FAbian, Good morrow: how do you? and how farre walke you this way?

I do as you sée, neither of the best, nor the worst: and am trauelling not very farre; & yet somewhat more then a pretty walke; about some hundreth miles or two for a breathing, to teach the dauncing legges of my youth, to plodde for the prouision of mine old age: and since it is no better, it is well it is no worse: For since I haue done my selfe more wrong, then I can make my selfe a­mends, I must content my selfe with a pudding, while other may feast, that haue better fare.

Then, I pray you be not Angrie: for Patience is a playster for all paine, it is the very poyson of all sorrow, a preparatiue to all comfort, and the onely quieter of a troubled spirit.

Why how now? Haue youe béene a Scholler since I saw you: Truely I desire not to trouble your memory, with saying ouer your les­son without booke: all your Aduerbes and your Prouerbes, will not doe me a pinnes worth of pleasure.

Oh Fabian! haue patience be not angrie with your Fortune, there are Flouds as well as Ebbes: Time hath his turne and Fortune may be as great a friend, as shée hath béene an enemie: the Starres may one day shine as well ouer your house, as your neighbours; and there­fore stay your houre, you know not when it will come; and therefore take no thought: I pray you be not Angrie.

Well Fernuno, to your sentences: let mée tell you, that you know that I know, that you know, that when you and I did first know one another, you knew the world was better with mée, then to let mée plodde vp and downe in this manner, with no more company but my Dogge, and my plaine Cudgell: but tis no matter, all is one; for ha­uing plaide wily beguily with my selfe, I can thanke no body for my hard bargaine: for in the time of my youth (the most perilous point of mans age) falling into such acquaintance as were smally to my com­modity, as well of the Masculine as the Femenine gender, who so long fed my humour with follie, that I fell almost into a Consumption, be­fore I sound the nature of the disease: at length, (though somewhat late, yet better late, then neuer) remembring that my father lest me more Land then Wit; and Nature being more Mistris then Reason ouer my ill ruled Senses: and séeing the world at such a passe, that I could haue well wished to haue béene out of it: finding my Friends scorne of mée, my Foes feoffe at mée, some few pitty mée, and few com­fort mée, I resolued to shake of my Shake-ragges, and to retire my selfe vnto some solitary place; where, hauing left one. Foole, to laugh at another; one villane to cut anothers throate, and one Honest man to be example to a whole Parish, I betooke mée to a trauelling life, rather to heare then to speake how the World went: and to note the courses of the Wise, rather then to enter into the courses of the Wicked: whereof the World is so full, that a man can scarce escape their infection: Why? if I should tell you how I haue brae vsed among them, you would say I had good cause to be Angry with my selfe, or some body else.

And yet I say, I pray you be not Angry: For, if it be with your selfe, Fretting will but bréed Melancholy; and Melancholy bring you to such a Sicknesse, that you may repent it when it is too late. And to bee Angry with any other, if you cannot reuenge it, it is a folly: if you doe it is vncharitable; for you must forgiue. For, if I should tell you of some tricks that were put vpon mee, when I was as wise as a Goose on Beadlame Gréene, I should make you beléeue that, although I prea [...]h Patience to you, I should haue cause to haue little acqu [...]ntance with her my selfe: But spight of the Deuill, I hope to goe to heauen: and though I carry more Crosses in my heart then in my Purse, yet I hope (with my fellow Begger) to be in Abr [...]hams boosome, when a rich Churle shall dance with Diues in a worse place: and therefore as a friend, let me say to you, knowing what is good for you; Whatsoeuer Fortune be­fall you, I pray you be not Angry.

I must confesse it is good Councell to haue Patience; for Pati­ence is a preety Vertue, but that it waits vpon a number of Villaines: But let mée tell you, if a man spend all the money in his purso vpon a company of vnthankfull Villaines, and when hée commeth to the bot­tome of his Purse, and there finding nothing. Intreateth with his friends (as he hath held them) but for an Ordinary or two; and scof­fingly put off, cannot get a Penny among them: What can you haue in all the rule of Patience? onely fret at the heart to heare men say, I pray you be not Angry.

