THE ACADEMY of Complements. OR, PEARLES OF ELOQƲENCE.
SIr, Your conceptions are so strong, that they transcend my ordinary imaginations.
Sir, You honour me, as if you did erect me a thousand Statues.
Sir, You are above Fortune, which must stoope to your honours.
[Page 2] Sir, Your deserts draw admiration from your very enemies.
Sir, I shall ever as really as at this houre, remaine your creature.
You honour mee so farre, that I imagine my selfe to be some other thing, then I have beene.
I doe repute my selfe happy, to be valued by a person, who is able to give a true estimate of me.
Sir, Your judgement doth amaze vulgar wits, since in you alone all those perfections are found, can be sought for on earth.
Lady, Your forme doth so ravish beholders, that you seeme a heavenly creature in a mortall carcasse.
Blemish not your mind with such detestable qualities least the staines of voluptuousnesse doe besmeare the excellencies of your proportion.
Sir, If you proceed to be so profuse of your treasures, mines of gold will not maintaine your prodigall expences.
Good Sir give me leave to feare least some sinister stormes of fortune stiffe the early bloomings of my felicities.
Sir, The toyish conceits of your youth [Page 3] [...]re unfit for the testie cogitations of my age.
Sir, There is a confused Chaos of contrary [...]onceits that wherles in my braines, and I [...]m lost in such an endlesse Labyrinth that [...]either choice nor chance can draw mee [...]ut of.
Give mee leave Sir, to gaine that from your experience, that otherwise all the treasures of the earth cannot purchase.
Sir, Should you continue to be thus ex [...]essive in your actions, the whole world would take notice of you, as the mirror of an [...]mmoderate life.
Bee not so inconstant in your affections, [...]east in the conclusion you prove like the Marigold, to open at the sunne-shine of prosperity, and to shut at the least appearance of the clouds of adversity.
Leave mee Sir, whilst I learne to despise such Gnathoes and to shake off such flattering curres with the flagge of my defiance.
Theseus faire one did never more triumph at his deliverance from the perillous Labyrinth then I from the pernitious bondage of such cruell beauty.
Fortune and fate place thee in the Palaces [Page 4] of their earthly felicities.
So rarely accomplisht that it was hard to know whether vertue or beauty held supremacy in so rare a structure.
Sir, being incensed by your singular commendations, I am perswaded to her only to commit the chiefest treasures of my life and fortunes.
Pardon my rudenesse faire creature, since neither love nor fortune delighteth nor careth for them that are dastards.
Madam, You are the Saint to whose shrine I daily offer up my scalding sighs.
For your Beauty mistresse I may name you Venus, for your comelinesse Pallas, for your port and honour Juno.
If I want an Apology faire creature, Let love and necessity plead for me since they are tyed within no bounds.
Madam you are an object beautified with the richest gifts of nature, polisht with more then terrene perfections.
Tis you alone faire one that have made a breach into the Bull-warke of my breast, where like a gorgeous goddesse you command all my powers.
Feare not Sir, Love and fortune favours those that are bold.
[Page 5] Sir, To grant you this one position is to admit of innumerable absurdities.
Madam, It is the perfection of your exquisite person, Majesticke features, and rare beauty that kindles my desires.
Mistris, Deceive mee not, least while I [...]hinke to imbrace you for Juno, I catch a cloud.
Madam, Take heed of using Cupid so [...]rabidly, for though he forgive and forget, Venus is a woman and will seeke revenge.
Sir, It is impossible that her heavenly beauty should be eclipsed with cruelty.
Madam, Though I have fought never so valiantly under the flagge of affections, yet except you crowne my indeavours with a voluntary yeelding I can never prevaile.
Mistris, If you take mee for franticke blame love, which as it comes from you as the cause so it consumes without reason.
Who can degenerate, fairest of women, or dare to entertaine base thoughts, when he views so glorious an object?
Sir, I am desirous to be suspitious of those felicities, I feare, I shall not long enjoy.
I am out of love with my selfe, that I may admire your vertues.
[Page 6]The charmes of Magicians are frivolous to me, in respect of the power of your presence.
I cannot looke upon your face, but I am perswaded to resigne my selfe up to you, as a wreath of victory.
That which blacks the Moores, and burns Libya, hath not so powerfull a lustre, as the beames of your beauty.
Halfe the Court is engaged to your expressions, and those whom you besiege with your language, must needs acknowledge you for victorious.
Mistris, Your breath is as sweet, as if you fed only on Pinkes and perfumes.
Sir, I cannot degenerate so farre from mine owne happinesse, as to forget you, to whose desires alone the events of all things are sutable.
Let me beg of you to take notice of those advantages are bestowed upon you, above the rest of men.
Sir, If in your imagination, I am worthy to be esteemed of, it must be by your wisdom only, which can set a value upon my defects.
Sir, Your favour is the foundation of all my fortunes.
[Page 7] Sir, It is your presence only can dissipate the clouds of my blackest melancholy.
Sir, In the midst of all my felicities, I shall have need of you to make mee happie; for without you, I shall ever esteem my selfe absolutely miserable.
Sir, I will rather put my reputation to the adventure, then refuse to act any thing you shall command me.
Sir, I have ever reflected on you, as on an extraordinary person, and have ever passionately remained yours.
Sir, I am so taken with you, that I am even sicke at the relation of your indisposition.
Sir, I shall not be backward in the expression of your merits, since they doe so exact an acknowledgement of all.
Sir, You shall never be able to accuse this Tenent as erronious, since I have never falsified my selfe to you, but have ever thought my selfe perfectly happy, to bee reputed yours.
Be carefull faire one, least being lead captive by security your mind float in the surging Seas of idle conceits, whilst the puffe of voluptuous pleasures and the stifling [Page 8] stormes of unbridled fancy with raging blasts make a shipwrack of your beauty.
Sir, I will endeavour hereafter to incounter your graces courtesies with an unwearied constancy in the wayes of vertue.
Sir, I shall indeavour to countervail such paines with a princely Liberality.
Sir, The trumpet of your royall fame hath moved us who are but subjects of your generous liberality with all humilitie to entertaine such noble and heroicke favours cast upon us poore creatures most unworthy of such benefits.
Madam, There is no object can allure my wavering eyes as your Venus-like beauty.
Madam, The force of your beauty hath over-powered the weaknesse of my fancie since the exquisite perfections of your vertues are characterd in my brest.
Madam, Were you as wise as Minerva or as gorgeous as Iuno, yet the accounts of your beauty being cast up, the gaines of his affection might be put in the eyes of your Lover.
Coy one what happinesse insued the chastity of Penelope, nay rather what miseries pursued not the vertues of a Lucretia? how [Page 9] wretched are they then that deale with Ʋenus or Diana, since love is a fatall care, hate a finall calamity?
Blame me not faire one, though my fixed fancies once abused turne to a fury.
By those smiles of your beauty your creature that before was plunged in a perplexitie, is now placed in the height of earthly felicities.
Mistris, Pardon my rudenesse for troubling thus rashly your musing meditations.
Certainely Madam, if the gods as Poets say, made beauty, they skipt beyond their skill, since they framed it of greater force then they themselves were able to resist.
Faire one, let the showers of your mercy mitigate the fires of my fancy.
Cruell one, if love be onely remedied by love, if fancy by mutuall affection, give me leave at least to appeale to your grace and favour, and at the barre of your beauty suffer your servant to lift up his hands in an expectation of mercy, though his life by your rigor be sentenced to death.
Fairest it is impossibility to perswade me to breake that league I made with my fancies.
[Page 10] Sir, I am a mortall foe to affection, and now to vow my service to Venus is unpossible, since I have already addicted my selfe to Diana.
Sir, Whosoever readeth the records of the faithlesse protestations of men, their perjur'd promises and fained loves, cannot but view a poore Ariadne abused, a Medea mockt, and a Dido deceived.
Faire one, your beauty and vertue either by fate or fortune is too deepely shrined in my heart.
Be pleased at last faire beauty, to accept me for your slave and servant, and to admit me into your favour, as that I may freely injoy the sight of your sweet face, and feed my fancy in the contemplation of your perfections.
Fairest, if my deepe desires merit no better deserts, then have I no other choise but to dye desperately or to live miserably.
Madam, There is a civill assault within me, by which I feele a certaine restraint of my owne liberty and affections.
It is impossible fairest of women, for any one to view your features, and not to be setterd with the power of your vertuous qualities.
[Page 11] Mistris, I feele such an alienation of my sences, such a metamorphosis of my minde; that it is unpossible for mee to become any other then a servile slave to fancy.
How can I feare to enter a Parly with Cupids fairest creature, since there is such hopes left of victory by the happy presage of your auspicious smiles at the beginning of our loves conflict?
Sir, If I may continue to share in your favours, there shall not any under the Canopie of Heaven bee more proud of their good fortunes then my selfe, who really am your most affectionate servant.
Sir, It is for the good of the world that you enjoy your vigorous health, since you are ordained for the service of Kings, and the conduct of people.
Sir, I will reserve to speake of vertue, till your great workes come to light.
Sir, That which others call vertue, is the naturall habitude of your worthy person.
Suppose not I use the Court language, when I assure you I am more than any man living, Sir, Your most humble servant,
Sir, When I forget to confesse my selfe yours, you may justly suppose I suffer a perpetuall [Page 12] silence, since whilst I have a tongue, I protest my selfe to be your affectionate servant.
Sir, I will make use of all occasions, to testifie how passionately I am yours.
Sir, There is no other thing remaining for me, save the onely glory of humilitie and obedience.
I should shew my selfe insensible of rarities were I not amazed, with the curiosity of your beauty.
Sir, Your heroicall qualities shine forth in you, as bright as day.
Madam, They that doe undervalue the comelinesse of your person, dare rob Nature, and bereave Lilies of their beauty, or the Crystall of his clearnesse.
Sir, The vertues of our forefathers are to be esteemed as vices in comparison of yours.
Extremities are in other things reproveable, in this laudable, since they force mee to confesse my selfe yours.
Sir, You are never so excellent a Poet, as when you speake of me, since you have Art to invent new Fables.
Sir, Those fine words, and quaint discourses, with which your Ladies are delighted, [Page 13] issue from their mouthes, as a pure and innocent breath perfumed with kisses.
Sir, You goe through all imployments with as good fortune as noble resolutions; neither can there bee any thing above your spirit, since all things stoope to doe you honour.
Who can distill sleep into the eyes of lovers, whose cares break forth with the morning light?
Love, Art thou but a vaine name and no essentiall thing, that hast thus left thy professed servant when he hath most need of thy reviving presence?
Reason, What art thou which canst foresee, but not prevent torment, but not succour; stupifie much rather than rectifie my mind and soule?
What is musicke to mee, but a dolefull voyce accompanied with the various discord of my sighs?
O Love, Wilt thou now at last offer me physicke which art my only poyson, or wilt thou doe me service, which long since hast brought me into eternall slavery?
How long shall my languishing sicknesse wait upon the triumphs of my passions?
[Page 14]At last ô faire one, cast the eyes of thy resplendent presence on thy abject creature, that by the brightnes of those rayes his basenesse may be turned into a most high, and through thy affections, a most happy preferment, for being thus disconsolate by the frownes of thy rigor; how soon maist thou rase downe that temple which at first was built by the refulgent smiles of thy beauty?
From whence can these necessities proceed, that love hath laid upon me; most incomparable? Lady, are they by your commandment,, or is it by a power from your excellency, that Cupid hath such a command over mortals; of a certaine it is from you, whose faire aspect accompanied with so imperious a majestie, vanquisheth me by him so far to resigne the happinesse of my former liberty, as that I must now confesse my selfe to be your slave, if you thinke me unworthy of the name of your prisoner.
Cruell one, how long can I make an ostentation of my felicity, when the conclusion even the last scene of my Tragedy with horror presents it selfe to thine eyes? can death and dissimulation meet at that instant, when I leave the world, and my dying protestations [Page 15] with thee, that for thee alone I forsooke this earth; to bee more kindly used there where I shall certainly be eased of these sorrowes? if there be a Leander, a Pyramus, or a society of abused Lovers.
If thou art faire, is it to present thee cruell? If thou canst command affections, wilt thou therefore Captivate them? to be beautifull, and yet terrible, are things incompetible, things that implie contradiction, yet even against the Lawes of nature, thou destroyest nature, and where thou mayest raise thee structures to thy perpetuall honours, thou ruin'st them.
Most certaine it is faire creature, thy love may make me to sacrifice my life at thy feet, and I may punish that body, which could so unjustly wound my once free and serene mind: but alas wherein canst thou glory? not in thy beauty, for that will vaile it selfe at so blacke an Act; not in my ruines, for they will pursue thee with some direfull revenge: blush then thou faire one, since to be coy is to be cruell, to be cruell, is to alter the property of what thou yet art, beautifull.
Fairest, bee no longer so great an enemy [Page 16] to my desires as to imprison them in silence.
I cannot expresse the least disobedience to your commands, but rather hope my past displeasures may deserve pity, if not my future services a reward.
Ponder my merits in the balance of your mercie, that the unworthinesse of my deserts by the fair sufferance of your goodnesse may procure your gracious respects in my behalfe.
It is a sinne to suspect such vertue which glories to arme it selfe against all deceits.
Faire one, you have a wit which delights not to judge it selfe, and a beauty that glories to condemne others; reconcile your beauty to your wit, that the use of the one may restraine the abuse of the other, whilest we your servants live to admire your perfections, and you your selfe survive to perfit your vertues.
Faire one, what unremoveable suiter ecclipses your affection from shining on your devoted and most constant servant?
Perfection of my desires, with one determinate answer blesse me with happinesse, or silence my long continued suit.
That my desires to injoy you are more [Page 17] then to live, proceeds from the effects of my affection, the efficient cause being your excessive beauty.
Madam, The eyes of a ravished Lover cannot but have vertues aid so ready in himselfe as alwayes to bewaile the losse of a vertuous constancy in others, since such a losse by his owne affections is ever placed in the very face of his memory.
By the memory of our forepast affection, by the oathes of our yet continued love, by whatsoever is vertuous credit mee.
Can you Sir weare a Marses heart in a Cupids body, since the eyes of all spectators judge you fitter for the pleasures of the Court then the tents of war?
In him it seemes Nature was not mistaken, since whatsoever was in mankind, was in him to the uttermost.
Sir, It is a degree above humanity and therefore requires the admiration of your friends that your wit should so far out-goe your age.
It is not strange ô thou cruelst of women, that those eyes of thine should strike him with terrour, who stands unmoved [Page 18] with the sight of the most horrible countenances of Death.
Sir, I am most infinitely bound to you for this so rare and noble a curtesie.
It is you, and none but you which I am bound to love, and therefore though I am presented with a likenes of your beauty, yet likenesse of another, cannot make the same essence of your person, much lesse can dissolve your commandements of my service.
The very image of your countenance and outward expressions of your behaviour are sutable to the vertuous resolutions of your mind.
Fairest, grant me this happinesse to have my poore affections raised to a Lordship over your thoughts.
Violence of love leads mee into this discourse, in which I am not so unfortunate as full of desires to be more happie.
Armies of objections rise up against my accepted opinion.
Sir, Though I were to passe through all the splendors of the world to meet with you, my pen could not reach you.
Sir, Nature in you hath laid deep foundations in respect of your qualities both of [Page 19] mind and body, in both which she hath made no promise of any mediocrity, by the distribution of which rare perfections she hath rendred you lovely to the world and fit for the service of the greatest Monarchs.
Sir, Your imagination, when you speake in such high tearmes, cannot but move me to believe great improbabilities.
Sir, How happy should I account my selfe, were the Characters of your Vertues imprinted in my breast?
Sir, No imaginary jealousies shall divert me from mine inclination to that goodnesse, to which I have alwayes had an extraordinary propension, by your Royall example.
Sir, I have an interest in your prosperity so farre, that I will not complaine of Fortune, so you have an occasion to commend her.
Worthy Sir, You know your selfe too well, to suspect me of flattery.
Vertue and Eloquence are bestowed upon you, to make you be amongst men as immortall.
Sir, I could not have the ambition to suppose that there could be any roome left, for [Page 20] you to entertaine a man, of so many imperfections as my selfe.
The contemplation of your vertues amaze mee.
Sir, I find in you, whatsoever may give a reputation to the Courts of Princes.
Sir, I am reserved for your sake, that nothing might be wanting to your glory.
Sir, You are the man whom the necessities of the States requires.
Opportunities would wax old, should I neglect this present to serve you.
All spirits will prove favourable to you, since you have convinced them by your merits.
Your generous disposition hath permitted me a longer audience, then your affairs could well permit.
Worthy Sir, Reflect upon your crrature, with the bright beames of your generous disposition.
I cannot allot more moderate limits to my ambition, or wish my self a greater happinesse, then to do you service.
Your heroicke acts succeeding Historians shall crowne with Laurels.
Sir, For your sake I will passe beyond the [Page 21] Ice of my naturall aire, and undergoe the infelicity of cruell fortune.
Sir, There is no happinesse on earth, but is included in your selfe, or in what concerns you.
Sir, Your goodnesse doth bereave me of a voice to expresse your vertues.
Sir, You cannot blame me, though I hate ingratitude, since even beasts are capable of acknowledgement.
Sir, If you withdraw from me your presence, you overthrow all the honor you have hitherto acquired for me.
Sir, I shall fall sicke, for want of a capacity to disgest your favours.
Sir, Whatsoever you undertake, permit nothing to your spirit, which may wound your reputation.
Sir, Of all men I dare free you from this crime, of violating the chastity of language.
Sir, I owe too much honour, to the memory of our forepast acquaintance, to displease you.
Sir, For your sake, at the same time I both enjoy pleasure, and endure paine.
Sir, I must beg of you hereafter to have a [Page 22] greater care of my modesty, since you enforce me, either to loose it, or not to believe you.
Sir, The whole Court is sensible of suffering your name to fall to the ground.
Sir, I am so far from hiding my owne defects, that I acknowledge there is none so imperfect as my selfe; neither can any man arive to perfection, except he be adorned with those abilities, whereof I am utterly ignorant.
Sir, I have neither power nor ability left me, but only to expresse, I am yours.
Sir, You have anticipated me of all Rhetorick, either of being complementall, or returning you commendations for your worthy favours.
Sir, Instead of requitall, of those vowes you offer me, I am put to a stand, what to answer you.
Mistris, I desire to passe my life in the pleasing dreames of your perfections.
Your Courtly voyce is like an Oracle, either to approve, or to condemne me.
Sir, I am none of those, who slight the benefits are showred upon them.
Sir, I cannot light upon that accent, [Page 23] wherewith I might authorize my own follies.
Sir, All my thoughts are your reall inspirations.
Sir, I have no servile dependency but upon your conceptions.
