaue the time to your best abilitie and in the meane time hoping of your loue I wish you not to hurt your selfe to help mee for though I am poore I am no begger and will not be vnkind to them I loue in which be yow assured I will rest during life Your louing Vnkle T. M. A Letter of Loue to a Gentlewoman of good worth WOrthy Lady if I could not dissemble I were a foole but if I would I were the more foole knowing your wisedome to know craft to be the greatest folly and your vertue to allowe onely Truth to be the best Elequence In plaine Truth therefore giue me leaue to lay the seruice of my heart at the feete of your fauour where if the desarts of my endeuour may not bee disdained your Honor shall not be embased where your vertue is honored so crauing pardon for my presumption in the Humilitie of affection I humbly take my leaue Your more willing then worthy seruant B. R. Her Answere SIr I haue receiued your Letter and by the Contents gesse at your content but giue me leaue to tell you that protestations are perilous shadowes and the Diuell neuer deceiues more then when hee comes like an Angell of light I speake not this with an ill coniecture to wrong a good minde but the world is so full of Treason that Truth is crept into a little Corner To honour vertue I cannot denie you and to deserue well I can not disswade you but in the happinesse of my fauour your hopes may bee deceiued though thus farre I subscribe to your petition that I will disdaine no honorable affection but wish I were a more worthy Mistris of so worthy a Seruant and so in that care of my discretion that may be no touch to my reputation I rest Your well wishing friend E. B. A Letter of kindnes from a louing father to call home an vnthrifty Sonne THe Pellican kills her selfe to feeed her young chickins an vnkindly brood to bee the death of their breeder the Cuckoe kills the Sparrow that hatcht her Oh vnnaturall bird to be her death that gaue her life and the little Snakes eat out the belly of their damme ere they come abroad Oh most hatefull worme to bee of so hellish a nature Now seeing the shame of these wilt thou like a shadow follow their substance with thy disordinate life to bee the death of thy father I loue thee dearly and wilt thou greiue me deepely doe not so good Sonne turne the glasse of thy disgrace to a course of better comfort Leaue the world and come home to mee I will meet thee halfe way with my roabe and with my ring I will wed thee to my loue and the fat Calfe shall bee killed to make a feast for thy comming so beseeching God so to blesse thee that I may see the fruits of his grace in thee till I see thee or heare from thee to the Lord of Heauen I leaue thee Thy most louing father W. R. Answere MY déere Father I most humbly thanke you for your kind Letter which hath so wrought in my loue as hath almost Metamorphos'd my mind from the humor it was in for since that Grace hath opened the eye of my vnderstanding to discerne betwixt good and euill I finde him worse then a Deuill that feareth not God and a Child to be
set it together againe what I cannot doe if I should dye in not doing of it vouchsafe my good Lord to read them and me in them with a few of your golden Angells deliuer me from a world of incarnate Deuills which with siluer daggers seeke to stab the heart of my liberty which beeing a great part of my life doe a Noble deed to saue it God himselfe will requite you and I shall bee bound to pray for you that all the good that the heauens will and the world can giue may befall you So hauing long knowne and euer loued your Honor beseeching the Almightie to blesse the same with encrease of aduancements in the worthinesse of true Noblenesse at the feete of your fauour laying downe the seruice of my hearts loue crauing pardon for my presumption I humbly rest during life Your Honors in all humble deuoted and bounden dutie and seruice W. R. A pleasant conceited Letter to a friend in the Countrey YOu write vnto mee for Newes and mee thinkes it is Newes you write vnto mee For not hauing heard from you thus long I wonder I haue heard from you at last And yet though I am merrie with your silence your Letter is welcome for I rather feared your health then your vnkindnesse but to answere your expectation let mee tell you that the occurents of this time are such as are either false and then vnfit to write or if true not worth the writing onely this I dare tell you that rich men play with the world and make a kinde of paradice vpon earth while the portion of the poore is most held in patience For my selfe I am as you left mee neither beholding to friends nor fearefull of enemies and for the world I am so farre in loue with it that I could wish I were well out of it and for your selfe I wish rather your continuance of your home louing friends then to hunt heere after fortune a day after the faire To conclude if I come neere you I will see you where so euer you are I will loue and so to the Lord I leaue you Yours what mine owne N. B. The Answere OLd wagge of the world I see thou art neuer out of thy humour I am glad to heare from thee not of thy discontents but to see now thou setst them downe which in a manner is as musique when I am sometime melancholy disposed but for the rich let them be proud only of their time for the poore may happen meet with them at their graues and proue better men in an other world For thy selfe I held thy happinesse greater in thy Contemplation then many misers in their large possessions And in briefe when thou art weary of the world come to me and let vs talke of that which all the world shall not heare of so longing for thee till I see thee or heare from thee I rest Thine or not mine owne B. S. A kinde Letter to a friend in the Countrey from the Citie KInde Anthony I am sure thou doest not maruell a little at my long silence I could make sufficient excuse were it not to tedious to write But let this suffice that a troubled minde is not alwaies in temper and the world is at such a passe that the wise are amazed at it and for my selfe such I doe finde it that as I can not get out of it so I scarce know what to doe in it for wisedome is watch't whether her workes bee like her faith and folly is much in fauour because shee pleaseth the common people so that I thinke I must turne foole if I will feed on fat meat and yet it greeth so ill with the nature of my spirit that I had rather liue as a shadow among men then bee the substance of a