The English Parnassus, or, A helpe to English poesie containing a collection of all rhyming monosyllables, the choicest epithets, and phrases : with some general forms upon all occasions, subjects, and theams, alphabeticaly digested : together with a short institution to English poesie, by way of a preface / by Joshua Poole.

V. Muses. Apollo. Phoebus Forms of concluding Letters.

You will impose an Obligation beyond expression upon—your &c.

If you please to make an addition to all your former favours, by the acceptance of this testimony of my gratitude, I shall be the more deeply obliged to be—

Time makes me put a period to my lines, but it shall, find its own e'r it force me to put one to my service, Which is as large as my desires to be—

I shall receive an honour in your acceptance from your accustomed

goodnesse far above the merits and expectation of—

And which I desire may supply the place of any further comple∣ment, I am—

Accept I pray this short presentment of my humble service from him that lives to be

I shall forfeit my right to a memory, when I forget what obligements I have to be

I desire this short Letter may give you some testimonies of my gratitude, being the onely means I have to shew you in my absence how much I am

My uttermost ambition is to climb to those deserts may give me the title of

There is nothing else for the present concerns your knowledge, un∣lesse you will be pleased to take notice that I am

I esteem not my self so unforttnate as formerly I did, since I have happened upon so fair an occasion, to let you know that I am

You shall receive a larger testimony in this kind of my love, when I may have a better opportuity to assure you that I am

In the mean time and ever, I shall most passionately remain

It is the height of that honour I most passionately aspire to, to be esteemed.

I shall sooner cease to be, than not to be perfectly

But I will not be further tedious, if you will please to let me tell you, that I most passionately am

Assure your self of all those that have any share in your favours, there is not any more proud of his good fortune, than my self, or more really than I am

Amongst all my felicities, I account not the lowest the liberty you are pleased to grant me of stiling my self what I most truly am

My occasions for the present are so importunately urgent, that it is all I can do to write thus much, and to tell you what you knew long since, that I am

Think not that I complement with you, or speak Court language, when I assure you I am more than any man living

I shall not fail to attend all occasions to serve you, and by that to testifie how passionately I am

I am truly sensible of my disability to keep correspondence with your love, and find nothing more deficient in me, than the desert of being

But I hope you will be pleased to pardon me, your goodnesse be∣ing as illimitable, as is the desire I have to tell you that I am▪

But the straitnesse of my time makes me say sooner than I inten∣ded, that I am ever absolutelie

Be pleased to let these assure you that it is impossible to be more than I am,

Let these assure you of my firm resolution, to be as long as I live,

But I have neither time nor paper left, but onely to tell you that I am,

I hope you cannot refuse me, your affection, since it is a kind of deserving it, to be so passionately as I am

But since the hast of the bearer, and the straightness of the time do press my dispatch, I will for the present content my self with telling you that I am,

I shall never esteem my self absolutelie miserable, whilst I have libertie to call my self

I should think worse of my self, if I were one jot less than I am

You shall never want my praiers for your happie return', when I may with greater joy, and lesse distance tell you that I am,

But you will pardon me I hope, if I abruptlie break off this dis∣course, out of a passionate desire I have to tell you, that I most re∣allie am

I shall not fail, by my care in any concernments of you, to shew you more clearlie that I am

But I refer it to your prudence and pleasure, being readie in that and all things else to shew my self

I shall be happy in a more seasonable opportunitie to do you that faithfull service, which must ever be acknowledged due from

Thus far if you please to crown my most earnest and sollicitous desires, I shall take it for the deepest ingagement ever imposed upon

Let these lines present my humble service, and demonstrate what strong desires I have to be.