And yet let me tell you, That when Anger will not auaile him, it is better to be Patient, then Angry: for I haue heard it spoken by a Wise man. That he who cannot bee Angry, is a Foole: but hee that will bee Angry, is more Foole: For when I was (as you said, and I may say) in the prime of my time, I may say in the foolish pride of youth, when all the Gold in the Parish, was Copper to my Siluer: and my Wit was beyond Reason; when I was the onely Foole of the World: Oh then (to tell you) I was ouer taken in the halfe turne, would make one runne out of his wittes, and into them againe if it were possible: for say this, If a man haue no deformity in his proportion, is no Wood-cock for his ordinary course of Witte, hath Wealth enough to liue by his Neighbours without borrowing, is of Parentage with the best of the Parish, is in the way of good spéede with a Match worth the making of: and leauing all honest wise, and good councell, forsaketh his Fortune, and binds himselfe prentice during life to an ill fauoured Baggage, the worst Child that her father had, whose beauty is like the backe of a sea-coale Chimney; and for proportion, the true proportion of a sea-crab, as much wit as a gray Goose, and manners as a blind Mare, and no more wealth then the Wooll on a shorne Shéepe: besides, the issue of idle drunkennesse, which being grounded in all foollishnesse, can away with nothing but worse then nothing: whose tongue can kéepe no secrets, whose heart can thinke no goodnesse, and whose life is a world of vn­quietuesse: and spight of his heart hauing taken hee for better or worse, (when shée cannot well be worse, and will be no better) must hold out his life worse then ten deaths with her: Say your selfe, that when a man thinkes of this misery, it would fret him to the very heart: But where is the remedy.

Oh! I pray you be not angry: For if a man should haue a Sister whome hée Loueth Deacely, whose Beauty with Vertue, were a Dowry for a Prince, her Linage Noble, her Personage comly, her [Page]nature kind, and her gouernment so discréet, that by the iudgement of the wife, we was a match for the worthy: to sée this blessed creature, by the crueltie of the Fates bestowed vpon the bastard sonne of a Begger, whose Father was a billaine, his Mother a soole, and he a Changeling: whose eyes were thrée foote out of his head, his nose too long for his month, and his skinne to wide for his face, his heade like a high-way with a little heath on either side, and his beard bending to the Ale-house, from thence came the originall of his little honor: and for his vnder pro­portion, an answering to the upper parts: whose wit was onely practi­sed in villanie, whose hart studied but Hell, while his soule was sworn seruant to the Deuill: and yet this rascall Viper shall, onely with his golden I lawes, créepe into the hands (for in the heart hée could neuer) of a pretty Wench, and carry her a way into such a world of discontent­ments, that shée could neuer leaue sorrowing till shée had got into her graue. Would it not fret such a Brother as had such a Sister; or chafe such a Louer as had such a Loue, to sée such an ouerthrow of his comfort, or confusion of his kind hope.

Oh! I Pray you be not Angrie: For Marriage and Hanging (some say) goe by destinte: and although Hanging is but a short paine, and marriage is a lingring misery, where disagreement is a deadly life: yet since wee cannot goe against the will of the higher powers, Patience is a playster, that will in time drawe a mans heart out of his belly, except hée haue more wit to gouerne his passion. But leauing loue toyes, let me tell you, that if a man finding by some old writings in his mothers chest, that his Father had Title to a peece of Land, which for want of a good purse, he durst neuer make challenge to it, and say that I were the man, and I by the witnesse of my honest ancient neighbours, can approue it in good conscience to be mine owne in right of Law; and thereupon as­king counsell, and paying for words by waight, and by my learned coun­cell perswaded that it is mine past all plea. And thus playing with my Nose, or rather with my purse, till all be spent; with Demurrs & tricks he drines me to beggery, with suing for mine owne right, while he goes gay with my money, and I starne with his words; a vengance vpon his craftie conueyance. Would not this fret a mans soule to thinke on it, and cannot helpe it.

Now God forbid; I pray you be not Angry; for Law was or­dalued for the best; and though in all professions some are too blame, yet no doubt, but some haue such consciences, that they would not be corrup­ted for a kingdome; but Courts must haue their fees, and Schollers must [Page]not study for nothing. But for that I am no good Lawyer, nor euer met with any bribes, I haue nothing to say to them; but wish the wicked their reward, while the honest may take héede by their example: & so lea­uing them all to the day of their death, I will tell you of another matter.

