Courtesy in Greeting
Author: Unknown
Date: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Courtesy in GreetingGo Home

COURTESY IN SALUTING

THE ARGUMENT

This Colloquy teaches Courtesy and Civility in Saluting, who, when, and by what Title we ought to Salute At the first meeting

A CERTAIN Person teaches, and not without Reason, that we should Salute freely.

For a courteous and kind Salutation oftentimes engages Friendship, and reconciles Persons at Variance, and does undoubtedly nourish and increase a mutual Benevolence. There are indeed some Persons that are such Churls, and of so clownish a Disposition, that if you salute them, they will scarcely salute you again. But this Vice is in some Persons rather the Effect of their Education, than their natural Disposition.

It is a Piece of Civility to salute those that come in your Way; either such as come to us, or those that we go to speak with. And in like Manner such as are about and Sort of Work, either at Supper, or that yawn, or hiccop, or sneeze, or cough. But it is the Part of a Man that is civil even to an Extreme, to salute one that belches, or breaks Wind backward. But he is uncivilly civil that salutes one that is making Water, or easing Nature.

God save you Father, God save you little Mother, God save you Brother, God save you my worthy Master, God save you heartily Uncle, God save you sweet Cousin.

It is courteous to make Use of a Title of Relation or Affinity, unless when it carries with it something of a Reflection along with it, then indeed it is better not to use such Titles, tho’ proper; but rather some that are more engaging, as when we call a Mother in Law, Mother; a Son in Law, Son; a Father in Law, Father; a Sister’s Husband, Brother; a Brother’s Wife, Sister: And the same we should do in Titles, either of Age or of Office. For it will be more acceptable to salute an antient Man by the Name of Father, or venerable Sir, than by the Sirname of Age; altho’ in antient Times they used to make use of Č
cĺqom, as an honourable Title. God save you Lieutenant, God save you Captain; but not God save you Hosier or Shoe-maker. God save you Youth, or young Man. Old Men salute young Men that are Strangers to them by the Name of Sons, and young Men again salute them by the Name of Fathers or Sirs.

A more affectionate Salutation between Lovers God save you my little Cornelia, my Life, my Light, my Delight, my Sweet-heart, my Honey, my only Pleasure, my little Heart, my Hope, my Comfort, my Glory.

Either for the Sake of Honour, or otherwise

Salutation: O Master, God bless ye.

Answer: Oh! Good Sir, I wish you the same.

Sal: God bless you, most accomplish’d and most famous Sir. God bless you again and again thou Glory of Learning. God save you heartily my very good Friend. God save you my Mćcenas.

Ans. God save you my Singular Patron. God save you most approv,d Sir. God save you, the only Ornament of this Age. God bless you, the Delight of Germany.

Sal God bless you all together. God bless you all Ans. God bless you my brave Boys.

Sal. God save you merry Companion. God bless you Destroyer of Wine.

Ans. God bless you Glutton, and unmerciful Devourer of Cakes.

Sal. God bless you heartily President of all Virtue.

Ans. God bless you in like Manner, Pattern of universal Honesty.

Sal. God save you little old Woman of Fifteen Years of Age.

Ans. God save you Girl, eighty Years old.

Sal. Much good may it do you with your bald Pate.

Ans. And much good may it do you with your slit Nose. As you salute, so you shall be saluted again. If you say that which is ill, you shall hear that which is worse.

Sal. God save you again and again.

Ans. God save you for ever and ever

Sal. God save you more than a thousand Times.

Ans. In truth I had rather be well once for all.

Sal. God bless you as much as you can desire.

Ans. And you as much as you deserve.

Sal. I wish you well.

Ans. But what if I won’t be so? In truth I had rather be sick, than to enjoy the Health that you want.

God bless your Holiness, Your Greatness, Your Highness, Your Majesty, Your Beatitude, Your High Mightiness, are Salutations rather us’d by the Vulgar, than approv’d by the Learned.

In the Third Person

Sapidus wishes Health to his Erasmus.

Sapidus salutes his Beatus, wishing him much Health.

Another Form

Sal. God bless you Crito, I wish you well good Sir.

Ans. And I wish you better. Peace be to thee Brother, is indeed a Christian Salutation, borrow’d from the Jews: but yet not to be rejected. And of the like Kind is, A happy Life to you.

