against you your Acquaintance to shun you your Friends to Grieve for you your Posterity to be Ashamed of you and Disgraced by you for when After-ages shall mention you your Posterity if they have any Worth or Merit will hang down their heads for shame to hear of your Evil Deeds all which will be if you be Mutinous Conspirers Traitors or Cowards but if neither Honour Honesty Fidelity nor Love can disswade you from your Base Treacherous and Wicked designs or that your Design is against Me here I offer my Self to you to dispose of my Person and Life as you please for I am neither asham'd to Suffer nor afraid to Dye knowing I have not done any thing that a man of Honour ought not to do and as Fear hath no power over my Mind so Force hath no power over my Will for I shall willingly Dye An Oration to Souldiers who have kill'd their General BArbarous Souldiers or rather Cruel Murderers you that have inhumanely Kill'd your General your Carefull Painfull Prudent Valiant Loving and Kind General ought to be generally Kill'd but Death would be too great a Mercy and Happiness for such Wretches as you are for you deserve such Torments and Afflictions as are above all expressions and your Bloody Action hath made you appear to me so Horrid that me thinks Life is Terrible because you Live and Death is Amable since our General is Dead and Honour lives in the Grave with him and Baseness lives in the World with you Devils possess your Souls in your living Bodies when as Angels have born away his Soul from his liveless Corps to be Crown'd with Everlasting Glory You shall not need to Fear your Enemies now for surely they will Flye you not for fear you should Kill them but for fear you should Infect them they fear not your Courage but your Wickedness neither shall you fear Oblivion for you will be Infamous and the very report of your Murdering act will cause a trembling of Limbs and chilness of Spirit to all the hearers and you will not only be Scorn'd Hated and Curs'd but Prayers will be offer'd against you and Men will Bless themselves from you as from a Plague or Evil Spirit Thus your Enemies will despise you your Friends renounce you Honest men exclame against you men of Honour shun you good Fortune forsake you Heaven shut all mercy from you your Conscience torment you insomuch that you will be asham'd to Live and afraid to Dye An Oration to Souldiers which repent the Death of their General PEnitent Souldiers for so you seem by your Tears Sighs Groans and sorrowfull Complaints I cannot forbid you to Weep for your Fault requires great and many showers of Tears to wash away your Crime indeed there is no other way to purge your Souls and to cleanse your Consciences from the stains of your Generals Blood but by Penitent Tears Wherefore let me advise you to go to his Urn and there humbly on your Knees lamenting your Sorrow pray to Heaven for Pardon then make him a Statue and carry his Image in your Ensigns and set his Statue under your Banner Thus make him that was your General your Saint and let his Memory be famous by your Valour that his Enemies may know the power of his Name is able to Destroy them so will you make him Victorious in his Grave and appease his Angry Ghost An Oration to Distressed Souldiers Dear Country-men YOu know we are a people that have been Conquered and made Slaves to our Enemies which Slavery we did Patiently indure a long time but at last we had an Impatient desire of Liberty and had our Prudence been according to our Desires no doubt but we should have Gain'd it but our Over-hasty Desires have put us into a greater Misery for now we are not only like to Lose our Liberties again but our Lives or to Live in worse Bondage than we did before which we had better Dye than Indure but since we were not so Wise for our selves to Prevent our Danger as we were Just to our selves to Indeavour our Liberty yet we must not leave Indeavouring our own Good so long as Life lasts Wherefore we must consider what is best to be done in this Extremity First we have of our selves a Great Body though not so well Armed as I wish we were yet so as we are not left Naked to our Enemies but though we have a great Number yet our Enemies have a greater Number and though we be Arm'd yet our Enemies are Better Armed the worst of all is that we are in a place of such Disadvantage as either we must Starve or Yield our selves or Fight it out at all Hazards As for Starving it is a lingring and painfull Death and to Yield will be a miserable and painfull Life wherefore to Fight it out at all Hazards will be best for us to choose for Death is the End of Misery and Pain is not felt in a Raging or Acting Fury and if we Resolve let the worst come to the worst we can but Dye and that we must do in time had we no other Enemies than what are Natural as Sickness and Age and these Hopes we have that Desperate Men in Desperate Adventures have many times Good Fortune and those that are Desperate want no Courage but they are apt to be Careless of Conduct Wherefore let me advise you to Listen to Direction and be carefull to Obey your Instructions for if we should Overcome our Enemies we should not only save our Lives which we give for lost but we should have our Liberties and also Honour Power and Wealth too whereas our Enemies only venture their Lives to keep us in Subjection which will cause them to Fight but Faintly for where there is neither Profit nor Honour to be gain'd they will sooner Run away than Venture their Lives in the Battel so that our Poverty will Defend us and our Necessity help to Fight for us Prudence shall Guide us and then perchance Fortune may Favour us Wherefore let us Assault our Enemies before they Expect us and indeavour to Overcome them before they are ready to Fight with us for if we take them Unprepar'd we shall find them without Defence and in such Disorder as we shall Destroy them without Hazard ORATIONS TO CITIZENS IN THE MARKET PLACE PART III. An Oration to a dejected People ruined by Warr. Unfortunate Citizens and Country-men YOu now seem to be as much cast down and dejected in your Misery as you were puft up with Pride in your Prosperity in which Prosperity you were so Confident and so Careless of your Security as you would neither believe your Danger nor provide for your Safety insomuch that you Murmured and Mutined against all Assessments and Payments although it were to keep the Kingdome in Peace and to strengthen it against Forein force but now you do not Murmur at small Taxes but Mourn for your great Losses not for your Security but
so Gracefull and Becoming as the One Delighted the Eyes of the Beholders as much as the Other the Ears of the Hearers but though his Body be Dead yet his Wit Eloquency Elegancy Honesty and Abilities are Living in the Memory of Living men which will Live by Tradition as Long as there are Men to Remember or Speak Wherefore let us Keep his Living parts in our Minds and Bury his Dead parts as his Body in the Grave there to remain in Peace as the other in Fame A Magistrates Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met here together to Mourn for our Loss for the Death of This man is not only a Loss to every Particular man but to the whole Common-wealth for he was a Wise man and an Upright and Just Magistrate he did not Serve the Common-wealth to Inrich Himself as most Magistrates do but took Pains to Inrich the Common-wealth nor did he Sell Justice for Bribes but Punished Bribe-takers neither was he Partial either to the Rich or Poor but Judged according to Right and Truth at least to Great Probability also he kept the Rich from Riot and the Poor from Idleness and he took away Superfluities to help Necessities not that he Troubled any man for Living to their Degree and Quality but he would not Suffer any man to Live Above their Degree and Quality neither would he hinder men from their Lawfull Pleasures and Delights but he would not Connive at their Disorders and Misrules neither would he Pardon their Wickednesses He Regarded not the Slanders of his Enemies nor was he Revengefull for he Suffer'd not his Enemies to be Injured but gave them all the Justice he could neither was he Unjust to his Foes nor Ungrateful to his Friends he had a tender Regard to the Old Sick Poor and Shiftless Indeed he was such a Magistrate as he was a Father a Husband a Brother a Friend a Master a Servant a Slave for the Common-wealth all which adds to our Loss and Grief but not to his Happiness for his Happiness admits of no Addition he being as Happy as can be in which Happiness let us leave him after we have Interr'd him with his Forefathers A Funeral Oration of a Student Fellow Students VVE are met together to VVait upon the Dead Body of our VVorthy Brother in Learning to be laid in Peace into the Bed of Earth whose Life was so Studious as we may say he was Partly Dead whilst he Lived for the most of his Conversation was with Dead Authors and his Study was as his Grave so that our Learned Brother hath only Changed his Habitation and Lanlord as from his Study to the Earth from his Bodily Life