monster oh my good Anthony how happy a life doe you lead that may heere the Birdes sing in your woods see your Ewes suckle your Lambes in your fieldes catch a fish with a worme a Cony with a Ferret and a hare with your Greyhound and by the way as you come home contemplate more comfort then the earth can giue you for he that hath a heart to lift vp his eyes will bee of Senecaes opinion that the mind of that man is brought into a streight that can bee contented with earth and hee that were in his right wits would hold it the greatest misery in mans life to desire to liue though in misery For mine owne part I wish I were not out of it but so in it that I may not loue it but I will neither hasten my death nor prolong my life in this world but attend his pleasure that will call me out of it and the little time that I haue in it I would I could spend it in thy presence not to ease my charge nor to charge thee but that in true worth I know not a more worthy friend and thus till I see thee which shal hee as soone as I can conueniently in the affection of an honest heart I rest Thine or not mine owne R. B. His Answere HOnest Robin thy silence was not so discontentiue as thy letter was comfortable for thou writest not like the world bare words for matter but alwayes like thy selfe the fruites of true iudgement thou saiest well of the world that it is a strange passe when let the wisest heads haue the most honest hearts yet will the eyes of wickednes be prying into their procéedings while fooles craft is soone seene when they most seeke to deceiue themselues but let the fat Bulies of Bashan feed with Diues in his delicates pore Lazarus will haue a time to bee farre merrier then meat can make them Oh Robin the monsters of this age see not their owne deformities and better bee a shaddow among men then so vumanly a substance while blessed bee the spirit that hates the course of iniquity for my happines I confesse it is more then I am worthy of but most in contemplation aboue possession when the Spirit aboue Nature sees Grace aboue Reason shewing it a better world then this where it liues yet while in this little time wee passe the pilgrimage of a few dayes more pleasure is in the least creature of life then the fairest dead Idoll if I catch a Trout with a flie a Nightingale with a worme the one serues me in my dish the other sings in my Chamber and are not these comforts more contentiue then to hang on friends and hope of fortunes while the witts are dead weary ere trauaile find comfort well bee the world what it will come thou to mee when thou wilt and command what thou wilt for though I say it beleeue it thou hast not a more louing friend that will approue it so longing to so thee that I may haue my fill of discourse with thee with all the happines a heart can wish thee to the Lord of heauen I leaue thee and so rest Thine what mine owne W.
R. A melancholy discontentiue Letter vpon a frowne of a Kinsman COsen vppon your last lookes I lookt a little into my selfe where I find it too true that hee that is cursed in the cradle can hardly be blessed in the swaddell and yet God is too strong for the Deuill while Fortune is but the fiction of fooles Patience goes against the heare with Nature but yet where grace guides the Spirit the way is not hard to heauen the fore-horse goes straight because hee sees on either side and the wilde goose rase makes more hast then good speed I know there is a difference betwixt running and creeping and yet who is surest footed may take a fall excuses are more ready then foresights and yet the wisest may be ouertaken ere he be aware In summe he that cannot be himselfe must be subiect to others censures and therefore to conclude with my crosse this shall be onely my comfort that hee that is at warres with the world shall haue peace in Heauen to which ioy after sorrow God send mee and all his seruants among whom hoping to finde your name in the booke of life in more loue then I found in your bookes I rest Your louing kinsman B. S. A discontentiue Letter of a Louer WHen you were faire I loued you for then you were not painted and when you were wise I honoured you for then you were not inconstant but when Art married Nature and varietie shewed but vanitie I was aggrieued at my folly to haue grounded my affection on so little Grace yet when I see all true Birds haue fethers I must let them take their flight but yet rather heare them in the woods then féed them in Cages yet will I not shut them out at my windowes nor hurt them if they come in my house but regard them in their Natures and so hoping that you vnderstand the figure in the honor of your best substance I rest Yours more then you are your selfe S. T. Her Answere GOod Cosen doe not wrong affection with a false iealousie Nature is euer her selfe and I will bee no changeling what my lookes were I know not but what my loue is you may know Curses and Crosses differ much in construction and punishments for sinne are no plagues vnto patience God is euer good and will help his seruants while the fictions of fortune are but the fruits of idlenesse Hee that builds his hope in heauen may the better carry his crosses in the world which bred in the Cradle will be blessed in the Saddle And therefore my good Cosen not a little reioycing in the resolution of your disposition command my loue though I cannot command my lookes and wherin I am my selfe feare mee not to be yours for pouertie is no vice where vertue deserues honor and so wishing thee much good and ready to doe thee any good in the best nature of good will I rest Your very louing Kinsman T. R. The Answer VVHen you were wise I did esteeme you for then you were not humorous and when you were faithfull I did loue you for then you were not iealous but since imagination marde discretion and iealousie ouer-topped loue I will quit you with your owne Carde that I am sory in my affection to be so mistaken in a friend but since beasts are most of a hayre though not all of a hewe I will rather looke on them in a field then leade them in my hands and yet will I not hunt them from my ground nor driue them from their field and so hoping that your skill in Arithmetique will discerne a figure from a Cipher I rest Yours so farre as I may be my selfe M. W. A comfortable Letter to a Kinsman vpon the Buriall of a yong Sonne SWeet Cosen I know you are both religious and learned and therefore hope I shall need the lesse reasons to perswade