Sir, In matters of Eloquence you seek out singularities, hitherto unknowne to any.
From the first minute of my acquaintance, I made haste, as I shall ever, to acknowledge my selfe, your most humble servant.
Sir, I entertaine these passions, to the end that you may appease me.
Madam, If you still persevere to dote thus on your beauty: the time will come, when your face will scare you, more than a judge doth a fellon.
Sir, I have quitted all complacency, and there is no meanes shall make me silent.
Fairest, There is no part of the world so remote, whither my curiosity, in your search shall not cary me.
Lady, The morall of my affection, is to instruct you to make use of your youth, and to gather Nosegaies, before the Roses wither: for bee confident, when you have no [Page 24] further attractions, than an eloquent tongue no man will seeke for them in the furrowes of your face, and you shall onely bee left, to bewaile the ruines of your beauty.
Sir, Suffer your selfe to be convinced by reason, since you cannot resist the same, but to your disadvantage.
Sir, You must excuse me, since I know not in what manner to suffer so wounding a displeasure.
Sir, All the water in the Sea can never purifie me from this offence.
Lady, You have no more beauty, then wil serve to excuse you from being extreamly ugly.
Sir, If you grant mee this favour, you shall elevate mee to a more soveraigne fortune, then the State of Kings.
Sir, It were as great a crime to be ignorant of the diversions that attend you; as not to bee acquainted with the great affluence of noble company, daily repairing to visit you.
Mistris, In my most solitary walkes it shall be my ambition, to presume only to revolve you in my most secret cogitations.
Sir, In you alone I must commend the [Page 25] commencements of all vertue.
Sir, In all shapes, and under the most dreadfull aspects that can appeare, I am yours.
Sir, To returne you complements for such excellent favours, were to undervalue their worth; since my language is too poore, and unable to lend mee wherewith to pay you.
Sir, I feare I shall be indebted to you all my life, for the favours I have received of you.
Sir, It is the height of my deserts, to bee passionately, as I am, your most faithfull servant.
Sir, My passions cannot so far transport me, but that I shall remaine, as I have ever beene, yours.
Sir, I intend not to commence any reall warre against you; for I acknowledge my choller to be artificiall, which I am ready to lay downe at your pleasure.
Faire Creature, Painters and Stage-players are not guilty of those murthers, which the darts of your eyes doe most cruelly commit.
Sir, I am not so curious as to condemne [Page 26] the whole multitude, which have lost themselves in the admiration of your vertues.
Sir, I will dilate my selfe no farther in my expressions; least I dishonour your goodnesse, with my prophane praises.
Sir, Mine eloquence will come too late, since there is no precept in all humane wisdome, which hath not presented it selfe to your view.
Sir, The consolation I have, next to the assurance I have of my innocency, is the liberty I enjoy, to professe my selfe, yours.
The principall object of my intentions, hath ever bin the glory of your name.
Sir, I doe professe my selfe yours, with all those protestations, which are able to make truth appeare inviolable.
Sir, I prostrate all my presumption at your feete.
Sir, I can no longer conceale my thoughts; since you have an interest, both in mee and them.
Sir, I never gave you a visit, which cured me not of some passion.
Sir, How often with your golden eloquence, have you taken mee out of my selfe?
[Page 27] Sir, You alone can conduct mee to the highest pitch of accidentall perfection.
Sir, The beames of your eminent vertues, have discovered to me mine owne imperfections.
Sir, Instead of all those high expressions, you have bestowed upon me, I must only answer you, that I am your humble servant.
S [...]r, There can be no acknowledgement that I can make, can bee answerable to the obligations I owe to your honour.
Sir, You mistake my disposition, if you suppose I affect praises, with the like intemperance, as I doe perfumes.
Sir, Should I forfeit such occasions, my friendship would never appeare, but remaine as a Recluse.
Sir, The World would end, and Nature prove unperfit, if there were not such men to maintaine her honours.
Continue to expresse your selfe what you are, that your vertue may be its owne catastrophe.
Fairest, My thoughts are not so often here, as where you are.
The Physitians have not so farre exhausted mee, but that there are some drops of [Page 28] bloud left, to bestow in part of your Honours service.
Madam, Put on those rayes of your beautie, that it may budde againe with the next Roses.
Sir, I confesse I was never more astonished, then to find such an equipage of sorrow about you.
Sir, You are adorned with all the excellent qualities, that Art and Nature can bestow, for the commanding of men.
Sir, There is not one part of your body, whereof another is not master.
Sir, It is not in my power to dispose of one single haire, since I am all yours.
Madam, You draw the eyes of all to admire you, since you are as a faire prospect, adorned with all pleasures, to allure the beholders.
You are the Cabinet, in which Nature hath lockt all her miracles.
Sir, Though I receive injuries from you, it shall be my humility, not to take notice of them.
Sir, I would visit those parts of the world, which avarice it self hath not yet found out, rather then loose your society.
[Page 29] Sir, It is impossible for mee to conceale my sensibilities.
Sir, What violence soever I offer to my anger, I can no longer containe it.
Sir, You do so heape your favours on me, that you will not so much as suffer mee to seeme miserable.
Sir, Your innocent actions carry their warrant with them.
Sir, You doe not so much expresse your wit, as your Tyrannie, in inflicting such torments on me.
Sir, Be not confident; least he whom you have so often injured, do at last grow weary of his sufferings.
Sir, You are the man, with whom alone I desire to passe the most pleasant houres of my life.
Sir, If you pretend excuses for so poore a trifle, know, I am no longer your affectionat servant.
Sir, I shall hold mine eloquence as pernicious, as the perfections of a Courtizan, should it prove any cause of your quarrels.
Sir, You usurpe a more absolute authority over wits, then is lawfull, or reasonable.
Sir, You smell too much of your Muske [Page 30] and Amber, to expresse your selfe serious in the waight of affaires.
Sir, My conceptions are popular, and to be intelligible among women.
Sir, Your conceits are too far fetcht, and they transcend the subject, on which you bestow them.
Fairest, Let me ravish a kisse from your hand.
Sir, My affections spring not from the diseases and distempers of my soule; since my inclinations to serve you, have their originall from immortall Reason.
M stris, You have a power to infuse love and fidelity into the hearts of Barbarians.
Sir, You cannot bestow your favours amisse, on him who hath searcht the secrets of Nature, and the depth of Philosophy, that hee might not appeare to bee ingratefull.
Sir, You must give me leave to admire your judgment, which appeares to be farre more excellent, then your fortunes.
Sir, Let me not seeme to incurre a crime, since I am forced to extoll your generous liberality.
[Page 31] Sir, You vary your shape, and change your perfumes, according to the diversity of seasons.
Let it please you, out of your noblenesse, to afford me to be your Graces most obedient and faithfull servant.
Sir, You have all those excellent qualities, that are necessary in a Prince.
Sir, I measure the necessities, and fatalities of this world, by your contentments, or discomforts.
Sir, In this exigence of my fortunes, I am forc't to admire your vertues; since you still set so high a value on your creature, who is lost to all men, but to your selfe.
Sir, Your goodnesse is as unlimitable, as the desire I have to serve you.
Sir, In you are comprehended all the riches, that Nature bestowes on her most glorious creatures.
Sir, I speake this seriously, with my best sense; you may reduce me to any forme.
All, who have either eyes or spirits, must place them on so deserving an object.
Fairest, Cast one glance of pitty on me, least you deprive me of all conceits of mercie, with the terrible aspect of your eyes; [Page 32] which are to me the Embassadours of life, or death.
Sir, You are the embleme of terrour, and you furious lookes are able to consume a Woman.
Sir, Lift mee not so high with your favours, least you doe but fit me for a precipice, and I behold my descent with a greater terrour.
Fairest, Let not your heavenly beauty, seated in it's royall Majesty, draw forth the sword of disdaine, to the ruine of your creature.
Fairest Creature, Since I am the patterne of all ill fortunes, by the force of your affection free me from all the miseries that oppresse me.
Sir, You hit mine inclinations since to recompence such vertues, were a work most worthy of all generous spirits.
Sir, Your refusall of the title of eloquent, proves your modesty to be most unjust; since your tongue long since did bereave you of all excuses.
Sir, I dare not enter the lists with you, in respect of your elegancies of speech; for when I would become most perswasive in [Page 33] my language, I appeare most barbarous in my expressions.
Sir, All your Rhetoricall arguments are out like blew flowers amongst the Corne; which though they may seeme pleasant to the eye, prove most unwholesome to the body.
Sir, I shall alwayes acknowledge the most artificiall language, to be like a Gentlewoman adorned with Rubies and Diamonds, which glister upon her garments, whilst shee her selfe wants the eyes of her body, and of her mind.
Faire One, can I pervert the powers of the planets or resist the force of the Stars? you may then conclude, I can repell these affections.
I am yours Sir, and will be yours in despite of fates and fortune.
Madam, Your excellent qualities and exquisite vertues have so assaulted the fort of my fancy, that I must of necessitie resigne my selfe up to you as a trophie of your victories.
Mistris, Since Cupid doth so fitly favour the causes of his clients, Let us not let slip so happy an opportunity.
[Page 34] Madam, If the wishes of a poore mortall may be heard above, I question not but heaven with felicities will crowne your royall deserts.
Madam, Though I have not hitherto by dutifull services made manifest the loyaltie of my heart, yet since I first framed in my fancy as in a mirror, the shape of your surpassing beauty; with all humility, I have cast my selfe and fortunes at your royall feet.
Fairest, There is none upon earth doth with a more loving duty reverence your person and vertues then I doe
Madam, In consideration of my poore fortunes, let my affection appeare so much the more excusable, since I so farre esteeme of your divine beauty and exquisite vertue as I would thinke my selfe most unworthy, though I were Prince of the world, to possesse your heavenly perfections, In respect of any of my owne native honours.
Sir, I have learnt to know that it is the religion of lovers to sweare and forsweare.
Madam, The parching heat of Summer makes the coole shades more pleasant, and the frowns of lovers make their smiles more delightfull and cheerefull.
[Page 35] Mistris, I must never hope so intirely to love as by my affections to requite your loyaltie.
Sir, She which builds her fancie upon fading subjects, tyes her honour to the unconstant wheele of fortune.
Fairest, As a pledge of my protestations thou shalt have both my heart and hand to be thine in dust and ashes.
Sir, You have a heart as large as the Sea, which containes in it a capacity of all the ornaments that use to dignifie Princes.
Strive not Sir, to bereave me of the reputation, of my honour, least those that shall succeed me hereafter, read my infamy upon my Tombe.
Madam, The beames of your sunne-like beauty with their lively lustre and sparkling flames dazle the eyes of your amazed lover.
Madam, In the shady darknes of this Arbor, you seeme like a heaven enameled with an infinite number of Stars.
Having disposed so many affections to do you service, feare it not fairest, your servant must of necessity visit you.
Faire one, whilst mortals injoy your heavenly beauty, the lustre of your resplendent [Page 36] eyes shall as the day light serve them for the dispatch of their affaires.
Sir, I cannot be insensible of your miseries, since the webbe of our destinies hath passed us both through the like misfortunes.
Sir, I am reall and use not to entertaine my friends with dreames and illusions.
Sir, This your inhumane usage of your creature shall never seem strange to me since the most fervent affections of the world oftentimes degenerate into the vehementest enmities.
Sir, Wee equally share of one anothers discontents and dissolve our hearts together as one would melt one peece of waxe into another.
Fairest, Those eminent qualities which nature as a dowry hath bestowed upon you, like flowers spread themselves forth by the rayes of your bright beauty, causing those courtships services and admirations which so sweetly adorne you.
Mistris, Ladies of honour to expresse the sincerity of their affections have breathed forth their lives on the Tombes of their deceased lovers.
[Page 37] Madam, If I am consumed by the fires of Cupid, blame me not, since your eyes enkindled the flames of my affections.
Madam, Exercise not the extremity of your rigour upon him that suffers such miseries under the title and quality of an offenders.
Know faire creature that a bright day may at last inlighten my innocency, when revengefull lovers shall search into my ashes to find our truth there buryed.
Sir, These glorious progressions of your vertue will at last mount you to the highest pitch of admiration.
Madam, Shut not up these eyes from the light of your beauty, least they be perpetually opend to teares.
Madam, It is unpossible you should ever draw to you a reputation of honour signed with the effusion of my bloud.
Madam, There are those will deplore my ashes and strew some silly flowers on the place impressed with the prints of your punishments.
Faire one, when my soule shall be separated from my body, it shall every where wait on your purified spirit as the shadow of it.
[Page 38] Madam, If you should please to condemne me to darkenesse by the eclipsing of the divine light of your beauty, yet I despaire not; but that at last from the sphere of your splendors due to my merits, you will vouchsafe the rayes of your clemency to inlighten the duskie nights of my miseries and misfortunes.
Faire one, though death may separate our lives, yet love shall unite our ashes, and we shall preserve the immortality of our affections by the immortality of our soules.
Madam, Seated thus on your faire pavilion, you appeare like resplendent day in the attires of a Majesty absolutely royall.
Madam, Your goodly stature, well proportioned body, the bright colour of your face, the lively port and grave carriage of your person; all of these speake you to be a regall branch, sprung from some royall stemme.
Faire one, your haire negligently discheveld and carelesse atire, grace forth your beauty, which shines forth in the midst of so many obstacles as the sun in a winters day.
Faire creature, cast not those eyes down, neither colour your face with those modest [Page 39] blushes, since it would appeare most admirable, that your vertues should find fetters in a place where they may expect crownes.
Sir, I desire to end my dayes on the theatre of Kings in their glorious services.
Madam, Heaven hath created me such an one, as you see full of good will, though of slender fortunes and meanes.
Sir, We have continually lived together as one soule, divided into two bodies, since our amities have taken roote in a mutuall temperature and correspondency of humours, and have maintained in us a continued familiarity which neither death nor hell shall have power to separate.
Fairest, Our breasts shall bee ever interchangably transparent.
Faire one, dissimulation or contradiction cannot approach the sinceritie of our loves.
Fairest, Let mee embrace you with the opennesse of my heart and the profusion of my love, that our soules may evaporate themselves into affection.
Sir, Your favours create me againe, and give me a new being.
Sir, I shall never pretend any right to [Page 40] any honour in the world, but only to obey your commands.
Mistris, The grace of speech dwels on your faire lips.
Sir, Hereafter ages shall take Palmes and Lillies to Crowne the relikes of your honord ashes.
Fairest, These eyes of mine, are but emblemes of teares mixed with love.
Madam, Spred not that Cipresse vaile ore your face, least you benight your beauty and darken the bright rayes of your owne curiosities.
Madam, Your beauty is a divinity left on earth to bee knowne and beloved of mortals.
THE ACADEMY of Complements. Choice and faire Flowers, Selected out of the Garden of Eloquence, to adorne our language with variety of expressions, upon severall occasions.
Ʋpon his Absence.
I Shall no longer esteeme my selfe absent from you, whilst I hold any roome in your heart and memory.
Let not my remotenes change your purposes, [Page 42] more than it shakes the resolution I have made, to live, yours.
Protestations of Love.
IT is as unpossible for me not to love you; as it is for the Sunne to forget his ordinary course.
So am I ravished with your beauty, that it will prove harder for me to forget you, then it would prove difficult to resolve for death: and know for a certaine, that I shall still be rather content and disposed to consent to the hatred of my selfe, then to the love of any other object but you.
Your fight may be forbidden me, and you may hinder me from speaking to you, but not to have the effigies of your divine beautie imprinted in my heart: and not to love and serve you, it is a thing not only out of your power, but mine also; for I am to you, as an accident, so inseparable, that you cannot be without me.
Ʋpon her beauty.
I Should have thought I had too much failed in my duty, had I not guided it to so much beauty; for the favour of your affections, is the sacrifice of my life.
Vanquished by your beauty, I have yeelded up the arms of my liberty and freedome, under your obedience.
Nothing shall take from my heart, but death it selfe, the faire Image of your divine beauty.
In admiration of her goodnesse.
IT is your goodnesse that hath supplied my small merit; which could not have durst to promise me the favours you afford me.
On her leaving him.
LOvers in despite of absence, loose not the remembrance of their Loves: they are as the Flowers; which, though trod on, do resume their lustre at the Suns approach.
To forsake mee, when your company is dearest to me, is no signe of true friendship, which parts not at death it selfe, since love remaines for ever.
Take pitty on all those bloudy sorrowes, which the apprehension of your absence makes me already so miserably to feele.
To accuse in a Letter.
IT is better to love with severity, then to deceive with sweetnesse.
I would forbeare to write to you in this manner, were it not, that the affection I beare you, doth force, and by its authority, draw all these words from my heart, and mouth.
[Page 45] Mistris, The Bees are not hated for their stings, no more should you hate me for the sharpnesse of my circumstances.
We must not praise our selves, for being better than the worst; but rather blame our selves, for being worse than the best; since then I faile in my merits, give me leave to mourne for my imperfections.
Farewels.
I Must depart from you, yet shall not mine obedience be deprived of your service.
Adieu faire Sunne of my life, I leave you for this present; but be alwayes assured, that my minde, and my desires, shall never depart from your service.
Deare Love, I know not which way to begin to bid you farewell, nor how to finish this discourse, which once silenced, admits of our disconsolate absence.
Woe is me, must I needs wander away from all my felicities at once, loosing with the happinesse of your sight, the most perfect object of my beatitude?
[Page 46]Farewell, Madam, be alwaies fortunate, whilst I shal languish unhappy, though most constant.
Expressions of affections.
YOu can never doe so much for me, but that the affection wherewith I adore you, and the faith I have imposed in you, will prove far greater.
Mistris, You are the first, to whom my affectionate heart hath beene offered; and shall (if you please) be the last, that shall have the possession of it.
Doe but let me once discover my affections to you, and then command me to perpetuall silence, if you please.
You are the eye of mine eyes, and thought of my thoughts, the perfection of my defaults, the life of my love, the scope and end of all my desires and hopes.
Beare well in mind mine affection, that though I bee removed from your faire eyes, I may not be so from your favours.
The Lovers expression of constancy.
I Shall in loving you, manifest such an affectionate stability, and stedfastnes, that my loyalty shall thinke it selfe beholding to my love.
My constancy may easily shew you, that it hath as good an heart to dye for you, as it had a mind and desire to live and love you.
Earth shall sooner dispossesse Heaven of his place, then that any one shall boast of loving more constantly than I.
I shall make it appeare to after times, that I am the man, who for your sake hath made himselfe the invincible rock of stedfastnesse: for I shall still hug my constancy, and never let it stirre from me, till my last gaspe.
Ʋpon her affability and Courtesie.
IT is your courtesie that lends me the favour, which Heaven and Nature had denyed me.
[Page 48]It is out of your generous disposition you wish me well, as it is of duty that I honour you.