Sal. Hail Master.

Ans. In truth I had rather have than crave.

Sal. Chaire.

Ans. Remember you are at Basil, and not at Athens.

Sal. How do you then dare to speak Latin when you are not at Rome ?

Forms of well Wishing

And to wish well is a Sort of Salutation.

To a Womnan with Child

God send you a good Delivery, and that you may make your Husband Father of a fine Child. May the Virgin Mother make you a happy Mother. I wish that this swell’d Belly may asswage happily. Heaven grant that this Burthen you carry, whatsoever it is, may have as easy an out-coming as it had an in-going. God give you a good Time.

To Guests

Happy be this Feast. Much good may it do all the Company. I wish all Happiness to you all. God give you a happy Banquet.

To one that sneezes

May it be lucky and happy to you. God keep you. May it be for your Health. God bless it to you.

To one that is about to begin any Business

May it prove happy and prosperous for the Publick Good. May that you are going about be an universal Good. God prosper what you are about. God bless your Labours. God bless your Endeavours. I pray that by God’s Assistance you may happily finish what you have begun. May Christ in Heaven prosper what is under your Hand. May what you have begun end happily. May what you are set about end happily. You are about a good Work, I wish you a good End of it, and that propitious Heaven may favour your pious Undertakings. Christ give prosperity to your Enterprise. May what you have undertaken prosper. I heartily beg of Almighty God that this Design may be as successful as it is honourable. May the Affair so happily begun, more happily end. I wish you a good Journey to Italy, and a better Return. I wish you a happy Voyage, and a more happy Return. I pray God that, this Journey being happily perform’d, we may in a short Time have the Opportunity of congratulating you upon your happy Return. May it be your good Fortune to make a good Voyage thither and back again. May your Journey be pleasant, but your Return more pleasant. I wish this Journey may succeed according to your Heart’s Desire. I wish this Journey may be as pleasant to you, as the want of your good Company in the mean Time will be troublesome to us. May you set Sail with promising Presages. I wish this Journey may succeed according to both our Wishes. I wish this Bargain may be for the Good and Advantage of us both. I wish this may be a happy Match to us all. The blessed Jesus God keep thee. Kind Heaven return you safe. God keep thee who art one Half of my Life. I wish you a safe Return. I wish that this New-Year may begin happily, go on more happily, and end most happily to you, and that you may have many of them, and every Year happier than other.

Ans. And I again wish you many happy Ages, that you mayst wish well to me gratis.

Sal. I wish you a glorious Day to Day. May this Sun-rising be a happy one to you.

Ans. I wish you the same. May this be a happy and a prosperous Morning to both of us.

Sal. Father, I wish you a good Night. I wish you good Repose to Night. May you sleep sweetly. God give you good Rest. May you sleep without dreaming. God send you may either sleep sweetly or dream pleasantly. A good Night to you.

Ans. Since you always love to be on the getting Hand, I wish you a thousand Happinesses to one you wish to me.

Farewell at Parting

Fare ye all well. Farewell. Take care of your Health. Take a great Care of your Health. I bid you good by, Time calls me away, fare ye well. I wish you as well as may be. Farewell mightily, or if you had rather have it so, lustily. Fare you well as you are worthy. Fare you as well as you deserve. Farewell for these two Days. If you send me away, farewell till to-morrow. Would you have any Thing with me? Have you any Thing else to say to me ?

Ans. Nothing but to wish you well.

Sal. Take Care to preserve your Health. Take Care of your Health. Look well to your Health. See that at the next Meeting we see you merry and hearty. I charge you make much of your self See that you have a sound Mind in a healthful Body.

Take Care you be universally well both in Body and Mind.

Ans. I’ll promise you I will do my Endeavour. Fare you well also; and I again wish you prosperous Health.

Of saluting by another

Remember my hearty Love to Frobenius. Be sure to remember my Love to little Erasmus. Remember me to Gertrude’s mother with all imaginable Respect; tell them I wish ‘em all well. Remember me to my old Companions. Remember me to my Friends. Give my Love to my Wife. Remember me to your Brother in your Letter.

Remember my Love to my Kinsman. Have you any Service to command by me to your Friends?

Ans. Tell them I wish them all heartily well.