you to that patience that may best make proofe of your disposition I am sorie for your sorrow and not your losse of your deare and worthy beloued little Sonne For know this hee was but lent you till bee that hath him would send for him yea your selfe are not your own but onely his that lets you haue heere a being till hee will haue you bee in a better place Good Cosen I knowe Nature is of great force yet where Grace gouernes Reason all is referred to the will of God I am assured that you pray dayly that his will may be done and will you grieue that his will is done Farre be it from you you know it is written and I am assured you beléeue it that whosoeuer loueth Father or Mother or Wife or Child more then God is not worthy of his loue Take héed therefore not to offend the Creator with to much louing his Creature and loose not your selfe in loosing his loue that you haue for his loue that you cannot haue he is among the Angels and would you haue him among men Yea he is with God himselfe and are not you glad that he is with him Furthermore if you were alone in your griefe you were the more to bee lamented but when thousands are in your predicament let not passion exceed Reason but humble your will to the will of God to whose heauenly protection leauing your most happy preseruation I rest Your most louing Kinsman H. B. The Answer MY good Cosen I thanke you for your kinde Letter in which I haue receiued no little comfort but let mee tell you that a collop cut out of the flesh puts neere home to the heart and therefore so farre as a man may not offend God giue me leaue to be my selfe but yet I beséech him of his mercie I may not passe the limits of his loue I reade that Iacob sorrowed for the onely imagined death of Ioseph and shal not I grieue to sée my boy in his graue and yet this is my comfort his yeeres were to yong to commit any actuall sinne and in the election of loue I am assured he was a Lambe of the Lords flocke it is written that GOD would haue yong Lambes for his Sacrifice and my boy could not be to good for his Altar No let not my soule liue but in the seruice of his loue though I loued him on earth yet would I not wish him from heauen for there is no Iewell so safely kept as that which is â—aid vp in the Lords Treasurie I haue read it that sorrow may tarry for a night but ioy commeth in the morning then if the night bee long there is a time of mourning till morning and therefore blame not Nature in beeing her selfe though the power of Grace shall worke in her patience In summe I hope so to manage my affecâ—ion as shall not impâ—ach my discretion nor loose his loue that is the ioy of my life to whose gracious blessing leauing our eternall comfort in prayer for that patience that may qualifie vnfitting passion in much thankefulnesse for your carefull kindnesse
to the doore and a lock to thy Chest keepe a Bit for a Beggar and a Bone for a Dogge make much of the Bée that brings home the honey and loose not the Cock that makes much of his Chickins take heed abroad of the Kite and within of the Rat pray to God for his blessings to all thy proceedings and haue a religious care of thy modest gouernment and rather for charitie then praise giue reliefe to the poore if at any time thou hast need of any good I can doe thee be assured while thou hast a mother thou hast a friend so hoping in thy kindnesse thou wilt take care of my Counsell beséeching God so to blesse thee that I may euer haue ioy in thee with my hearts loue to his tuition I leaue thee And so rest Thy most louing Mother E. B. Her Answere MY good Mother you haue passed the yéeres of a Child and know the Care of a Mother and therefore for your kinde aduice for my cariage I humbly thanke you and what benefit I will make of your lessons you shall finde in the fruit of my obseruation I am but newly come into the world and God knowes when I shall goe out of it and am yet scarce warme in my house and therefore hardly know yet how to goe through it for my husbands humor if he alter not his Nature I do not doubt we shall liue as Doues while care and kindnes shall continue content my seruants shall finde me both a Mistris and a friend my Neighbours no stranger and idle Gossips no companion thus in the dutie of loue with thanks for motherly care in prayer to the Almightie to blesse me with his Grace and to liue no longer then in his loue and yours I take my leaue for this time but rest during life Your most louing Daughter E.W. A kinde Letter of a Father to a Prodigall Sonne MY Sonne for thée to spend carelesly that which with great care I haue gotten may be as much thy disgrace as my griefe when I would doe thée good and shall not be able to performe it and thou shalt doe thy selfe hurt when I cannot help it I can be content to encrease thy exhibition but to maintaine Riotousnes is to Nurse iniquitie yet let me not be bitter in my reprehension but let my kindnes be thy correction Let mee know thy wants and I will supply them but let them not exceed my abilitie least I be short to relieue them I know thou hast wit to consider of my writing and I hope thou hast Grace to make vse of thy vnderstanding and therefore to be briefe in the loue of a Father I leaue thee to thy heauenly Father who I hope will so blesse thee that I shall haue ioy in thee so hoping to heare from thee and that good of thee that may make me glad to know it in thee till I see thee and alwaies I rest Thy louing Father R. B. His Answere MY good Father your reprehension was to kind for so vngracious a Sonne and yet the mildnes of your Counsell hath so wrought in my loue that the limits of your direction shall be the passage of my life and such shall be henceforth my care of your comfort as I shall rather wish my graue then your griefe I haue called my wits to account and in the expence of Prodigalitie I finde so poore a reckoning that the summe will bee all in miserie where sorrow hath little comfort I haue cut my finger but not wounded my hand and a little Salue will make all hole my wants are not great but I wish rather to want life then grace to be thankefull to God for his goodnes and to you for your kindnesse so in the due and true obedience of loue praying for your health and hearts ease I rest Your most louing Sonne H. P. A Letter in a kinde of Challenge vpon report of a great abuse HOw you haue wrongd me you know but how you will right mee I know not Patience is a vertue also would I quit a villanie in a true