A panoplie of epistles, or, a looking glasse for the vnlearned Conteyning a perfecte plattforme of inditing letters of all sorts, to persons of al estates and degrees, as well our superiours, as also our equalls and inferiours: vsed of the best and the eloquentest rhetoricians that haue liued in all ages, and haue beene famous in that facultie. Gathered and translated out of Latine into English, by Abraham Flemming.

Cicero to Lucceio.

TH•…•… ARGVMENT.

He signifieth how auailable the comfortable letter of Lucceiu•…•… was▪ to assuage the sorrowe and anguishe which tormented him, for the afflicted state of the common wealth.

ALthough the consolation of your letter, coulde not but be acceptable vnto me, for therin is disclosed your great be∣neuolence and goodwill, lincked with the like prudence and wisedome: yet there was a further commoditi•…•… then that, whiche likewise I obteined: Namelie, the knowledge o•…•… your magnanimitie and courage, in the contempt of thinges transitorie, and your armed mynd against variable Fortune: whiche commendation, I iudge to belong to wisedome prin∣cipally, Not to stay vponany other foundation, neyther by

external casualties to fal into dubitation eyther to liue in fe∣•…•…icitie, or in miserie. In the considerat•…•…on whereof I was earnestly conu•…•…rsant, ( for it had taken déepe roote and sure ground in my remembraunce) yet not withstanding, the vio∣lence of tempes•…•…ous stormes did so shake it, and the cluste∣ring toget•…•…er of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did so batter and beate it, that it was much impaired, and in manner 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Nowe I sée and feele their present ass•…•…staunce, as well in your former l•…•…tters, as in this your last E•…•…istle, which I perceiue to haue wrought effectually. Wherefore, these wordes are often to be repea•…•…ed, and not only to be tolde with a naked significati∣on, but also to be v•…•…er ed with a sad declaration, that nothing was more welcome to me, then your letter of comfort. To the ingendering of which passion and inward motion, as wel those circumstaunces, which with no lesse pleasantnesse of style, then with plentie of argumentes, you haue gathered, are auailable: as also the valliantnesse, constancte, and sober∣nesse of your person, then which nothing can be more beh•…•…∣ment and patheticall. Which not to indeuour to follow, is a fault, in my indgement, most foule: and a filthy offence. Wherefore, in this one respect, suppose me more valliaunt, then your selfe the maister of courage: bycause you séeme vn∣to me to haue some hope and confidence, that these thinges will decline from worsse to better: For these hurlie burlies with •…•…age of weapons, and those other liklyhoodes: besides that, the reasons in that discourse by you collected, forbad me vtterly to despaire of the common wealth. Wherefore, in that you are valliauntly minded, there is the lesse wonder, for so muche as you liue in expectation: and yet to conceiue any sparckle of hope, it is a thing whereat we may maru•…•…ll. For what is there that is not so shakē, that it séemeth to run to ruine, and vtterly to come to nought? Marke and beholde en this side, that side, •…•…nd rounde about, the members of the common wealth, which none knoweth so well as you, ne vn∣derstandeth with such perfection: and belieue me, you shall not finde so much as one that is not maimed, brused, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and much inféebled: which I would prosecute with my pen,

and amply describe, if I had a more certaine viewe of them then you haue, or were able to make a commemoration and rehearsall of them without horror and heauinesse: although as you admonishe me, and giue me comfortable counsell, all anguishe is to be reiected. Therefore will we dispose our selues to suffer with out sorrowe, our domesticall and priuate misfortunes, and the preposterous chances of the cō∣mon wealth, with more magnanimitie and constancie of mynde, then you your selfe shall be able, although you giue me prècepts in this respect to imitate. For the consolation wher vpon you stay your selfe, is (as your letter doth signifie) a shadowe of some hope: as for vs, we meane to be stedfast, couragious, and established, yea in verie desperation, when hope is harbourlesse where vnto you, not withstanding, draw vs by your admonitions, and by your preceptes indeuour to persuade vs. For you rip vp the most pleasant and delecta∣ble remembrance of our conscience, and of suche things as we (you being the ring leader and principal author) attemp∣ted and performed. For we did no lesse vndoubtedly, in the behalfe of our countrie, then of dutie was demaundable, and might boldly be required: howbeit for all that, more I may say to you, then any mans mynde is vrged to accomplishe. You shall pardon me speaking any thing in myne owne ad∣uauncement. For with the cogitation and consideration of what thinges, you would disburthen vs of heauinesse, by the remembrance and thinking vpon the same seriously, we féele our selues emptied of much pensiuenesse. Wherfore, not to neglect your admonitions, or to accoūt your precepts contēp∣tible, I wil withdraw me selfe from al molestations and per∣plexities, so far forth as mine abilitie shal giue me leaue: and I will frame my mynde, and addresse my studie vnto those thinges, where with prosperitie is beautified, and aduersitie mitigated: and with you shall my continuance be so long, as both our age and our health will permit. And although we be hindered from comming together, to inioy bodily presence, and reall companie, yet not withstanding, the coniunction of our mindes, and knitting of both our hearts together, shal be

of such efficacie and force, that we will reape such benefite, each of vs by and through the self same studies, that we shal persuade our selues to be so familiar, as if we were neuer a sunder.

Fare you well.

Notes

• Note for our example how many wordes he bringeth to gether to beautifie his Me•…•…aphore or translation.
• He meaneth (as it may bee thought) the death of his daughter Tul hola.
• Bicause we haue alwayes thought wel of the common wealth, which remembrance of well doing is not vnplea∣sant.
• Mening the studie of Phi∣losophie, wher vnto he appli∣ed hym selfe most, after the cōmon welth was so misera bly afflicted.