Of Epistles deliberatiue.Chap. 10.

Of Epistles deliberatiue.Chap. 10.THe next vnto these laste of thisDemonstratiuekinds are nowe theDeliberatiue, the first titles whereof in order suted forth, appeare to beeHortatorie,Dehortatorie,Swasorie, andDisswasorie. These beeingas I saide before, neerlie affined together (sauing onelie that theHortatorieandDehortatorieare a little more vehement, stirring and pricking then the others, yet both consisting in well aduising and counselling, the one by necessitie, the other as an inducement to thinges laudable and worthie) neede therefore in all seeming but one maner of direction in them to be followed. You shall then vnderstand that the seuerall partes in either of theseHortatorieorSwasorie, to be considered, doe principally stand vppon a diuersitie of affections, which nature as it seemeth, hath from the beginning ordained, to bee as it were stirrings or prouocations within vs, thereby to propose a direct and most readie waie vntoVertue, or to terrifie by like degrees, or withdrawe vs from the pursuing of vices.The motions or effects herein frequented, may bee said to bee either of praise or mislike, of hope or reward, or feare of euill to folow, of loue to well doing, or of hate vnto badnes, of emulation of others praise, glory, or reputation, of expectation thereon depending, of examples or of intreatie. By laying out of all or either of these, as occasion shall serue, consisteth the efficacie of all exhortation or aduising, pulling backe or disswading. Now how the qualities of these, or any other in generall touching the propertie they haue withVertueorVice, may for any turne be allotted: I must as well for thisDeliberatiuekind ensuing, as for all other titles whatsoeuer, the same hereafter requiring, wholy referre the learner to the places in the chapter preceeding the EpistlesLaudatorieandVituperatoriein all things to be directed.As touching these particularities, which wee haue tearmedMotionsandaffects, let vs consider if you will in seuerall, and see what efficacie by distinguishment of all their properties & partes they may beare in this writing.Praise(no doubt) in matter of exhortation or stirring vp to well doing is of most singular force, and so questionlesse isMislike, when generallie it may bee drawne from a regarded conceite of the greatest and woorthiest, to the withdrawing from euill. For if we shall but enter into, or consider of our owne common passages: what is it I pray you that preferreth or disalloweth, giueth grace or disableth the actions and endeuours of men, but the speciall allowance or mislike that iseuery where had of them? Is it not account alone that giueth encouragement vntoVertue? IsVertueso fullie aduaunced in anie thing as in the estimate prayse and reputation, that is attributed vnto her? No surelie. And this by insight had into the verie woorst and lowest sort of men shall you find, that there is hardlie anie lyuing of so base and contemptible a spirite, but that byPrayseand commendation, hee may bee drawne vppe to some liking of well dooing. And howebeit the issues of mens actions doe at anie time seeme to bee spotted with euill, yet desire they at the least wise for their reckoning sake, that they might bee esteemed as good.By this appeareth the singularitie of thinges excellent, in so much as nothing is, or séemeth rightlie prayse-woorthie, but what is accounted good, so little reputation haue the perpetratours of euilles, as that of necessitie they are compelled to seeke credite, by falselie attributing vnto themselues the name of good. Howe much more then truePrayseandMislikeof thinges woorthie, or to bee despysed, may by all lykelihoode bee auailable with those of good spirite, to drawe them toVertues.To applie nowe this prayse in exhorting or counsailing anie one, it behooueth wee first conceyue what disposition, habiliments, or other matter of value are in him whome wee haue to deale with, furthering or conuenient to such a purpose, whereunto wee woulde exhort or perswade him, and the likelihoode of the same, greatlie to put foorth or commende: or if before time he haue behaued himselfe anie wayes well, we shall incourage him in praysing of that alreadie done; and in shewing that the more excellent the thing is, the more difficult it is to bee attained, forDifficilia quæ pulchra, and yet the difficultie not so great as the prayse, glorie and recordation thereof, shall thereby afterwards be returned honourable.Likewise, if the state of the partie doe serue thereunto, it shall not bee amisse to put him in minde of his parentage, or that fayling, of his Fortune, Vertue, Nobilitie of minde, Wit, towardnesse, his great expectation, abilitie, age, and Discretion, all of them no lesse requiring, but this with great modesteto be deliuered, least in séeming to preferre the certaintie of those vertues which are of good account to be in him, we doe not palpably gloze with the partie, and as it were seeke to drawe from his person, or account, the things that neuer came neare him.Now asPrayse,and the laudable estimate of euerie good action, together with the iust mislike of thinges euill, spurreth and eggeth forward to great purposes, so verie much thereunto preuaileth this other ofHope, not that which of a seruile and base humour or condition ensueth, which expecteth nothing that is frustrate of gain, and performeth all endeuours by expectation of reward, but that vertuous kinde ofHope,which enableth to the perfection and absolute summe of all worthinesse, and whose limit is honour, reputation, estimate and account: A like Companion whereunto isLoue,beeing a zealous affectation of thinges singular, whichLoueproduceth likewise in it selfe, not a mislike onelie, but a burningHateof things vile, contemptible, and vnbeseeming.As these in themselues doe each particularlie thrust forwards to goodnes, so many timesFeare,or doubt of inconuenience that may ensue, terrifieth or disswadeth from euils.Commiserationof the lamentable estate of any one, prouoketh also sometimes to pittie, and disturneth in like sort manie times from reuenge.Expectatiō,as wel ofLoueas ofHate,of good opinion as mislike in compassing of any thing is not the least.Shame& ignomie of the action also, the dependance whereof is oftentimes occasion sufficient of well doing, and hindrance alike, and withdrawing from euill purposes. But aboue all is the spur ofEmulation,whose force gathered by a certaine kind ofEnuie, of others proceedings kindleth flames of regarde to aspire vnto the like, but not that sluggish and execrable enuie bred of most wicked and detestable malice, which when it selfe cannot, nor is able to doe any thing worthie, snatcheth and continuallie gnaweth on the deserts of others, but that generous and noble kind of enuie which discreeteNatureand vertue haue insinuated in our mindes, emulating by a feruent desire to compasse, or possibly to go beyond what mightily by others hath béene performed.The authoritie ofExampleis also very weightie, giuing warrant to any vertuous imitation that may be prescribed, and lastlyrequests and intreatie which euer more preuaileth according to the writers credit or grauity. These being sufficently considered, we will nowe according to such like directions, endeuour to suite foorth vnto you some particular examples.An Example of an Epistle Exhortatorie forthe attaining of vertue.I Haue manie times desired with my selfeExordium.(good Cosin) to obtaine some necessarie meanes, whereby to manyfest the greate good will I doe owe vnto you, and in some sorte or other to giue you to vnderstande, howe much and howe greatly I haue tendred those good partes, that manie times I haue seene and prooued to bee in you. And for as much asFortunehath denied vnto mee the estate, reputation and wealth, that manie haue gained, and the most doe couet, whereby I cannot if I woulde, bestowe vppon you such riches and treasures as might breede content vnto others: I am determmined to imparte vnto you, that, which vnto your present condition seemeth most requisite, and wherewith vse and common experience hath heretofore inured mee,Prosonomasia.in steede of wealth to giue you wordes, in steede of golde, good, for riches, reason, and in lue of liuing, to affoord you a louing and constant hearte. And whereas I am enfourmed, that contrarie to the expectation of some (who ouer peremptorily haue heretofore deemedInsinuatiō.of these your young yeares to be laden with loosenesse, and led forwarde by libertie) you haue of your selfe, and of your owne motion and free will, obtained license and allowance of your father to go toCambridge, in minde to giue your selfe whollie to studie, and the sole fruition of learning, I mused with my selfe whether I might more commende the motion, or attende your perseuerance in the action that thereby you haue taken in hande, in so much as the memorie of the one cannot bee for the worthinesse more permanent, thē the glorie of the other, to your euerlasting commendation, will appeare to be most excellent.Auxesis.It is reported of the mightieAlexander of Macedon, that he was a King, that he was puissant, that he was warlike, that hee was famous, that he was a Conqueror, and that hee subdued the whole worlde:Meiosis.but when he came to himselfe, to the conuincing of his owne appetite, to rule reason by the square of righthe became a meacocke, a childe, an infant, what should I say?Synonymia.he was no bodie. Howe much greater then hee was, hadde the woorthie Prince appeared, if as in the conquest of sundrie mightie kinges, regions and prouinces, so in all other thinges tending to the suppression of his owne peculiar affectes, he had bene no lesse or fullie so much asAlexander.Scipio, the most renowned amongst the Romanes, and for his sundrie great exploites inAffrica,Hypotyposis.surnamedAffricanus, we doe reade, atchieued many valiant and incomparable victories, and were it but that sole battell which hee fought (whenRomewas nowe at wracke, her Nobilitie spoyled, and her glorie trode vnder foote, readie almost vppon any reasonable condition to bee deliuered into the handes of the enemie) in which hee then freed his citie, repulsedHaniballby a mightie ouerthrowe, and thereby daunted so farre foorth his pride for euer, as expelled from him all hope thence forwarde, at anie time else to become a Conquerour: It coulde not otherwise bee saide without question, but herein, yea in this onelie action, hee deserued eternall memorie: But was hee herein,Antipophora.thinke you, and for this onely matter throughout all the prouinces recounted so famous? No assuredlie. It was also his rare and most singular vertues otherwise, that fullie perfected and polished the glorie thereof. It was his rareTemperance,Modestie,Continencie, andSobrietie, wherein with woonderfull admiration hee exceedinglie flourished, and became extolled aboue all others. This was it, wherein more then Alexander hee became regarded and famous. The conquestes that by this meanes hee daylie made of himselfe, returned more glorie to Rome, more firme faith and reuerence, then the forcible progression of all other his fattall ouerthrowes and victories: of so greate and woonderfull reputation is Vertue to all her followers.Epiphonema.Praise of the person.This beeing so, how can I then say, but in this your action, you haue of your selfe right wel begun, how can I think, but aboue many others you haue therein verie well deserued? Wherein shoulde I augmente your praise if not in that which you haue heereby so well performed, the force, operation, and effect of all which, hath onely consisted in subduing your owne appetite? Great commendation haue you won I must needes confesse, and more then with common worthines haue you in this thinge demeaned your selfe, but (my good Cosen) it is notynough to haue well begun in a matter, without also therein you doe vse perseuerance.Paræmia.Hanniballknew well how to subdue, but he knew not howe to entertaine his victories. As you haue alreadie in this your resolution gotten great good liking, so behooueth both for the preseruation of what alreadie woone, and to induce a perpetuall increase to the same, that you doe euermore frequente and by earnest and zealous prosecution seeke still to entertaine the fruits thereof. Proceede then a Gods name,Exhortatiō.and goe on with good lucke in your enterprise, the more harder and greater you finde the difficulty in attaining tovertue, the more vehemente shall bee your glorie, and the more honourable the reputation that thereby is pursued. For, what hath a man of allConfirmatiō.that may be left vnto him in this worlde, whereof to vaunt himselfe, but the memorie of that wherein he hath most worthily trauailed. The rich reape possessions, which when themselues are once passed away, are immediately distributed to others. The pleasures of the worlde are momentarie, and after wee are once deade wee perceiue them no more. Worship, honour and dignitie, perisheth euen in the verie selfe remembrance. The reuenues of the mightie, when life is once fled, are no more to be tendred. Shall wee then for a number of fruitelesse vanities,Antipophora.(the regarde whereof doeth neuer last longer, then whilest wee are in present vse of them) neglect the search of that which is of all others most permanent? No surely. So behooueth notAb æquo.such as your selfe,praise of his ancestors.that of your auncestours haue had so many good encouragements, beseemeth not the remembrance of their excellencies in you alone to bee perished. Tisvertue, beleeue me, that procurethFame, and solyFamethat makes men immortall. All other meanes are feeble as the originall from whence they are deriued is vncertaine. At leaste wise, it shall many other waies stande you greatly vppon,A necessitate.to continue this course, in so much as by the æmulation of the vertues of others, you shall thereunto be constrained, besides the loue and regarde that all men haue borne,Of expectation.and euer doe beare to the remembrance of vertue, the expectation of your entirely fauouring and carefull louing friendes, who with greate longing doe attende the prosequution of your woorthinesse,Of loue and hate.the ill conceite, malice and spite that some haue hadde towardes you, whereby to ouerthrowe the good opinion of your father, who with greater greedinesse than Woolues themselues,Hyberbole.with more enuie than the Crocodile,and farre more poyson than the serpent, doe lie in waite but onely to hearken after the newes of your declination, and the dissolued purpose of your good intention.Epilogus.Finally, my dearest and best fauoured kinsman,entreatie.I doe adiure you, pray you, and as earnestly as I can beeseech you, by the verie pure and entire loue of vertue, whereof you nowe shall become partaker, by the immortall fame thereunto onely awarded, by the care you are bounde and ought to haue of your selfe, by all the kindred that hath tied vs in affinitie together, by all the loues and possible entreatie that I can, you doe persist, continue and remaine firme in this your intended purpose. In pursuite whereof you shall minister vnto your friendes ioy and comforte, to your enemies shame and reproch, to your selfe praise and eternall regarde, and to all sortes of your acquaintance occasion to admire you. Preferring many times my care and earnest affection towards you, with my manifolde greetings vnto your good selfe. I doe bid you farewell. &c.Of Epistles Responsorie.Chap. 11.FOr asmuch as the knowledge of lettersResponsorieare as méete to bee vnderstoode in the ordinarie occasions hereof as any others: I deeme it not amisse amongst the passages of these seuerall titles of Epistles to sorte you foorth also of them some particular Examples, the better in their disposition to enable yᵉ learner as occasion may serue. Touching which, it is to bee vnderstoode that the matter of euerie answere taketh his originall of a letter precéeding, and dependeth principally on the parts thereof. The ordering whereof (except in LettersExcusatorieorDefensorie) is wholy exempted, the course in those other letters prescribed, and the obseruation in these, is principally to consider on what partes the letter which ought to be answered consisteth or is chiefly grounded. Those, howebeit it behooueth we doe fully answere, yet shall you not (as some ignorant of weldoing haue done) recite in your answere the whole circumstance of the matter charged,verbatimin a manner as it iswritten before you, for that woulde bréede tediousnesse, besides a ridiculous disorder by such meanes frequented, but you shall (if néede so vrge) capitulate the principall partes of euerie seuerall matter charged, and thereupon frame you to answere the points, in sorte as before you, shall be deliuered. Or sometimes not needing any rehersall at all, if the pointes be but fewe, you shall answere onely as the matter you haue in hande is to bée deliuered. Or otherwise in this sorte:Touching the pointes in your Letter to bee answered: for the first I say, or it is thus or thus, &c. In the second, it is so or so. For the thirde, in this manner or that. Touching the fourth, &c.And so answere the partes by their number. By which meanes you shall both drawe your selfe to a breuitie therein, and become far more pithie in the matters you haue to write of then otherwise can be expressed. And this béeing sufficient for all matters hereafter, touching theseResponsoriekindes, we will nowe for the first Example set you downe an answere to the epistle precéeding.An example Responsorie to the last Epistle be-fore remembred.THe regard of your exceeding good will, and weight of your aduise and good exhortationsProsonomasia.(my verie good Cosen) haue mooued me many times to thinke on you, and to thank you for the same, I take no litle comfort of your great good liking of my determination, and that the endeuour therof beareth so forcible allowance at your handes, as to reckon the same in so hie and great accompte, as you doe.Dichologia.I did (I confesse) erre a while, but howe? as a young man, I went astraie I graunt, but not with perseuerance, for I reclaimed my selfe ere I fell, and stoode vpright ere by ouer much weight I slided too far in my purposes,Errare est humanum, sed persistere belluinum. The course I haue taken in hand as it was estranged from the opinion of many: so in the prosecutiō thereof, I hope to vse such pursuit, as willingly by declination therein, I meane not to become offensiue to any. Feare you not sir,Allegoria.the account is alreadie set downe, for notwithstanding my greene yeares must yet of force continue their note of imbecilitie: This prerogatiue yet remaineth, that I may as I listeadapt my opinion to grauitie. You shall (good Coosen) doe mee a great pleasure, if as I am partner of your loue and entyre affection, so I may sometymes bee partaker with you of those exercises and sweet pleasures, wherewith your studie is frequented: I meane that with some discourses of yours you will nowe and then remember mee. By expectation whereof, you shall often prouoke mee to aunswere you. Thus assuring my selfe of that I neuer yet distrusted at your handes, your zeale and fidelitie towardes mee; I regarde you as faithfull as I haue euer found you, and so will alwayes account of you, &c.An example of an Epistle hortatorie, to the studie of learning.IT is no little pleasure vnto me,Exordium.to consider with my selfe my good N. the great trauaile, cost, and paine, dayly employed by your dearest beloued parents,Insinuatiō.to induce vnto you the precious, and of all other most delicate and sweete pleasure of learning: the value whereof, is without all estimate, and the comfort therein conceiued, in no wise to bee comprehended: the louing regarde of whome, and the most lamentable want of the other, when I doe see you either with some ill fauouring aspect not to incline vnto, or with some more then straunge or vnused tearmes not to account of, I cannot but greeue with my heart, respecting the linke whereby I stand charged to either of you, in so great apparance as I doe to behold the same. True it is, that you are a Gent.Propositiō.that you are heire apparant to large and verie great possessions,Merismus.that you are (for the yeares you beare) of comely and goodly personage, that you are in all things well accomplished, and euerie way as beseemeth: but yet when I behold this fauour, this comlinesse, these accomplishments, and know you to bee a Gent. and thinke vpon your large ensuing reuenues and possessions, me thinkes there should yet be an ornament of all these, and a thing of farre more goodly shewe, and more surpassing value wanting to the same, that might if it were well entertained ad more glorie vnto all the others, then the waight of the rest were euer able to purchase.Procatalepsis.For suppose that all these complements of yours are of large price, and verie necessarie, as they are indeede, and such wherewith the state of man is greatly beautified, yet are they all but thingespertinent vnto the bodie, by force whereof (setting onelie our shape aside) wee doe communicate in euerie thing with beastes, for with them wee liue,Synonymia.wee mooue, wee go, wee eate, and enioie the sensuall appetite of inward or outward abilities. But by the benefit of learning, of knowledge,Asyndeton.of skill, wee make difference of things, and are onely thereby in our selues distinguished from beastes. And if man which is the principal worke of God,Paradigma.was from the beginning a chosen creature indued aboue any others, and therefore poynted to excell and go beyond all others, howe much more needefull shall it bee for euerye one according to such appoyntment to preferre and put forwarde the vse thereof vnto his owne profite. And seeing as well by the ordinance of God,Commoratiō.as common vse of reason, whereby we are gouerned and ledde, euerie man is induced to propose vnto himselfe the exercise of thinges that are good and honest, and that the same also among these, which maketh a man nearest to his Creatour in perfection, is of all others the moste to bee desired: howe much auaylable then and importaunt is it to euerie man to bee frequented with learning, the vse whereof freeth him of common ignoraunce, and maketh him capable of the high and loftie mysteries.Ab honesto.And if in anie studie whatsoeuer, the reputation of honest and good is to bee sought for, what I pray you then learning, may bee iudged more honest, which hauing with it a certaine kinde of diuine and sacred originall, hath from the beginning of the worlde, beene with all men in greatest price and estimation.Allegoria.What may bee deemed more good then that which from verie Asses and blockes, and (if it were lawfull to say) from bruite men and beastes also themselues