Part 6
Nowe if wee shall come to his riper yeares, and howe therein hee profited in the towardlie exercise and vse of armes, beeseeming a Prince of so high and exspected admiration, what coulde bee wished in anie one that in him was not fullie accomplished. So comelie, and with such vncontrouled dexteritie coulde hee sitte, ride and gouerne his horse, so couragiously, and with such nobilitie coulde hee welde and vse any weapon, either at tilte, barriers or turney, with such high and woonderfull direction, ordered hee all his complementes to either of these belonging, as did well manifest the magnanimitie and worthinesse of his minde, and what manner a one hee woulde afterwardes become toward the beautifying of his countrie. A more plaine and euident demonstration whereof, did at any one time in nothinge so much appeare as euen then, when hee was yet in his minoritie. For when there was remaining as then, no signe or token at all of manlie shewe in his face (beeing neuer the lesse of stature seemelie and tall, and of goodlie constitution in his bodie, well beseeming the yeares hee then caried) also attendante on the mightie King his father in the warres of Fraunce: what thinges did hee there perfourme? what weightie enterprises, and those beyonde all expectation would hee vndertake, in honour of his royall progenie: was it not too straunge, that beeing in comparison of yeares, as it were a childe, deuoide of so confirmed and auncient graffed experience as beseemed the warres, hee vndertooke notwithstanding at eighteene yeares of age, with halfe his fathers power (by a most couragious desire of an euerthirsting glorie, with condition and charge either there to eternize his death by an euerlasting memorie, or backe to returne againe with triumphant gained victorie) to ioine with the whole and mightie power of Fraunce, and all the Chiualrie thereof, where (to his immortall and surpassing high renowne) hee attained vppon them by the high permission of God, a most memorable Tropheie? But why dwell I in these slender discourses (small God knowes in respect of those mightie conquestes by him afterwards atchieued) in deteining you from the sweete and ardente remembrance of the rest? If he being yet sequestred in years from any ripenes at all, when it was thē to be supposed he most needed gouernmente, coulde by such stately and inuincible valour, so moderate his great and waightiest actions, as to become at that verie instant so redoubted and famous: what might we deem of him afterward, being once perfectly established in all kinde of manly directions, but that of necessity he should by manie degrees exceed and go beyond the formost shewe of all his excellencies, and the greatest expectation that might be of all his progressions? & so vndoubtedly he did. For being once attained to mans estate hee grewe immediatly to become a Prince. sage, discreet, politike & wise, in all his actiōs of rare & singular circūspectiō and prouidence, benigne: & of all others most fauourable and courteous: fortunate, and euer inuincible in the warres, liberall to his followers, and of a high replenished bountie to euerie one, a verie Patrone and defender of innocents, absolutelye fauouring alwayes the right, Magnanimious as touching his estate and the high and waightie enterprises he tooke in hande, exceedinglie feared abroad, woonderfullie beloued at home, mixing alwayes the enterchangeable exercise of Armes, with continuall studie of learning. Of such rare modestie and temperance as is maruellous: In so much as the King his father beeing here in England, when in the great fight of _Poictiers_, hee had discomfited and ouerthrowne in one day three mightie battels of the French, and taken in the last of them king _Iohn_ and his sonne prisoners: he was not puffed vp at all with the honour of so statelie and triumphant victorie, neither grewe he insolent vpon the same, but entertayned the King and his sonne in his owne Tent so honourablie, and therewithall with so great nobilitie and surpassing courtesie, as that hee neglected not to serue them himselfe at Supper, and seemed verely at that season in all things, to haue beene reputed in his owne intendment, as if hee had neuer beene conquerour. The shewe whereof, so much increased his incomparable bountie: and so mightilie honoured the estate of his victorie, as that the King then confessed, that to become the prisoner of such a one, it could