Ʋpon a lovers feare.
LOvers live alwayes in more feare then hope, and will sooner conceive of their sorrowes, then credit their joyes.
The feare I have, least my slender merit should take away your good mind to wish me well, doth in a sort make all those joyes imperfect, which this sweet thought of mine, made me to judge so full and entire.
On his Desires.
FAirest, Be but as desirous of my content as I am of your service.
My desires make mee as carefull to please you, as I am bound by duty, and compelled by inclination to serve you.
I wish, Heaven that gave me the boldnes [Page 49] of desire, had likewise graced mee with desert.
To give or present.
THis I dedicate, consecrate, and offer up unto you, with the same heart, wherewith I vowed you my service.
I had rather present you with some small thing, and so be reputed ignorant, then ungratefull.
Regard more the affection, then the merit of the worke; and so accept it, not as a thing of merit, but as a testimony of my good will.
On effects of their Love.
YOu shall know one day in effect, what you now have but in imagination.
One day you will come to know the conclusion of the irreproachable testimonies of my true, and faithfull promises.
Vpon her eloquence.
YOur eloquence is able to steale the soule out of ones heart, and carry it whither it would goe.
One is no more able to overcome you with good words, then with good actions.
The eloquence of your sweet words stop my mouth, and bind me to perpetuall silence
Excuses.
IN excusing your unjust feare, you seeme to accuse my boldnesse.
I pray you heare my reasons patiently, and judge without passion of my justifications.
It is for great minds to excuse great faults.
Experience of a Lover.
I Have so much experience of your good will, that it only remaines, that you make [Page 51] tryall of my desire of acknowledgement.
I have had such tryall of your friend-ship and fidelity, that I hope you will not faile me in time of need.
Ʋpon her face.
THe wonders of your face, made mee your Captive, as soone as I saw you; and that rare grace of yours, which makes you excell all others, retained me your prisoner.
Vpon his favours.
IF you judge, or deeme me worthy to favour you, hold that your merits are much more than my deserts.
I am ignorant what service might satisfie, for the favours I have received of you.
I can have no meanes, dutifully to acknowledge this favourable proofe of your faire condition, and honesty.
Vpon his fortunes.
FOrtune strives now to make mee pay the interest of those pleasu [...] [...]he formerly lent mee.
Dame Fortune is too covetous, and usurious, in taking from me the interests of my prosperity.
Vpon her hatred.
I Do not think (though I should give you occasion to hate me) that your good nature can wish me an injury, since you are not composed of any thing, but love.
Courtesie dwelt on your fore-head, but malice resided in your soule, and lay concealed in your mind.
On her Inconstancy.
YOu use your friends, as one doth flowers, which please not, but when they are fresh and new.
I perceive that ardent affection which was wont to keepe mee so alive in your thoughts, doth now no more raigne in you.
In praise of Her.
I Could not, without making my selfe guilty of irreverence, speake otherwise to you, then in a way of praise.
Madam, To live with you, is to live with all the graces; for Nature hath made you the example of her liberalities.
For her retention of him in her memory.
DOe not that wrong to your true love, to let him slide out of your memor,y for then he must appeale from your judgement, to your goodnesse.
Keep me alive in your thoughts, as I hold you in the most sensible part of my soule.
On his Merit.
I Could never doe so great a thing, but would bee too small for your merits and my desires.
Your merits drive me to love you, my humour permits it, and my content will needs have mee employ my endeavours to serve you.
The praises you attribute unto me, proceed from your will, and not from any merit of mine.
The necessitie of his Affections.
THe necessitie of love is most mighty in the world: for it overcomes all.
There is nothing more insupportable, in a necessitated person, then nicenesse.
O how happy a thing is that necessitie, that enforceth us to such good things?
Protestation of his obedience.
I Shall not all the dayes of my life have a will, which shall not obey yours.
You know the power you have over me, and that I am so much yours, as you can wish me.
To offer and present service.
ALL the honour and ambition I aspire at, is to see my selfe employed in your service.
Your beauty alone is able to witnesse the affection I beare you.
All that is mine, is no lesse yours, then are your thoughts and words.
The most favourable gift you can offer me, is your friendship, which I preferre before all other treasures.
Wishes.
HEaven, which heares the vowes of the faithfull, blesse and content your desires.
God make you the happiest woman that lives; even as he hath made you the fairest, and most accomplished.
[Page 57]Heaven grant you may be as faithfull, as you are deare to me.
Bewailings of a Lover.
I Doe so bewaile our separation, that nothing can ever touch my soule, like the griefe I endure by it.
The greatest griefe I carry along with me, when I part from this place, is, to see how I am for ever deprived of your faire presence.
To give thankes.
IF I have done you any acceptable service, thinke it was but the shadow of what I desire to shew you, by reall effects.
I take this benefit from you, but as borrowed; I will pay you rent for it.
Though the service I have done you, bee but small; yet the desire I have had to acknowledge the honours I have received from you, are exceeding great.
On the deceits of Love.
YOur faire eyes have too much majestie to serve for baites, or allurements of a dissembling love.
Doe not deceive him, that will outbrave death it selfe, to insure your life, and withstand the frownes of fortune to protect your honours.
On his Life.
MY life is a Comedy, and therefore no matter how long it be, so that it be well acted: Sweetest, if the last Scene be Tragicke, your crueltie must be the Nemesis.
On the lustre of her eyes.
YOur eyes flash so much lightning, that like Suns, they dazle the sight of all such as dare behold them.
You have so established your Soveraignty over my soule, that the least twinckle of your eyes, disposeth mee of the state of my life.
A tender of service to ones Soveraigne.
IT may appeare great boldnesse in me, altogether unknowne unto your Majesty, to hope that any beame of favour should reflect on my unworthinesse, to cherish my cheerefull willingnes, though with hazzard of my life, to doe you any loyall service:
Yet encouraged by yout royall goodnes, [Page 60] that can let fall unequall, yet sufficient blessings on all, I beseech you to permit me, out of the valley of humility, to looke up unto the sacred hill of your Highnesse Majesty, and at the foote thereof, kneeling to offer up my devotions, and my most humble service; which if you graciously deigne to accept, as I do humbly prostrate them; I shall account your favour the supremest felicity, whereof I can be capable in this World, and I shall blesse the houre, that gave mee opportunity to present my selfe and service to your employment, than which, ambition can have no higher object.
Another.
THat which hath beene imagined of a golden age, as an Idea of all perfect happines, was but a prophesie of your gracious raine, showring downe felicity in such a plenteous maner, that all your Subjects are thereby invited to offer up unto you sacrifices of thankes and obedience; while I shall account it the chiefest honour, that my birth and stars could bequeath me, if I may approve my loyalty, in exposing [Page 61] my life to any danger in your service.
Another.
THough I cannot worthily desire, nor deserve your gracious favour; yet it will shew you nearest heaven, and that you resemble the King of Kings, in accepting my weake and humble devotions, with the tender of my loyall service. Let not the poorenes of my merit, or the oblation make them contemptible in your sight; for I have long had an earnest zeale, to expresse with what integrity I adore the vertues wherewith you are replenished, farre above all flattery: so that your gracious raigne is but the Galaxia, or milkwhite path, through which you travell in your happy governement, and by examples lead your subiects to Heaven.
Another.
Sir, If vertue and loyalty were not to be found in some of ordinary quality, I should blush and tremble at my owne forward desires to doe you service. But since it is a [Page 62] signe of some eminent worth, not to carry poore and narrow thoughts, but such as may be high as heaven, whereunto that soule is allyed, which dedicates it's service only to God and the King: I therefore ever accounted it a noblenesse of mind, to rayse and advance my thoughts, to desire that I might shew my willingnesse to doe you service in some employment, whereby I might expresse and approve my selfe, your faithfull humble servant.
A tender of service to the QƲEENE.
THe same service and obeisance which I offered unto the King, I doe now with as great strength of passion and affection tender unto your Majesty; and as I am His loyall subject, so to be Your faithfull servant, shall be the height of my glory.
Madam, My service and obeysance is so [Page 63] divided betweene the King and your Majestie, that I shall esteeme it my highest contentment, and chiefest advancement, to bee accounted your humble servant, which Title will satisfie all my desires.
Another.
There are no words strong enough, to expresse how much I honour your Royall perfections, which render you beloved and respected of all the world; while I make it the chiefe imployment of my life, to attend upon your command; whom to obey, is perfect happinesse.
An humble addresse to a great Lord.
IN regard of the many favours which your Honour hath heaped on me, I am bound, first to acknowledge my happinesse therein, and also to desire that you would alwayes [Page 64] reckon me in the number of your most obliged servants.
Otherwise.
As it is a great happinesse for me to come to your presence, and offer my devotions to your Excellency, from the Altar of an humble heart: so it will be an addition unto my felicity, if I may improve this present opportunity, to make tender of my service.
Otherwise.
It will become me, amongst others, to acknowledge your many excellent vertues, amongst which your noble clemency and humility are the chiefest, whereof as others have had experience, so I doubt not, but you will favourably accept the oblation and tender of my humble service.
Another to some great Lord.
MOst noble Lord, as I hold it for a principall favour in admitting me to kisse your honours hand, so shall I esteem my selfe most happy for ever, in that your honour is pleased to accept me henceforth as ranked in the number and catalogue of your most humble and obsequious servants.
Another.
My Lord, the ranke you hold with the great and singular ornaments of vertues, in you, doe oblige me to offer unto your Lordship all that little is in me, and to tender unto you upon all occasions, my service in all obsequious humility.
Another.
Most honoured Lord, if your excellency will be pleased to permit me to exercise my [Page 66] mall indeavours of rendring my duty to your honour in expectation that heaven will favour me so farre as to grant me opportunities, whereby I may make appeare in effect the desires I have to performe to you my best service.
To tender ones service.
Cleodos.
I Must entreat you to pardon my boldnesse, in that I, who am a stranger, have presumed to come to visit you, being invited thereunto by the fame and report of your noble vertues, which have made me ambitious to desire your acquaintance, and earnestly desirous, that you would impose on me some command, whereby I might expresse my selfe your humble servant.
Beumont,
You have much honoured me by your comming, and by your words, as through a Perspective, J clearely discerne the power of your [Page 67] affections, bringing you hither, where your welcome cannot bee equall to my desire, nor your desert.
Cleodos,
The occasion of my comming, was for no other respects, but those due unto your merit, and by an humble addresse of service, to bring my selfe acquainted with you whom I honour, and am ready to serve.
Beumont.
You owe me no service, but I am ready to embrace your friendship, evidently d [...]scovered by your kind visitation, which is a favour farre above my desert; but J pray let not our love breake off, for want of any mutuall respects, wherein I will strive to equall you, and ever remaine in all the tyes of love, your most constant friend.
Cleodos.
Then I shall acknowledge my selfe most happy in my bold visitation; for to gaine your amity, is to me a chiefest felicity; not only in regard of your naturall worth, flowing from your birth and education; but also your sweet company and conversation, with which I hope you will hereafter be pleased to honour me.
Beumont,
I dare not acknowledge that which you ascribe unto me, your praises are but the effects of your love; but if my company, or friendship may bee any way pleasing unto you, command them both, for I will be ready to wait upon you: and therefore be assured of me, as of one that hath devoted himselfe wholly to your employment, for your love and kinde visitation hath gained me to be your true friend.
To thanke a friend for a Courtesie.
Cleodos.
I cannot give you thankes enough for your great love, exprest in that kindnesse you did me of late; but I hope, though I expect a while, yet at last I shall snatch opportunity to make requitall, and shew you how much I abhorre the vice of ingratitude, especially to you, unto whom I am so much obliged.
Beumont,
What I did, was even wrung from mee [Page 69] by the extraordinary quality of your merit, engaging me to shew my utmost power and cheerefull willingnesse, to undergoe any service that might concerne you.
Cleodos.
It is your worthinesse, that you will not acknowledge your own noble and vertuous actions.
Beumont,
Those words would become me better in acknowledgement of your worth, wherein you farre exceed mee; yet in respect of amity, J will not yeeld, but ever maintaine a constant affection towards you.
Cleodos,
I will alwayes retaine in memory your good deserts in my behalfe, and you shall know, that you have not sowed your benefits on a barren ground, that will yeeld you nothing; for your love shall alwayes reape the fruits of my service.
Beumont,
Thereby you will oblige me, for I must acknowledge the number of your benefits doe binde me to serve you; but I never did you any kindnesse deserving your acceptance, much lesse meriting to bee remembred by you; yet hereafter [Page 70] I will extend my power to the uttermost, to shew a mind free from ingratitude.
Cleodos.
That you have done already, and I doubt not but you will persevere in your affection; my care is only how I may requite your former courtesies.
Beumont,
It is I that am troubled to imagine how I may acquit my selfe for your former courtesies; for if you still proceed to be your selfe in such noble actions towards me, I must acknowledge my selfe overcome in the contention of Love.
Cleodos.
You shall not need to contend, since the former courtesies you have done me, do require that I should yeeld my selfe to bee, your humblest servant.
To entertaine a Gentlewoman at your Chamber.
I Have brought you to a rude Chamber, but I am much beholding to you, for taking paines to grace me and my lodging; and am only sorry, I shall not give you such entertainment, as you deserve; let me bid you welcome with a kind salutation.
Indeed, Sir, You have an handsome Chamber, fit to entertaine one of greater credit than my selfe; I hope you will pardon my boldnesse for accompanying you thus far; if I did not know you, I should be suspicious of bad dealing; and some jealous braines would not sticke to censure me of too much familiarity.
I hope you are confident in mee, that my intents are faire and noble, for J will not offend you with moving any thing that may tend to your disgrace, since my chiefest desire is to enjoy your company, and to discourse a while with you; here we have place and opportunitie.
But those are enemies to our Sex, yet I hope, you will bee right and square in all your actions.
May I never prosper, If I seeke any thing but your owne contentment; for if I should make any base motion, you may with a frowne command mee to silence, and your displeasure would be to me above all torments.
I doe not feare your honest intent, but these wanton Pictures are Emblemes of your roving affection; yet one of them I like very well, and would request it of you, if modesty would permit.
Alas! these are but shadowes wherein the Painter hath exprest some skill, but if you please to make choyse of the best of my Chamber, it shall be at your command.
I dare not presume so much, and though I should embrace your offer, it would grieve me, that I could not make you some requitall; it does not become mee to be too much beholding, by trespassing on your free bounty.
Alas! What is it that I can deny you? Pray esteeme mee at your command, and you shall favour me, if you make yonder picture worthy of your acceptance.
I thanke you; it may be, I will be so bold to send for it. Now it remaines, that I must thanke you for your kind entertainment and banquet, and so leave you, desiring pardon of my boldnesse.
Since you will not be detained, I will wait upon you to your coach, and acknowledge my selfe infinitely obliged for your favour, in daigning this kind visitation.
To present a Ring to a Gentlewoman.
Pardon mee, if I, moved thereunto by the zealous affection which I beare you, doe here expresse it in the dumbe language of a small present, unworthy your acceptance; yet I pray weare it for my sake, it may draw down your eye to think on me, who now am wounded by the powerfull beames of your beauty.
Sir, Though it would shew a scornefull mind in me, not to accept your love tendered unto mee in such a visible manner; yet I am sorry you should bee at so great and needlesse charges: for wherein can I serve you to make requitall?
It is you that make this unworthy present precious, for if you deigne to let it encircle your white finger, it being a Diamond Ring, will sparkle most in the darke, shewing that love, like a clouded Star, shines lightest in the night of misfortune.
Well, Sir, I am obliged by courtesie to receive it, and since you please to conferre so rich a gift, on my unworthinesse, J will weare it for your sake.
Then you honour me above my desert; for your acceptance of this sacrifice of my love, is to me above all rewards. The Ring is inscribed with Amor circulus, love is a circle without end.
I must acknowledge your bounty, and my selfe your servant, in bestowing on mee so rich a gift.
The sparkling lustre thereof, cannot compare with the light beames of your eyes; but honour mee so much to cary it on your finger.
I promise that, and more, acknowledge my selfe-infinitely beholding to you.
Enough is said, concerning so poore a matter: yet in your acceptance of this trifle, I blesse my own happinesse.
To woe a coy, scornefull Maide.
LEt not my love be misconstrued for presumption, if I once again strive to warme your affection, by declaring unto you, how much I honour your perfections; pray at last be mercifull, and doe not still reward my love with cold disdaine.
Sir, I know that men have powerfull language, but I am none of those young ones; you are deceived, if you think that fine muske words can sweeten me up to betray my selfe; and for my beauty, I would not have you doate on that: it suffices me, without commendation.
Should J not commend what all admire, I were much too blame.
Sir, Wisemen admire nothing, for if I were beautifull, What is beauty, but a fading flower, blasted often, with too much breathing on, and cannot grow safely upon the stalke of virginity, because every one wil be reaching forth to gather it? Pray excuse mee if I prevent danger, for love and I are quite fallen out.
Let me reconcile you to a good opinion of a chast Love, there is no greater happinesse than the sacred union of hearts, especially when long and humble sute conquers disdaine, and so J hope perseverance will at last crowne me with your love, and bring you to entertaine my desire with a mutuall affection.
Sir, If you would be more thrifty of your breath, you might spend it to better purpose, for you may intimate your desires, and make tedious discourses: but in a word, I shall never love you.
O say not so, you know not how much misery those few words would bring upon me, for hope, grounded on your gentle disposition, hath hitherto kept me alive, and makes me walk like a faint shadow, while in my Chamber I am like a mourner, with a taper by me, watching my owne funerall, and I dwell there in a mist of sighs; and all this is for your sake.
Well I hope you will not accuse me of your death, pray shake off this love, and I will then acknowledge your kindnes in ceasing to trouble me with complaints. Learne wisedome, that will cure all distempers.
Yet while I live, I will attend upon you, [Page 77] and when I am dead, I will visit you in a dream, and tell you, you were a cruell mayd. To conclude, let one parting kisse seale my pasport to Elysium, and I am gone.
Well, since you are so resolute, I will strive to give you a better answer at your next returne.
In confidence of that happinesse, I will presume to visit you againe, and live to bee your servant.
A jesting discourse with a Maide.
COme, why will you be an enemie to your selfe, and let modesty keep you still in the state of virginity? I came to offer my service to helpe you of this trouble.
You are very kinde; but I like my present estate, Maids are happie.
Alas! poore Ignorance, dost thou talke of happinesse? I tell thee, untill thou art marryed, thou art but a Cypher, and of none account.
ô Sir, You are deceived; our hearts, [Page 78] free from the passion of love, retaine a world of happinesse, being exempted from any wanton knowledge; for maids, dying in their present condition, doe all goe to Heaven.
You are deceived, their punishment is to lead Apes in Hell; and therefore to avoyde this, be kind while you may, and accept of a friendly offer.