to Death I confess his Lanlord Death is Covetous for Death Exacts or Extorts the Flesh from the Bones as his due yet the Body is more Happy dwelling more Peaceably with Death than with Life and as his Body hath made a Happy Change so hath his Soul but his Soul dwells not now with his Body for the Soul is an Fnemy to Death and Flies from it neither can the Soul live in the Body when as the Body is turned into Insipid Earth for the Soul being of a Celestial Nature cannot Live in a Terrestrial place but when Separated being Pure in it Self it is Light and being Free as having Liberty it is Agil through which Propriety it Ascends unto the Gods on High and Lives with them Eternally Thus our Learned Brothers Body Resting Peaceably and his Soul Living Blessedly both shall meet Gloriously and so Let 's lay his Corps into the Grave Humbly Ceremoniously and Piously A Funeral Oration of a Divine Beloved Brethren THis our Dead Brother was an Holy man both in Profession and Life as for his Profession he was a Divine and his Practice was as Pious as his Profession was Pure he was Bless'd of the Gods for they Indued him with Spiritual Graces Inspired him with Spiritual Knowledge and Inabled him with Spiritual Eloquence to Inform Reform and Perform the Church of God according to the Word of God amongst men but though his time of Life is Expir'd yet his true Doctrine will remain for the Satisfaction Comfort and Salvation of the Souls in Living Bodies Wherefore let us lay his Body into the Grave and leave it to the time of Glorification A Funeral Oration of a Poet. Beloved Brethren OUr Brother whose Body is Dead and is brought to this place to be Inurned was the most Fearfull man that ever Nature made not to Die but to be Forgotten also he was the most Ambitious man not for Wealth Title or Power but for Fame In truth he was so Ambitious as his Body and Mind was Restless indeavouring to Live like as Nature or the Gods of Nature which Live and are partly Known In their VVorks and By their Works which are their Creatures especially the Chief of their Creatures which are Mankind for we cannot Perceive but that the Chief Habitations of the Gods are in the Minds of men with which Habitations they are so Pleased and Delighted as they Punish those men that Neglect or Forget them nay the Gods Made Men or such kind of Creatures to Remember them as to Speak of them Think of them and to Admire them in their Praises Contemplations and Adorations also to have Visible VVorship to their Invisible Deities as to have Altars Priests and Sacrifices to Offer Praise Prayers and Thanksgiving So that the Gods are not Satisfied to Live only To or In Themselves but in their Creatures VVherefore those men Resemble the Gods most that desire Fame which Fame is to be Remembred and Prais'd by All Men in All Ages throughout the VVorld whereas on the Contrary those that Slight Neglect or Speak against Fame as being a Foolish Vain-Glory in that it doth a man No Good to be Remembered and Praised after the Bodily Life are Irreligious Ungratefull and Unnatural Irreligious not Desirous to Imitate the Gods Ungratefull not Divulging Natures Gifts and Unnatural caring not for the Memory of their Own Kind as not caring to Live with Them which is to Live in their Minds Also they are Unjust to Themselves not desiring their Own Good as their Perpetual Name Memory and Fame But this our Brother was not of that sort of Mankind as to be Contented to be Buried in a Terrestrial Oblivion but would have a Celestial Remembrance which the Gods Perpetuate for a Reward to his Merit So let us lay his Body in the Grave and let his Praise Ring out his Peal A Funeral Oration of a Philosopher Beloved Brethren THis our Dead Brother when he had Bodily Life he was a Close Student and had a Great Library wherein were more VVorks than he had Time to Learn and they were of more Several Languages than he was Capable to Understand but he Indeavoured and was Advanced far in Knowledge his Study was Natural and Moral Philosophy his Library the Universe and his Several Books the Several Creatures
Terrible and Dreadfull Pit wherein is no Hope of Getting out The truth is Death carries many Evil Souls down into Hell but Good Souls he leaves at the Bottom of the Hill that leads up to Heaven from which those Souls Climb and Clamber up with great Difficulty for whatsoever is Excellent is Hard to Get or Come to whereas that which is Bad is Easie to be Had. But howsoever this Poor man is Dead and we shall see him Buried leaving his Soul in its Journey and his Body in the Grave A young Virgins Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren and Sisters in God VVE here meet not only as Funeral Mourners but as Marriage Guests to Attend and Wait upon a Young Virgin to see her Laid into her Nuptial-bed which is the Grave 'T is true her Husband Death is a Cold Bed-fellow but yet he makes a Good Husband for he will never Cross Oppose nor Anger her nor give her Cause of Grief or Sorrow neither in his Rude Behaviour Inconstant Appetite nor Lewd Life which had she Married any other Husband might have made very Unhappy whereas now she will know no Sorrow for there is no Whoring Gaming Drinking Quarrelling nor Prodigal Spending in the Grave for Death Banishes all Riot and Disorder out of his Habitations there is no Noise nor Disturbance in his Palace Indeed Death's Palace is a place of Peace Rest Quiet and Silence and therefore all are Happy that Dwell there for there is no Envy Malice Slander nor Treachery there Men are not Tempted with Beauty nor Women Flattered into Wantonness they are Free from all Tentation or Defamation neither are they Troubled or Tormented with Pain or Sickness for Death hath a Remedy for all Diseases which is Insensibility the truth is Death is not only Charitable to Help all Creatures out of Misery but Generous as to be so Hopitable that he sets Open his Gates for all Comers insomuch as the Meanest Creatures that are have a Free Entrance and the Same Entertainment with the Noblest for there are no Ceremonies of State All is in Common there is no Pride nor Ambition no Scorn nor Disgrace and Death's Palace is so Spacious as it is beyond all Measure or Circumference being sufficient to Receive all the Creatures Nature makes and since there is such Store of Company in Death and Death so Generous and Hospitable why should we Fear or be Loath to Dye nay why should not we Desire to Dye and Rejoyce for those Friends that are Dead especially Considering the Unhappiness of Life wherein Man is most Miserable because he is most Sensible and Apprehensive of what he Suffers or what he may Suffer But this Young Virgin is Happier by Death than many Others are because she hath not Liv'd so Long to Suffer so Much as those that are Older Have done or as those that Live to be Old Will do Wherefore let us Rejoyce for her Happiness and put her into the Grave the Bed of Rest there to Sleep Quietly A Young New-Married Wif's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together at this time to see a New-Married Wife which is here Dead to be Buried She hath made an unequal Change from a Lively Hot Husband to a Deadly Cold Lover yet will she be more Happy with her Dull Dumb Deaf Blind Numb Lover than with her Lively Talking Listning Eying Active Husband were he the Best Husband that could be for Death is far the Happier Condition than Marriage and although Marriage at first is Pleasing yet after a time it is Displeasing like Meat which is Sweet in the Mouth but proves Bitter in the Stomack Indeed the Stomack of Marriage is full of Evil Humours as Choler and Melancholy and of very Evil Disgestion for it cannot Disgest Neglects Disrespects Absence Dissembling Adultery Jealousie Vain Expences Waste Spoil Idle Time Laziness Examinations Cross Answers Peevishness Frowardness Frowns and many the like Meats that Marriage Feeds on As for Pains Sicknesses Cares Fears and other Troubles in Marriage they are Accounted as wholesome Physick which the Gods give them for the Gods are the Best Physicians and Death is a very Good Surgeon Curing his Patients without Pain for what Part soever he Touches is Insensible Death is only Cruel in Parting Friends from each other for though they are Happy whom he Takes away yet those that are Left behind are Unhappy Living in Sorrow for their Loss so that this Young New-Married Wife that is Dead is Happy but her Husband is a Sorrowfull Widdower But leaving Her to her Happiness and Him to be Comforted let us put her into the Grave there to Remain untill the day of Judgement which Day will Imbody her Soul with Everlasting Glory A Widdows Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Widdow at whose Funeral we are met Lived a very Intemperate and Irregular Life all the time of her Widdow-hood for which not only Nature but the Gods might be Angry with her for though She did not Surfeit with Feasting yet She Starved her self with Fasting and though She did not Drink her self Drunken as many Women in this Age will do yet She did Weep her self Dry She grew not Fat and