Accept I pray, this imperfect way of presenting my service, till I am able to give you a worthier testimonie, that I am

Assure your self, there is none more trulie loves you, nor more passionatelie desirous of your happinesse than

Assure your self, I so much honour and respect you, that you could not want perfect happinesse, were it in the disposall of

I wish with passion I had any imployment in your service, whereby I might force you to believe that I am extreamlie

In this I do not implore your belief, desiring to let you see by ef∣fects rather than words, that I am without a complement

The passion which I have to your service, is so violent, that it nourisheth in me a continual care of seeking opportunities to make it known that I am

Assure your self, that of all the servants your merits have acqui∣red you, there is none more than I am

I am by so many obligations yours, that my only discontent, is the want of occasions to give you testimonie that I am

I beseech you honour me with your commands, that (other means failing) my obedience may oblige you to believe that I am

I must discharge my heart in telling you, that I honour you more than all the rest of the world, and that I most really am

Though I have often told you, how devoted I am to your serv••ce, yet my pen shall once again assure you of the same, expecting an occasion, when I may give you more eminent proofes, that I am

Assure your self, you may have more powerfull, and more consi∣derable servants, but never one more than my self

I esteem too much the honour of your remembrance not to desire the continuation of it, and withall to beseech you for some employ∣ment, wherein I may witness the passion I have to your service, and to be

Esteeme infallibly, that I am more than all the world besides

Assure your self, I shall never be capable of other resentment, than which shall witnesse the quality that I bear of

It remains in you only to allay the discontent of my mind, by gi∣ving me some employment in your service, which may witness the passion I have to maintain the qualitie of

The esteeme which I make of your deserts, and the inclination which carries me to your service, obligeth me to assure you that I am

Though you should forget me even to my name, I shall never change the resolution, which I have taken to be all my life

Assure your self, you shall hereafter accuse me rather of importu∣nity than neglect of writing, 'tis the protestation of

You may easily know without being a Prophet the dear esteeme I make of you, and may believe without any further assurance, that I am

Believe assuredly, that into what extremity of adverse fortune so ever I am reduced, I will alwaies conserve the passion I have to your service, as being without fiction

Though I despaire of ever making you satisfaction for your many favours, yet I shall alwaies have a good will and passion to your service, which I shall heartily offer you up, being

I content my selfe with the expectance of an occasion wherein I may witness with services, rather than words, that I am unfeignedly in heart and soul

These are no discourses of complement, my heart dictates to my pen, what my pen writes to you, when I assure you that I am

Your thanks have bought my service at so dear a rate, that the satisfaction, which I before received, is utterly now taken from me; Keepe) our complements I pray for some other, and remember to use more familiarly

Leave of I pray, that language of complements which is un∣known to true friends, whereof I am one, and which is more

You will be sooner weary in commanding, than I in executing, as being unreservedly

I send you back your thanks, to the end you may make use of them, when you entertain some person less indeared to your service than I, who am

Treat with me I pray with less civilitie, and more freedome, if you account me as I am

I do not doubt of your power, and less your courtesie, which forceth me to believe, that you will comply with this occasion offer∣ed you, to oblige extreamly

I have no greater pleasure in the world, than to make my self re∣marqued in all places

I wish you had every day occasion to command my service, that I might continually have the good fortune to produce new proofes of my obedience, and stronger assurances of my being

I should be happy in an emploiment, wherein I might witness, according to your merit, and my affection, how unfainedly I am.

I beseech you S•••• use my indeavours, to any thing, within my po∣wer, assuring your selfe, that I am without reserve

I shall avoid no occasions, which present themselves for your ser∣vice, but will comport my self with so much passion in all your con∣cernements, that you shall be forced to confess that I am unfeign∣edly

In the mean time, I hope my bare confession will be eloquence e∣nough to perswade you, what contentment I am deprived of, by the want of ability, to witness unto you how much I am

The contentment I take to hear of your health and happiness, can be equalled by nothing, but the passion which I have to your service, as being

But the good opinion which I hope you have conceived of me, will give a far better testimonie than my pen is able, which hath in

charge at this present, only to put you in mind, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 alwaies according to my wont

I am unable to acquit my self otherwise than by prayers of the service I owe you, yet do not cease I beseech you to continue me in the number of

I shall be happy to be honoured by your commands, since by that means my obedience, may give me the perfect contentment, of being able to testifie unto you, how much I am

Beleeve it, you may be as confident as of the most assured thing in the world, that I am in heart and soul

I shall die of impatience if I expect long, the opportunitie to witness unto you how deeply I am

I should become envious of your vertuous inclinations, but that they admit no hopes of imitation, and therefore I reserve only admi∣ration to contemplate them in quality of