What offer?
Least it should rayse a blush upon your cheek, I will whisper it into your eare, you understand.
I heare too much, thy infectious words have betrayed a base ignoble mind.
Why? I did but tell you a truth, I had thought you had bin more intelligent, and would not have started at a bold word.
Nay farewell.
Pardon mee, all I have spoken was to try your temper, and having found you both wise and wittie, I will desire you in a faire manner to grant me your love, which I only desire; and though I did appeare rash and wanton, you shall find mee worthy of your affection.
To contract privatly ones selfe, and tye the knot of Marriage.
NOw, our Love hath arrived to an happy conclusion, the stormes raised by your disdaine, being blowne over, the union of our affections making a soft and gentle harmony, which the Soule can only discerne; therfore that our new begun love may never expire, J doe here in the sight of heaven and all good Angels, marry and contract my Soule to yours, and give away my selfe wholly to be at your disposing, untill the Ceremonies of the Church do confirme my promise.
With as true an affection I doe give over my selfe into your possession, and freely bestow on you, my love, which shall never know alteration, but remain ever firm and constant to you now it is expedient that you obtaine my friends good will, according to your promise; and till then we must remaine only contracted in affection.
Heaven, I beseech thee beare witnesse to our private agreement, and may I never know one day of comfort, when I breake my promised [Page 80] vow; let me now embrace you with the armes of affection, and thus with a kisse seale the obligation of our Love.
To salute a friend newly arrived from a Iourney.
SIr, When the newes of your returne had arived to my knowledge, J was pained with an earnest desire to behold you, and prevent other of your friends, by the first tender of my service: that as my love towards you doth exceed theirs, in true, perfect sincerity: so it might in place obtaine priority, and shew how ambitious I am of your favour.
Sir, You still continue your former noblenesse, making it your chiefe aime, to exceed others in perfection of mind; otherwise I had intentions to visit you, but it is your desire and happinesse to overcome your friends in kindnesse; for which I can but returne you thankes, and acknowledge you a worthy friend.
Sir, You make too good an interpretation of [...]y rash presumption, but it is held, that friends [...]ave but one soule in two bodyes; therefore, when J behold you, I enjoy the other halfe of my [...]elfe; besides, after long absence, your compa [...]y must needs bee more pretious; so that I had [...]oth Love and Reason on my side, to perswade [...]e to come and visit you.
Sir, I want words to expresse my mind, [...]r to argue a case in love; but in my opini [...]n, I ought to have visited you first, in re [...]ard I am very much obliged unto you: [...]ut to proceed no farther in ceremony, let [...]s discourse of some other affaires. I will [...]e bold to enquire, how all our friends doe.
Sir, Some of them have undergone change [...]f fortunes, and therein declared an invincible [...]rength of mind; but Heaven be thanked, all [...]hat honour and respect you, are living, and in [...]ealth.
Sir, I am wonderfull glad to heare of it, [...]nd I shall rejoyce exceedingly when I [...]eete any of my old acquaintance; I hope I [Page 82] am not altogether lost unto their remembrance, they will know me certainely.
Sir. Travell hath not wrought much change in you, but I detaine you, I feare, from your rest.
Sir, Were I tired with travell, as I am not, yet your company would very much refresh me.
Sir, I will crave your pardon at this time, I know to tarry longer, would be troublesome unto you; but to morrow I will wayte on you againe.
To entertaine a friend, who is come to visit one.
Sir, I Am most glad to see you, though I have no other entertainement for you, but a kind welcome.
Sir, I expect no more, I come to enioy your [Page 83] company, and to be happy in your society; for in the generall, I doe find none that can suite my condition, so well as your selfe.
Sir, Take of me what pleases you, I am vowed to your service; and your loving visitation is an addition to your many other kindnesses.
Sir. All that I acknowledge, is a will to doe you service: but I haue beene slow in producing the effects, hereafter I will study to deserve.
Sir, it is your ingenuous goodnesse, to decline the acknowledgement of your owne vertue and deserts, farre surpassing my merit; for tis I am bound to be your servant.
Sir, It is I that am obliged to you, by many strong tyes of affection, from which the service of my life cannot disengage mee; but I have trespast against manners, pray take the chaire.
Sir, Please you to sit first, for it becomes me to waite your leasure.
[Page 84]Sir, J am provided, but if it may not appeare too much boldnesse, what was the Adamant, or occasion, that made you thus kinde, to visit my lodging?
Sir, Shall I tell you? I came not to borrow mony, or to enforce your good nature to grant any motion of request; but only to keep our love and amity fresh, and in perfect strength, by some conference.
Sir, You have chosen a bad opportunity, my affaires carry me away from my friends; besides the obligation of my word to a Lady, to attend upon her this day.
Sir, I will choose some other time, to attend you.
Sir. J will attend upon you, if J might know the place, and houre, where to meete you.
Sir, I will not put you to that trouble, it will become mee rather to waite on you.
Sir, Pardon me, I am much obliged to you.
[Page 85] Sir, I am your servant.
Sir, I am the servant of your servants, pray remember my respects to all our friends.
Sir, I will be yours in that, and all other services.
To woe a faire young Gentlewoman.
PArdon me, I pray, if I presume to speake, what I have hitherto, with much affliction, hid from your knowledge.
There is a Gentleman that hath beheld your outward beauty, and by his judgement clearely discerned your vertues, the ornament of your mind; these have produc'd in him a strange effect, so that in spite of his owne Reason, or disswasion of friends, he is violently compell'd to speake truth.
Sir, Call you this an affliction? Tis unhappinesse to speake, and heare truth.
Doe you hold that opinion? [Page 86] Then I will convince you by your owne argument. For if it be unhappinesse to heare truth; then I hope you will pardon me, if being compelled by the strength of my passion, I doe truly tell you, that J have plac'd my affection wholly upon you, or as they commonly say, J doe love you.
Sir, I am sorry that you have made mee the obiect of your love, I know your birth and person may deserve one of greater account; and therefore I am amazed at the unexpressed novelty of your motion, not imagining, but your bosome had been free from any flame: let your wisdom then suppresse it, least your love becom fruitlesse in the event.
I will not be discouraged by your first answer, for neither are you beneath me in quality, who am your servant; neither can it appeare to you so strange a matter, that I should be taken with your beauty, which others admire; though it be my fortune only, to be bolder then the rest, and I hope not unwelcome.
Sir, I would not have you cherish any uncertaine hope, nor build any assured foundation, where you have no ground given: love cannot be compelled, but must flow from [Page 87] the spring of naturall desire; but I find in my selfe no inclination to entertaine your affection; therefore you must pardon me, if I deny your sute, which I cannot grant.
Nothing is impossible to love; for if you would beleeve that I beare a noble and constant affection towards you, you would soone overcome this difficulty, and encline your minde to reward my affection with your favour.
Sir, I am confident, that your affection is right and perfect, not seeking, under a faire and colourable pretence, to betray me: yet I cannot force my selfe to consent to your motion, I being utterly ignorant in Love matters; therefore excuse me, till time, and consideration shall enforce me how to answer your desire.
I am comforted, that you have not utterly denied my sute; I hope at my next visitation to receive more comfort; till then, I take my leave, and presume onely to breath my heart upon your hand, or, if you please, your lip, desiring you to remember me in absence.
When one meeteth a friend in the Streete.
GOD save you, Sir, You are most happily met. How fare you?
Sir, I am the better to see you well and lustie, why will you not doe me the honour to visit me at my Chamber?
Sir, I must confesse I have often broken promise therein, but businesse would not permit me, otherwise I had long since waited on you.
Sir, I should rather account my selfe obliged to waite on you, for I am bound unto you for many favours; especially, for the last courtesie you did me in a matter which concerned me much. Will you now doe me the kindnesse to beare my respects to a Gentlewoman?
Sir, If she be honest, I am ready to goe on your errand. I hope you will not put me on a disgracefull peece of service.
Sir, I hope you have no such bad suspition of me, for she is both a faire and vertuous Gentlewoman, and hath a nimble wet: but I know you can deliver your mind in an excellent way.
Sir, It is you, whom Mercury the god of wit hath adorn'd with a gentle amorous speech; but I will speake in your behalfe, in as good and effectuall tearmes as I can remember.
Sir, You shall doe me then a most perfect favour. Tell her, I am her ready and willing servant, and that the power of love hath given her my heart, which I will come to fetch, in hope she will give it me backe, and till then keepe it warme in her owne bosome. But what need I instruct you, who are all Love and Courtship?
Sir, I will performe your command, though not in such words, as you would desire, yet so as my suddaine Genius shall prompt me, but I have heard it said.
Sir, Pardon me, J know whom I doe entrust with this businesse, I am assur'd of your fidelity, and that you can deliver your mind in a powerfull maner, especially, to Gentlewomen.
Sir, It must be my love to you that must inspire me: but I promise you, I will strive to speake my best.
Sir, I am confident in you, and at your returne [Page 90] from my Mistris, I will prepare thankes for this great peece of service, and rest, yours obliged.
Sir, It is but my duty, I am happy to be imployed in any service that concernes you, suppose this done.
To court a Gentlewoman in the way of Marriage.
MIstresse, I doubt not but that you will judge me as rash as bould: but I beseech your divine beautie which glittereth in your faire eyes, to excuse my audacity, and to pardon my temeritie, which have emboldened mee to come and present unto you my most humble and most affectionate service.
Sir, I am very sorry that I have not the honour to know you: and I mervaile that you will offer service to mee, that of all am most unworthy.
Mistris, It is the sweetnesse of your naturall goodnesse that causeth you to speake in this sort.
Pardon mee Sir, I speake nothing but I know to be most true.
Lady, This singular modestie which I see to the life expressed in your words, gives me a hope that you will entertaine my intentions not as harsh and disconsonant, but as agreeable and consonant, and that in time I shall obtaine some one of your favours and graces.
Sir, if there were any graces in me, they were yours: but I have not any, you can expect none.
Mistris, It is that, which obligeth mee to a greater estimation of you, and makes you more amiable, and mee more affectionate towards you: so also J beseech you to beleeve that my intentions were never otherwise than chast and vertuous, and that I never had any other end than honesty. Did you thinke me to have framed some designe prejudicious to [Page 92] your honours. J had rather loose my being, than entertaine any such thought: so also is it my resolution for ever to continue your most faithfull and obedient servant, as the effects shall make it evident that the proofe thereof shall manifestly appeare whensoever your commands shall call upon me.
I humbly thank you Sir with my best affection; as also for the paines you have taken for one that no way merits such favours, I being your very humble servant.
Lady, It is I that am so deepely engaged to you, that I am disenabled to quit my selfe of the obligation, and therefore (most faire Mistresse) I beseech and conjure you to make use of my service and me, in whatsoever you shall judge me capable to serve you. And in the meane time after a million of recommendations J will be bold to take my leave of you, and will leave my heart with you as an astage and pledge of my fidelity and constancy.
Farwell Sir, and I give you humble thankes for this your loving visit.
[Page 93]I hope to see you againe and very speedily, where for the present I must leave you.
Sir, So farre as your intentions shall continue good, and your suits lawfull, you shall alwayes finde our dores open, and also to Gentlemen like your selfe, who shall not want our best entertainement according to our best possibility, and in that regard you shall no oftner come then be welcome.
Lady, J do assure you that I now goe to elongate my selfe from my bright day, and confine my selfe into an abisse of melancholy darknesse: for I dare be bold to protest unto you, that without you, I enjoy no light of day, and therefore all the time of this sad absence will be so tedious to mee, that moments will bee houres, the houres dayes, and the dayes will be ages, unlesse it be so that the experience of being in your favour will be my sole consolation, and with that I will arme my selfe with a resolute patience.
You speake strong lines Sir, but it may be you are not so passionate as your words pretend. Farewell Sir, till our next meeting:
Mistris, you doe a wrong to your beauty, and to my love which is faithfull and loyall: but I hope that time will make me appear more largely to be what I am, and seeing necessity constraines me to retire from you, J will never retreat from my affection which your faire eyes have darted into my soule. And so Lady adieu till my next review, which I assure you shall be my soonest possible.
To present somthing to a friend.
SIR, I have alwayes had an earnest desire to make my service visible unto you, and therefore I am bold to present unto you this Ring; desiring you, not to value the gift, but the affection of the giver, who doth sacrifice this unto you, from the Altar of an humble heart.
Sir, This is an addition to your many other favours, you are mindfull of me above my merit; how shall I make you requitall?
Sir, Your acceptance thereof is the chiefe ayme of my desires; I would have you thinke, that true love uses by dumbe signes and tokens to expresse it selfe.
Sir, Beleeve mee, so rich a gift as this [Page 95] hath a most powerfull language: if it had been meaner, it would have sufficed me, who must rest beholding unto you, till I have opportunity to declare my selfe farther.
Sir, It is your worthines that makes it appeare so worthy: but I know no gift can be above your merit, nor sufficient to declare in what ties of observance I am bound unto you: your acceptation gives it more lustre and richnesse then the Ring doth deserve, being but a meane token of my affection.
Sir, J beseech you doe not extenuate your selfe, nor it.
Sir, This Ring is but the embleme of my service, which since you are pleased to receive, I must give you many thankes for your acceptance.
Sir, Jt is easie to perswade the receit of a thing of such value, but I will merit it as the oblation of my love.
Sir, For that I must remaine eternally your constant, faithfull friend.
Sir, I am yours in all respectfull services, to be commanded.
Sir, You oblige me too much both in words and deeds, I am all yours.
To entreate a courtesie of a friend.
SIr, as necessity hath no law, so it hath no shame; for, contrary to my disposition, I must become an importunate Suter unto you.
Sir, Name it, it must be something more then I know of, which I can deny you, who are alwayes modest in your requests.
Sir, I feare I shall give you no occasion to report the contrary, I would desire you to lend me your Horse, to cary away a little treasure by Mooneshine.
Sir, I doe not well understand you, pray interpret your selfe, and disguise not your meaning.
Sir, I would desire you to dispense with mee, it is a matter that concernes me neare, I am to beare away the Vsurers Daughter, and cary her where shee shall remaine private, till stormes be blown over; pardon me, that I have made you acquainted with my purpose.
Sir, J will be ready to assist you, and [Page 97] since your fortune cannot proceed without my Horses legges, if he were the Muses Pegasus he shall be your servant, it is but to cary away a peece of live Venison, and that's a meane trespasse; Cupid has enough in his Parke.
Sir, I am glad you are so pleasant, and doe so well apprehend my intents. I was afraid, least my purpose being knowne, which was manifest in mee to deliver, I should have suffered repulse, and have beene blamed by you for my bold attempt.
No, Sir, I doe account it in you a bravery of minde, that dare aspire to reach a fortune, and plucke the golden Apples of Hesperides, watch't by the old Dragon the Ʋsurer: but I would not have you lose time in talke; I will bid the groome prepare my horse ready for your employment.
Sir, The whole service of my life cannot requite your kindnes, for since you have granted this request so willingly, I shall owe my good fortune to your favourable assistance.
Sir, I will pray that your attempt may be prosperous, for I shall rejoyce in your happinesse, as much as in mine owne; Therefore my good wishes shall bee your good Genius, to waite on [Page 98] you; while my Prayers solicite heaven, for your happy successe.
Sir, You have exprest your selfe a noble friend; and when this businesse is past, all the study of my life shall be to shew my thankfulnesse to you.
Sir, I desire nothing, but that you may thrive in your desires.
Sir, Next my intended purpose, my chiefest glory and ambition is, to thrive in your favour.
Ʋpon his absence.
I protest to you my fairest, that I could never have beleeved that the torments of happines from our loves could have been so miserable; for I dare sweare to thee by those faire eyes the starres of my fortunes, that I dwelt with impatiency and sorrowes till I saw you.
Is it possible Sir? surely I can hardly believe it.
Mistris I beseech you to beleeve [Page 99] it if you please, for I assure you that I could no longer endure nor support the violence and troublesome tediousnes which I indured in the time of your so long absence, the object of my good and sole content being removed.
Sir, It may very well be, for you seeme very passionate in your actions.
I protest that it is unpossible for me to take any complacency in the world, but in that only that flatters my affection, and in the aspect of your rare forme and most excellent Beauty.
Sir, It pleaseth you to terme it so; content your selfe in laughing at mee, as you may at one that injoyeth not the least glimpse of beauty in my selfe.
Wherein my deerest, should you conceive so of me? J doe assure you with the better part of my soule, that I should be a miserable man, should I not really speake what my affections suggest as truth: know LADIE, that you see a man that is wholy yours, and desires not to live but for you, and to doe you service: but that which troubleth mee most [Page 100] is that of necessity I must absent my selfe from you upon a very urgent occasion, but I beseech you to beleeve and conceive so of me that whither soever J goe, I shall carry with mee the lively delineaments of your perfections, and that I shall not live but by the Idea of your beauty with perfect resolution of obeying you, and therfore my sweetest adieu for a while, for the present to have mee excused that I cannot injoy the felicity of your most desired company, but must take my leave so abruptly.
Sir, I infinitely thanke you, and bid you also adieu, wishing you a safe returne.
A merry Discourse between Rowland and Susan, sitting up late together.
It is time, Susan, that I should now discover my minde unto you, we have beene long servants together, and ever since my first comming, I have borne you good will, which I would desire you to accept, and grant me your love.
For that you must pardon me, for J doe not intend to marry, and therefore let that [Page 101] serve for an excuse, since I would be loth to discourage you, and say, I cannot love you.
I hope you will not, for since I first beheld you, I have admired your perfections.
You know, affection cannot be compel'd; therefore I thanke you for the good will which you have hitherto borne me, but as for your love, I cannot accept of it.
Then I perceive you love some other.
I desire you to excuse me, I cannot frame my minde to fancy you, though I know you deserve my betters; but for mee to settle affection where I cannot love, would bee an endlesse misery: the Bryer and Honey-suckle cannot well agree.
Then you compare me to a Bryer, but I will with all humility put up your disdaine, hoping that the continuance of my love shall soften your mind, to receive me into some degree of favour, for I protest, I love you entirely.
The utmost I can doe for you in requitall of your love, is, to give you thankes, and counsell to suppresse your desire, and not to proceed any farther in this sute, which at last will become fruitlesse.
I should be sorry then: by this kisse which I presume to take, none hath power over me but your selfe, I love you all over, and if you would licence my heart to stray about, how happy should I be?
Nay, then I perceive your love is but a rash and wanton desire; neither can I stay with you any longer, least my absence out of my Mistresses Chamber might breed some suspition.
Stay, I will hold you in the prison of my armes, and if you will get your freedome, you shal yeeld me some of your sweetest kisses, which are but shaddowes of that substantiall happinesse which you could afford me.
Nay, pray be not rude, nor give mee cause to suspect that your love is dishonest, I had formerly better opinion of you, but now I am jealous of your good intent.