Sal. Have you any Recommendations to send by me to your Friends ?

Ans. Much Health to them all, but especially to my Father Sal. Are there any Persons to whom you would command me any Service ?

Ans. To all that ask how I do. The Health you have brought from my Friends to me, carry back again with much Interest. Carry my hearty Service to all them that have sent their Service to me. Pray do so much as be my Representative in saluting my Friends. I would have written to my Son in Law, but you will serve me instead of a Letter to him.

Sal. Soho, soho, whither are you going so fast ?

Ans. Strait to Louvain.

Sal. Stay a little, I have something to send by you.

Ans. But it is inconvenient for a Footman to carry a Fardel ? What is it?

Sal. That you recommend me to Goclenius, Rutgerus, John Campensis, and all the Society of Trilinguists.

Ans. If you put nothing into my Snapsack but Healths, I shall carry them witlh Ease.

Sal. And that you may not do that for nothing, I pray that Health may be your Companion both going and coming back.

How we ought to congratulafe one that is return’d from a Journey We are glad you are come well Home. It is a Pleasure that you are come Home safe. It is a Pleasure to us that you are come well Home. We congratulate your happy Return. We give God Thanks that you are come safe Home to us. The more uneasy we were at the Want of you, the more glad we are to see you again. We congratulate you and ourselves too that you are come Home to us alive and well.

Your Return is the more pleasant by how much it was less expected.

Ans. I am glad too that as I am well myself I find you so. I am very glad to find you in good Health. I should not have thought myself well come Home If I had not found you well; but now I think myself safe, In that I see you safe and in good Health.

A Form of asking Questions at the first meeting THE ARGUMENT

This Colloquy teaches Forms of enquiring at the first meeting. Whence come you? What News bring you?

How do you do? &c.

GEORGE, LIVINUS

George. Out of what Hen-Coop or Cave came you ?

Liv. Why do You ask me such a Question ?

Ge. Because you have been so poorly fed; you are so thin a Body may see thro’

you, and as dry as a Kecks. Whence came you from ?

Liv. From Montacute College.

Ge. Then sure you are come loaden with Letters for us ?

Liv. Not so, but with Lice I am.

Ge. Well then you had Company enough.

Liv. In truth it is not safe for a Traveller now a Days to go without Company.

Ge. I know well enough a Louse is a Scholar’s Companion. Well but do you bring any News from Paris ?

Liv. Ay, I do, and that in the first Place that I know you won’t believe. At Paris a Bete is wise, and an Oak preaches.

Ge. What’s that you tell me ?

Liv. That which you hear.

Ge. What is it I hear ?

Liv. That which I tell you.

Ge. O monstrous ! Sure Mushrooms and Stones must be the Hearers where there are such Preachers.

Liv. Well, but it is even so as I tell you, nor do I speak only by hear say, but what I know to be true.

Ge. Sure Men must needs be very wise there where Betes and Oaks are so.

Liv. You are in the right on’t.

Of enquiring concerning Health

Ge. Are you well ?

Liv. Look in my Face.

Ge. Why do you not rather bid me cast your Water ? Do you take me for a Doctor ?

I don’t ask you if you are in Health, for your Face bespeaks you so to be; but I ask you how you like your own Condition ?

Liv. I am very well in my Body, but sick in my Mind.

Ge. He’s not well indeed that is sick in that Part.

Liv. This is my Case, I ,m well in my Body, but sick in my Pocket.

Ge. Your Mother will easily cure that Distemper. How have you done for this long Time ?

Liv. Sometimes better, and sometimes worse, as human Affairs commonly go.

Ge. Are you very well in health ? Are your Affairs in a good Condition ? Are your Circumstances as you would have them ? Have you always had your Health well ?

Liv. Very well, I thank God. By God’s Goodness I have always had my Health very well. I have always been very well hitherto. I have been in very good’

favourable, secure, happy, prosperous, successful, perfect Health, like a Prince, like a Champion, fit for any Thing.

Ge. God send you may always enjoy the same. I am glad to hear it. You give me a Pleasure in saying so. lt is very pleasant to me to hear that. I am glad at my Heart to hear this from you. This is no bad News to me. I am exceeding glad to hear you say so. I wish you may be so always. I wish you may enjoy the same Health as long as you live. In congratulating you, I joy myself, Thanks to Heaven for it.

