FOr me to express over your beauty which hath been done by many, would appear a rude bold­ness, I will therefore acknowledge that my skill in blazing your precious perfections, cannot come near your worth, and that it is fitter for me to admire a far off your excellencies, than to make my addresses too near, since all that I can perform in the way of Writing, is but a shadow, a piece of that beauty which you glory in, and which Venus beholding would blush even to paleness, finding her self so far exceeded. Your person is able to make the rugged brow of Winter smooth as the Spring: while the drooping Flowers would lift up their withered heads, and the deceived Birds (thinking that Summer was come) would sit and sing on the warm Boughs, and all for joy of your approaching to them: Thus nature doth rejoyce to behold you, who are the joy of my heart: Thus subscribed

IF you did attribute these praises unto me out of Judgment, it would appear a great weak­ness in you, but I know that led on by a fancy you have thus Complemented your self into an error, and think to make me believe more of my self than my modesty will permit. Sir, alass! my eyes are full of my own wants, and by your praises I find out my own perfections, wanting that which you ascribe to me: may I carry a fair mind in my breast, and I care not for out­ward beauty, some other might be taken with your praises, which I imagine are the effects of passion, not reason: But I shall desire you to pardon me, if I return you no thanks for your flattering Complements, 'tis best to write truth. A natural kind of sweetness doth move best, and in such honest addresses of Love I shall re­gard your affection.

I Am now in love with my own eyes, and wit, for were not the first exceeding good, they could not endure the lustre of your beauty, and I am apt to believe the latter may be sharp, since it hath so exact a Character of your worth. Be more [Page]just to your self and me, then to think I flatter you; look into your self, and then you will wrong nei­ther, and when you find I have done you right, call not my affection in question for making the discovery, since it is my duty to serve you and truth in all things honourable, but if in my com­mending my own services I am so presumptuous as to exceed your pleasure, let your pity seal my pardon, since my default was only the defect of love, and I shall doubly be engaged to be, Madam,

YOU do well to love your own eyes, and wit and I will own the first to be good and the latter sharp, but if they both went toge­ther as you place them, your brains might be on the outside of your head, and then if you prove mistaken, blame your self, your eyes, your wit, and not me, but that I may be just to you, where there is no fault, there is no need of pardon, though the worth of ones affections oftentimes appear more in words than in rea­lity: however, if you will take the liberty and trouble to commend me, I must and will claim the privilege to subscribe my self, Sir,

LEt not my years be an obstacle to your love, since I have those gifts of Fortune, that will not only maintain our affections, and keep the fire of love in a continual flame, but will also afford you all those Ornaments which he hath designed for the adorning such tender and beautiful Birds of Nature: Besides, though I come not to you with a powdered Lock, or in the Mode of a young Gallant, yet know, my Girl, my zeal for you can be as hot, and as sincere, as the sprucest pretenders in the World: and if age doth make me seem in your apprehension as a withering Tree, yet I have Gold which will keep its colour, and it is that which in this world is ones best friend: pray have me in your thoughts, and I shall watch for an op­portune season, wherein I may make my self farther known to be, farirest Lady,

YOu are too far distant from me in years to be admitted into my affection, since you are arrived to the pitch of dotage, and I yet ignorant of what is love; However, I must do you so much justice as to commend your dis­cretion [Page]for fishing with a Golden bait, for be­lieve me, next to beauty, I cannot imagine any thing to be more taking among Mortals, than the glorious name of wealth: I could be content to keep my Coaches, my Pages, my Lacqueys and Maids; but I confess I could never endure, the society of a bald pate: How can you think, Reverend Sir, that I should love you, when by the temptations which you offer, you clearly manifest your Opinion, that if I should marry it must be to your Gold, rather than to you? I confess a silver Mine is a pretty toy for a thing of my years to dote on, but I have a Childlish humour peculiar to my self, that is never to humble my affections so, as that they suffer trea­sure, as a load-stone, to draw me to its beck. 'Tis true, wealth will be welcome to me to maintain my train, but the person of that more lovely Creature, Man, will be ever more welcome to a Maids imbraces. Can you think me so weak, as to exchange the flower of my youth for a bundle of Snow, or rotten dirt? No Sir, Gold with a Man is good, admirable good, but it is a man that in the School of Love passes for the prin­cipal verb: for my own part, rather than joyn my self to a mear wedge of Gold I shall chose to accept of a bundle of rags, so they have any affinity to a Man.

