Part 21
This poore liuing (once in maner lost, afterwards recouered, and yet still fearefullie kept, the rather by meane of a newe trouble, moued vnto me by maister B.) I was in fine driuen to offer for a little, but to sell for lesse. Now here begins my iust cause of complaint. For vpon firme hope of your L. fauour towards me, and that you would according to your honourable promises haue done me an expected good: I was content to yeeld my interest for eleuen hundred and three score pounds, where sixteene hundred pounds had beene before offered by my kinsman, and so I then told you.
This offer of mine, your L. for the time accepted, yeelding with some difficultie to paie the odde eight score poundes, where I ought it. Howe be it afterwardes, hauing gotten the Lease into your hands, and beeing possessed of the bargaine, and none nowe daring to take the same from you, you quarrelled with the Lease as before you had done with the title, and made mee a fresh abatement of the odde eight score poundes, affirming it to bee no part of your charge to paie my debts.
To salue this mischiefe, and to saue my eight score poundes (your Lordship hauing reported the former bargaine to your most aduauntage) I laboured without auaile, to helpe your memorie therein. Protesting (and that most trulie) that vpon mine earnest and humble petition vnto your L. to leaue mee woorth a thousand pounds, and to paie my debts, and in regarde also of the great abatement of what I might haue had else where, your Lordshippe had condiscended in the former conference to discharge the same. And thereupon willed me, at my next returne to bring a note of my debts, with the names of my creditors.
This tale I well remember with more trueth then good successe vttred (speciallie the often touch of what my kinsman had offered me) did greatlie mislike you. Whereupon growing in heate (yet with some regard of honour) you swore that if anie other bought the same at my handes then your selfe, you would haue it for lesse then fiue hundred pounds, yea, for nothing, or else it should go hard. Marie keeping it my selfe, you said you would stand my friend: which hote or colde conclusion, I protest did so appale, as with feare of further losse, with griefe and discontentment I grewe sicke, and thereupon resolued to take what you would giue me.
Your Lordship hauing thus, what with countenaunce and choler dismayed mee, and finding by such peremptorinesse my sense to bee ouercome, you ranne on still with this wresting course, and vpon authoritie without cause or colour, cut me yet thirtie pound shorter. So as in place of one thousand sixe hundred pound offered mee by my kinsman in the Countrey, your Lordship gaue mee nine hundred and seuentie pound, leauing me out of this to pay a hundred and sixtie pound debt.
By these meanes (right Honourable) was I then halfe impouerished, and am now altogither vndone, hauing neither skill to vse that little you gaue, nor will to raise my selfe after my fall, which I thought impossible.
It was a wholsome caueat giuen mee by your Lordship, and a full resolution put downe by my selfe, rather to stoope and to liue somwhat sparing, then by anie prodigalitie to impaire my stock: but being neither Marchant, Artizan, Broker, nor Vsurer, nor hauing among manie debtors, scarce one good payer, I coulde hardly frame to doe what was aduised me, or be so much mine owne friend, as at first I had determined.
My state then brought thus lowe, my friends decayed and dead, my liuing sold for little, and the money spent, I resolued and stil doe with the rest to leaue my Countrey, as well to couer my want from mine enemies, as to seuer my selfe from so vnfortunate acquaintance.
Find time therefore I beseech your honour, before my going to examine these particulars, they containe I protest nothing but matter of truth. It is a high vertue and most commendable in a man of your state, to right your inferiour against your selfe, by this shall you winne him vnfainedlie to loue you, who now vpon iust cause can do no lesse, then thinke himselfe wronged by you.
And so my good L. this bill exibited into your chamber, not into any court, deliuered to your owne handes, and to no man els, I leaue to your honourable and best consideration, humblie once againe beseeching your L. to suspend your hardest conceit against mee, for expostulating my griefs, in repect my plainnes herein, passeth not without truth, nor any wrong enforced, but vpon iust occasion.
