The first part of youths errors. Written by Thomas Bushel, the superlatiue prodigall

To the Religious and Vertu∣ous Lady, the Lady Elizabeth Willoughby.

YOur Beadsman fearing the distance of place, and dispensation of wed∣locke, might cause a reuolt from your Ladiships former welwishes induc'd mee to recommend these weake lines, as an Antidote to preserue me from the shipwracke of your displeasure; whose ver∣tuous societie, I euer honoured more then temporall felicitie; for that I was daily an eye witnes of

your pious charitie; religious discourse, and noble hospitalitie, which makes mee presume the goodnesse of your chaste dispositi∣on, wil rather condole my misfor∣tunes of inward griefe then attri∣bute discontinuance to the weak∣nesse of nature or want of ma∣trimoniall affection; especially hauing so much conference with a graue Diuine before my depar∣ture, as your Ladiship may more perspicuously perceiue by these following lines; wherein I spar'd not the reuealing of my woefull tragicall life to his iudiciall con∣templation; humbly intreating him, that as I had opened the bowels of my miseries, so hee would impart the trueth of his

knowledge. Whereupon with a modest and solemne countenance desired my age, who replied a∣bout sixe and twentie, he then be∣gan to expresse his sorrowes, that so young a man should haue tren∣ched into such lowd offences, yet questionlesse if contrition did pro∣ceed from my heart, there was no doubt but vpon true repentance God would forgiue mee. Citing the parable of the Prodigall; * 1.1 the president of Mary Magdalen, an•• diuers others, for confirming Hope, and preuenting Despaire He thus hauing ended, I gaue him much thankes for his fatherly counsell, assuring his reward was celestiall not temporall; wishing it might stand with his occasions,

leaue, and liking to heare mee a word, who seemed to bee more willing then I was readie; at last imparted vnto him that I presu∣med a retired strickt Monasticke life, would be the safest and surest hope to depend on; for by such meanes I fhould not onely auoid sinne, the occasion, but discipline my selfe, and the rather for that I had affection to the life from my infancie. Besides the often drea∣ming what ioy I found in it; inti∣mating my conscience daily reite∣rated the same; and that if I did continue wilfully in any one sin, ••here was no foundation for Di∣uine mercy to build on; * 1.2 which the world, custome, and frailtie of na∣ture had prohibited mee from the

one, and induc'd mee to the other, as by my confession he knew too true. Yet by no meanes he would not giue way, alleaging the life was neither lawfull, requisite, nor honest, for that it was not allowed by the Lawes of God to cloister vp my selfe: nor admitted by our Church, expressing Scripture, that I was not borne for my selfe, but for others; and that my prayers could not bee so much auaileable as when two or three were gathe∣red together. But if these reasons might not disswade mee from my intended resolution, yet the vow of mariage prohibited me, though it was solemnized in the rawnesse of my youth; by reason I had promised before God to forsake

father, mother, and cleaue vnto my wife, assuring mee I should neuer haue his consent, nor hard∣ly the Church of Rome: notwith∣standing they allotted such bug∣beares to fright the poore Laitie. Whereupon I rose vp (God knowes) as a man going to the gallowes, or like Iudas that betrai∣ed our Sauiour, and thus accor∣ding to my weake apprehension replied: Where hee exprest cloi∣stering, and that man was not borne to himselfe, but for others, I beleeued it; assuring him, my selfe neuer meant it, but onely to turne those purple robes of prodigalitie into an Hermites weed; denying none to visite, * 1.3 but willing to in∣struct any so farre as God would

enable mee; promising future life shold be answerable to my speech, and where he said, prayers are not of that force, as when two or three were gathered together, I confes∣sed it; if so be they were all ioyn'd with inward spiration to glorifie God, otherwise they rather hinde∣red then furthered, citing the first chapter of Ionas for my president. But touching the lawfulnesse; I al∣leadged that our Sauiour praye•• alone: the Apostles wandred i•• sheepskins alone, * 1.4 whose liues we ought to follow, intimating the•• aduice, My Sonne come out of e∣uill company. Besides, the word•• of our Sauiour, * 1.5 If thy eye offend pu•• it out; much more (in my opinion cast off the world. And for marri∣age,