Liv. Indeed I am very well if you are so.

Ge. Well, but have you met with no Trouble all this while ?

Li. None but the Want of your good Company.

Ge. Well, but how do you do though ?

Li. Well enough, finely, bravely, very well as may be, very well indeed, happily, commodiously, no Way amiss. I enjoy rather what Health I wish, than what I deserved, Princely, Herculean, Champion-like.

Ge. I was expecting when you would say Bull-like too.

Of being Ill

Ge. Are you in good Health ?

Liv. I wish I were. Not altogether so well as I would be. Indeed I am so, so.

Pretty well. I am as well as I can be, since I can’t be so well as I would be.

As I use to be. So as it pleases God. Truly not very well. Never worse in all my Life. As I am wont to be. I am as they use to be who have to do with the Doctor.

Ge. How do you do ?

Li. Not as I would do.

Ge. Why truly not well, ill, very ill, in an unhappy, unprosperous, unfavourable, bad, adverse, unlucky, feeble, dubious, indifferent, State of Health, not at all as I would, a tolerable, such as I would not wish even to my Enemies.

Ge. You tell me a melancholy Story. Heavens forbid it. God forbid. No more of that I pray. I wish what you say were not true. But you must be of good Chear, you must pluck up a good Heart. A good Heart is a good Help in bad Circumstances. You must bear up your Mind with the Hope of better Fortune. What Distemper is it ? What Sort of Disease is it ? What Distemper is it that afflicts you ? What Distemper are you troubled with ?

Li. I can’t tell, and in that my Condition is the more dangerous.

Ge. That’s true, for when the Disease is known, it is half cured. Have you had the Advice of any Doctor ?

Li. Ay, of a great many.

Ge. What do they say to your Case ?

Lz: What the Lawyers of Demiphon (in the Play) said to him. One says one Thing, another he says another, and the third he’ll consider of it. But they all agree in this, that I am in a sad Condition.

Ge. How long have you been taken nith this lllness? How long have you been ill of this Distemper ? How long has this Illness seiz’d you ?

Li. About twenty Days more or less, almost a Month. lt’s now near three Months.

It seems an Age to me since I was first taken ill.

Ge. But I think you ought to take care that the Distemper don’t grow upon you.

Li. It has grown too much upon me already.

Ge. Is it a Dropsy?

Li. They say it is not.

Ge. Is it a Dissentery ?

Li. I think not.

Ge. Is it a Fever?

Li. I believe it is a Kind of Fever; but a new one, as ever and anon new ones spring up that were unknown before.

Ge. There were more old ones than enough before.

Li. Thus it pleases Nature to deal with us, which is a little too severe.

Ge. How often does the Fit come ?

Li. How often do you say? Every Day, nay every Hour indeed.

Ge. O wonderful ! It is a sad Affliction. How did you get this Distemper? How do you think you came by it ?

Li. By Reason of Want.

Ge. Why you don’t use to be so superstitious as to starve yourself with Fasting.

Li. It is not Bigotry but Penury.

Ge. What do you mean by Penury ?

Li. I mean I could get no Victuals, I believe it came by a Cold. I fancy I got the Distemper by eating rotten eggs. By drinking too much Water in my Wine. This Crudity in my Stomach came by eating green Apples.

Ge. But consider whether you hant contracted this Distemper by long and late Studying, by hard drinking, or immoderate use of Venery ? Why don’t you send for a Doctor?

Li. I am afraid he should do me more Harm than good. I am afraid he should poison me instead of curing me.

Ge. You ought to chuse one that you can confide in.

Li. If I must dye, I had rather dye once for all, than to be tormented with so many Slops.

Ge. Well then, be your own Doctor. If you can’t trust to a Doctor, pray God be your Physician. There have been some that have recover’d their Health, by putting on a Dominican or a Franciscan Fryars Cowl.

Li. And perhaps it had been the same Thing, if they had put on a wore-master’s Cloak. These things have no Effect upon those that have no Faith in ‘em.

Ge. Why then, believe that you may recover. Some have been cur’d by making Vows to a Saint.

Li. But I have no Dealings with Saints.

Ge. Then pray to Christ that you may have Faith, and that he would be pleased to bestow the Blessing of Health upon you.

