_An Epistle exprobatory, more largely exampled._
Albeit vnto a gentle minde there is nothing lesse proper, then a reproching of benefittes: nor any thing more contrarying, then to bee touched with discurtesies: yet respecting the weight of the manifold wrongs done vnto me, & most iniurious deuises, wherein thou hast contrary to all lawes of nature, vertue, or honestie, gone about to abuse mee, rewarding not euill, but worse then mischiefe it selfe, for good, and doing that which all men hate, and the most discreet doe abhorre in requitall of that which I chieflie deserued of thee, I hold my selfe neither to be touched in gentlenes, nor deemed at all in discurtesie, if to such a Camelion I giue his due colours, of so vile a viper doe bewray the feature, to so ingratefull a wretch doe blaze forth his picture, and of so vglie a beast do yeeld his due portraiture, to the ende that at least it may appeare vnto thy selfe, howe vnlike to that thou hast euer seemed vnto me, I haue nowe found thee, and how contrarying to that my selfe haue manifoldly bounde thee, thou hast now shewed thy selfe vnto me.
To the opening whereof let mee call to remembraunce that beeing here a great while sithence a straunger, spoiled of that thou haddest, laden with sicknesse, pursued of thy foes, burdensome to thy friends, subiect to a number of casualties, of death, pouertie, hatred, penurie, griefe, trouble, and want, I tooke thee, I kept thee, I relieued thee, I prouided for thee, and that at such time as when forsaken of all others, thou wast onely compassed with extremitie, had not this one curtesie, nay rather vnaccustomed kindnes, beene sufficient alone, wherewith to haue bound thee? Questionlesse it had, rested there at al any sparke of good condition within thee, yet had this been all that I had done for thee, happilie could I then haue contented my selfe, and haue thought that thou haddest therein alone dealt but ingratefullie.
Abhorrest thou not in the perusing hereof to thinke howe thou hast vsed mee? Well knowest thou that on this hie point of curtesie, I stucke not alone with thee, for after a recouery by my meanes had, and restitutions of thine estate, vnto thy wonted possessions, health, freedome and libertie, I not only so setled thee, but beeing haled thy selfe (as it were) out of the Lions iawes, I made thine aduersaries a praie vnto thee, I fauored thee, I loued thee, I esteemed thee when none would regard thee, when all men despised thee. Were not these benefits sufficient, to haue yoked any good or honest disposition vnto me? What Viper may I then terme thee? what monster or hellish imp that not onely hast not vouchsafed so much as to requite, but scornest in apparance so much as to beare a good opinion towardes me? Is it possible that man than a Serpent, or than the very Crocodile it selfe should become more malicious, yet hast thou in far greater quantitie then these contained thy venome, the Hydra was not answerable vnto thy propertie, the very Sauages themselues could not equall thee, thou art infine beyond all, and there are none beyond thee, for both men and beasts do abhor thy treachery.