a letter of advice write to sir Edward coke lord chief justice of the king  Beneh my very good lord though it be true that who so consider the wind and  rain shall neither sow nor reap yet there be a season fit for every action so  there be a time to speak and a time to be silent there be a time when the word  of a poor simple man may profit and that poor man in the proverb which deliver  the city by his wisdom find it without this opportunity the power both of  wisdom and eloquence lose but their labour and charm the deaf adder God  therefore before his son that bring mercy send his servant the trumpet of  repentance to level every high hill to prepare the way before he make it  smooth and straight and as it be in spiritual thing where Christ never come  before his way-maker have lie even the heart with sorrow repentance since self  conceit and proud person think themselves too good and too wise to learn of  their inferior and therefore needs not the physician so in the acquire of  earthly wisdom it be not possible for nature to attain any mediocrity of  perfection before she be humble by know her self and her own ignorance and not  only knowledge but also every other gift which we call the gift of fortune  have power to puff up earth affliction only level those molehill of pride blow  the heart and make fit for wisdom to sow her seed and for grace to bring forth  her increase happy be that man therefore both in regard of heavenly wisdom and  of earthly that be thus wound to be cure thus break to be make straight thus  make acquaint with his own imperfection that he may be perfect  usefully advantage be to break in pieces lanquoribus and health how  to stay behind in height and damnation suppose this to be the time of your  affliction that which I have propound to my self be by take this seasonable  advantage like a true friend though far unworthy to be account so to show you  your true face in a glass and that not in a false one to flatter you nor in  one that be oblique and angular to make you seem worse then you be and so  offend you but in one make by the reflection of your own word and action from  who light proceed that voice of the people which be often not unjust call the  voice of God but herein since I purpose a truth I must entreat liberty to be  plain a liberty which I know not whether at this time or no I may use safe I  be sure at othertimes I can not yet of this resolve your self it proceed from  love and from a true desire to do you good that you know the general opinion  may not altogether neglect or contemn it but mend what you find amiss in your  self and return what your judgement shall approve for to this end shall truth  be deliver as naked as if your self be to be anatomise by the hand of opinion  all man can see their own perfection that part of the wallet hang before a  true friend who worthy office I will perform since I fear both your self and  all other great man want such be themselves true friend to few or none be  first to show the other end which be hide from your eye first therefore behold  your error in discourse you delight to speak too much but not to hear other  man this some say become a pleader no judge for by this mean sometime your  affection be entangle with a like of your own argument though they be the weak  and reject of those which when your affection be settle your own judgement  will allow for strong thus while you speak in your own element no man ordinary  equal you but when you wander as often you delight to do you then wander  indeed and never give such satisfaction as this curious time require this be  not cause by any natural defect but first for want of election when you have a  large and fruitful mind shall not so much labour what to speak as to find what  to leave unspeak rich soil be often to be weed second you cloy the auditory  when that you will be observe speech must either be sweet or short three you  converse with book not with man and of book especial humane and have not  excellent choice with they who be best book with a man of action and  employment you seldom converse and then with your underling not free but as a  schoolmaster with his scholar even to teach and never to learn but if sometime  you will in your familiar discourse hear other and make election of such as  know what they speak you shall know that many of these tale which ordinary you  tell to be but ordinary and many other thing which you delight to repeat and  serve in for novelty to be but Crambebis cooked food as in your plead you be  wont to insult over misery and to inveigh liberal against the person which  then breed you many enemy who poison yet swell and the effect now appear so be  you still wont to be a little too careless in this point to praise and  dispraise upon sleight ground and that some time true so that your reproof or  commendation be for the most part neglect and contemn when the censure of a  judge come slow but sure shall be a brand to the guilty and a crown to the  virtuous you will jest at any man in public without respect of the person  dignity or your own this disgrace your gravity more then it can advance the  opinion of your wit and so do all other act which we see you do indirect with  any touch of vain glory have not respect to the true end you make the law to  lean a little too much to your opinion whereby you show your self a legal  tyrant