diligence in his studies made him prooue so rare and perfit an Orator Labour in youth waxeth strong with hope of rest in age Diligence is the Mistres of learning vvithout which nothing can eyther be spoken or done in thys lyfe with commendation and without which it is altogether impossible to proue learned much lesse excellent in anie Science Docilitie gotten by industry though it bee hard in conceiuing yet once obtained it is sildome forgotten Too much diligence breedeth suspition Carefulnesse diligence are the two keyes of certaintie The God which is immortall dooth as it were sell all things vnto vs for our labour trauaile Cic. VVithout care and diligence no estate can prosper Those studies which seeme harde and troublesome in youthfull yeeres are made right pleasant rests in old age There is nothing so hard but diligence and labour may make it seeme easie Nothing causeth a man more diligently to doe his duty then to thinke what hee would require of him that is his seruant As to euery studious man diligence is a mother so negligence is a stepdame to all learning Boetius There is nothing that sooner maketh a horse fatte then the watchfull eye of his master nor any thing maketh a Land more fertile then the diligent labour of him that oweth the same By danger dread doubtfulnes diligence is greatly hindered Quistudet optatam cursu contingere metam Multa tulit fecitque puer sudauit et alsit Si quid feceris honestum cum labore labor abit honestum manet si quid turpe cum voluptate turpitudo manet voluptas abit Cicero Of Gladnes Defi. Gladnesse or pleasure is properly called that delight which mooueth and tickleth our sences which quickly slideth and slippeth away and for the most part leaueth behind it occasions rather of repentance then of calling it againe to remembrance OVr pleasures are inductions to our griefs Oft hath a tragick entrance happy end Gladnes with griefe continually is mixt Sorrow fore-going gladnes graceth it Immoderate desires delights and hopes haue made doe make and will make very many fooles There is nothing more to bee reioyced at then a good and quiet conscience vvhich at the latter day shall be a witnesse to iustifie not to condemne vs. The gladnesse of the hart addeth length to our life but sorrow of lyfe hastens death Bee gladde of that day wherein thy tongue hath not mis-said and thy hart hath repented thy sinnes Disordinate laughter causeth death and violent pleasures mighty dangers All men are glad to see their riches increase but fewe men are diligent to amplifie theyr vertues All worldly gladnes rideth vppon the wings of Time and but in heauen no perfect ioy is found Be not gladde of thine enemies fall for hee that sitteth surest may be ouerthrowne It is better to enter the house of mourning then the habitation of gladnesse Origen The gladnes of contemplation is the sweetest solace Sith ioyes are short take gladnesse when it comes for sorrowes headlong follow one an other Couer thy gladnes in thy hart least thy delights be discouered Pleasures while they flatter a man they sting him to death After the delectation and pleasures of the body followeth the destruction of the flesh Mar. Aur. Pleasures vnbrideled carrieth a man headlong into all licentious lyuing Pleasures bring losse and dammage to the party that too much delighteth in thē they ingender in his minde sorrow sottishnes forgetfulnes of wisedome and insolencie The sweete and simple breath of heauenlie gladnes is the easier to bee altered because it hath not passed through worldly wickednes nor feelingly found the euils which euill carrieth with it S. P. S. Hee that is giuen to pleasure iudgeth all things not according to reason but according to sence Gladnesse is the booke of all euils quenching the light of the soule hindring good coūsaile and turning men aside from the way of vertue Pleasure is a cruell beast making men her slaues chaining them with golden chaines Pleasure is so much more odious by hovve much more she hideth her venom vnder the garment of good liking Pleasure is a certaine exultation or an exceeding reioycing sprung of the euents of things desired Pleasure amongst vertues is like a harlot amongst honest women for by her flatterie shee destroyeth man Cic. Pleasure is of two sorts one is said of honest and good things the other of dishonest In respect of honest thinges it is called Voluntas in respect of dishonest it is called Voluptas Bodily pleasure is extreame miserie Antisthenes The companion of pleasure is payne A wise man ought not to be puffed vp with pleasure for it is the foode of filthines it kylleth the body weakeneth the iudgement and taketh away our vnderstanding Hee is not worthy the name of a man that spendeth a whole day in pleasure Qui minus deliciarum nouit in vita minus timet mortem Gaudia principium nostri sunt saepe doloris Gaudia non remanent sed fugitiua volant Of Libertie Defi. Libertie is that freedome and happinesse which bringeth the soule to his contentment and satisfaction after the troublous pilgrimages tauailes and bondages of this worlde Or otherwise to lyue as a man list THrough too much libertie all things run to ruine and confusion Libertie in the minde is a signe of goodnes in the tongue of foolishnes in the handes of theft in our life want of grace Nothing corrupteth more then libertie for it maketh the sonne despise hys Father the seruaunt his maister and the cittizen his magistrate Hee is to be counted free that serues no loosenes or infirmitie No man trulie liueth at libertie but he that liueth vertuously The wise man that hath the raine of his own wit restrained in the handes of his discretion is onely free Liberty is the benefit of old age There is a naturall discord betweene tyrannie and libertie Demost. He enioyeth the sweetest libertie that hath a quiet conscience Greg. VVhom pouerty cannot depresse libertie may not corrupt Vertue onely yeeldeth men libertie sinne yeeldeth shame and seruitude If the libertie of the Commons bee not restrained the Common-wealth will bee destroyed A mans minde may bee at perfit libertie though his body be fettered with yrons Hee is most at libertie that hath least infelicitie Life lost for libertie is a losse ful of pietie It is better to die a miserable life being at liberty then to liue a magnificent slaue in cōtinuall bondage Too much liberty is a little bondage and too great bondage hastens speedy libertie Slaues and bondmen haue onely thys libertie to vse a proude countenaunce because they be shamelesse A constrained will seeketh euer opportunitie to slyp his head out of the coller No man lyues happily if hee want the freedome of libertie Hope is bondage but mistrust is libertie Death ought to be preferred before seruile slauery and bondage A Tyrant neither knoweth true friendshyp nor perfit liberty It is a hard thing to moderate a
suffer constant to loue friendly to her neighbours prouident for her houshold Theophrastus Marriage vvith peace is this worlds paradice with strife this lifes purgatory Silence and patience causeth concord betweene maried couples It is better to mary a quiet foole then a witty scold In marriage rather enquire after thy wiues good conditions then her great dowry Spirituall marriage beginneth in Baptisme is ratified in good life and consumated in a happy death Thales seeing Solon lament the death of his sonne sayd that for the preuention of such like troubles he refused to be married Lycurgus noted them of infamie that refused to marry Hee which would faine finde some meanes to trouble himselfe neede but to take vpon him eyther the gouernment of a shyppe or a wife Plautus A chast Matron by obeying her husbands will hath rule ouer him The first coniunction of mans societie is man and wife An honest vvife is the health of her husbands body Qui cogitat de nuptijs non cogitat bené Cogitat enim contrabit de hinc nuptias Malorum origo quum sit haec mortalibus Dotatam enim si forté pauper duxeris Non iam ille coniugem sed habet heram sibi Cuiseruit at sipauper aliquam duxerit Nil afferentem seruus ille rursum erit Dum victum vtrique non sibi tantum parat Duxitné faedam vitam de hinc acerba erit At iam pigebit ingredi limen domus Duxitné formosum nihilo erit haec magis Sui mariti quam suae viciniae Ita in aliquod necesse est vt incidat malum Of Chastitie Defi. Chastity is the beauty of the soule and purity of life which refuseth the corrupt pleasures of the flesh and is onely possessed of those who keepe their bodies cleane and vndefiled and it consisteth eyther in sincere virginity or in faithfull matrimony CHastitie is of small force to resist where wealth and dignity ioyned in league are armed to assault Pure chastity is beauty to our soules grace to our bodies and peace to our desires Selon Frugality is the signe of chastity Plinie Chastity in wedlock is good but more comendable is it in virginity and widdowhood Chastity is a vertue of the soule whose coÌ„panion is fortitude Amb. Chastity is of no account without humility nor humility without chastity Greg. It is better with Ficinus the beautifull young Romaine to