maketh distinction, and without the which, there were left vnto vs from such, no place at all of difference. What then that can bee sayde to bee more honest, which draweth a man vppe to the diuine contemplation of the sacred Maiestie, to the knowledge of high and heauenly thinges, of woorthie and honourable vertues, and beeing sequestred by the wante thereof, hee becommeth no otherwise than as a hogge, still groueling on the earth, searching onely wherewith to fill his bellie, neglecting in the meane time the expectation or regarde of any other statelie or eternall Soueraintie. Nowe therefore, if the vse of learning, as the thinge of greatest accompt and most woorthie, is heere sette downe to bee so generallie,commended to all sortes of men, howe much more consonant and agreeing is it then to the reputation of a Gentleman, who by what distaunce so euer hee is measured in capacitie,Synathrismus.minde, order, state and gouernment from anie other common or ordinarie person,Anthesis.by so much the more ought hee in all endeuours to aspyre and seek to goe beyond them. For whereas all other men in their seuerall vocations are for the most parte,Etiologia.as it were withdrawne from the speciall notice and eye-marke of all publique administration and gouernement: the Gentl. contrariwise, the more woorthie and noble that hee is in calling, the more neerer is hee to that aduauncement whereunto by nothing so much as learning hee is enabled to bee preferred. For what profitable member can hee bee in such a place, whose ignoraunce is farre greater then his witte, and whose knowledge is lesse then the least of that, whereof hee ought to take notice and experience. And seeing learning is of all other thinges, a store-house so plentifull and precious,Epanodis.as whereof the wiseman maketh his treasure, the poore man his riches, and the wealthy one his pastime and pleasure, shall the Gentleman who in all other thinges, by Nature striueth to bee excellent, bee in the greatest action of all others so carelesse and negligent?Paramologia.Admit that you will heere alledge the tediousnesse of studie, and a certaine impossibilitie almost to attaine thereunto, I must aunswere vnto you againe, that this commeth not of the labour thereof, which to those that willingly aspire to the delicate taste of the same, yeeldeth great facilitie with pleasure to bee receyued: but to a slouthfull and sluggish endeuour and disposition. Far be it therefore (good Sir) that you beeing a Gentleman in all other thinges so towardly, and the sonne of such a one as you are, shoulde with the touch of so great a blemish, bee so throughly stained.Epiphonema.So woorthie a discente as whereof you are deriued, such infancie and child-hoode wherein so worthily you haue beene trained, so great loue and charge of parents wherewithe you may bee animated, doe inuite you farre otherwise, and to a more excellent purpose. Let the sweete and yet vnknowne delight thereof prouoke you,Auxesis.the praise and commendation solye to vertue appropriate and belonging, once prick you forward, the honour and aduancement thereby continually happening egge you. And if none of all these preuaile, yet the riches and rewardefarre greater then anie earthly treasure, which are therunto incident, tie you to a desire thereof. Thinke of the worthines of those, who by howe much the more noble they were in birth,Dignitie and zeale of others.by so much the more zealouslie they haue trauelled, not shunning any labour, sweate, tediousnesse, scorning, yea bondage it selfe,Auxesis.whereby to compasse vnto themselues the glorie and rewardes annexed to the dignitie heereof. And if no other remembrance may be sufficient to establish you, regard yet your liuing father and grandfather,By example.the one of whom neglecting his ease and quiet at home, trauailed all Fraunce, Germanie, and Italie, to the intent to attaine vnto the greatnesse of that whereunto you are so hardly perswaded. Neither thinke I that you in whome all other good actions do so plentifully flow, wil herein alone with a little labour be terrified:Peroratiō.Wherefore my good N. I eftsoones entreate you againe, and againe, by all the loue you haue ought to your name, fame, parentage and stocke, and by all the expectation that in them, or anie of them, is of your happinesse conceiued, you will proceede in this purpose: the weight whereof besides the commoditie and pleasure redounding to your selfe, shall vnto your parents and all others returne most comfortable and pleasing. All which recommending to your courteous consideration to bee entertained, I doe herewith take my leaue, &c.An other example Hortatorie, wherein an honourable Gentlemanis egged forward in the profession of Armes, and seruiceof his Prince and Country.SIthence the time of my little abode heere in LondonExordium.being scarce twentie dayes, vnderstanding of the being in town of my La. your mother, I repaired thereupon to her presence to visite her: there did I receiue notice of your being in Ireland, and that vpon your honourable behauiour, and good seruice there done: The L. D. did not onely testifie the same by his owne hand-writing vnto diuers of the priuie Counsell, but also in especiall letters besides commended the weight thereof, vnto the regard of her most excellent Maiestie.I did not a little reioyce to see that in such young yearesInsinuatiōby praise of the action.wherein commonlie falleth out a contempt of all excellencies, and a fantasticall desyre of counterfeyte vanities, you coulde (besides thecommon trade and custome of the worlde)Parenthesis.addict your selfe wholie vnto so weightie and honourable an exercise,Epitheton.as by laboursome trauaile in the seruice and honour of your Prince and countrie, to put forwarde your selfe so timely. Credite mee, it is not a little pleasing vnto mee to thinke thereon,Metaphora.neither standeth my affection so slender vnto your fathers off-spring, but that I must euer holde the reputation of their weldoing, an aduauncemente to my imaginations, and the sounde of their good successe the verie harmonie of mine inwarde soule.It is no newe thing I confesse, euen in these dayes to see a Gentleman honourablie descended as your selfe, and of like worthie education, to attaine vnto learning, to become practised in Armes, to put forward themselues in seruice, but to continue with resolution, to performe it with labour,Auxesis.to atchieue it with valour, to beare it with honour, here is the excellencie, this is the rarenesse, hence springeth the noueltie.Vertueretaining yet her ancient Maiestie, though not pursued as in olde time, with such woonted vehemencie,Hypotyposis.vertue hath three entrances.hath three entraunces, leading directly vnto her beautifull passage, by the portes whereof, whosoeuer is desirous to attaine her, in her purest and most glorious estate, must of necessitie enter. First,Fortitude,Fortitude.whereby hee must be enabled to endure whatsoeuer labour and trauell to be imposed, accounting nothing difficult, to the end and sweet rewarde whereof her excellencie is appropriate. Next,Magnanimitie,Magnanimitie.which by a vehement and haughtie desire, reacheth vnto thinges most excellent & of highest and stateliest value, not regarding the hard, tough, & maine force of the passage, with what pursuit soeuer it must bee followed, so be it by such meanes it may be wonne, and the glorie thereunto due, may at last be attained: the reach wherof, tending to the last end and scope of al his determinatiōs, sweetneth all maner of trauel, and induceth therewithal a contempt of whatsoeuer lesse valued or hindering, to the worthines of the same. ThenLonganimity,Longanimitie.enabling by greate constancie with rare and accustomed patience, to awaite and endure the end, neuer giuing ouer vpon whatsoeuer assaults, til the determined scope be by all kind of industry fullie and perfectly furnished.For this cause,Etiologia.the most renowmed parte ofvertueis saide to bee excellent, for that manie doe contemplate her a far off, but few ornone at all doe almost come so nigh her, as perfectly to see and discerne her, in so much as some, nothing regarding the singularitie of that, whose sweetnesse they neuer tasted of, become forcelesse of the pursuit of so diuine an excellencie: and some other fauouring a litle the daintines thereof, yet ouer-reached with the tediousnes of the enterprise, and hindered by the opposition of a thousand vanities, are so astonished in the first onset, as being therewith ouercome, doe by and by giue ouer their purposes.Now therefore my C. if you will bee a right fauourer ofvertueAdhortation to vertue.indeede, it behooueth that by these possibilities you doe (as a faithful regarder of her diuine & sacred essence) only seeke to pursue her, and that with such and none other respectes, and to no other ende and purpose, but for the sole fruition of her stately and immortall deitie.The time now calleth you forth,Merismus.your Countrie and soyle wherein you were borne and nourished inuiteth you, your praise alreadie gotten, and hope of renowne euer after to followe, perswade you, the honour of your house and parentage constraineth you, yea euerie of these solie and altogether doe exhort and commaund you, that becomming the selfe same you vowed, and they long since haue looked for, you doe nowe shewe your selfe such as was promised, and wherein the expectation first conceiued of you, may in no wise bee frustrated.Consider I pray you, that the rewarde ofvertue is honour,Clymax.the guerdon ofhonour,Fame, the scope ofFame,Eternity, the seat ofeternity, immortall and euerlasting glory. In liuing in the seruice of your Prince and countrie, the profession you haue taken in hand is honourable,Antistrophe.the charge honourable, the purpose honourable, and the ende and successe thereof must needes be honourable: behooueth then that your continuance therein and your owne deserts be also deemed honourable.Thinke when you tooke vpon you to beare Armes,Metaphora.you then receiued the full cognizance ofVertue, you were entertained withhonour, you became apprentise tofame, and it was assured (that beeing with loyaltie demeaned) you shoulde at length receiue the rewarde of euer flourishing glorie.Commoratiō.It is (beleeue me) no small matter, that being a particular member, you are put foorth as a piller, vpon the prop whereof reposeth one parte of the weight of the common-weale, thatthe ioyes of your whole countrie are fixed vpon your wel-doing, that in pursuite hereof your priuate cause is not your owne, (the secrete reuenge whereof may happelie turn to an infamed mischiefe) but the cause of thecommon good, the publike matter of al, and that where the scope is of all others most famous and honoured.Being entertained in a sorte as you are,Of right and meet.you shoulde highly wrong the opinion of a greate manie, in drawing backe from that wherein you haue beene alreadie so worthilie behaued, and in becomming lesse than that whereunto in your cradle you were at the beginning so principally ordained:Auxesis.for vnseemelie were it that you shoulde not haue beene hereunto at the first committed, vnlawfull not to haue persisted, and dishonourable (in due sorte) not to see it accomplished.Proceede then my C. in that whereunto your vertue, your Parentage, your soile,Of example.Paradigma.and your fidelitie haue called you, thinke what, how much, and how greatlie it importeth you, that hauing had so manie of your auncestours since their first originall, who haue beene deemed so woorthie, it fitteth not your selfe alone (in so important actions, concerning especially the honour of your prince and countrie) to bee founde otherwise then equall vnto them in the highest qualitie. So and in such maner,Epiphonema.and by such kind of meanes haue the most auncient and renowned worthies of the world be come to be tearmed honored, and mightie. SoEpaminondasandAlcibiadesParadigma.among theGrecians,Æmilius Paulus,Fabii and Scipionesamong the Romanes, haue bin deemed most statelie. For such cause the acts of your predecessors & nobilitie of your deceased fatherProsopopœia.haue bin registred with the most worthy. O so sweetly might sound from out his breathing ghost vnto your liuing eare, that excellent verse ofVirgill.Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem,Fortunam ex aliis.Learne vertue (Child) of me and labours true,ButFortuneschaunce, from others do pursue.The signification whereof, what other thinge may it else importe, but that betweene themHis Parents.who beeing neuer eternized by anie memorable action, as hauing confounded their liues with obscuritie,and such as neuer were borne, there resteth in maner no difference at all.Ardua virtutis est via.Sententia.T’is labours force that maketh way vntoVertue: great matters vnto the furtherance of her are but easie,Auxesis.the meaner, trifles; the lowest of no value. To ouercome others by vertue is a thinge most honourable, but in pursuite thereof to bee conuinced of any other, is a thinge most vituperable: You are nowe brought by Fortune into a straight passage,Dialysis.whereby of necessitie you must either by reputation of most excelling worthinesse finish the iourney, or recreant and discomfited, confesse the vttermost of your imbecilitie. But what doe I conferre vnto your viewe, the notes of such and so manie doubtes and hazardes, knowing a minde insinuate in your selfe by nature,Anthypophora.that coulde neuer so much as thinke or imagine of thinges contemptible, or of anie vile or seruile qualitie at all? truelie for no woorse meane, nor to anie other ende or purpose, but thereby to egge you forwarde by all kinde of possibilities, to the encrease of your highest woorthinesse, that by howe much the more you shall goe about to excell any others, by so much the more greater you may be commended and extolled aboue others.Ease and securitie,Parœmia.are two pernicious enemies of euer flourishing glorie, and industrie preuenteth all circumuention, which either by slouth or negligence may bee imposed: the victorie is not any others, but your owne, nor the honour to any other appertaining but vnto your selfe. Bee therefore such in continuance, as may fullie bee answerable to each part of your noblenesse, and God who is the creator of all thinges, and fauourer of each worthie enterprise, blesse your endeuours with the sustentation ofVertue, which is euer permanent. At B. this of &c.An Epistle Swasorie, wherein aGentlewoman is counsel-led to mariage.THe extreame griefe wherein my selfe was a partaker with you,Exordium.of the death of your late husbande, woulde not suffer mee (good Mistresse E.) at my last beeing with you, to deliuer what then I thought meete for your estate, & sithence I haue more atlarge considered vppon to bee for your profite. And albeit your selfe are, I knowe of discretion sufficient, and the number of your friendes of regarde compotent,Insinuatiō.both to consider and counsell, what vnto your present affayres may bee deemed most correspondent: yet may it not bee ill accepted, if my selfe of a great manie, that haue wyshed well to your person, and fauoured euermore your good condition, doe heerein also among the rest, put forwarde my meaning, and perswade you thereby vnto that, which (though not alreadie may bee fitting to your instant lyking)Parenthesis.yet to your present behoofe may returne no question of soundest and best consideration.And first, I deeme it not impertinent to referre vnto your knowledge what I haue throughly conceyued with my selfe of your beeing,viz.that you are a widowe,Merismus.a Gentlewoman of verie worshipfull parentage and discent, the wife before time of a Gentleman of as good reputation as liuing, as good alliaunce as credite, that you are knowne to bee modest, discreete, wise and well gouerned, that you are and ought to bee warie in your actions, and such as whereof the babling multitude may reape no aduauntage, and finallie that by reason of the ouerhastie determination of his life (whose continuaunce might haue ridde you of innumerable cares) you are pestred with some troubles, the most part of your liuing in suspence, and that whereof you deeme your selfe most assured, hanging vppon so manie hazardes, as hitherto remayneth doubtfull, in what sort you shall compasse it, or with what liking to your selfe you may happily ouerpasse the same.Touching the first, I warne you not that according to your present estate, you do minde what you are, what you haue bin, of whom you are discended, and in what sort you may best prouide with warinesse, to deale for all these: but drawing to the latter, and weighing on what tearmes you stande, howe hardly you are bestead, howe slender meanes to auoid it, I repute him not the worst wel-willer, that coulde aduise you with contentment and litle hazard, in what sort you might best endeuour in all effectes to aunswere it.Narratiō.It is reported vnto mee, that by the procurement of some, fauouring your aduauncement, there is nowe profered vnto your lyking a young Gentleman, vertuous, discreete, and well ordered, the sonne and heyre of aworshipfull Knight, on the choyce and regarde of whose Parents, dependeth the best assuraunce of your whole portion, in whose condition and behauiour, albeit you finde no one thing to bee reprehended, yet disclaime you to bee married,Synonymia.you will heare of no suters, there must bee in your presence no speech at all of lyking, and you meane not so soone forsooth to set forwarde for a husband.The course you doe take herein, seemeth in my opinion verie euill,Merismus.insomuch as contrarie to that, which both your yeares, your estate, your liuing and present occasions doe require, you forciblie are endeuoured to make so vndiscreete and setled a resistance:Erotema.Whie La. doe you thinke it profiteth at all, the deceased ghost of him that loued you (a young Gentlewoman as you are, scarce exceeding twentie yeares) to liue thus solitarie? Hangeth the censuring of your modestie, and acceptaunce of that which your best friendes doe wish for, and the wisest doe allowe of, on the tatling humours of common supposes?Commoratiō.if it bee deemed once fit for you to marry againe, and that vpon the warie and circumspect choyse thereof dependeth a manner of necessitie, and that nowe, before anie one of yours almost suspected it, the plenty of that might bee charily wished for, is layde alreadie into your bosome, behooueth the respect of a little time, which (beeing sooner or later, so it bee perfourmed with modestie and aunswered with discretion)Parenthesis.mattereth not at all to detaine you so much, as thereby you are not able to see into your owne profite? Is it not, I pray you, a purpose honest that is tendered? Is it not a matter lawfull to bee accepted? Is it a thing vnmeete for your present yeares at this instant to be reputed? Nay, is it not all in all whatsoeuer,Auxesis.that in the best sort as the case now standeth, may vnto you be offered? Why then abstaine you the entertainment of your owne good? Why drawe you thus backeward from your owne aduauncement? Why cease you to accept that, whereunto in the ende you must by meere force bee compelled? If you will beleeue mee in any thing, or doe suppose the waight of my credite to be auaylable vnto you in ought, I would aduise you in other sort, considering that by declyning from a selfe-opinion of that whereunto without anie manifest reason you are induced, you shall doe most good vnto your selfe, and giue occasion to them that loue you,to thinke that by so doing, their good counselles haue happely preuailed with you and wrought such aduauncemente vnto you, I haue thought with my selfe many times sithence the death of your husbād, howe much imported the vnsetled reach of your liuing to be renued in match with one of good calling: see nowe God and Fortune more fauouring your hap, then your selfe, your owne wel doing, haue sente you such a one, as of whome you might vaunt, and iustly in all thinges be occasioned to accompt of. It now appertaineth that either by fond self-wil, or too much vnkindnes, you shake not off from you the foremost occasion of your succeeding happines. I reck not what of the cōmon sortProcatalepsis.(more of ignorance then wit) may insuppose of the hastie conclusion be in secret alleadged, their errours like their fancies, are as incertaine as peeuish. Be you onely herein perswaded, to what most of all beseemeth you, and think that both in the waightines, and regard attributed to his and your own worthines, you can for the present frame your selfe to nothing,Vtilitie.that to your estate may returne so cōmodious, whereunto though no other matter at all enioyned you, it were sufficient that so forcedNecessitie.a necessitie constraineth you, to which the regard of your selfe and your owne good fortune willeth to obey.Epilogus.Longer coulde I debate vnto you the greate liking of many, conceiued of the partie, to the deliuerie whereof by the report of your neerest kinsmen, I doe solie refer you, onelie studying in this, and whatsoeuer els I may, by all indeuours to pleasure you, whereof praying you to be most assured, I doe in all curtesie leaue to detaine you. At B. this of, &c.Another Example of an Epistle Swasorie perswadingthe carefull acceptance and regardof one brother toanother.THE sounde and entire familiaritieExordium, by insinuation.wherewith your parents in their life time sometimes entertained me, and the neerenes of neighbourhoode twixte both our friendes and long education wherein iointly we haue conuersed together, mooueth mee at this instant somewhat to write vnto you in respect of the reputation credit, and accompt that in the worlde you nowe beare, and also the ratherto win you to the regarde of that, which to the estate of your presente being, and worthinesse of your parents, might be found meetest and conuenient.It is giuen me to vnderstand of a younger brother you haue here in London,Narratiō.who at the time of your fathers death beeing committed to your charge, is for the defaulte of maintenaunce, badly inured, woorse trained, and most perillously by all kinde of likelihood (through such sufferaunce) in the loosnesse of his liuing alreadie hazarded.I woondered not a little when I hearde it,Liptote.and so much the more was the matter troublesome vnto mee, in that respecting it was not tolde in secrete, it seemed by the lookes and gestures of the whole companie that heard it, your good demeanor thereby was very hardly censured, for that standing in such case of credite as you doe, your wealth so aboundant, and your parentes so well accompted of, you woulde in this sort,Prosonomasia.and in that place of all others suffer him to wander carelesse, whome you ought to the contrarie to haue constrained, by any possible carefulnes. How ill beseeming it is both to you & yours, that it shoulde so fall out, you may by supposes coniecture. For my parte, it grieued mee when I heard it, and I was not quiet till I found conuenient time to aduertise you of it. And if my opinion may at all preuaile with you, you shoulde quickly call him home from hence, and see him more better to be prouided for, and more worthily trained.Merismus.Consider I pray you, the life hee taketh in hand, befitteth not such a one, whose originall was so honest, is ill beseeming the younger brother of your selfe, vnwoorthie his birth or name of a Gentleman, and altogether repugnant to the qualitie of your behauior or the greatnesse of your liuing. You are to remember that hee is yet verie greene, nowe pliable to whatsoeuer may bee impressed in him, as chafed waxe apte to receiue anie figure,Parabola.like vnto a newe vessell to bee seasoned with whatsoeuer liquor, what hee now taketh taste and sauour of, that hee holdeth,Allegoria.what habite you nowe cast vpon him, the same shadow he lightly beareth. Great cause haue you therfore now to be warie how and in what sort he liueth.Your industrie,Congeries.your brotherlie care, your loue, your especiall regarde and kindnesse it is, that must bee ayding in this, you and none but you are the man on whome hee relieth,Emphasis.you are to prouide forhim, and it is your selfe that must answere for him. Think thatnature,loue,dutieyea veriepietybindeth you vnto him, who hath none other left to depend on, but such as by possibilitie your self may become vnto him. In the consideration of which let (I pray you) my wordes become thus much regarded vnto you, that herein as in all other things you performe that beseemeth you.Peroratiō.Longer could I occupie my selfe to trauell in this action with you, but that I deem it (more then impertinent) any further therein to require you. Greeting your selfe manie times in my name, I bid you therefore farewell. From my house in B. this of, &c.Of Epistles Dehortatorie, and Disswasorie.    