21

Sonne Robert, the vertuous inclinations of thy matchlesse
Mother, by whose order and godly care, thy infancie was
gouuerned, together with thy education vnder so zealous and
faithfull a Tutour, puts me rather in assurance of the hope
that thou art not ignorant of that summary band which is
able onlie to make thee happie aswell in thy death as life.
I meane that true knowledge and worship of thy Creator,
and redeemer, without which all other thinges are vayne and miserable
so that thy youth being guided by so all sufficient a Teacher
I make no doubt but he will furnish thy life both with
diuine and morall documents: yet that I may not cast of the
care beseeming a parent towards his child, or that thou
shouldst haue cause to deriue thy whole f¦licity and wellfare
from others, then from whom thou receyued'st thy birth and being
I thinke it fitt and agreeing to the affection I beare thee, to
helpe thee with such aduertisements and rules for the squaring
of thy life, as are gayned by long experience rather then
much reading: To the end that thou entring into this exorbitant
age mayst be the better prepared to shunne those cautelous
courses, wherevnto this world and thy lack of experience may
easily draw thee; And because I will not confound thy
memory, I haue reduced them into tenne precepts, and next
vnto Moses tables if thou imprint them in thy minde, thou
shalt reape the benefitt and I the contentment, and these they
are.

Transcription Conventions

• semi-diplomatic
• lineation and indentation retained
• raised letters lowered, contractions expanded, and supplied letters italicised
• ampersand silently replaced by 'and', and fossil thorn by 'th'