Li. I can’t tell whether it would be a Blessing or no.

Ge. Why, is it not a Blessing to be freed from a Distemper ?

Li: Sometimes it is better to dye. I ask nothing of him, but only that he’d give me what would be best for me.

Ge. Take something to purge you.

Li. I am laxative enough already.

Ge. Take something to make you go to Stool. You must take a Purge.

Li I ought to take something that is binding rather, for I am too laxative.

Of enquiring of a Person upon his Return

THE ARGUMENT

Of interrogating a Person returning from a Journey, concerning War, private Affairs, a Disappointment, great Promises, a Wife Lying-in, Dangers, Losses, &c.

George. Have you had a good and prosperous Journey ?

Li. Pretty good; but there is such Robbing every where.

Ge. This is the Effect of War.

Li. It is so, but it is a wicked one

Ge. Did you come on Foot or on horse-back ?

Li. Part of the Way a Foot, Part in a Coach, Part on Horse-back, and Part by Sea.

Ge. How go Matters in France ?

Li. All’s in Confusion, there’s nothing but War talk’d of. What Mischiefs they may bring upon their Enemies I know not; but this.I’m sure of, the French themselves are afflicted with unexpressible Calamities.

Ge. Whence come all these tumultuary Wars ?

Li. Whence should they come but from the Ambition of Monarchs ?

Ge. But it would be more their Prudence to appease these States of human Affairs.

Li. Please ‘em ! Ay, so they do, as the South Wind does the Sea. They fancy themselves to be Gods, and that the World was made for their Sakes.

Ge. Nay, rather a Prince was made for the Good of the Commonwealth, and not the Commonwealth for the Sake of the Prince.

Li. Nay, there are Clergymen too, who blow up the Coals, and sound an Alarm to these Tumults.

Ge. I ‘d have them set in the Front of the Battel.

Li Ay, ay, but they take Care to keep out of Harm’s Way.

Ge. But let us leave these publick Affairs to Providence. How go your own Matters ?

Li. Very well, happily, indifferently well, tolerably.

Ge. How goes it with your own Business ? As you would have it ?

Li. Nay, better than I could have wish’d for better than I deserve, beyond what I could have hop’d for.

Ge. Are all Things according to your Mind ? Is all well ? Has every Thing succeeded ?

Li: It can’t be worse. It is impossible it should be worse than it is.

Ge. What then, han’t you got what you sought for ? Han’t you caught the Game you hunted ?

Li. Hunt ! Ay, I did hunt indeed, but with very ill Success.

Ge. But is there no Hope then ?

Li. Hope enough, but nothing else.

Ge. Did the Bishop give you no Hopes ?

Li. Yes, whole Cart Loads, and whole Ship Loads of Hope; but nothing else.

Ge. Has he sent you nothing yet ?

Li. He promis’d me laigely, but he has never sent me a Farthing.

Ge. Then you must live in Hopes.

Li. Ay, but that won’t fiIl the Belly; they that feed upon Hope may be said to hang, but not to live.

Ge. But however then, you were the lighter for travelling, not having your Pockets loaded.

Li. I confess that, nay, and safer too; for an empty Pocket is the best Defence in the World against Thieves; but for all that, I had rather have the Burthen and the Danger too.

Ge. You was not robb’d of any Thing by the Way, I hope ?

Li. Robb’d ! What can you rob a Man of that has nothing? There was more Reason for other Folks to be afraid of me, than I of them, having never a Penny in my Pocket. I might sing and be starved all the Way I went. Have you anything more to say ?

Ge. Where are you going now ?

Li. Straight Home, to see how all do there, whom I han’t seen this long Time.

Ge. I wish you may find all well at Home.

Li. I pray God I may. Has any Thing new happen’d at our House since I went away ?

Ge. Nothing but only you ‘Il find your Family bigger than it was; for your Catulla has brought you a little Catulus since you have been gone. Your Hen has laid you an Egg.

Li. That’s good News, I like your News, and I’ll promise to give you a Gospel for it.

Ge. What Gospel? The Gospel according to St. Matthew ?

Li. No, but according to Homer. Here take it.

Ge. Keep your Gospel to yourself, I have Stones enough at Home.

Li. Don’t slight my Present, it is the Eagle’s Stone; it is good for Women with Child; it is good to bring on their Labour.