_Of Epistles Exprobratorie. Chap. 4._
=From matter |Expostulatorie|, wee will nowe turne our selues to the next title beeing |Exprobratorie|, vnder which is contained cause indeede of vehement and grieuous disdaine: chieflie touching offences that impugne a contrarie and laudable merite and desert. For which, howbeit in all ciuill vsages it be accounted vndecent, vncourteous, and vnbeséeming anie gentle condition, to reproch a man in time of mislike, with good offices or turnes, that before he hath receiued. So when contrarie to the honest affection vnto him bountifully tendred, a man shall either vngratefully refuse to recognize the same goodnes, or impudentlie, vnciuilly, or inhumainly go about to reward euil for good, and to enforce a most vniust vexation, where himselfe hath receyued most comfort. In such cases to vse this _Exprobratory_ maner of writing, to signifie vnto yᵉ party so forgetfull of gentlenes, both what he hath receiued, and howe much he was charged by all waies, limits and means that may be enforced, of humanitie, pietie, or gentlenes, it shall not be amisse, and to such ende & no other is this |Exprobratorie| kind of Epistles to be vsed: Of which, some certaine examples are in this place to be deliuered.=
_An example of an epistle Exprobratorie touching ingra- titude receiued._
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Synathrismus._]
[Sidenote: _Commoratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Liptote._]
[Sidenote: _Metonoia._]
[Sidenote: _Synonymia._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
I doe not maruell at your woonted and sundrie delayes in aunswering my requestes, nor that you breake so manie promises with your friendes for the gratifying of their courtesies: In that beeing thinges by nature annexed as they are to so seruile a condition, they seeme (as remedilesse) in all discreet iudgementes to bee borne withall. But that I wonder at, is, howe my selfe (knowing as I doe, and hauing so often tasted of that contemptible and harde disposition of yours towardes mee) should yet be so assotted, as to straine my friendes, to spende my money, exercise my wits, yeelde my trauell, bende my care, and passe my credite, to relieue, vpholde, nourish and maintaine such a one, in bringing him from nought to ought, from the dunghill to the court, from woe to wealth, as hath neither honestie to regarde me, wit to vse me, will to requite me, ciuilitie to respect mee, good nature to thanke me, nor any one sparke of endeuour whereby so much in good seeming to behaue himselfe towards me. Many occasions haue beene giuen mee before time by some other misprizers of my curtesie, but you of all others haue exceeded and do passe them all in vnhonestie. That I shoulde bee occasioned thus to reproch you as I doe, is iwis vnto me no great contentment, but that at my handes who alwaies haue so manifoldlie deserued of you, you should so far forth challenge to be reproched, that certainly is it whereof you ought most to bee ashamed. Howe many wayes you haue wronged me, and howe little cause hereafter I haue to entermedle or haue to doe with you, hauing so ingratefully, nay rather inhumanelie dealt with me, let the world iudge betweene you and me. Had I tried you in much, or in one halfe of that whereby in very dutie you are charged vnto me, it had beene somewhat to haue denied me: But in a matter so slender, so small valued, and but a trifle, to delay me, to stande with mee, to breake promise with mee, and which is worst of all, most vnciuillie therewith to bearde me, that of all others is the most detested that may bee. Sorie I am, not that I haue knowne you, for the knowledge shall keepe mee from you, but that in nourishing of you, I forgot my selfe so much, as I coulde neuer till this present perceiue nor looke after you. Fare as you will for me, who euer hereafter desire neither to know nor see you. From B. this of, &c.
_An Epistle exprobatory, more largely exampled._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
[Sidenote: _Hyperbole._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
Albeit vnto a gentle minde there is nothing lesse proper, then a reproching of benefittes: nor any thing more contrarying, then to bee touched with discurtesies: yet respecting the weight of the manifold wrongs done vnto me, & most iniurious deuises, wherein thou hast contrary to all lawes of nature, vertue, or honestie, gone about to abuse mee, rewarding not euill, but worse then mischiefe it selfe, for good, and doing that which all men hate, and the most discreet doe abhorre in requitall of that which I chieflie deserued of thee, I hold my selfe neither to be touched in gentlenes, nor deemed at all in discurtesie, if to such a Camelion I giue his due colours, of so vile a viper doe bewray the feature, to so ingratefull a wretch doe blaze forth his picture, and of so vglie a beast do yeeld his due portraiture, to the ende that at least it may appeare vnto thy selfe, howe vnlike to that thou hast euer seemed vnto me, I haue nowe found thee, and how contrarying to that my selfe haue manifoldly bounde thee, thou hast now shewed thy selfe vnto me.