Lasie with overmuch Sleeping but became Lean and Sick with overmuch Watching She VVatch'd not to Dance and Play but to Mourn and Pray nor did She waste her Wealth in Vanities but She did waste her Life in Sorrow She Sate not on the Knees of Amorous Lovers but Kneeled on her Knees to God Her Cheeks were not Red with Paint but Pale with Grief She did not wear Black Patches on her Face but Black Mourning on her Body She was Adorned with no other Jewels than her Tears She had no Diamond Pendents in her Ears but Transparent Tears in her Eyes no Oriental Pearls about her Neck but Drops of Tears lay on her Breast Thus was She Drest in Tears She suffered not Painters to Draw the Picture of her Face but her Thoughts did Form her Husbands Figure in her Mind She hung not her Chamber with Black but her Mind with Melancholy She Banished all Stately Ceremonies and Ceremonies of State and set her self Humbly on the Ground She past not her time with Entertaining Visitors but Entertain'd her Self with the Remembrance of her Husband She did not Speak much but Think much In short She was so Intemperate in her Grief as her Grief Kill'd her it may be said she was Murdered with Grief and no kind or manner of Murder is Acceptable either to Nature or the Gods but some sorts of Murders are Hatefull to both Yet this Widdow howsoever she Offended in her Over-much Grieving She had Pardon for her Praying and to prove the Gods did Pardon her they Granted her Request which was to take her out of this World without Painfull Sickness and so they did for She was so free from Pains as She parted with Life with a Smiling Countenance and lay as Still as if She lay to Sleep She breathed out her last Breath
so softly as those that stood Close by her Bed could not hear her Sigh and when She was Dead her Beauty that all the time of her Mourning was Obscured in her Sorrows Appear'd in her Death only the Gloss of her Eyes were Covered with their Lids for Death had Shut her Eye-lids down and Seald up her Lips which Lips seem'd as if they had been Seal'd with Red Coloured Wax although Death had Kist them Cold for now Death is her Lover not an Amorous but a Deadly Lover to whose Imbraces we must leave her Body after we have laid it in the Bed of Earth An other Widdow's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met as Funeral or rather Marriage Guests of a Dead Widdow who is now Re-married to her Husband in Death and no question but their Souls will Joy in the Knowledge of each other for though Bodies Dye yet Souls do not but Live for ever Death having Power only over the Sensitive not over the Rational Life for Knowledge Lives though Senses Dye and if the Soul Lives no question but all that is Inherent in the Soul Lives as all the Passions Affections Thoughts Memory Understanding Judgement Conceptions Speculations Fancy Knowledge and the like which are the Parts and Ingrediences with which the Soul is Composed Form'd and Made Thus the Soul being made of such Thin Fine Pure and Rare Matter Death can take no hold of it for Death's Power is only on Gross Corporeal Substances or Matter not on Celestial Bodies but Terrestrial but this Widdows Soul was Purer than other Souls usually are for there are Degrees of Purity in Souls as well as Degrees of Grossness in Bodies The truth might easily be Perceived in her Life for there was as much Difference between her Soul and Other Souls as between Souls and Bodies at least as much Difference as between a Glorified Soul and a Soul Imbodied Nay her Soul was so Pure as it did Purifie her Body for it did Resine the Appetites which Cleared the Senses besides her Soul did Instruct the Senses which made them More Sensible so that they were kept Clean Clear and Healthfull by Temperance and made Apt Quick and Ready by Reason insomuch as Time had but a Little Power to Hurt them and was not Able to Destroy them without the Help of Death had she Lived Long but Death to shew his Power destroyed her Body without the Help of Time for she Lived not to be so Old as for Time to make a Trial yet her Body Lived Longer than she was willing it should have done desiring it might have Died when her Husband Died but the Gods Forbad it for though any Creature especially Man may Call Death when he Will and Force him to take his Bodily Life away yet the Gods are Angry if any man will not stay whilst Death comes of Himself without Inforcement Nevertheless Death did Favour this Widdow for though he did not take her so Soon as she would have Died yet he suffered her not Long to Live a weary Life for which Favour she received Death with Joy and a Smiling Countenance whereas Death for the most part is received with Fear and Sadness and since she Rejoyced at her Death we have no Reason to Mourn now she is Dead especially in that she Lived and Died Vertuously and Piously for which the Gods will Advance her to Everlasting Glory For this Glory let us Praise the Gods and Bury her Body in her Husbands Tomb or Grave that their Dust or Ashes may lye together A Young Child's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are the Funeral Guests to a Young Male Child an Infant who Died soon after it was Born and though all Men are Born to Live and Live to Dye yet this Child was Born to Dye Before it had Lived I mean in Comparison of the Age of men Thus this Child was Born Cried and Died a happy Conclusion for the Child that he had Finished what he was made for in so Short a time for he could not have had less Pain less Trouble nor less Desires to have left the World had he Liv'd longer for Life is Restless with Desires Sickly and Painfull with Diseases Troublesome with Cares Laborious with Labour Grievous with Losses Fearfull with Dangers and Miserable in all which Misery this Child hath Escap'd but had he Lived he could not have Avoided it besides he is not Guilty of Self-acting Sins and so Deserves no Punishment for neither Commission nor Omission can be laid to his Charge having no time for Either so that he is Free from Both as also from Suffering either in this World or the Next unless there be such a severe Decree as the Child shall Suffer for his Parents faults which Faults he could neither Hinder nor Annul neither did he Approve nor Allow them nor Assist them in Evil But it is not probable he shall Suffer being Innocent and Death that is Accounted the Wages of Sin may rather be taken as a Gift of Mercy also Death might be said to be a Purifier from Sin as well as a Punisher of Sin Wherefore this Child is past the Purgatory of Death and is in the Heaven of Peace Rest Ease and Happiness in which let us leave him after we have Covered his Corps with Earth An Old Ladies Funeral Oration THis Old Lady was Favour'd by Nature Fortune and Time Nature in her Youth gave her Beauty Fortune gave her Wealth and Time and Nature gave her long Life She was Courted in her Youth for the Pleasures of her Beauty and Flattered in her Age for the Profit of her Wealth but being Chast and Wise She was neither Corrupted with the One nor Deluded with the Other not Tempted with Courtship nor Coosen'd with Flattery and as She was Chast and Wise so She was Pious for the Gods gave her Grace to bestow her Wealth to Charitable uses Thus what she Got by Fortune she Gave to Heaven indeed she Bought Heaven with Fortune's Gifts for none can get into Heaven but by Faith and Good Deeds and her Faith did Believe that her Good VVorks would be as an Advocate to Plead for her and no question but they have gotten her Sute and her Charity will Live here on Earth though she be Dead and those she Relieved will make her their Saint Thus she will be Sainted both on Earth and in Heaven which is as Great an Honour and a more Blessed Condition than the Emperours had with all their Conquefts Power Pride and Vanity for the height of their Ambition was to be Deified on Earth and to be Sainted in as much They were Worshipp'd for Fear She Pray'd to for Love They had Idolatrous Worshippers She Sanctified Petitioners Their Idols lasted but a time She shall be Blest for Evermore An Ancient Man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren AGe hath Ushered our Friend to Death and we are here met to attend him to the Grave it is an Human Charitable and Pious Service to see the