Chap. 12.vNnecessary were it to wade further in either of these titleshortatorieorSwasorie, the examples alreadie laide downe being for them sufficient, wherfore we will now passe vnto the contraries of these, beingDehortatorieanddisswasorie. The partes and placesexhortingorperswadinghauing as you sée bene drawne from the qualities of praise, fortified in diuers sortes, as well by theperson, by theaction, as by thethingit selfe, where vnder was comprehended what might be calledhonestor good: So these on the contrarie parte pulling backe or disswading, shall by the vnhonestie of the action or thing as before hath bin said, and by the indignitie, vniustnes, wickednes, insufferablenes, hate, mislike, contempt, or hazard of danger, reputation or good name that thereof ensueth, be euermore measured.In the handling whereof it is tolerable, by all sortes of arguments, to infer and obiect any thinge to the diminution or defacing of that which we go about to impugne. Yea, if need be, to inuert the good also that in such a person may be supposed vnto a worser sence. As if in dehorting or disswading a man from infidelity towards his country I might first touching the action tender vnto him, howvnnaturalthe cause is he taketh in hand, being against his natiue soile: howvnhonest, by laying out the quality of the offence, howvniust, in respect that it is against his allegiance to his Prince, howimpious, in that it retaineth no piety, turneth to the disturbance of a quiet state, & bréedeth the subuersion of al peaceablegouernment, howinsufferable, by reason that good and wholesome lawes are thereby infringed, all sortes of honest and good men wronged, and consequently the common wealth by such meanes topsie turuie turned.For thePersonif he were at any time of worth I might shewe then theindignitie, or ill beséeming of such a thinge vnto him, for that actions of such kinde are alwaies vnto the noble and best endued mindes vtterly repugning. And so thereupon if in him there was euer reputed any wisdome, I might diuert it now vnto follie, hisFortitude, I might challenge to beTemeritie, hismoderationcrueltie, hisstoutnes arrogancie, hishaughtines pride, hisFreedome loosnes,and consequently, for euerie othervertueinduce or lay downe vnto him a contrarievice, respecting that by committing of actions sovile & contemptible, all properties whatsoeuer of former esteemed worthines doe vtterly loose the partes they haue ofgood, and immideately are disturned there withall vnto euill.And as in EpistlesExhortingorPerswading, the intended vertue of goodnesse of euerie thing is more amplie set foorth by theopposite euil: So in these ofwithdrawingordisswadingthe intendedeuilby theopposite good, is euer made morehatefull. Besides, as there bee some thinges that are expresly good in themselues or expresly euil, so are there some thinges that for themselues are helde indifferent. In these, to perswade or withdrawe, there is a prettie skill to be vsed, in which the discretion of the writer may not passe vncommended, wherof (for so much as to a learner they may happely passe vnregarded) I entende in this chapter to affoorde some application. For in thinges alwaies knowne to be of themselues either good or euill, there is no great cunning to make a shew of them as they are: but of things which either by times, by liking, by place, by allowance, by conuersation may be deemed good or bad, to be commended or disalowed, in the setting foorth thereof appeareth both skill and discretion.For example, that mariage is a thinge much to be preferred, and to the increase of man of so greate necessitie, as without which there could bée no orderlie estate or societie, no man I am sure will denie mée. And to a man vnwilling to enter thereinto, I might (with intent to drawe him to a liking thereof) besides a number of necessarie causes to be alleadged, as the decayof his house, the continuance of a solitary, loose or bad kind of liuing, the end of his wealth and name together hauing no issue to succéede him, infer also as much pertinent to such a perswasion the sacred solemnization thereof in Paradise, first by theeternall Wisdomehimselfe thought méet and appointed, then his pleasure to inioine the same to the worlds increase, then the care that naturally we haue of issue to succéed vs, the indignity for a man of value not to haue respect therof, the loue likewise & mutuall societie betwixt man & wife, being of such mightie efficacie, as wherunto no liking is to be compared, the swéet pleasures, cares & delights, interchangeably passing betwéene them, each dearly affying? them selues in the others contentment, solace or pleasing, the ioy of procreation, when there shall be a childe produced, whose infancie tatling with a pleasant lisping sound, shall become an incredible delight to the parents hearing, with sundrie other like inforcements and suggestions, all which might certainlie shewe and declare the same to be as it is a matter of much woorth, and sufficientlie set forth vnto the partie why it ought to be embraced.Now, as the same is out of all doubt not onelie tollerable, as I said before, but by the necessitie thereof among many thinges held to be praise worthy: so in another place, & to another person might I againe find as much occasion for matter, why the selfe same marriage should be alike dispraised, as (not reckoning the age of man or woman, which many times more of dotage then discretion pursueth the same) there might be opposed thereagainst the swéetnes of libertie, the vse wherof (nothing more) conduceth principally vnto the estate & life of man, who naturally coueteth vnrestrained & without controlment to do that him liketh, the benefit wherof enioying, he may ride, go, walke, rest, eat, drinke, studie, recreate, solace, and whersoeuer, and in whatsoeuer companie pleaseth him best, vse the conceit thereof to his owne appetite.Now, hauing a wife (suppose she haue all the perfections you will giue her) yet is the delicacie hereof bereft a man: for being once married, hee thenceforth is no more vnto himselfe, but vnto her, for her pleasure, to her choyce, at her liking, with her contentment, must he then order his humours, his houres, his gestures, his companies, his iourneys, his recreations, and what els he before time might fréelie haue vsed, his owne liking is quenched, hislibertie restrained, and yet the losse hereof a heauen to that which followeth, if by great good fortune he bee not the better matched, For imagin the woman chosen, do prooue a scolde, wayward, self-willed, malicious, frowning, or suspitious, what a hell is hee then driuen into, whose serpentine and more then Adderlike disposition shall be such as would terrifie a thousande Diuelles. If she bee wanton, dissolute, lewde, or loose in liuing, howe on the other side shall he then be turmoyled: what is it that she will not presume vpon, & dare to hazarde? how infamous shall her life then become to his liuing? how little will shee esteeme of him, in respect of the large account she holdeth of many others? If she be proude, then may she be vnsupportable: if her wit be more then his, then arrogant: if she be foolish, then a mocking stocke: if she be faire, then a spectacle to gaze on: if foule, then a simpring puppet to wonder on: if shee be rich, presumptuous: if poore, then happilie odious. But being what shee may bee, or touching her owne person the best she can bee, what intollerable charge bringeth shee with her, what cost of apparel, what care of diet, what houshold of seruants, what expence for attendance, what prouision for children; what furniture for house, what daily, continual & neuer ceasing cark & toile for her & hers: in conclusion, what one discommoditie may be reckoned, that with her or for her is not in short space a thousande times hazarded?Thus doe you see how out of one selfe thing both praise and dispraise by admittance may be gathered. A like thereunto may be added in the vsage of wine. To a crazed man of weak disposition, or such a one whose constitution of bodie for Phisicks sake should require it, I might, to perswade him to the vse thereof, vrge the necessarie meane, the goodnesse, propertie, vertue and wholesomnesse of the same, the operation, howe it recreateth, driueth away heauinesse from the minde, prouoketh appetite, comforteth, and many wayes (moderatelie taken) helpeth and relieueth. But now to disswade againe the intermedling therewith, what might bee imagined that coulde not bee rehearsed: by manifesting the hurt and manifold inconueniences thereby ensuing, as that it causeth drunkennes, dulleth the wits, making ill digestion, ingendreth superfluities, weakneth the spirits, hurteth the braine, driueth a man to forget himselfe, enforceth to commit that which many times isfilthie and often vnbeseeming, of a reasonable creature frameth a beast, discouereth counsels, causeth slaughters, and consequentlie ladeth both the bodie and minde with a thousand mischiefes, impediments and diseases.As of these twain, so might I stand vpon many others the like, which for breuitie I omit, holding these applications sufficient for the present intendment: adding herewithall, that the exhorter, perswader or withdrawer from any thing, ought touching things indifferent, specially to haue before his eyes the reputation of the partie to whome he writeth, considering that some things are lesse meete in one person then in another, and that which well fitteth and agreeth with the state or condition of some one, is altogether vnmeet and disagréeing in the behauiour of another. To consider in like sort this old adage,ne quid nimis, whereby in reprouing the vse of any thing he may prefer themoderation, and inueigh against thenimium. Finally, to respect, that of sundry indifferent occasions not the vse, but the abuse is it which ought to bee reprehended. These beeing admitted, wee will come to theExamplesof both kindes aswellDehortatorieasDisswasorie, and see what therein may be tendred.An example of an Epistle dehortatorie, wherein a noble Gentlemanis withdrawne from infidelitie or rebellion.MY good G.Exordium.my faithfull louing Countriman, and dearest of accountBy insinuation.(whilome all and either of these vnto me, so bee it the frowningMetaphora.heauens and dispiteful wicked fate had not harboured the contrarie) what shall I write vnto thee, or by what tearmes may I now salute thee? Erst woonted were my letters to pursue thee, carelesse in any cost,Allegoria.and familiarly and boldly to regard thee, now blushing at thy vncouth hap, and carefull of they carelesse vsage, they cannot without griefe approch thee, nor once without sorrowe intentiuely behold thee.Alas, my G. what furie hath ledde thee,Ecphonesis.what madnes hath bewitched thee, what hatefull destinie hath pursued thee, that beeing such as thou wert, on whome Nature and the heauens as it seemed, had powred all their giftes moste plentifullie, thou wouldest yet be ledde to deface so many partes of excellencie, with one hatefull,ignominious and shamefull blott, of wicked, and most heynous treacherie.Diddest thou for this cause take vppon theeErotema.the profession of Armes, to become iniurious to thy Countrey, to bereaue men of their patrimonie,Auxesis.to bee a destroyer of vnitie, a patterne of infidelitie, the dishonour of thy familie, and consequently to thy selfe and dearest soile,Ecphonesis.a professed and open enemie? Ah happie in all other things, but in this sole enterprize, in the broaching whereof thou wast put forwarde to bee made the onelie vnhappie, behooueth with such ingratitude to rewarde the first Authour of thy familie? Was this the ende of thy birth, thy parents, education, thy estate, thy wealth, thy possibilitie, to become a Traytour to thy Prince, and rebell to thy Countrey?Sinathrismus.No, no, my G. vilde and too ill beseeming is the drift that hath so ouertaken thee, and ignorant was he of that became thee, that first thereunto perswaded thee.When thou liest armed in the fields andDialogismus.(mustering thy ranks in the day time) beholdest and lookest around about thy Countrey, thinkest thou not then with thy selfe, in this soyle was I borne, within this land lieth my patrimonie, heere had I first sucke, and sithence haue the fruits thereof nourished me, and could I then become so ingratefull and vnkinde, as for all these benefits to destroy thee? Not so, nor in such maner haue the vertuous in field beene accounted so woorthie, not for this cause in such actions, haue men beene said to beare themselues honourably.Coriolanus, thou wast conuinced by the view of the Citie and mothers intreatie, and shall I vnhappie man for all this, persist in this crueltie?Iustlie and by great occasion credit me, mightest thou thus complaine of so great an iniurie, and all this being so true, as nothing more true; can it be said in prosecuting the same, thou maist be freed frō infamie?Anthypophora.What I pray thee hath made men famous, and canonized their memorie,Epanodus.was it not their munificence and valiant demerits in and for the good of their country? For in what one thing are we more likened vnto God himselfe, then in the worthines of our minds, the resolutions whereof, ought in no wise to be stained with such hatefull obloquie? The Asse runneth through fire for the safegard of her issueParadigma.and shall the valiant man then become negligent to the ayde of his Countrey? Howe farre more waightilie shall hee bee accused, who not oneliegiueth no ayde at all to his Countrey,Antithesis.but also is therunto an inconsiderate and most cruell enemie? Howe carelesse are such men of their fame, and howe vnlike of all others to those memorable woorthies, the precious regard whereof, vnto them hath beene such, as then goods,Auxesis.possessions, riches, kingdomes, yea life it selfe hath beene helde most dearest. Peruse but the auncient hystories ofRome, and looke there ofMutius Scæuola,Paradigma.the most inuincible Romane, with what confidence hee went solie into the Tent ofProsenna, his and their Countryes capitall enemie, in minde onelie to destroie him. The goodFurius Camillus, who after manie high and honourable seruices by him done to the Common-wealth of Rome, was by his owne Citizens vniustlie banished: howe farre off was hee thinke you, from this your opinion? For the GallesEtiologia.whom before he had expulsed, hauing in the time of this his banishment assieged the Citie of Rome, and beeing then verie likely to haue distressed the same, insomuch as they had alreadie forraged, burnt and destroyed the whole Countrey round about, hee more sorrowfull at the likely ruine of his Citie, then grieued at his owne banishment, (mooued thereunto of verie pietie to his natiue soyle and Countrey) entred counsell with theArdeats, and by his wisedome, policie, and great manhood, so perswaded those people, that in feare of their mishap, they were content to leuie a mightie armie vnder his conduct, wherewith hee not onely put backe the enemie, but therewith so mightilie pursued them, as by such meanes he vtterly freed and set at libertie his Citie and Conntrey.What neede wee search abroade for such forraine examples, and why draw wee not home into our owne soyle of England?Transitiō.What Chronicle shall euer remaine, or what English Hystorie shall euer bee extant, that shall not euerlastinglie report, the deserued fame of that right woorthie and verie noble indeede, SirWilliam Walwoorth, Knight, once Lord Maior of London, the remembraunce whereof (to his perpetuall prayse, and endlesse confusion of others, who not onely abstaine the putting in vre of such his memorable vertue, but which is woorse, doe endeuour by cruell force to tender violence vnto their Sacred Prince and Countrey) shall yet flourish for euer. Ill doe you example vnto your selfe, or thinke on the woorthinesse of that good man, who in the time of KingRichardthe seconde, when with a most suddaine and strange kinde of Rebellion the King was troubled,Parison.the Realme pestered, and the strongest of the Kinges subiectes greatlie feared: euen at that time when the proude fawtour and CaptaineEmphasis.of the rebellious and rascallie multitude,Periphrasis.durst hatefullie and most vndutifullie to bearde the King in his owne presence, and each man shunned to impugne the contrarie.Auxesis.This valiant, this good, this right noble and woorthie Citizen, standing by, when the wicked and presumptuous varlet, with so little reuerence approached the King, and remembring the seruices of manie worthie men, that by an honourable aduenture and hazarde of their liues had to their eternall memorie, before time freed their Countrey with libertie, grieuing that with so high an abuse his soueraigne Lorde beeing yet as it were a childe, shoulde there in his hearing, bee so farre amated, couragiouslie stept vnto the Rebell,Dialogismus.and taking him by the gorge, proude varlet (quoth hee) that darest thus contemptouslie demeane thy selfe vnto thy King and Soueraigne, foule death betide thee, and shame quicklie consume thee: Whie, aunswered the villaine in greate disdaine, is it thou that greeuest at that I haue sayde? Greeue, replyed the stoute couragious Citizen,Epizeuxis.yea, euen I, I it is that greeue at thee, and happilie shoulde thinke my selfe accurst, if thou shouldest escape from mee vnreuenged, wherewith drawing more closelie vnto him, hee pulled him from his horse by maine force, and stabbed him to the heart with his dagger. The destruction of whom, bredde such confusion vnto all the residue of his headstrong armie, and sight whereof kindeled so great a furie in the residue of the Kings companie, (who for that present vpon speciall considerations, was there attended on but meanelie) that the whole rebellious route were by such meanes euer after discomfited vtterlie: wherewith before that instaunt the whole RealmeAntithesis.had lyke to haue beene turned topsie turuie. Hee and such as hee laboured not by ambitious pride to arrogate vnto themselues a lawlesse extremitie, but studyed of meere loue and entire zeale, how and which way they might performe best seruice to their Prince and Conntrey.Ecphonesis.O more then ordinarie affection, and feruencie of high and statelie woorthinesse, in the regarde whereof, life was not sweete vnto these men, whose liuing might not redounde to become (for their dearest soyle) tobee honoured and famous.Aporia.What then may I say my G. of that by thee, and thy copartners taken in hande, whether will you be driuen, what shall become of you, how doe ye behaue your selues, who may receiue you, in whose inward conceites (not the pietie and regard of anie of theese) no nor so much as one sparke of their loialtie, coulde so deepelie bee impressed, as whereby to withdrawe you from these vnnaturall broiles?Auxesis.What haue you found in your deare prince? what in your louing countrie? what in this citie? what to anie one of al your selues in particularitie, that might in such hatefull maner incite you, & by occasion whereof you should thrust your selues into so great an enormitie? Beleeue me, & it shal verilie be auowed, the successe hereof will returne vnto you none other in the ende then the verie reward of infamie. I haue knowne thee, beeing far lesse in yeares then at this instant, to haue bene able to rule thy selfe, and with plausible moderation to bee indued in all things,Erotema.couldest thou then beeing a childe performe this in thy selfe, and beeing nowe a man art not able to endure it? There be I know about thee, that will perswade that all that thou doest herein is vertue, that herein thou hast great wisdom, much fortitude, and notable moderation, that the action is haughtie, the occasion libertie, and the end glorie. But how greatlie they doe erre in so saying, let this saying of goodCamillusstand for you and vs indifferentlie, whose notable speach sprung vp from those his inuiolable vertues, spared not this, to affirme in presence of all the Senate vnto the people.Prosopopœia.Let others (quoth hee) deeme it a thinge euill and reprochfull at anie time to bee founde faultie, in not yeelding ready succors and aid to their country:Camillusfor his part is & shal be of that resolute determination, that it is & ought to be reputed for euermore a thing detestable and vild, and of all other the most hatefull and replenished with all execrable miserie. How thinketh then your gentle mind, of the action by this time. Is it (suppose you) anie vertue that thereunto preferreth you?Camillusiudged that it was not reprochfull, but villanous and detestable, so much as to bee founde failing in ought to his countrie, and may it then bee thought a thinge honest to become a persecutor of your countrie?

