Part 10
What neede wee search abroade for such forraine examples, and why draw wee not home into our owne soyle of England? What Chronicle shall euer remaine, or what English Hystorie shall euer bee extant, that shall not euerlastinglie report, the deserued fame of that right woorthie and verie noble indeede, Sir _William Walwoorth_, Knight, once Lord Maior of London, the remembraunce whereof (to his perpetuall prayse, and endlesse confusion of others, who not onely abstaine the putting in vre of such his memorable vertue, but which is woorse, doe endeuour by cruell force to tender violence vnto their Sacred Prince and Countrey) shall yet flourish for euer. Ill doe you example vnto your selfe, or thinke on the woorthinesse of that good man, who in the time of King _Richard_ the seconde, when with a most suddaine and strange kinde of Rebellion the King was troubled, the Realme pestered, and the strongest of the Kinges subiectes greatlie feared: euen at that time when the proude fawtour and Captaine of the rebellious and rascallie multitude, durst hatefullie and most vndutifullie to bearde the King in his owne presence, and each man shunned to impugne the contrarie. This valiant, this good, this right noble and woorthie Citizen, standing by, when the wicked and presumptuous varlet, with so little reuerence approached the King, and remembring the seruices of manie worthie men, that by an honourable aduenture and hazarde of their liues had to their eternall memorie, before time freed their Countrey with libertie, grieuing that with so high an abuse his soueraigne Lorde beeing yet as it were a childe, shoulde there in his hearing, bee so farre amated, couragiouslie stept vnto the Rebell, and taking him by the gorge, proude varlet (quoth hee) that darest thus contemptouslie demeane thy selfe vnto thy King and Soueraigne, foule death betide thee, and shame quicklie consume thee: Whie, aunswered the villaine in greate disdaine, is it thou that greeuest at that I haue sayde? Greeue, replyed the stoute couragious Citizen, yea, euen I, I it is that greeue at thee, and happilie shoulde thinke my selfe accurst, if thou shouldest escape from mee vnreuenged, wherewith drawing more closelie vnto him, hee pulled him from his horse by maine force, and stabbed him to the heart with his dagger. The destruction of whom, bredde such confusion vnto all the residue of his headstrong armie, and sight whereof kindeled so great a furie in the residue of the Kings companie, (who for that present vpon speciall considerations, was there attended on but meanelie) that the whole rebellious route were by such meanes euer after discomfited vtterlie: wherewith before that instaunt the whole Realme had lyke to haue beene turned topsie turuie. Hee and such as hee laboured not by ambitious pride to arrogate vnto themselues a lawlesse extremitie, but studyed of meere loue and entire zeale, how and which way they might performe best seruice to their Prince and Conntrey. O more then ordinarie affection, and feruencie of high and statelie woorthinesse, in the regarde whereof, life was not sweete vnto these men, whose liuing might not redounde to become (for their dearest soyle) to bee honoured and famous. What then may I say my G. of that by thee, and thy copartners taken in hande, whether will you be driuen, what shall become of you, how doe ye behaue your selues, who may receiue you, in whose inward conceites (not the pietie and regard of anie of theese) no nor so much as one sparke of their loialtie, coulde so deepelie bee impressed, as whereby to withdrawe you from these vnnaturall broiles? What haue you found in your deare prince? what in your louing countrie? what in this citie? what to anie one of al your selues in particularitie, that might in such hatefull maner incite you, & by occasion whereof you should thrust your selues into so great an enormitie? Beleeue me, & it shal verilie be auowed, the successe hereof will returne vnto you none other in the ende then the verie reward of infamie. I haue knowne thee, beeing far lesse in yeares then at this instant, to haue bene able to rule thy selfe, and with plausible moderation to bee indued in all things, couldest thou then beeing a childe performe this in thy selfe, and beeing nowe a man art not able to endure it? There be I know about thee, that will perswade that all that thou doest herein is vertue, that herein thou hast great wisdom, much fortitude, and notable moderation, that the action is haughtie, the occasion libertie, and the end glorie. But how greatlie they doe erre in so saying, let this saying of good _Camillus_ stand for you and vs indifferentlie, whose notable speach sprung vp from those his inuiolable vertues, spared not this, to affirme in presence of all the Senate vnto the people. Let others (quoth hee) deeme it a thinge euill and reprochfull at anie time to bee founde faultie, in not yeelding ready succors and aid to their country: _Camillus_ for his part is & shal be of that resolute determination, that it is & ought to be reputed for euermore a thing detestable and vild, and of all other the most hatefull and replenished with all execrable miserie. How thinketh then your gentle mind, of the action by this time. Is it (suppose you) anie vertue that thereunto preferreth you? _Camillus_ iudged that it was not reprochfull, but villanous and detestable, so much as to bee founde failing in ought to his countrie, and may it then bee thought a thinge honest to become a persecutor of your countrie?