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Brachiologa._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
[Sidenote: _Anthipophora._]
To the opening whereof let mee call to remembraunce that beeing here a great while sithence a straunger, spoiled of that thou haddest, laden with sicknesse, pursued of thy foes, burdensome to thy friends, subiect to a number of casualties, of death, pouertie, hatred, penurie, griefe, trouble, and want, I tooke thee, I kept thee, I relieued thee, I prouided for thee, and that at such time as when forsaken of all others, thou wast onely compassed with extremitie, had not this one curtesie, nay rather vnaccustomed kindnes, beene sufficient alone, wherewith to haue bound thee? Questionlesse it had, rested there at al any sparke of good condition within thee, yet had this been all that I had done for thee, happilie could I then haue contented my selfe, and haue thought that thou haddest therein alone dealt but ingratefullie.
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Commoratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Aporia._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: _Paradoxon._]
[Sidenote: _Hyperbole._]
Abhorrest thou not in the perusing hereof to thinke howe thou hast vsed mee? Well knowest thou that on this hie point of curtesie, I stucke not alone with thee, for after a recouery by my meanes had, and restitutions of thine estate, vnto thy wonted possessions, health, freedome and libertie, I not only so setled thee, but beeing haled thy selfe (as it were) out of the Lions iawes, I made thine aduersaries a praie vnto thee, I fauored thee, I loued thee, I esteemed thee when none would regard thee, when all men despised thee. Were not these benefits sufficient, to haue yoked any good or honest disposition vnto me? What Viper may I then terme thee? what monster or hellish imp that not onely hast not vouchsafed so much as to requite, but scornest in apparance so much as to beare a good opinion towardes me? Is it possible that man than a Serpent, or than the very Crocodile it selfe should become more malicious, yet hast thou in far greater quantitie then these contained thy venome, the Hydra was not answerable vnto thy propertie, the very Sauages themselues could not equall thee, thou art infine beyond all, and there are none beyond thee, for both men and beasts do abhor thy treachery.
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Sententia._]
[Sidenote: _Pleonasmus._]
[Sidenote: _Polyptoton._]
What then auaileth that of such a one I haue merited so highlie? Whereto serueth it to haue extended on him so greate and vnused bounty? The dog fawneth by kinde where he is loued, the Tyger by gentlenes is from his cruelty disturned, the Lion wil not suffer a kindnes vnregarded. But thou (hatefull of all others) degenerating from all nature both of men and beasts weighest not of friendship, reiectest fauors, hatest all gentlenes, regardest no kindnes, contemnest merits, and kindlesse of all kinds, or rather sequestred from any kinde, giuest thy selfe to rewarde the best deseruinges, with vnauoidable and most destestable villanies.
[Sidenote: _Epizeuxis._]
[Sidenote: _Anaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Antithesis._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
Had I not too much deserued as I haue done at thy handes, it might in some sort haue sufficed me. Had I by any known or pretended euill, euer pursued thee, had I meant at any time badly vnto thee, it might yet haue cōtented me, that forgetfull of al that before passed, thou shouldest in this hatefull manner haue dealt with mee. But hauing onely heaped on thy head a multitude of fauors, receiued thee as I haue done with so sundrie curtesies, imbraced thee as thou knowest with infinite contentmentes, deliuered thee from death, and verie hellish tormentors, what kindnesse could be more, or what merite so ample? And contrariwise, what requitall so slender, what acknowledgement so bad, or what recompence so euill, then wherewith besides all course of iustice and equitie thou hast most vnnaturally acquited me? One only comfort resteth, that of all honest minds thou art hated deseruedly, and out of all gentle company art excluded perpetually, wherin hauing the only solace vnto my grieued conceits, that for the present may be acquired, I liue in hope to see thee once againe to haue neede of mee, when according to thy demerits I shall thinke of thee, and in the meane while esteeme of thy fashions, as thou hast giuen me cause to accompt of them.
