=And herein I thought good to aduertise the learner, that sometimes it falleth out, that this acknowledgement of dutie, mentioned in the beginning of the greetings and farewels, is in diuers Letters expressed in the foremost part, and the |Exordium| thereupon framed: (for that the same in truth is one of the parts thereunto belonging effected in the person or condition of him to whom we write) which to doe, if in his writing also the same maie be deemed necessarie, he maie then vse some other order of farewell or taking leaue, either by imitation of others, or if hee thinke meete, what herein else prescribed, consonant and agreeing to the state and reputation of the same partie to whome hee writeth. Now then shall followe the directions, which on the outside of euerie Letter (the same being made vp and sealed) are alwaies fired, and commonlie are termed by the name of Superscriptions.= Of Superscriptions and Directions. _Cap. 6._ [Sidenote: Superscriptions and directions of the Romanes.] =Among the auncient Romanes, when learning first grewe vnto skilfull perfecton, and men first deuised excellentlie to write, then there began to be extant in memorie, diuers formes of writing immediatlie, by the name and title of Epistles, to be published to the posterity. In the directions whereof, animated as I thinke with the vertues of their parents, and accounting it (as in truth it was then so reputed) to be a great honour vnto them, to be intituled with the name of the principall author of their families, they sought no farther stile of magnificence, but (were his parentage neuer so statelie or honorable) being therewith contented, did onlie vpon such regard intitle their directions. For who that hath bin but ordinarilie acquainted with the histories of their actes, but knoweth and hath read, with what reuerence, those times (greedy of vertue,) entertained the honorable desertes of such, as for the common-wealth, and publicke aduancement of the state, had either aduenturouslie hazarded, or couragiouslie lost a fraile, vncertaine, or transitorie life, to the intent to purchase vnto their country quiet, honour, or victorie, and to themselues and posteritie, eternized fame and euer flourishing glorie. Neither was their country vnkind vnto them herein, which for their sakes, and for the reuerend regarde of their vertues, haue compensed the loue which to their parents they could not shewe, to their children and succession in manie degrées after them.= =Such were the families of the |Gracchi|, |Fabij|, |Cornelij|, |Hortentij|, |Horatij|, |Metelli|, |Amilij|, |Scipiones| and |Fabritij|. Whereby I coniecture that the custome hereof, by such emulation adorned, became afterwardes a dignitie, and so succeeded in honour to euerie posteritie.=