[Sidenote: _Orismus._]
[Sidenote: _Prosonomasia._]
[Sidenote: Loue.]
[Sidenote: Hate.]
[Sidenote: Feare.]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Sententia._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Epilogus._]
It is not _Fortitude_, but _Temeritie_, that conducteth your enterprises, for _Fortitude_ aspireth to far more noble and statelier purposes. The action and determination, you preferre therein is not (as fondlie by you is conceaued) _honour_, but _haughtines_, not _libertie_, but _loosenes_, not _vertue_, but _viciousnes_: why then continue you in this sorte togethers, vpon so wicked and diuelish a purpose? Why returnest not thou rather to thy self my G. & hauing long before striued to emulate the praise of others by an vnstained gentilitie, wipe nowe quickly off this foule blemish from thee, and couering the filthinesse thereof by a most incomparable fidelitie, become once againe like vnto thy self. At the least wise, if the loue of thy coūtrie, fidelitie towards thy prince, the example of Vertue her selfe and so many her famous and renowned followers (then which no one thinge on earth ought more to allure a man) may not herewith conuince thee, let yet the execrable and immortall hate, that all good men beare to the practise of such kind of crueltie, the feare of euer harbouring shame, and erected ignomie, and neuer after hope (thy credite once consumed) againe to recouer thee, let these I say constrain thee. Whilst there is yet but one craze or slender flaw in the touchstone of thy reputation, peece it vp, & new flourish again by a greater excellēcie, the square of thy workmanship. A fewe daies are to bee passed in which there is yet time, fame wounded in life may once bee restored, if death doe preuente thee, thy shame and destruction is for euer shrowded. The next newes I hear from thee, may make thee fortunate, or me for thee alwaies vnhappie. My longing would bee satisfied of this from which I dehort thee. If onelie herein thou condiscende vnto mee, my selfe am thine, and to none so much as thy selfe absolutely, I loue thee, I require thee, I pray thee, and pray for thee, that thou maist as I wish, and wouldest as I bid, bee for, and to mee. Farewell if thou doest well.
An Example of a disswasorie Epistle, _wherin one is disswaded from fruit- les vanities, to more learned & pro- fitable studies_.
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
I receiued on Saturday last a letter from your Vncle, wherein amongst sundrie other matters I was aduertised, that leauing your former learned studies, whereunto with greate cost and charge of your parents, you had bene trained, you haue giuen your selfe wholie to certaine thinges, the regarde whereof albeit in their moderate vses, I cannot discommende, yet in respecte of your former intendmentes, I can tearme them none other then meere follies, and verie fruitles vanities.
It is reported with vs for certaine, that you are become an excellent good dauncer, that you are growne prettilie skilled on instrumentes, whereon you play reasonablie, that you spende the time limitted for more profite in the Vniuersitie, in making of songes and exquisite fine ditties, that you are verie fitlie seated for wantonnesse, and worthilie behaued in all kind of curious conueyances.
[Sidenote: _concession._]
[Sidenote: _Parison._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
I woulde for mine owne parte nothing at all mislike what herein you haue in some sorte frequented, weighing indeede that as they may bee in sorte entertained, those qualities doe not ill beseeme a Gentleman, but are in their kinde verie fit and commendable to anie youthfull reckoning: yet studying them as you doe by them selues, inuring your selfe whollie to their delighte, abandoning what else might best honour and beautifie their woorthinesse, in respect of the sole propertie of them selues and their owne peculiar goodnesse, I say that in such regarde they are vanities, trifles, thinges of no momente, and in each sounde opinion to bee helde of farre lesse value and iudgement.