kinde good wordes will hardly excuse ill actions I know you are cunning I wish you were honest to abuse any man is but the Badge of an ill minde but to wrong a friend is a proofe of a vile Nature which how I can disgest you shall finde as it fals out and least sufferance may be thought Cowardice let this suffice giue mee a speedie satisfaction or to haue your wages for your good worke and so till I heare from you to a better end then I expect I rest Yours as I haue S. T. His Answere IF your rage were not aboue your reason I should thinke to satisfie your discretion but let me tell you the truth in being to credulous vpon report you may wrong your selfe and your friend I speake not this in feare of your threates but to cleere my conscience of a false accusation I know no wrong I haue done you and how I am resolued to right you when occasion shall serue you shal finde what is in me if you will be at quiet with your selfe your friends will not trouble you and he that is your seruant pay him his stipend for mine own part I am nothing in your debt but for a few foule words which I will bury in obliuion except necessitie of occasion wherein yet I will obserue a methode not to passe the course of good maner so hoping ere long to find you in a better humor I rest as I haue reason Yours as you mine I. S. A Letter to a Kinsman a young man towards a Wife GOod Cosen I heare you are in loue I wish it with all the world and that your affection is forcible I hope it is in vertue but that it is with a woman which makes mee to feare your weakenesse either in some touch of her vnworthinesse or your owne I speake not this to disswade you from marriage for the course is honourable but if there be a crosse to content it may proue discomfortable what euer it bee I wish it to the best but let mee entreat you not to conceale from my Loue vpon what ground you haue builded the house of your hopes comfort that if I like the platforme I may the better pray for your prosperitie and in the hope of your good husbandry bee glad of your thrift I know not your obiect but what euer be your subiect make not your selfe an obiect in briefe acquaint me I pray you with your procéedings that when you draw your deeds my hand may doe you no hurt so wishing you first to serue God and then to looke to your selfe and to know Diana before you bee to busie with Cupid in the heartie loue of a true Kinsman till I heere from thee and alwaies I rest Your most louing Vnkle T. R. His Answere MY good Vnkle I thanke you for your kinde Letter and touching the Contents I hope my Answere shall not discontent you
that I am in Loue I doe not deny it but with all the world I wil not confesse it for the Reprobates are out of the Rule of Charitie that my affection is of force I grant it for so had I rather haue it then fantastick and with a woman beleeue it for shall wee abandon their loue by whom wee haue our breeding to life I know it is not your meaning for my weakenesse in vnworthinesse you must leaue that to the blessing of Grace whereon building the house of my hopes comfort the foundation well laide I the lesse feare the fall of it in the Subiect of mine Obiect can be no Abiect when Diana's Cupid knowes neither Vulcan nor Venus but if Pallas and Mars make a coniunction Copulatiue in an Accident vnseperable the ioy may be vnspeakeable I write not this out of the Arte but the heart of loue where there is more hope of faith then a poeticall fiction To grow towards the matter that I know you most looke at let it suffice you that shortly I will sée you and then acquaint you with that I hope shall not dislike you but to the confirming of comfort at the houre of conclusion in ioining hands vnto hearts you will bee rather a father then a friend in hope whereof and prayer for which I humbly rest Your most louing Nephew T. P. A discontentiue Letter vpon the deniall of friendship IF I were rich I would be beholding to no beggers and if wise I should trouble no fooles but he that is plagued for his sinnes must haue patience with his crosses yet spight of the Diuell God will blesse his Seruants when Christmas comes we shall haue Holy daies and though the Lent be long Easter followes Good-Friday I know to well you vnderstand mee to ill but hauing knowne you to long to finde that I doe in you at last meaning to trouble you no more except with my fight against my will I rest as I haue reason Yours as you mine B. D. His Answere HE is poore whom God hateth and he rich that is contented he is wise that knowes himselfe and he vnwise that misconstrueth an other punishments of sinne are the trials of patience and afflictions well taken are the tokens of loue twixt feasting and fasting are daies of indifference and who wil not work must take the profit of idlenes Your knowledge to well may be taken to ill but if your presence may be troublesome let me entreat your absence so neither angry nor well pleased till I heare better of your humor I rest Yours as you mine H. B. A Letter from a friend to a fantasticall conceited Madcap IF I know where to finde you I should know how to send after you for what I think of you I should know how to write vnto you but I thinke you are like a Bird to flye vp and down where you list or like a Cameleon to change into all manner of colours I am sorie to see how your vnseasoned braine sets your wits a wool-gathering but would you once be your selfe your friends would be glad of you for there are good things in you howsoeuer you make vse of them If I had not heard of you now I thinke I should neuer haue heard of you for I could not deuise almost what should become of you very strangely you went from me but if more kindely you would come to me your welcom should be in better then bare words therfore if I may entreat you and not to trouble you when you can conueniently let mee see you that wee may speake of something that is necessary to be spoken off bee you assured I will not hurt you and what good I can doe you you shall finde before I will tell you and thus with my hartie commendations to your kinde acceptation in hope shortly to heare from you and not long after to see you till then and euer to the Lord of heauen I leaue you Your assured louing Friend N. W. His Answer IF you were not estranged from that I left you I should know how to finde you but beeing as you are I know not what to say vnto you you haue not heard from me a long time and me thinkes to soone at last considering