_An example of an epistle Exprobratorie touching ingra- titude receiued._
I doe not maruell at your woonted and sundrie delayes in aunswering my requestes, nor that you breake so manie promises with your friendes for the gratifying of their courtesies: In that beeing thinges by nature annexed as they are to so seruile a condition, they seeme (as remedilesse) in all discreet iudgementes to bee borne withall. But that I wonder at, is, howe my selfe (knowing as I doe, and hauing so often tasted of that contemptible and harde disposition of yours towardes mee) should yet be so assotted, as to straine my friendes, to spende my money, exercise my wits, yeelde my trauell, bende my care, and passe my credite, to relieue, vpholde, nourish and maintaine such a one, in bringing him from nought to ought, from the dunghill to the court, from woe to wealth, as hath neither honestie to regarde me, wit to vse me, will to requite me, ciuilitie to respect mee, good nature to thanke me, nor any one sparke of endeuour whereby so much in good seeming to behaue himselfe towards me. Many occasions haue beene giuen mee before time by some other misprizers of my curtesie, but you of all others haue exceeded and do passe them all in vnhonestie. That I shoulde bee occasioned thus to reproch you as I doe, is iwis vnto me no great contentment, but that at my handes who alwaies haue so manifoldlie deserued of you, you should so far forth challenge to be reproched, that certainly is it whereof you ought most to bee ashamed. Howe many wayes you haue wronged me, and howe little cause hereafter I haue to entermedle or haue to doe with you, hauing so ingratefully, nay rather inhumanelie dealt with me, let the world iudge betweene you and me. Had I tried you in much, or in one halfe of that whereby in very dutie you are charged vnto me, it had beene somewhat to haue denied me: But in a matter so slender, so small valued, and but a trifle, to delay me, to stande with mee, to breake promise with mee, and which is worst of all, most vnciuillie therewith to bearde me, that of all others is the most detested that may bee. Sorie I am, not that I haue knowne you, for the knowledge shall keepe mee from you, but that in nourishing of you, I forgot my selfe so much, as I coulde neuer till this present perceiue nor looke after you. Fare as you will for me, who euer hereafter desire neither to know nor see you. From B. this of, &c.