_An Example consolatorie, pleasantly written to one, who had buried his olde wife._
The posting newes hitherwarde of the late decease of my good old mistris your wife, hath made me in the verie going away of mine ague fit, to strain my selfe to greet you by these letters. In the inditing wherof, I manie time praied in my thoughts, that I were as readilie deliuered of this my tertian feuer, as your selfe are in mine opinion deliuered by such meanes of a hateful and verie foule encombrance. I doubt not sir, but you doe nowe take the matter heauilie, being thereby dispossessed as you are of such an intollerable delight, as wherewith you were continually cloied by the nightlie embracements of so vnweldie a carcase. I haue, I must confesse, verie seldome known you for anie thing to mourne, neuerthelesse, if by such meanes you be happily constrained to change countenance, I haue prepared a golden boxe wherein I meane to consecrate all the teares you shed for that accident, to _Berecynthia_ the beldame of the Gods, as a relique of your great kindship and curtesie.
Beleeue mee T. I am sorie that mine ague had not lefte mee, and that I were not nowe in L. with thee, were it but to viewe thy lookes and manlike behauiour, after so harde a bickering and incounter wherein thou was berefte a hearte of golde so daintie, as I promise thee to some graue sober fellowe, might haue become pretie conceited, and a verie sweete pigges nie. Well T. thou must needes loose her, _ferendum est quod mutari non possit_, bee not sadde I pray thee, wee will finde out a better match wherewith to delghite thee. Thou must consider that it is requisite that all thinges shoulde bee done with indifferencie, shee hath lefte a thousande pounde in goodes, and a C. markes by yeare vnto thee, let that content thee: what though she was not maried a moneth to thee, thou must be a pacient man, her long continuance with so much wealth might peraduenture haue glutted thee. The gods haue become more fauourable to thy young yeares, then thy selfe doest consider of. Shee might I knowe haue liued longer time for age, (for foure skore yeares olde I graunt is nothing) the woman also in verie good plight too, by Saint Margerie: but what of that, wee must, as I saide before, beare with necessitie. I praie God thou beest not ouercome with sorrowe, but thou maist take it quietlie. There bee men in the worlde that are so carelesse of their fortune, and so verie fooles in their wishing, as they coulde content themselues greatlie to bee in the like predicamente with thee: but thou I assure my selfe art of a cleane contrarie opinion, sweare no more good T. I am perswaded alone that it vtterly discontenteth thee. But hearest thou, plaie not the madde man for all that, I will rather comfort thee my self, then that thou shouldest die for sorrow.