Say that I had a friend, at least as I take him & louing him so dearely that I durst, nay I doe trust him with all that I am worth; and being to take a voyage either vpon command or commodity, fearing some ill courses to be taken for my children if I should die, knowing women ge­nerally so sorrowfull for a lost husband, that they will not tarry long for a new; and what fathers in law be to orphants, while widdowes sigh & say nothing, hauing (in trust to my friend) made a secret déed of gift of all my estate vnto him, the rather that my wife and children may fare the better; and now I haue escaped many dangers by sea and land, and spoyled of all that I had with me, come home, hoping to finde comfort yet at my owne house with that I left behinde me; and there no sooner en­tred in at the gate, but with a coy looke, and a cold welcome, I find my wife either turned out of doores, or so badly vsed within, that she could well wish to be without; & then, if I take it vnkindly, be bidden mend it as I can; and so with a frowne or a frumpe, almost thrust out of doores, be constrained to goe to Law for mine owne liuing, while my mistaken friend hauing turned Turke, cares for nothing but his owne commodity, & contrary to all conscience, playes with me for my owne money, till the Lawyer and he together, haue wonne me quite out of mine owne land and so play me the Traytor with my trust; leaue me in the misery of my fortune, to end my vnhappy dayes; Now can you say to this, I pray you be not Angry?

Yes very well; for since you see no remedy, but God is such a God in the world, as makes the deuil work many wonders among men, is it not better with patience to indure a crosse, thou to crucifie the soule with impatience. But say that you should haue a wife that you thought did loue you well, when shee would stroke your beard, and neuer lie from your lippes, and would speake you as faire as Eue did Adam, when shée cousned him with an Apple; would not abide an Oath for a bushell of Gold, and be so sparing of her purse, that shée would not loose the dropping of her nose: bridle it in her countenance like a Mare that were knapping on a Cow-thistle: would weare no ruffes but of the smal set, though of the sluect Lawne that might be gotten, and edged with a Lace of the best fashion: would not abide no imbrodery in her apparell, yet haue the best stuffe shée could lay her hands on; and feede sparingly [Page]at dinner, when shée had broke her fast in the bed; and missed not a Sermon, though shée profited little by the word; This dissembling péece of flesh, making a shew of lamentation, cut of the aboundance of her little loue, for lacko of your good company, if you were but a mile out of the Towne: & if you were to take a iourney, would lay an Onion to her eies, to draw out the Rhewme instéed of teares: & hauing eaten an apple, with pinching in a backward wind, send out a belching, sigh for sorrow of the absence of her Goose-man: and then after all these, and a world of other tricks, to bring a man in a bad beléefe of her good minde▪ if you re­turning home a night sooner then expected, & a yéere s [...]ner then welcome, should (hauing Keyes to your owne Doores) come in, and finde in your owne bed botwixt the armes (I goe no lower) of your too much beloued the liuing carkasse of a lubberly rascall, or perhaps the perfumed corpes of some dainty compation, working vpon the ground of your pleasure to plant the fruite of idle fancy, to the horne-griefe of your poore heart; could you be pacified with, I pray you be not Angry.

Indéede you put mée to it, with an, If: But I hope there are no such women; fie for shame, it were enough to make murder: but Patience being the meane to saue many a mans life, & that perhaps being the first fault, and shée vpon repentance after a secret reprehension likely to turne honest, were it not better to steale away, and haue her maid to wake her, the matter cleanly shuffled vp, and shée with sorrow rather to confesse it in secret, and to be sorry for it, and in shame of her fault to leaue it, while few know it; rather then in a fury or franzy bring in your neighbours, raise vp your house, beate your wife, imprison the knaue, bring your wife to shame, and make the world priuie to your cuckoldry: and so shée in a desperate madnesse, either shamelesse after a little shame, or gracelesse in impatience to beare her correction, either cut her owne throate, or yours, or both; and so all come to consension, through lacke of a little charitable discretion: No, God forbid, for rather then any such mischance should fall, is it not better to say, I pray you be not Angrie.