deface the maiesty of comly fauour and beauty then vvith Narcissus to be confounded with his owne folly Chastitie is the seale of grace the staffe of deuotion the marke of the iust the crowne of virginity the glory of life and a comfort in martirdome Chastity groweth cheape vvhere golde is not thought deere The first degree of chastity is pure virginity the second faithfull matrimony Idlenes is the enemy to chastity As humility is necessarie so chastity is honourable Chastity humility and charity are the vnited vertues of the soule Chastity vvithout charity is a lamp vvithout oyle In the vvarres of Caius Manlius Torquatus against the Gallogrecians the wife of Oriagontes their Prince beeing taken prisoner by a Centurion who mightily assaulted her for loue caused him to â—ec slayne by her slaues after she was raunsâ—med and carried the letchers head as a pledge of her chastitie to her barbarous husband The Lady Bona of Lombardy fearing her chastitie should be assailed in her husbands absence followed him in the holy warres in Palestine and rescued him in many dangers to her eternall honour The daughters of Romilda after theyr mother had dishonourably betrayed both her husband and Country into the hands of Cucanus King of the Vandales hauing especiall care of theyr chastities and fearing the incestuous assaults of the Barbarians hid peeces of raw flesh vnder their garment which putrifying by heate sent out such a stench that the Vandales supposing it some naturall defect fled from them and by this meanes they escaped their dishonour Omphale of Lydia seeing the incestuous lyfe of those Country-men hovv hainously and tirannously they betrayed the honours of many virgins forceably tooke the signiory of the Countrey teaching them slauishly to obey vvhich could not vertuously gouerne Androchia and Alcide two chast and vertuous Thebane virgins hearing by the Oracle of Apollo that theyr Countrey should haue victorie ouer the Orchianemians if tvvo of theyr chastest virgins vvould by voluntary death destroy themselues slew themselues Numa first instituted and erected a Temple to the Vestall Virgins ordained such a law that those which were taken in adultery and had betraied their chastity should be put into a Caue in Campo scelerato with water milke and honey and a light taper and there buried quick At the sack of Cassannoua in Italy the souldiers of Frauncis Sforza bringing him a yong virgin prisoner of incomparable beauty hee first attempted her with wordes then with gifts lastly with threats and seeing none of these able to diuert her from honour he sent her raunsomlesse to her betrothed husband endowing her with his owne spoiles who was so carefull of her chastity Chastity and modesty are sufficient to inrich the poorest and wise-men in marriage rather make choyce of honesty manners then loosenes of behauiour with great lands and rich possessions It is more coÌ„mendable with Alexius to forsake tke concupiscence of the flesh follow the sweet contemplation of vvisedome then with vnhappy Caphalus to seeke the tryall of faithlesse folke and fall into the snares of inuiolable mischiefe Chastitie is knovvne in extreamitie and crowned in the end with eternity If chastitie be once lost there is nothing left prayse-worthy in a vvoman The first steppe to chastitie is to knowe the fault the next to auoyde it Though the body be neuer so fayre vvithout chastitie it cannot be beautifull Beauty by chastitie purchaseth prayse and immortalitie Beautie vvithout chastitie is lyke a Mandrake apple comlie in shewe but poysonfull in tast Feastes daunces and playes are prouocations to inchastitie Quintil. Beautie is like the flowers of the spring and chastitie like the starres in heauen VVhere necessity is ioyned vnto chastitie there authoritie is giuen to vncleannesse for neither is shee chast which by feare is compelled neither is she honest which with need is obtained August A wandering eye is a manifest token of an vnchast hart Gracious is the sace that promiseth nothing but loue and most celestiall the resolution that lyues vpon chastitie The true modestie of an honest man stryketh more shame with his presence then the sight of many wicked and immodest persons can styrre to filthines with theyr talkings Chastitie with the raines of reason brideleth the rage of lust Chastitie is the treasure of the soule and the virginity of the body Doe not say that thou hast a chast minde if thine eye be wanton for a lasciuious looke is a signe of an incontinent hart Amongst all the conflicts of a Christian soule none is more hard then the vvarres of a chast minde for the
offence and from the iust hee takes away the occasions of his sinne Epirus King of Arcadia for breaking vp of Neptunes Temple was strooken blind Mardorus spoyling Circes temple was strooken mad with all his souldiers Alexanders souldiours seeking to spoile the Temple of the same Goddesse vvere slayne with lightning The Sibarites desirous to know frō Apollo howe long their prosperity should last were aunswered that so soone as they beganne to prefer men before God theyr state should be destroied Brennus the captaine of the French entring the Temple of Apollo and spoiling it was strooken with madnes and slew himselfe Scipios souldiers that robbed the Temple at Tolossa dyed all myserably As it is impossible with one the same eye to behold heauen and earth so it is as impossible with one disordinate wil to loue God the world Like as God surmounteth all other creatures so the remembrance of him surmounteth all other imaginations God is hie if thou lift thy selfe vp vnto him he flieth from thee but if thou humblest thy selfe vnto him he commeth downe to thee Gods doctrine is the rule of prudence his mercy the worke of iustice and his death the standard of patience Bernard The Resurrection of Christ to the deade is lyfe to the Saints glory to sinners mercie Simonides the more hee studied to knowe what God was the harder still it seemed vnto him If God helpe hee is mercifull if not vvee must not thinke hym vniust Diuinitie cannot be defined The operation of God is threefold creation formation consumation God is eternitie and therefore not founde but of such as continually seeke him God although he be omnipotent could neuer make a creature equall to himselfe The Lorde of hosts is called God the Father the Sonne is the image of the Father The Father the Sonne knowne the goodnesse of them both which is the holy Ghost is made manifest Augustine Iupiter est quodcunque vides quocunque moueris Quae Deus occulta esse voluit non sunt scrutanda quae autem manifesta fecit non sunt neganda né et in illis illicité curiosi et in istis damnabiliter inueniamur ingrati Of Heauen Defi. Heauen is generally taken for that part of the world which is ouer our heads a place full of diuine residence and that Land where the faithfull after this lyfe expect their portion and inhearitance HEauen is the seate of GOD and the Earth is his foote-stoole Heauen is the seate of glory the habitation of Angels the resting place of the faythfull fayre beyond thought and glorious beyond report VVe deeme it hard to knowe the things on earth and finde the obiects of our eyes wyth toyle but who can search the secrets of the heauens Heauen is neither infinite in forme nor figure but one in nature Heauen as it had his creation of nothing so it shal be dissolued to nothing The disposition and places of the Heauens are not of power to expresse our good or bad fortunes No man knoweth the property of the fixed starres neyther their natures therefore no man can iudicially speake of their effects Neither hath the eare of man heard the eye seene nor the tongue able to expresse vvhat ioyes the Elect possesse in heauen As Hell is the place of all horror so Heauen is the Hauen of all rest Heauen is the habitation of the Elect the throne of the Iudge the receit of the saued the seat of the Lambe the fulnesse of delight the inhearitance of the iust and the reward of the faythfull From Heauen our soules receiue their sustenance diuine Heauen is the church of the Elect the soule of the iust field of the faithfull Hee is most myserable that is denyed to see the Sunne shine and hee is most accursed to whom God denyeth his heauenly fauours It is hard to liue well easie to die ill hard to obtaine Heauen easie to keepe from thence None knoweth better how great is the losse of Heauen then they that are iudged to lyue continually in Hel. A good lyfe begetteh a good death and a good death a glorious inhearitance in heauen The way to heauen is narrower thē the way to hell In gloria caelesti mira serenitas plena securitas aeterna felicitas Esque Dei sedes nisi terra et pontus et aer Et coelū et virtus superos quid querimus vltra Of Angels Defi. Angels are indeede nothing els but the diuine messengers of the will of God for so much the word signifieth ANgels at all tymes and in all places behold the face of our heauenly Father Selfe-loue the ruine of the Angels is the confusion of men Angels are carefull of mens actions protectors of their persons lightners of their soules