neither skil nor courage you cannot expect safety for should you chance to have Enemies you would not have abilities to help your selves having neither Experience by practice nor Courage by use and custom for custom and use work much upon the natures of men And as for Arms in times of Peace they lie like Garments out of fashion never worn but despised and laught at as ridiculous things and men of action like as arms they jear and make a mock of Thus Martial men and arms in time of Peace are scorned although in time of Warrs they only are a Kingdomes safety to guard it from their Enemies Indeed Peace spoils both youth and age it makes the one sort Covetous the other Wanton for aged men study only to get Wealth the young men how to spend it Besides it makes the Poor men Richmen's Asses and Rich men Poor men's Burdens Also peace makes old men Fools and young men Cowards for in long times of Peace grave Counsels are meer gossiping meetings rather idely to talk than wisely to advise they propound many things but resolve not any debate not but conclude and sometimes find faults but never help to mend them The truth is for the most part they rather make errors than help to rectifie defects and in Warrs they had rather suffer calamity than stir for necessity Neither will they believe they are in danger untill their Enemies be at their Gates And as for youth Peace quenches out their Heroick spirits and noble ambitions for their only ambition is their Mistresses favours and they will go to no other Warrs but Venus where Cupid is General where they only make Love-skirmishes and are shot through their hearts with glances from their Mistresses eyes Thus Peace makes men like Beasts for in peace they feed like Swine sport like Apes live like Goats and may be brought to the Shambles like silly Sheep Nay it makes men not only Live but Die like Beasts having neither spirits skil nor conduct to defend themselves or fight an Enemy And how should it be otherwise when as the young men are only armed with Vanity march with Pride intrench with Luxury fight with Bacchus and are overcome by Venus Thus we may observe that all which causes Peace and takes away the courage of young Vigorous men rots their Bodies with excess and corrupts their Blood with idleness by which their Spirits are quenched their Strengths weakned their Minds softned and their Natures become effeminate which makes their Lives vacant and when they die they are buried in Oblivion for Fame lives in Heroick actions And surely it is better for Noble men to have Fame than Wealth and for young Gallants to have Honour than gay Cloaths and more honour to have Scarrs than black Patches to fight with an Enemy than to dance with a Lady to march to a Battel than to tread a Measure And for the meaner sort it is better for them to wear honourable Arms than to bear slavish Burdens and how happy is that man that can raise himself from a low Birth to a glorious Renown Thus from the Noblest to the meanest Warr is the way to advance them to honour if the common Souldiers fight with courage and the Nobles command and direct with skil for which their Posterity will glory in their Valours Poets will sing their Praises Historians write their Acts and Fame keep their Records that after ages may know what Heroick men they were and as for Kingdomes those are safest that are protected by Mars An Oration for Peace Noble Citizens THe Oration that was last spoken unto you hath stirr'd your spirits and incumber'd your thoughts with Warrs and your desire for Warr is such that you will not only seek for Enemies but make Enemies to fight with which is neither Heroick nor Just to fight with those that have done you no injury or wrong and what can be a more unworthy Act than to assault peaceable Neighbours it cannot be call'd an honourable Warr but a base Outrage like as Pirats at Sea so you will be Robbers at Land taking that from others which you have no right to But say you have some slight injuries done you If you were wise you had better wink at small faults than make Warrs which will exhaust your Treasures wast your Strength depopulate your Nation and leave your Lands unmanured Besides Warrs corrupt all good manners nay even good natures making the one rude and the other cruel and though long Warrs may make men Martial Skilfull and may highten their courage yet neither skil nor courage can alwayes bear away Victory especially from a powerfull Enemy unless Fortune be on their side The truth is Fortune is the chief Actor and decider in Warrs and who that are wise will trust their Goods Lives and Liberties to Fortunes disposal if they may choose Wherefore they are either fools or mad that will make Warr when they may live in Peace And give me leave to tell you that it is not the way to keep our Country safe to make Warrs abroad but to make our Country strong with Forts on the Frontiers and Ships on the Seas that beat on our shores and to practise our men with training not fighting and it is easier to keep out an Enemy than to Conquer an enemies Kingdome for at home we have all Provisions needfull and near at hand when in a forein Country we shall be to seek But say good fortune may inrich us yet ill fortune will absolutely ruine us I answer Warr inriches few for it makes spoil of all the truth is War is a great devourer for it consumes almost all that is consumable wheresoever it comes and is like a Glutton that eats much and yet is very lean for most commonly the under Souldiers are very poor and the Commanders only rich in fame yet not unless they have good fortune otherwise if they have ill fortune they are usually scorn'd at least but pittied but never praised Wherefore it is neither Courage nor Conduct that gets fame in the Warrs but Fortune that gives it and she many times gives glorious fame to Cowards and Fools and blemishes at least obscures the worth and merit of Wise and Valiant men Wherefore let me perswade you not to follow unjust and inconstant Fortune to the Warrs but to live at home in Peace with Minerva and Pallas the one will defend you the other will imploy you and both will make you happy in present Life and will give you Fame and Renown according to your desert that your memory may live in after-ages An Oration against Warr. Dear Country-men I Perceive all this Nation or the most part their minds are hot and their spirits inflam'd through an over-earnest desire to be in Warr which expresses you have surfeited with the delicious fruits of Peace which hath made your reason judgement and understanding sick and faint so that it desires a change as from rest to trouble from plenty to
Sun-beams and the glittering Dust that flew up by the motion of the Wind we could not see neither to assault our Enemies nor to defend our selves nay we were so blinded as to mistake our friends for our foes and our foes for our friends which tempestuous wind had it been before we begun to fight we might have prevented the mischief it did us some way or other but the wind did rise when we were so ingaged as we could not help our selves the truth was it blew so fully against the main part of our Battalio and with that violent force as it press'd the former ranks so much back that they did disturb the hinder ranks and so disorder'd them till at last it blew them quite away for they were forced to turn their backs and to flye for their Lives and when that part of the Army fled others had no hearts to stay but do not mistake so as to believe that the Divine power was against us but only the Elements and they were against us more by chance than malice Wherefore take courage again and rowse up your dejected Spirits and repine not for that we could not fore-see to avoid for I make no doubt but the next time we encounter our Enemies we shall not only get the reputation you think you have lost but we shall add to what we formerly had and pull down the haughty pride of our Enemies that now seem to insult on our Misfortunes An Oration to Souldiers in necessity My good Souldiers I Cannot much blame your murmuring and complaining words and speeches by reason our Camp is vexed and tormented with scarcity sickness and inconveniences and although we cannot tell how to mend or help our selves in these Extremities yet it troubles our Patience and somewhat alters your Natures at least divulges them more making you Froward Testy Cholerick and froward minds and testy thoughts are apt to send forth out of the mouth lamenting words and complaining speeches Yet give me leave to tell you it expresseth you have partaken too much of your Mothers natures which is not so well for Souldiers who should be no wayes Effeminate for Women naturally are impatient fretting chafing and complaining without cause I do not deny but you at this present have great cause and therefore some reason for what you speak yet I hope though you speak like your Mothers you will act like your Fathers Wherefore give me leave to remember you of Caesar ' Souldiers for surely you could not choose but hear of them their Fame being so great and sounding so loud for their Patience Sufferance Hardiness Industry Carefulness Watchfulness Valours and Victories yet were they no more than men and I hope you are not less than men But there are two sorts of Courages and they as the Story says had them both as Fortitude in Suffering and Valour in Acting which made them so fortunate in overcoming as to Conquer the most part of the World and though I cannot hope you will Conquer All the World yet I hope you will have Victory over your Enemies so shall you be Masters and not Slaves An Encouraging Oration to Fearfull Souldiers Fellow Souldiers and Dear Country-men I Perceive by your Dejected countenances and Drooping spirits you are afraid of your Enemies but I am more afraid of your Fears than of the Enemies Power for fear makes powerfull Armies powerless