the comfort I finde in your Commendations For you would seeme kinde and yet in words shew the contrarie when in the manner of your writing the bitter ouercomes the sweet if the good be marde what should you doe with the euill and if my wits be out of temper what should a foole doe among wise men I haue no Birds nor Beasts to figure your fancies but an Ape is no man though hee be nimble in his conceits and hee that bites like Diogenes deserues a name of his Nature your hurt I feare not and your good I seeke not but if I chance to come neere you it is a chance but I will see you when as I finde my welcome you shall enuie my company till then rather to quite your courtesies then to moue your discontent in the Answere of your Letter loth to bee in your debt for an humour in more loue then idle talke as I was and will be till I see you and alwaies Your louing friend H. T. A biting Letter to a Clamorous vngentlewoman IF all Birds were Nightingales the Owle would not make such a noise whose feature is as ill fauoured as her Note is vnpleasing yet such deformed things are in Nature that perfection may be the better esteemed her feede is most vpon vermine except shee light on a Birde in her sleepe when hauing filde her gorge she fals to pruning of her fethers til shee leaue nere a good one on her backe now if you vnderstand not this figure goe no further then your selfe in whom being all that vnworthinesse that may deserue all vnhappinesse in the same I leaue you as I found you and so I rest till I heare better of you Yours as you see W. B. Answere IF all Beasts were Horses an Asse would not kéep such a braying whose shape is as vnhandsome as his flesh is vnholesome yet such creatures there are to serue the vse of a Clowne onely to beare either burthens or blowes now if you vnderstand not my meaning looke but vpon your picture and you shall see the proportion in which being nothing worth any thing in as little regard as may bee till I finde better cause of liking I rest as I was and will be Yours as you may conceiue A. S. A discontentiue Letter of a coy Mistris YOur coy lookes condemne you for little noise your sharp spéech of no swéet disposition it is pitie so good apparell should haue so ill lining if I had not mine eyes I should worship an Idol but when it know coulours I can gesse which is in graine to be short I will giue honor her right and vertue her Grace beauty her praise and wisedome her honour but where I finde conditions of a
MY good Cosen were I not as neere vnto you in loue as in Nature I should reuerence your yeeres but scarce haue patience with your humour and indeede I should take your vnkinde Letter as it is written vpon a false supposition to touch mee with an ill condition to wrong him at all whom I loue so much mee thinkes goes much against the Note of good Nature For let mee tell you I neuer vsed you ill nor will vse you but well and if any man haue otherwise reported vpon his face whosoeuer except your selfe I will approue it I thinke no man so dishonest as to deuise it but if it bee a woman though her wickednesse shew her weakenesse yet I wish her tongue had not such strength with your eares as to put such an imagination into your heart to bee so needlesse a trouble to your minde to see you I feare not and the sooner for mine owne satisfaction that where the fault is found it may bee confessed And so leauing to your discretion to consider of my desert in irremoueable affection I rest till I see you and alwaies Your assured louing Kinsman T. W. A Letter of kindnesse from a Gentleman to his loue from beyond Seas SWéet Loue how I grieue for thine absence thy presence when I sée thée shall make proofe the Seas may separate bodies but not minds and there is no Nation in the world that can alter the nature of loue Mistrust not therefore my frailty for my affection is fixed and suspect not mine infidelity for my vow is euer before me if my businesse were ouer it should not be long ere I would be with thée and bee perswaded so soone as I can I will sée thée in the meane time by this Bearer a token of my loue I haue sent thee by whom I make no doubt to heare happily from thee so praying for thy health and our ioyfull méetings till then and euer Thine or not his owne R. B. Her Answer SWéet heart I haue receiued thy Letter louingly thy loue kindly and thy token thankfully beléeue it if it might be no trouble to thée the Seas should not kéepe me from thée for wheresoeuer I am my heart is with thée of thy loue I am not iealous though I would be ioyfull of thy company for me thinkes I liue as a kind of dead body without thée By this Bearer I returne thée a requitall of thy kindnesse and wish my selfe had as swift a passage to thy loue In briefe not knowing the trouble of thy businesse I will only pray for thy health till our méeting make our happinesse and so rest full of vnrest till I may rest during life in most faithfull loue Thine what mine owne S. P. A most kind Letter from a Lady to her Seruant of good worth MY second selfe whom if I could I should loue more then my selfe knowing thy Affection and being assured of thy Faith I wonder at nothing more then at what kéepes thée from me I expected thée long since and haue now sent to thée on purpose to know how thou doest and why I doe not sée thée thou knowest my Estate yet am I poor without thee for vnder heauen I haue no life but in thy loue to which I hartily commend the hope of my worlds comfort let therefore all excuses laid aside thy presence hasten my happinesse and send me word by this Bearer when I shall expect thée whithout faile till when holding euery houre an yeare my mind being desirous to bee disburthened of some matter that I will not commit to Paper In hope of thy health and prayer for thy happinesse till I sée thée and euer I rest Thy louing Mistresse and most assured Friend M. W. His Answere MY more then my selfe most worthy beloued and honoured Mistris I am sorry for nothing but that you should be sorry for any thing and especially that in me should rest the occasion of your discontent but such haue béene my businesse as haue so crost me in my comming as when I haue had my foot in the stirrop haue brought mee backe from my horse but the heat is well ouer which hath troubled my mind that though I haue no disease yet am I so much diseased that finding my heart written ouer with the Letter Y and féeling small comfort in the Vowell O haue onely wished for my health to bee with the blessed Sillable V Your Estate is your selfe vpon whom vnder heauen is the stay of my happines shortly I intend to sée you and if your messenger make not the more hast to bee with you before him till when and during life I rest Your faithfull louing Seruant D. T. FINIS
