By these meanes (right Honourable) was I then halfe impouerished, and am now altogither vndone, hauing neither skill to vse that little you gaue, nor will to raise my selfe after my fall, which I thought impossible.
It was a wholsome caueat giuen mee by your Lordship, and a full resolution put downe by my selfe, rather to stoope and to liue somwhat sparing, then by anie prodigalitie to impaire my stock: but being neither Marchant, Artizan, Broker, nor Vsurer, nor hauing among manie debtors, scarce one good payer, I coulde hardly frame to doe what was aduised me, or be so much mine owne friend, as at first I had determined.
My state then brought thus lowe, my friends decayed and dead, my liuing sold for little, and the money spent, I resolued and stil doe with the rest to leaue my Countrey, as well to couer my want from mine enemies, as to seuer my selfe from so vnfortunate acquaintance.
Find time therefore I beseech your honour, before my going to examine these particulars, they containe I protest nothing but matter of truth. It is a high vertue and most commendable in a man of your state, to right your inferiour against your selfe, by this shall you winne him vnfainedlie to loue you, who now vpon iust cause can do no lesse, then thinke himselfe wronged by you.
And so my good L. this bill exibited into your chamber, not into any court, deliuered to your owne handes, and to no man els, I leaue to your honourable and best consideration, humblie once againe beseeching your L. to suspend your hardest conceit against mee, for expostulating my griefs, in repect my plainnes herein, passeth not without truth, nor any wrong enforced, but vpon iust occasion.
=From matter |Expostulatorie|, wee will nowe turne our selues to the next title beeing |Exprobratorie|, vnder which is contained cause indeede of vehement and grieuous disdaine: chieflie touching offences that impugne a contrarie and laudable merite and desert. For which, howbeit in all ciuill vsages it be accounted vndecent, vncourteous, and vnbeséeming anie gentle condition, to reproch a man in time of mislike, with good offices or turnes, that before he hath receiued. So when contrarie to the honest affection vnto him bountifully tendred, a man shall either vngratefully refuse to recognize the same goodnes, or impudentlie, vnciuilly, or inhumainly go about to reward euil for good, and to enforce a most vniust vexation, where himselfe hath receyued most comfort. In such cases to vse this _Exprobratory_ maner of writing, to signifie vnto yᵉ party so forgetfull of gentlenes, both what he hath receiued, and howe much he was charged by all waies, limits and means that may be enforced, of humanitie, pietie, or gentlenes, it shall not be amisse, and to such ende & no other is this |Exprobratorie| kind of Epistles to be vsed: Of which, some certaine examples are in this place to be deliuered.=