Pardon mee, if love have made me offend in some boysterous actions.
Come pray let me be gone, I shall be angry if you hinder me.
Well then, I obey your desire, but let me prevaile farther with you at our next meeting.
An Enterchange of Ceremonies at parting with a friend taking a long journey.
SIr, I am very sorry that my affaires doe compell me to take my leave of you, from whom I have received so many benefits, which have bound me in many tyes ever to serve you, neither have I any way left to satisfie my selfe in requiting your former kindnesses, but to acknowledge them farre above my requitall, and to desire you, that you would both receive the tender of my humble service, and command me in something, whereby I might expresse how much I honour your desert.
Sir, I cannot choose but grieve that you must now bee divided from us, by a tedious journey; yet since he loves himselfe better than his friend, that will not yeeld to any thing for his good, I am content in that regard to loose your company a while, wishing you both a prosperous journey, and that in your absence you would remember me, who will alwayes in my daily prayers sollicite heaven for your safe returne, desiring [Page 104] to be excused for your poore entertainment, which perhaps makes you desirous to be gone.
Sir, Pardon me, the entertainment I have found, was farre above my desert, for which I render you a million of thankes. There remaines nothing now, but that you honour me with your commands.
Sir, I intreate you make not so great haste to be gone.
Sir, I could willingly defer my journey, to enjoy your company; but the winde stands faire for France, therefore let us conclude all Ceremonies.
Sir, Since we must dispense with your departure, I pray doe us the courtesie to revive our drooping mindes, with the good tydings of your safe arivall in France.
Sir, Be assur'd I cannot be unmindfull of you, nor of my other friends, to whom I pray you to commend mee, since I cannot take my leave of them all in particular.
Sir, J am glad you will doe mee the fauour to give me any imployment in your absence, I will performe your desire.
Sir, I can but thanke you, and for your love in bringing me to my Shippe, which is a trouble, that you would take upon you, [Page 105] though on my part undeserved.
Sir, I am happy to serve you in any thing, God send you a prosperous journey.
Sir, I doubt not but I shall arive in safetie, trouble your selfe no farther, since I cannot remaine with you to requite your kindnesse.
Sir, Since you will needs have it so, I will bid you, farewell, with all the affection of a constant friend.
To invite one to dinner.
PRay let mee prevaile so much with you, to entreate your company to dinner.
Sir, I humbly thanke you for your courtesie, but my businesse will not permit; therefore I desire to be excused.
Nay good, Sir, Let me not be denyed, I must confesse indeed your cheare will not bee worthy of your stay; but you shall be heartily welcome.
Sir, I would willingly obey your desire, but I feare to be too bold.
Sir, You shall be most welcome; you shall command in my house as in your own.
Your offer is so large and courteous, that I must yeeld to waite on you, for you have overcome me in ceremony; but you will draw upon your selfe much trouble.
Sir, You will finde but course fare, but such as it is, pray esteeme your selfe most heartily welcome, and in a reall manner without complement.
Sir, Here is much plenty, and you wrong your selfe to excuse your fare, whereof there is so great abundance, that unlesse you would have provided all the variety that was in Noah's Arke, I know not how it could be mended.
It is your favour to commend and accept of any thing, but pray excuse me, once more I desire it: if I had beene certaine of your honouring my house with your presence, I would have made better preparation for your entertainment.
Sir, I desire you rather to excuse my boldnesse, in putting you to so much trouble, you may perceive that I thinke my selfe welcome by my liberall feeding: I am [Page 107] no mincing Bride, whose thoughts of eating are tooke away with the conceite of the night following.
I beseech you spare not, J am glad to see you so pleasant, and to increase your mirth, I will drinke to your health in wine, in hope you will pledge me.
Sir, They say there is truth in wine, and if there be truth in wine, I will finde it out, let the health bee nere so deepe.
Thanke you for doing mee this peece of justice: pray see if you can make a homely Dinner, otherwise J know not how to be excused for inviting you.
Sir, To decline ceremony, you have most worthily feasted me, and honoured mee so much, that I must ever acknowledge your exceeding bountie and courtesie.
Ceremonies at sitting downe at the Table.
GEntlemen, Pray take your places, I know not how to direct you. But first let us wash.
Pray begin, for it is fit that we should follow you.
In this matter, Ceremonies are needlesse; but you will doe nothing without my example, and therefore I will begin.
Then in obedience to your desire, we will wash with you.
I beseech you Gentlemen, to save me a labour, and take your places.
Sir, Wee expect your sitting downe, and afterwards, we will not contend much for prioritie of place.
Come, M. Getting, you are my old acquaintance, you shall favour me to sit here by me.
By no meanes, that is not my place, heres a Gentleman deserves to be seated there.
Sir, I have designed you this place, pray let me rule so farre.
Sir, J should bee loth to be too troublesome, and yet J would not presume before my betters.
Sir, You are too full of excuse, you may yeeld to take your due place, otherwise I should wrong you.
Sir, I beseech you then to excuse me, and account it your fault, if J transgresse the bounds of manners, in assuming a place farre above my desert, and which is of right belonging to these other Gentlemen.
We might have spar'd this ceremony, for the appetite loves good dainties better than Complements Now pray serve your selves, [Page 110] you are kindely welcome.
Sir, Wee will not put you to any trouble in helping us, we know that manners will allow us to make a dinner, we come to trespasse on you.
The Feasters excuse to his friend, after dinner.
Sir, I desire you to excuse your meane fare, and slender entertainement, whereunto I have presumed much to invite you; but I hope our ancient acquaintance, and your owne good nature will procure me a pardon, in that I have done this only to enjoy your company and society, for your good discourse is to me a feast, farre exceeding any fare that I could provide for you.
Your reall kindnes hath bin such and so unexpected, that I cannot give you sufficient thankes for your courtesie and kinde entertainment: all that I can render, is to promise, that I will snatch an opportunity to expresse my gratitude.
You have honoured me enough, in [Page 111] your acceptance of my good will. But it is not good to stir suddenly after dinner. Let's talke, you are conversant abroad, what newes doe you heare?
Pardon me, Sir, the world runs about mee while I stand unmov'd, never marking the motion thereof, and therefore I am altogether ignorant in Novelties, it may be you heare more.
Indeed Sir, I have so many affaires, that I can enquire after none, I thought you could have given us some good intelligence.
Sir, I desire you to excuse me, for I hold it a fruitlesse imployment, but yet to satisfie your request, if I knew any fresh newes, that were not yet in print, J will be bold to tell you somewhat, since you desire it.
I will not importune you any farther, but desire your pardon, that I should impose on you the office of a Taleteller: excuse my intent therein, since what I desire, was to passe away the time while we sit: but now, if you please, we will rise.
Sir, Then I must really thanke you, you have made me bold with you, J will accompany you a while to the fire, and then take my leave.
To offer service to a young Maid.
Seeing you are alone, I would offer you to attend on you, if you would accept of my service.
It is more than J desire, or deserve; and it would appeare boldnesse in me to accept of a strangers company.
It is not for me to accept all shewes and offers of kindnesse, I can but thanke you for your good will, I am not farre distant from my owne home.
Pray let me beare you company, and by the way make me happie in some discourse, resolve mee one question; Were you never in love?
Though it be no manners to answer one question, with demanding another; yet I will presume to aske you, If you were never in love?
Faire one, from thence springs my unhappinesse, I am too forward in these desires, J have beheld many beauties, but you have prevailed more than the rest, to conquer my affection; [Page 113] and I must acknowledge, that in meeting you, I have met death, or life.
Pray speake in plaine tearmes, I am ignorant of your meaning.
I desire you then to know and beleeve, that I am already farre in love with you, and I hope you will not scorne my suddaine motion, if I should desire you to reward my love with your favour; and by the way, let me entreate you, to thinke that heaven had appointed our strange accidentall meeting and gave mee boldnesse to petition your favour and affection, which I hope you will grant.
Sir I know not in this case how to give an answer, that may procure your content, but I desire you importune mee no farther, but grant me time to consider your motion, this is my Fathers house, whither, if please you to come hereafter, I will study to resolve you, howsoever you shall be welcome.
But before I lose your presence, which is my chiefe happinesse, let me tell you, that when you goe in, you beare away my heart with you, and I shall onely languish in sorrow, tell I visit you againe.
Pray, Sir, doe not hold me longer [Page 114] in discourse, there are many jealous eyes that doe watch an occasion to make me censured for maintaining with you such unusuall familiaritie; pray, as you tender my credit, leave me.
I must obey, honour me with an ordinary salutation, and I will vanish like a shadow, that will returne again to wait on you, who are the substance of my life.
To confer with a Widdow in an amorous wooing manner.
I would entreate you (faire Widdow) not to discourage mee in my first sute, since your modesty and vertuous cariage in your Husbands life time, hath made mee bold to plead for affection; and to cherish a certaine hope, that I shall obtaine my desire.
Sir, I would not have you imagine, that my love to my former Husband was written on a Table booke, the Letters whereof may bee soone wiped out againe; no, it was engraved upon my [Page 115] heart, and there doth remaine to informe mee that I ought not to wrong him with a second marriage.
Nay, Widdow, I must acknowledge you have a faire pretence to put mee off, with the remembrance of your said Husband, but will you alwayes punish your selfe, and fast from the joyes of marriage?
It is my full resolved purpose, and therefore let not any wanton opinion concerning me, give you hope of obtaining my love; Alas! Since his departure, I am dead unto the world, and doe but only live, to sigh, when I remember that I had so good a Husband.
His goodnesse is gone with him, but for my part, I will be your living active servant; come, come, put off griefe and false imaginations of honouring the dead, for if his soule were capable of any knowledge, concerning earthlie matters, it would rejoyce to see you happily married, and as hee gave you all contentment in his l fe time, so he would desire that you might bee supplyed in the same kinde after his death.
You speake unhappily, but pray be satisfied that I intend not to marry, yet I respect your good will, and other matters will remaine ready to requite your love.
For other matters I am satisfied, but your love is the mark whereat I aime, why should you thus strive to become a virgin againe, and forget the conceit of former pleasures, which are yet fresh in your remembrance; fie, fie, you doe not well to make your selfe so dull of apprehension, I am come to offer service in the right kind, and therfore you are very much too blame, to refuse the tender of my labour.
You speake mysteries; but I desire if you love me, shew it in ceasing to prosecute your sute; for I must tell you plainly, it will prove fruitlesse, and of none effect.
I cannot beleeve, but that I shall bee more fortunately happy to obtaine your favour; words are not alwaies the interpreters of the heart, and I am confident, for all this, that you love me.
Perswade your selfe to it, but I shall never give you cause to thinke so, yet I will ever respect you, and be ready to doe you any usuall courtesie.
Well I thanke you that I have [Page 117] so farre thrived in my sute; I hope hereafter to get deeper into your favour.
Your hope is built upon a false foundation, and had I knowne your intent, I would not have held discourse with you so long; I must leave your company.
Let me rather take my leave of you, and seale a kisse upon your lippe untill I visit you again, for no mortall Widdow shall discourage me, but I will come again about that busines.
To excuse some offence to a Gentlewoman.
I must acknowledge I was somewhat too bold to enforce a kisse from you, in the presence of other friends; but I pray excuse my passion, and let your mercy be shewed in pardoning, as my folly was in offending.
Sir, It was so great a trespasse, and so directly aym'd against my white fame and reputation, that no repentance can satisfie for a fault of that nature.
It cannot exceed the limits of forgivenesse, or if your wrath cannot be otherwise satisfied, enjoyne me some penance, as [Page 118] great as your anger, whereby I may recover your lost favour, and make it appeare, how sorry I am for committing so rash an offence.
Nay, you may enjoy that kisse violently tooke from mee before so many witnesses; but never any more.
I must confesse it was my rashnesse, but if you will that I repay it back againe, I will give you interest for that one, and vow unto you, never to offend your patience in the like kind.
Well, since you are so willing to repent, and to shew unfained sorrow, I must needs accept them for present satisfaction, desiring you hereafter to be more carefull of my credit, and never againe to make so bold an offer.
You have charmed mee to obedience, since your words are a law, which I dare not transgresse, for I am in all things, your obedient servant.
The Lovers farewell.
ALas! Sir, is this the houre then, when the severe rigour of your absence must eclipse my dayes of their bright beames? Oh how this sad newes doth fire my spirits! and not without reason, since you to whom I had wholly consecrated my selfe, will not deigne a mercifull eye on my sufferings for your absence.
Mistris, Feare not, but rest assured, that so long as life will give mee leave to enjoy the Suns brightnesse, never shall any other have power over me; doe me onely the favour, that having given you these new assurances of my fidelity, you will bee pleased to render mee some reall promises of yours. Besides, I protest to you, Lady, I will never acknowledge any other light then yours, no more than the Earth doth other then the Suns.
Sir, They are no false promises that I have made you, but true assurances, [Page 120] drawne from my heart by the force of my passion. And know, that all things here be neath shall sooner change their naturall inclinations, then in me shall be seene any alteration from the resolution I have made to love you: heaven it selfe shall be my witnes.
If Mistris, you love mee thus, let your minde bee confident of an equall troth from mee; and should you doubt of my affections, I will give you my soule for pledge, and my heart for sacrifice, to shew you that my words are unfained, I pray you therefore accept of this small gift, not as a thing worthie of merit, but onely as a sufficient testimony of my good will, fidelity, and faithfull love towards you; and being a thing so small and unworthy of you, it will therefore be the more commendable in you to accept of it.
Sir, I give you infinite thanks, and withall doe beseech you also to receive this in requitall, for a remembrance of me, which is of small value, but be mov'd to take it in good part from her, who from henceforth, shall not live but through your sole remembrance.
Thanks to you, sweetest, the gift truly is pleasing to me, but the giver much more.
But, Sir, Is there, no meanes to stay you for a little time, that I might enjoy your presence, which stands me in stead of light and life, therefore your absence will envelope me with darknesse, and bring upon mee (poore soule that I am) a thousand grievous deaths.
Mistris, I hope, not so, for I am constrained through necessitie of my businesse to depart hence.
Oh, I see now too well, that that constancy of yours, which I trusted to for remedy of my troubled thoughts, is vanished, to give present vent to my plaints, which you shall receive with my sighs and teares for true and burning testimonies of the sorrow I have to see my selfe about to be forsaken by him, by whom only I breath.
Mistris, I sweare to you, my heart is alike touch'd with such strokes for this our parting, that I can hardly breath for griefe of it, and doe already see I have lost my eye sight, in the losse of the sight of your Star-like beautie. For sure I am, that once absent from your luminous aspect, each pleasure will be to me a subject, of griefe and sorrow. However, since [...]t will now be no otherwise, J shall so part with [Page 122] you, as that my will shall never depart from your service. Therefore farewell, deare Mistris, live still happie and content whilst I languish, unhappie though constant: let not that my remotenesse alter your mind, no more than it shall shake the resolution I have long since made to live and die yours; for, for mine owne part, I shall not thinke my selfe absent from you, so long as I shall keep a room in your heart and memory.
Farewell, Sir, you possesse my soule; and I doe even leave it in your power conserving it for a more happie season then this of parting: in the meane space, have pitty on all the bloudy griefes which the meere apprehension of your absence makes me already feel so vehemently, for I think it very strange to leave him, whose company is dearer to me then my life. But to make an end of this discourse; I do beseech you, Sir, and even conjure you, by the sweetnes of that love I have borne you, and will all my life long devote to you, for my cruell feares, to write often to mee, during the unhappie time of your absence: for in reading your Letters, I shall perswade my selfe that I am not wholly deprived of you.
I vow to you, Mistris, I will give you so [Page 123] many Letters, for confirmation of my loyaltie, and the love I beare you, that you shall have no cause to distrust. And so J pray God to make you the happiest alive; even as hee hath made you the fairest, & most accomplished: & that he also give you the grace, to conserve me in your most desired favour, that I may be able continually to witnesse, how violent my affection is towards you.
Heaven grant you may be as faithfull to me, as I am to you; and give you as much quiet and contentment, as you take from me. But what should I say more? I must cease remembring you of the force and heate of my affection, and entreat you to pitie my martyrdome, and that wheresoever you are, you will bee mindfull of me. And so once more, I pray God grant you such prosperities, that your fortunes may parallel your perfections.
Rest assured, sweet Mistris, to bee beloved, though not equall to your merit, to whose height it is impossible my affection can raise it selfe.
Questions with their answers resolving the doubts of Lovers.
QVest. What is Love?
Answ. It is the receptacle of pensive mindes, a passion that binds the spirits.
Quest. What is the greatest recompence a woman can make a man?
Answ. To reveale to him her secrets, and make him Lord over her body.
Quest. How must a man behave himselfe amongst Ladies?
Answ. He must be bold and hardy.
Quest. Why is Love painted blinde?
Answ. Because the actions of love cannot be hid or dissembled.
Quest. Why be the secrets of Love so easily kept?
Answ. For the great sweetnesse men find in them.
Quest. Who is most secret in the sports of Love?
Answ. Women, since it so neerely touches their modesty.
[Page 125]Quest. What is the meat of perfect Lovers?
Answ. Sighes and teares.
Quest. Why have old men the repulse of young women?
Answ. Because they have not wherewith to ease them of their griefe.
Quest. Why doe Lovers wax pale?
Answ. From the passions of the mind.
Quest. Why doe they picture Cupid with wings?
Answ. Because the desires of Lovers doe tend alwayes to high things.
Quest. Why do Lovers write amorous sonnets one to another in Rime?
Answ. Because Poetrie is the friend of Love.
Quest. Why do women love them most dearly that had their maiden heads?
Answ. Because by the conjunction of the men they gaine perfection.
Quest. Wherefore are amorous women more ticklish then others.
Answ. Because their skins are most loose, soft and delicate.
Quest. How cometh it to passe that women newly maried the first night are so loth to goe to bed, and rise the next day so lusty and joyfull.
[Page 126] Answ. It proceeds from the perfection of the man, which they having acquired to themselves, they then know they are women indeed.
Quest. Why doe men kisse the eyes of them they affect?
Answ. Because they were the first beginners of Love.
Quest. Why doe many love fervently, yet are not beloved againe?
Answ. By reason their complexions cannot agree.
Quest. Why should wee not place our loves on tho [...]e that be so young?
Answ. Because they are so inconstant and evermore curious of new servants.
Quest. How comes it that hee that is soone taken with love doth soone forget it.
Answ. He is like one who rides a galop, and by and by, waxeth weary.
Quest. Why do men say that Love is a perfect musitian?
Answ. Because he tuneth the spirits that before had no agreement.
Quest. What is the greatest pleasure that a true lover can feele?
Ans. To thinke that he is borne to serve and please his Lady.
