Of Certaine Contents Generally Incident to All Maner of Epistles. Chap. 4
Maner of salutations.
Epithets.
In writing of Epistles, four especiall contents are alwaies continuallie incident. The manner of Salutation, an order of taking leaue or farewell, the Subscription, and the outwarde direction. Salutations of auncient time were woont to bee fixed, Quasi omen faustum, a signe or inuiting to good hap, in the front or vpper part of the letter: so did the auncient Romanes, and in like manner after their examples doo at this daie some other nations. But seldome or neuer (especiallie of the learned and most curious writers) is the same in our English directions, at any time accustomed. Onelie this, where letters are directed from one or more of the Councell to an inferiour Magistrate or person, or from some noble man to such, whom hee intertaineth not in any estate of societie or equall familiaritie, the maner of commendations (which with vs is retained for an order of Salutation or gréeting) runneth lightlie in the beginning of the Letter, and customablie is deliuered in this forme. After our heartie commendations vnto your L. if it bee from a number of the Counsell to a Noble man, or otherwise in the singular number vnto an inferiour person, as thus. After my heartie commendations vnto you. But otherwise writing seriouslie to anie man, the greeting if it be to one far our better is turned, to an acknowledgment of some kind of dutie, or reuerent account, and that most commonly at the end of the Letter, which likewise in equalitie falleth out in such place to be mentioned. And being in familiarities is to no place tied, but beginning, middle, or ending of the Letter, all is one, as séemeth most consonant to the vaine & disposition of the partie, and these also at all times not deliuered in the selfe worde of gréeting or commendations, but by diuerse Epithets, and fine conueiances, as falleth out to the matter of the Epistle, and the conditions of the partie to be handled. This being at the end of the Letter, there shall immediatelie follow the order of farewell, which ioyning so hard thereupon as it doeth, wee will put them both in one example of wordes and Epithets, togither with the subscriptions, for the easier instruction of the learner, and his better remembrance, referring the notes of euerie of them to their places, where afterwards they are vsed in their seuerall Letters.