For to quit your discontentment, say that I should (as God forbid I should) haue married an honest woman, that hath brought mée many pretty Children, is a good huswife in her house, carefull for her children, and louing both to them and me; and for the space of many yeares, with a good opinion of all her neighbours, and good credit with all that know her, had passed some score of yeares or two with mée, with as much con­tentment as a reasonable man might desire: & to make her amends for all her kindnesse, I should either take a whore into my house, or kéepe her [Page]as a hackney at, racke & manger abroad so long, till being led by the nose to beleeue that she loues me, when I pay for the nursing of halfe a dosen of bastards: of which, if I be the wicked Father, my conscience hath little comfort in: and if any other (as it is most likely) be the father or fathers, how am I beguiled to play poore noddy, to let my purse bloud, to pay for the maintaining of anothers pleasure? And at the last, if she find me abridge my lyberality, in a venemous humor come with an outery to my doore, with a nest of her fellow beggers, and there with rayling vpon me, calling mée old leather, whoremonger, and I know not what; lay her brats downe before my gate, & so with a gapeing mouth goeth her way leauing mée to my purse onely, to séeke the sauing of my credit, and so be­come a griefe vnto my wife, a sorrow to my Children, and a laughing stocke to mine enemies, a by-word among my neighbours, a shame to my selfe, and an enemie to mine owne soule: and thus séeing my wealth wasted, my credit lost or impaired, and God so displeased, that I know not which way to turne my selfe; Shall I neither be Angrie with the whoore for bewraying me, nor with my selfe to let her so befoole me?

No, I say as I did, I pray you be not Angry; for shee did but her kinde, to vse her eyes to the benefit of the rest of her members: and therefore you being a man of iudgement, ought rather to be sorry for her wickednesse, then to shew your owne weakenesse, in such yeares to haue a thought of wantonnesse: but sure the flesh is weake, and the strongest may fall better is a sorrowfull repentance, then a fretting madnesse: and since fretting at your owne folly, to sell all the land you haue, wil not get you a foote of earth more then your graue, bee not at warres with your selfe to no purpose: cease from doing euill, make much of your honest wife, serue God in true repentance, and the Diuell shall doe you no hurt: for, is it not better to beare your crosse: especially, being of your owne making, then to run into further mischiefe by the wicked humour of im­patience? But to the purpose: say this, (to quit you with another propo­sition) put the case, that I being (as you see) a proper man, and in the way of good speed with a handsome woman, and shee in state able to doe for an honest man that would loue her, and make much of her, and I hauing intent to deale honestly with her; and she giues me her faith and troth, and sweares by her very soule that I haue her heart so fast, that no man shall haue her hand from me: and I thinking that because shee is old, she is honest: and because she sweares, that shée saies true, goe about my businesse as she bids me for some few dayes, and then to returne to the ioyuing vp of the matter betwixt vs; and in the meane time, after that [Page]I haue spent perhaps more then my halfe yeares wages vpon her in wine and sugar and good cheare, and hope to come to be mercy, come and find her married to a filthy c [...]soning Knaue, who by a little more money then I had in my purse for the present; to bribe another rascall like him­selfe, who was the maker of the match, dwells in my hoped house, giues me the bagge for my money, and hath my fat old sow in such a snare, that there is no getting of her out againe: when I am thus handled for my good will, with this wicked old peece of whit-leather, to put my trust in an old hogs-stie for my habitation, and to bee thrust out of doores for my labour; Shall I not be Angry?