strike with that weapon who you please since that you be able to turn  the edge any way for this the wise master of the law give warning to young  student that they shall be wary least while they hope to be instruct by your  integrity and knowledge they shall be deceive with your subtlety arm with  authority your too much love of this world be see when have the live of l  yearly you relieve few or none the hand that have take so much can it give so  little herein you show no bowel of compassion as if you think all too little  for your self or that God have give you all that you have if you think wealth  to be his gift I mean that we get well for I be sure the rest be not only to  that end that you shall still gather more and never be satisfy but try how  much you can gather to account for at the great and general day we desire you  to amend this and let your poor tenant in Norfolk find some comfort where  nothing of your estate be spend towards their relief but all bring up hither  to the impoverish of the county in the last which may have be your best of  service to the state affect to follow that old rule to give justice leadon  beeles and iron hand you use too many delay till the delinquent hand be lose  and you bind in that work you seem another Fabius but there the humour of  Marcellus will have do better what needs you have seek more evidence then  enough while you pretend the find out of more miss your aim you discredit what  you have sound thus best judgement think though you never use such speech be  father upon you yet you may well have do it and do it but right for this crime  be second to none but the powder plot that will have blow up all at one blow a  merciful cruelty this will have do the same by degree a linger but as sure a  way one by one may have be call out till all opposer have be remove beside  that other plot be scandalous to Rome make popery odious to the eye of the  whole world this have be scandalous to the truth of the gospel and ever since  the first nullity to this instant when justice have her hand bind the devil  can not have invent a more mischievous practice to our state and church then  this have be be and be likely to be God avert the evil but therein you commit  another fault that you be too open in your proceed and so teach they where to  defend themselves so you give they I to undermine justice and to work upon all  advantage both of affection and humour and opportunity and breach of  friendship which they have so well follow spare neither pain nor cost that it  almost seem a offence to you to have do so much indeed that you have do no  more you stop the accusation and confession of some who perhaps have they be  suffer will have speak enough to remove some stumble block out of your way and  that you do not this in the true from of any one but out of I know not what  present unadvised humour suppose enough behind to discover all which fall not  out so for there be sigillum praise non to acknowledge howsoever as the  apostle say in another case you go not right to the truth and though you be to  be commend for what you do yet you be to be reprehend for many circumstance in  the do and doubtless in this cross God have a eye to your negligence and these  brier be leave to be prick in your side and thorn in your eye that which we  commend you for be those many excellent part of nature and knowledge of the  law you be endue withal but these be only good in their good use wherefore we  shank you for stand stout on the behalf of the common wealth hope it proceed  not from a disposition to oppose great one as your enemy say but to do just  and deliver truth indifferent wihout respect of person and in this we pray for  your prosperity and be sorry that good action shall not ever succeed happy but  in the carriage of this you be faulty for you take it in hand in a ill time  both in regard of the then present business which it interrupt and in regard  of his sickness who it concern whereby you disunite your strength and make a  gap for the enemy to pass out at and to return and assault you but now since  the case so stand we desire you to give way to power and so to fight as you be  not utter break but reserve entire to serve the common wealth again and do  what good you can since you can do all the good you will and since you be fall  upon this rock cast out the good to save the bottom stop the leak and make  towards land learn of the steward to make friend of the unrighteous mammon  those Spaniard in Mexico who be chase of the Indian tell we what we be to do  with our good in extremity they be to pass over a river in their flight as  many as cast away their good swim over safe but some more covetous keep their  gold be either drown with it or over take and slein by the savage you have  receive learn now to give the beaver learn we this lesson who be hunt for his  stone bite they off to produce melodious sounds empty be a old but a true say  you can but have much of your estate pardon my plainness ill get think how  much you never speak for how much by speak either unjust or in unjust cause  account it then a blessing of God if thus it may be lie out for your good and  not leave for your heir to hasten the worst of much of the rest perhaps of all  for so we see God oftentimes proceed in judgement with many hasty gatherer you  have enough to spare be well lie to turn the