and a Little Body with a Great Spirit is stronger and more vigorous than a Great Body and a Little Spirit so a Little Army with Great Courages is more forcible than a Great or Numerous Army full of Faint hearts and Cowardly fears Wherefore consider there are but three wayes the one is to Run away but remember you cannot run from Shame or Disgrace though you may run from your Enemy An other way is you may Yield up your selves to the Enemy but then you must yield up your Liberties with your Persons and become their Slaves in which slavery you live in Scorn are used as Beasts and die as Cowards The third and last way which is the best is to Fight your Enemy which if you Overcome you will have the honour of Victory and the profit of the Spoils and if you be Kill'd you dye Unconquer'd for Courage is never Overcome nor Gallant Heroick Actions never Dye and their Fames will be their perpetual Triumphs which may last Eternally Wherefore my good Souldiers fight Valiantly for Life Victory and Glory An Oration to Souldiers that fled from their Enemies VVHat shall I call you for I cannot call you Fellow souldiers because you have degraded your selves of that Honourable title by Running away which shews you have but Effeminate Spirits or Souls though Masculine Bodies Nor can I call your Dear Country-men for you have Unnaturaliz'd your selves by Betraying your Country with your Cowardly fears to the power of their Enemies Nor can I call you my good Friends for you did forsake me in Danger and left me to Death had not Fortune rescued me So that you cannot challenge nor I cannot give you any other names but base Cowards and Traitors which words cannot but sound grievously sadly and scornfully to your Own your Friends and Enemies hearing And that which will highten your Reproach is that you were not forced nor necessitated to Flye as being Overcome or Overpower'd for you fled not only before you had tried your Enemies force but when in all probability you should have had the Victory having all the advantages of your side and against your Enemies that could be as Ground Place Wind Sun Form Order and Number of men and yet to run away O horrid shame to all Posterity The truth is I am so out of Countenance in your behalf and so Sorrowfull for you as I cannot choose but Blush for shame and Weep for grief when I look upon you to see so many Able and Strong yet Heartless men that have soiled your bright Arms with Disgrace instead of the Blood of your Enemies Wherefore you may now pull off your Arms since you have Coats of Dishonour to wear and break your Swords for the Tongues of Reproach are unsheathed against you which will wound your Reputations and kill your Renowns and your Infamy will live in after-ages Eternally An Oration to Run-away Souldiers who repent their fault SOrrowfull Penitents for so you seem by your Countenances and your Words the one being sad the other full of promises I must confess it becomes you well for you have been great Cowards and fearfull Run-aways which are Faults that cannot be enough lamented but your Actions may be amended and so you may have a Pardon and your Disgrace taken off with some Valiant and Couragious exploits against your Enemies where I your General who am one of Mars ' s high Priests shall guide and direct you the way and you may relie upon me for I am well Learned and Practised in the mystery of Warr. But pray be not as flock of Sheep
Warning for what is to Come As for Spending their Means they will spend so much as to make themselves Sick and Poor with Surfeiting Feasting Drunken Drinking Pocky whoring Covetous Gaming Vain Shews Idle Sports and the like and when they Spare they are so miserable as not to allow themselves Necessaries so that they make themselves Unhappy through Want and yet have more than enough to Spend also they fear Pain and Sickness but will not indeavour to Avoid either for men Drink so much as they are sure to be so sick as to Vomit and will Eat such Meat or Drink such Drinks as they are sure to have painfull fits of the Gout after them But it may be said that the inticing Appetite is so Perswading and Over-ruling as they cannot Forbear but some men will Drink when they are not Dry and Eat when they are nor Hungry or have any desire thereto but will Drink meerly for Company or being perswaded by Others or out of a Humour and so for Eating Which is strange that men should be perswaded to suffer and indure great pain for the sake of idle Company or through the perswasion of Fools or out of a foolish or mad Humour Likewise all men are loath to Dye and yet most Men will Venture their Lives unnecessarily or for very small occasions and all men are Afraid of Damnation and yet they will not Indeavour Salvation nay they will venture Damnation for a trifle yea for nothing as for Example they will Lie Swear and Forswear when they are not Provoked or have any occasion to Swear Lie and Forswear and for Worldly Riches men are so Covetous and Greedy as they will Extort Coosen Steal Murder and venture Soul Body and Life for it yet when they Have it they Spend it as if they did not Care for it nay as if they did Hate such Riches and not any man would willingly be Poor yet they will spend their Wealth so Foolishly as neither to have Pleasure Thanks nor Fame for it The truth is that by mens Actions it could not be believed that Mankind had Rational Souls for though many men will Speak Wisely yet most Act Foolishly or rather Madly so that mens Rational Souls Live more in their Words than in their Deeds But if you have Rational Souls and a Saving Belief you ought to Build a Church wherein you may Gather together to Repent your Sins to Pray for Forgiveness to Promise Amendment and to Reform your Lives also to Hear Instructions and to give good Examples to each other and to accustom your selves to Devotion so shall you become Holy men Besides Churches ought to be Built not only for the Souls of the Living but for the Bodies of the Dead wherein they may be inurned Decently Humanly and Religiously An Oration perswading the Citizens to erect a Statue in Honour of a Dead Magistrate Noble Citizens N. N. who is now Dead was the Wisest Justest and Honestest Magistrate that a Common-wealth could Desire or Have and as he Served the Common-wealth Justly so he ought to be Rewarded Honourably for he did well Deserve it But his Death must not be an Excuse for Ungratefulness for Honours are given to the Dead as well as to the Living for mens Good Works Live after them although their Bodies Dye and Living men are Benefitted thereby but should the Benefit cease with their Death yet men ought not to Forget the Good they have Received for those are very Unthankfull Unworthy and Base men that will not acknowledge what they Have had but only respect the Present good indeed such men are worse than Beasts and ought to live and dye like Beasts as to live in Slavery and to dye in Oblivion whereas Virtuous Worthy Honourable and Noble men ought to live Free and be Remembred after their Lives and those that have done Wise or Ingenious or Good or Profitable or Valiant or Great Works Deeds or Acts ought to be remembred in the Minds of men mentioned by the Tongues of men and figured by the hands of Art so as to Live in the Minds Ears and Eyes of Living men as for their Merits to be Praised their Acts Recorded and their Bodies figured to the Life not only Pencilled but Carved or cast in Moulds as Carved in stone or cast in Metal that all Ages may not only hear of their Name read of their Acts but see their Figures all which are due Rights and right Honours to the Memory of Worthy deceased men Wherefore this Worthy Deceased man who was a VVife and Just Magistrate ought at the Common-wealth's charge to have his Statue in Stone or Metal and to be set up in the most Publick place in the City that every Particular Person may think of Him and remember his Acts when they see his Figure which will not only be a due Honour to him that is Dead but an Incouragement to those that Live after him to imitate and follow his Example and that such Magistrates and Ministers of State that are imployed after him may do as he hath done as to be Just Prudent Carefull and Industrious which the Gods grant for the sake of the Common-wealth An Accusing Oration for Refusing the Office of a Magistrate and so Neglecting the Service of the Common-wealth Noble Citizens I Have assembled you at this time to make a Complaint against D. D. who being chosen a Magistrate as believing him to be one of the Ablest men for his Wisdome amongst us and so Fittest to be imployed in the Service and Affairs of the Common-wealth hath refused the Office and Imployment choosing rather to live Idlely than to take Pains and Labour to do Good for which he ought to be Punished either in Body or Estate for it is not only an Obstruction to the affairs of the Common-wealth but a Dangerous Example for if all the Wisest men should refuse the Imployment and Management of State-affaris leaving the Government only to Fools the Common-wealth would be quickly brought to Ruine in which Ruine the Wise men would suffer as much as other men Wherefore for their Own sakes as well as for the sake of their Country they ought to imploy their Bodies and Minds in the Service of the Common-wealth otherwise Foolish Statesmen and Magistrates will make such Disorder as no particular family or Man could live Safely much less Plentifully for Peace and Plenty would be utterly destroyed with Civil Warr were there no Forein Enemies whereas Wise men can keep Peace and make a Common-wealth or Kingdome Flourish for it is as difficult and hard to keep a Common-wealth in Peace and Order as it is easie to cause Warrs and Ruine and more difficult to make Peace when Warr is begun Wherefore the best way to keep a Common-wealth in Order Peace when Warr is begun Wherefore the best way to keep a Common-wealth in Order Peace and Plenty is to choose Wise and Able Magistrates and not to let the VVise men follow their own Pleasures