By this time good Old man you know my mind, be wise, and Wed your self to Heaven, and I shall thank you if in your Death you re­member to bequeath your Gold to

IT is not with blushes, but tears, that I pre­sume to write unto you, for indeed it grieves me to publish my Husbands folly, which by duty I am bound to conceal, neither had I attempted it, but that grief and necessity throws me on this exigent; for so it is, that my unspotted chastity is not capable to defend him from jealousie, which makes me as much triumph in my own Loyal­ty, as I grieve at his ingratitude, and not con­tent to wrong me, his folly, or rather his frenzy hath reflection on you, whom he takes to be both the object and cause thereof; but as your innocen­cy can justly warrant and defend my honour and your honour, my innocency from the least shadow of that Crime, so that we may both indeavour ra­ther to quench than inflame this irrigularity, I most humbly beseech you to refrain our house [Page]and neither to visit me, nor be familiar with him and so peradventure time may wear away from his thoughts, that which at present truth and rea­son cannot; your eloquent vertues, and true Ge­nerosity, assure me of this courtesie, which I will repay with thanks, and requite with prayers, that your days may be as infinite as your perfections, and your fame as glorious as your merits, so prays, Noble Sir,

Your Vertues, and my Conscience, make us as unworthy of your Husbands jealousie, as he of so chaste a wife as your self, and so true a friend as I am: but as your affection to him hath still shined in your loyalty, so it must now in your Patience, since he in this base passion of his, seeking his own shame, will at last assured­ly find out your glory: Had his folly revealed me so much as your discreet Letter, I would have exchanged my pen to a Sword; and with the hazard of my life, and loss of my dearest blood, made known as well to him as to the whole World, the truth both of your Chastity and Honour, and of mine Honour and Innocen­cy. In the mean time I will both embrace and obey your request, and will manage it with [Page]such observance to your Husband, such respect to your Vertues, and such regard to mine own Reputation, as I hope he shall rest satisfied of your Chastity towards himself, and of mine to you, otherwise I Prize Ladies of your respecti­on, at so high a rate, and set one of his hu­mour and inclination at so low an esteem, that I will know how to answer his choler with con­tempt, and to requite your discretion, both with Admiration and Praise. Madam,

I Should have been happy if Heaven had given me merits to deserve your affections, since I hold it no great difficulty to afford you mine, but that we may discourse with a little freedom, I will borrow so much time from my other affairs as to meet you, only I shall give this caution, that as I am a Virgin, you will show your self so far a Gentleman as not to offer any thing that may savour of incivility; pardon me, that I lay such an injunction on you, it is not that I question you are otherwise Noble but only what is commonly ex­pected from a Maiden that hath respect to her own modesty and credit, and may therefore very well become, Sir,

I Do so well understand my respect to you, that (Pardon my boldness if I say) your care was somewhat needless. Lady, it is you that I adore, and can you then imagine I would injure you, you that I would gladly make mine own and be proud of such a Purchace; Again, my Birth is not so base as to tyrannize over Ladies, espe­cially you, the best of Ladies. When the Sky puts on her bespangled Garments the glittering Stars, I will expect you with all the reverene [...] [Page]and submission due to your Noble merits, from, Divine Lady,

YOu know I am no Miller, and therefore will make no cogs with you; nor no Gamester, and therfore will not play a false Card with you but as true as I live, I told you now that is the plain truth, and therefore believe it, for by my kerson Soul, I do not hault with you, for at the last turn when I last danced with you, your hand gave such a quitch to me heart, that it was ready to leap out of my mouth to deliver me mind to you, & therefore I have gotten the School-master of our Town to write this to you; Now, if you be as you are, and I hope still to be as kind to m [...] as I shall be to you, it shall not be long e'er it, come to that up-shot, that shall not in haste he put back again; And therefore I pray you wear these Gloves that I send you, they cost me two groats. I would then were better for you. So till I see you at the Wake the next Week, where I hope a good bargain shall not be long a making, when good ware shall be worth money, and an honest Man will take pains for his living, I rest

TRuly John, I know not what to say to you, but I would be loath that you should be so ill, that I could not help you: but had I known your mind when I was last with you, I could [Page]with more content have written to you; for I will tell you what: after you were gone from me, here came a youngster unto me, that kept such [...] stir with me, that there was no ho, but he would have me. For by his troth he swore, and [...]ll the troths that he could swear by, that, for [...]his whole year he hath had a months mind to [...]e, and do what I could, I could not be rid of [...]im, before I did tell him that I could love him, [...]nd so indeed I could, if I had known him; for [...]e was a handsome fellow, but being a Stranger [...]e should pardon me for the main chance. Now therefore yet John all is whole, and I am a true Maid, and since an honest Batchelor is worthy of a good Wench, without Cogs or Cards, by my Holidum I swear, there shall be no [...]ove lost betwixt true hearts; but I am my Fa­ [...]hers jewel and you are your Mothers joy; and therefore if they will think well of the matter, I hope it shall be as it will be; for your Gloves I thank you, but why are you at such charges with me? but 'tis no matter, there will be more gotten or lost by that time, ere the bargain be made up: at the wake I hope to meet you, and therefore be not asleep when you should be there. I will have a trick to get my Father thither, and if you can bring your Mother, I hope we shall make a merry day. Farewel.