I most passionately desire some occasion would offer it self, whereby I might in some part merit your favour by the realitie of my service, since I am, and will be all my life

My disability to requite you, makes me ashamed to remember what engagements I have to be

I conjure you to serve your self without exception, of all the ad∣vantages in my power, if you would really have me believe, that you count me of the number of your best friends, as I am

Give him I pray an occasion by your emploiments to shew you what passion he hath to your service, who desires rather to be in ef∣fect, than appearance

Believe assuredly, that in the whole train of your servants, there shall be very few able to imitate me in resolution wh••ch I have ta∣ken to carry to my grave, the quality of

Grant me I beseech you the liberty to importune you at all times to honour me with your commands, that by the readiness of my ob∣servance in your service, you may be constrained to know, that if you be extreamly generous, I am no less sensible, nor no less

I shall sooner loose my self, than the remembrance of your fa∣vours, and my engagements by them to be

I confess my incapacity to express the resentments which your obligations cause in me, as well as my disabilitie sufficiently to ac∣quit my self, as

But since generous actions carry their recompence with them, all I can do, is to put you in mind of your nobleness, and to tell you that I am

Let this acknowledgement, I beseech you, serve for a satis∣faction,

till I can better assure you that I am

Accept this testimonie of his service from him that hath taken oath to live and die

I shall continue for the time to come, what hitherto I have been

'Tis the counsell and friendly advice of

There is none more interested in your contentments, nor more participates in any satisfaction of yours, than I am by inclination as well as reason

The onely good fortune which I expect with impatience is an oc∣casion to change my words into effects, and to shew you how really I am

If occasions to do you service would offer themselves as often as they do to write to you, I should give testimonie by my actions, ra∣ther than by discourse, that I am more than in complement

I know your desert and condition have acquired you many ser∣vants, yet I can assure you with as much reason as ostentation, that join them all together, they are not so much as I am

Let this for the present satisfie you, till I have occasions (which with continuall impatiency I expect) to give you more effectuall proofs of my being

Could my endeavours take effect, or my vows accomplishment, you should not long account me in the number of your unprofitable servants, for I am

But whatsoever happen, I shall never be other than

If I did not apprehend, I might be importunate, I should write to you by every opportunitie that presented it self, for it is the onely consolation that I have in your absence, to put you in mind, that I will be eternally

If in any thing I be able to do you service, it stands upon no∣thing but your self to give me the employment, being glad to wit∣nesse to you at all times how much I am

I shall employ my best care and industrie in any of your com∣mands, when you desire proofs of the obedience of

Return quickly your answer, if you will free from sortow and disquiet.

The onely means to occasion my return is to signifie to me how I may be usefull to you when I am there being in a firm resolution to render you all manner of service in quality of

If I could be perswaded that my absence could occasion your dis∣quiet, or my presence necessary to your service, you should see by my speedy return how much I am

The news of your sicknesse hath bred such a change in my health, that I may justly count my self in the number of those that are not well: either leave your bed suddenly, or you will constrain to take his

I shall acquit my self very willinglie of my duty in any thing wherein I may be usefull to your service, of which I give you most faithfull assurance, as protesting to be all my life

I can assure you, 'tis a very great satisfaction to me to see my self honoured with the favour of your remembrance, and the delightfull entertainment of your letters, wherein I read what cause I have to be

Do not think that I complement, but believe infallibly, that my heart, mouth and pen conspire together every time I give you assurance, as I do now, that I am more than all the world.

You wil do me a great favour to honrur me with your commands, and to believe that I am unfeignedly, and without reservation

I shall never esteem my self happy till the day wherein you are pleased to give me an employment for your service, it being the onely thing in the world I aspire to, with most passion to let you see that I am

Every time I think of your favours, I am touched with an ex∣traodinary impatience in expecting some opportunity to shew my self

I cannot expresse my uncessant disquietnesse in seeking occasions to testifie unto you how perfectly I am

It is impossible for me to expresse how strictly I am yours, nor the least part of the passion I have to your service, being both unimi∣tably, and unlimitably

There are not many in the world that can vaunt with reason, that they are to that height as I am

