The epistle of E. W. prefixed before the genealogicall epitaph, and funerall sermon published at the interring of the right honourable the lord Walter earle of Essex, &c.

_MY lord, your absence latelie from the funerals of my lord your father, was lamented by such in Wales as would gladlie haue beheld the liue|lie image of him in you; and if the ten|dernesse of your yeares (vnmeet for so tedious and so vnseasonable trauell) had not by necessitie disappoin|ted their hope,The death of the earle much lamented. then should the lamentable speech of the graue and reuerend father, the bishop of saint Dauies (expressed with abundance of dolour & tears) haue left in you a déepe impression of griefe for the intollerable losse of so honourable a parent. But it maie be iudged that God hath turned your absence to your more benefit; sith the importunacie of such as loue & honour you, and who couet to haue your fa|thers vertues descend with his inheritance, hath ob|teined the publishing of that learned sermon: wherin you maie at good leasure view in the iust report of his life & death the paterne & forme of true nobilitie.

The heroicall description that the bishop maketh of nobilitie, comparing it vnto a mounteine,The heroicall description of true nobilitie. from which foure famous riuers must issue (the moun|teine true religion, the riuers, prudence, iustice, for|titude, and temperance) is a rule to you: first to fol|low your father in truth of religion, then to be as he was, wise, iust, valiant, and temperat. The naturall and vnforced courtesie & affabilitie that was in your father, and that excellent mixture of disposition and aptnesse, both for warre and peace, dooth promise to the world a singular perfection in you hereafter. For as your grandfather (who died in his yoong yeares) did make shew of much more honour than was in the noble vicount his father:A persuaso|rie reason to mooue the yoong earle now liuing to an excellent imitation of his ancestors. and this our earle by famous actions did altogither eclipse the vertuous hope conceiued of your grandfather: so considering that God in nature continueth as it were the race by outward shew of good parts in you, and that you haue more aduantage of education, both by the place where you liue, and by the honour and wisedome of your patrons than your grandfather or father had; we can not but hope of a further degree of excel|lencie in you to ouershine the goodnesse both of your father and grandfather.

Some people there be that can hardlie discerne betweene honour & profit, that doo ouermuch thinke of the disaduantage offered you by the earle your fa|ther, in diminishing some part of his patrimonie in his forren seruices; and will wish you perhaps with a contrarie course to deserue more of your heire, and woorse of the world. But as I wish in you a liberall frugalitie vnder this rule and protestation,Notable counsell to the earle to de|serue well of his souereigne and countrie. that no|thing can be profitable that is not honest: so to de|serue well (as your father did) of your souereigne and countrie in matters apperteining to hir maie|sties obedience, rather throw the helue after the hat|chet, and leaue your ruines to be repared by your prince, than anie thing to degenerat from honoura|ble liberalitie. And as in attempting great things, it is good to be circumspect, and with iudgment wise|lie to foresée the end before you begin: so hauing en|tered into anie honourable attempt that maie be iustlie grounded vpon reason, follow the same with such inuincible constancie in all extremities as your father did, for so shall you iustlie deserue like testimo|nie as hir maiestie gaue to him in hir gratious let|ters: namelie,The quéenes testimonie of the earle. that he was a rare iewell of hir realme, and an ornament of hir nobilitie.

True religion and wisedome (vpon whome iustice dependeth) doo procéed from God by grace, and there|fore by inuocation, praier, and studie to be obteined: but the other vertues, as fortitude, temperance,Uertues na|turallie inci|dent to the erle by cours [...] of descent. cour|tesie, affabilitie, liberalitie and constancie, be pecu|liar to your house, descending by nature, and graffed as it were in your principles. So that to degenerat into the lothsome contraries of these, & in steed of the habit of vertue, to disguise your selfe with vice, shall be harder to you, and more impos [...]ible for the contra|rietie of your nature, than to atteine in good things to the perfection of excellencie. And to the end that EEBO page image 1267 you may know what you are by birth and bloud, and that you should not by ignorance or lacke of know|ledge of your selfe, doo anie thing vnworthie the no|ble houses from whense you are descended:To what end [...]he epitaph genealogicall was added to the funerall sermon. a wel|willer of yours hath [...]oined to this sermon (amongst other epitaphs conteining your fathers due praises) his statelie descent in well digested Latine verses: not to puffe you vp with anie swelling vanities, but to giue you a reason how you beare your armour and badges of honour, and to remember you what errour you enter into, if you should blemish the ver|tues of your noble ancestours, or to doo anie thing (as I said) vnworthie your birth and calling.

Lastlie my lord, haue alwaies before your eies the feare of God,The old earls counsell at his death to the yoong earle now aliue touching the shortnesse of life. and the counsell of the earle your fa|ther at his death: namelie, that you should euer be mindfull of the moment of time, assigned both to your father and grandfather, the eldest hauing attei|ned but to six and thirtie yeares, to the end that vpon consideration of the short course of life that you in nature are to looke for, you might so imploie your tender yeares in vertuous studies and exercises, as you might in the prime of your youth become a man well accomplished to serue hir maiestie and your countrie, as well in warre as peace: wherevnto he commanded you to bend all your indeuours, & with those conditions heaped his blessings vpon you. I praie therefore that God will increase those conditi|onall blessings, and the causes of them in you, to the end that hir maiestie may thinke of you hereafter as of a true seruant and humble subiect, one of the pillers of hir estate, hir maiesties kinsman by ma|nie aliances, and the sonne of a most noble father.

Your L. at commandement E. W.