contrarie Nature I will regard them accordingly the best is I am not the first that hath been deceiueâ—… nor shall bee the last that shall be deluded and yet though this be no excuse for my folly it shal be a warning to my discretion in the placing of my affection in which not ouer bootes though ouer shooes not gone so farre but I can come home againe I rest Yours if you were your owne N. R. Her Answer IF you look for hearts in eyes you may be out of the rule of loue and let me tell you that your crabbed writing shewes a crooked disposition for your apparel and the lining if I were acquainted with your Tayler I should the better know the measure of your meaning and yet if I mistake not your figure it goes no further then your selfe whose out side is better then your inside if you deceiue your selfe blame no body but your selfe and if you deceiue mee I will snap vp mine owne sorrow if you haue done amisse know how to excuse it or amend it and when you finde a good warning make your best vse of it In briefe howsoeuer you trouble your selfe I pray you trouble me no more for which kindnesse I shall rest in much thankefulnesse Yours as I finde cause B. T. A Letter written to a friend in time of great afliction KInde Anthony thou writest vnto me to know how I doe and though perhaps it may bee grieuous to thee to know it yet being truth to thy loue I will tell it if thou aske how I fare as hard as any man to liue if what I doe shed teares for my sinnes and pray for mercy sigh to thinke of the follies of my youth and sorrow to see the misery of mine age If how I passe my time in the passions of the mind if where I liue in the maâ—e of griefe where till I get into my graue I thinke I shall neuer get out if how I liue so neere the nature of death as if one may liue dying I dye liuing for may I not offend the heauens maiesty to speake it I think neuer course of life came neerer to the thorny Crowne about Christs head which prickt him round about so is it with me crosses abroad and crucifyings at home in body and mind puts patience to a high point Oh my torments are innumerable and almost intollerable but that his goodnes that gaue me them giues me grace to beare them for in briefe if want to supply necessities vnnaturall kindred vnfaithfull friends vnconscionable Creditors vnquiet neighbours and a most vncomfortable wife méet all together to the tryall of a heart whether it will hold or not thinke if thou canst in what perplexity is my spirit and pray in thy heart for my ease or end of it And thus assured if thou canst do me good to find it till I heare from thee and till death I rest Thine what mine owne W. R. His Answere HOnest Henry I am sorry in my heart for thy heauines and to ease thee of thy greefe could bee content to beare part of thy passions but let this comfort thee that thou art not alone in thy calamities for euery man hath his crosse carry it as well as he can and for my selfe though my shooes be finely made yet they so wring my toes that they giue me many a twing at the heart and yet I must commend my Shoomaker and conceale my paine because the fault is in my feet if wee had not our sinnes wee should not haue our punishments beleeue me Henry aflictions are the Badges of Gods blessings if they bee borne without murmurring at his will hee that keepes a house may haue many euill birdes about it but I must confesse within doores the night Rauen is the worst whose continuall croking is many times vncomfortable but haue patience it is a spirituall salue that healeth all the sores of the heart and a Tenure by which wee haue possession of our Soules which guift of grace God of his goodnes in his mercy grant mee and thee and all his seruants deliuer vs from our miseries and make the ioy of our liues in the feeling of his loue to which prayer hoping thou wilt say Amen till I see thee and alwayes I rest Thine or not mine owne R. B. A kinde of quarrelsome Letter vpon a frowne of a friend AT my last being in your company your countenance gaue me some immagination of your discontent if you be angry I would know with whom and for what if it be with your selfe you know how to mend your selfe if with me I know not why nor care I wherefore if it bee your nature I will not seeke to alter it and if but your humor I would wish you to purge it and so wishing you to satisfie me if you haue any skill in Astronomy whether wee shall haue faire weather or foule as I heare from you I rest Yours as you mine T. N. His Answere MY occasions of my countenance are secret to my selfe at which if any take exceptions I wish me out of their company your condition I know not nor desire greater to bee acquainted with for any hurt that is done the amends may bee soone made if you be desirous of quarrels you may haue your handes full of mischeefe but if you will be at peace with your selfe I know no man that meanes to trouble you soe loath to bee at cost with any Almanacks to looke into the rules of Astronomy come what weather will welcome by the Grace of God and soe I rest Yours as you mine D. T. A Letter to an Vnckle to borrow a horse MY good Vncle I haue occasion to trauell some few miles further then I feare my feet will easily carry me if therefore I may intreat you to lend me your horse for some few dayes I will trauell him easily tend him carefully and feed him sufficiently his safe returne you shall not doubt nor my thankfulnes for your kindnes so loth to vse needlesse complements till I heere from you and alwaies I rest Your very louing Nephew R. T. His Answere IF I should lend you my horse you might thinke me an asse knowing your horsemanship and his quality but let this satisfie you three thinges I will not lend nor can I spare my wife my horse nor my sword the one from my bed the other from my stable the third from my side the one for my pleasure the other for my defence and the third for my seruice but that you shall not think I will be altogether vnkind I haue sent you heerein enclosed a piece of gold to hire you a Nagge so hoping of your discretion to haue patience with my deniall I rest Your most louing Vnkle T. R. His Answere A Letter from an old man to his adopted Sonne going from the Vniuersity to trauaile MY good Sonne I find by thy writing that thou art determined to leaue the vniuersity and to looke abroad into the world