Of Letters inuectiue. _Chap. 5._
=To these |Exprobratorie| epistles, doth next follow the title |inuectiue|. A sharpe and bitter inueighing against the person, déedes, or behauiours of men, occupied altogether in condemning, disabling, and wresting, whatsoeuer maie bee collected to the reproofe, diminution, or impugning of anie one, and that by all maner of quips, tauntes, reproches, blames, imputations, or designmentes that maie bee of euils. And yet this not by a disordered, malicious or railing humour, vniustlie and without great and forcible cause to be pursued, but by a learned, discreete, lawfull, or reasonable toleration to be followed, which in all maner of directions is principallie to be required. The conueiance is as full of Art as anie others, that heretofore haue beene exampled vnto you, and as well for rife and quicke inuention, as orderlie disposition, enforcementes, and neate deliuerie, hath his speciall commendation.=
_An example of an Epistle Inuectiue of a father against his sonne._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]
[Sidenote: _Metonoia._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
[Sidenote: _Liptote._]
[Sidenote: _Periphrasis._]
The sight of your letters, and message receiued by your seruant haue (good Coosen) bred to mee in perusing and harkening vnto the same, no small matter of disquiet, not that your letters or messages for themselues are, or haue beene at anie time ill welcome to my hands, but in respect of him for whom they come, whom in truth I neuer recke if I heare of, so filled haue I beene long since with the euils by him committed. I am nothing ignorant that of loue and meere good will you beare to mee and mine, you framed your speeches vnto me, which with how much tediousnes I haue considered of, and with what willingnes I could haue omitted to answere them, no one can so wel giue testimony, as the burthen of mine owne sorrow beareth witnes vnto me.
[Sidenote: _Apostrophe._]
[Sidenote: _Noema._]
[Sidenote: _Liptote._]
But for that I see you are ill conceyted at my heauinesse, and of your owne good nature woulde gladlye finde meane to recouer that vnto mee, which my selfe am out of hope for euer to compasse, I am content, though ill pleasing to my remembraunce, and the rather also that by the extremitie of the euilles your owne minde maie bee disswaded from anie further dealing in the cause, to shewe vnto you the good conditions of him you sue for, what manner a sonne hee hath alwayes beene vnto mee, what reason thereby I haue to commaunde him from mee, and howe farre wide you are, that in such sort as you declare, doe conceiue both of him, and of mee.
[Sidenote: _Paralepsis_]
I neede not repeate heere vnto you, with what fatherlie care I haue brought him vppe to mannes estate, by what prouident foresight, I sought both with maintenaunce and conuenient place of credite, to continue him as a Gentleman, howe vnwilling I was to enter into the search of euerie small offence, but attributing the force thereof to his tyme of youth, was content to winke at that manie times, the sufferaunce whereof I doubted would turne to the ruine that it presentlie carrieth. I will but giue you an instaunce of the same, to the intent that as you shall knowe thereof, so may you in reuoluing the rest, consider the better howe vnkindlie, yea, more then vnnaturallye I maie saie, hee hath rewarded me, and therewith will come to the present estate wherein he now remaineth.
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Commoratio_.]