bee no disparagement vnto so mightie a soueraigne as himselfe, seeing that hee was by the force of that onely ouerthrowe, made companion of the greatest Nobilitie that euer hee sawe. Manie Honourable partes could I here inferre vnto you of him (infallible arguements of his incredible modestie) for long after this, when this mightie Prince had atchieued so manie and waightie honours throughout all Fraunce, as that the regard thereof made his name a terrour, and his becke a commaunde to compell theyr Soueraigntie vnto his fathers obedience: he was required by _Don Petro_, king of Castile, to helpe him agaynst _Henrie_ his bastard brother, who had then expulsed him vnlawfully; and vsurped vpon his kingdome. Whereupon hauing by the couragious endeuour of him selfe, and his Knightes, and by their sole and onely prowesse, brought downe the vsurper, and driuen him cleane out of the Countrey, (albeit his strength was such, and the admirable fauour of the people so greate, as might easilye haue inuited him there, to the wearing of a crowne) hee neuerthelesse of a high and noble disposition, holding it _farre more honourable to make a king then to be a king_, so farre foorth declared his temperance at that verie instant (not commonlie happening vnto euerie one, especially in causes of a kingdome) as that hee vtterlie abstained so much as to beare an appetite or liking therunto, howbeit good occasiō was therunto ministred by the breach of _Don Petro_ in paiment of his souldiors: but to his immortall renowne, placed and restored therin againe the true & lawful inheritour of the same setling him (according as was intended) in his crowne and kingdome. Could there my L. in any one haue appeared greater arguments of Magnanimitie, Iustice, and Temperaunce, then was remaining in this Prince? And yet if continuall happinesse in all worldly attempts, if neuer ceasing and eternized famous victories, if the commendation and honour done vnto him of his mightiest enemies, if strength and glorie of his countrey, and honoured titles of his victorious father, if confirmed leagues of diuers mightie Princes, Confederates and Alies, if feruent and of all others the moste principall and ardent loue of his Knightes, subiects and followers, if all or anie of these might anie wayes haue induced him to the breach of eyther of these vertues, what wanted to the furtheraunce thereof, that in and vppon him, was not alwayes attendant and (as it were) continuallie powred. Was hee not then wedded to honour, euen in his formost Cradle? Did not _Fortune_ immediately acknowledge him, and confesse that he was her darling? Seemed _vertue_ euer prowde, but in his greatest perfection? Grew _Fame_ at any time so impatient as euen then, when (as the most conuenient harbour of all her worthinesse) she sought out his dwelling? Agreed they not all with one voice to abandon the statelinesse of all others, onelie to bee resiant with him whome they helde most charie of all others? Witnesse among manie other his more then ordinarie attemptes, the three battels (then which no one thing throughout the worlde before or since became of more greater remembraunce) by him in his moste youngest yeares, so miraculouslie foughten, the one of which was at _Cressay_ agaynst the French, when he was but eighteene yeares of age (as you haue before remembred.) the second at _Poictiers_, where died the King of _Bohemia_, and King _Iohn_ of Fraunce became his prisoner: the thirde against the bastard _Henrie_, for the kingdome of Castile, where in one whole intire fight the same _Henry_ bearing a mightie hoste, was by meere surpassing valour and moste woorthie prowesse of this Prince discomfited, and by maine force thereof expulsed his Seignorie. All which exploytes, and manie more besides, celebrating thereby his eternall prayses, when he had with greater glorie, then well may bee conceyued, furnished and finished to the aduauncement of his immortall dignitie: See death, dispightfull death, who ioyning with the malignitie of the wicked world, hatefull alwayes to vertue, and satisfying euer to malicious enuie, bereft the vnwoorthie earth of his most worthie life. But howe? Not as falleth out to euerie common creature, deuoyde of after memorie: for why? the soueraigne commaunder of earth and skyes, allowed it otherwise: neither beseemeth such stately patternes of honoured _vertue_, whose spirites caried with greater efficacie of aspiring