and millions of other Sins besides but Death will stay no longer for Blessed Angels bear away my Soul Farewell A Fathers Speech to his Son on his Death-Bed Son I Have Lived a Long time so Long that were not you a Good Son you would have Wished my Death before Nature had Ordained me to Die but as Heaven hath blest me with Long Life so with a Good Loving and Dutifull Son which hath been a Help and Comfort to my Old Age and as Heaven hath given you Grace and Nature a Good Disposition to Love and Obey your Father so Heaven and Nature hath given you Health and Ability to beget Posterity in which I shall Live in Name and Fame though I Die in Body But Son as you have been a Helpfull and Dutifull Son so I have been a Loving and Carefull Father for I have been more Prudent for my Sons Good than Vain for my Own Pleasure I have been more Industrions to Advance and Inrich my Son than to Please or Delight my Self and I have thought my Self Happier in my Sons Life than I have done in my Own Thus Son I have and do Love You better than my Self and all the Desire and Request I have to you is that as I have been a Father to You so you to be a Father to Yours and so I Pray the Gods to Bless you Fortune to Favour you Wisdome to Help you Nature to Strengthen you Time to Prolong you and when your Time comes to Die that we may meet in the other World with Joy and Happiness The Gods have Mercy of Me and Bless You. Farewell FUNERAL ORATIONS PART VIII An Oration to the People concerning the Death of their Soveraign Dear Country-men and Loyal Mourners WE may see our Loss by our Love and our Love by our Grief and our Grief by our Tears but we have reason for our General Mourning and Sorrow in every Heart that our Dread Soveraign is Taken from us He was our Earthly God as our Protector Defender Assister Subsister Ruler and Governour he Protected us with his Justice Defended us with his Arms Assisted us with his Prudence Subsisted us with his Love Ruled us with his Power and Govern'd us by his Laws and such a Prince he was as he was Dreadfull to his Enemies Helpfull to his Friends and Carefull of his Subjects he hath Inlarged his Dominions with the Sword and Inriched his People with the Spoils and hath Increas'd his Power both by Sea and Land and so Strengthned and Fortified his Kingdomes as his Subjects have no cause to Fear any Forein Invasion but may safely sit with Pleasure under their own Vines And so Wise and Good a Prince he was that though he be Gone yet he hath left Peace and Plenty amongst his People and Power Dominion and Strength to his Successors with which Heaven grant they may Inherit his Wisdome Moral Vertues Divine Graces Heroick Spirit Good Fortunes and Great Fame that though our Old Soveraign is gone to the Gods above yet our New Soveraign may be as a God to us here for which let us pray to our Soveraign Saint to intercede for us to the Gods on High to indue their Deputy on Earth with Divine Influences and Humane Wisdome to Govern and Rule us as he did A young Noble man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together as Funeral Guests to a Dead man who died in the Flower of his Age and whilst he Lived was Favoured of Nature Birth Breeding and Fortune for he was Handsome of Body Understanding in Mind Noble of Birth Knowing in Learning and Rich in Wealth He was Generous Valiant and Courtly he had a Pleasant Speech and a Gracefull Behaviour He was Beloved of the Muses Admired by the Sciences and Attended by the Arts he was Entertained with the Pleasures of the World and Feasted with the Varieties of Pleasures yet all could not Save him from Death Indeed Death appears more Cruel to Youth than to Age because it takes Youth from the most Flourishing time of their Life although Youth Fears Death less than Age not that Youth hath more Courage but Youth doth not Think of Death so often as Age doth for if Youth had Death in their Mind they would Fear Death more than Age doth by so much more as they are Younger and know the World less but Youth thinks Death a Long time off from them although to many he is so Near as ready to Seize on them Wherefore if those that are Young did think they should Die Soon they would not be so Eager and Fond of the World as they are nor be so Vain and Intemperate as many Young Persons be the brave Gallants would take little Pleasure in New Modes Gay Cloaths and Fair Mistresses a Young Gallant would be but a Dull Courtier a Melancholy Lover not Melancholy for his Mistress disfavour but at Death's approach not for Love but for Life neither would he take Pleasure in Musick or Dancing for the thoughts of Death would make him Dance false and put his Hearing out of Tune and the Musick would Sound to his Ears as his Passing Bell neither would he Eye Beauty but if he did the Freshest Beauty would appear Faded In truth all his Senses would be as Rough and troubled VVaters disturbed by the Storms of Fear raised in his Mind for the most Valiant minds are somewhat Disturbed with the thoughts of Death by reason the Terrors of Death are Natural to all mankind not so much to Feel as to Think of not only for the Parting of Soul and Body and the dark Oblivion in Death but for the Uncertain condition after Death for though Death is not Sensible of Life yet Life is Sensible of Death so that it is the Thoughts of Death that are Fearfull and not Death it self that is so Terrible as being neither Painfull to Feel nor Dreadfull to Behold because Invisible and Insensible having neither Shape Sound Sent Tast nor Touch But this Noble Person is past Thinking and therefore past Fearing also past Wishing for he doth not Desire to live in this VVorld again he Thinks not of the World or of any thing in the World he is free from all Trouble of Mind or Body in which Happiness let us lay him in the Tomb with his Forefathers there to rest in Peace and Ease A Generals Funeral Oration Beloved Friends THis Noble Person that lies here Dead was once our General a Valiant man he was a Skilfull Souldier a Wise Commander and a Generous Giver he Loved his Souldiers more than Spoil and Fame more than Life he was full of Clemency and Mercy he would give his Enemies their Lives Freely when he had Overcome them Valiantly and he was so Carefull of his Own Souldiers Lives as he would never Adventure or put them to the Hazard but when he saw great Probability of Victory Yet this Gallant man this Excellent Souldier whom his Enemies could never Overcome Death hath Taken Prisoner with whom
he shall have but a dark Lodging and cold Entertainment Thus Death is the most Absolute Conquerour that is for no Creature is able to Resist or defend themselves from Death whose Uncontroling Power makes him Dreadfull even to the most Valiant men not that they fear Death's Dart but Death's Oblivion for Valiant men love Life and fear Death more than Cowards or else they would not Venture their Bodies so often were it not out of Love to Life and Fear of Death Yet is it not that Life which Cowards are so Fond of nor that Death which they are so Afraid of but 't is the Life of their Fame and Death of their Name that Honourable and Valiant men so much Love and Fear insomuch that to gain the One and to shun the Other they will Sacrifize their Bodily Life and Imbrace their Bodily Death with more Delight and Pleasure than the Beautiful'st Woman that ever Nature made and they are to be Commended for it for it is Life that the Gods themselves take delight in for the Gods are pleased to Live in the Minds of their Creatures and are Angry if their Creatures Think or Speak not Of them as well as to Them So all Worthy men Desire and Indeavour to Live in the Minds of their own Kind and to be Praised at least Spoken of for they Desire and Indeavour to Live both in the Thoughts and Words of men in all Ages and in all Nations and by all Men if it were possible it being as Natural for Worthy men to desire to be Remembred as for all men to desire to Live and as Natural for men to desire to Live as to Love themselves But some say it doth a man no Good to be Remembred when he is Dead It may be answered that then it doth a man no