tide and fetch all thing again  but if you escape I suppose it worthy of a if since you know the old use that  none call in question must go away uncensured yet consider that accusation  make wound and leave scar and although you see the toil behind your back your  self free and the covert before yet remember there be flood trust not  reconcile friend but think that the peace be but to secure you for further  advantage expect a second and three encounter the main battle the wing be yet  unbroken they may charge you at a instant as death therefore walk circumspect  and if at length by the mean of our good master and governor you recover the  favour you have lose give God the glory in action not in word only and  remember we with some of your pass misfortune who estate and undo have do and  may hereafterly in the power of your breath there be great mercy in dispatch  delay be torture where with by degree we be rend out of our estate do not you  if you be restore as some other do fly from the service of virtue to serve the  time as if they repent their goodness or mean not to make a second hazard in  God house but rather let this cross make you more zealous in God cause  sensible in we and more sensible in all that express thus you have be a great  enemy of the papist if you love God be so still but more indeed then  heretofore for much of your zeal before be waste in word call to remembrance  they be the person that thus prophesy of this cross of you long before it  happen they see the storm come be the principal contriver and furtherer of the  plot these man blue the coal heat the iron and make all thing ready they owe  you a good turn and will if they can pay it you you see their heart by their  deed prove you your faith so to the best good work you can do be to do the  best you can against they that be to see the law severe just and diligent  execute and now we beseech you my lord seem sensible both of the stroke and  hand that strike you learn of David to leave Shemy and look upon God he have  some great work to do and he prepare you for I he will not have you faint nor  yet bear this cross with a stoical resolution there be a Christian mediocrity  worthy your greatness I must be plain perhaps rash have every note you have  take at sermon be write in your heart to practice this work have be do long  since without the error of your enemy but when we will not mend our self God  if we belong to he take we in hand and because he see May nit we trick we per  hoc quoth for be suffer he therefore send we outward cross which while they  cause we to mourn they do comfort we be assure testimony of his love that send  they to humble our self therefore to God be the part of a Christian but for  the world and our enemy that council of the poet be apt rebus narrow  full of air at{que fort that this only is apparent wisely item  to draw together wind in nostrum good luck  swollen vela the last part of this  you forget yet none needs to be ashamed to make use of it and so be arm  against casualty you may stand firm against the assault on the right hand and  on the leave for this be cerain the mind that be most prove to be puff up with  prosperity be most weak and apt to be deject with the least touch of adversity  indeed she be able to stagger a strong man strike terrible blow especial  unjustly to come penalty dolonda go for sale but true Christian wisdom give we  armour of proof against all these assault and teach we in all estate to be  content for though she cause our trencher friend to declare themselves our  enemy though she give heart to the most coward to strike we though a hour  continuance countervail a age of prosperity though she cast in our dish all  the evil that ever we have do yet have she no power to hurt the humble and  wise but only to break such as too much prosperity have make stift in their  own think but weak indeed and fit for ruin when the wise from thence rather  gather profit and wisdom by the example of David who say before I be chastisd  I go wrong now then he know the right way and will look better to his foot  Cardans say that weep fast and sigh be three great purge of grief indeed  natural they help to assway sorrow but God in this case be the best and only  physician the mean he have ordain be the advice of friend the amendment of our  self for amendment be both the physic and the cure for friend though your  lordship be scant yet I hope you be not altogether destitute if you be look on  good book they be true friend that will neither flatter nor dissemble be you  betwixt your self apply what they teach to the party grieve and you shall  needs no other comfort nor counsellor to they and to God holy spirit direct  you in the read of they I commit your lordship beseech he to send a good issue  of these your trouble and from henceforth to work a reformation in what have  be amiss and a resolute perseverance proceed and growth in all that be good  and that for his glory the benefit of your self this church and common wealth  who faithful servant while you remain I remain a faithful servant to you  suppose this boldness occasion by something I hear which I dare not write be  not so secure though you see some cloud break up all cross and damage may be  compare to a wolf which come upon a man sudden cause his voice and heart to  fail but the danger that be expect be toothless and half prevent