and conductors in theyr iourneyes Angels were created of God immortall innocent beautifull good free and subtile of the essence of God hymselfe Angels haue theyr habitation in Heauen theyr eyes fixed on the maiestie of GOD theyr tongues formed to his prayses and themselues onely in him The Angels exceed not in desire desire not because they want not vvant not in beholding theyr Creator Ambr. Angels intende two thinges the first is the glory and seruice of God the second is the health and saluation of hys Chyldren Angels are the comforters instructers and reformers of men Angels are Tutors of the Saints Herralds of Heauen and Gardiants of our bodyes and soules The Angels haue charge to conduct men wisedome to instruct men and grace to preserue men Angels vvere the first creatures that euer God made Angels wheresoeuer they are sent doe alwayes behold the face of God There are nine orders of Angels Angels Archangels Vertues Powers Principalities Dominations Thrones Cherubins Seraphins Tho. Aqui. Angels vvere of the light created with the light ordayned to serue God who is the Lord of light Angels Sunne Moone starres and other celestiall motions confirme and approoue a superior Dietie The diuine nature of Angels suffereth neyther change nor end for they are immutable and diuine All the world is the Temple of God and all Angels his ministers Euery true Minister is a true Angell and their tongues bear the embassage of the most high God The loue of men is written on the bosoms of Angels Angeli sic foris exeunt vt internis contemplationis gaudijs non priuentur Apostatae Angelo similis efficitur homo qui hominibus esse similis dedignatur Of Vertue Defi. Vertue is a disposition and power of the reasonable part of the soule which bringeth into order decencie the vnreasonable part by causing it to propound a conuenient end to it owne affections and passions whereby the soule abideth in a comly and decent habit executing that which ought to be done according to reason briefely it is a proportion and vprightnesse of lyfe in all poynts agreeable to reason HE that desireth to be called vertuous it is first requisite that he be good therfore in the account of reputation it is
more worthie to be called vertuous theÌ„ noble or reuerend for that the one tytle descends together with dignitie and the other is the rewarde of the worke which wee vse So that it falls out in good experience that thys tytle of Vertue is of many men desired but of very few truly deserued Vertue maketh a stranger grow natural in a strange Country and vice maketh the naturall a stranger in his owne Country Vertue is health vice is sicknes Vertue is a stranger vppon earth but a cittizen in heauen Take away discretion and vertue will become vice Vertue is the beautie of the inward man Vertue laboureth lyke the sunne to lighten the world To forgyue is no lesse vertue in Princes when they bee offended then reuenge a vice in the common sort when they be wronged Vertue goes not by byrth nor discretion by yeres for there are old fooles yong counsellors It proceedeth of a more noble courage and vertue to conquer our owne vnlawfull affections then to gyue an onset vpon the Campe of an enemy Vertue is the Queene of labours Opinion the Mistresse of fooles Vanity the pryde of Nature and Contention the ouerthrowe of Families As by nature the Cedar will be tall the Diamond bright and the Carbuncle glistering so Vertue wil shine though it be neuer so much obscured Vertue maketh men on the earth famous in theyr graues glorious and in the heauens immortall Vertue is not obtayned in seeking strange countries but in amendement of old errors Vertue is more acceptable by howe much the more it is placed in a beautifull body Pythagoras compareth Vertue to the letter Y which is small at the foote broade at the head meaning that to attaine Vertue it is very paynfull but the possession thereof passing pleasant A good man though in appearance he seem needy yet by vertue he is rich Vertue is a thing that prepareth vs to immortality and makes vs equall with the heauens Socrates The first step to vertue is to loue vertue in another man Vertue while it suffereth ouercommeth Vertue cannot perfitly bee discerned without her contraryes nor absolutely perfect without aduersity Vertue is better and more certayne then any Art The actions of Vertue doe so much affect the beholder that he presently admireth theÌ„ and desireth to follow them A man endued with vertue merriteth more fauour then a man of much wealth Vertue maketh a man rich though hee be poore in worldly substance It is no lesse vertue to keepe thinges after they be gotten then to get them Vertue in generall is a Castle impregnable a Ryuer that needeth no rowing a Sea that moueth not a treasure endlesse an Army inuinsible a burthen supportable an euer-turning spye a signe deceitlesse a plaine way faile lesse a true guyde without guile a Balme that instantly cureth an eternall honour that neuer dyeth Mar. Aurelius Laudo factam de necessitate virtutem sed plus laudo illam quam elegit libertas non inducit necessitas Virtus medio iacet obruta caeno Nequitiae classes candida vela ferunt Of Peace Defi. Peace is the quiet and tranquility of kingdomes burying all seditions tumults vprores and factions and planting ease quietues and securitie with all other florishing ornaments of happinesse DEere and vnprofitable is the peace that is bought with guiltlesse blood They iustly deserue the sworde of VVarre which wilfully refuse the conditions of peace Peace florisheth where reason ruleth ioy raigneth where modesty directeth Peace is the end of warre honour the ioy of peace and good gouernment the grounde of them both As the lyuing members of the body vnited together maintaine lyfe and deuided hasten death so Cittizens in a Common-weale by their concord maintain the state but by their hatreds destroy it Concord in a Citty is lyke harmony in musicke Concord of many maketh one True peace is to haue peace with vertue and warre with vice Peace asketh no lesse wisedome to conserue it then valiantnes to obtaine it The colour of â—eace maketh the war more secure for who â—uspect least are soonest preuented The French samed for their incredible couetousnes haue often-times sâ—ld theyr country for brybes but â—ildom ratified their peace with honour Archidamia the Spartan Lady seeing her Countrey supprest by the couâ—tousnesse of the Magistrates and Pirrhus tryumphing in theyr myseries entred the Senate house with a naked sword in her hand and in the name of all the Ladyes chyd the hartlesse Lordes for suffering themselues to liue theyr Countrey beeing ouerthrowne and they lyke to loose theyr lybertie Pirrhus entering Sicily possessed with hope of some peace afterward surprised the countrey and inthralled the inhabitants thereof by tyranny Peace from the mouth of a Tyrant is oftener promised then performed The countenaunce declareth mans inclination to peace and the austeritie of Marius countenaunce being an Infant was ominous to Rome in his old age It is a poynt of godly wisedome to bee at peace with men at warre with vices To rule an estate is a heauie burthen but to vnder-goe peace is an easie carriage Concord maketh small thinges mightily to increase but discord maketh great things sodainly to decay To flye from peace which wee should earnestly pursue is to followe discord and our owne destruction That thing is more esteemed which is obtained by peacefull wordes then that which is gotten by forceable violence Nemo vires suas in pace cognoscit si enim bella desunt virtutum experimenta non prosunt Quas homini nouisse datuÌ„ est pax vna triuÌ„phis pax optima rerum Inuneris melior pax custodire salutem Et ciues aequare potens Sil. Ital. Of Truth Defi. Truth is that certaine and vnfallible vertue which bringeth foorth all goodnes reuealeth the creation of the worlde the power of our Creator the eternall crowne of blisse we hope for and the punishment allotted for our misdooings It is a vertue through which wee are inclined to speake no otherwise with our tongue then we thinke with our hart TRuth standes not vppon the tongues of men nor honour vppon the frownes of authoritie There is nothing so secretly hidden but time and truth will reueale it Truth seemeth somtimes at the first to bee very darke harde and displeasant but at the length it appeareth most bright louely and comfortable Plotinus Truth is the guide of all goodnes Truth may bee oft blamed but neuer shamed and vertue suppressed by slaunder will at last appeare without blemish The dissoluing of a doubt is the finding of the truth Truth is the law of all Arts. Truth hath two companions wisedom and constancie Truth is the messenger of God which euerie man ought to reuerence for the loue of her Maister Truth onely among all things is priuiledged in such wise that when the time seemeth to haue broken her wings then as immortall she taketh her force The purest Emerald shyneth brightest wheÌ„ it hath no foyle and truth delighteth most when it is apparailed