THe next vnto these laste of thisDemonstratiuekinds are nowe theDeliberatiue, the first titles whereof in order suted forth, appeare to beeHortatorie,Dehortatorie,Swasorie, andDisswasorie. These beeingas I saide before, neerlie affined together (sauing onelie that theHortatorieandDehortatorieare a little more vehement, stirring and pricking then the others, yet both consisting in well aduising and counselling, the one by necessitie, the other as an inducement to thinges laudable and worthie) neede therefore in all seeming but one maner of direction in them to be followed. You shall then vnderstand that the seuerall partes in either of theseHortatorieorSwasorie, to be considered, doe principally stand vppon a diuersitie of affections, which nature as it seemeth, hath from the beginning ordained, to bee as it were stirrings or prouocations within vs, thereby to propose a direct and most readie waie vntoVertue, or to terrifie by like degrees, or withdrawe vs from the pursuing of vices.

The motions or effects herein frequented, may bee said to bee either of praise or mislike, of hope or reward, or feare of euill to folow, of loue to well doing, or of hate vnto badnes, of emulation of others praise, glory, or reputation, of expectation thereon depending, of examples or of intreatie. By laying out of all or either of these, as occasion shall serue, consisteth the efficacie of all exhortation or aduising, pulling backe or disswading. Now how the qualities of these, or any other in generall touching the propertie they haue withVertueorVice, may for any turne be allotted: I must as well for thisDeliberatiuekind ensuing, as for all other titles whatsoeuer, the same hereafter requiring, wholy referre the learner to the places in the chapter preceeding the EpistlesLaudatorieandVituperatoriein all things to be directed.

