Of Epistles familiar. Chap. 8.
WIth this pleasant direction I thinke meete at this present to conclude these last Letters Iudiciall, and therewith also the verie ende of all our Letters speciall, so tearmed by me as aforesaide, for the speciall matters and conueyance to them seuerallie appropriate. And nowe the next and last in turne, are those letters familiar, for the ordinarie causes and matters of handling in them likewise contained, so formerly named. Little informations néede here, more then the directions alreadie in the Chapters of the first Booke that haue beene deliuered, for their stile and methode. Seeing the common matter in them vsuallie frequented, challengeth no such districtnesse in propertie or conueiance, as was required in the others, only they for orders sake as the rest, are herein to be distinguished (the better to be found out & known by their partes) vnder their seuerall titles. The first whereof appeareth to bee Narratory and Nunciatorie, both alike in their vsage, consisting onelie in aduertisementes of affaires, from friende to friende, seruant to maister, or generallie to speake, from one person to an other, the examples whereof according to the seuerall properties do plentifullie ensue.
A Letter Nunciatorie from a sonne to his father or friends,
touching his being in seruice.
MY humble dutie remembred, good father, vnto you and my mother: These are to aduertise you, that I am, I thanke God, in good health. As touching my placing heere with my maister, I doe like verie well of the trade, but I doe not thinke the seruice fit for me, as well for that it seemeth, that more for the money that shall bee giuen with mee, then for any desire to my good, hee is willing to haue mee. Besides, for ought that I can learne, my maister is verie backeward in the worlde, so that what minde soeuer you carrie to my placing here, I doubt it will turne to verie small purpose. Neuerthelesse, as my dutie is, I doe gladly submit my selfe to your pleasure, and am willing as becommeth me, to do in all things according to your will. And euen so with my heartie commendations to my Vnkle and Aunt, with my brothers and sisters, I leaue further to trouble you: desirous, if it may seeme good vnto you, that I may verie shortlie see you. From L. this thirteenth of Februarie, &c.
A Letter Nunciatorie in another sort of the selfe
same matter.
GOod father, hauing the oportunitie of this bearer, I thought good to certifie you of my present beeing, giuing you to vnderstande that I am, I thanke God and you, in good health, and verie well placed heere in London, where I am in hope to continue my heere beeing to some profitable purpose. My maister vseth mee in verie good sort, and I lacke nothing that appertaineth vnto such a one as my selfe. I trust you shall haue ioy of mee, and ere a fewe yeares passed, I doubt not but so to behaue my selfe, that I shall well deserue this good lyking that alreadie I haue of my Maister, and further credite also at his handes, and imployment about his businesse. I hope that you and my mother, and all our friendes in the Countrey are in good health. I pray you that you will write vnto my Maister as occasion serueth, and thanke him for his good vsage: and if you can to remember him with some conuenient token from the Countrey. Thus desiring your daylie blessings, and remembring my humble dutie to you and my mother, I take leaue, From L. this of, &c.
THese presidents as they are here vsed, may be applied to any the like purpose, of what qualitie soeuer the seruant be, or the seruice, whence the same is deliuered, there néedes but change of names, and contrarie applications, according to the being of the parties to be vsed, and this onelie forme to be obserued and continued. And so will we now to the other examples.
An Epistle Narratorie containing aduertisements from one
friend to another.
MY good N. you shall vnderstande by this bearer what speeches I haue had in your behalfe, with Maister R. F. whome to tell you trueth, I found at the first time verie strange, but after wee had a while debated of the cause, and that I had enformed vnto him all those reasons, which stoode both for your benefite and his owne satisfaction, he was verie well contented. You haue much to thanke this Gentleman, who omitted no part of a friend to deliuer in your absence what he saw meetest to the purpose, and that in sooth with so deliberate and sound resolution, as my selfe for your sake must needes also thinke the better of him. I do refer the circumstance to both your leysures to be debated on. And as touching that you willed me to deale for, with your Vncle, it is, I see, to verie little profite, for that his suspicious humours are such, as will not with anie reason whatsoeuer be diuerted. I coulde tell you a Hystorie of that matter, but I leaue all to our next meeting. My brother S. desired mee heartilie to commend him vnto you, and so did your olde seruant D. You shall by the next Carrier either heare further of me, or else verie shortlie thereupon you may expect to see mee. And euen so with my heartiest commendations till then I bid you fare well, S. this fifteenth of August, &c.