where he said I must leaue fa∣ther, mother, and cleaue vnto my wife, I could not deny it, replying vnto him, that if I was to leaue fa∣ther and mother for a wife, cer∣tainely I was to leaue father, * 1.6 mo∣ther and wife for Christ: especial∣ly himselfe expressing, and con∣firm'd by three Euangelists; * 1.7 that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were not worthy of him, if I would not: as it did more trans∣••arent appeare by the seueritie of ••ur Sauiour, who would not ad∣••it one of his Apostles to per∣••orme the dutifull rites of a sonne, * 1.8 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bearing his owne father, when ••e called him: much lesse the rites ••f marriage. Yet he suddenly an∣••vered, that both Saint Paul and ••••e Church hath forbid the same

without it were by consent, and that but for a time; which made mee breake into a kind of passion, with these words vttering; Had our Sauiour said to the man, hee should not taste of his Supper though inuited, * 1.9 for that his excuse was the marriage of a wife. A∣gaine, where hee said, No man ha∣uing put his hand to the plough, an•• looking backe, was fit for the king dome of God: Notwithstandin•• hee intreated but so much time a•• to take leaue of his houshold. Be¦sides, had God said, Man was th•• glory of his Maker; the woma•• the glory of the man, the man th•• head of the woman, and yet ha•••• not the head priuiledge to serue h•• Creator, without consent of th••

feet; intimating vnto him, that miserable was the bondage to soule and bodie, if they were not called both at one time. But seeing the holy Apostle had not allowed it, I assured him I would doe my endeauour to gaine her consent; howsoeuer I resolu'd him I should rather depend vpon the mercie of my Sauiour for that offence, * 1.10 then continue more in offending; and follow the president of holy Saint ••eromes Confession, where hee ••aith, If his father stood weeping ••n his knees before him, and his mother hanging on his necke be∣••inde him, and all his brethren, ••••sters, children, howling on eue∣••de to detaine him in sinfull life with them; he would fling off his

mother to the ground, despise all his kinred, runne ouer his father, and treade him vnder foot, there∣by to goe to Christ when hee cal∣leth him; and thus wee parted, protesting vnto mee, though him∣selfe would bee as neuter, yet his prayers should be alwayes perma∣nent for my good successe, hoping the like fauour from your Lady∣ship, the rather for that I receiue so much inward comfort, and your vertues no preiudice. But when I had imparted to my wife, the dolourous griefes my heart su∣stained, alleaging that neither her estate, person, nor any temporall thing lining could ease my sur∣char'd sufferings, for that they were immortall & inuisible; * 1.11 w^ch if

she pleased, hauing disclosed my sorrowes to her secrecie, as either dispence with my person, or else bee content to lead the same Mo∣nasticke life and leaue the world; In so doing our soules should bee surer saued, my heart better con∣tented, God more glorified, no man iniur'd, if shee were satisfied. And to auoid suspition of disloyal∣tie, the holy Sacrament should te∣stifie my integritie. Yet nothing would preuaile, alleaging her ma∣riage was for loue, not for wealth; for person, not for picture; which I knowing her words to bee true, my heart pleaded ingratitude if I left her, and my soule whispered ruine if I continued. But in the end, considering with my selfe, I

was bound to obey the Creator more then the creature, * 1.12 and she to obey mee, rather then I her, espe∣cially when it tends to the glorifi∣ing of God; but (honour'd Lady) that were too great a blessing for mortall creature, to haue two hearts contracted, and both vni∣ted in one disposition; which re∣uolution reduc'd mee to lessen my former respect, * 1.13 and obseruing whether those allusions would extenuate her fond affection; which in process of time wrought such an impression, as shee grew tractable to my disposition; wher∣in I secretly ioyed more then a Generall that gaines a conquest by stratageme. Assuring your La∣diship, if the prayers and admoni∣tions

of the one, can make the o∣ther immortall, her ioyes are per∣petuall, and our nuptiall eternall; which spirituall-wise prooues the greater affection according to the first institution, as will hereafter more at large appeare, if God giue a blessing to my second Edition. In the meane time I pro∣strate my selfe vnder the chastitie of your pious vertue and fauoura∣ble censure, resting constantly your seruant, faithfully your lo∣uer, and eternally

Your Beadsman, THO: BVSHEL.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luk. 15.
• * 1.2

  Heb. 10
• * 1.3

  1 Tim. 4.8.
• * 1.4

  Tim. 8.2.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 5.29.
• * 1.6

  Luk. 9.23.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 10.37.
• * 1.8

  Luk 9.62.
• * 1.9

  Luk. 14.20.24.
• * 1.10

  1 Cor. 7.17.
• * 1.11

  Eccles. 5.
• * 1.12

  Tim. ••.12.
• * 1.13

  Ephes. 5.30.32.