[Page 127]Quest. Wherefore be all things more disposed to love in the spring time, then in any other seasons?
Answ. Because then the humours doe move themselves and the bloud doth wax hot.
Quest. Wherefore are the Angers of Lovers of so little continuance?
Answ. Because they fall out for trifles.
Quest. Wherefore doe the Ancients paint Love with flowers in one hand and fish in another?
Answ. To shew that Love is Lord both of Sea and Land.
Quest. Why are men rather Amorous then women?
Answ. Because they are of hotter complexions, and their spirits are more quicke and prompt.
Quest. Wherefore be all the joyes of Lovers uncertaine?
Answ. Because in Love are divers casualties, Iealousie, suspition, anger, peace, disdaine.
Quest. Why is it that secret Love is more burning then that which is discovered?
Answ. Because in the one a fire doth consume [Page 128] but in the other a friend doth give advice to quench the flames.
Quest. Whether is more constant in Love, the man or the woman?
Answ. The man being both of body and spirit more firme.
Quest. Wherefore have Lovers feeble voyces?
Answ. Out of the feare they have to displease their Ladies.
Quest. Wherefore is it that a man being touched with Love cannot rid himselfe of that passion by any dexterity?
Answ. Because a certaine sweet motion doth transport him to the thing he desires, and with a certaine admiration winds him into the nets of Love.
Quest. Wherefore are Lovers for the most part ready to weep?
Answ. Because by nature they are sacrefull, suspitious, Iealous and alwaies troubled.
Quest. Why be women so prone to yeeld to Love?
Answ. Because nature hath indued them with a delicate touch, with complexions hot and moyst, things most requisite for the recreations of Venus.
Complementall and Amorous POEMS.
Encomions on the Beauty of his Mistresse.
On her Haire.
On her Lockes.
On her forehead.
On her face.
On the colour of her face.
On her eye-browes and Cheeks.
Another on her eye-browes and breath.
On her eye-Liddes.
On her eyes.
Another on the same.
On her smiles.
On her Cheekes.
Another on the same.
On her Nose and breath.
On her Chin.
On her Eares.
On her Lippes.
On her Lippes and Necke.
On her mouth.
On her mouth and teeth.
On her breath.
On her tongue and words.
On her teeth.
On her Speech.
On her voice.
On her Necke.
On her Shoulders.
On her Armes.
On her Hands.
On her fingers.
On her actions.
On her breasts.
On her Pappes.
On her good thoughts.
On her waste and Ribbes.
On her skin, and flesh.
On her Navell.
On her bellie.
On her wombe.
On her thighes.
On the calves of her legges.
On the small of her legges.
On her feet.
The conclusion.
Loves mouth.
Definition of Love.
Love will out.
The parting of Lovers.
The Inconstancy of Affections.
The quality of Love.
What Love is,
Lovers delight to be alone.
Vowes of Lovers.
Impossibility of concealing Love.
On one sick with Love.
The errors of Lovers.
What Love is.
Love admits of no contrary arguments.
What Love is.
Another definition of Love.
The Effects of Love.
Cruelty of Love.
The parting of Lovers.
A Maxime.
The Constancy of Lovers.
The Force of Love.
Of Musike and Love.
Love finds an opportunity.
Offers of Love not to be refused.
Patience of Lovers.
Sorrowes of Lovers.
Teares of Lovers.
On frozen affection.
Of true and false Love.
The perseverance of a Lover.
The beginnings of Love.
On Lust.
On Virginity.
A cruell Mistris.
On Coynesse.
Another.
On Iealousie.
On pleasures.
On Chastity.
Another on the same.
On the Court.
On her delaying mariage.
On Desires.
On Misfortunes.
On fate.
On disdaine.
On the Power of teares.
On Musicke.
On Continued griefe.
On Marriage.
On pleasures and griefes.
On Youth.
On a modest faire one.
On his Will.
On the losse of Virginity.
On Women.
On coy dames.
Inconstancy of women.
Another on the same.
On Lust.
On Virginity.
Modesty of women.
On a womans teares.
A Constant Woman.
Passions of a Woman.
On the finding of Beauty.
Another on the same.
On the power of Beauty.
Women envie one anothers Beauty.
On a Beauty cloisterd up.
On Beauty in meane attire.
On Beauty not injoyed.
Beauties for the Court.
Beauties not to be confined.
On the excellency and power of Beauty.
The effects of Beauty.
A wooing fit in verse.
A discourse of Love in verse.
Another short wooing fit in verse.
The feares and resolutions of two Lovers.
The wooing of a coy Dame.
A contention betweene a Wife, a Widow, and a Maide.
A Lover and his Mistris.
A Lovers discourse with his heart.
A Discourse betweene a Lover, Death, and Cupid.
Vpon a scarfe presented.
Ʋpon a paire of Sissers presented.
Vpon a looking-glasse presented.
Vpon a Fanne presented.
On a plaine gold Ring presented,
Vpon a paire of Bracelets presented.
Complementall and amorous Letters. A Letter to renew affection.
A Letter to perswade one to be Constant.
A Letter to a Maid from one that expected no portion.
A Letter to excuse the not visiting a friend at ones departure out of Towne.
To a Sweet heart farre absent in the Country.
A Complementall Letter sent to a Lady.
A Letter to a Gentlewoman on a Sigh.
A Letter to excuse the abrupt taking of a kisse.
A Letter to request a Courtesie.
A Letter to a beautifull Gentlewoman, that was resolved to live and dye a Maid.
A Letter to a Gentlewoman in excuse of long absence.
A Complementall Letter.
A maydes Letter fearing a growing shame.
A Letter of thanks to a Gentlewoman for some favour received.
To Mistris Penelope, Natures Master-Peece, the lover expresses his flames of affection,
To Mistris E.B. Sent her with a RING.
To a pretty witty scornefull Gentlewoman being proud of her beauty, and after troubled with the greene sicknesse.
To a weeping Widdow, wishing her to wipe away Teares, with the conceit of a second Husband.
To a young Mayd.
To a young Gentlewoman, that disdained her Lover
A complementall Letter to a Beautifull young Gentlewoman.
Phrases, for the beginnings of Letters, for our greater speede in our urgent occasions.
DEsiring to refresh the memory of your good will.
I thanke you for the courtesie I received at your hands.
I pray you honour me so much, as to beare my Neece company.
Let mee request this courtesie at your hands.
I must intreate you to have me excused.
I am wonderfully taken with the reading of your Letters.
Sir, I am not ignorant of the affection you beare to me.
There shall be nothing wanting in mee who have beene alwayes tender of your honour.
Sir, I have well considered of your friendship, and the worthy affection you bear mee.
[Page 177] Sir, Let me advise you, not to let slip this opportunity.
Excuse me, if my haste force me to be too familiar with you.
Phrases for the conclusions of Letters in haste.
VVHerefore I pray you advise me, or give me counsell, since in all things you may dispose of me.
Wherefore be pleased to excuse me.
Wherefore I doe againe desire you.
I will employ all my power in it.
The best interest, or use which you shall have for the money you lent mee, is, that I will here confesse and subscribe my selfe, your, &c.
So as you will have a little patience, I will doe you reason, or, I will doe all that shall be fitting.
When you shall have need of my ware, or of any thing my shoppe affords, it is at your command, or service.
In any thing, wherein I shall have the [Page 178] meanes to serve you, I will doe it with a very good will.
If you have need of mee, I pray you spare me not since I am alwayes yours.
If you thinke good, I pray you send for it, for it is at your command.
I shall acquit my selfe therein, as I should doe in my owne businesse.
You shall find me alwayes ready to obey you.
If you deale well with me now, you will give mee occasion to pleasure you another time.
If you send not the summe you owe mee, you will constraine mee to take some other course.
I pray you advise me in it.
I will ever doe it with all my heart:
I will not faile to advertise you.
All that I have, it is at your command.
I will take the boldnesse to salute you, with my most humble recommends.
I shall doe it with as good a will, as I now recommend mee to your good favour, with my prayers to God, to give you even what your heart desireth.
Desiring God to give you the continuance, [Page 179] and increase of all kinde of prosperity, with my prayers to God, to give you, with your perfect health, the accomplishment of your wishes.
Praying to God for your contentment. Even so I take my leave.
And so I rest or remaine for ever, evermore, alwaies, Yours, &c.
The Garden-Knot of faire and rare Letters of Complement.
An offer of service.
SIr, These strokes of my hand, shall serve to intreat you to honour me with yours, and to confirme to you anew the purpose I have alwayes had in my soule, which is a perfect will to live faithfully, that I may die constant.
Another.
SIr, This my duty shall confirme the rest, which I desire to yeeld you by my service. With this request, that you hold mee still in your remembrance, as him that shall never affect other merit then that of obeying you, whereby to be by you esteemed,
Another upon the sending of a token.
SEE, Sir, I doe not forget you, witnesse this present, and a thousand more evidences, which I shall give you for security of my continued affection; and in all occasions, you shall finde me what I professe, that is,
A Letter of request to entertaine a friend.
SIr, If I can tel how to crave of you, much better can I obey you: but for lacke of your commands, I make my prayers to you [Page 181] and especially for this, to honour this friend of mine with your fauour; he shall be obliged, and bound to you; hee, as indifferent, and I, Sir, as
Another to the same effect.
MY passionate desire to doe you service emboldens mee to take pen in hand, to beseech you to doe this friend of mine a favour; the matter is but small, but the acknowledgment shall be great. I shall expect this courtesie of you, as you from me will looke for all manner of service, sith in very deed Sir, I am
A Letter for Answer to requests.
I Honour your requests too much to refuse them, much more your commands to refuse them; so that by obliging you, I content my selfe. I have therefore effected your will, which I account mine owne, with as much vehemence, as shall be requisite [Page 182] for your service: for whilst I am any thing, Sir, I am,
Another humble expression of ones selfe to a friend.
SIr, I am so destined to obey you, that I never had a more passionate desire in my soule for any thing, endeavour then to content me, by making use of my services, for they belong to you, and I bestow them on you; without reserving ought, but the honour of that employment, sith that will make mee still appeare, wheresoever I am, like my selfe, which is,
Another.
SIr, Your requests are effected, and by consequent, my desires accomplished; the one depending on the other: for the least of those things that may pleasure you, shall bee alwayes my contentment. Spare not then my services, that I may obey you; for should they bee unworthy of your commands, [Page 183] remember at least, how they proceed, Sir, from
A Letter of Excuse.
SIr, Though you were deprived of my Letters, you were not of my remembrance: but if the want of a good opportunitie will excuse me, my good will must satisfie you. And indeed I had no newes to send you, Sir, save only, that I am alwayes
To a sicke friend.
SIR, Being ascertained of your sicknesse, I was no more in doubt of mine owne harme, sith the least you feele, is to mee an extreame griefe. Now if my prayers can doe any thing for your health, and consequently, for my comfort, you will be soone well, and I content,
A Letter to her Sweet heart.
YOu binde mee and unbinde, pardon me fairest, if this word offend thee, when you tell mee you love mee, can I have any greater obligation? the offence is not small that you had not written to mee, but that you promised me, for I am indebted to your promise, and not to your loue: remember I beseech you that I am not yours, because I have promised you, but because I am truely yours, and that I desire not Letters for the conditions that are betweene us, but for the sole witnesse of your good will not wel-comming them as merchandizes, but as being sent me from a wounded heart,
A Letter from a quondam Mistris.
SIr, since I am constrain'd by my fathers commands, I must intreate you to end that love which heretofore I conjured you [Page 185] to keepe eternall. I am intended for an advancement, yet can I not leave sensibly to feele the separation of our loves, yet since it is folly to contrary that which must fall out otherwise, I counsell you to arme your selfe with strong resolutions, and so to forget all that hath past betweene us that you have no memory of mee, as I for duties sake am constrained to forget thee,
His Answer.
GOe paper more happy then him that sends thee, accompanied with thy blots instead of teares kisse her hands, which having kist, since shee hath robbed mee of my heart, certifie her that day and night, I turne my selfe into streames of teares to wash away her unfaithfulnes, tell her faithfull paper that by unbēding the bow she can never heale the wound which shee hath made in her faith, and my love, and that my griefes shall witnesse to the world that as shee is most faire, so she is most unconstant [Page 186] to her Lover who can finde content in nothing but death, and therefore bids her for ever farewell.
A Letter to a Lord protesting Love.
SIR, I received your Letter and withall perused those undeserved commendations of my perfections as you call them, to which you annexed the protestations of your service, which you must give me leave to question, for I shall alwaies doubt whither so honorable a personage as your Lordship can yeeld service to so meane a Ladie, or if Love had such power, whether you would obey: now worthy Sir, upon these warrants and your free offers of service, I binde you by a courteous request to conclude a speedy peace, that I may without danger of hostility repaire to Dianaes temple, so shall I be bound to doe you any honourable favour, Farewell.
His short answer.
MY deerest, if the dissembling which you injoyne me to, be to cause me to dye of griefe, you may easily doe it with a frowne, and then my death will give you a speedy and deplorable demonstration how truly I have loved you, Farewell.
Her Answer.
IF there be any thing in you that pleases me, your death is the least: the acknowledgement of your fault hath satisfied me, and I will have no other revenge of your boldnesse then the miseries you suffer: know your selfe better hereafter.
Farewell, and live, cherish your selfe and hope.
A Letter on his Mistris in his absence.
Fairest, I left thee with griefe, but am returned with pleasure and contentment, deny me not therefore thy presence, but let me see thee, that I may recount my fortunes to thee who art the fortune of my fortunes,
Farewell.
A Letter protesting affection.
IF I have not alwaies loved you, let me never be beloved of any, if my affections doe ever change, let my present misfortunes never change, If you beleeve not the oath I have made you, take what proofe you will of mee, and you shall find that I am more yours, then I can assure you by my true, but most feeble words, Farewell.
To congratulate a friend.
SIr, I much rejoyce at the successe of your businesse, and even so, as if it had arrived to mee, I could not more celebrate it in my soule; so much doe I tender your content: but this is but a duty, to the friendshippe I owe you; and a necessity, to the zeale I have to your service, wherein I doe but oblige me to my selfe: meane while be it how it will, the same proceeds but from,
A farewell to a friend going a necessary Voyage.
SIr, an irkesome necessity deprives me a long while from the honour of your presence (but not without griefe) for your conversation is so pleasing to me, that I have alwayes preferred it before all manner of delights. Iudge now therefore, if separated [Page 190] from you, I can live content: but for all that, I must suffer this harme, sith it is necessary for my good. Meane while, remember your selfe, that I shall never forget you, and where ever I be, will appeare as I am,
Excuse.
SIr, If lawfull excuses exempt duty, I am absolved of the promises I have made you, through the importunity of affaires that have befallen mee: it grieves mee neverthelesse, for not keeping my word with you, and that griefe, with my good will, may satisfie you, I shall shortly doe my selfe the happinesse to see you, and the honour to serve you,
Of a new married man to his Brother in Law.
SIr, The honour of your alliance is so deare to you, that I shall never thinke me more happy, then when I shall deeme my selfe capable to deserve it. This duty will witnesse to you, how considerable you are [Page 191] with mee, which at once hath given mee, with the desire to know you, the will to serve you, I have no other passion in my soule, nor other ambition, in my designes: it is all I hope for, it is every thing I looke for, yea, with so much impatience as I have left off my liberty (after so sweet a servitude) to live faithfull, that I may dye constant
A Letter by way of protestation.
SIr, The honour of your friendship so obligeth me to make some worthy acknowledgment, that I am all full of will to serve you, and as full of default in the performance; I will therefore waite the time and occasion, wherein by your command I may signallize my obedience, which shall alwayes, and wheresoever I be, make mee appeare as I am,
Another of a friend obliged by favours.
SIR, you still delight in obliging such as are most beholding unto you; I am witnes of it, and your courtesie is the triall: so that I am ashamed to be alwayes engaged, without so much as the hope ever to acknowledge the favour rightly. Neverthelesse, if a fervent passion perfectly zealous for your service, can satisfie you in my defaults, accept of it, I beseech you, since it proceeds,
To complaine for some offence.
SIR, Your words offend much, and your deeds much more; I pitie them both; the one makes you seeme milde, and the other, rash; I thinke you are not the man to repent it: but he that does ill, is not absolved for being sorry for it, bee must doe penance [Page 193] for it. Looke to your owne matters therefore, that you may never talke of others. I take nothing in jest, when one pinches me. If you doubt it, there's my Name, which shall make good my words.
A presentment of service.
MIstris, It is long since, that too much discretion hath kept me from writing to you; and it may be too much boldnesse permits it me now: I pray you therefore pardon me, before you judge me guilty: that so I may bee rather absolved, then accused: for although I had no other purpose, then to tender you my service, as now I doe, with my faith to boote, for assurance of my fidelity: yet am I fearefull of too much undertaking: but howsoever, chastise me as you please. Mistris, Ther's my Name and Surname,
Another of Love.
MIstris, Sith at the sole aspect of your eyes, my heart sighes for love, as taken with your wonders; I shall incessantly blesse the day of your acquaintance, and consequently of her that is the most perfectly faire on earth: and already resigning my will to yours, I will so passionately cherish my thraldome, that the feare alone of being free will make mee miserable. Make good my purpose then Sweet, Mistris, But alwayes in this qualitie, of your most affectionate Servant.
Another.
MIstris, When to admire you I staid mine eyes at your object, my heart insensiblie taken, bewailed her captivity; so as I found my selfe in love, before I had [Page 591] so much as the hope to be so. And yet I should not complaine; I rather will blesse the day that bereft mee of my liberty with the sole armes of your merits, without reserving any freedome to my selfe,
Another.
LAdy, I have such an inclination to your love, that I must neds be destined for your service. Now if it be a fatall instinct in me, that my obeisance should waite upon the honour of your commands, is it not necessary for you,
Another.
MIstris, If admiration have onely eyes for your beauty, and if Cupid be not blinde, but to eschew hurts from you, can I [Page 196] have an heart without loving you, or a soule without adoring you? And can I be mortall, and not sensible of your charmes? Oh no, Mistris, I have too much honour, in being your Captive; and too much glory, in being your slave.
Another.
MIstris, This instant letter will tell you I am your servant. If you aske me the cause: It is your merit, and the effect shall be my obedience, if you deeme mee as worthy of your commands, as you are of my services, I have a Mistris to my wish, and by consequence, am
Another.
MIstris, I am yours: for having nothing to offer you worthy of your merit, I bestow my selfe; but it is as your Captive and slave.
Another.
SIth your eyes have wounded my heart, the wound is mortall. If I must die, it shall be for love. Happy death, happy cause! I will have no remedy, for my heart is too noble to crave a cure. Confesse onely you have vanquished me, and I shall confesse my defeate, being it proceeds from the most perfect creature on earth.
A Letter of a despairing Lover.
