I doubt not N. but that thy hart longeth, and mind is yet vnquieted, because of my suddaine departure from thee, and ignorance of my estate and present being, whereof that thy desires may nowe at full be resolued: know my good N. that not hauing beene scarce sixe moneths from thee, I did long since perceiue my selfe to bee out of England, and that it may appeare vnto thee, that I haue iust cause so to say, thou shalt somewhat vnderstande by mee the state of this Countrey. Wee liue heere in a soile delicate I must confesse for the ayre, and pleasant for the situation: with good leasure (I must tell thee) may we here attend our deuotions, as hauing no care wherewith to encumber vs, but the needlesse search of that whereof wee neuer find likelihood to annoy vs. As vncompelled by seuere decrees and interdictions, we limit vnto ourselues an abstinence, thou mightst think we do it of zeale, but in truth it is of want, wherein we haue more fasting daies by a great manie then ability to beare them. Our conuersation is with elements, with waters, with fieldes, with trees, with valleyes, with hilles, with beasts, in the general vse whereof, wee find nothing else but their proper shapes. And if by chaunce any other sorts of creatures do appeare, they are naked shapes formed as men and women, fierce, sauage, wilde, not capable of anie our reasons, nor we of their speeches. Our foode is rootes, dried fishes, berries, and I knowe not what other harsh kind of fruits, and sometime foules, besides a kind of graine growing in great cods wherby we somtimes obtain (though not the naturall) yet some vse of bread, vnlike to that you eat, in taste, goodnes, or propertie. Our lodgings and places of repose are caues, entrenched in the ground, the earth our beds, and clothes our couerings. And these also hard as they are, enioy wee not in quiet, but being awaited of the naked multitude (whose policies insinuate by nature are farre greater then their strength) wee are faine by much industrie to preuent them: into whose hands if any of vs doe chaunce to fall, our dead carkasses in hastie morsels are conueied into their intrailes. Hereby iudging of our estate, thou mayest accordinglie deeme of our pleasures. The next message that thou shalt attend from mee, shall bee my speedie returne, the seas and windes being not lesse fauourable then they were at my going forth. Meane while recommend my selfe to thy wel-wishing, and our safeties to God, I ende as thou knowest, this of, &c. _An example wherein the death of a nobleman is onelie described._ [Sidenote: Exordium. Of the cause it selfe.] [Sidenote: Narratiō.] [Sidenote: Sudden sickenesse.] [Sidenote: Declaration of his speeches.] [Sidenote: Mislike of the world.] [Sidenote: Certain notice and liking of death.]