It is I iudge about three yeares sithence, to the intent to retaine him in some good order of life, I placed him with a right godlie and worshipfull Knight, Sir H. D. who for my sake both loued him, and I knowe tooke paines to the vttermost to reforme him, before that time I had placed him in an Inne of Courte, where with expences sufficient I kept him. In both of these places hee brought mee more then I will rehearse indebted, ranne himselfe on the rockes, durst not besides (for that priuilie hee had taken vp) to shewe his head. Complaints were infinite against him, this man could not bee in quiet for him, that mans seruant hee misused, this partie hee deceyued, that other hee highlie wronged: what coulde I doe vnto these thinges, but as one desirous to reclaime him whom he knewe to be his owne (though with a resolute vow neuer to deale with him,) I then had cast him off, yet by intreatie of his friends, and his earnest submission I receiued him againe. Sithence which too much it is to be reuealed, how stubbornlie euen in mine owne house, how iniuriously among mine owne people, he hath behaued himselfe, by reason whereof as compelled for the quiet of mine owne familie, I appoynted him to goe from hence into S. there to remaine with his Vncle. And because it was against a Christmasse, and that I woulde not dismisse him vnfurnished of that belonged vnto a Gentleman, (besides that, with a couple of good Geldings I horsed him and his man, and suted him of apparell, and what other needfull necessaries) I deliuered him twentie pounds in his purse. Hee was no sooner gone to D. beeing not past twentie myles from my house, but the verie same night hee loste all his money at dice, pawned his horses for twentie Nobles, and was faine of an honest friend of mine to borrow tenne poundes for his expences, and to redeeme his Geldings, one of my poore Tenants there refusing to supplie his wantes, hee fowlie beate, and if companie had not come in to the rescue, had like to haue slaine him.
Nay, what hath hee done more, but knowing that these his ill demeanours comming once to mine eares, I woulde neuer after repute of him, hee hath confederated with a wicked rascall that once was his man, who beeing the verye same night in his companie, the next day after came to my house and robbed me.
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Prolepsis._]
[Sidenote: _Prosopopœia._]
Are not these impieties (thinke you) verie straunge? What Nature is in such a sonne, nay, where in him are those district lawes of Nature become, that commonlie enforceth in all other children, an awfull loue and reuerent regarde vnto their parents? Where is the feare of diuine and humane lawes, the one threatning a sharpe scourge for such vndutifulnesse, and the other punishing by penall forfeytures and imprisonments, the manner of such detestable and disordered loosenesse. To what issue is the auncient right and laudable custome of our forefathers alreadie runne, that whilome by seuere directions compelled the runnagate vsage of their children to a more district imposition and farre estranged exaction then nowe vsed, of a most rare and singular obedience? Why is the common intendment earst in our predecessours tymes, of lawfull and good so accustomablie vsed, thus quite forworne, and in these our seasons (filled with all kind of carelesnes) so far forth disgraced? who is he that now recketh farther then his owne fantasie, or what sonne wil for any zeale or dutie once seeke to repell his owne appetite? Whither are ye gone yee iust and seuere iudges, by whose sentence and opinion definitiue sharpe and bitter tortures were laid downe vnto them, that durst presume by any outward shewe in the world, but once so much as to countermaund the authoritie of their fathers?
[Sidenote: _Emphasis._]
[Sidenote: _Aporia._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Orismus._]
[Sidenote: _Peroratiō._]
O times more iniurious then euill it selfe, by whose onely sufferance, mischiefe spreadeth her selfe so highly as it doth, into such manifold branches. What would you haue me to say in these things? thinke you not that I haue alreadie receiued discontentment inough at such a ones hande? or would you wish me againe by returning him home weetinglie, to sucke vp mine owne misfortune, and by nourishing an expugnable wickednesse, to see a demonstration of mine owne sorrowe and destruction daylie before mine eyes? No, no, coosin, I haue (I hope) taken order sufficient for these thinges, his presence I am resolued shal no more disquiet mee, by hearing or remembrance of him, if no friend of mine doe otherwise vexe mee, for needes a vexation must it bee, be it but the least suppose, to conceiue that I haue yet remayning vnto mee such a sonne. Take heede (good Coosen) that as hee hath deceyued a great manie others, but mee of all others most especiallie, he also doe not deceyue you. Driue him quicklie from your presence, and thinke that a greater plague can you not receyue into your familie, then a person so vile, and of all others demeaned so wickedlie. This is all that I can delyuer you of my present opinion, but not the least of a thousande other accidents occasioning the same. Whereon I am determined fullie to repose my selfe. Sending in the meane time my heartiest commendations and earnest thankes for the indifferent care had of my being both to you and your bedfellow, this of, &c.
_An answere purgatorie of the sonne touching matters Inuectiue of the former Epistle._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._]