Good to be Remembred whilst he Lives for Remembrance Lives in the Absent and Absence is a kind of Death but he is as Evil a Natured man that cares not to be Remembered by his Friends as those that never Remember their Friends also he is Unnatural to his Kind and it may be said that such men are Ungratefull Monsters or Monstrous Unnatural But this Noble Person was Remembred and and Spoken often of by his Absent Friends and did Remember and Spoke often of his Friends in their Absence whilst he was Living and his Worthy and Valiant Actions will be Remembred and Spoken of now he is Dead in which Remembrance and VVords he may Live so long as the VVorld lasts as being the only Reward this World can give to Worth and Merit as Piety Moral Vertue Valour and Generosity Wit and Learning for there is no other Reward in this World but Remembrance and Praise which Remembrance and Praise all Good men will give him as his due Thus will the Tongues and Minds of Living men Build him a Monument of Fame wherein all his Worthy Acts will be kept in Remembrance though his Body be Dead and Buried in Earth in which let us put it with devout Ceremony A judges Funeral Oration Dear Friends VVE are met together to see Judge N. N's Body laid into the Grave who in his Life-time was an Upright Judge for he Judg'd according to Truth and Right and not for Fear nor Favour he was free from Covetousness or corrupting Bribes he was both a Good and a VVise Judge for he would never Judge Over-hastily any Cause for or against untill he had Heard all Sides neither would he Retard or Delay Sutes Over-long but in All Causes he was very Attentive and in Doubtfull Causes very Cautious how to Judge and in all Criminal Causes or on Life and Death he would be very Inquisitive to Know the Truth for he would not Judge Rashly as to Judge Before he had Examined strictly and had sufficient Proofs and Witnesses or at least very Great Probabilities of the Truth Also he was neither a Temerarious nor an Over-bold Judge neither Cruel nor Foolishly Pittifull for as he would not Pardon so Much nor so Many as to Incourage men to Offend or Commit Crimes so he would not Condemn so Much nor so Many as to make a kind of a Massacre of Lives all which made him Live with a Good Conscience and Die with a Good Courage not Fearing a Condemnation neither in This World nor the Next but Desired to be Summoned to Gods Tribunal there to be Tried and Judged of the Course of his Life in This World to which Divine Judge we leave him bearing his Body to the Grave there to leave that but not to leave the Remembrance of Him nor the due Praise his Memory deserves A Sergeants or Barresters Funeral Oration Dear Friends YOu see the Body of Sergeant N. N. lies Dead ready to be put into the Grave which shews that he would not Plead for Life or else Death had no Ears to Hear his Sute but if he Pleads as well for Himself at Gods Tribunal as he did for his Clients at the Barr he will get Judgement on his side the truth is Nature as well as Education made him a Pleader for Naturally he had a Flowing Speech and a Fluent Wit to Turn Wind and Form any Cause as he Liked best for his VVit and Eloquence was such as to make a Doubtfull Cause seem Clear and had he not Known by Learning the Laws so Well as he did yet his Wit and Eloquence would have Covered his Ignorance and Supplied the Defect of his Learning but he was as Good and Learned a Lawyer as an Excellent Pleader and as Honest a man as Either for he took more Pains to Plead his Clients Cause than Pleasure to Take from his Clients Fees neither would he Prolong his Clients Sute to Drain their Purses nor yet make his Clients Cause more Doubtfull than it was to make them more Fearfull of the Success of their Sutes than they had Reason to fear and all this to get More Fees for Fears and Desires are Prodigal Givers as well as Promisers But rather he Pleaded Gratis for his Poor Clients wherein he shew'd more Charity to the Poor than Covetousness to the Rich. Thus he was a Good and Generous Lawyer a VVitty Ingenious Eloquent Pleader the truth is he did not only take Pains for his Clients but Pleasure in his Own Wit for he had more Delight than Profit by his Pleading and yet he did not take so much Pleasure in his Own Wit and Eloquency as Others did which Heard him insomuch as more went to Hear him Plead than those that had Causes to be Pleaded he Reproached not any man nor used Railing Speeches or Violent Actions in his Pleading as Many nay Most Pleaders do but his Behaviour was Civil his Wit Sweet and his Speech Gentle for though his Wit was Quick Ready and Free yet it was neither Salt Sour nor Bitter and though his Speech was Flowing yet it was not Rough for it ran in a Smooth though Full Stream and his Behaviour or Demeanour was
Died in Child-Bed to be laid into the Bed of Earth a Cold Bed but yet she will not take any Harm there nor we shall not fear she will Catch her Death for Death hath Catch'd her the truth is that although all Women are Tender Creatures yet they Indure more than Men and do oftner Venture and Indanger their Lives than Men and their Lives are more Profitable than men's Lives are for they Increase Life when Men for the most part Destroy Life as witness Warrs wherein Thousands of Lives are Destroyed Men Fighting and Killing each other and yet Men think all Women meer Cowards although they do not only Venture and Indanger their Lives more than they do but indure greater Pains with greater Patience than Men usually do Nay Women do not only indure the Extremity of Pain in Child-birth but in Breeding the Child being for the most part Sick and seldome at Ease Indeed Nature seems both Unjust and Cruel to her Femal Creatures especially Women making them to indure all the Pain and Sickness in Breeding and Bringing forth of their Young Children and the Males to bear no part of their Pain or Danger the truth is Nature hath made her Male Creatures especially Mankind only for Pleasure and her Female Creatures for Misery Men are made for Liberty and Women for Slavery and not only Slaves to Sickness Pains and Troubles in Breeding Bearing and Bringing up their Children but they are Slaves to Men's Humours nay to their Vices and Wickednesses so that they are more Inslaved than any other Female Creatures for other Female Creatures are not so Inslaved as they Wherefore those Women are most Happy that Never Marry or Dye whilst they be Young so that this Young VVoman that Died in Child-Bed is Happy in that she Lives not to Indure more Pain or Slavery in which Happiness let us leave her after we have laid her Corps to Rest in the Grave A Souldiers Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Dead man whom you attend to the Grave was whilst he Lived a Valiant Gallant man and an Excellent Souldier for that was his Profession in times of VVarr a Noble Profession for all Valiant Souldiers are Honour's Sons Death's Friends and Life's Enemies for a Souldiers Profession is to Destroy Lives to get Honour and Fame by which Destruction Death is a Gainer In truth Death is a Souldiers Companion Camerade and Familiar Acquaintance but not a Souldiers Friend though Souldiers be Death's Friends he is no Stranger to Souldiers for they see him in all Shapes Postures and Humours yet the most Terrible Aspects of Death could not Affright nor Terrifie this Souldier nor cause him to Remove an Inch back for he would Venture to the very Jaws of Death Thus Bold Adventurous Souldiers do more Affright Death than Death doth Affright them insomuch that Death for the most part Runs away from Valiant men and Seizes on Cowards and daring not Assault Valiant men in the Fore-front he Steals upon them as it were Unawares for he comes Behind Valiant men when he takes hold of them or else he Seizes on them by Treachery or Weakens their Bodies so much by Sickness as they are Forced to Yield Indeed there was no other way for Death to take this Valiant Souldier but by Sickness for he could never take him in the Field But Death is of the Nature of Ungratefull men who Indeavour to do those most Mischief that have been most Bountifull to them and are Ready to take the Lives of those they were most Obliged to for Valiant men give Death Thousands of Lives to Feed on yet he is like some Gluttons the more they Eat the Leaner they are nay Death is so Lean as to be only Bare Bones and by his Empty Scul he may be thought a Fool having no Brains though he be rather a Knave than a Fool for the Deceives or Robbs Nature and Time of many Lives taking them away before Nature and Time had Ordain'd them to Dye But leaving Death to Ingratitude Cheats and Robberies we must also leave him this Dead Souldiers Body for to Feed upon for all Heroick men are Death's most Nourishing food they make him Strong and Lusty and since there is no Remedy let us place this Dead Heros on Deaths Table which is to put him into the Grave and there leave him An Oration concerning the Joys of Heaven and Torments of Hell Beloved Brethren YOu have heard of Heaven and Hell Gods and Devils Damnation and Salvation and that