impurity of the hart and doe watch it with all diligence that they can and labour to restraine that the corruption thereof burst not out eyther to the hurt of themselues or others Let no deuout soule be dismayed because his prayer is not suddainly heard but hope with patience the visitation of our Lord because he will poure his mercy plentifully on all those that call vpon him In our prayers we ought diligently to aske for mortification of our appetites and passions for they are subtile enemies The Romaines vpon certaine high dayes prayed for encrease of wealth to the people of Rome which Scipio beeing Censor changed saying that it was sufficient and that they ought onely to pray vnto God to preserue it such as it was Thy prayer is thy speech to God when thou readest God speaketh to thee when thou prayest thou talkest with God Let prayer ascend that grace may descend Hee that knoweth how to pray well knoweth how to liue well VVher the mercy of the giuer is not doubted the negligence of him that prayeth is to be reprehended Prayer must be accompanied with the exercise of mortification No prayer can tie the will of God vnto vs except first of all we renounce and conquer our owne wills Pray in thy hart vnto God at the beginning of all thy works that thou mayst bring them to a good conclusion Fixe thy iudgement in prayer on thy faith and not on thy experience because fayth is true and experience deceitfull Pray not to God to giue thee sufficient for that hee will giue to euery man vnasked but pray that thou maist be contented and satisfied with that which he giueth thee Heauen shall cease to be when it shall cease to runne and men cease to prosper when they cease to pray The wrath and loue of God follow each other but the former is mittigated by prayer and repentance Prayer repentance bringeth peace to the vnquiet conscience Orans considerare debet quid petit quem petit seipsum qui petit Bernardus Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus Of Blessednes Defi. Blessednesse or beatitude is the grace of God and his benefits bountifully bestowed on them that serue him and keepe his commaundements TRue blessednes from mortall eyes is hid and left as obiect to the purer spirits That man cannot be truly blessed in whom vertue hath no place A man that is wise although he fall into extreame pouerty yet is hee very rich and greatly blessed Aristotle calleth blessednes an outward quietnes Blessednes farre of beginneth from humilitie A blessed man cannot erre There is no truer happines in this life then that vvhich beginneth euerlasting happines and no truer misery then that which leadeth to euerlasting misery The first felicity that godly men haue after this life is the rest of their soule in Christ the second shall be the immortality and glory of their bodies Socrates and Plato of all the Philosophers were in the rightest way to blessednes yet that small sparkle of truth was often quenched with opinions This is perfection and happines euen for euery thing to attaine the ende for which it was created and therein to rest and be blessed Since in euery thing the excesse is hurtfull the aboundance of felicitie is most daungerous It is not true blessednes which hath an end Hatefull and haplesse is that happines that trayneth men from truth to insolence If thou knowest all that ought to be known thou art truly blessed They are to be accounted blessed to whom Fortune hath equally wayed the good with the euill All things truly belonging to blessednes do cheefely consist in the noble vertue of wisedome True blessednes consisteth in a good life a happy death Not the rich but the wise auoyde miserie and become happy and blessed They that thinke riches the cause of happines deceaue themselues no lesse then if they supposed that cunning playing vppon the Lute or Harpe came from the instrument and not from Art That man is vvorthily counted blessed to whom nothing can seeme intollerable which may discourage him or nothing so pleasant that may proudly puffe him vp or make him vaine-glorious Those men be truly blessed whom no feare troubleth no pensiuenes consumeth no carnall concupiscence tormenteth no desire of worldly wealth afflicteth nor any foolishnes mooueth vnto mirth True felicity consisteth in the good estate of the soule Felix anima quae spreto turbini seculi pertransiens corporis claustra illius summi et incompres hensibilis lucis potest aliquo illustrari radio faelix cui victa voluptas Terga dedit longi quem non fregere dolores Of Loue. Defi. Loue is the most excellent effect of the soule whereby mans hart hath no fancie to esteeme value or ponder anie thing in this world but the care and study to know GOD neyther is it idle but worketh to serue him whom it loueth and this loue is heauenlie There is also a loue naturall and that is a poison which spreadeth through euery vaine it is an hearb that being sowne in the intrailes mortifieth all the members a pestilence that through melancholy killeth the hart and the end of all vertues LOue is the Maister of boldnes and confidence Loue is an vnreasonable excesse of desire which commeth swiftly departeth slowly VVhosoeuer loueth is deceaued and blinded in that which he loueth The loue that a man getteth by his vertues is most permanent Loue is full of speach but neuer more aboundant therein then in praises A friend loueth alwayes a louer but for a time The loue of beauty is the forgetting of reason Loue begun in perrill sauoureth of greatest delight when it is possessed Loue inchanteth the harts of men with vnfit fanciees and layeth beauty as a snare to intrap vertue Fancie is neuer painted but treading vpon thornes Parrahsius drawing the counterfaite of loue paynted her tickâ—ing youth on the left side with a feather and stinging him on the right side with a Scorpion Loue is a fading pleasure mixed with bitter passions and a miserie tempered with a fewe momentary delights Loue is a vertue if it be mesured by dutifull choise and not maimed with wilfull chance Lawlesse loue neuer endeth without losse nor the nuptiall bed defiled escapes without reuenge Zeno. Fancie is a vvorme that byteth forest the flourishing blossomes of youth Loue is not to be supprest by wisedom because not to be comprehended by reason Hote loue is soone colde and faith plighted vvith an adulterers vowe is tyed vvithout conscience and broken without care Loue as it is variable so is it mighty in forcing effects without deniall As Venus hath her charmes to inchaunt so Fancie is a sorceresse that bevvitcheth the sences Cupid is not to be resisted with courage but entertayned with curtesie Loue vanquisheth Tirants conquereth the mallice of the enuious and reconcileth mortall foes vnto perfect loue and amity Loue is a heate full of coldnes a sweete full of bitternes a paine full of
The best reputed wit for quipping may be graueld by a wit more sharp though lesse esteemed One VVoolfe will not make warre against another neyther will one scoffer contend in scoffes willingly with another but when they doe it proues eyther fatall or witty He which is improuident whom he scoffes cannot but be mockt home vvith misaduenture There are more mockers then vvell meaners and more foolish quips then good precepts Mocking is an artificiall iniurie The fairest beauty may prooue faulty and the wittiest scoffe ridiculous It is better to play with eares then tongues for the one heares but the other bites It is better to haue an open enemie then a priuate scoffing friend It is better to be borne foolish then to imploy wit vnwisely The losse that is sustained with modestie is better then the gaine that is gotten with impudencie It is good to hold an asse by the bridle and a scoffing foole at his wits end To be accounted a noble mans iester is to be esteemed a mercinary foole Hee that makes an ordinary vse of scoffing shall neither be well thought of in his life nor finde happines at his death Qui pergit quae 〈…〉 t dicere quae non vult audiet Paruanecat morsu spatiosum vipera taurum Acane non magno saepe tenetur aper Of Phisicke Defi. Phisicke is that naturall Philosophie which tendeth to the knowledge of man and those causes which concerne the health and good estate of his body PHisicke is a continuall fountaine or spring of knowledge by vvhich vvee maintaine long life Hipocrates made certaine Phisitions sweare that they should not bewray the secret and hidden faults and euils The sicke man desireth not an eloquent Phisition but a skilfull Seneca VVee begin to be sicke as soone as wee be borne August The infirmity of the body is the sobriety of the minde Ambr. The strength of the body is the weakenes of the mind and the weakenes of the body the strength of the soule Hierom. All kindes of diseases are not in Phisitions bookes August Delicate fare is the mother of sicknes Phisicke rightly applyed is the repayre of health and the restitution of a weake or decayed nature Next vnto the glory of God vve ought to regard the profit of the Common wealth and then philosophy vvhich is phisicke nothing being more commodious Phisick being rightly vsed is an art to finde out the truth both of diuine humaine