Honest gratuity and dissembled trechery, seldom in my conceipt, do drawe in one line togethers,Anthithesis. thankefull I doe know him vnto you for any benefite,Dialysis. for I haue seene him more then once, and that most feruentlie to professe it, how he should halt with you by nature I finde not, as whereunto I neuer saw him addicted: besides, thus much can I yet say more to ascertaine you, that about the time mentioned in your Letter, hee came hither to visite vs, sithence which till within this fortnight he remained with vs. After about the receipt of his money, and for the conclusion of that agreement, hee was disposed to London. There what hath betided him I cannot rightlie enforme you, yet may the apparance hereof bee sufficient, by good reason to assure you, that beeing thus continued,Confutatiō. as I haue declared, hee coulde verie hardly and almost without possibilitie, haue beene so forwardes in the matter as hath beene suggested by you.
In respect of your ancient amity and acquaintance, I doe yet pray you, that you wil be recomforted of your griefes,Epilogus. opposing vnto your selfe this one assurance, that by some strange euent your daughter is happened to his knowledge, and this fixed hope that by beeing with him, she is retained to her best safegard, who as well in respect of the accompt he beareth vnto you, as of the curteous regard it is most like he carieth vnto her, hath vpon some vrgent businesse beene compelled to stay her, determining in some conueniuent time, I warrant you to your comforte and his credite and good opinion to be encreased, to returne her vnto you. Not being vnmindfull howe much I haue heretofore beene staied, both to thinke woorthilie of you, and to thanke you, I doe for the present bid you most hartile farewell. T. this of, &c.
Of Epistles Expostulatorie. Chap. 2.
WIth these expressed examples, I thinke good to conclude this passed title, and thenceforth to goe to the next, which is Expostulatory. This worde seemeth to haue his definition of reasoning, debating or arguing a cause, thereby to find the depth, weight, certaintie or qualitie of the same, and according thereunto to lessen, qualifie, or enforce the substance of griefe or mislike by such meanes conceiued. And albeit iniuries, mislikes and discontentments are ordinary to all men, yet do they for the most part, fall principallie to be receiued among friendes, among kindred, great acquaintance and familiars, by occasion whereof, this title in writing is but (as it were) the first matter of challenge, before anie vile reproch bee performed. And this also not where there is a resolute malice alreadie conceiued, but where men aduisedlie and consideratlie do deliberate of their and other mens actions according to reason to bee considered. By which aduisement being led, without anie hairebraine or brainsicke deuise or humor at all, they sometimes mildlie, and in curteous and louing tearmes according to the state of the writer, and the condition of those to whome he writeth, expostulate the iniurie, desirous rather that the trueth by circumstances might be knowne, then anie quarrelsome matter to bee obtruded. Otherwhiles more roughly and peremptorily they deale, and yet not vnfittinglie nor badlie. But if the effect of your writing be not determined in anie of these two sortes, but falleth otherwise to a manner of reproching of benefittes, or to an exclamation or bitter enforcement of euils, then may not the same bee said to be Expostulatory, but rather to bee exprobratorie, or inuectiue, of which both twaine hereafter shall be further declared. And as this kind of expostulating falleth most with persons of equalitie, for that it is scarse thought good maners, and sometimes helde perillous to dispute of offences with one far aboue vs in authoritie, and with our inferiour so to doe, it turneth more often to bee Reprehensorie then otherwise: yet is the force thereof manie times caried from an inferiour to his better, neuerthelesse with a kinde of aunswerable submission alwayes respectiue to the others reputation or greatnes. And so may a man with his inferiour also in good sort sometime expostulate an iniurie, wherin if he shall vouchsafe so to doe, the partie lesse in abilitie hath the more reason to recognize his courtesie: for a man of good sort and greatlie reputed of, to offer as it were an imparlance vnto his inferiour, whereby to argue with him a matter in suspence to bee noted an iniury, cannot be but much to be praised, and so adiudged in that betternesse, as to procéede of a most singular bountie. So be it he do it not by insultation, nor anie pricke of vainglorie, for so doing it looseth a great part of the vertue therein praysed, vnlesse the desert of the partie be such, as may well merite that or a greater euill to be tendered. By all these means as aforesaid may iniuries be expostulated, the vsage whereof as well in matter of accusation as defence, is indifferently to be carried, considering that onely by varietie of allegations and not otherwise those questionable causes are to be sifted. And so here out will we wade into their seuerall examples.
An example of an Epistle expostulatorie touching certaine iniuries
betweene two friends.
