I Doubt not N. but that thy hart longeth, and mind is yet vnquieted, Exordium. Of their accustomed friendship.because of my suddaine departure from thee, and ignorance of my estate and present being, whereof that thy desires may nowe at full be resolued: know my good N. that not hauing beene scarce sixe moneths from thee, I did long since perceiue my selfe to bee out of England, and that it may appeare vnto thee, that I haue iust cause so to say, thou shalt somewhat vnderstande by mee the state of this Countrey. Wee liue heere in a soile delicate I must confesse for the ayre, Narratio. Pleasant ayre vnfrequented. and pleasant for the situation: with good leasure (I must tell thee) may we here attend our deuotions, as hauing no care wherewith to encumber vs, but the needlesse search of that whereof wee neuer find likelihood to annoy vs.In voluntary abstinence. As vncompelled by seuere decrees and interdictions, we limit vnto ourselues an abstinence, thou mightst think we do it of zeale, but in truth it is of want, wherein we haue more fasting daies by a great manie then ability to beare them. Our conuersation is with elements, with waters, with fieldes, with trees, with valleyes, with hilles, with beasts, in the general vse whereof, wee find nothing else but their proper shapes. And if by chaunce any other sorts of creatures do appeare, they are naked shapes formed as men and women, fierce, sauage, wilde, not capable of anie our reasons, nor we of their speeches. Our foode is rootes, dried fishes, berries, and I knowe not what other harshHard feeding. kind of fruits, and sometime foules, besides a kind of graine growing in great cods wherby we somtimes obtain (though not the naturall) yet some vse of bread, vnlike to that you eat, in taste, goodnes, or propertie. Our lodgingsIll lodging. and places of repose are caues, entrenched in the ground, the earth our beds, and clothes our couerings. And these also hard as they are, enioy wee not in quiet, but being awaited of the naked multitude (whose policies insinuate by nature are farre greater then their strength)Danger. wee are faine by much industrie to preuent them: into whose hands if any of vs doe chaunce to fall, our dead carkasses in hastie morsels are conueied into their intrailes. Hereby iudging of our estate, thou mayest accordinglie deeme of our pleasures. The next message that thou shalt attend from mee, shall bee my speedie returne, the seas and windes being not lesse fauourable then they were at my going forth. Meane while recommend my selfe to thy wel-wishing, and our safeties to God, I ende as thou knowest, this of, &c.

An example wherein the death of a nobleman
is onelie described.