A Letter of aduertisement from a sonne to his father.
MY humble duty remembred good father vnto you, and my mother. It maie please you to vnderstande, that vpon the receyte of your Letters sent mee by P. your man, I haue done your commaundement. And whereas you expected an aunswere by the carrier, for that P. went forwarde Westwardes in his iourney, I could not till this present write vnto you to anie effect. I haue receiued of Maister N. the twentie poundes which shoulde haue beene paied at Easter last, and for the continuation of my here beeing, I thinke it would turne you to some profite, so be it I may be furnished accordinglie. Wools are as yet at high rate, but I thinke shortlie they will fall, wherefore I haue not yet thought meete to laie out anie monie about them. The next weeke you shall receiue by C. the Carrier fortie poundes. And if it please you then to returne by him those parcels of wares that I last wrote vnto you of, they will now come in verie good time, respecting that the Faire at F. is nigh, and for ought I yet perceyue, they are like to bee well solde there. This is all I haue to write vnto you at this present, sauing my heartie desire of your health, and likewise of my mother, with all my brothers and sisters. It is here sayde, G. hath verie lewdlie demeaned himselfe in his maisters businesse, whereby maister L. is like to bee much indangered. Praying your daylie blessings vnto me, I humblie recommend you to the Almightie. From B. this thirtie of May.
ACcordant vnto this last Letter maie any seruant frame himselfe to aduertise his master of his affaires, altering onelie the names of directions, and the matter as occasion serueth. Neuerthelesse forsomuch as in causes of other accidents beyond the seas, both masters haue occasion to write vnto their seruants or factors, and likewise the seruant or factor to answer them againe, whereof perchance some examples in this methode might also be sought for. As néere as my little guesse in those causes will serue me, I wil set you down some directions. Noting by the way, that the infinit number of all occurrents are not herein to be satisfied, though to as many as bee néedfull examples are intended to bee giuen. Onely the learner must consider, that the true and proper intendment hereof, is but for an orderly conueiance of euery action to be prescribed, wherout one direction picked, must and may well serue for a number in that or the like degrée, vpon other occasions to be suted. Neuerthelesse, that as well in this, as the former booke, we haue omitted no trauell for the ease and better instruction of the studious to giue vnto them, of euery common or néedfull matter, as manie seuerall directions, as that the leading along of the same herein, may be wel iudged to be most plentifull. According whereunto, of these two last recited partes, wee will now sort you out some particular examples, of the first whereof from the maister to the seruant, you shall expect hereafter vnder the title Mandatorie, & of the second this example ensuing may be a president.
A Letter from a seruant or factor to his maister.
SIr, my humble dutie remembred vnto you, and my good Mistresse, you may please to vnderstand that I haue laden for your account in the good ship called the R of B. according to your remembrance sent vnto me for the same, by maister S. T. seuen Buts of Secke, which cost the first pennie seuenteene Duckats the Butte: marked with your accustomed marke in the margent. Moreouer, fiue Roues of Cochinelie, verie excellent good, and of fine colour: which cost after Duckats the Kintall. All which I hope by Gods grace shall safelie come vnto your hands, I send you also herein inclosed your bill of lading: I wrote formerlie vnto you for certaine commodities out of England by maister D. L. who came alongst in the Fleete of L. and is as I vnderstand, safely arriued from Lyons againe. Here is at this present small newes worth the writing vnto you, wherefore, praying Almightie God for the health and prosperitie of you and all yours, I humbly take my leaue. From L. this of, &c.
Your faithfull and readie seruant at command.
Of Epistles Remuneratorie. Chap. 9.