MAister L. there passed if you doe call to minde,Narratiō. twixt you and mee certaine speeches of great secrecie, vehementlie concerning the state and good support of my brother. And for as much as I had then great suppose, both of your honest courtesie and great fidelitie (as I thought) sufficient to the matter then spoken of, I did (the extremitie of the cruell creditours requiring it) not sticke to reueale vnto you the conceiued maner and means how the same might be redressed. I do verie perfectly remember, that but to one other besides your selfe, I did communicate the cause, of whose rare and singular honestie I doe so much assure my selfe, that if hee should reueale the same, I could despaire for euer to find any man secret, or that with whatsoeuer matter of friendship might hereafter be credited. But to be briefe with you, the secret is discried, and therewithall so fully laide open, as the whole maner of the same in sort as it was determined by one of the parties whom it specially concerned, hath been to my brothers owne eares deliuered. The other partie to whome I reuealed it hath chaunged his lodging, and hitherto I haue not sent vnto him: whose approoued fidelitie for that it remaineth of no small record to my certaine knowledge, I will presume to verifie. It resteth then that I must needes expostulate with you touching the iniurie, of whome I haue more cause to doubt, being thereunto led not without manie and those verie absolute coniectures. For first it is generallie knowne, that you are verie needie, and to be plaine with you, there be those that will iustifie that by such meanes you do shift now and then verie cunninglie. It is master L. a verie base kinde of shift for a Gentleman in anie treacherous manner to deale with his friend so vnkindlie. And I can prooue besides, that sithence my trust reposed, you haue entred speciall conference with the partie. The time likewise dooth somewhat assure me, in which no one but your selfe coulde so suddenlie preuent mee. There want not to giue scope hereunto, the speeches also which the next day you deliuered mee after I had spoken with you, which was, you feared least my man ouerheard, and might possiblie descrie mee, whom your selfe knewe an houre before our conference, to haue beene discharged our companie. Againe, the person and place where he remaineth, enforce something, whereunto vnaccustomed you haue accesse, and therefore for some speciall policie. And notwithstanding all these vehement likelihoodes, yet will I not condemne you, till I see how you will confute mee. Albeit my censure hitherto passeth that verie hardlie you may answere it, without especiall note of infamie; which being so, the displeasure may returne such as I can tell you, will not be maistered verie easilie. The haste of the messenger forbiddeth me longer delay, by reason whereof, I am compelled to leaue you. B. this of. &c.
An answere defensorie vnto the effects of
the same Epistle.
MAister H.Exordium. The manner of your writing seemeth vnto mee verye straunge, and the circumstaunce such, as I promise you, wherewith I was neuer acquainted. I am not a little greeuedLiptote. to thinke that you shoulde in that peremptorie sort you doe, attribute vnto mee the name of so base and vnfitte a dealing.Excusatiō. I would well you and your informer vnderstoode: that it is not my practise to vse that cunning, which you like to tearme by the name of shifting, neither (by whatsoeuer necessitie constrained) doe I inure my selfe vnto the same. It is an olde Prouerbe,Paræmia. Where the hedge is lowest, there euerie man is readie to goe ouer. The verifying whereof appeareth in you, who hauing no more certaintie then your meere imaginations to suspende mee, doe iniuriouslie obiect my necessitie, as beeing the onelie meane wherewith to disgrace me.Anthypophora. Whie, maister H. dooth it therefore followe because I want, that my minde must of force become maimed with such treacherie? You are deceyued, and they guesse much awrie, that in such hatefull manner doe go about to abuse mee.Erotema. What argument call you that, that for because you reuealed your counsell to vs two, and it liketh you to preferre by certaine allowaunce the others reputation and abilitie before mee, that therefore I haue deceyued you? Whie if you list to suppose a trueth on my side (as lawfullie you might doe) were there not as much reason that I for mine honestie, as hee for his brauerie shoulde as indifferentlie bee censured? But your probable coniectures you will saie doe entice you,Procatalepsis. the one whereof is the time wherein none coulde preuent you. Was not I pray you that other in Towne as well as I, though hee altered his lodging? And suppose that euerie daie wee were both heere since,Paramologia. may it bee vnpossible that another might endammage the matter as well as we? But I had speciall conference with the partie, and the place and person without that occasion, of no likelihoode by mee to bee frequented.Erotema. Had I conference? Is that a thing so maruellous? Am I so farre estraunged from honestie, that I may not haue speech with a man, but to worke my friend villanie? Alacke man, whie, I was neuer so fearefull of mine one keeping secretes,Charientismus. that I woulde haue denied it if you had asked mee, neither doe I much force if your owne eyes doe witnesse the cause when I next speake with you. In saying the place and person was before time by mee vnused, you speake iniuriouslie, for your owne selfe doe knowe, that both he and the rest, were to mee knowne before time, and that verie familiarlie. To conclude, I wish you to bee perswaded, that in rewarding mee with such conceytes as these, you shall doe mee but small courtesie, and ill requite my faythfulnesse by vpbrayding mee with my necessitie, that woulde haue endeuoured all meanes possible to pleasure you. And as touching anie infamie to me redounding herein, I woulde I could as well cleare all my offences to God-warde, as I can free my selfe of this suspition, and that with as great honestie, as others most maliciouslie haue sought to defame mee, and then no doubt my account should be a great deale lesse then it is, when euer the Almightie by his eternall summons should call me. In resolution whereof, I ende this answere. The of. &c.
A reply to the said answere Defensorie, wherein the matter of the
Epistle is more firmlie maintained.
OF ancient time it hath often beene sayde,Exordium. that it is euill halting before a Cripple,Allegoria. faithfull dealing and flourishing glosing are two contraries. Among true friends indeede, and such as doe make more account of their credite and honestie,Antithesis. then of the base acquiring of a sleight commoditie, I doe confesse it is not of small moment to builde vpon the rock of their assurance, and to make reckoning of their word, to the vttermost, but where Gentilitie is not alonelie spotted, but in a manner couered and debased alreadie with vnhonestie, and men hold it for a Maxime to shrowd their lauish and euer emptied expence, by whatsoeuer kinde of lucre, bee it neuer so filthie, it is not necessarie that repose bee in such place stablished, least the vntimelie rooting thereof, doe make men banne their winnings, and lament the bitternesse of their losse, when too late they are out of hope, for euer to haue the same recouered.