THE decease (good Madame)Exordium. Of the cause it selfe. of my Lorde your brother, hath occasioned vnto your Lad. the sight of these Letters, wherein I haue rather acquited my selfe of that whereunto by your honourable commaunde I was enioyned, then anie wayes satisfied the griefe that by my selfe among manie others, for his losse is intirelie conceyued. The manner whereof may please you nowe to bee informed of,Narratio. which was thus. On Tuesday beeing the thirteenth of this instant, hauing as it then seemed vnto his L. and others, beene reasonablie well recouered from the woonted force of his long consuming disease, beeing importuned by the dispatch of some present affayres, as otherwise to haue some conference with her Maiestie, hee went from his house of B. to the Court, where all that day hee remained, and returned againe at night, not for all this, finding himselfe at all disquieted at the least motion of anie the pangs wherewith before time hee had so often been vexed. The most part of that night hee was verie well reposed.Sudden sickenesse. Towardes morning the next daie, he beganne somewhat to be agreeued, but nothing as accustomed: in which state the most part of that day hee continued. At night againe hauing eaten some small pittance to supper, towardes nine of the clocke hee beganne most vehementlie to bee passioned, till which time wee all had verie good expectation of his health and recouerie, which his L. perceyuing, after hee had beene a while set vp in his bedde, hee sayde, I knowe my good friendsDeclaration of his speeches. and faithfull louing seruaunts, that the great zeale and loue you doo beare vnto mee, is a vehement occasion to kindle in you a desire of wel-wishing, and intendment of assured safetie towardes mee, wherein I haue more cause to thanke your good willes, then meane thereby to imagine the force of my disease to bee lesse then long since I expected, and exceedinglie in my selfe haue euer doubted, what wordes of comfort, protraction and delayes so euer, haue by the Physitions to the contrarie beene vsed. One great and exceeding comfort vnto mee is, that liuing, I euer loyallie demeaned my selfe: and dying, I shall depart this worlde in her Maiesties good grace, and especiall fauour. Next vnto that, the loue of you my dearest friendes and entirelie beloued seruants and followers, whose hearts I knowe doe pursue mee, and whose affections euen to the last gaspe of death I am perswaded to bee euer firme and fixed towardes mee. Your desires are, I knowe, that I shoulde liue, according vnto which the least mitigation that may bee of my griefe, you measure by & by to the hope of amendment, which is not so. For that in all the comfortable speeches, that sundrie times I haue receiued from you, my selfe to whome the inwarde effects thereof haue beene found most forcible, haue euer mistrusted, and by manie probable circumstances adiudged the contrarie. Long time endure I cannot, this knowe I well, happelie a daie, two or three, I may yet bee conuersant among you, for my disease, that standeth assured (the messenger whereof continuallie knocketh at the doore of my imaginations, readie euerie houre to assault my heart, and to carrie away with him the spoyles of a dying carkasse) will not permit I shall long time trauell in this sort among you. And for my selfe, stand ye all assertained, that hauing long since poyzed in equall ballance, the long continuance of a fraile, wretched, and trauelled life, the most part whereof is caryed away Mislike of the world.in sleepe, sorrowe, griefe sickenesse, daunger, and the residue also neuer freed of care and all maner of disquiet, with the hope of an euerlasting ioy, happines, rest peace, and immortall residence: I finde no reason whie I should at all affect the toyle of such earthlie tediousnesse. Insomuch as hauing liued nowe almost threescore and thirteene yeares, and borne my selfe (honourablie I trust) in all mine actions and seruices, and further in the progression of my ripest yeares, yea in this verie instant more then at anie other time am regarded of my Prince, and esteemed of my Countrey, and among my Peeres reputed in the highest degree of my fidelitie: I shall nowe die as becommeth my person, woorthilie and honourablie. Bee you therefore recomforted I pray you, as I am, and thinke that for all the loue you haue ought me, the seruices you haue done mee, or tender care you doe yet in my heauiest pangs beare vnto mee, the chiefest content you can doe vnto mee, is that you bee satified herein with mee.Certain notice and liking of death. That beeing verelie resolued in my soule, of all that I haue here sayde vnto you, and hauing ordered mine actions, and prepared my selfe thereto accordinglie, I doe willinglie and with a right contented mind, leaue this transitorie world so replenished as it is, with so manie grieuous casualties, & hartilie do giue my bodie to his naturall course, and my soule into the handes of the mightie Creator, for euer in his glorie (I trust) to bee eternized. This speech ended, hee continued till after midnight, at which time hee had about two houres slumber, and so beganne his paine to encrease againe. In which till Wednesday following, almost in one state, hee for the most part remained, oftentimes accustoming himselfe with those that were about him to prayer, manie times, recording to himselfe the goodnesse of God, and his mercies to him remembred, and that with such zeale and intire regarde of his hoped repose, as that it still seemed and was euidentlie apparant howe muche hee longed and thirsted for the same. In fine, drawing by little and little towardes an ende, euen in the verie last pang, ioyning his handes vp to heauen, his heart and eyes thitherwarde fixed, hee recommended eftsoones himselfe to the mercie of his Redeemer, and on Thursday last about two in the morning died, to the lamentable griefe of all that were about him, who heartily sorrowing his losse, were forced to shed teares aboundantly. The day of the funerall is not yet certaine, but the same is intended verie honorablie. Recommending my selfe vnto your La. in all humblenesse, I take my leaue. At our sorrowfull house of B, this of, &c.

Of Epistles Laudatorie and Vituperatorie.
Chap. 9.

