Another Letter mandatory from a maister
to his seruaunt.
ALbeit I haue manie occasions to write vnto you by this bearer, which time will not suffer me to doe: Neuerthelesse such as are most needfull I will hereby remember you of. At my departure from N. I gaue order for certaine wares to bee sent vnto you from thence by the carier of C. and thereof did then write vnto you at large in a Letter, and sent inclosed in that letter a bill of the parcels. Now hauing sithence considered with my selfe of the matter, my desire is that you do not transporte them as I was determined, but let them rest vntill my home comming, for that there is a shippe shortly going for B. of M. Alderman H. with whome I am determined to ioine in the whole freight, and meane by Gods grace therein to passe both those and some other commodities. About thursday next, there is one T. B. appointed by my coosen L. P. to come vnto you for fiftie pound, if he do come let him haue the money, and take his note for the receipt, and this shall be your warrant. I would haue you to looke to the waters side if the wind continue Southward, for it is now serueth wel, and I doubt not but to heare from Lisbon, for gladly would I vnderstand of our shipping, and of such letters as shall be sent I wish you to take notice, and if I returne not before, vse circumspection I pray you to prouide for their returne accordingly. The haste of this bearer wil not suffer me to write more, only looke to my businesse, haue care of the trust in you reposed, and commend me to your mistrisse, tel her I will hasten homewards, as fast as I can. And so to God I commit you. R. this of, &c.
Your louing maister, &c.
A Letter mandatory from a man to his wife.
GOod wife, considering my hasty departure from you and my children, my hope is that you wil haue that louing and respectiue care towards them and your familie, that appertaineth. I haue left many things raw by reason of the suddennes of my iourney, which standeth vpon your good regard to be ordered, as namely the charge of my seruantes, and disposition of some other affaires and businesse. You shall nowe shewe your selfe a carefull and discreete wife, if in mine absence, you will a little take vpon you to be in my place. Regard and consider with your selfe, that seruants are negligent and carelesse, and if the maister forget his owne profit, they are as readie as others to share with his gaines. Your painfull attendance to ouerlooke them, shal straine their labours to my vsing, your desire to see into them, shall worke their vsage to my well seruing. You must now a little while forget neighbourhood, and walking for company, considering the old prouerbe: That when the Cat is away the mouse wil go play: If master and dame haue both continued absence, seruants fall a wasting, and do what they list. You know good wife, I haue now taken a great charge of late vpon me, which with some carefull looking to, may turne to good, let it not be grieuous vnto you, nor thinke it hard, that I thus make you partaker of my charge, as I do of my profit. For we are yoke fellowes you know, and the charge is equall betwixt vs to be borne and supported. If as louing mates and companions wee drawe forth togethers, we doubtlesse shall by Gods blessed goodnes see the fruits of our labours. Our children shall participate with vs of our trauels, and God shal prosper our endeuours. And howbeit good wife, I haue alwaies found you such, as of whose care to my well doing I neede haue no doubt, yet if by the importance of my charge I bee driuen thus much to write vnto you, thinke that in great trust of your modesty, respect of your loue, & zeale to both our goods I haue done the same. And though no mistrust remaine of any one about me: yet doe I put you in minde what youth by too much sufferance and neglegct of libertie may be inclined to. This is al I would, and so much I hope as you gladly will yeelde vnto. Commend mee manie times to your selfe and likewise to all our friendes. From R. this third of Maie, &c.
Your assured louing husband, &c.
A Letter Mandatory from one friend
to another.
MY harty commendations remembred vnto you, good maister R. These are to certifie you that I haue presumed so much on your friendship, as to put ouer certaine causes of mine in your name, for so much as for many respects I find my selfe too far insufficient to deale with the parties, I must therefore desire you to receiue some instructions which I haue herwith sent you by this bearer, and therein to vse such needfull furtherance as in like cases of friendship you may commaund at my handes. I pray you also that you will take so much more further paines for me, as at conuenient leisure to walke towards S. and there to confer with my brother P. and vpon sight and hearing of such matter as by him shall bee shewed and set forth vnto you, to deale accordingly. Thus with my earnest desire to see you here at L. where you shall most hartily finde your selfe welcome, I take leaue this of, &c.
Your very louing friend, &c.
THus haue I led along, as you sée, this promised Methode by varietie of directions and examples, fitting to euery purpose I hope to the pleasing and content of all the indifferent readers: and here as a limit sufficient to that determined labour, doe I laie downe my rest. If anie faultes happen, as no doubt there will (for what from fault maie bee frée) let the learned I beseech them winke at it, the curteous ouerpasse it, and the considerate and well practised in such like trauels fauour me in it, seeing my endeuour therein was done for the best. And so doe I conclude my Methode.