If in our selues we do conceiue or find some one or mo things, that are vnto such a one pleasing, or whereof wee may coniecture the regarde to returne vnto him, commodious, or to confirme towards vs a more speciall liking, that shall we modestlie tender, and deuise without arrogancy in some conuenient sorte to be signified. These are the onely precepts in this kind of writing, to be considered, the effectes whereof are in this sort following by their examples deliuered.
An Epistle Conciliatorie, written
from one of good accompt to his
inferiour.
AFter my verie heartie commendations vnto you. This bearer and my seruaunt whome I greatlie credite, hath signified vnto mee manie matters tending to your great commendation, the reporte whereof, I haue often sithence hearde confirmed by others. And for asmuch as touching mine owne condition, I haue alwaies beene a fauourer of artes, and entirelie accounted of the singularitie of anie one according to his worthinesse, I haue so much the more greatlie desired your acquaintance, as one whome willinglie I would doe good vnto. Assuring you, that if at some conuenient time you will take paines to see mee, I will not onelie (as occasion serueth) bee well content to imploy you my selfe, but also in place of further accompt doe the best I may to recommende you. Meane while I woulde gladlie bee infourmed by the returne of this Messenger, at what time I may expect to see you, according to which I will appoint horses, and send some to accompanie you. And so for this present doe bid you hartilie farewell. From my house of N. this twentieth of April, &c.
An example Conciliatorie, from one e-
quall to another.
THe vniuersall reporte of your excellencie, each where declared, hath mooued mee good M. N. not onelie to admire you for the same, but among a greate manie others, that regarde and especiallie doe accompte of you, hath induced mee also hereby to praie your acquaintance. I confesse sir, sithence I first heard of you, I grewe euen then verie desirous to see and to know you, but being this other daie in companie with sir T. P. I vnderstood howe much for your singular vertue both of the good Knight and Ladie, you were hartilie commended and entirelie fauoured.
This considerate opinion of theirs, hath in my speedie determination egged mee forwarde, and caused me to salute you by these letters, the rather for that I haue sundry times bene enformed with what ioifull and friendlie conceite, you doe entertaine the familiaritie of euerie Gentleman. Little (God knoweth) resteth in mee to pleasure you, the worthines whereof I coulde wish, were as well answerable to your vertue as effectuallie you might haue power in mee to commaunde it. This one thing can I deliuer of my selfe, that since I had first capacitie to discerne of mens conditions, I haue alwaies studied to honour the vertuous, and euermore with reuerence to entertaine their actions. A fauourer I haue still beene of the learned, and a diligent regarder of their excellencies, such as in minde more then wealth wuld wish to be reputed happy, & to my vttermost power gladlie accomplish what might bee deemed most worthie. Such a one if you vouchsafe to like of, I wholie yeelde my selfe vnto you, expecting nothing more then at your conueniente leisure I might finde occasion to see you. Whereunto referring the residue of all my desires, It doe for the present cease to detaine you. London this fourth of Iune, &c.
TO these Epistles might be added two seuerall answers: in both of which there is required a special and wel demeaned modesty, in the one of humility to bee according to his better, in the other of curtesie to gratifie his equall, each of them containing, a submissiue executio of that, in either of their faculties and professions simply to be attributed, the diuersities of both of them not impertinent to these our instructions, I haue in sort following put downe to be considered.
An Epistle responsorie answering to the first of these Letters.
IT may please your Worshippe, I haue receiued your curteous Letters, and by the same, as also by your messenger haue fullie conceiued of your fauour and louing intendment towardes mee, for all which I can but render vnto you my most humble and duetiful thankes. Touching my selfe, I verie gladlie wish that there were anie thing in mee, whereof you might take pleasure, or wherewith I might anie waies bee enabled to doe you seruice: Such as it is I humblie render vnto your commaunde, and doe pray that in as good sorte as I tender it, you will bee pleased to accepte of it. Your man can witnesse, that as yet I haue some earnest occasions for a while to detaine mee, who otherwise woulde bee well contented foorthwith to waite vpon you. And were I not thereunto especiallie enioined by your good fauour, the importunitie of your seruaunt might happily in such case haue preuailed with mee. It may therefore stand with your good pleasure to pardon mee, one moneth, which tearme beeing expired, I thence forwarde will remaine at the commaunde of none so much as your Worshippe, to whose good acceptaunce I eftsoones doe recommende my selfe in all reuerente duetie. London this of, &c.