Ge. Say you so ? Then it is a very acceptable Present to me’ and l’Il endeavour to make you Amends.

Li. The Amends is inade already by your kind Acceptance.

Ge. Nay, nothing in the World could come more seasonably, for my Wife’s Belly is up to her Mouth almost.

Li. Then I,ll make this Bargain with you; that if she has a Boy, you will let me be the Godfather.

Ge. Well, I’ll promise you that, and that you shall name it too.

Li. I wish it may be for both our Good.

Ge. Nay, for all our Good.

MAURICE, CYPRIAN

Ma. You are come back fatter than you used to be: You are returned taller.

Cy. But in Truth I had rather it had been wiser, or more learned.

Ma. You had no Beard when you went away-but you have brought a little one back with you. You are grown somewhat oldish since you went away. What makes you look so pale, so lean, so wrinkled ?

Cy. As is my Fortune, so is the Habit of my Body.

Ma. Has it been but bad then ?

Cy. She never is otherwise to me, but never worse in my Life than now.

Ma. I am sorry for that. I am sorry for your Misfortune. But pray, what is this Mischance ?

Cy. I have lost all my Money.

Ma. What, in the Sea ?

Cy. No, on Shore, before I went abroad.

Ma. Where ?

Cy. Upon the English Coast.

Ma. It is well you scap’d with your Life; it is better to lose your Money, than that; the loss of one’s good Name is worse than the Loss of Money.

Cy. My Life and Reputation are safe; but my Money is lost.

Ma. The Loss of Life never can be repair’d; the Loss of Reputation very hardly; but the Loss of Money may easily be made up one Way or another. But how came it about ?

Cy. I can’t tell, unless it was my Destiny. So it pleas’d God. As the Devil would have it.

Ma. Now you see that Learning and Virtue are the safest Riches; for as they can’t be taken from a Man, so neither are they burthensome to him that carries them.

Cy. Indeed you Philosophize very well; but in the mean Time I’m in Perplexity.

CLADIUS, BALBUS

Cl. I am glad to see you well come Home Balbus.

Ba. And I to see you alive Claudius.

Cl. You are welcome Home into your own Country again.

Ba. You should rather congratulate me as a Fugitive from France.

Cl. Why so ?

Ba. Because they are all up in Arms there.

Cl. But what have Scholars to do with Arms ?

Ba. But there they don’t spare even Scholars.

Cl. It is well you’re got off safe.

Ba. But I did not get off without Danger neither.

Cl. You are come back quite another Man than you went away.

Ba. How so ?

Cl. Why, of a Dutch Man, you are become a French Man.

Ba. Why, was I a Capon when I went away ?

Cl. Your Dress shows that you’re turn’d from a Dutch Man into a French Man.

Ba. I had rather suffer this Metamorphosis, than be turn’d into a Hen. But as a Cowl does not make a Monk, so neither does a Garment a French Man.

Cl. Have you learn’d to speak French ?

Ba. Indifferently well.

Cl. How did you learn it ?

Ba. Of Teachers that were no dumb ones, I assure Cl. From whom?

Ba. Of little Women, more full of Tongue, than Turtle Doves.

Cl. It is easy to learn to speak in such a School. Do you pronounce the French well ?

Ba. Yes, that I do, and I pronounce Latin after the French Mode.

Cl. Then you will never write good Verses.

Ba. Why so ?

Cl. Because you’ll make false Quantities.

Ba. The Quality is enough for me.

Cl. Is Paris clear of the Plague ?

Ba. Not quite, but it is not continual, sometimes it abates, and anon it returns again; sometimes it slackens, and then rages again.

Cl. Is not War itself Plague enough ?

Ba. It is so, unless God thought otherwise.

Cl. Sure Bread must be very dear there.

Ba. There is a great Scarcity of it. There is a great Want of every Thing but wicked Soldiers. Good Men are wonderful cheap there.

Cl. What is in the Mind of the French to go to War with the Germans ?

Ba. They have a Mind to imitate the Beetle, that won’t give Place to the Eagle.

Every one thinks himself an Hercules in War.

Cl. I won’t detain you any longer, at some other Time we’ll divert ourselves more largely, when we can both spare Time. At present I have a little Business that calls me to another Place.

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