As touching these particularities, which wee haue tearmedMotionsandaffects, let vs consider if you will in seuerall, and see what efficacie by distinguishment of all their properties & partes they may beare in this writing.Praise(no doubt) in matter of exhortation or stirring vp to well doing is of most singular force, and so questionlesse isMislike, when generallie it may bee drawne from a regarded conceite of the greatest and woorthiest, to the withdrawing from euill. For if we shall but enter into, or consider of our owne common passages: what is it I pray you that preferreth or disalloweth, giueth grace or disableth the actions and endeuours of men, but the speciall allowance or mislike that iseuery where had of them? Is it not account alone that giueth encouragement vntoVertue? IsVertueso fullie aduaunced in anie thing as in the estimate prayse and reputation, that is attributed vnto her? No surelie. And this by insight had into the verie woorst and lowest sort of men shall you find, that there is hardlie anie lyuing of so base and contemptible a spirite, but that byPrayseand commendation, hee may bee drawne vppe to some liking of well dooing. And howebeit the issues of mens actions doe at anie time seeme to bee spotted with euill, yet desire they at the least wise for their reckoning sake, that they might bee esteemed as good.

By this appeareth the singularitie of thinges excellent, in so much as nothing is, or séemeth rightlie prayse-woorthie, but what is accounted good, so little reputation haue the perpetratours of euilles, as that of necessitie they are compelled to seeke credite, by falselie attributing vnto themselues the name of good. Howe much more then truePrayseandMislikeof thinges woorthie, or to bee despysed, may by all lykelihoode bee auailable with those of good spirite, to drawe them toVertues.

To applie nowe this prayse in exhorting or counsailing anie one, it behooueth wee first conceyue what disposition, habiliments, or other matter of value are in him whome wee haue to deale with, furthering or conuenient to such a purpose, whereunto wee woulde exhort or perswade him, and the likelihoode of the same, greatlie to put foorth or commende: or if before time he haue behaued himselfe anie wayes well, we shall incourage him in praysing of that alreadie done; and in shewing that the more excellent the thing is, the more difficult it is to bee attained, forDifficilia quæ pulchra, and yet the difficultie not so great as the prayse, glorie and recordation thereof, shall thereby afterwards be returned honourable.

Likewise, if the state of the partie doe serue thereunto, it shall not bee amisse to put him in minde of his parentage, or that fayling, of his Fortune, Vertue, Nobilitie of minde, Wit, towardnesse, his great expectation, abilitie, age, and Discretion, all of them no lesse requiring, but this with great modesteto be deliuered, least in séeming to preferre the certaintie of those vertues which are of good account to be in him, we doe not palpably gloze with the partie, and as it were seeke to drawe from his person, or account, the things that neuer came neare him.

Now asPrayse,and the laudable estimate of euerie good action, together with the iust mislike of thinges euill, spurreth and eggeth forward to great purposes, so verie much thereunto preuaileth this other ofHope, not that which of a seruile and base humour or condition ensueth, which expecteth nothing that is frustrate of gain, and performeth all endeuours by expectation of reward, but that vertuous kinde ofHope,which enableth to the perfection and absolute summe of all worthinesse, and whose limit is honour, reputation, estimate and account: A like Companion whereunto isLoue,beeing a zealous affectation of thinges singular, whichLoueproduceth likewise in it selfe, not a mislike onelie, but a burningHateof things vile, contemptible, and vnbeseeming.

As these in themselues doe each particularlie thrust forwards to goodnes, so many timesFeare,or doubt of inconuenience that may ensue, terrifieth or disswadeth from euils.Commiserationof the lamentable estate of any one, prouoketh also sometimes to pittie, and disturneth in like sort manie times from reuenge.Expectatiō,as wel ofLoueas ofHate,of good opinion as mislike in compassing of any thing is not the least.Shame& ignomie of the action also, the dependance whereof is oftentimes occasion sufficient of well doing, and hindrance alike, and withdrawing from euill purposes. But aboue all is the spur ofEmulation,whose force gathered by a certaine kind ofEnuie, of others proceedings kindleth flames of regarde to aspire vnto the like, but not that sluggish and execrable enuie bred of most wicked and detestable malice, which when it selfe cannot, nor is able to doe any thing worthie, snatcheth and continuallie gnaweth on the deserts of others, but that generous and noble kind of enuie which discreeteNatureand vertue haue insinuated in our mindes, emulating by a feruent desire to compasse, or possibly to go beyond what mightily by others hath béene performed.

The authoritie ofExampleis also very weightie, giuing warrant to any vertuous imitation that may be prescribed, and lastlyrequests and intreatie which euer more preuaileth according to the writers credit or grauity. These being sufficently considered, we will nowe according to such like directions, endeuour to suite foorth vnto you some particular examples.

I Haue manie times desired with my selfeExordium.(good Cosin) to obtaine some necessarie meanes, whereby to manyfest the greate good will I doe owe vnto you, and in some sorte or other to giue you to vnderstande, howe much and howe greatly I haue tendred those good partes, that manie times I haue seene and prooued to bee in you. And for as much asFortunehath denied vnto mee the estate, reputation and wealth, that manie haue gained, and the most doe couet, whereby I cannot if I woulde, bestowe vppon you such riches and treasures as might breede content vnto others: I am determmined to imparte vnto you, that, which vnto your present condition seemeth most requisite, and wherewith vse and common experience hath heretofore inured mee,Prosonomasia.in steede of wealth to giue you wordes, in steede of golde, good, for riches, reason, and in lue of liuing, to affoord you a louing and constant hearte. And whereas I am enfourmed, that contrarie to the expectation of some (who ouer peremptorily haue heretofore deemedInsinuatiō.of these your young yeares to be laden with loosenesse, and led forwarde by libertie) you haue of your selfe, and of your owne motion and free will, obtained license and allowance of your father to go toCambridge, in minde to giue your selfe whollie to studie, and the sole fruition of learning, I mused with my selfe whether I might more commende the motion, or attende your perseuerance in the action that thereby you haue taken in hande, in so much as the memorie of the one cannot bee for the worthinesse more permanent, thē the glorie of the other, to your euerlasting commendation, will appeare to be most excellent.Auxesis.It is reported of the mightieAlexander of Macedon, that he was a King, that he was puissant, that he was warlike, that hee was famous, that he was a Conqueror, and that hee subdued the whole worlde:Meiosis.but when he came to himselfe, to the conuincing of his owne appetite, to rule reason by the square of righthe became a meacocke, a childe, an infant, what should I say?Synonymia.he was no bodie. Howe much greater then hee was, hadde the woorthie Prince appeared, if as in the conquest of sundrie mightie kinges, regions and prouinces, so in all other thinges tending to the suppression of his owne peculiar affectes, he had bene no lesse or fullie so much asAlexander.Scipio, the most renowned amongst the Romanes, and for his sundrie great exploites inAffrica,Hypotyposis.surnamedAffricanus, we doe reade, atchieued many valiant and incomparable victories, and were it but that sole battell which hee fought (whenRomewas nowe at wracke, her Nobilitie spoyled, and her glorie trode vnder foote, readie almost vppon any reasonable condition to bee deliuered into the handes of the enemie) in which hee then freed his citie, repulsedHaniballby a mightie ouerthrowe, and thereby daunted so farre foorth his pride for euer, as expelled from him all hope thence forwarde, at anie time else to become a Conquerour: It coulde not otherwise bee saide without question, but herein, yea in this onelie action, hee deserued eternall memorie: But was hee herein,Antipophora.thinke you, and for this onely matter throughout all the prouinces recounted so famous? No assuredlie. It was also his rare and most singular vertues otherwise, that fullie perfected and polished the glorie thereof. It was his rareTemperance,Modestie,Continencie, andSobrietie, wherein with woonderfull admiration hee exceedinglie flourished, and became extolled aboue all others. This was it, wherein more then Alexander hee became regarded and famous. The conquestes that by this meanes hee daylie made of himselfe, returned more glorie to Rome, more firme faith and reuerence, then the forcible progression of all other his fattall ouerthrowes and victories: of so greate and woonderfull reputation is Vertue to all her followers.Epiphonema.Praise of the person.This beeing so, how can I then say, but in this your action, you haue of your selfe right wel begun, how can I think, but aboue many others you haue therein verie well deserued? Wherein shoulde I augmente your praise if not in that which you haue heereby so well performed, the force, operation, and effect of all which, hath onely consisted in subduing your owne appetite? Great commendation haue you won I must needes confesse, and more then with common worthines haue you in this thinge demeaned your selfe, but (my good Cosen) it is notynough to haue well begun in a matter, without also therein you doe vse perseuerance.Paræmia.Hanniballknew well how to subdue, but he knew not howe to entertaine his victories. As you haue alreadie in this your resolution gotten great good liking, so behooueth both for the preseruation of what alreadie woone, and to induce a perpetuall increase to the same, that you doe euermore frequente and by earnest and zealous prosecution seeke still to entertaine the fruits thereof. Proceede then a Gods name,Exhortatiō.and goe on with good lucke in your enterprise, the more harder and greater you finde the difficulty in attaining tovertue, the more vehemente shall bee your glorie, and the more honourable the reputation that thereby is pursued. For, what hath a man of allConfirmatiō.that may be left vnto him in this worlde, whereof to vaunt himselfe, but the memorie of that wherein he hath most worthily trauailed. The rich reape possessions, which when themselues are once passed away, are immediately distributed to others. The pleasures of the worlde are momentarie, and after wee are once deade wee perceiue them no more. Worship, honour and dignitie, perisheth euen in the verie selfe remembrance. The reuenues of the mightie, when life is once fled, are no more to be tendred. Shall wee then for a number of fruitelesse vanities,Antipophora.(the regarde whereof doeth neuer last longer, then whilest wee are in present vse of them) neglect the search of that which is of all others most permanent? No surely. So behooueth notAb æquo.such as your selfe,praise of his ancestors.that of your auncestours haue had so many good encouragements, beseemeth not the remembrance of their excellencies in you alone to bee perished. Tisvertue, beleeue me, that procurethFame, and solyFamethat makes men immortall. All other meanes are feeble as the originall from whence they are deriued is vncertaine. At leaste wise, it shall many other waies stande you greatly vppon,A necessitate.to continue this course, in so much as by the æmulation of the vertues of others, you shall thereunto be constrained, besides the loue and regarde that all men haue borne,Of expectation.and euer doe beare to the remembrance of vertue, the expectation of your entirely fauouring and carefull louing friendes, who with greate longing doe attende the prosequution of your woorthinesse,Of loue and hate.the ill conceite, malice and spite that some haue hadde towardes you, whereby to ouerthrowe the good opinion of your father, who with greater greedinesse than Woolues themselues,Hyberbole.with more enuie than the Crocodile,and farre more poyson than the serpent, doe lie in waite but onely to hearken after the newes of your declination, and the dissolued purpose of your good intention.Epilogus.Finally, my dearest and best fauoured kinsman,entreatie.I doe adiure you, pray you, and as earnestly as I can beeseech you, by the verie pure and entire loue of vertue, whereof you nowe shall become partaker, by the immortall fame thereunto onely awarded, by the care you are bounde and ought to haue of your selfe, by all the kindred that hath tied vs in affinitie together, by all the loues and possible entreatie that I can, you doe persist, continue and remaine firme in this your intended purpose. In pursuite whereof you shall minister vnto your friendes ioy and comforte, to your enemies shame and reproch, to your selfe praise and eternall regarde, and to all sortes of your acquaintance occasion to admire you. Preferring many times my care and earnest affection towards you, with my manifolde greetings vnto your good selfe. I doe bid you farewell. &c.

FOr asmuch as the knowledge of lettersResponsorieare as méete to bee vnderstoode in the ordinarie occasions hereof as any others: I deeme it not amisse amongst the passages of these seuerall titles of Epistles to sorte you foorth also of them some particular Examples, the better in their disposition to enable yᵉ learner as occasion may serue. Touching which, it is to bee vnderstoode that the matter of euerie answere taketh his originall of a letter precéeding, and dependeth principally on the parts thereof. The ordering whereof (except in LettersExcusatorieorDefensorie) is wholy exempted, the course in those other letters prescribed, and the obseruation in these, is principally to consider on what partes the letter which ought to be answered consisteth or is chiefly grounded. Those, howebeit it behooueth we doe fully answere, yet shall you not (as some ignorant of weldoing haue done) recite in your answere the whole circumstance of the matter charged,verbatimin a manner as it iswritten before you, for that woulde bréede tediousnesse, besides a ridiculous disorder by such meanes frequented, but you shall (if néede so vrge) capitulate the principall partes of euerie seuerall matter charged, and thereupon frame you to answere the points, in sorte as before you, shall be deliuered. Or sometimes not needing any rehersall at all, if the pointes be but fewe, you shall answere onely as the matter you haue in hande is to bée deliuered. Or otherwise in this sorte:Touching the pointes in your Letter to bee answered: for the first I say, or it is thus or thus, &c. In the second, it is so or so. For the thirde, in this manner or that. Touching the fourth, &c.And so answere the partes by their number. By which meanes you shall both drawe your selfe to a breuitie therein, and become far more pithie in the matters you haue to write of then otherwise can be expressed. And this béeing sufficient for all matters hereafter, touching theseResponsoriekindes, we will nowe for the first Example set you downe an answere to the epistle precéeding.