Owe followeth it next, that after these Letters, meere Descriptorie as you see, we doe treate of the other two partes appertaining also to this forme, which are Laudatorie and Vituperatorie, the vse whereof either solelie or intermixed in any other kind of Epistles, shal of one or more of these causes take their originall, that is to say, of the Person, Praise of the person. deeds or thing it selfe to bee commended, misliked or dispraysed. 1The person of anie one is to be preferred or disabled, by his birth, 2descent, shewe, or abilitie. Secondlie, by his childhoode, or 3good education from his infancie. Thirdlie, of his youth, in which he is either conuersant in studies of honest life, seriously giuen to the knowledge of letters, affecting alwayes vnto laudable exercises, temperat and sober in demeanour, or otherwise accounted dissolute and wanton, vnhappilie led to the search of whatsoeuer mischiefes, affectionate to the most basest conditions and practises, not tied to anie order, but wholie pursuing an vncontroulled 4libertie. Fourthlie, of his manly yeares being frequented with ciuill gouernment, or liuing altogether without account. Priuately and publikely in all manlie actions demeaned, or by apparant5 loosenes in each place discredited. Fiftlie, of his olde age, the course whereof is with ancient grauitie continued, or by al kind of euils most hainously misprised, whose siluer haires are shining in vertuous happines, or miserable estate drowned in lothsomnes. Sixtly, in his 6ende or departure out of this world, agreeing to the saying of Solon, No man may be counted happie before his death. For that in the expectatiō or attaining therof, as at no time more in all the life of a man, then chiefly appeareth, his vertue, constancy, strength & worthinesse, or otherwise his imbecility, ouerthrow, shame and ignominious filthines. Besides all these, many likelihoods are often taken either to the praise or dispraise of the person, by occasion of the nation or soile from whence he came, where hee was borne or trained. From the generall condition or application of himselfe or of the people thereof, by the habite, constitution of the bodie, complexion, looks, fame, or other circumstances thereunto incident, by the actiuitie, strength, swiftnes, nimblenes, fauor or beauty of the body. By the gifts of fortune, as honor, wealth, worship, reputation and kindred. And forasmuch as these demonstrations of persons are wholy occupied either in praise or dispraise of their conditions or behauiours: the chiefest part hereof shall also consist in Narration, without peraduenture it falleth out in the life of anie one to haue some one or mo things hapned or of them supposed, ill beseeming or vnworthy their reputation, which either by defence, excusation, or Confutation must bee coloured, diminished, or cleerely auoided. Examples whereof do follow according to their particular occasions: and thus much for the Persons.

In commendation or vituperation of the déeds of any one,Of the deeds. we shall weigh with our selues what notable actions haue bin, wherein he or she haue honorably or worthily behaued themselues, or by perpetual infamy therof haue deserued in each posteritie for euer to be contemned. Touching things likewise by themselues to bee extolled or disabled, they are euer measured by the consonance and agréement they haue either with reputation or dignitie.

The goodnesse or badnes,Honest which is tied to vertue. excellencie or basenesse of any thing, is gathered from the places of Honestum, Inhonestie, vnder which is comprehended what is iust or vniust, godlie or wicked, direct or indirect, worthy or to be dispraised. Honest is alwaies linked to vertue. For whatsoeuer is either vertue it selfe, or affined with vertue or deriued from vertue, or conducing to vertue, is absolutelie declared honest.

The distinguishment of these falleth out to be sorted into foure principall excellencies, that is, Prudence, Iustice, fortitude and Temperance, it is therefore to be intended, that not onelie deedes and actions, but also thinges themselues are solelie of these, and for these either praised or debased. Whatsoeuer then by sounde and wholesome perswasion tendeth either to the embracing of the good, or shunning of the euill.Honest, what it is. Whatsoeuer includeth either fidelitie, true friendship, equitie, obedience or gratitude. Whatsoeuer conduceth to true pietie to God, thy Countrie, Parents, children, and friends. Whatsoeuer appertaineth to the seueritie of the law, to the admonishing of the wicked, and to the remuneration and defence of the well deserued. Whatsoeuer tendeth to a tolleration or patient forebearance of euils, to longanimitie, entring into hazard and dangers for conscience, for thy countrey, kindred or friends. Whatsoeuer concerneth chastitie, sobrietie or frugalitie, and seemely moderation in all thinges, that in each of these is adiudged honest and none others.

The contrarie hereof, which is Inhonestum, includeth likewise whatsoeuer is not vertue, or is estranged from vertue, hindering to vertue,Vnhonest. or in nothing furthering towards vertue, whatsoeuer is pertinent to follie, iniustic, pusillanimitie, or excesse, whatsoeuer by the euill therein committed is exempted from praise. Whatsoeuer carieth perswasion to mischiefe & seducement from the good. Whatsoeuer appertaineth to infedilitie, falshood, treason, disobedience, slander, or ingratitude. Whatsoeuer withdraweth from naturall regard and loue of thy Countrie, parents, children and friends. Whatsoeuer impugneth the wholesome lawes and estate of euerie common-wealth, tendeth to a notorious example of euill, hindereth or blemisheth any others good deseruing. Whatsoeuer enforceth reuengement vpon euerie small offence, hath in it no meane of sufferance, or forbearance at all, entertaineth a lawlesse libertie of conscience to perpetrate or yéeld to any vnlawfull action, or to become iniurious to thy Country, state or calling. Whatsoeuer is furthering to a dissolute liuing, vnbrideled lust, couetous tenacitie, prodegality, or detestable excesse. These and such like, as confounders of all ciuilitie and humane gouernment, are confirmed to be vnhonest.