IN the writing of this last Letter, there was shewed mee by the Printer, a booke called the Marchants Auiso, helping, and in mine opinion most fully & amplie suffizing to this instruction. And for as much as the conuieance of these letters, bee rather matters priuate to Merchantes aduenturers, then resting in publique for anie other vsers, I haue determined herein for that sorte, vnder this Narratorie or Nunciatorie title to laie downe my limits, referring the desirous of further direction, vnto the writer of that Booke, whose labour for that purpose, not without his speciall desert, cannot be by me or anie other to such end better furnished or deliuered, his tearmes being most currant to those kind of dealinges, and his methode also best answering vnto the true passages thereof. For which in supplement of the residue of the required examples yet vnfitted to this my Secretorie, I will proceed vnto the next title of these familiar letters, which appeare to be Remuneratorie. This title serueth to a Remuneration or thankfull acknowledgement of benefits receiued, and to such end is by the examples thereof to be imploied. And in so much as vnto euerie one well conditioned, or of good and liberall education, it is a thing pertinent, not to omit the respect of euerie benefit without some thankefull consideration, it shall behooue that according to the estate or qualitie of the partie, from whome we receiue the same, we do frame our letters of thankes, which to our betters, equalles and inferiours are in sundrie sortes to be deliuered, and according to the dignitie and worthinesse of euerie one, excelling or going before vs, are euer to be measured, and with the more or lesse submissiue and humble acknowledgment is alike to be caried. Neuerthelesse, that according to the efficacie of speech in each of them deliuered, the greatnesse and weightie respect of euerie good turne, is by the considerate and respectiue regarde thereof, the more amplie to be perceiued.
An example of an Epistle Remuneratorie
from an inferiour, to one far his better in
reputation and calling.
TO recognize (Sir) in multitude of wordes, howe much charged I stande vnto your bounteous and euer curteous regard towards mee, were vnto your wisdome I knowe but friuolous, who better respecteth the inwarde seruice intended of anie one, (whereof I humblie beseech you on my parte to stande assured) then an outwarde behauiour, the validitie whereof maie manie waies bee doubted.
Yet neuerthelesse, in that the thoughts of men are only in word or action to bee deciphered, let it I beseech you stande with your good fauor that I may by these few lines confesse my selfe bound vnto you. And for the residue, when it shall seeme good vnto your Worship to command me, I will not haue life or abilitie that shall not be yours, in al that it may please you to vse me.
A Letter remuneratory from a Gentlewo-
man of good sort to a noble man her
kinsman.
MY good L. howe much I am bounde vnto your L. for multitude of fauours, and especially that it pleased you to thinke so well of me, as to write your fauourable letters in my behalfe: I can by no other waies expresse, then to continue your L. most humbly affectionate poore kinswoman, & wil for euer acknowledge it as of your great goodnes, beyond any merit of mine owne. And as my bounden duty is, no day shal passe me that I will not pray to God for your L. health and prosperitie, and the redoubling of your daies. Beseeching your L. to excuse this my boldnes, and to pardon me that in person I cannot do my humble duty, but by writing, my Lady making such haste away, as so much time wil not be permitted me. I most humbly therefore take my leaue of your L. From S. this eleuenth of Nouember.
A Letter remuneratory from one
friend to another.
GOod M. D. my breach of promise in not hauing visited you with deserued requitall, sithence my departure, maie breede suspicion and doubt of ingratefulnesse, but I hope, and by hope presume, that of your owne good disposition towards all your acquaintance, you will yeelde vnto an approoued trial before you condemn. For my part, if I should not owe vnto you all honest minde and fidelitie, I shoulde much contrary your great curtesie, and deseruedlie incur the shame of ingratitude. You knowe that hauing swaied, as I haue done, out of the limits of a comptrolled rule, and displeased so much thereby as my case hath bewraied vnto you, those whome by nature and duty I ought to be awed vnto, it is reason that by a more district obseruance I make amendes for the residue. My father it seemeth though not yet by me, hath otherwise vnderstoode how much I stand yoked vnto you, and thinketh himselfe for all his sons vnthriftines somwhat therein to be tied vnto you. His meaning is one of these daies to intreat your paines hitherwards. But how euer deserts be noted, or care by nature doth binde, assure your selfe whilest life leadeth along this earthly coarse, I am and will bee alwaies most vnfainedlie yours. To whom, and your good bedfellowe, I most hartily and often commend me. From B. this of, &c.
A Letter remuneratorie from a
Better to his inferiour.
T. F. I haue vnderstoode by my seruaunt P. howe much I am beholding vnto you for your paines taken in my behalfe, about such busines as I sent him, for which I not onlie thanke you for the present, but will remaine your willing friende to requite you in anie thing that I maie. It was tolde mee you had occasion to trauell this way verie shortly, I pray you if you doe, let mee see you. And looke you faile not to vse me as your good friende, if at anie time you fortune to haue neede of me. Wherein doubt you not but you shall finde my readinesse as great as your forwardnesse hath beene already in my businesse. And so doe bid you hartily farewell. From T. this of, &c.
Your louing friend, &c.