THe regard of your exceeding good will, and weight of your aduise and good exhortationsProsonomasia.(my verie good Cosen) haue mooued me many times to thinke on you, and to thank you for the same, I take no litle comfort of your great good liking of my determination, and that the endeuour therof beareth so forcible allowance at your handes, as to reckon the same in so hie and great accompte, as you doe.Dichologia.I did (I confesse) erre a while, but howe? as a young man, I went astraie I graunt, but not with perseuerance, for I reclaimed my selfe ere I fell, and stoode vpright ere by ouer much weight I slided too far in my purposes,Errare est humanum, sed persistere belluinum. The course I haue taken in hand as it was estranged from the opinion of many: so in the prosecutiō thereof, I hope to vse such pursuit, as willingly by declination therein, I meane not to become offensiue to any. Feare you not sir,Allegoria.the account is alreadie set downe, for notwithstanding my greene yeares must yet of force continue their note of imbecilitie: This prerogatiue yet remaineth, that I may as I listeadapt my opinion to grauitie. You shall (good Coosen) doe mee a great pleasure, if as I am partner of your loue and entyre affection, so I may sometymes bee partaker with you of those exercises and sweet pleasures, wherewith your studie is frequented: I meane that with some discourses of yours you will nowe and then remember mee. By expectation whereof, you shall often prouoke mee to aunswere you. Thus assuring my selfe of that I neuer yet distrusted at your handes, your zeale and fidelitie towardes mee; I regarde you as faithfull as I haue euer found you, and so will alwayes account of you, &c.

IT is no little pleasure vnto me,Exordium.to consider with my selfe my good N. the great trauaile, cost, and paine, dayly employed by your dearest beloued parents,Insinuatiō.to induce vnto you the precious, and of all other most delicate and sweete pleasure of learning: the value whereof, is without all estimate, and the comfort therein conceiued, in no wise to bee comprehended: the louing regarde of whome, and the most lamentable want of the other, when I doe see you either with some ill fauouring aspect not to incline vnto, or with some more then straunge or vnused tearmes not to account of, I cannot but greeue with my heart, respecting the linke whereby I stand charged to either of you, in so great apparance as I doe to behold the same. True it is, that you are a Gent.Propositiō.that you are heire apparant to large and verie great possessions,Merismus.that you are (for the yeares you beare) of comely and goodly personage, that you are in all things well accomplished, and euerie way as beseemeth: but yet when I behold this fauour, this comlinesse, these accomplishments, and know you to bee a Gent. and thinke vpon your large ensuing reuenues and possessions, me thinkes there should yet be an ornament of all these, and a thing of farre more goodly shewe, and more surpassing value wanting to the same, that might if it were well entertained ad more glorie vnto all the others, then the waight of the rest were euer able to purchase.Procatalepsis.For suppose that all these complements of yours are of large price, and verie necessarie, as they are indeede, and such wherewith the state of man is greatly beautified, yet are they all but thingespertinent vnto the bodie, by force whereof (setting onelie our shape aside) wee doe communicate in euerie thing with beastes, for with them wee liue,Synonymia.wee mooue, wee go, wee eate, and enioie the sensuall appetite of inward or outward abilities. But by the benefit of learning, of knowledge,Asyndeton.of skill, wee make difference of things, and are onely thereby in our selues distinguished from beastes. And if man which is the principal worke of God,Paradigma.was from the beginning a chosen creature indued aboue any others, and therefore poynted to excell and go beyond all others, howe much more needefull shall it bee for euerye one according to such appoyntment to preferre and put forwarde the vse thereof vnto his owne profite. And seeing as well by the ordinance of God,Commoratiō.as common vse of reason, whereby we are gouerned and ledde, euerie man is induced to propose vnto himselfe the exercise of thinges that are good and honest, and that the same also among these, which maketh a man nearest to his Creatour in perfection, is of all others the moste to bee desired: howe much auaylable then and importaunt is it to euerie man to bee frequented with learning, the vse whereof freeth him of common ignoraunce, and maketh him capable of the high and loftie mysteries.Ab honesto.And if in anie studie whatsoeuer, the reputation of honest and good is to bee sought for, what I pray you then learning, may bee iudged more honest, which hauing with it a certaine kinde of diuine and sacred originall, hath from the beginning of the worlde, beene with all men in greatest price and estimation.Allegoria.What may bee deemed more good then that which from verie Asses and blockes, and (if it were lawfull to say) from bruite men and beastes also themselues maketh distinction, and without the which, there were left vnto vs from such, no place at all of difference. What then that can bee sayde to bee more honest, which draweth a man vppe to the diuine contemplation of the sacred Maiestie, to the knowledge of high and heauenly thinges, of woorthie and honourable vertues, and beeing sequestred by the wante thereof, hee becommeth no otherwise than as a hogge, still groueling on the earth, searching onely wherewith to fill his bellie, neglecting in the meane time the expectation or regarde of any other statelie or eternall Soueraintie. Nowe therefore, if the vse of learning, as the thinge of greatest accompt and most woorthie, is heere sette downe to bee so generallie,commended to all sortes of men, howe much more consonant and agreeing is it then to the reputation of a Gentleman, who by what distaunce so euer hee is measured in capacitie,Synathrismus.minde, order, state and gouernment from anie other common or ordinarie person,Anthesis.by so much the more ought hee in all endeuours to aspyre and seek to goe beyond them. For whereas all other men in their seuerall vocations are for the most parte,Etiologia.as it were withdrawne from the speciall notice and eye-marke of all publique administration and gouernement: the Gentl. contrariwise, the more woorthie and noble that hee is in calling, the more neerer is hee to that aduauncement whereunto by nothing so much as learning hee is enabled to bee preferred. For what profitable member can hee bee in such a place, whose ignoraunce is farre greater then his witte, and whose knowledge is lesse then the least of that, whereof hee ought to take notice and experience. And seeing learning is of all other thinges, a store-house so plentifull and precious,Epanodis.as whereof the wiseman maketh his treasure, the poore man his riches, and the wealthy one his pastime and pleasure, shall the Gentleman who in all other thinges, by Nature striueth to bee excellent, bee in the greatest action of all others so carelesse and negligent?Paramologia.Admit that you will heere alledge the tediousnesse of studie, and a certaine impossibilitie almost to attaine thereunto, I must aunswere vnto you againe, that this commeth not of the labour thereof, which to those that willingly aspire to the delicate taste of the same, yeeldeth great facilitie with pleasure to bee receyued: but to a slouthfull and sluggish endeuour and disposition. Far be it therefore (good Sir) that you beeing a Gentleman in all other thinges so towardly, and the sonne of such a one as you are, shoulde with the touch of so great a blemish, bee so throughly stained.Epiphonema.So woorthie a discente as whereof you are deriued, such infancie and child-hoode wherein so worthily you haue beene trained, so great loue and charge of parents wherewithe you may bee animated, doe inuite you farre otherwise, and to a more excellent purpose. Let the sweete and yet vnknowne delight thereof prouoke you,Auxesis.the praise and commendation solye to vertue appropriate and belonging, once prick you forward, the honour and aduancement thereby continually happening egge you. And if none of all these preuaile, yet the riches and rewardefarre greater then anie earthly treasure, which are therunto incident, tie you to a desire thereof. Thinke of the worthines of those, who by howe much the more noble they were in birth,Dignitie and zeale of others.by so much the more zealouslie they haue trauelled, not shunning any labour, sweate, tediousnesse, scorning, yea bondage it selfe,Auxesis.whereby to compasse vnto themselues the glorie and rewardes annexed to the dignitie heereof. And if no other remembrance may be sufficient to establish you, regard yet your liuing father and grandfather,By example.the one of whom neglecting his ease and quiet at home, trauailed all Fraunce, Germanie, and Italie, to the intent to attaine vnto the greatnesse of that whereunto you are so hardly perswaded. Neither thinke I that you in whome all other good actions do so plentifully flow, wil herein alone with a little labour be terrified:Peroratiō.Wherefore my good N. I eftsoones entreate you againe, and againe, by all the loue you haue ought to your name, fame, parentage and stocke, and by all the expectation that in them, or anie of them, is of your happinesse conceiued, you will proceede in this purpose: the weight whereof besides the commoditie and pleasure redounding to your selfe, shall vnto your parents and all others returne most comfortable and pleasing. All which recommending to your courteous consideration to bee entertained, I doe herewith take my leaue, &c.

SIthence the time of my little abode heere in LondonExordium.being scarce twentie dayes, vnderstanding of the being in town of my La. your mother, I repaired thereupon to her presence to visite her: there did I receiue notice of your being in Ireland, and that vpon your honourable behauiour, and good seruice there done: The L. D. did not onely testifie the same by his owne hand-writing vnto diuers of the priuie Counsell, but also in especiall letters besides commended the weight thereof, vnto the regard of her most excellent Maiestie.

I did not a little reioyce to see that in such young yearesInsinuatiōby praise of the action.wherein commonlie falleth out a contempt of all excellencies, and a fantasticall desyre of counterfeyte vanities, you coulde (besides thecommon trade and custome of the worlde)Parenthesis.addict your selfe wholie vnto so weightie and honourable an exercise,Epitheton.as by laboursome trauaile in the seruice and honour of your Prince and countrie, to put forwarde your selfe so timely. Credite mee, it is not a little pleasing vnto mee to thinke thereon,Metaphora.neither standeth my affection so slender vnto your fathers off-spring, but that I must euer holde the reputation of their weldoing, an aduauncemente to my imaginations, and the sounde of their good successe the verie harmonie of mine inwarde soule.

It is no newe thing I confesse, euen in these dayes to see a Gentleman honourablie descended as your selfe, and of like worthie education, to attaine vnto learning, to become practised in Armes, to put forward themselues in seruice, but to continue with resolution, to performe it with labour,Auxesis.to atchieue it with valour, to beare it with honour, here is the excellencie, this is the rarenesse, hence springeth the noueltie.

Vertueretaining yet her ancient Maiestie, though not pursued as in olde time, with such woonted vehemencie,Hypotyposis.vertue hath three entrances.hath three entraunces, leading directly vnto her beautifull passage, by the portes whereof, whosoeuer is desirous to attaine her, in her purest and most glorious estate, must of necessitie enter. First,Fortitude,Fortitude.whereby hee must be enabled to endure whatsoeuer labour and trauell to be imposed, accounting nothing difficult, to the end and sweet rewarde whereof her excellencie is appropriate. Next,Magnanimitie,Magnanimitie.which by a vehement and haughtie desire, reacheth vnto thinges most excellent & of highest and stateliest value, not regarding the hard, tough, & maine force of the passage, with what pursuit soeuer it must bee followed, so be it by such meanes it may be wonne, and the glorie thereunto due, may at last be attained: the reach wherof, tending to the last end and scope of al his determinatiōs, sweetneth all maner of trauel, and induceth therewithal a contempt of whatsoeuer lesse valued or hindering, to the worthines of the same. ThenLonganimity,Longanimitie.enabling by greate constancie with rare and accustomed patience, to awaite and endure the end, neuer giuing ouer vpon whatsoeuer assaults, til the determined scope be by all kind of industry fullie and perfectly furnished.

For this cause,Etiologia.the most renowmed parte ofvertueis saide to bee excellent, for that manie doe contemplate her a far off, but few ornone at all doe almost come so nigh her, as perfectly to see and discerne her, in so much as some, nothing regarding the singularitie of that, whose sweetnesse they neuer tasted of, become forcelesse of the pursuit of so diuine an excellencie: and some other fauouring a litle the daintines thereof, yet ouer-reached with the tediousnes of the enterprise, and hindered by the opposition of a thousand vanities, are so astonished in the first onset, as being therewith ouercome, doe by and by giue ouer their purposes.

Now therefore my C. if you will bee a right fauourer ofvertueAdhortation to vertue.indeede, it behooueth that by these possibilities you doe (as a faithful regarder of her diuine & sacred essence) only seeke to pursue her, and that with such and none other respectes, and to no other ende and purpose, but for the sole fruition of her stately and immortall deitie.

The time now calleth you forth,Merismus.your Countrie and soyle wherein you were borne and nourished inuiteth you, your praise alreadie gotten, and hope of renowne euer after to followe, perswade you, the honour of your house and parentage constraineth you, yea euerie of these solie and altogether doe exhort and commaund you, that becomming the selfe same you vowed, and they long since haue looked for, you doe nowe shewe your selfe such as was promised, and wherein the expectation first conceiued of you, may in no wise bee frustrated.

Consider I pray you, that the rewarde ofvertue is honour,Clymax.the guerdon ofhonour,Fame, the scope ofFame,Eternity, the seat ofeternity, immortall and euerlasting glory. In liuing in the seruice of your Prince and countrie, the profession you haue taken in hand is honourable,Antistrophe.the charge honourable, the purpose honourable, and the ende and successe thereof must needes be honourable: behooueth then that your continuance therein and your owne deserts be also deemed honourable.

Thinke when you tooke vpon you to beare Armes,Metaphora.you then receiued the full cognizance ofVertue, you were entertained withhonour, you became apprentise tofame, and it was assured (that beeing with loyaltie demeaned) you shoulde at length receiue the rewarde of euer flourishing glorie.Commoratiō.It is (beleeue me) no small matter, that being a particular member, you are put foorth as a piller, vpon the prop whereof reposeth one parte of the weight of the common-weale, thatthe ioyes of your whole countrie are fixed vpon your wel-doing, that in pursuite hereof your priuate cause is not your owne, (the secrete reuenge whereof may happelie turn to an infamed mischiefe) but the cause of thecommon good, the publike matter of al, and that where the scope is of all others most famous and honoured.

Being entertained in a sorte as you are,Of right and meet.you shoulde highly wrong the opinion of a greate manie, in drawing backe from that wherein you haue beene alreadie so worthilie behaued, and in becomming lesse than that whereunto in your cradle you were at the beginning so principally ordained:Auxesis.for vnseemelie were it that you shoulde not haue beene hereunto at the first committed, vnlawfull not to haue persisted, and dishonourable (in due sorte) not to see it accomplished.

