The enimie of idlenesse teaching the maner and stile how to endite, compose and write all sorts of epistles and letters: as well by answer, as otherwise. Deuided into foure bokes, no lesse plesaunt than profitable. Set forth in English by William Fulwood marchant, &c. The contentes hereof appere in the table at the latter ende of the booke.

The Example: wherein one frende comforteth another, for the death of his soone.

I Bitterly bewailed (my most singular and perfect frende, and could not keepe in my teares, when I red the Letters which you sent me, making mention of the death of your sonne. And I aduertise you that I was constrayned so to doe for the good loue that of so long tyme hath ben & is betwixt vs two, the which cau∣seth me to feele the lyke dolor and griefe that you haue in losing the presence of a childe so wel taught and of so good a wit, and entrance of good maners, wherfore I maruell not though in him did lye all thy consolation: For I thinke that if our lord should not sende you ayde and suc∣cour in so great a tribulation, you wold be consumed with weping and wailing, and would dye immediately after him.

Notwithstāding through the prouidēce that is in you, you know y^e a man ought not to vex nor greue him selfe beyond the limits of reason, by the which all de∣solacion ought to be chased frō the harts of men: and if it were so that you were deuoide of reason, through the exessiue dolour which you haue suffred to rule in your hart (not considering that your sonne was mortall, that you haue be∣got him mortall, nourished him mor∣tall, & that he is mortally dead, rendring the tribute of nature euen as it is ap∣poynted to euery one of vs) yet should neither my letters nor consolacion serue to no effect. But sith in deede you know well ynough that both yong & olde, yea euen your selfe shall wax rype and dye, ceasse therefore such wéepings and la∣mentations, which better beseeme the fe∣male kynde, than a wise and prudent man, such one as you are, and mitigate your strong passions with stronger rea∣sons, in doing the déede of a vertuous man: employ now your wysdome, se∣ing that it is time & néedefull, to the ende

that euery one, (yea they that know you not) may sée to appeare in your persō the constancie and pacience which you haue tolde them to be in you: I well remem∣ber I haue oftentimes seene you reioyce in prosperitie: and therfore if you shold now shew your selfe otherwyse, you should giue occasion to think that it were your custome at sometimes to reioyce, & afterwards bitterly to sorrowe. The re∣medie against such mutabilities and vn∣constantnesse, is equally to sustaine all prosperous and aduerse fortunes. Ther∣fore at my request, let not so many ver∣tues which are in you, remayne deuoide of pacience. I know that you vnderstand this, and a thousand other good reasons méete for such a purpose, better than I am able to speake or write them vnto you, yea you your selfe haue accustomed to comfort your frendes being in aduer∣sitie. And I aduertise you that this which I write vnto you, is not to instruct or teach you, but only to giue you to vnder∣stand the great good wil that I beare vn∣to you, and that I wold according to my

possibilitie plesure you both with body & goods without sparing of any thing.