Oh no, in any case: for women haue wits beyond mens rea­son: especially, when they are past a child, or child-bearing, more then they that are past children. Oh, I tell you, it is a perilous thing to slippe occasion in matters of Loue: and age is either froward or fraile, & there­fore you should rather haue fed her humour ful ere you had left her, then to thinke that she would bee vnprouided till you should come againe to her: And therefore I say, as you say; I pray you be not Angrie. For I will tell you; Say that I béeing a man euery way to content an honest woman, and hauing vnhappily bestowed my selfe vpon a woman of the worst kind, which before I married her, being neither widow, maide nor wife, but a plaine whore: and this misery of my daies, being by my follie brought to some better state then she was worthy: and séeing her selfe in a glasse growne fat through good fare and ease, & setting her countenance euen with the pride of her folly, beginning to thinke better of her selfe then halfe the parish besides, should chance vpon a little kindnesse, grow in loue with my kinsman, or he with her, and so they grow so great, that I should [...]nd like Iohn hold my staffe, while they take their pleasure: she should sit at the vpper end of the Table, and I at the neither end: she lie in one Chamber, and I in another, and yet must not finde fault with it for feare of a stab, or a figge, or some other villanie, but with a saming countenance beare all, as if pudding were the onely meate of the world, while one makes hornes at mee, another moes at mee, another calls mee cuckold, another wittall; and I know all to bee true, and cannot, or dare not doe withall: Doe you thinke that flesh and blood can beare this, and not be angry?

Yes very well, for, as you haue flesh and blood, so you haue wit and reason: and when your wit and reason can consider, how her trade brings more commoditie, and with lesse trauell then your trassique: if you be not so wilfull that you will heare no body speake but your selfe; [Page]or so scornefull, that you can endure no companion in kindnesse: or so co­uetous, that you will not spare a penny towards the nursing of your neighbours child: or so proud, that you scorne the gift of a friend: you wil finde that such a wise is worth too Milch cowes: and whatsoeuer the world saies, you are beholding to none but her: and where others begger their husbands, she hath made you the head man of the Parish: and then, cannot you winck at a litle fault that is so full of profit? Yes I warrant you and therefore I may well say, I pray you be not angry?

True, it may be that some good asse that knowes not how to liue without the basest trade of beggerie, will put on any Patience for profit: but from such a rascall nature God deliuer me But to requite you with as good as you bring, let me tell you: If I should serue a man of great wealth, and hee haue a wenching humour, and hee kéeping more Maide-seruants in his house then euer meant to be true Virgins, & one of these wilde cattle, that for the price of a red Petticote would venture the ly­ning of her placket, should by a mischance of her Masters making, fall into a two héeld Tinpany, which could by no meanes be cured, without my consenting to a wicked marriage for a little money; which I, by the villanie of the Trull, which would put the tricke vpon mee must séeme willingly to yéeld vnto, for feare of I know not what, to fall out I know not why: and so giuing a countenance of contentment; to the confusion of my hearts comfort, when shee could be deliuered of this mischiefe, ho­ping that shee would meddle no more with any such matters, begin to make a little more of her then shee was worthy: and she thereupon so lu­stie, that thee cared not for the Parish so long as the Constable was her friend, giue entertainment to whom shee lust, and vse me as shee list; set more hornes then haires on my head; and care not if I were hanged for my good will: This rascal roundabout, without good complexion or good condition; as ill fauoured as mannered, and so spoken as wicked: béeing thus voide of grace, carelesse of all credit, and irremoueable in her reso­lution for the wicked course of her life; this (I say) hellish peece of flesh to dominere ouer me, and with the countenance of her master, to make a slaue of her good-man, who should be sent of errands, while she were with her arrants: I should fetch wine for their drinking, turn the spit to their roast-meate, or walke their horses, while they were sadling my Fillie: and yet all this (and I say not what else) I must beare, as though it were no burthen for a small reckoning at the weekes end for washing a fouls shirt, or setting of my ruffes right, or seething of a calues head, or ma­king sauce to a tame goose, or for a nod of my Master, that makes a nod­die [Page]of his seruant: for such and such like matters, to put vp all matters, and swallow griefe so in my throat, that it is ready to choake me in the going downe: Is it possible to doe all this, that you could be, I, and not be Angrie?

