19 C. Plinius to his friend Romanus Firmus, &c.
1. YOu were my towns-man, and school-fellow, and fellow-tabler from four or five years of age; your father was well acquainted with my mother, and my uncle by my mother's side, and me also, so far as the diversity of our age would suffer: there are great and weighty reasons, why I should defend and add to your honour.
2. That you have an estate of 500 l. doth plainly enough ap∣pear, forasmuch as you are an Alderman in our corporation.
3. And therefore that we may fully enjoy you, not onely as an Alderman, but also as a Gentleman of Rome, I offer you 1500 l. to make up the means of a Roman Gentleman, which is 2000 l.
4. The constant continuance of our friendship doth engage, that you will be mindfull of this that I give you.
5. I do not indeed mind you of that, because I ought to mind you, saving that I know you will strive of your own accord to use that honour, which I have bestowed upon you, very modestly, as bestowed upon you by me.
6. For that honor is more carefully to be preserved, wherein al∣so a friend's courtesie is to be regarded. Farewell.