eternitie, then those whose duller conceytes are adapted to more terrene and grosse validities, shoulde bee exempted their perpetuitie. And albeit in all the progression of the wished life of this mightie Prince, anie one thing was neuer founde contrarying, blemishing, or in one sort or other impugning his honour (one sole imposition or taxe contraried in his gouernement of _Gascoigne_ excepted) yet in the highest estate of happinesse wherein hee alwayes liued, was hee neuer more happie or glorious, then euen in his verie death. Insomuch as hee then dyed, at which time in most honour and highest, toppe of all prosperitie, hee was principallie established and chieflie florishing: at that instant in which the type of his excellencie was in no one tytle or iote obscured: at that verie season when in the whole course and practise of his life, hauing still addicted himselfe to sounde out the incertaine and momentarie pleasures of the worlde, he had by perfect tryall found out the small validitie and little affiaunce that was to bee reposed in transitorie and fading glorie of the same. Euen then, when in the exchaunge of the eternall habitation (the incomprehensible ioyes whereof no eye hath seene, eare hath heard, nor tongue can expresse,) hee best knewe howe to leaue this wretched life, and to compasse the sweete and wholesome meditation of the other. He died (my L.) as hee euer liued, vertuouslie and honourablie, the determination of whose deceasing corps, was preparation to newe ioyes: and commutation of momentarie pleasures, an assurance of euer flourishing gladnesse. Thus, see you (my good L.) before your eyes, the most certaine and assured counterfeite of verie true Nobilitie, furnished in the discouerie of such a one, whose personage beeing in no kinde of excellencie inferiour, to that in the highest degree may bee of any other imagined: deserueth by so much the more of all honourable estates accordingly to be embraced. Great is the ornament of prayse, and precious the renowne that longeth to such vertue: the Diamond glimpse whereof equalleth in beautie the fairest, and dimmeth by the verie shadowe thereof the glittering pompe of the mightiest. Beautie, strength, comelinesse fadeth, yea, the worlde decayeth, pleasure vanisheth, and the verie face of heauen it selfe perisheth: Onlie sacred _vertue_ is immortall, she neuer dieth, euer quickeneth, absolutely triumpheth, and ouer all other earthly monuments euen out of the deepest graue for euer flourisheth. Liue therefore my L. vertuouslie, and die wheresoeuer and whensoeuer, yet howsoeuer honourablie. My paper burthened with his long discourse, desirous rather to recreate then toyle your L. enforceth an ende. Recommending my humble duetie in whatsoeuer to your honourable acceptance.
=The respects of this |Epistle| argued in the personage of so noble a Prince, haue caried in the matter thereof, the very shew of the highest and chiefest vertues, whereupon all commendation may bee principallie gathered. The next hereunto shall be |Vituperatorie| also touching the person. Wherein as wee haue in the other, sought by all occasions and circumstances therunto incident, what to the furtherance of such requisite commendation might be alledged: so will we herein imagin vpon what groundes or respects the occasions of dispraise, may as farre forth otherwise in anie other qualitie be remembred.=
_An example of an Epistle vituperatorie, concerning also the person._
[Sidenote: _Exordium._ Of the cause mouing admiration.]
[Sidenote: _Narratiō._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Erotema._]
[Sidenote: _Paradoxon._]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._]
[Sidenote: _Paradoxon._]
[Sidenote: His Parents.]
[Sidenote: _Auxesis._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria. Epanodis._]
[Sidenote: _Antiphrasis._]
[Sidenote: _Apostrophe._]
[Sidenote: His childhood.]
[Sidenote: _Ecphonesis._]
[Sidenote: _Omoioteleton._]
[Sidenote: _Adolescencie._]
[Sidenote: _Sinathrismus._]
[Sidenote: _Parison._]
[Sidenote: _Brachiologia._]
[Sidenote: _Ironia._]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Epiheton._]
[Sidenote: _Allegoria._]
[Sidenote: His youth and age.]
[Sidenote: _Asyndeton._]
[Sidenote: _Antipophora._]
[Sidenote: _Transitiō._]
[Sidenote: _Prosonomasia._]
[Sidenote: _Hypotyposis._]
[Sidenote: His inordinarie sicknes.]
[Sidenote: _Merismus._]
[Sidenote: _Epiphonema._ His death.]