SOmtimes Love, at this time the despaire of Love, hath put the pen into my hand, with a purpose if it returne mee no redresse, to change it into a sword, which promises mee a full though a cruell healing; the blanke paper which you have sent mee, for an answer, is a testimony of my innocency, since it is as if you had said, you have found nothing to accuse mee of, from whence otherwise could your silence proceed? if you have [Page 198] any remembrauce of my faithfull service, for pitty I desire of you either life or death: this is all that is requested at your hands by your despairing Lover.
Her answere.
DRaw from your evill the knowledge of your good: if you had not bin beloved, you could never have had a sence of any thing; till you are forgiven, you shall not know your offence: in the meane space hope and live.
To a Lady promising revenge on his enemy.
MAdam, who doubts of my innocency shall bee guilty and offend against truth, closed eyes see not the light, though without a shadow it shine on them, especially when those eyes are shut against the brightnesse of my Iustice: therefore if the bloud of mine enemy cannot wash away [Page 199] my staine, I wil voluntarily adde thereunto mine owne, since that I have no other way to preserve my life left mee, I am ready to render it; farewell.
Her answer.
SIR, The wounds of the body are not alwayes healed, though they be out of danger, no more they of the mind; but having removed the difficulties by your valour and prudence, you must give time leave to work her ordinary actions, in the meane space she that loves you waites an opportunity till the blemishes of your honor are washt off by the expressions of your vertues, that you may appeare cleere, and as bright as day againe in the eyes of her that admires you.
A Lovers offer of his service to his Mistris.
FAire Mistris, had I vertue to perswade you as you have power to make me love [Page 200] you the discovery of my blazing affections would melt you, were you a mountaine of Ice, to pitty, but for that love is more vehement in the heart, then in the tongue; I appeale to your motions for grace, if you have ever loved; if not, I hope for such Iustice at Venus hands, that you shall thus much I say, though I place no confidence in my owne wishes, because they convert to ayre, yet I presume of my own indeavours, for that I have vowed my life to death, to do you service, of which you can have no better assurance, than to imploy me, nor I a higher favour than to be
A letter of a lover, requesting speedy remedy
GOod Madam, Martyr me not with doubts, since my affections are so violent, and the excellence of your beauty doth so exceed, so that the ful power of love hath made me in the state of flaming flax, which is presently to be quenched, or wil suddenly burne: thus longing for your gracious and sudden answer, I kisse your hand, and am No more my owne.
A Letter from a languishing lover.
MOre of zeale to do you service, than desire I have to live, I here present you my consumed selfe, onely kept alive by the light of your faire beauty, that sitteth crowned in the palace of my heart, which bleeding at your feet, beggeth the meanes of my cure: if you vouchsafe it I live; if not, you must see my death: and thus doubtfull between both, till I kisse your sweet answer, I remaine,
Her Answer.
I Am not cruell, though with difficulty I consent to love; and for th [...]t your passions are so extreme, I keepe your picture in my bosome, but with what thought, I blush to write, though pitty be my warrant, so that I leave the event of our love to your consideration: for know sweet Sir, that being overcome to see your passions so great, I cannot but commit my love, my honour, my selfe, and all to your affection, and wise government, Farewell.
A Letter to his Mistris.
FAirest, since it is a common thing to love and a miracle to subdue affection, Let it not seeme strange that I am a slave to your beauty, nor wonder though I sue for grace, since the lover like a sick patient, is inforc'd to seeke comfort of his mistris: to prove that I love you, needs no other testimony then the witnesse of your rare perfections, for the present I balme my wounds with a hope that I shall kisse your gracious hand, and that your answer wil returne an acceptance of the service of him
Whose heart waiteth on your Beauty.
A Letter to his Mistris, upon service injoyned.
FAire Nimph, May all contents and pleasures dwell with you, as all mine depend [Page 203] on you, I perceive now you command mee to action, but Love which is ever accompanied with doubts commands mee to tremble, but let heaven doe with me what it pleaseth, I know it will not deny mee a grave.
A Letter complainining of the cruelty of his Mistris.
FAirest, If your eyes were as full of variety as they are to cause love, the sweetnesse which they promise at the first, would make me adore them with as much contentment as they have produced in me of vaine hope; but so farre are they from the performance of their deceitfull promises, that they will not so much as confesse them, and so wide from healing my hurt, that they will not acknowledge themselves Authors, as if with you they purpose to equall crueltie with beauty, since you have ordained that the affection that you have caused to be born in me should cruelly dye in me, was there ever a more unpitifull mother but I, who [Page 204] held more deare that which came from you than my life, being unable to suffer so great an injustice, am resolved to carie my affections with me into the grave, hoping that the heavens moved at last, will through my patient suffering, make me as deare to you, as you are now cruell to me, Farewell.
A Letter from a despairing lover.
IF you have regard to the presumption which hath forced me to love, my death which followes it, shall revenge it on you; but if it be indifferent to you, I assure my selfe, that this last act of my affection shall gaine somwhat more in your soule: if it fall out so, I shall cherish the resemblance of your beauty more than my birth, since by it I came into the world to be troublesome to you; and by the other, I go out of it, and leave you.
Another.
MIstris, My heart is yours, my obedience belongs to your commands, and my whole will is yours: so that I have nothing free but speech, to say, I am
Another.
MIstris, From the time that with your beautie, I had the knowledge of your merits, I felt some secret power, which sweetly enforced my will to honour you, and my heart to aspire at nought but your love. If so be then, that my services, whereof Heaven hath reserved the integrity for your commands, may be never so little pleasing to you, permit,
Another Letter of Service.
SIR, I have received, by way of duty, the honour of your Letter; whereby I have seen the submissions of services which you do me, but unfittingly, for which I am more beholding to your courtesie, then to any merit of mine: Now to accept of them were without reason; as to refuse them would be held disdainfull; I doe therefore receive the proffer, but leave the effects to your selfe, that so you may not serv
Another.
SIR, If the services which your honesty will needs yeeld mee, gather only life from my merit, or beauty, they have but their name; for there can be no defect, if there be no cause: So that I never having [Page 207] any beauty, or merit, you are but my servant in word, Sir, but I am yours in deed.
Another.
SIR, If my duty have entertained yours, mine honesty hath refused your offers, as too worthy of me, and I am unworthy of them. I shall neverthelesse, for mine owne sake, reserve the honour to my self, Sir, who am
Another to the same effect.
SIR I accuse my duty for your satisfaction, for that I have deprived you of my Letters; and confesse me guiltie, before you accuse me, the rather to merit grace. Deny it me not then I beseech you, as you regard him that begs it Sir, who is the most affectionate of all your Servants.
Another to the same effect.
ALbeit one selfe same cause makes us pardonable, for having beene alike silent, yet doe I know my duties interest, in having unjustly deprived you, (being obliged to you as I am) of the effects of my remembrance, which grieves my soule, and which griefe I present to you, but alwaies in my quality,
A Letter desiring better acquaintance.
SIR, Although my merit be not such as may presume to deserve the honour I have to write to you, yet the desire neverthelesse I have to introduce my selfe into your acquaintance and friendship, hath emboldened me to present these lines to you, and to receive the honour of your commands, and to tender to you the offers of my service.
A Letter from on to his Mistris.
IT is impossible to see you without loving you, but much more to love you without being extreme in that affection, so that if for my defence it shall please you to consider this truth when this paper shall present it self before your eyes, I assure my self that the greatnesse of my hurt shall obtaine by pitty as much pardon from you, as the boldnesse which hath raised me to this worth, may merit just punishment, attending the Iudgement which you shall give, suffer me a thousand and a thousand times to kisse your faire hands and rest.
A Letter to Coelia.
IF perfection be not in the world, but to make you admired; if love be not love, but to make you be beloved; if sacrifices be not but to make you be adored; who [Page 210] can see you without admiration, who can admire you without love, and who can love without adoring you? he must be one that hath neither eyes, heart, nor soule: for if my eyes admire you, affection will have it so: if my heart loves you, reason commands it, if my soule adores you, heaven permits it: so that these three necessities forming it for you, I present it to you
A Letter.
SIR, It is needlesse for me to say I love you, since my actions hitherto have given you no testimony to the contrary. Truce then for my words, I will that my deeds shall speak, and tell you that in effect I will during life be
A Letter of acknowledgment.
WHat worthy acknowledgement can I give to your obligations, when their extremitie bereaves me of the hope: my dutie remaines pensive at the excesse of your courtesies; for being never able to tend [...]r you other, than unworthy effects of your merits. I have indeed but the will, and that is but a shadow for a body; yet compose it, I beseech you, whilst you remember how it proceeds from
Another.
SIR, With what kind of duties shall I acknowledge your courtesies; which have so obliged me, that to tell them right, one must be silent? To offer you my service; it is alreadie your own. To present my self; I [Page 212] am yours long since. I then have nought but defaults, for your satisfaction; but a thousand services, for your obeysance; for my being in generall, depends on that particular, of Your most humble servitour.
Another.
SIR, I have nothing, yet I owe much. To present you with wishes, for effects, were but too weak recompences. I will therfore give you mine endeavours, for all your courtesies; honouring and serving you whilst I live; all which life of mine is destined for no earthly thing, but your commands.
Another.
SIR, Your courtesies have too much obliged me, ever to forget them; I shall celebrate them particularly in my soul, wherby to be able to acknowledge them, in the least presenting serviceable occasion, & liue [Page 213] alwayes with this will, never to die beholding to you,
Another.
SIR, I can honour your merits by reason, and acknowledge by duty your courtesies which have too much obliged me, to be ungratefull: though I can never make you worthy satisfaction; yet shall I have alwayes both the desire and hope of it, and in the meane while a stedfast will to live and die,
For telling of newes.
SIR, Desirous of your contentment, as of mine owne, I have taken pen in hand, to tell you whatsoever hath past. Now you have seene what is new, take the old with it: which is, that I am alwayes,
A Letter of acknowledgement of being beloved.
Shall I conceale such an excessive happinesse, as to bee loved by you, My deere? Or shall I publish it, to make it greater? No, no, my silence may honour it, yet my words shall make it the more glorious; for in leaving it, I shall deprive its memorie of forgetfulnesse. I will therefore have my mouth continually closed up, against the confession of it, my minde taken in the thought of it, and my soule wrapped in the sole object of its Idea. And so blessing my birth, for the happinesse of yours, that your death may be my Tombe. In the meane while, my whole happinesse and glory shall consist in this qualitie, of
A Letter of absence.
MIstris, Since the day of your departure, which was also reckoned the same of my contentment, teares and griefs have been inseparable with my life: all kind of objects are to me defective, nothing pleases me, but what dislikes me; and if your memory did not still accompanie me in my actions, I should forget my selfe, and in stead of preserving my life for your service, should destroy it for mine owne content. If you desire to judge of my griefe, judge what your selfe are, Mistris, which is the fairest of the world, and I the most afflicted of all your servants.
Another.
MIstris, Sith for counterpoise of my love, I suffer the griefe of your absence, I doe even indure all that ever can be [Page 216] conceived in rigorous torments: the daies shine not on me, but to inlighten my mishap; for the Sunne laughs at my paine, as I scorne his brightnesse, in that I acknowledge none more worthy, than that of your eyes, long since my Conquerers, and still mine idols. But what shall I say? I am borne to indurc, and to love you, Mistris.
Letters of Absence.
IF those griefes, which are still present, since your absence did not make me hope for a speedy death, I should bewaile the birth of my dayes, that doe enlighten me without thining, for deprived of the brightnesse of your eyes, I can acknowledge none other in the world, as having vanquished me, and that with so many charmes, as that they are not content, that I adore them, but that they are still burning me. Well, this is [Page 217] somewhat too much; but yet too little for your merits. Wherefore I will never be weary of suffering, no more than of loving you. Believe my harme at leastwise, and your beliefe shall be my remedie, and my honour my qualitie.
Another.
MIstris, If the sorrow which your absence hath caused in my soule, could give me as many words to expresse it, as I have griefs to bewaile it; I should thinke my selfe satisfied. But for too much induring, I must be silent in my torment; yet never in my qualitie,
Answer.
SIR, What kinde of trouble can such an indifferent absence bring to your content? No, no, it can be but an imaginary feeling, though it seemes reall, by your owne words, speaking you unable to expresse, being there's no such thing, your silence is your great advantage; since it expresses your torment, without saying any thing of it: But not the title which your faire cariage gives you, of being my servitour; as to me it doth likewise the endeavour, Sir, of deserving the stile and quality, of your servant.
Another.
SIR, I can give but fained remedies to an imaginarie torment like yours, for mine absence is of too indifferent a nature to cause [Page 219] your grief or trouble, and I beseech you dispence with me for believing it, since also mine owne knowledge forbids it, as reason doth otherwise to say I am
Ʋpon a point of rigour.
IF love and crueltie bee two contrarie things, your love must needs be fained, since your rigour is reall. Cease then to make me suffer, and I shall believe you love me, for my paine and your crueltie are too opposite to persist together: Adieu my deare, and though too cruell.
Another.
SIR, You complaine of my absence, and I of yours: you would enjoy my presence, but your discretion forbids it you, and me the happinesse to see you; but my want [Page 220] of power opposeth it: so that grievances should be lesse in that they are equally shared: but not the quality which I take,
Another.
TO see you without admiration, is past my power; to admire and love you, is a necessity; but to love and indure yours, is a consequence for you have so much merit, that one can hardly desire, much lesse hope for the honour of your good favours. Iudge then who can but worthily serve you? Sure he is yet unborn, nay, in earnest, i'le pawne my soul on't, yet with your leave, Mistris,
To his Lady.
TO despise such as honour you, to disdaine such as love you, to make no account of such as are faithfully yours, are those the actions of a faire soule like yours? [Page 221] Or are these but words, that honour mee with a hope of some effects of your good [...]emembrance? Oh, it is a little too rigo [...]ou [...]! Confesse it, that you may repent, and [...]o give him content, who cannot be absent [...]rom you,
To a kinswoman.
MIstris, Albeit your actions, in appearance have witnessed, that I was no [...]therwise in your esteem, than of an indif [...]erent quality; yet my desires being still [...]ecretly zealous for your service, in their na [...]urall instinct, aspiring at nothing but your [...]ood, have disarmed my purpose, bent to [...]our disgrace, so to restore me to my selfe, [...]nd make me the same I am to you, which [...],
Vpon the inconstancy of a servant.
SIR, Our Sex is not alwayes accused of inconstancy, and yet do I now take that law from you: you, I say, whose oathes gave such faithful testimonies of affection, that I durst not doubt of it, for feare of offending my selfe: And yet hath the winde caried away your words, but not your love, for you never had any: so that now when I blame my selfe for having believed you, I praise my selfe withall, for imitating you, but alwayes with the sorrow of not being your example: for it was fit I should precede you, as your Mistris,
A Letter.
MIstris, It is well to be seene that you have no love, since you have eyes to see my unworthinesse. Love is blinde, you should be so too in regard of my merits: let it suffice you that I love you, and that I adore you, even as the rairest and most perfect creature on earth.
A Letter from a despairing Lover.
THere is no creature Madam, so bereaved of reason or deprived of sense, which being oppressed with direfull calamities feeleth not by meere instinct of nature a present medicine for his malady, man onely excepted, who by reason of his want may justly accuse the injurious powers of in justice, the Vnicorne being sicke recovers his health by swallowing the buddes of a date tree, the Deere being strucken feedes on the hearbe Dictamum, and recovers; but man hath no secret salve so excellent, nor plaister so perfect by whose secret vertues he [Page 224] may appease his passions: this Madam I now know by proofe, and therfore speak by experience; for your divine beautie and the perfections of your mind have kindled such a flame in my heart that by no meanes I can quench, but it will turne my body into dry earth, and cinders; unlesse by the drops of your pity, it be speedily extinguished: therefore faire one, now at last be mercifull, and let not my service and royall love be recompenced with such disloyall refusals: strive not for my life, since you have my liberty, seek not my death, since you are the saint to wh [...]ch I offer up my devotions: Madam, let the sweet balme of your benevolence salve the sore which so painfully afflicteth my carefull conscience, and with the dew of your grace redeeme him from misery whose life or death standeth in your answer, which I hope shall be such as belongeth to the desert of my love, and the graces of your beautifull mind.
Farewell.
Her Answer.
IT is impossible Sir, to straine moyst liquor out of the dry flint, to procure a heat in that which is key cold, or to force the sturdie streames to runne against their common course, know Sir, you are the man I loath, but cannot like; make therefore a vertue of your necessity and asswage the flame your selfe, which I know not who else will quench, by an importunate persisting in thy purpose where no hope is, thou provest thy felfe rather a desperate sot, then a discreet Souldier: take my nay therefore for an answer: if I would I cannot; and if I could, I would not, so farewell.
To one who is not really what she seemes.
ADmire not though I raile against thy follies, since thy mercylesse minde hath misled me by thy ingratitude, & thy imperfections have delineated these impressions of my penne: for thy beauty, if I admired it [Page 226] once it was when I knew not that thy ill conditions like bad commodities, were to be put off with it, but now making use of reason: I question whether at that time I had sense: perswade thy selfe therefore, if I were to dye presently, and thou wert part of that I should leave the world, I would bequeath thee with thy good face, and bad conditions for a legacy to my most inveterate enemy. And for my owne part whilst I do survive, and thy remaining upon this earth, doth yet afflict me, be confident faire painted Sepulcher, I will epitomize all thy vices, that the world by reading thy volume may shun thee as the only obstacle to felicity, and learne the wages of vertue, by those things that are thy contraries, for the present: admire not though this paper bee staind with the blemishes of thy ill name, since nature her selfe was deceived which bestowed her features so rashly, and inconsiderately on thee, certainely thou wert ordained to rectifie my mind, that by thee, I might learne to know that a good face is not alwayes exempted from a hoarse voyce, I protest to thee I would not buy the distempers of thy soule at so high a rate as to injoy thy beauty, [Page 227] much rather will I indeavour to expresse my gratitude to heaven, in that I faile not to practise this resolution.
Her Answere.
WOnder not Sir, though you see an answer to your franticke letter, do you thinke by brawling like a begger to become a King? No Sir, as I know your knavery, so I passe not for it, neither can your bragges goe for payment. I marvaile not though your dogged Letters savour of Diogenes doctrine, you Cinicall Dunce, what felicity can you have in byting those of whom otherwise thou canst not be reveng'd? Indeed gentle Balaams Asse; if I had bin so light to have loved you, for feeding my fancie on thy ill favoured face, I might iustly have reapt such profit, since I then have filled my eyes so full with the figure of a foole; hereafter keepe your Letters Patents in your beggers boxe, adieu Sir dunce, the more you mislike me, the better I love my selfe, whilst I account it the greatest felicity of S.M.
A Letter from a distressed lover.