[Sidenote: _Prosonomasia._]
The intendment of your going to the Vniuersitie was for _learning_ sake, to become an excellent scholler, not an exquisite dauncer, a Maister of Arte not an artlesse maister, a good Rhetorician, not a conceited Musitian: your Vncles care, was by vilefying his wealth vnto you, (the weight whereof by imminent perilles wee see daylie perish before our eies) to purchase for you the endowment of a farre more greater and assured treasure, and that is by knowledge to teach you to discerne trifles, to procure in you a minde to despise trifles, that leauing small riches to inherit, you your selfe might gather possessions whereby to enrich you.
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Parison._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
You then are farre misconceiued, to relinquish the hoped reckoning of that you came for, to applie your selfe to that which fewe doe accompt of, and the wisest woulde neuer sweate for, you shall therefore vppon better aduise endeuour if you doe well, to returne your conceite to a far more better purpose. You shall call to minde that all studies whatsoeuer, by how much the more excellent ech one appeareth before the other, by so much the more assured are they in their kinde, and aboue all the residue, with far greater estimate to bee preferred: if so? then must you graunt me that no one thing vpon earth (then _learning_, then precious and high esteemed _skill_, then aboue all earthly things whatsoeuer, heauenlie _science_) is of so great and surpassing excellence. To lay out vnto you herein, howe much glorious is her shining hue aboue all others, howe sugred her plantes, howe daintie her fruits, howe delicate her pleasures, howe incomparable her high and statelie reach, how she participateth the skies, the element, the venerable search and knowledge of high and sacred mysteries: I need not, you know it, you haue felt & tasted of it. But to shewe howe much you misprise the force of her vertue, howe ill conceiued, and far wandring, you are from the due esteeme of her glorie, to make loue to her handmaides, to professe liking to her seruantes, to become sole entertainer of her vassals: hereon resteth the iniurie, this is it I complaine of vnto you.
[Sidenote: _congeries._]
[Sidenote: _Parenthesis._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
And if either the sum and type of honestie placed in the weight of the action, the necessitie, meetnes, and worthines, the vtility and benefits seuen hundred fold compensing the trauel, may (as earthly things haue often power to mooue one, aboue things of far higher estimation) induce you to her most dearest and precious fruition, search then the fauor of these your louing mistresses, and (seemlie I grant you may find them) but neuer shall they proue either so wealthy or beautifull. What then should let you to returne to this glorious Ladie? Will you because you are an earthlie substance, followe the common reason of euerie earthlie creature? _humum sapere & alta spernere_? or saying that the appetites of the one are much pleasanter for the time, or far lesse tedious then the other, welde your opinion by a peeuish conceite of ease, to become a creditor to wantonnes?
[Sidenote: _Meiosis._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
These imaginations as they are meerelie bad, so are they ten times woorse in the pursuite, then they are sweete in the foremost thought. Peeuish were it, simplie for you to stande vppon these vanities, thinges wherein children haue delight, and young weaklinges doe roue at cunninglie: you must suppose and harpe vpon the end that must succeede vnto your trauaile, and finding the reache thereof pursue it with feruencie: Such actions as these doe onelie beseeme men, and heerein alone shall you shewe your selfe such as you may desire to bee, and your friends doe heartilie wish you to prooue. Alexander restlesse in the day tyme, gaped for worldles, but in the night season was rocked a sleepe by the _Muses_, the pleasure hereof appeased his day labours, and the content of this gaue rest to his trauels.
[Sidenote: _Peroratiō._]
Too much impertinent were it for me to hale you on with arguments, who onelie go about to perswade you with warrantise: Neither thinke I in the ende you will declare your selfe otherwise, then euer I haue expected of you. Much more could I infer, that might greatlie induce you to that whereunto your owne willingnesse must in the ende, of necessitie conduce you. Onely, if in the weight hereof my perswasions may something preuaile: I shall not forget in any woorthie part thereof, at all times to commend you. In which reposing my selfe for the present, I ende: this of, &c.