[Sidenote: _Metaphora._]
[Sidenote: _Epilogus._]
Sir, the straungenesse of an accident happening of late amongst vs, hath occasioned at this instaunt, this discourse to come vnto your handes. There was, if you remember, at your last beeng with mee in the Countrey, a man of great abilitie, dwelling about a mile from me, his name was B. and if I faile not of memorie therein, wee had once at a dinner together sitting (by occasion of a pleasaunt Gentleman then beeing in our companie) greate speaches of him: the man I knowe is not cleane out of your conceite, and therefore I will cease in further speaches at this presente to reuoke him. What generall hate the people bare him, and howe ill hee deserued from his first conuersing among them, you haue not (I am sure) forgotten, in so much as he was called the _Hell_ of the world, the _Plague_ of a common-weale, the _Mischiefe_ of men, and the _Bondslaue_ of the deuill. And no maruaile, for what iniurie mighte bee conceiued, that was not by him imagined? what euill coulde there bee that hee shunned to practise? What mercilesse dealing that hee woulde not proffer? What apparant wrong that hee ceased to inferre? What execrable extortion that hee cared not to committe? What villanie so damnable that he durste not put forwarde? O God, it is incredible to thinke, and vnpossible to bee surmised, howe greate, howe forcible, howe manifolde, howe mischieuous, howe insufferable, howe detestable hath beene the originall, progression, continuation, and determination of his most wicked and shamelesse life, and were it not that by the incessant outcries, continuall cursinges, and horrible denuntiations of the innumerable multitude of those, whome in his life time hee yoked, whome with his actions he feared, whom with the weighte of his endelesse wealth, hee poized downe, that they durste not then whisper in secrete, what nowe they openlie discouer, whereby the force of his wickednesse being then secrete, became not as nowe so open and apparant. I durste not me thinkes of my selfe so much as surmize but the one halfe of that, wherein he became so notorious, so rare and vnused are the euils, wherein hee seemed so throughly to bee fleshed. I haue woondered sithence with my selfe many times: what soyle it might bee, or what constellation so furious, as effected their operations in production of so bad and vile a creature, at the time when hee was first put forwarde with liuing into the worlde: In the search whereof I haue beene the lesse astonied, in so much as thereby I haue growne into some particular knowledge of his originall and parentes. His sire I haue vnderstoode was a villaine by birth, by nature, by soyle, by discente, by education, by practise, by studie, by experience: his damme the common sinke of euerie rakehels filthinesse: the one of whome (after innumerable offences committed, whereby hee deserued a thousande deathes) was at the last for a detestable and notorius crime burned peecemeale vppon a stage in Holland, and the other (after sundrie consuming and filthie diseases, neuer able to rid her) was in like manner hanged aliue in chaines for a most horrible murder in England. Expect you not then, that the procreation and generation of such an issue, must by argumente of the Parentes condition, sorte to some notable purpose: you doe I know, and in trueth howe coulde it otherwise bee likely. Nowe if hereby wee shoulde conceiue of his education, and howe his childehoode past away beeing fostered vp as hee was, from one place to another, without any certaine abiding, but onely _Cœlum omnibus commune_, the common habitation of the worlde. We must no doubte suppose that he sawe much, knewe much, practised much, ouerpassed much, and was glutted with verie much. And surely if I shoulde giue credite to some whome I durst beleeue, that knewe him euen then when hee was not much more then a childe, the verie yeares he lastly bare, gaue not more assured testimonie of what hee nowe was, then the season in which he then passed, did yeelde an inuiolable approbation, what in time following he would become, for euen thē; what rapine, what theft, what iniurie, what slaunder, what lying, what enuie, what malice, what desperate boldnesse, and daring to enter into any mischiefe, was in him throughly planted? There was not (by reporte) any one thinge whereby a man might afterwarde bee coniectured to become infamous, but was in him fully replenished. Credite mee, I coniecture so manifoldly of the sequell of his actions, as when I vnderstande what hee was so ripely, I maruaile that hee liued thus long so wickedly. But shall I turne here from, to his Adolescencie, and shew what therein I haue hearde? Truely it passeth all capacitie to be censured: and it is too much to bee thought vppon. His pride, his bouldnes, his shameles countenance, his lookes, his gesture, his shew, his liuing, his conuersation, his