beginnings The scope of phisicke is to glorifie God in the workes of nature teaching men to lyue well and to helpe their neighbours A pratling Phisition is another disease to the sicke man Vnskilfull Phisitions flatter griefe til griefe become desperate The Orator doth not alwaies perswade nor the Phisition cure Arist. The temple of Aesculapius was in the olde time builded without the Citty To know the vse of phisick is sweete but to tast it is vnsauery It is requisite that hee be tormented vvith paine vvhich may and vvill not be eased by phisick Death holdeth a sword against our throats and phisicke a preseruatiue of health to our harts Death is most desired of them that bee miserable and phisicke most esteemed of them that be mighty The coÌ„forting of griefe is phisick to maintaine griefe They that be sound themselues are more ready in counsaile theÌ„ skilfull in knowledge to prescribe rules of phisick to the sick As a blind man cannot see the fault of anothers eyes so an vnskilfull Phisition cannot perceiue the defects of the body To take phisicke when the disease is desperate is to desire the Phisition to help to consume our substance Medicines be no meate to liue by The patient vnrulie maketh the Phisition more cruell The thiefe is commonly executed that killeth but one man and the Phisition scapeth that killeth a thousand Phisitions often-times doe vse vnder the showe of honey to giue theyr patients gall and by this meanes preserue theyr health vvhereas if they vvent plainly to worke the sicke vvould neuer take that vvhich vvere wholesome if not lothsome The number of Phisitions is in the increasing of diseases Great varietie of medicines dooth no good at all to a weake stomack Hipocrates aboue all other things recommendeth to a Phisition that hee should well aduise himselfe if in plagues ordinarie diseases hee found nothing which was diuine that is to say whether the hand of God were not the proper causes of the sicknesse of the party diseased Sicknes is not to be prouoked vvith phisick except the disease be most dangerous vehement Plato At thys day most of the Almaines and Zwitters refuse phisick and cure theyr diseases with good and spare dyet Some haue compared those vvhich vse often to take phisick to them vvhich driue the Burgesses out of the Cittie to place strangers in their roome It is recorded that the Romaines were sixe hundred yeeres together vvithout Phisitions Phisitions are happie men because the sunne makes manifest vvhat good successe soeuer happeneth in theyr cures and the earth buried what fault soeuer they committed Nicocles Aegri quia non omnes conualesâ—unt non id circo nulla medicina est Cic. Dat Galenus opes et Iustianus honores Ex alijs paleas ex istis colligegrana Of Paine Defi. Paine aduersitie or perturbations are but affections and inclinations which come froÌ„ our will corrupted by the prouocations allurements of the flesh and which wholly resist the diuine nature of the reasonable part of the soule fastening it to the bodie with the nayle of discontentment PAine is alwayes a companion of pleasure and danger the hand-mayde attending on delight To trouble a troubled man is to redouble his paine VVhere aduersities flow there loue ebbes but frendship standeth stedfast in all stormes Prosperity getteth friendes but aduersity trieth them Miserie is a malady that ought to haue no respect of medicine where necessity doth breede a sore foolish is that patient if hee make doubt to accept of any salue In paine and iudgement the qualitie vvith the quantitie must be considered It is lesse euill to suffer one then to resist many The greatest myserie that may be is to fall into vnknowne misery The vses of pleasure are set amongst sharpe pricking thornes of care and disquiet Misery can neuer be so bitter as eternall felicity is pleasant Erasmus Danger alwayes attendeth at the heeles of pride and ambition Aduersity quickneth our sleepy spirits by prosperity wee learne but ignorance but by aduersity we are taught knowledge Misery and life are two twinnes which increase are nourished liue together MenaÌ„ Hee cannot rightly iudge of pleasure that neuer tasted payne He deserueth not to possesse hys desire that is faint-harted in prosecuting his purpose As no fortune can dismay him that is of a couragious minde so no man is more wretched then hee that thinkes himselfe to bee vnfortunate In the time of calamity most men are more sory for that their enemies can speak of their distresse then for the paine
increaseth and preserueth it selfe by a naturall facultie NAture in despight of Tyme will frowne at abuse Nature hath a certaine predominant power ouer the minde of man The man that lyueth obedient to nature can neuer hurt himselfe thereby Actions wrought against nature reape despight and thoughts aboue nature disdaine As Art is a helpe to nature so is experience the triall and perfection of Art As nature hath gâ—uen beautie and vertue giuen courage so nature yeeldeth death and vertue yeeldeth honour It is an old plague in mans nature that many men for the most part leaue the amendement of theyr liues farre behind them to sette theyr honors the more before them Nature is aboue Art in the ignorant and vertue aboue all thinges is esteemed of the vvise It is hard to straighten that by Art which is made crooked by nature Perian Nature is pleased in the eye reason in the minde but vertue in them both Consider what nature requires not howmuch affection desires That which is bredde in the bone vvill neuer out of the flesh and vvhat nature hath made Art cannot cure Nature guideth beastes but reason ruleth the harts of men VVhere in one man doe meete incertaintie of affection and malice of nature there is no other hope in him then distrust periurie words and reuenge Such as lyue according to nature are neuer poore and according to the opinion of men they are neuer rich because nature contenteth herselfe opinion doth infinitly couet Phillip King Alexanders Father falling vpon the sands and seeing there the marke print of his body sayd how little a plot of ground is nature content with and yet we couet the whole world The God vvhich is God of nature dooth neuer teach vnnaturalnesse S. P. S. Nature is higher prised then wealth and the loue of our Parents ought to be more precious then dignitie Fyre cannot be hid in the straw nor the nature of man so concealed but at the last it wil haue his course In nature nothing is superfluous Arist. Cineus the Phylosopher was of thys opinion that when the Gods framed Nature they went beyond theyr skill in that quoth hee the maker was subiect to the thing made VVhere nature is vicious by learning it is amended and where it is vertuous by skyll it is augmented There is no greater bonde then duty nor straighter Lawe then nature and where nature inforceth obedience there to resist is to striue against God Better is seueritie in nature then contempt in nature Liberall Sciences are most meet for liberall men and good Arts for good natures Nature without learning and good bringing vp is a blinde guide learning without nature wanteth much and vse vvithout the two former is vnperfit Nature beeing alwayes in a perpetuall motion desireth to be driuen to the better part or else shee suffereth herselfe to bee wayghed downe as a ballance to the worser Nature is our best guide whom if we folow we shall neuer goe astray Arist. Nature friendly sheweth vs by many signes what shee would what she seeketh and what she desireth but man by some strange mean waxeth deafe and will not heare what shee gently counsaileth Nature is a certaine strength and power put into things created by God who gyueth to each thing that which belongeth vnto it To striue against nature is lyke the monstrous broode of the earth to make warre against the Gods in heauen Quod satiare potest diues natura ministrat Quod docet infraenis gloria fine caret Hoc generi hominum natura datum vt qua infamilia laus aliqua forté floruerit hanc feré qui sunt eius stirpis quod sermo hominum ad memoriam patrum virtute celebretur cupidissimé persequantur Of Lyfe Defi. Life which we commonly call the breath of this worlde is a perpetuall battaile and a sharpe skirmish wherein wee are one while hurt with enuie another while with ambition and by and by with some other vice besides the suddaine onsets giuen vppon our bodies by a thousand sorts of diseases and floods of aduersities vpon our spirits LIfe is a pilgrimage a shadowe of ioy a glasse of infirmitie and the perfect path-way to death All mortall men suffer corruption in theyr soules through vice and in theyr bodyes through wormes Mans life is more brittle then glasse It is a miserable life where friendes are feared and enemies nothing mistrusted VVhose death men doe wish his lyfe they alwayes hate It is better not to lyue then not to knowe how to lyue Salust It is hard for a man to liue vvell but verie easie to die ill In lyfe there is time left to speake of the incombrances of fancie but after death no possible meanes to redresse endlesse calamitie If a good man desire to lyue it is for the great