MAdam, as my cares proceed from your cruelty, so let the effects of your courtesie procure my blisse, since the perfections of your beauty have made me miserable, let mee begge of you to send the messenger of present consolation to him that pineth away and is yours only and ever.
A Letter from a lover professing constancy.
THey who have the honour to see you run a dangerous fortune: if they love you, they are saucy; if they love not, they are without judgment; now faire creature, I have chosen that which is most after my humour; and from which it is impossible for me to withdraw my selfe, thinke it not hard Cruell Diana, that having seene you, I love you: if this boldnesse deserve punishment, you caused it, and it is no more in my choice, for I must while I live, be your servant or not be alive, Farewell.
A letter from an inconstant lover
I Write not now to tell you that I love, for you have believed it but too well, but to assure you that I shall love you no more, perhaps you may be amaz'd at this alteration, for you have alwayes loved me above my desires; but that which drawes me from you is, I must confesse your misfortune that will no longer continue to you the pleasure of our loves, or rather my good fortune which will have me no longer stay at so poore a thing, and to the end you may live to complaine of mee, I bid you for ever, Farewell.
Her answer.
SIR, It was your arrogancy perswaded you I loved you, wherein you were most infinitely mistaken, I sweare to thee by all the merits which thou thinkst thou hast but are not in thee, there was never any such likely matter, as for the [Page 230] Letter thou hast sent mee I cannot bee unthankfull to thee for the pleasure thou hast done me in it, since it hath taught me to reject hereafter the importunities of such cox-combes as your self, in the meane time be as content as I am, in being freed of such a burden: beleeve me Sir, it is no small happinesse. Farewell.
A Lover to his inconstant Mistris.
IT is not to complaine of you Mistris, that I take up my pen, but only to deplore my misfortunes which make me so contemned of you, since at other times you were not wont to use me in this sort. I am the same man that have served you in all respective submission, and you are the same that at first were mine, since you received me for yours. I am become no lesse, nor you greater; if it be so, why doe you not judge me worthy of the same entertainement? I have called my soule to an account for her actions, since it pleaseth you, I will display them all before your eyes: for my part, I cannot accuse any one of them, if you shall judge otherwise [Page 231] when you have heard them, it shall bee no small consolation to the poore condemned to know at least the cause of his punishment; adieu cruell one.
A Letter.
IF love taught me as well to speak my torment, as to suffer it, my pity would make you sensible of my plaints, but dumb in their too much sufferance. I have but my constancy, for remedy, that is all my hope; your sweetnesse, for my desire; and your command, for mine honour, Mistris, for my quality is,
Another.
SInce your merits cause my torment, I will never complaine: the more rigorous you shall be, the more constantly I will oppose all my respects, to your neglects; my honours, to your disdaines; and my fire, to your ice; if I breath, it shall be love; if I [Page 232] sigh, it shall be in passion for your service: In a word, if I be, I shall be,
Letter.
TO have no soule, but to adore you; to have no heart, but to love you; and but one only life, for your service; have you not cause to complaine? You, whose beauty, hath so many charmes; and merits, so many baites, that one would detest this name of liberty, to die your slave. Should one talke of miracles, you are the example; in discourse of rarities, you are the comparison: so that Heaven and nature are in dispute, for whom you were made. Now to say, I am your servitour, that is a quality too high: to say I am your slave, that's yet too lofty. Behold my Surname, now give me what name you please.
Letter.
IF for desiring death, one were to loose his life, I should have beene gone long since: for too much love, makes me hate my selfe: but mee thinkes the more I live, I still lengthen my daies: and that being wretched, I ought to live the longer: I flie that which flies me, the grave: so as I have neither comfort of my life, nor hope of my death. And thus I am,
Another.
TO love, and not to be loved, is to live without hope, and by donsequent, to die. Have you resolved my death, and by disdaining my services, to forget them for requitall? It is too much rigour, for your beautie: you will confesse it one day, but too late for your repentance, for I shall no longer by consequence subsist, as I am for the present, Mistris, The most humbe of all Your servants.
A Letter.
MIstris, Thus to forbid me to love you, and to will mee not to honour you, what would you have me doe (my deares) I must change my heart, if I would change my Mistris; and Nature must give me other inclinations, to deprive you of my respects, and of my obedience: forbid me to live rather; I will dye, but it shall be for love, and so at the price of my dayes, I shall doe you service; leaving this truth, for a remembrance to after times.
A Letter from a Gentleman to his Mistris.
IT is you, faire creature, that have gained this advantage upon me, that I forget my selfe, to remember you perpetually. Do not thinke, that unlesse I see you shortly, I can longer survive, whereby I might continue the affection of my services to you. So that two things will infallibly bring mee to my grave; your absence, and my griefe, for not [Page 235] acquitting mee towards you, as I desire. Choose now (faire soule) whether you had rather have me dead for your content, or to see mee daily offer you up the fruits of my services, upon the altar of your merits, in the quality of
A Letter of a Gentleman, evill spoken of for the love of his Mistris.
SOme one that is envious of my happinesse, had a mind to calumniate me towards you, and to perswade you, that I have shewed some testimonies of affection to another besides you, who have sooner believed it of me then I should have done of you, if the like had beene reported to mee. Shall I accuse you then? Or shall I excuse my selfe? For you make me an overture for both. Should I excuse my selfe? That would make me guilty in some sort: and if I accuse you not, I shall witnesse that I honour you, and love you still, as your owne faithfull purchase.
A Letter of a difference betwixt a Gentleman, and his Mistris.
I Thinke it was no inviolable vow that was betwixt us, when we sware so solemnly. But for ought I can learne, the change hath better pleased you, then the continuance of my services. I know not whom I shall accuse, you, or I; for possibly the long time I have beene without seeing you, is the cause of it, or else you have beene drawne to it by your owne naturall condition. Make me such an answer as you please. No earthly thing shall hinder me from loving you, for I had rather choose a thousand deaths, than to be inconstant in my love: and will flie, with the hazzard of my life, the reproach of disloyalty (whether you will or no.)
A Letter of a Gentleman, after a visit to a Lady.
MIstris, the honour I received in the late visite I made to my deare Cozen at your house, hath so obliged me to both of you, that I thought I should commit a hainous fault, if by some honest endeavour, I should not witnesse a feeling of it. If ever I have the happinesse to see you at my home, which is yours, I shall endeavour to make you as welcome, as I can; and doe conjure you to come see my Sister, as you have promised her; otherwise, farewell all friendship; not so neverthelesse, but that the mean while I desire to continue,
A Letter, of a fond Maid, that disdained the service and love of a gallant Gentleman; who was counselled to disdaine her also.
FOrsake that Maide, that forsakes you, and no more remember her forgetfulnesse. She hath changed, to change your mishap. She hath changed, that shee might not change her natures inconstancy; Her small acquaintaince, should make you know her fault. Your good iudgement, may shew you what a little she hath. You cannot but get by the losse of her. If you lose a sweet heart, you gaine a liberty; you should keepe some love for your selfe, and not cast it all away from you. If you love something, do not hate your selfe for all that. If fortune give you any thing, she will be well rewarded. If she take a heart from you, think it was not yours. Whersoever you goe, tarry with your content, and love not what is contrary to you; unlesse you will contrary him, that loves you dearely,
A brave reply of a Gentleman to his Mistris by way of Derision.
THe small shot of your beauty, doth enough singe the doublet of my soule, without the Canion of your rigour to break the very bones of my pretences. You have enough forraged the plaines of my heart, without moreover billeting there the Regiment of despaire, which runnes after mee, even to the ruine of my life. Alas! I pray you doe not let those Carabins of disdaine eate up the bread of my hopes, nor beat up the bongues of my fidelity, that are so full of good wine of patience. I have so often told you, that as soone as the Baker of your bounty, should have heated the Oven of your heart, I would set in the bread of my thoughts. But the bad rich man of your judgement, hath despised my poore Devill of desire, that is going now to die in the Hospitall. Out alas! Gogs-nigges, what will become of the Goates of my conceits, if this wicked woman of your cruelty, pull the bed from under them of my contentment, [Page 240] to make them snap at the crust of your Ieeres? No, I beleeve the bottle of my perseverance once broken, you will bewaile the Orleans wine of my devotion, when you will get none else, but some tart wines of faining, which will vexe the tongue of your knowledge. But if you rid your hands of that vicious horse of your distrust, I beleive the rest will not rush upon the Bibets of my thoughts, which hold the bridle of constancy. What ever befals, the Pilgrims of my designes, desiring the Scollop-shels of your friendship, will be still grobling in the dirt of good courage. But if the feet of my offers, take bladders of refusall, farewell Cupid's voyage. The vintages of my services will be soone done, if the haile of your pride blast the grape of my pursuite. But whilst the sythe of your judgement, moves the grasse of your rigours, I shall ever kisse the hands of your perfections, and make my selfe an everlasting wood of the fire of your beauty.
A Letter of holy love betweene two lovers, containing three letters besides.
YOu have made me feele, faire Calistena, the ardent sparkles of your friendship; the memory whereof I shall still honour, and esteeme my selfe a great deale the more happy, if my happinesse may prove more extreame, when I shall burne in its flames, wherein my soule shall live with a thousand delights, and my heart resume new life in its ashes. And that I may be condemned to this wished punishment, doe not let your faire mind conceive any doubt of my loves eternity, since constancy shall bee ever its faithfull companion, and that the fire which kindled it, can never be quenched, should it be combated by the Ice proceeding from that feare you might have of your enviers. And if it were so, yet would it melt, as soon as you should but contemplate the Sunne-beames of my discretion. You may as well assure your selfe of the effect of my words, [Page 242] as I doe of the consummation of my hope; which have none other scope, then to serve your merits, and to fit up to your use.
A Letter in answere.
YOur desires are my lawes (deere Floridon) and your loyalty cannot finish but with mine: they shall both alike shine bright over our lives, and nourish themselves with our flames; wherein I shall thinke mee very happy to live with you. That silence which knit up my tongue at your faire discourses, proceeded only out of feare: you might know that, by my exteriour signes, which sufficiently shewed you, how sorely it greived mee: but with you only: for I would not have you think me in any sort afraid of the scorching sparkes of the envious, since nothing can withstand that faithfull love, which from henceforward is contracted, by
Another.
IF my stedfast love were not answered by yours (deare Calista) I should have reason to complaine of you, and my complaints would be so stout, as not to give way to ought, but torments. But must I needs open the gaets to sorrowes, when your Letter is an article of my faith, and that you suffer a thousand tortures for my love? I doubt not, but envie hath beene buzzing something in my Parents cares of our loves, and that Felicity her selfe, as iealous of our contentments, might put such a poore tricke upon us. But you have so faire a soule, and so generous, that you will constantly repulse all those onsets to honour still, with your love,
A Letter in answer.
PLeasures are of short continuance, and their faire dayes are too soone eclipsed, wee cannot promise our selves a long enjoyment of them, since they are in the hands of the great IEHOVAH. It is constancy that gives us happinesse, after all our adversities. You are the subject of my by-past sorrow (deare Floridon) but now your presence serves mee for Sunne-beames: though indeed some doubts of future obstacles doe even bury mee in an obscure night of anguish. And were it not that joy followes sorrow, I had ere this skipt over the step of this life of mine, to bee freed of my paine. But, time will one day give us the happinesse to make each other amends, by receiving usury for our patience. Bee comforted [Page 245] then in your selfe, and consider so well with your discretion (though I bee thus in my feares) that there wants nothing but the Spire of our felicities, which we shall attaine to I hope shortly, or it shall be no fault of hers, who is
Stiles and Tearmes used to The King, or Queenes Majesty, either in our Speech, or in Superscriptions of Petitions directed to them.
If you present any thing.
Sir, May it please your Majesty.
If you write in forme of a petition to the King.
Sir, May it please your Majesty to understand, or to grant.
To the Queene.
Madam, May it please your Majesty.
On the Superscription of some businesse, directed both to the King and Queene.
To the most Excellent, and most Mighty, Caesar Augustus.
To the most Excellent, most mighty Lady the Queene.
A Stile used by Men of Quality, when they speake to the King.
[Page 246] Sir, May it please your Majesty.
To the Queene.
Madam, May it please your Majesty.
Stiles used to the Nobility in our Superscriptions are diverse, but the most generall are these.
If to an Arch-Bishop.
To the most Reverend Father in God.
If to a Bishop.
To the right Reverend Father in God.
If to a Noble man, eminent in place.
To the Right Honourable.
Or otherwise.
To the Honourable.
To persons of inferiour degrees.
To the right worshipfull.
Otherwise.
To the worshipfull.
Divisions of Letters.
AMorous, loving Letters.
Morall, civill Letters.
Oeconomicall, household Letters.
Politicall, witty Letters.
[Page 247]Excusatory, Defensive Letters.
Petitionary, Letters of Request.
Gratulatory, Letters of Thankes.
Nuncupatory, Letters of Newes.
Subscriptions, with Subscriptions adjoyned to them, as they are most properly applyed.
TO the High and most Mighty Monarch.
Your Majesties most faithfull and obedient Subject.
To the Right Honourable.
Your Honours most humble devoted.
To his Honourable Lord.
Your Honours in all duty and service.
To the Honourable, and his highly respected Lady.
Your Honours to command.
Or, Your Honours devoted.
To the worthy and Noble.
Ever yours to serve you.
To the right Honourable and his highly esteemed Patron.
Your Honours observant.
[Page 248]To his most loving Father.
Your obedient Sonne.
To his dearely beloved Wife.
Your most loving Husband.
To his loving Vncle.
Your observant kinsman.
To the honourable Colonel.
Yours sworne to worthinesse,
To the onely life of his desires.
Your afflicted friend.
To the fulnesse of his contentment.
Your living and dying friend.
To the onely hope of his fortunes.
The honourer of your matchlesse perfections.
To the noble and truly vertuous Gentlewoman;
Yours in death it selfe.
To his best choyce.
Yours, in the midst of feare.
To his virtuous, and dearely beloved.
Yours ever resolved.
To the Mistris of his thoughts.
Yours, dying in Constancy.
To his beloved friend.
Yours assured.
To the lovingest of all my friends.
[Page 249] Yours inseparably.
To his highly esteemed friend.
Yours, as I have professed,
To his tried and trusty friend.
Not living without you.
To his honourable friend.
Yours in true friendship.
To his newly displeased friend.
Yours, if you wrong her not.
To her best resolved friend.
Yours wheresoever.
To his well advised friend.
Yours, and vertues.
To his loving, and long expected friend.
Yours, with good wishes.
To his respected friend.
Yours, well assured.
To his approved friend.
Yours in true liberty.
To her much disquieted friend.
Yours in honourable love.
To his loving Neece.
Your affectionate kinsman.
To his dearest Brother.
Yours in all occasions.
To his well experienced and much esteemed noble friend.
[Page 250] Yours as you can desire.
To his well disposed friend.
Yours to trust onely.
To her dearest Husband.
Your ever loving Wife.
To his much disordered friend.
Yours in reformation.
To his unkinde friend.
Yours, if you will have it so.
To his ill advised Sonne.
Your displeased Father.
To his miserable rich friend.
Yours, if you can be your owne.
To the worthy Lady.
Yours, as a lover of Honour.
To her unkinde Husband.
Your true Wife till death.
To his perjur'd, and lacivious Wife.
Your Husband if you do not divide him.
To her jealous Husband.
Yours in her very thoughts.
To his suddenly displeased friend.
Yours, when you conceive aright of me.
To his well resolved friend.
Yours, whilst mine owne.
To her unkind friend.
Yours, and yet displeased.
[Page 251]To his honourable and good friend.
Yours, if you thinke me worthy.
To his well esteemed friend.
Yours most dutifull if you will accept of Humiliation.
To his true helping friend.
Yours recovered.
To his worthy friend, adventurer in the Straites.
Yours individed, though farre off.
To his noble and constant friend.
Yours, though amongst Infidels.
To his respected and worthy friend.
Yours, as you have made me.
To his carefull friend.
Yours, mindfull of you.
To the worthy Doctor.
Your sicke Patient.
To his honourable Captaine.
Yours, though we never meet againe.
To his approved friend.
Yours in all places, and at all times.
To his especiall friend.
My owne, if in your memory.
To the most perfect of Women.
Yours in the midst of temptation.
[Page 252]To his honourable enemy.
Yours, ready for all dangers.
To his well deserving friend.
Yours unfainedly.
To his over suspicious friend.
Yours, to trust only.
To his wilfull, and seduced friend.
Your poore abused friend.
For the Readers greater pleasure and variety, these Subscriptions onely are here placed by themselves.
YOur carefull Father.
Your dutifull Sonne.
Your loving Master.
Your obedient Servant.
Ʋsque ad aras.
The unfortunate.
Your well wishing friend.
In all humble duty.
Ever thine.
Thy discontented friend.
In all obedience.
[Page 253]Faithfully yours.
Thy true friend.
Yours, more than mine owne.
Never lesse his owne.
Thy most constant friend.
As you shall determine of me.
Affectionately devoted to your service.
Your loving Landlord.
Your Worships poore Tenant to command.
Thy sometimes friend.
Yours not safe till I enjoy you.
Yours irremovably.
Yours prepared to suffer.
Yours, in boundlesse affection.
Your servant.
Your Honours friend.
Yours most passionatly, loyally, and perpetually devoted.
Yours, as farre as modesty will suffer me.
Yours, if you please to accept of me.
Yours, as I find cause.
Your best Counsellor.
Your injured Mistris.
Your affectionate poore friend.
Once thy Friend.
Your entire Vassall.
Remaining your friend.
[Page 254]Yours, in respective duty.
Yours, as a lover of vertue.
Yours, fearefully loving.
Yours, well affected.
Your plaine and true friend.
Your Worships to be commanded.
Your friend to his ability.
Animae dimidium tuae.
Yours in unutterable affection.
Your loyall Wife.
Your imprisoned friend.
No longer your friend.
Yours wholly, and onely, if you will.
Yours, so I may be my owne.
Thine, or not his selfe.
Your distressed Debtor.
Yours, as you shall deserve by your service.
Your sorrowfull friend.
Yours, what you will.
Your forsaken friend.
Your vowed servant.
Your enemy, till death.
Your friend, whether you will or no.
Your true love.
Yours ever.
One, alwayes yours.
Thine owne from all the world.
[Page 255]Yours, in all good sort to be entertained.
Your friend confirmed in all fidelity.
Thine to the end.
Desirous of your reformed imagination.
Yours, more sorry for your ill conditions, then for the wrong you have done me.
Your faithfull and ready friend.
Your most humble and passionate Servant.
Yours, in the infringable bonds of affection.
The servant of your worthy virtues.
Yours, most respectfully engaged.
Your ever friend and Servant.
Your Lordships unfained honourer, and loyall Servant.