My resolution is to professe my self all my life

I begin to grow weary of your favours, the disability in which I find my self will not suffer me to receive any new one, for fear I should be constrained in the end to passe for ungratefull when I am most strongly obliged to be

I would say more if I made no conscience of detaining your eies▪ too long upon this paper, I shall therefore free both them and your patience, by telling you that I am, and shall be everlastingly

I desire nothing of you but praiers intermingled with commands, to the end that my obedience may make me worthy the good opinion you have of

Though my misfortunes be in their flood they have not drowned the respectfull observance I alwayes used in your behalf, as having made a vow to coffin up with my self the qualitie of

Believe that if I be extreamly afflicted, I am no lesse

The sorrow which I endure, and the straitnesse of the time will scarce give me leave to assure you that I am▪

But whatsoever mutations and vi••ssitudes there are in the world, I shall never change the resolution to be all my life

If you knew with what impatience I expect the favour of your reply, I assure my self your charitie would oblige you to set at quiet the mind of

I will lose my life, rather than my resolution to die

If I had the power to comfort you with my presence, you should soon see me where my letter is now, however I beseech you where∣soever I am, and at what distance soever, I most really am

If you doubt of the truth of my service make use I pray of that absolute power which you have acquired over me to oblige my en∣endeavours to all manner of proofs, that I am

I never think of your many favours, but it renews the remebrance of my engagements to be

I shall as soon forget my name as my obligements to prefix before it the title of

I shall be content to be accounted ungratefull when I lesse am

I shall suspect a great growth of vice, in me when I feel any cooling of my desires to continue everlastingly

And certainly Sir, I shall never be so impious, as not to confesse my self

But I see my letter is almost grown to a volume, that I may there∣fore at last make it end like me, give me leave to tell you that I am

Or if that may come within the construction of a complement, believe that I speak most unfeignedly, when I tell you that I am

My gratitude to you is as necessary as my being, and I can sooner leave that, than not be most truly

I shall not fail when opportunitie befriends me, to give you a more expressive testimonie that I am

Be pleased to take my bare word, till I can give you a more con∣vincing argument that I am

I never think of the catalogue of my friends, but it puts me in mind what cause I have to give you this subscription

I could say more, but the times are strict, and scarce allow the pen its full libertie, however I hope I may be bold (for it is no se∣cret) to tell you plainlie that I am

Though the times be inquisitive, and urge secrecie, yet I shall ne∣ver be brought to conceal how much I am

Though letters have not their wonted freenesse, and the super∣scription

be not priviledge enough to keep them sealed, till they reach the hands that ow the direction, yet I will dare to tell you, and all the world, that I most trulie am

Thuogh the times be dangerous, and letters unsafe, yet as long as I dare write, I will be bold to tell you that I am

Though I be debarred your sight, yet I hope I am not envied the happiness, to give you notice how passionatelie I am

When the world speaks the worst of me, it is some comfort to my conscience, that I find not my self yet so vicious, as to forget what obligements I have to serve you, and to remain perpetuallie

It is no small preservative against vice, to remember your ver∣tues, and the many engagements I have for ever to continue

Though I am most unspeakably busie, yet my occasious shall ne∣ver be so pressing, but I will be at leisure both to be, and to tell you that I am

Assure your self I shall never forget you in my prayers, as oft as in them I remember

I hope you will be pleased to honour with your acceptance, this presentment of that service, which shall ever be duly acknowledged and upon all occasions exprest.

I beg your acceptance of this testimony of my gratitude, and my earnest desires, to deserve the name of

I shall be as glad to hear of your health and happiness, as I am thankfull for the many engagements I have to write my self

I hope I need not desire you to be confident, that whatsoever is deficient in my expression, wants not a perfect supplie in the heartie affection of him that will ever remain

I desire you to accept this paper present, which is all I now can tender, and which will be enough, if it can obtain your belief, that it comes from one who is

Of this I desire you to rest assured, as a thing most seriously resol∣ved by him who is

Assure your self you think not amisse when you think me

There is none hath a more ample interest in my love, nor any have a nigher lodging to the heart of

The least word you speak I receive for an unresistable comman∣dement as being

You have so absolutely acquired me to your service, as you have left me no libertie to do what I desire, when there is any question of performing your pleasure, as being