Proceede then my C. in that whereunto your vertue, your Parentage, your soile,Of example.Paradigma.and your fidelitie haue called you, thinke what, how much, and how greatlie it importeth you, that hauing had so manie of your auncestours since their first originall, who haue beene deemed so woorthie, it fitteth not your selfe alone (in so important actions, concerning especially the honour of your prince and countrie) to bee founde otherwise then equall vnto them in the highest qualitie. So and in such maner,Epiphonema.and by such kind of meanes haue the most auncient and renowned worthies of the world be come to be tearmed honored, and mightie. SoEpaminondasandAlcibiadesParadigma.among theGrecians,Æmilius Paulus,Fabii and Scipionesamong the Romanes, haue bin deemed most statelie. For such cause the acts of your predecessors & nobilitie of your deceased fatherProsopopœia.haue bin registred with the most worthy. O so sweetly might sound from out his breathing ghost vnto your liuing eare, that excellent verse ofVirgill.

Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem,Fortunam ex aliis.Learne vertue (Child) of me and labours true,ButFortuneschaunce, from others do pursue.

Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem,Fortunam ex aliis.Learne vertue (Child) of me and labours true,ButFortuneschaunce, from others do pursue.

Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem,Fortunam ex aliis.Learne vertue (Child) of me and labours true,ButFortuneschaunce, from others do pursue.

Disce puer virtutem ex me verumque laborem,

Fortunam ex aliis.

Learne vertue (Child) of me and labours true,

ButFortuneschaunce, from others do pursue.

The signification whereof, what other thinge may it else importe, but that betweene themHis Parents.who beeing neuer eternized by anie memorable action, as hauing confounded their liues with obscuritie,and such as neuer were borne, there resteth in maner no difference at all.Ardua virtutis est via.Sententia.T’is labours force that maketh way vntoVertue: great matters vnto the furtherance of her are but easie,Auxesis.the meaner, trifles; the lowest of no value. To ouercome others by vertue is a thinge most honourable, but in pursuite thereof to bee conuinced of any other, is a thinge most vituperable: You are nowe brought by Fortune into a straight passage,Dialysis.whereby of necessitie you must either by reputation of most excelling worthinesse finish the iourney, or recreant and discomfited, confesse the vttermost of your imbecilitie. But what doe I conferre vnto your viewe, the notes of such and so manie doubtes and hazardes, knowing a minde insinuate in your selfe by nature,Anthypophora.that coulde neuer so much as thinke or imagine of thinges contemptible, or of anie vile or seruile qualitie at all? truelie for no woorse meane, nor to anie other ende or purpose, but thereby to egge you forwarde by all kinde of possibilities, to the encrease of your highest woorthinesse, that by howe much the more you shall goe about to excell any others, by so much the more greater you may be commended and extolled aboue others.

Ease and securitie,Parœmia.are two pernicious enemies of euer flourishing glorie, and industrie preuenteth all circumuention, which either by slouth or negligence may bee imposed: the victorie is not any others, but your owne, nor the honour to any other appertaining but vnto your selfe. Bee therefore such in continuance, as may fullie bee answerable to each part of your noblenesse, and God who is the creator of all thinges, and fauourer of each worthie enterprise, blesse your endeuours with the sustentation ofVertue, which is euer permanent. At B. this of &c.

THe extreame griefe wherein my selfe was a partaker with you,Exordium.of the death of your late husbande, woulde not suffer mee (good Mistresse E.) at my last beeing with you, to deliuer what then I thought meete for your estate, & sithence I haue more atlarge considered vppon to bee for your profite. And albeit your selfe are, I knowe of discretion sufficient, and the number of your friendes of regarde compotent,Insinuatiō.both to consider and counsell, what vnto your present affayres may bee deemed most correspondent: yet may it not bee ill accepted, if my selfe of a great manie, that haue wyshed well to your person, and fauoured euermore your good condition, doe heerein also among the rest, put forwarde my meaning, and perswade you thereby vnto that, which (though not alreadie may bee fitting to your instant lyking)Parenthesis.yet to your present behoofe may returne no question of soundest and best consideration.

And first, I deeme it not impertinent to referre vnto your knowledge what I haue throughly conceyued with my selfe of your beeing,viz.that you are a widowe,Merismus.a Gentlewoman of verie worshipfull parentage and discent, the wife before time of a Gentleman of as good reputation as liuing, as good alliaunce as credite, that you are knowne to bee modest, discreete, wise and well gouerned, that you are and ought to bee warie in your actions, and such as whereof the babling multitude may reape no aduauntage, and finallie that by reason of the ouerhastie determination of his life (whose continuaunce might haue ridde you of innumerable cares) you are pestred with some troubles, the most part of your liuing in suspence, and that whereof you deeme your selfe most assured, hanging vppon so manie hazardes, as hitherto remayneth doubtfull, in what sort you shall compasse it, or with what liking to your selfe you may happily ouerpasse the same.

Touching the first, I warne you not that according to your present estate, you do minde what you are, what you haue bin, of whom you are discended, and in what sort you may best prouide with warinesse, to deale for all these: but drawing to the latter, and weighing on what tearmes you stande, howe hardly you are bestead, howe slender meanes to auoid it, I repute him not the worst wel-willer, that coulde aduise you with contentment and litle hazard, in what sort you might best endeuour in all effectes to aunswere it.Narratiō.It is reported vnto mee, that by the procurement of some, fauouring your aduauncement, there is nowe profered vnto your lyking a young Gentleman, vertuous, discreete, and well ordered, the sonne and heyre of aworshipfull Knight, on the choyce and regarde of whose Parents, dependeth the best assuraunce of your whole portion, in whose condition and behauiour, albeit you finde no one thing to bee reprehended, yet disclaime you to bee married,Synonymia.you will heare of no suters, there must bee in your presence no speech at all of lyking, and you meane not so soone forsooth to set forwarde for a husband.

The course you doe take herein, seemeth in my opinion verie euill,Merismus.insomuch as contrarie to that, which both your yeares, your estate, your liuing and present occasions doe require, you forciblie are endeuoured to make so vndiscreete and setled a resistance:Erotema.Whie La. doe you thinke it profiteth at all, the deceased ghost of him that loued you (a young Gentlewoman as you are, scarce exceeding twentie yeares) to liue thus solitarie? Hangeth the censuring of your modestie, and acceptaunce of that which your best friendes doe wish for, and the wisest doe allowe of, on the tatling humours of common supposes?Commoratiō.if it bee deemed once fit for you to marry againe, and that vpon the warie and circumspect choyse thereof dependeth a manner of necessitie, and that nowe, before anie one of yours almost suspected it, the plenty of that might bee charily wished for, is layde alreadie into your bosome, behooueth the respect of a little time, which (beeing sooner or later, so it bee perfourmed with modestie and aunswered with discretion)Parenthesis.mattereth not at all to detaine you so much, as thereby you are not able to see into your owne profite? Is it not, I pray you, a purpose honest that is tendered? Is it not a matter lawfull to bee accepted? Is it a thing vnmeete for your present yeares at this instant to be reputed? Nay, is it not all in all whatsoeuer,Auxesis.that in the best sort as the case now standeth, may vnto you be offered? Why then abstaine you the entertainment of your owne good? Why drawe you thus backeward from your owne aduauncement? Why cease you to accept that, whereunto in the ende you must by meere force bee compelled? If you will beleeue mee in any thing, or doe suppose the waight of my credite to be auaylable vnto you in ought, I would aduise you in other sort, considering that by declyning from a selfe-opinion of that whereunto without anie manifest reason you are induced, you shall doe most good vnto your selfe, and giue occasion to them that loue you,to thinke that by so doing, their good counselles haue happely preuailed with you and wrought such aduauncemente vnto you, I haue thought with my selfe many times sithence the death of your husbād, howe much imported the vnsetled reach of your liuing to be renued in match with one of good calling: see nowe God and Fortune more fauouring your hap, then your selfe, your owne wel doing, haue sente you such a one, as of whome you might vaunt, and iustly in all thinges be occasioned to accompt of. It now appertaineth that either by fond self-wil, or too much vnkindnes, you shake not off from you the foremost occasion of your succeeding happines. I reck not what of the cōmon sortProcatalepsis.(more of ignorance then wit) may insuppose of the hastie conclusion be in secret alleadged, their errours like their fancies, are as incertaine as peeuish. Be you onely herein perswaded, to what most of all beseemeth you, and think that both in the waightines, and regard attributed to his and your own worthines, you can for the present frame your selfe to nothing,Vtilitie.that to your estate may returne so cōmodious, whereunto though no other matter at all enioyned you, it were sufficient that so forcedNecessitie.a necessitie constraineth you, to which the regard of your selfe and your owne good fortune willeth to obey.Epilogus.Longer coulde I debate vnto you the greate liking of many, conceiued of the partie, to the deliuerie whereof by the report of your neerest kinsmen, I doe solie refer you, onelie studying in this, and whatsoeuer els I may, by all indeuours to pleasure you, whereof praying you to be most assured, I doe in all curtesie leaue to detaine you. At B. this of, &c.

THE sounde and entire familiaritieExordium, by insinuation.wherewith your parents in their life time sometimes entertained me, and the neerenes of neighbourhoode twixte both our friendes and long education wherein iointly we haue conuersed together, mooueth mee at this instant somewhat to write vnto you in respect of the reputation credit, and accompt that in the worlde you nowe beare, and also the ratherto win you to the regarde of that, which to the estate of your presente being, and worthinesse of your parents, might be found meetest and conuenient.

It is giuen me to vnderstand of a younger brother you haue here in London,Narratiō.who at the time of your fathers death beeing committed to your charge, is for the defaulte of maintenaunce, badly inured, woorse trained, and most perillously by all kinde of likelihood (through such sufferaunce) in the loosnesse of his liuing alreadie hazarded.

I woondered not a little when I hearde it,Liptote.and so much the more was the matter troublesome vnto mee, in that respecting it was not tolde in secrete, it seemed by the lookes and gestures of the whole companie that heard it, your good demeanor thereby was very hardly censured, for that standing in such case of credite as you doe, your wealth so aboundant, and your parentes so well accompted of, you woulde in this sort,Prosonomasia.and in that place of all others suffer him to wander carelesse, whome you ought to the contrarie to haue constrained, by any possible carefulnes. How ill beseeming it is both to you & yours, that it shoulde so fall out, you may by supposes coniecture. For my parte, it grieued mee when I heard it, and I was not quiet till I found conuenient time to aduertise you of it. And if my opinion may at all preuaile with you, you shoulde quickly call him home from hence, and see him more better to be prouided for, and more worthily trained.Merismus.Consider I pray you, the life hee taketh in hand, befitteth not such a one, whose originall was so honest, is ill beseeming the younger brother of your selfe, vnwoorthie his birth or name of a Gentleman, and altogether repugnant to the qualitie of your behauior or the greatnesse of your liuing. You are to remember that hee is yet verie greene, nowe pliable to whatsoeuer may bee impressed in him, as chafed waxe apte to receiue anie figure,Parabola.like vnto a newe vessell to bee seasoned with whatsoeuer liquor, what hee now taketh taste and sauour of, that hee holdeth,Allegoria.what habite you nowe cast vpon him, the same shadow he lightly beareth. Great cause haue you therfore now to be warie how and in what sort he liueth.

Your industrie,Congeries.your brotherlie care, your loue, your especiall regarde and kindnesse it is, that must bee ayding in this, you and none but you are the man on whome hee relieth,Emphasis.you are to prouide forhim, and it is your selfe that must answere for him. Think thatnature,loue,dutieyea veriepietybindeth you vnto him, who hath none other left to depend on, but such as by possibilitie your self may become vnto him. In the consideration of which let (I pray you) my wordes become thus much regarded vnto you, that herein as in all other things you performe that beseemeth you.Peroratiō.Longer could I occupie my selfe to trauell in this action with you, but that I deem it (more then impertinent) any further therein to require you. Greeting your selfe manie times in my name, I bid you therefore farewell. From my house in B. this of, &c.

vNnecessary were it to wade further in either of these titleshortatorieorSwasorie, the examples alreadie laide downe being for them sufficient, wherfore we will now passe vnto the contraries of these, beingDehortatorieanddisswasorie. The partes and placesexhortingorperswadinghauing as you sée bene drawne from the qualities of praise, fortified in diuers sortes, as well by theperson, by theaction, as by thethingit selfe, where vnder was comprehended what might be calledhonestor good: So these on the contrarie parte pulling backe or disswading, shall by the vnhonestie of the action or thing as before hath bin said, and by the indignitie, vniustnes, wickednes, insufferablenes, hate, mislike, contempt, or hazard of danger, reputation or good name that thereof ensueth, be euermore measured.

In the handling whereof it is tolerable, by all sortes of arguments, to infer and obiect any thinge to the diminution or defacing of that which we go about to impugne. Yea, if need be, to inuert the good also that in such a person may be supposed vnto a worser sence. As if in dehorting or disswading a man from infidelity towards his country I might first touching the action tender vnto him, howvnnaturalthe cause is he taketh in hand, being against his natiue soile: howvnhonest, by laying out the quality of the offence, howvniust, in respect that it is against his allegiance to his Prince, howimpious, in that it retaineth no piety, turneth to the disturbance of a quiet state, & bréedeth the subuersion of al peaceablegouernment, howinsufferable, by reason that good and wholesome lawes are thereby infringed, all sortes of honest and good men wronged, and consequently the common wealth by such meanes topsie turuie turned.

For thePersonif he were at any time of worth I might shewe then theindignitie, or ill beséeming of such a thinge vnto him, for that actions of such kinde are alwaies vnto the noble and best endued mindes vtterly repugning. And so thereupon if in him there was euer reputed any wisdome, I might diuert it now vnto follie, hisFortitude, I might challenge to beTemeritie, hismoderationcrueltie, hisstoutnes arrogancie, hishaughtines pride, hisFreedome loosnes,and consequently, for euerie othervertueinduce or lay downe vnto him a contrarievice, respecting that by committing of actions sovile & contemptible, all properties whatsoeuer of former esteemed worthines doe vtterly loose the partes they haue ofgood, and immideately are disturned there withall vnto euill.

And as in EpistlesExhortingorPerswading, the intended vertue of goodnesse of euerie thing is more amplie set foorth by theopposite euil: So in these ofwithdrawingordisswadingthe intendedeuilby theopposite good, is euer made morehatefull. Besides, as there bee some thinges that are expresly good in themselues or expresly euil, so are there some thinges that for themselues are helde indifferent. In these, to perswade or withdrawe, there is a prettie skill to be vsed, in which the discretion of the writer may not passe vncommended, wherof (for so much as to a learner they may happely passe vnregarded) I entende in this chapter to affoorde some application. For in thinges alwaies knowne to be of themselues either good or euill, there is no great cunning to make a shew of them as they are: but of things which either by times, by liking, by place, by allowance, by conuersation may be deemed good or bad, to be commended or disalowed, in the setting foorth thereof appeareth both skill and discretion.