companie, his hauntes shewed still what hee was: There was no rake-hell, no ruffian, no knaue, no villaine, no cogging raskall, no hatefull companion, no robber on high waies, no priuy pilferer, but his hande was in with him, and that hee was a copesmate for him, no brothell house but he haunted, no odde corner but hee knewe, no cutter, but hee was a sharer with, no person so lasciuious, abiect, vilde, or dissolute, but hee would bee a copartner with. Yet after all these trades, hauntes, sharinges, and partakings, hee became at last to serue an olde miser, aged for his yeares and miserable for his couetousnes. This wretched olde man (as each one fancieth as hee liketh) conceiued so much of the odde youth, that hee took him into his seruice, where, with badde attire, and thredbare diet, hee liued with him a prettie season, somewhat more then quarter maister. In the ende (by whose thefte God knowes) the man had a chist broken vp, and a little coyne and plate stolne, where with (becomming desperate) it was deliuered hee hung himselfe for griefe, and beeing nowe deade, lefte no issue or other heire, to succeede his wretchednesse and double barred hoorde, but B. his man, who being a strong lubber, was by this time growne a sturdie knaue, and would needes bee counted a man, and thereupon hee became owner and intruder to his maisters pelfe, wretchednes and miserie. To reckon to you since, howe hee came into the countrie here, beecame a purchaser, howe hee hath spente his youth, passed his olde age, what bribery, extortion, wrong, crueltie, rapine, mischiefe, and all kinde of villanie, hee hath bolstered, perpetrated, followed: what infidelitie, falshoode, reuenge, priuy guile, treacherie, betraying the innocent, beating downe the poore, fatherlesse and widowes: howe much euill hee hath done and what litle good he hath deserued, what shoulde I clogge my selfe with the remembrance, or trouble you with the rehearsall. It is too much, I am not able, I cannot, nay, it were vnpossible to perfourme it. What resteth then, but that I hasten to the scope which in my foremost purpose was intended, that hauing deliuered his shamefull life, I doe reporte vnto you his shamelesse and vnaccustomed death. See then the incomprehensible power and iustice of God, see the weight of his measure, see the woonderfull demonstration of his secrete iudgement, howe of a carelesse life ensueth a cankered death: of a wilfull liuing a wretched ending: of such money misers so manifolde miseries; as whereof I sigh to thinke, and grieue to remember. The man somewhat before his sicknesse grew into an extreame numnesse, in so much as hee that neuer lusted to helpe others, was not nowe able to helpe himselfe, nor any cared to relieue him: afterwardes fretting and fuming with him selfe as it seemed, that not withstanding his greate masse of money, and huge heape of wealth, none could bee entreated with prayers, or hiered with guiftes, so much as to meddle with him, he grew into such a frensie, and consequently, into so ranck a madnes, that hee sate swearing and blaspheming, crying, cursing, and banning, and that most execrable, his lookes were grimme, furious and chaunged, his face terrible, his sight fiery and pearcing, they that sawe him feared, and they that heard of it durst not come nigh him. In conclusion, some that pittied him more then his deseruing, and grieued to see that, they coulde not redresse in him, caused a companie to watch him, others to prouide warme brothes, and in conclusion vsed all meanes possible to comforte him. But what can man doe to preuent the secret determination of the almightie? For loe whilst all men lefte him, and each one stoode in doubt of him, a companie of rattes vpon a sudden possest his house, his tables, his chymnies, his chambers, yea his verie bed and his lodging, vpon which & about which, they were so bold, as in the sight of the beholders they durst appeare and come before them, and beeing stroken, aboade, and were killed, and others come in their places: What shall I say, the sight became so vncouth, as all men shunned, ech one feared, and none durst abide it; whereupon the miser beeing lefte alone, thus pittifully died. The stench of his corpes admitted neither day-light nor companie wherein to bee buried. Two onely that were the conueyers of him, sickened vehemently, and one of them dyed, the other is yet scarcely recouered. The matter hereof seemed vnto me so straunge, and therewithall so opportune to warne vs of our actions, considering how seuerely God punisheth when hee is once bent to correction, as I coulde not but deeply consider of it, weighing with my self that such as was his life, such was his death, the one beeing hated of manie, the other not to be tolerated of any. The circumstance whereof, referring herewith to your deep consideration, I doe bid you hartily farewell.
_Of Epistles deliberatiue. Chap. 10._