FAir Creature, to tell you I love you, were [...] phrase of too plain a fashion, and yet when truth is indeed the best eloquence, affection needs no invention to express the care of her contents which being in the Letters, makes a word soon to be read, which being Y, O, U, nothing doubting your spelling, I hope you will so kindly put toge­ther, that a conjunction of Love shall have no se­paration during Life; and thus beseeching you to learn this Lesson by heart, without a cross i [...] conceit, to hinder the course of Loves comfort, t [...] I hear from you in that nature that may make me a happy Creature, I rest,

KInd Sir, to tell you I love you, were to cross an Answer with a comfortable request, & yet when dissimulation is the worst fruits o [...] invention, discretion may be pardoned in con­cealing of Love; touching your Letters, they are sooner read than understood, while imagi­native hopes may be deceived in their hap­happiness [Page]and yet to avoid all touch of ingrati­tude, in that nature of kindness that may give honour content, as a simple Scholar in the art of Love, loth to have that by heart that may trouble more than my head; when separations of Conjunctions may endanger the Death of Comfort, wishing nothing amiss to them that mean well: I rest,

WIdow, I have neither a smooth-Face, nor a filed Longue to clear your Eyes, nor abuse your Ears withal; but a true heart and a constant mind that doth inwardly love you, and will never deceive you; fickle heads, and unbridled wills, know not where or how to bestow themselves when their Wits go a Wool-gathering, among shrews that have had fleeces; they may be kind, but not constant; and love loves no out-lookers, but be­sides, light heads have no stayed heels, and a little wealth is soon spent. Who knoweth the woe of want, can tell you the difference between an Old Mans darling, and a Young Mans Warling: Why? how can they love, that scarce know how to like? I know you have many Suitors of worth, but none that I think more worthy than myself: for none can love you so much, nor esteem you so well; for I have known the World, [...] are not [Page]for it, nor for any thing but you. If therefore all I have may please you, and myself to love and ho­nour you, make my comfort your contentment, and I will seek no other Paradise in the World. Thus hoping that reason in your favour will effect the hope of my affection, leaving you to your self, to be your self, I rest

I Could never see you but in a Letter, I should delight much in your presence, but contra­ries are not correspondent. A gray head, and a green mind fit not, your perswasions were for­cible, were not your self of too much weakness: but though for your good Will I thank you, yet for nothing will I be indebted to you, no not for a World would I be troubled with you; for as our years, so I fear our fancie will be indiffe­rent, and the patience moving choler may breed anger, when to be an Old mans Darling, is a kind of a curse to nature. You say well, who can love that know not how to like? when the senses are uncapable of their comfort, what is imagination but a Dream? A blind Man can judge no colour, A Deaf Man hath not skill in Musick, a Dum Man no Eloquence, and an Old Man little feeling in lo [...]es passion. For my Sui­tors they suit my time and serve their own, and [Page]for their worth, I shall judge of the most wor­thy. Now for their wits, if they lose not their own fleeces, let them gather wool where they can; but for your love, I will not venture on it, lest being too old, it be not sweet: and for my young Suitors, I hope I shall take heed of a sha­downed sowerness: As for fortune while vertue governs affection, I will not fear my felicity. So hoping your town reason will perswade you to have patience with your passion, and leave me to my better comfort, meaning to be as you wish me, my self, and no other, I rest,

IT's the custom of Lovers after the breach of their League and amity, to send back those Gratuires which formerly passed as Tokens of their natural affections. You have taken up the fashion; and believe me, I abhor any longer to have nearness with one of your qualification, who for meer trifles can dissolve the knot of Friend­ship, and shake hands with familiarity. For know hat your memory, which was something dear in my thoughts, is now abhorr'd, seeing that the firmness and stability of affection, you have so carelesly brought to annihilation: I may paral­ [...]el my present condition to the state of the Sun, when pitchy Clouds environing him round about seem to extinguish his splendor. But time, the [Page]perfecter of all Terrestial things may in due sea­son impart a lustre correspondent to my hopes, and suitable to my disposition, till when I will scorn the blasts of adversity, and all those who ha­ving little or no merit, are endowed by the dispen­sation of the Owl-eyed Goddess Fortune, with large possessions. However, if I can find no better to converse and spend my time with than your self I will turn Momus, and for ever hate the socie­ty of Men, but having a better Opinion of the generality, I casheer you with this Ultimum Va­le, and rest

I Beseech you, let the Rules of nature be so prevalent with you, as not to marry me to the Man you design, but if you do resolve that I shall marry, let it be to one that I shall love, or to my Grave: be not over-ruled by the thought of Avarice, lest you become inhumane to your own blood, and make me