desire he hath to doe good but if the euill desire to lyue it is for that they woulde abuse the world longer The chyldren of vanitie call no time good but that wherein they liue according to their owne desire doe nothing but follow theyr owne filthie lusts Mans lyfe is like lyghtning which is but a flash and the longest date of yeeres is but a bauens blaze Men can neither inlarge their lyues as they desire nor shunne that death which they abhorre Menan A detestable life remoueth all merrit of honourable buriall It is better to lyue in meane degree then in high disdaine By lyfe grovveth continuance and by death all things take end Life and death are in the power of the tong The man that desireth life feareth death ought carefully to gouerne his tongue Life is short yet sweet Euripides Life to a wretched man is long but to him that is happy very short Menander Mans life is a warfare Seneca The mortall life which we inioy is the hope of life immortall Aug. An vndefiled life is the reward of age Aug. No man is so old but thinketh he may yet liue an other yeare Hierom. The breath that maintaineth life endeth it A good lyfe is the readiest vvay to a good name Aurel. Better it is to be carefull to liue vvell then desirous to liue long A long lyfe hath commonly long cares annexed with it Most men in these dayes wil haue precepts to be ruled by theyr lyfe and not theyr lyfe to be gouernd by precepts Mans life ought to be lyke vnto an image that hath euery part persit in it Our lyfe ought not to depend vppon one onely hope no more then a shyppe is to be stayed with one anker Fooles vvhen they hate theyr life will yet desire to liue for the feare vvhich they haue of death Crates Mans life is lent him for a time and he that gaue it may iustly demaund it when he will They liue very ill vvho alwayes thinke to liue To a man in misery lyfe seemeth too long but to a worldly minded man liuing at pleasure life seemeth too short Chilo VVhat a shame is it for men
fight is continuall and the victory rare A chast eare cannot abide to heare that which is dishonest nullâ reparabilis arte Laese pudicitia est deperit illa semel Lis est cum formá magna pudicitiae Of Content Defi. Content is a quiet and setled resolution in the minde free from ambition and enuie ayming no further then at those things alreadie possessed COntent is great riches and patient pouertie is the enemy to Fortune Better it is for a time with content to preuent danger then to buy fayned pleasures with repentance He that cannot haue what hee would must be content with what he can get Content is a sweet sauce to euery dish and pleasantnesse a singuler potion to preuent a mischiefe A merry countenaunce is a signe of a contented minde but froward words are messengers of mellancholie Content is more woorth then a kingdome and loue no lesse worth then life The ende of calamitie is the beginning of content after misery alwayes ensues most happy felicitie Plut. A vvise man preferreth content before riches and a cleere minde before great promotion Misery teacheth happy content VVhat can be sweeter then content where mans life is assured in nothing more then in wretchednes Content makes men Angels but pride makes them deuils Many men loose by desire but are crowned by content Plato To couet much is misery to liue content with sufficient is earthly felicitie To will much is folly where abilitie vvanteth to desire nothing is content that despiseth all things The riches that men gather in tyme may fayle friends may waxe false hope may deceiue vaine-glory may tempt but content can neuer be conquerd By desire we loose time by content wee redeeme time Solon Content is the blessing of nature the salue of pouertie the maister of sorrow the end of misery To lyue nature affoordeth to liue content wisedome teacheth Displeasures are in our owne handes to moderate and content is the procurer of peace Content though it loose much of the world it pertakes much of God To liue to God to despise the worlde to feare no misery and to flye flatterie are the ensignes of content VVhat wee haue by the worlde is miserie what we haue by content is wisedom Aur. The eyes quiet the thoughts medicine and the desires methridate is content To bee content kills aduersitie if it assault dryes teares if they flowe stayes wrath if it vrge winnes heauen if it continue He is perfectly content which in extreames can subdue his owne affections No riches is comparable to a contented minde Plut. Hee that is patient and content in his troubles preuenteth the poyson of euill tongues in theyr lauish talkings Content and patience are the tvvo vertues which conquer and ouerthrow all anger malice wrath and backbiting To liue content with our estate is the best meanes to preuent ambitious desires Nemo quam sibi sortem Seu ratio dederit seu sors obiecerit illa Contentus viuit Horac Viuitur paruo bené Of Constancie Defi. Constancie is the true and immouable strength of the mind not puffed vp in prosperitie nor depressed in aduersitie it is sometimes called stabilitie and perseueranâ—e sometimes pertinacie the last of the parts of fortitude IT is the part of constancie to resist the dolors of the minde and to perseuer in a wel deliberated action Arist. Constancie is the health of the minde by which is vnderstood the whole force and efficacie of wisedome Cicero Constancie except it be in truth and in a good cause is impudencie He that hath an inconstant minde is either blinde or deafe Constancie is the daughter of patience and humilitie Constancie is the meane betweene elation and abiection of the minde guided by reason Plato Constancie is onely the Nepenthes vvhich who so drinketh of forgetteth all care and griefe Constancie euer accompanieth the other vertues and therefore iustice is defined to be a constant will to render to euery one what is right Nothing in the world sooner remedieth sorowes then constancie and patience vvhich endureth aduersitie violence without making any shew or semblance Agrippa It is the lightnesse of the wit rashly to promise what a man will not nor is not able to performe Cassiodorus It is not enough to say what shoulde bee done or what should not be doone but it behoueth to put it in practise The blessed life is in heauen but it is to bee attained vnto by perseuerance It is a great shame to bee weary of seeking that which is most precious Plato Many begin well but fewe continue to the end Ierom. Perseuerance is the onely daughter of the great King the end and confirmation of all vertues and the vertue without the vvhich no man shall see God Bern. Perseuerance is the sister of patience the daughter of constancie the friende of peace and the bond of friendshyp Not to goe forward in the way of God is to goe backward The constant man in aduersitie mourneth not in prosperity insulteth not and in troubles pineth not away In vaine he runneth that fainteth before he come to the goale Greg. The constant man is not like Alcibiades tables fayre without and foule within Constancie hath two enemies false good things and false euill false good things are riches honours power health long life false euill are pouerty infamy diseases death The only way to constancie is by wisdome A constant minded man is free from care griefe despising death and is so resolued to endure it that he remembreth all sorrowes to be ended by it Cic. Constancie is the ornament of all vertues Cato rather then hee would submit himselfe to the Tyrant Caesar hauing read Plato of the immortalitie of the soule slew himselfe Pomponius Atticus was much renowned for his constancie Marcus Regulus Fabricius Marius Zeno Anaxarchus and Epichatius Laeena for theyr rare and wonderfull constancie are woorthy to be recorded in bookes of brasse leaues of endlesse tymes Hee is not to bee reputed constant whose minde taketh not fresh courage in the midst of extreamities Bern. Rarae faelicitatis est celeritas et magnitudo rarioris diuturnitas et constantia Demost. Tardé aggredere et quod aggressurus sis perseueranter prosequere Of Religion Defi. Religion is a iustice of men towards God or a diuine honouring of him in the perfect true knowledge of his word peculiar onely to man it is the ground of all other vertues and the onely meanes to vnite and reconcile man vnto God for his saluation NO error is so dangerous as that which is committed in Religion forasmuch as our saluation quiet happinesse consisteth thereon Man was created for the seruice of GOD who ought aboue all things to make account of Religion If it bee a lewde part to turne the trauailer out of his right way and so to hinder him in his iourney then are such as teach false doctrine much more to bee detested because through such a mischiefe they leade men to destruction August