honest minde then to runne any course that may giue a wound to the Conscience which while wit would excuse wisedome layes open when if the soule finde grace in Repentance of sinne the heart cannot but bléed in the sorrow of iniquitie but God is all-sufficient in all things and therefore knowing your vertuous disposition to his gracious protection leauing your most happie preseruation in prayer for the same with the encrease of all comfort in the bounden dutie of my loues seruice I humbly take my leaue Your seruant assured in what resteth in my power I. S. A Letter to a Knight for the entertainment of a Steward into his seruice VVOrthy Knight at my last beeing with you you spake vnto mee to doe my best in helping you to a Seruant that you might employ for your Steward Now if it please you at my hands to accept the bearer hereof beleeue it you shall finde his sufficiencie so fitting your content that I dare vndertake you shall not neede to seeke any further I haue knowne him long and such euery way his disposition as may deserue good regard in a very good vnderstanding he is honest and wise and able to liue of his owne yet in donour of your worthinesse desireth to follow your fauour for his Truth you shall not doubt it and for his behauiour I know you will like it for his wages I will leaue it to your wisedome in his desart so with his dutie commending my seruice to the command of your kinde loue till I sée you and alwaies I rest Your very louing Kinsman T. R. A thankefull Letter vpon the tryall of his Seruant MY good Cosen among many courtesies I thanke you most kindely for my man who in my great content hath answered the Contents of your Letter for such hath beene his carriage as hath gotten good will not onely of all my house but of such of my friends as haue occasion to know his seruice lesse vice and more matter worthy loue haue I not seene in a man of his sort yea such hath beene his desert of my loue as except for his better preferment I will not part with him in hast For in earnest in many true Rules of Ciuilitie hee may be an example to good Iudgements In briefe as I neuer found you to faile in any kinde care of my good so in this I haue great cause to thanke you and wherein it may lye in my power to requite you be assured you shall know I loue you in which I rest assuredly Your most affectionate Kinsman and friend R. S. A Letter of councell from a Brother to his Sister vpon her going from the countrey to the Court. SWeet Sister I heare thou art going from home to a high place from the countrey to the Court beleeue it thou wilt finde it a place of danger for the preseruation of thy best comfort for there is honour both to bee got and lost but for a caueat in thy carriage reade what I heere haue written vnto thee and lay it vp in thy memory it will doe thy vnderstanding no hurt Take heed of the Mewing of Muske Cats for they watch but for a Mouse and when they haue their prey they are all gone away Let not the fading glosse of gay clothes dazzle the eyes of thy spirit nor faire tongues rob thee of thy fame for a good name is not like a garment for if it once be broken it will neuer bee set together againe there are many hands that will bee plucking of flowers whose hearts neuer care how the stalkes grow or wither but if you will be your owne friend let no man take the fruit without the Tree beleeue no idle vowes nor vaine protestations for many times the tongue and the heart are farre asunder when the best words haue not the best meanings Nor let ambition bewitch thee for the sinne is all one with the Lord or his Lackey the Ice once crackt will crack more and what is the face that hath lost the beauty of the minde sweet Sister I write not this that I feare thy imperfection but to forewarne thee from euill And what good is to bee gotten seeke it by that vertue that may keepe thy colour without staine when a Maiden blush is the beauty of modestie serue God and hee will blesse thee pray to him and hee will defend thee loue him and hee will keep thee that no hurt shall come neere thee bee constant in thy Religion loyall in thy Allegeance courteous in thy behauiour and vertuous in thy loue so no doubt but the Court will grace thee and the King of Kings will so aduance thee that though she be no Lady on earth thou shalt be an Angell in heauen To which happinesse in prayer for thee to his tuition I leaue thee Thy most louing Brother D. H. Her Answere MY most louing Brother I most kindely take your most louing Letter which I will lay vp for your sake and mine owne good not in my pocket nor my Cabinet but in the inward Chest of my heart and will dayly reade it as the rules of true wisedomes direction but to bee a little merry with the answere of your figures let Muske Cats Meaw where they will I hope to bee no Venizon for Vermine and for the Garden of my fauour there shall no hand plucke aflower except hee take the Roote and stalke to his keeping for the glosse of gay coates they may bewitch Babies eyes but the eye of vertue lookes after no vanitie and for false hearts and faire tongues they are easily discerned they goe so commonly together betwixt pride and basenesse there is a carriage of ciuilitie which I hope to hit on without touch of dishonour so leauing Lords to their Ladies and their Lackeyes to lower Creatures beseeching the Almightie to blesse mee heere with his Grace and hereafter in Heauen to make the least of his Hand-maides rather then the greatest Princesse on the Earth with all the pleasures of the world to which prayer hoping you will say Amen in much thankefulnesse for the care of your kindnesse I rest Your most louing Sister E. B. A kinde Letter to a Schollar going from the Vniuersitie to a Benefice in a Citie GOod Cozen I vnderstand by your Father that you are determined shortly to leaue the Vniuersitie but yet withall that you haue bent your minde onely to the studie of Diuine vnderstanding and leauing the world betake your selfe wholly to the Church and in the Ministerie of the word to doe good vnto Gods people I commend your determination but with you if I might aduise you to spend some few more yeeres in the Vniuersitie for your further hearing and reading for your better confirmation of your resolution not that I feare the blessing of your Spirit but that it is a function of great charge care and labour Charge in regard of the Talent beeing out of the Treasurie of Heauen the riches of the Soule then for care in