Yes, very well: for profit is so pleasing, that it puts out a great many ill thoughts that would trouble a man that hath no wit; and for ho­nesty, it is a good thing I must confesse: But if a man be not borne rich, and keepes himselfe so, hee shall gaine little by simplifitie: and therefore as I said, where patience brings pro [...]t, I say still, beare with your for­tune, and be not Angry. But leauing to talke more of female dis­contentments, let mee say this: That I being a man of sufficiencie to supply the Office of a good place, borne of a Noble house bred vp in all courses requisite for a Gentleman, haue trauelled diuers countries, séene much of the world by sea and land: and through want of my fathers dis­cretion, not left so good a portion as may maintaine my reputation, without some better matter then mine owne estate, and driuen for my better comfort, to put my fortune vnder the fauour of him, whom I know not what hath made rich: and being onely wise in the world, hath no féeling of Gods grace, but by a thousand ill practises, findes the meane before his death to look ouer a great deal of more ground then his graue: and this Captaine of the damned crue, who is haled to hell with a world of chaines; the son of a begger, & brother to a villaine, to gouerne ouer tho honesty of my heart with the commandement of euill seruice: or finding me not for his humour, to frowne on me like an old frying-panne: or to­rate me like a dogge, because I will not bee a Deuill: to bee employed in more vilenesse then halfe a Christian could endure to heare of: now I say, to spend my time in this misery onely for picking of a sallad, waigh­ting at a trencher, looking on a faire house, making curtesie to an old re­lique, hold the bason to the rhewme, or hearing the inusique of a rotten Cough: and after many yéeres patience in this purgatory, where all the wisedome I haue learned, were but to corrupt the nature of a good wit, either for a trifle to be frowned at, & by tricks to be wrought out: or with a liuery without a badge, to seeke my fortune in some better soile, to haue serued long for nothing, or for worse then nothing, when discon­tentments must be cancelled, and I for feare of a mischiefe, must speake all honour of dishonour, and with a merry goe sorrie, sigh out my dayes that are no better blessed: when I shall see a foole graced, and better wits put downe: honestie scorned, and knauery in more account then com­meneable: and I consening my selfe with an imagination that seruice [Page]was an heritage, where I found nothing but losse of time & repentance; Haue I not cause, thinke you, with all this, to be Angry?

And yet I say; I pray you be not Angry: For, if you had so much of the grace of God, as to make you rather leaue the hope of prefer­ment, then yeeld to an ill imployment, no doubt but either your priuate life will finde some secret contentment, or your patience will finde some­where aduancement of your vertues: and therefore rather be ioyfull of Gods blessing, then impatient with your fortune; and thinke not amisse that I say, I pray you be not Angry. But to requite you; Say that I hauing more money in my purse then a wise man would part with, but vpon the better reckoning, should be perswaded to play the vsurer, and so with little reward to make my money multiply, & by the cunning wor­king of a cunny catching Knaue. I should be brought (in hope of gaine) to take in pawne for my mony, some lease of a good farme, or péece of rich plate: which being not fetche by the day of payment, would returne mee more then double my money: put my money out of my hands, which I haue fared full hard to get together, and I at the day glad of my forfeit, hoping to gaine more then a good conscience would away withall, finde my lease not worth a point, by a former deede of gift, or such a conuei­ance as carrieth all away from my fingers, and leaue me (for all my cun­ning in the Law,) to pleade repentance to my folly: or my plate challen­ged for some peece of pilferie, and I brought to trouble for I know not what, and to get out I know not how, till I haue brought my stocke to a poore state, where I may sée the iust reward of vsury, when I looke in my purse, and find nothing, Would not this make one Angry?