esse sui Ouid. Omnibus qui patriaÌ„ conseruauerint adiuuerint auxerint certus est in caelo et definitus locus vbi beati aeuo sempiterno fruuntur Cicero Of Hope Defi. Hope is that vertue whereby the spirit of man putteth great trust in honest waightie matters hauing a certaine and sure confidence in himselfe this hope must be strong ly grounded vppon a sure expectation of the helpe and grace of God without which it is vaine and imperfect TO be cleane without hope is a hap incident to the vnhappy man He that will loose a fauour for a hope hath some wit but small store of wisedom Fortune may take away our goods but death cannot depriue vs of hope Hopes aboue fortune are the fore-poynters of deepe falls If thou chaunce to loue hope vvell vvhatsoeuer thy hap be That which is most common is hope Hope is a waking mans dreame Pyndarus To put our confidence in the creature is to dispaire of the creator Grego Vaine is hope that doth not feare God Gre. This mortall life is the hope of the life immortall Aug. They onely hope vvell who haue a good conscience Aug. Hope is the companion of loue Hope cannot be without fayth Aug. Hope is the God of the wretched Bernard Hope grounded on God neuer faileth but being built on the world it neuer thriueth Hope apprehendeth things vnseene and attaineth things by continuance Plato The euenings hope may comfort the mornings misery Hope is the fooles God the Merchant-mans comfort the souldiers companion and the ambitious mans poyson Hope of life is vanity hope in death is life and the life of hope is vertue Hope waiteth on great mens tongues and beguileth beleeuing followers Sweet words beget hope large protestations nourish it and contempt kils it He that supposeth to thriue by hope may happen to beg in misery Bion. The apprehention of hope derideth griefe and the fulnes of hope consumeth it As all mettalls are made of Sulphur so all pleasures proceede from hope As the one part laboureth for the conseruation of the whole body so hope for the accomplishment of all desires Sadnes is the punishment of the hart hope the medicine of distresse Crates Hope is a pleasant passion of the minde vvhich dooth not onely promise vs those things that we most desire but those thinges also which we vtterly dispaire of Our high hopes haue oftentimes hard fortunes and such as reach at the tree commonly stumble at the roote To hope for requitall of benefits bestowed may rather be counted vsury then vertue A cowardly louer without hope shall neuer gaine faire loue with good fortune To hope against all hope is the excellence of a mighty resolution In a little place is hid a great treasure and in a small hope a boundlesse expectation Confidence except it be guided by modesty and proceed from iudgment may rather be called arrogancy then hope Hope of all passions is the sweetest and most pleasant and heereof it is said that hope onely comforteth the miserable Hope is the Gouernour of men Symonides Perdicas seeing Alexander largelie bestovve many benefits vppon his friends asked him what hee would leaue for himself he aunswered hope A good and vertuous man ought alwaies to hope well and to feare nothing Hope is the beginning of victory to come and doth presage the same Pyndarus Sola spes hominem in miserijs consolari solet Miserum est timere cum sâ—eres nihil Of Charity Defi. Charitie is the indissoluble band of God with vs whereby wee are inflamed with the loue of him for that which we owe vnto him and therby also are induced to loue our neighbours for the loue of God CHaritie is the scope of all Gods commaundements Chris. Charity delayd is halfe lost Charitie raunsommeth vs from sinne and deliuereth vs from death Charitie increaseth fayth begetteth hope and maketh vs at one with God As the body without the soule enioyeth no life so all other vertues without charity are cold and fruitlesse Charity is a good and gracious affect of the soule whereby mans hart hath no fancy to esteeme any thing in this world before the study to know God Hermes The charitable man is the true louer of God Seuerus As the sunne is to the vvorld and life to the body so is charity to the hart Charity resembleth fire vvhich inflameth all things it toucheth Erasmus Charitie in aduersitie is patient in prosperitie temperate in passions strong in good works quicke in temptations secure in hospitalitie bountifull amongst her true chyldren ioyfull amongst her false friends patient Charitie in midst of iniuries is secure in hart bountifull in displeasures meeke in concealing euills innocent in truth quiet at others misfortune sad in vertues ioyfull Charitie in aduersity fainteth not because it is patient and reuengeth not iniuries because it is bountifull Hee that truely loueth beleeueth and hopeth Aug. By charitie one seeth the glorious light of God Aug. Hee alwayes hath to giue that is full of charitie Bernard To loue with all the soule is to loue wisely to loue with all the strength is manfully to suffer for truth to loue with all our hart is to prefer the loue of God before all things that flatter vs. Aug. The measure in louing of God is to loue him without measure Bernard Charity is the way of man to God and the way of God to man Aug. If any man waxe drunke vvith the loue of God he is straightwayes apt and ready to all good he laboureth and is not weary hee is weary and feeleth it not the malicious mock him and he perceiueth it not Bernard The loue of God hath power to transforme man into God Charity maketh a man absolute and perfect in all other vertues Neither the multitude of trauailes nor the antiquity of seruice but the greatnes of charity increaseth the reward God is charity vvhat thing is more precious he that dwelleth in charity dwelleth in God what thing is more secure God in him what thing is more delectable The nature of charity is to draw all things to it selfe and to make them participate of it selfe Lactan. There is no vertue persit without loue nor loue without charity Charity is neuer idle but worketh for him it loueth The greatest argument of godly loue is to loue what God loueth Charitable loue is vnder no rule but is Lord of all lawes and a boundlesse Emperor There is true charity where two seueral bodies haue one vnited hart Of charity mixed with mockery followeth the truth of infamy Pythag. Charity is the child of faith and the guide to euerlasting felicity All charity is loue but not all loue charity Augustine The filthy effects of bribery hinder exceedingly the works of charity Plato Charity causeth men to forsake sinne and embrace vertue Charitie is a word vsed of many and vnderstood but of a few Cicero By charity with God we learne what is our duty towards man By charity all men
by reason of their age and weaknesse of theyr strength are subiect to sundry imperfections and molested with many diseases Pacunius Gray hayres oft-times are intangled vvith loue but stailesse youth intrapped with lust Age is more to be honored for his wisdom then youth commended for his beauty The mind of an old man is not mutable his fancies are fixed his affections not fleeting he chooseth without intention to change neuer forsaketh his choyce till death make challenge of his life The olde Cedar tree is lesse shaken with the winde then the young bâ—amble and age farre more stayed in his affaires then youth Old men are more meet to giue counsaile then fit to follow warres Bias. Though young men excell in strength yet old men exceede in stedfastnes Though all men are subiect to the suddaine stroke of death yet old men in nature seeme neerest to their graue Age is a crowne of glory when it is adorned with righteousnes but the dregs of dishonor when it is mingled with mischiefe Honorable age consisteth not in the terme of yeeres neyther is it measured by the date of mans dayes but by godly wisedome and an vndefiled life Age is forgetfull and gray hayres are declining steps from strength Age is giuen to melanâ—hollie and manie yeeres acquainted with many dumps Age speaketh by experience and liketh by tryall but youth leaneth vnto vvit vvhich is voyde of wisedome He that will not be aduised by age shall be deceiued by youth Old age is the fore-runner of death Age and time are two thinges which men may fore-thinke of but neuer preuent Men of age â—eare and fore-see that vvhich youth neuer regardeth Olde folkes oft-times are more greedie of coyne then carefull to keepe a good conscience Bias. Age may bee allotted to gaze at beauties blossoms but youth must clime the tree and enioy the fruit Nature lendeth age authority 〈…〉 nes of hart is the glory of all yeeres VVhilst the haires be hidden craftily age bewrayes it selfe Children are compared to the spring-time striplings to sommer-season young-men to autumn and old men to winter An olde man ought to remember his age past and to bethinke himselfe hovv hee hath spent his time if he finde himselfe faulty in neglecting such good deedes as hee might haue done he ought forth-with to be carefull to spend the remainder of his life in liberality towards the poore Old men are commonly couetous because their getting dayes are past It is a great shame for an olde man to be ignorant in the principles of religion An old man ought to be reuerenced for his grauity sooner then for his gray haires If young men had knowledge and old men strength the vvorld vvould become a nevv paradice A man aged and wise is worthy double reuerence Infancie is but a foolish