wishing with conueniencie to see you and often to heare from you in more affection then protestation I rest Your very louing Cosen T. W. A Letter to an Hypocrite vpon betraying of a Friend TO deny a Friend may bee a touch of vnkindnesse to deceiue a Friend a proofe of ill Nature but to betray a Friend to plaine a villanie Cheaters are set downe in the orders of euill persons Pandars are base Rascals and the scum of the earth but Traitors are most hatefull villaines of the world Among the twelue Apostles there was but one Iudas and wilt thou leaue the Saints to follow one Diuell If thou wilt runne his course thou maist runne to his confusion Wilt thou mistake GOD for Gold and sell thy Soule for a little Siluer What will be thy end Shame on earth and sorrow endlesse What shall I say to thee but thinke what will become of thee beeing a horrible Hypocrite take thy portion among them Heauen will abhorre thee and while the world hates thee hell stands gaping for thée but GOD in his mercie if it be his holy will forgiue thee and so neuer meaning more to looke on thee but to giue all my friends warning of thee to the will of the Almightie I leaue thee Thy neuer more Friend I. S. His Answere AN vnwilling offence may be an excuse acceptable what I spake of a sodaine I repented at leasure for beleeue if no gaine could haue made me so vngracious but yet the occasion of your discomfort can not but grieue mee in vnhappinesse though farre be it from my thought to doe so wilfull a wickednesse be not therefore so bitter in your inuectiue against my basenesse For if I were of Iudas his Nature I wish no other then his end place me not therefore among Hypocrites for I hate them in my heart and desire not to liue to deserue that imputation be you assured my griefe is greater for you then I will shew till in the fruit of my labour I may make proofe of my Loue wherein I will not cease till I haue effected something to some issue in your good in which you shall see how farre it is from mee to bee so vnhonest as I was vnhappy and how farre my euill hap was from the Nature of an euill minde and so entreating your patience so suspend your iudgement I hope ere it be long to haue you write in an other humour till when beseeching the Almightie to blesse you with health and my heart with happinesse to bee a meane of your comfort till then and alwaies I rest howsoeuer you esteem me in the affection of an honest heart Your most faithfull friend E. B. A Letter of aduice to a friend that was to be married FRiend William I heare that you are shortly to take a Wife or rather to bee taken of a Wife and that for a little times pleasure you will sell your liues libertie but if the matter bee not so farre gone with you let mee tell you a little of my minde to make you looke about you for touching your choise note what I say vnto you if your wife be to young she knowes not how to make her ready if too old shee must haue one to helpe her out of her bed if shee be faire shee will giue you cause of iealousie if foule she will bee anoyance to thee if full of talke shee will bee troublesome if sullen shee will bee irkesome if of honorable Parents you must make courtsie to all her kindred if base you must prouide for a generation If rich she will bee proud of her portion and he kept accordingly if pore still calling for necessities and sometime more then needes if wise shee will thinke to gouerne thee if foolish she will disgrace thee if Barren shee will be vncomfortable if full of children shee wil be chargeable if you trust her not with all you haue shee will grow suspicious of your loue to her if you trust her with all you haue she wil make you a seruant to her if she neuer loued any shee wil not know how to loue you and if she haue loued other she wil not leaue all for one furthermore if a man buy a house or land he wil suruey it ere he purchase it and if he do not like it when he hath it he may find means to part with it but for a wife hee must take her at all aduentures once had during life must neuer part with her and therefore if thou canst fine a woman neither young nor old wise nor foolish ritch nor pore kinde nor froward honorable nor base talkattue nor sullen let me see her that I may commend thy choyce in her but til then make stay of the Bells they may not ring to thy Bridall but if thy affection bee setled and not to be remoued then in Gods name goe on with Gods blessing So till I heare from thee how the world goes with thee wishing thee either a good wife or none in my prayers for thy prosperity I rest Thine what his owne B. T. His Answere FRiend Samuell your Caueats to my marriage I haue lookt ouer very carefully and am sorry to see your course so farre short of such comfort for in the election of Grace it is an holy ordinance of God for the good of his people and in the world what companion can equall a kind wife If I were as nice in my choyce as you are in your notes I might haue a long dreame and awake find nothing but come to your selfe when you dye what issue will you leaue of your loue if you liue how vngodly is your course for my selfe I am fully resolued rather to aduenture the hope of vertue then to runne a vainer course and to nourish mine owne family then to feed on another mans trencher In briefe when the Bells ring you shall know what busines is at Church and if you come to my house you shall be heartily welcome till when wishing you as to my selfe I rest Your very louing friend R. T. A Letter of vnkindnes to a kinsman vppon a report of his abuse COsen I am sorry to heare that I doe of you how you haue vsed me you know how I can disgest it you know not I would willingly forget vnkindnes but if my patience nourish your presumption who deserueth to bee blamed if one folly beget another you are my neere kinsman I would you were not so farre from me in kindnesse but I feare the Prouerb proues to true in you to vse mee more like a kinsman then a friend but I can bee angry and not sinne or rather be sorry and not angry for if you will come to mee and acknowledging your fault make it a warning to your further euill the euill past shall not be remembred and the good to come not vnregarded and so wishing to see you and the sooner the better till then I rest Your louing Cosen D. H. His Answere