you shall have a Fulness of Bliss in Heaven and be Everlastingly Tormented in Hell also you have heard Hell and Heaven described to you as that Heaven is Composed and Built all of Pretious Stones and Rich Metall as Gold Diamonds Rubies Pearls Saphyrs and the like as also what Degrees and Powers there be and for Hell it is described to be Dark as Night and yet great Elemental Fires in which the Damned shall be Tormented the like for other Torments that Devils use as their Rods and Scourges to Punish the Damned also that the Devils do Curse and the Blessed Sing and Rejoyce Moreover you have heard by your Teacher and seen Painted in Pictures both the Shapes of Devils and Angels the Angels with Wings and the Devils with Horns and Cloven feet like Beasts all which may be True for any thing we sensibly know to the Contrary and yet Perchance all these Relations may be False as the Relation of the Situation of Heaven and Hell and the Architecture of either or the Shapes of Devils or Angels or the manner and wayes of their Pleasures and Delights and their Pains and Torments all which may not be so as they are Usually Described to us but made by men's Fancies for no Mortal man is come either from Heaven or Hell to tell us Punctually of every particular Truth Yet a Heaven and Hell Good and Bad Angels Pains and Torments Joys and Pleasures there are for both Reason and Faith informs us also God himself tells us in his Holy Writs and by his Inspired Priests and Prophets that there is Reward for the Good in Heaven and Punishment for the Bad in Hell but if we will give our Imaginations leave to Work upon that we cannot Know whilst we Live here in this World let us Imagine what is most Probable and first for the Situation of Heaven and Hell or the Architecture of either or the Shapes of Devils or Angels it is beyond my Imagination yet some Imagination may beget a Belief at least some Probability of the Joys in Heaven and the Torments in Hell Wherefore I 'le begin with the Glorified Bodies in Heaven which Bodies in their Glorified Condition shall have their Senses more Perfect and their Appetites more Quick the Body being Purified into a Celestial Purity than when their Bodies were Clogg'd with a Terrestrial Grossness which made their Senses Weak and their Appetites Dull these Glorified Bodies shall have their Senses Fill'd and their Appetites
Prodigal makes only Himself Poor and the Common-wealth Rich whereas a Miserable man makes only Himself Rich and the Common-wealth Poor 'T is true Riches is accounted a great Blessing and Surely it is so but I take Riches to be only a Blessing in the Use and not Barely in the Possession for Riches is not what we Have but what we Injoy for he that hath Delicious Fruits and will Eat Sour Crabs hath Reviving Wines and will Drink Insipid Water hath Stately Houses and will Live in a Thatch'd Cottage hath Store of Fuel and will Freeze with Cold and hath great Summs of Money but will Spend none those are Poorer than they that Have but a Little and will Spend according to their Estate yet these Miserable men that Live Starvingly Slovenly and Unwholesomely are Commended by the Moralists and Accounted Wise men as not taking Pleasure in that they call Vanities which is to make Use of their Riches as to Live Plentifully Pleasantly Gloriously and Magnificently if they have wherewithall to Live so pleasing Themselves with what Good Fortune hath given them I for my part I had rather Live Rich and Dye Poor than Dye Rich and Live Poor and leave my Wealth to those that will be so far from Acknowledging my Gifts with Thanks by Praising me for them as it is likely they would Rail on my Memory so that my Wealth would only Build me a Tomb of Reproaches and a Monument of Infamy which would be a Just Judgement for being so Unnatural to my Self But Miserable men believe they are Masters to their Wealth because they have it in Keeping when as they are Slaves not Daring to Use it unless it be in getting Ten in the Hundred I Confess if such men had Children being for the most part Childless there were some Excuse for them but yet Fathers should not make Themselves Miserable to make their Sons Prodigal for a Rich Son of a Miserable Father is commonly a Spend-thrist and as Fathers are bound by Nature to Provide for their Children in a Wise Proportion so they are bound by Nature to Maintain Themselves so Plentifully as to Injoy a Happy Life But to Conclude those that are Miserable Horders or Uncnscionable Usurers are like as Weesels or such like Vermin for as these Suck out the Meat of an Egg so they Suck out Silver and Gold and leave the Common-wealth like as an Empty Egg-shell which is a Penny-less Purse or Treasury An Oration concerning the Education of Children Fellow Citizens I Commend your Love and Care which you seem to have of your Sons as to have them Taught and Instructed in Arts and Sciences as also when they are Grown up towards Manhood to send them abroad to see Forein and several Nations for to be acquainted with their Fashions Manners and Behaviours and to Learn their several Languages all which is Profitable and will make them Worthy men if they Profit Yet though I Commend your Love I cannot Commend your Judgements for putting your Sons to be Instructed by Young Pedants and to be Guided by Young Governours which are but Boys themselves in Comparison of Experienced Understanding Knowing Wise men that is Aged men who have Seen Heard and Learned Much and so Know Much whereas Young men have not had Time to Hear See and Learn Much and so cannot Understand nor Know Much but must of Necessity be Ignorant Wherefore it is not to be Wondered at that Fathers Reap not the Profit or have not the Return of their Care and Expences in their Sons Educations for Youth breeding up Youth makes many Men to be Boys all their Life-time and being not Instructed as they ought become Wild like Plants that want Manuring and Fathers mistaking the Cause through long Custom think it is the Incapacity of their Sons and not the Insufficiency of their Tutors and Governours if they prove not according to their Hopes and Expectations But most Fathers being Bred as Ignorantly as their Sons think their Sons Compleatly bred if they have been some time at the University and have made some short time of Travel although without Profiting either in Knowledge or Manners Thus it may be Thought that one Fool Begets an other but the truth is that one Fool Breeds an other for the Fault is not in Nature but in Education at least not so Generally and Constantly for Nature doth not Commit so many Errors and make so many Defects as Breeding doth An Oration concerning the Plague Fellow Citizens I Shall not need to tell you that the Plague is in this City or that it Increases Daily I may say Hourly or that this City hath been formerly Infested or Infected with this Disease in so much as sometimes it hath almost made a Depopulation but by Reason it is such a Deadly destroying Disease as to sweep Thousands into Oblivious Death and not only a Destroying but a Murderous Disease for it takes men Suddenly Unawares and Unprepared being in perfect Health and full Strength and Wounds so deadly as to be Past Remedy not to be Cured either by Medicines or Salve when it hath Strongly Seized on the Body Wherefore to hinder it from such a strong Affault and Ruine let me Advise you Citizens especially the Magistrates who have Power and Authority to Order and Govern this City as they shall think Good and Expedient for it First to set out a Declaration to all Housholders upon Paying Fine if Neglected and not Performed to Cleanse their Houses Pumps Springs Sinks Gutters and Privy-Offices also that Officers in every Parish and other Particular Person may be Authorized for that Imployment to see the Streets Lanes and Out-corners in and of the City Cleansed from Dunghils and Dung of Men and Beast and from Carrion Mud and such like filth also to have the Common Sewers Sinks Chanels Wells as also the Lakes Ponds and such like Places without the City near adjoyning well Cleansed and all this foul Filth Buried deep in the Earth that no Ill Savour or Vapour may Ascend therefrom for Foul Gross Stinking Vapours arising especially from several places as several Houses Streets Ditches Sewers and the like dispersing Corruption about Infect the Air which Spreads far and Enters into the very Bowels and Inward Parts of men nay it doth not only Poyson the Bodies of men but all other Animal Creatures as also the Fruits of the Earth and so Strong it is that it Bursts forth in Sores Ulcers and Spots on the Bodies of Men and Beasts Inflaming their Spirits and Consuming their Lives in a Moment Wherefore to help to Purifie the Air let there be Pitch and Tar burnt in the Open Streets and Frankincense Storax and Benzoin in the Houses or at least Juniper and after the City is thus Cleansed and the Air Purified you must indeavour to Cleanse and Purifie the Bodies of the Inhabitants by Commanding Every one to be Purged with Drugs or Simples and to be let Blood or else it will be a Vain