Not a whit: for knaues will bee knaues, and fooles must bee bitten ere they will be wise: of which if you be none, no doubt but there are enough in the world. And since all the Anger in the world will not recouer a penny losse, let me say to you, as you say to me; I pray be not Angry. And let me tell you, that vpon a time it was my hap to haue a friend (as I thought) whom I loued dearely; and building vpon the care of his conscience, that for a world of wealth he would not play the Iew with mee: it fell out that I hauing more then a moneths minde to a wench aboue a yeare old, whose worthinesse euery way might com­mand a farre better seruant then my selfe; and yet it had so fallen out be­twixt vs, that our affections were so setled, that I thought (without death) there could be no remoue: and therefore fearing no fortune, rely­ing so much vpon her loue, louing (as I said) my imagined friend more then a wise man should do (for there is a measure to be kept in all things) [Page]made him acquainted with my secrecie, touching the intent to steale a­way my Mistris from the place where she had no pleasure to be kept in, as she had béene long like a chicken in a coope: and to the performing of this purpose, hoping to haue vse of his best helpe, deliuer him a ring, or a iewell of some value, to present vnto my loue, when I know his meanes better then mine owne, to haue accesse vnto her without suspition: and he after a world of protestations sealed with too many oathes, to deale so faithfully, carefully, and secretly for me as my heart could desire, when faith there was none, nor care of me, nor secrecy, but in kéeping all from me, when like a dissembling Iew, be vseth my iewell for a meane to rob me of my better iewell: when he presented it as from himselfe, and re­uealing some matter of secrecie betwixt vs, vnpleasing to her, and no­thing to my profit, with inchanting tearmes winnes her affection, and borroweth my money to cut my throate, till hauing carried away my mistris, he either laugh at me, or write me a letter of excuse to collogue with mee: When I thinke how with trusting a Knaue, I haue played the foole, in conscience say, if euer man would fall out with himselfe, haue not I cause to be angry?

No: for as you said to me, Knaues will be Knaues; and in mat­ters of loue, he that will not be the follower of his owne cause, may hap to bee ouerthrowne in his owne suite: and to looke for constancy in a wo­man, especially of yong yeares, when bribes and gifts are able to worke great matters in those courses, it is a meere folly: for, say that some are (I know not how many) as constant as Penelope, yet let Danac take heede of a golden shower in her lap: and therefore, I pray you be not an­gry. For let me tell you, to be deceiued by a friend, it is an ordinary matter; to loose a wench, it is a thousand mens fortune: and therefore since she was so fickle to trust to, think her better lost then found: and for him, get your golden iewels & your money from him, and let him walke with his wicked household-stuffe: and let me tell you of a discontentment of minde. It was my hap (I may say my ill hap) to cast my affection of late vpon a very proper young man, of a pure complection, neither effe­minate, nor course faced, neither of lethersellers, nor painters company, but a good feature and well coloured: and for his countenance, neither Paules-steeple height, nor with the fall of the tide; but carried in so good a measure, as shewed his wits no more out of order then his members: for his hoyce, neither Treble nor Base, but a good meane: and his speech neither Rhetoricall, nor Logicall, nor Tragicall, nor Colasticall; but such, as neither too litle, nor too much, answering directly to euery questi­on: [Page]and speaking necessarily vpon good occassion, wan him such commen­dation for his discretion, as increasing much my affection, made mee (as I thought) vpon good iudgement, make him a great subiect of my con­tentment: in briefe, I singled him out of company, to make him my companion, tooke him into my house, bestowed bountifully vpon him, let him not want any thing that was néedfull for him: my table to dine at, a faire chamber for his lodging, yea & sometime made him my bedfellow, furnished him with money, horse, apparell, bookes, and credit for what­soeuer he would demaund: yea, and in mine absence trusted him with the gouernment of my whole house; till my fauour b [...]ed in his folly that, at the first I saw not, such a presumption of his owne worthinesse, as I liked not, when controulling euen my selfe for a trifle, himselfe to blame in the selfe same nature for a greater matter, thinking all too little that was done for him, and vrging more then was méete for him: at last not able to suppresse the veneme of his pride, till his hart made his head swell as bigge as a cods-head; in recompence of all my kindnesse, playe [...] false with my seruant maide, steales away my eldest daughter, robs my cofers, troubles my conscience, crackes my credit, befooles my wit, and doth what hee may to seeke the ruine of my state; Is it possible that a man could thinke of such a villaine, and not be Angrie?

Yea very well; and I say vnto you: I pray you be not Angry: For, still Knaues will be Knaues; and a man had neede eate a bushell of salt with a man, before he grow too farre to trust him: for hee was a worlding, and out of the simplicitie of your honesty, thinking him to be bee that he was not, might learne him to trust his like, or any at all, at least with your house, your daughter, (if you haue any) or your seruants, if you keepe any: and hauing patience with your lacke of iudgement, doe for your daughter, as you haue cause in nature and reason, and pray in charitie for his soule, what euer become of his carkasse: and since (I hope) you will take this for no ill councell, I say as I did, I pray you be not Angrie.