For example, that mariage is a thinge much to be preferred, and to the increase of man of so greate necessitie, as without which there could bée no orderlie estate or societie, no man I am sure will denie mée. And to a man vnwilling to enter thereinto, I might (with intent to drawe him to a liking thereof) besides a number of necessarie causes to be alleadged, as the decayof his house, the continuance of a solitary, loose or bad kind of liuing, the end of his wealth and name together hauing no issue to succéede him, infer also as much pertinent to such a perswasion the sacred solemnization thereof in Paradise, first by theeternall Wisdomehimselfe thought méet and appointed, then his pleasure to inioine the same to the worlds increase, then the care that naturally we haue of issue to succéed vs, the indignity for a man of value not to haue respect therof, the loue likewise & mutuall societie betwixt man & wife, being of such mightie efficacie, as wherunto no liking is to be compared, the swéet pleasures, cares & delights, interchangeably passing betwéene them, each dearly affying? them selues in the others contentment, solace or pleasing, the ioy of procreation, when there shall be a childe produced, whose infancie tatling with a pleasant lisping sound, shall become an incredible delight to the parents hearing, with sundrie other like inforcements and suggestions, all which might certainlie shewe and declare the same to be as it is a matter of much woorth, and sufficientlie set forth vnto the partie why it ought to be embraced.

Now, as the same is out of all doubt not onelie tollerable, as I said before, but by the necessitie thereof among many thinges held to be praise worthy: so in another place, & to another person might I againe find as much occasion for matter, why the selfe same marriage should be alike dispraised, as (not reckoning the age of man or woman, which many times more of dotage then discretion pursueth the same) there might be opposed thereagainst the swéetnes of libertie, the vse wherof (nothing more) conduceth principally vnto the estate & life of man, who naturally coueteth vnrestrained & without controlment to do that him liketh, the benefit wherof enioying, he may ride, go, walke, rest, eat, drinke, studie, recreate, solace, and whersoeuer, and in whatsoeuer companie pleaseth him best, vse the conceit thereof to his owne appetite.

Now, hauing a wife (suppose she haue all the perfections you will giue her) yet is the delicacie hereof bereft a man: for being once married, hee thenceforth is no more vnto himselfe, but vnto her, for her pleasure, to her choyce, at her liking, with her contentment, must he then order his humours, his houres, his gestures, his companies, his iourneys, his recreations, and what els he before time might fréelie haue vsed, his owne liking is quenched, hislibertie restrained, and yet the losse hereof a heauen to that which followeth, if by great good fortune he bee not the better matched, For imagin the woman chosen, do prooue a scolde, wayward, self-willed, malicious, frowning, or suspitious, what a hell is hee then driuen into, whose serpentine and more then Adderlike disposition shall be such as would terrifie a thousande Diuelles. If she bee wanton, dissolute, lewde, or loose in liuing, howe on the other side shall he then be turmoyled: what is it that she will not presume vpon, & dare to hazarde? how infamous shall her life then become to his liuing? how little will shee esteeme of him, in respect of the large account she holdeth of many others? If she be proude, then may she be vnsupportable: if her wit be more then his, then arrogant: if she be foolish, then a mocking stocke: if she be faire, then a spectacle to gaze on: if foule, then a simpring puppet to wonder on: if shee be rich, presumptuous: if poore, then happilie odious. But being what shee may bee, or touching her owne person the best she can bee, what intollerable charge bringeth shee with her, what cost of apparel, what care of diet, what houshold of seruants, what expence for attendance, what prouision for children; what furniture for house, what daily, continual & neuer ceasing cark & toile for her & hers: in conclusion, what one discommoditie may be reckoned, that with her or for her is not in short space a thousande times hazarded?

Thus doe you see how out of one selfe thing both praise and dispraise by admittance may be gathered. A like thereunto may be added in the vsage of wine. To a crazed man of weak disposition, or such a one whose constitution of bodie for Phisicks sake should require it, I might, to perswade him to the vse thereof, vrge the necessarie meane, the goodnesse, propertie, vertue and wholesomnesse of the same, the operation, howe it recreateth, driueth away heauinesse from the minde, prouoketh appetite, comforteth, and many wayes (moderatelie taken) helpeth and relieueth. But now to disswade againe the intermedling therewith, what might bee imagined that coulde not bee rehearsed: by manifesting the hurt and manifold inconueniences thereby ensuing, as that it causeth drunkennes, dulleth the wits, making ill digestion, ingendreth superfluities, weakneth the spirits, hurteth the braine, driueth a man to forget himselfe, enforceth to commit that which many times isfilthie and often vnbeseeming, of a reasonable creature frameth a beast, discouereth counsels, causeth slaughters, and consequentlie ladeth both the bodie and minde with a thousand mischiefes, impediments and diseases.

As of these twain, so might I stand vpon many others the like, which for breuitie I omit, holding these applications sufficient for the present intendment: adding herewithall, that the exhorter, perswader or withdrawer from any thing, ought touching things indifferent, specially to haue before his eyes the reputation of the partie to whome he writeth, considering that some things are lesse meete in one person then in another, and that which well fitteth and agreeth with the state or condition of some one, is altogether vnmeet and disagréeing in the behauiour of another. To consider in like sort this old adage,ne quid nimis, whereby in reprouing the vse of any thing he may prefer themoderation, and inueigh against thenimium. Finally, to respect, that of sundry indifferent occasions not the vse, but the abuse is it which ought to bee reprehended. These beeing admitted, wee will come to theExamplesof both kindes aswellDehortatorieasDisswasorie, and see what therein may be tendred.

MY good G.Exordium.my faithfull louing Countriman, and dearest of accountBy insinuation.(whilome all and either of these vnto me, so bee it the frowningMetaphora.heauens and dispiteful wicked fate had not harboured the contrarie) what shall I write vnto thee, or by what tearmes may I now salute thee? Erst woonted were my letters to pursue thee, carelesse in any cost,Allegoria.and familiarly and boldly to regard thee, now blushing at thy vncouth hap, and carefull of they carelesse vsage, they cannot without griefe approch thee, nor once without sorrowe intentiuely behold thee.

Alas, my G. what furie hath ledde thee,Ecphonesis.what madnes hath bewitched thee, what hatefull destinie hath pursued thee, that beeing such as thou wert, on whome Nature and the heauens as it seemed, had powred all their giftes moste plentifullie, thou wouldest yet be ledde to deface so many partes of excellencie, with one hatefull,ignominious and shamefull blott, of wicked, and most heynous treacherie.

Diddest thou for this cause take vppon theeErotema.the profession of Armes, to become iniurious to thy Countrey, to bereaue men of their patrimonie,Auxesis.to bee a destroyer of vnitie, a patterne of infidelitie, the dishonour of thy familie, and consequently to thy selfe and dearest soile,Ecphonesis.a professed and open enemie? Ah happie in all other things, but in this sole enterprize, in the broaching whereof thou wast put forwarde to bee made the onelie vnhappie, behooueth with such ingratitude to rewarde the first Authour of thy familie? Was this the ende of thy birth, thy parents, education, thy estate, thy wealth, thy possibilitie, to become a Traytour to thy Prince, and rebell to thy Countrey?Sinathrismus.No, no, my G. vilde and too ill beseeming is the drift that hath so ouertaken thee, and ignorant was he of that became thee, that first thereunto perswaded thee.

When thou liest armed in the fields andDialogismus.(mustering thy ranks in the day time) beholdest and lookest around about thy Countrey, thinkest thou not then with thy selfe, in this soyle was I borne, within this land lieth my patrimonie, heere had I first sucke, and sithence haue the fruits thereof nourished me, and could I then become so ingratefull and vnkinde, as for all these benefits to destroy thee? Not so, nor in such maner haue the vertuous in field beene accounted so woorthie, not for this cause in such actions, haue men beene said to beare themselues honourably.Coriolanus, thou wast conuinced by the view of the Citie and mothers intreatie, and shall I vnhappie man for all this, persist in this crueltie?

Iustlie and by great occasion credit me, mightest thou thus complaine of so great an iniurie, and all this being so true, as nothing more true; can it be said in prosecuting the same, thou maist be freed frō infamie?Anthypophora.What I pray thee hath made men famous, and canonized their memorie,Epanodus.was it not their munificence and valiant demerits in and for the good of their country? For in what one thing are we more likened vnto God himselfe, then in the worthines of our minds, the resolutions whereof, ought in no wise to be stained with such hatefull obloquie? The Asse runneth through fire for the safegard of her issueParadigma.and shall the valiant man then become negligent to the ayde of his Countrey? Howe farre more waightilie shall hee bee accused, who not oneliegiueth no ayde at all to his Countrey,Antithesis.but also is therunto an inconsiderate and most cruell enemie? Howe carelesse are such men of their fame, and howe vnlike of all others to those memorable woorthies, the precious regard whereof, vnto them hath beene such, as then goods,Auxesis.possessions, riches, kingdomes, yea life it selfe hath beene helde most dearest. Peruse but the auncient hystories ofRome, and looke there ofMutius Scæuola,Paradigma.the most inuincible Romane, with what confidence hee went solie into the Tent ofProsenna, his and their Countryes capitall enemie, in minde onelie to destroie him. The goodFurius Camillus, who after manie high and honourable seruices by him done to the Common-wealth of Rome, was by his owne Citizens vniustlie banished: howe farre off was hee thinke you, from this your opinion? For the GallesEtiologia.whom before he had expulsed, hauing in the time of this his banishment assieged the Citie of Rome, and beeing then verie likely to haue distressed the same, insomuch as they had alreadie forraged, burnt and destroyed the whole Countrey round about, hee more sorrowfull at the likely ruine of his Citie, then grieued at his owne banishment, (mooued thereunto of verie pietie to his natiue soyle and Countrey) entred counsell with theArdeats, and by his wisedome, policie, and great manhood, so perswaded those people, that in feare of their mishap, they were content to leuie a mightie armie vnder his conduct, wherewith hee not onely put backe the enemie, but therewith so mightilie pursued them, as by such meanes he vtterly freed and set at libertie his Citie and Conntrey.

What neede wee search abroade for such forraine examples, and why draw wee not home into our owne soyle of England?Transitiō.What Chronicle shall euer remaine, or what English Hystorie shall euer bee extant, that shall not euerlastinglie report, the deserued fame of that right woorthie and verie noble indeede, SirWilliam Walwoorth, Knight, once Lord Maior of London, the remembraunce whereof (to his perpetuall prayse, and endlesse confusion of others, who not onely abstaine the putting in vre of such his memorable vertue, but which is woorse, doe endeuour by cruell force to tender violence vnto their Sacred Prince and Countrey) shall yet flourish for euer. Ill doe you example vnto your selfe, or thinke on the woorthinesse of that good man, who in the time of KingRichardthe seconde, when with a most suddaine and strange kinde of Rebellion the King was troubled,Parison.the Realme pestered, and the strongest of the Kinges subiectes greatlie feared: euen at that time when the proude fawtour and CaptaineEmphasis.of the rebellious and rascallie multitude,Periphrasis.durst hatefullie and most vndutifullie to bearde the King in his owne presence, and each man shunned to impugne the contrarie.Auxesis.This valiant, this good, this right noble and woorthie Citizen, standing by, when the wicked and presumptuous varlet, with so little reuerence approached the King, and remembring the seruices of manie worthie men, that by an honourable aduenture and hazarde of their liues had to their eternall memorie, before time freed their Countrey with libertie, grieuing that with so high an abuse his soueraigne Lorde beeing yet as it were a childe, shoulde there in his hearing, bee so farre amated, couragiouslie stept vnto the Rebell,Dialogismus.and taking him by the gorge, proude varlet (quoth hee) that darest thus contemptouslie demeane thy selfe vnto thy King and Soueraigne, foule death betide thee, and shame quicklie consume thee: Whie, aunswered the villaine in greate disdaine, is it thou that greeuest at that I haue sayde? Greeue, replyed the stoute couragious Citizen,Epizeuxis.yea, euen I, I it is that greeue at thee, and happilie shoulde thinke my selfe accurst, if thou shouldest escape from mee vnreuenged, wherewith drawing more closelie vnto him, hee pulled him from his horse by maine force, and stabbed him to the heart with his dagger. The destruction of whom, bredde such confusion vnto all the residue of his headstrong armie, and sight whereof kindeled so great a furie in the residue of the Kings companie, (who for that present vpon speciall considerations, was there attended on but meanelie) that the whole rebellious route were by such meanes euer after discomfited vtterlie: wherewith before that instaunt the whole RealmeAntithesis.had lyke to haue beene turned topsie turuie. Hee and such as hee laboured not by ambitious pride to arrogate vnto themselues a lawlesse extremitie, but studyed of meere loue and entire zeale, how and which way they might performe best seruice to their Prince and Conntrey.Ecphonesis.O more then ordinarie affection, and feruencie of high and statelie woorthinesse, in the regarde whereof, life was not sweete vnto these men, whose liuing might not redounde to become (for their dearest soyle) tobee honoured and famous.Aporia.What then may I say my G. of that by thee, and thy copartners taken in hande, whether will you be driuen, what shall become of you, how doe ye behaue your selues, who may receiue you, in whose inward conceites (not the pietie and regard of anie of theese) no nor so much as one sparke of their loialtie, coulde so deepelie bee impressed, as whereby to withdrawe you from these vnnaturall broiles?Auxesis.What haue you found in your deare prince? what in your louing countrie? what in this citie? what to anie one of al your selues in particularitie, that might in such hatefull maner incite you, & by occasion whereof you should thrust your selues into so great an enormitie? Beleeue me, & it shal verilie be auowed, the successe hereof will returne vnto you none other in the ende then the verie reward of infamie. I haue knowne thee, beeing far lesse in yeares then at this instant, to haue bene able to rule thy selfe, and with plausible moderation to bee indued in all things,Erotema.couldest thou then beeing a childe performe this in thy selfe, and beeing nowe a man art not able to endure it? There be I know about thee, that will perswade that all that thou doest herein is vertue, that herein thou hast great wisdom, much fortitude, and notable moderation, that the action is haughtie, the occasion libertie, and the end glorie. But how greatlie they doe erre in so saying, let this saying of goodCamillusstand for you and vs indifferentlie, whose notable speach sprung vp from those his inuiolable vertues, spared not this, to affirme in presence of all the Senate vnto the people.Prosopopœia.Let others (quoth hee) deeme it a thinge euill and reprochfull at anie time to bee founde faultie, in not yeelding ready succors and aid to their country:Camillusfor his part is & shal be of that resolute determination, that it is & ought to be reputed for euermore a thing detestable and vild, and of all other the most hatefull and replenished with all execrable miserie. How thinketh then your gentle mind, of the action by this time. Is it (suppose you) anie vertue that thereunto preferreth you?Camillusiudged that it was not reprochfull, but villanous and detestable, so much as to bee founde failing in ought to his countrie, and may it then bee thought a thinge honest to become a persecutor of your countrie?

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