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.
Fulwood, William.

An Epistle of Iohannes Picus Mi∣randula, to his dere frende Iacobus Antiquarius.

AMongst all the pleasures which I tooke whē I was at Florence, through the allowable custome of Politian, (a man according vnto my iudgement, of all other most learned & skilfull, as tou∣ching them of our tyme) this was not the least, but exceded, when he inconti∣nently gaue vnto me thy graue Epistles sent vnto him, to the ende that I might reade them with their aunsweres, in the same forme and excellent order that they passed betwene you: In those letters and Epistles I did greatly delyte me, for the singular prudence therein contayned, whereby also in weightie matters and great affayres, thou art of the most pru∣dent and wise greatly commended, both for the sobrietie and also for the séemely adorning & beautifying of thy Oration. Furthermore thy Letters were accepta- Page  104 vnto me, not onely bicause in some of them there was honorable mentyon made of my name, but also I delyted my self therein for the testimonie of such a perfect man, by reason of the cōscience, graunting and giuing iust cōsent, which not dissembling any thing of that which it thought, did manyfest and discouer the matter euen as it was stryuing with great force, as nylling to be deceued: And thus am I double beholding vnto thee, by reason of thy vertue, and also of thy benefits done vnto vs. I had thought by my Epistles sundry times to haue ren∣dred thee thanks, least peraduenture to∣wardes thee I should haue ben thought somewhat vngratefull, or estéemed rude and vnciuile: yet deferred I the tyme (bicause I know thée and our good frend Politian, to be so exercised with letters, passing to and fro betwene you,) as not willing with such importunate hast to bable against the Muses, & as the male∣pert gagling geese, to interrupt ye white Swans enterchāgeably singing: besides Page  [unnumbered] this I perceiued by Politian, that thou hadst vnderstanding of our good wil to∣wards thée. And now haue we receiued thy letters sent vnto vs, (lately deliuered to Bernard Ricius, a yong man of gret to∣wardnesse) wherein thou doest attribute vnto me, that which I dare not request, neither think to haue so much merited. The greatnesse of thy humanitie doeth now burst our sylence, except we should séeme vnciuile or proude, and therefore I can not choose but giue the great thanks, and impart vnto thée immortal praises: not onely bycause thou bestowest vpon me no small vndeserued praises, but also by reason that thou so tēderly louest me. Therefore vnto thée I ought to make recompense euen aboue my power, nei∣ther is ther any thing so hard or difficile, which for thy commoditie I would not take in hande. Farewell. Made in the fieldes of Ferrare the .27. of Iuly. 1494.

Here endeth the second boke.