And if it be punished extreamly by the lawe, the taking away of a mans goods against his will,Auxesis. what may he deserue that bereaueth the person of anie one, being also a Gentlewoman, such as to whome all humanitie forbiddeth to proffer wrong, and to the honourable entertainment of whome, is appropriate onely the nobilitie of a Gentleman, nay, in what sort may such a one bee censured in the reputation of all honest men, that in sort so violent, goeth about to rauish her, not onlie offering iniurie therein to her person, but also to her fame, reputation and offspring.
Thinke you that the intendment heereof can returne credite to your lyuing? Thinke you that by deliuerie of such fruites you may bee reputed a Gentleman? No beleeue mee,Anthypophora. it cannot bee, but according to the vnwoorthinesse thereof, it rather shall giue occasion to all that shall heare or vnderstande of it, to accuse, blame, mislike, and vtterlie to condemne you.Concessiō. But what if no manner of suppose at all of dishonestie were left therein, whereby to discourage and withdrawe you from the action, imagining that the purpose thereof were helde meete and honourable, and that to euerie one that could winne his choyce by anie force he might, it were lawfull without discredite or anie censure of law by what meanes soeuer, to compasse the same, do you thinke it a matter sleight and easie for you to performe it? No, no sir, you reckon too wide, you goe beyond the Moone, you are too much deceyued.Synonymia. Know you not the Gentlewoman is worthilie descended, that she hath parents,Asindeton. brethren, vncles, and friendes to keepe her, to rescue her, to defend her? Why sir,Erotema. is there no more to say, but you will haue her? You must haue her? and by maine force you will take her? You deale with no children I can tell you, nor weakelings as you account of, but men wise, valiaunt, well reputed, and of sound gouernment:Auxesis. who by so much the more iust and right, the occasion is of their defence, by so much the sooner will they, and are able to preuaile against you.Procatalepsis. I recke not that you haue courage sufficient, that you are hardie, bolde, and aduenturous (the vse whereof being imployed to good and laudable purposes, were I confesse much more effectuall) but herein how euer the case standeth, I see nothing so likelie as an impossibilitie, in somuch as if you be delighted to become infamous, and in the memorie of a shamelesse life to hazard your selfe to a shamefull death,Prosonomasia. then may you enter into it: once this I knowe, that her can you neuer finde so slenderlie accompanied, that with small force you can carie her, but within a moment alwayes, there will not bee wanting a number that shall bicker for her, from whose insight, you are altogither vnable, if her selfe consented thereunto, to conuey her.
But graunting vnto your wilfull imagination,Concessiō. as much in all things as you can desire, suppose you might winne her, conuey her, keepe her, and that the daunger of lawe limited at all no hazarde thereunto, (the contrarie whereof you well knowe, being guerdoned with no woorse then losse of life) doe but yet againe returne to your selfe, and call to minde your birth,Congeries. your familie, your profession, your maner of liuing:Epanodis. your birth by your parents who were worshipfull, your stocke by the reputation yet helde of the same: your profession, which is Armes: your liuing, a Gentleman. Is it then consonant or agreeing to all or anie of these,Erotema. to commit any outrage, and that such an outrage, as to any other were not so proper, as to a villaine, a wretch, a rascall, such a one as neither by nature, education, or custome, knoweth to do otherwise? What would you exercise I pray you on her, if you had her? Once you confesse she doth not loue you, then no question, would she ten times more hate you: Your answere I knowe would bee, either by entreatie to perswade her, or by force to subdue her.
The conclusion is friuolous,Dialysis. if being now her supposed wel-willer, you can by no meanes allure her, imagine you then by prayers to conuince her, after you haue once shewed your selfe so extreame vnto her? And if force be it you pretend, it is repugnant to gentlenes, yet (be it you neglect what therein to be considered) assure your selfe her malice neuerthelesse towards you will neuer be quenched. For that of our selues we cannot freelie accept of,Sententia. we neuer by compulsion can be procured to like of.Confutatiō. With you now, the case is quite contrarie, for so imminent euerie way are the perils thereof vnto you, as if her friendes should abstaine it, yet the lawes will punish it, and if no lawes were at all, yet God would reuenge it.
If then you will hearken or vnderstand what is right, you must bee disswaded from these intendments, wherin if my selfe should haue become so graceles, as to haue set in foote with you, iustly we might haue both confessed to haue beene drowned in all vnhappines togithers.
And nowe good brother,Epilogus. vse I pray you that meanes herein, that with greatest commendation maie beseeme you, weigh with your selfe, that such distemperate motions are not to bee followed, conceyue that Vertue, whose seruaunt you were in your first education, forbiddeth you to bee ledde by such sensuall appetites, thinke that honour of Armes which you haue professed, extendeth not it selfe to the frayle and weake subduing of a Womans condition, who by reason of her sexe rather chalengeth at your handes a defence, then anie man-like enforcement: besides, much vnwoorthie should it bee vnto your reputation by violence to dishonour her, whose estimate and account by reason of your liking, you oughte to preferre with all honour. In fine, frame your selfe to doe that vncompelled, which by force you shall bee constrained to wish once to haue perfourmed, so shall you euer doe that beeseemeth you, and giue me cause, as my deare and louing brother euermore to accompte of you. Our former loue and liking willeth mee euermore to greete you, your sister and mine commendeth her heartilie vnto you. Fare yee well, B. this thirteenth of Nouember, &c.
Of Epistles Conciliatorie.
Chap. 13
Fter these Epistles dehorting and disswading, followeth nowe the nexte title Conciliatorie, whose vse being preferred in acquiring vnto our selues the acquaintance, friendship or familiaritie of men worthie, haue often their directions as well from those of honourable or worshipfull name or calling, to such as are their inferiours, as otherwise betweene equals, or those that bee accompted familiars: but seldome or neuer is frequented to such as are our betters, for then it looseth the name of Conciliatorie, and because of the humilitie thereof séemeth to be Petitorie. Touching the first degree of these Epistles, it is likelie, that hee who is much our better, will either of his honour, woorshippe, or gentlenesse, in plainest tearmes alwaies offer himselfe to his inferiours, whome in such sorte hee desireth to bee knowne vnto, or otherwise willinglie woulde repute of. For the others, touching equals or familiars, order therein requireth, that pithily and plainly wee set downe the cause moouing vs to take knoweledge of him wee write vnto, and thereupon to mooue his acquaintance.
This, albeit without some assentation, it hardlie falleth with some in their writing to bee caried, yet shall our learner by all possible means indeuour to keepe such Decorum herein, that hee gloze not too palpably, least by such means he do incurre a notable suspition of flatterie.