_An other example disswasorie, wherein the partie is by diuers rea- sons disswaded from entring into an action in appa- rance verie dangerous._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
[Sidenote: _Propositiō._]
[Sidenote: _Aporia._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
I haue (good brother) receiued your letters, dated the eight day of this instant, which were with as great diligence as celeritie, conueied to my handes, and by the fidelitie of the bearer haue vnderstoode to the vttermost what you willed, and both of that and your letter haue at large considered. It seemeth therin vnto mee, that whether through ignorance of your owne good, or inconsiderate rashnesse of youth, or voluntarie intrusion of your selfe into your owne harmes, I knowe not, but the matter and action mentioned and inforced by the whole course of your letter, is altogither to be misliked, and for the extremitie thereof to bee by all reason vtterly condemned, as whereunto you ought not to condescende, much lesse to bee seene in publique to bee a fauourer of, or, which is more, to appeare to bee, the onelie man through whose follie and immoderate rashnesse, the same is solie to be accomplished.
[Sidenote: _Ecphonesis._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
O good God! what blindnes is it that leadeth you? what sencelesse furie that bewitcheth you? What matter of euill that pursueth you? By the intollerable force whereof, without anie fore-sight at all, either of the goodnesse or ilnesse of the action, the lawlesse prosecution, the matter of your owne reputation, the daunger of lawe wherein you are intruded, the difficultie whereby it must be attained, the vnhonest sollicitation of your friends, to so great a hazard, the discommoditie that thereon is attendant, and perill euerie way that in the execution cannot be auoyded: you will notwithstanding all this forget your selfe so much, as in the accomplishment of a purpose so farre different from the nature (I will not say of a Gentleman) but of an honest man, go about to put in proofe what in the ende must of necessitie returne to your owne confusion.
[Sidenote: _Procatalepsis._]
[Sidenote: _Antipophora._]
[Sidenote: _Orismus._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
[Sidenote: _Etiologia._]
But you will say it is loue, and extreame lyking that compelleth you to so forcible an action, as without the obtaining whereof you are no bodie, you cannot liue. Loue say you? Alas, what loue tearme you this, that is laden with so manie disordered motions, call you this loue? Nay rather call it madnesse, for loue is measured by no extremitie, but in the honest and vertuous encrease thereof, where not by a harebraine furie, but by a discreete and moderate ascention men by degrees doe climbe vnto that, the sweete and pleasant force whereof neuer participateth anie occasion of such vnreasonable badnesse. Why brother, doe you loue her whome you haue sued for, and because by desert you cannot attaine her, will you vndertake thereupon to bereaue her by force? Howe vnhonest I pray you is the purpose of so great a wrong? Howe vnfit to bee put forwarde in the meaner sort of men? How intollerable in a Gentleman? For if in the account of things vnhonest, any action whatsoeuer may appeare to be vile, what then this I pray you may bee deemed more dishonest, more bad, or more vile?
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
And if it be punished extreamly by the lawe, the taking away of a mans goods against his will, 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.
[Sidenote: _Anthypophora._]
[Sidenote: _Concessiō._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Asindeton._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
[Sidenote: _Procatalepsis._]
[Sidenote: _Prosonomasia._]
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, 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. 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. Know you not the Gentlewoman is worthilie descended, that she hath parents, brethren, vncles, and friendes to keepe her, to rescue her, to defend her? Why sir, 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: 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. 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, 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.
[Sidenote: _Concessiō._]
[Sidenote: _Congeries._]
[Sidenote: _Epanodis._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
But graunting vnto your wilfull imagination, 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, your familie, your profession, your maner of liuing: 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, 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.
[Sidenote: _Dialysis._]
[Sidenote: _Sententia._]
[Sidenote: _Confutatiō._]
The conclusion is friuolous, 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, we neuer by compulsion can be procured to like of. 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.
[Sidenote: _Epilogus._]