simplicity full of lamentations and harmes as it were laid open to a maine Sea without a sterne Youth is an indiscreete heate outragious blind heady violent and vaine Mans estate is trouble vexation of mind full of repentance and plunged in care Non est senectus vt tu opinaris pater Onus grauissimum sed impatientius Qui fert sibi ipse est author illius mali Patienter at qui sibi quietem comparat Dum dextere eius moribus se accomodat Nec ille solum detrahit molestiam Accersit aliquam sed voluptatem sibi Si nauig andum sit quatuor per dies De comeatu cura nobis maxima At se in senectam quid licet comparcere Non instruemus nos eo viatico Of Death Defi. Death is taken three maner of wayes the first is the seperation of the soule from the bodie with the dissolution of the body vntil the resurrection the second is the death of sinne sith he is sayd to be dead which lyeth sleeping in sin the third is eternall death vnto which the wicked shall bee condemned in the day of generall iudgement DEath is the law of nature the trybute of the flesh the remedy of euills and the path eyther to heauenly felicitie or eternall misery Heâ—â—clit Destenie may be deferred but can neuer be preuented An honourable death is to be preferred before an infamous life That man is very simple that dreadeth death because he feareth thereby to be cutte off from the pleasures of this life Death hath his roote from sinne August Death is the end of feare and beginning of felicitie There is nothing more certaine theÌ„ death nor any thing more vncertain then the houre of death No man dyeth more willingly then he that hath liued most honestly It is better to die well then to liue wantonlie Socrat. Death it selfe is not so painfull as the feare of death is vnpleasant Death is the end of all miseries but infamy is the beginning of all sorrowes Plut. VVhile men seeke to prolong theyr lyfe they are preuented by some suddaine death VVhile wee thinke to flie death wee most earnestly follow death VVhat is he that being lustie and young in the morning can promise himselfe life vntill the euening Many men desire death in their misery that cannot abide his presence in the time of their prosperitie An euill death putteth great doubt of a good life and a good death partly excuseth an euill life The death of euill men is the safety of good men liuing Cicero Hee that euery hower feareth death can neuer be possessed of a quiet conscience Nothing is more like to death then sleepe who is deaths elder brother Cicero There is nothing more common then suddaine death which beeing considered by the great Phylosopher Demonax hee therefore warned the Emperour Adrian and such other as lyued at theyr pleasure and ease in no wise to forget how in euery short moment they should be no more Nature hath giuen no better thing then death Plinie To men in misery death is most welcome Death deadly woundeth without eyther dread or daliance Sith death is a thing that cannot be auoided it ought of all men the lesse to be feared By the same vvay that life goeth death coÌ„meth Aurelius The most profitable thing for the worlde is the death of couetous and euill people Death is lyfe to the godly minded man whose meditation is on diuine matters and whose hope is heauen Death is common to all persons though to some one way and to some another If we liue to die then we die to liue All things haue an end by death saue onely death whose end is vnknowne Death is metaphorically called the end of all flesh Aristot. The last curer of diseases is death Death despiseth all riches and glory and ruleth ouer all estates alike Boetius None neede to feare death saue those that haue committed so much iniquitie as after death deserueth damnation Socrat. VVisedome maketh men to despise death it ought therefore of all men to be imbraced as the best remedy against the feare of death Hermes So liue and hope as if thou shouldest dye immediatly Plinie Non
Politeuphuia WITS COMmon wealth Newly corrected and augmented Si tibi difficilis formam natura negauit Ingenio formae damna repende tuae Printed by I. R. for Nicholas Ling and are to bee solde at the VVest doore of Paules 1598. To his very good friend Maister I. B. N. L. wisheth increase of happinesse SIR what you seriously began long since and haue alwayes beene very careful for the full perfection of at length thus finished although perhaps not so well to your expectation I present you with as one before all most woorthy of the same both in respect of your earnest trauaile therin the great desire you haue continually had for the generall profite My humble desire is that you would take into your kinde protection this old and new burden of wit newe in this forme and title though otherwise old and of great antiquitie as beeing a methodicall collection of the most choice and select admonitions and sentences compendiously drawne from infinite varietie diuine historicall poeticall politique morrall and humane As for the enuious and ouercurious they shall the lesse trouble mee sith I knowe there is nothing in this worlde but is subiect to the Erynnis of ill disposed persons whose malice is as fatall as the darte of Cephalus or Paris shaft which neyther a seauenfold-shielde nor Vulcans cunning workmanshippe nor Pallas Aegis can auoyde Thus humbly crauing pardon for my boldnesse beseeching GOD daily to encrease the affection you beare to learning I take my leaue Yours most assured to commaund N. Ling. To the Reader CVrteous Reader encouraged by thy kind acceptance of these first labours I haue boldly aduentured to present thee with this second edition solent primi faetus rerum horriduli esse et in suauiores sed amaeni magis et grati subsequaces Some new heads I haue inserted corrected many where I found it necessary and almost euery one in some sort augmented Which if happily they shall please the daintie stomacks of our humorous age then the which nothing is more hard I shall think my second trauailes well imployed be gently thereby inuited hereafter to publish some-what else in this kinde for thy pleasure and profit Then from thy gracious censure let Wits CoÌ„mon-Wealth draw her perpetuall priuiledge that like Alcinous fruites it may still florish in the fayre Sommer of thy gentle fauour and euer tryumph in despight of Enuies raging Winter N. L. In Politeuphuian Decastichon MYstica qui sophiae cultae quadrantia vitae Ingenij varios flores rimaris et ardes Intemerata legas huius monumenta laboris In quo feruentem mentis sedabis orexim Hoc duce Mercurio caelesti numine plenus Vertice sublimi feries arcana polorum Et facile rapidas fauces vitabis Auerni Omnia sunt in hoc musis aptissima sedes Virtutis morumque Pharos Cynosur a vaganti Ingenij genij mentis rationis acumen R. A. LEt â—im who in desire Wits wealth embraces Here stand gaze where well behold he may A heauenly troope of matchles Nimphs Graces Their siluer armes in sacred fount display Whose parts all faire and equall to their faces Make their nak'd beautie theyr most rich aray Nor thinke I lead him with a vaine suppose Inuiting him vnto this resting place Whence flowes a riuer of smooth running prose Whose streames conceits like virgins interlace Amongst greene leaues so growes the Damaske rose So Diamonds golden Tablets doe enchase T. M. THE curious eye that ouer-rashly lookes And giues no tast nor feeling to the mind Robs it own selfe wrongs those labored bookes Wherein the soule might greater comfort find But when that sence doth play the busie Bee And for the honny not the poyson reeds Then for the labour it receaues the fee When as the minde on heauenly sweetnes feeds This doe thine eye and if it find not heere Such precious comforts as may giue content And shall confesse the trauaile not too decre Nor idle howers that in this worke were spent Neuer heereafter will I euer looke For thing of worth in any morrall booke M. D. Faults escaped ESque fol. 4. estque inuneris 8 innumeris vire 11. viue turbini 14 turbine guttar 32 guttur nobilus 48 nobilius circes 78 ciues phibaeas 78 plenas sequinum 164 sequimur loquitur 164 loquntur ceremque 111 cereremque vetas 166 vetus quickequam 173 quidquam vno 185 vino quem 185 quum mecratam 190 mercatum co 193 quo mucula 193 macula sidet 197 sedet vitam 206 vita formosum 207 formosam laese 209 lesa se 225 si tistisque 234 tristisque ingulent 236 iugulent incomodo 228 incomoda VVITS COMMON VVEALTH Of God Definition God the beginning of all things the Idaea and patterne of all good is that Almightie omnipotence which wanteth beginning ending which beeing made of none hath by his owne power created all things WHere God putteth to his hand there are no men so mighty no beasts so proude no sea so deep that can resist his power As a Prince wil not suffer that another be called King in his realme so likewise God will not permit that any other in this world should be honored but he onely VVithout the vnderstanding of the will of God by his vvord our sight is but blindnes our vnderstanding ignorance our wisedome foolishnes and our deuotion deuilishnes God will not suffer man to haue the knowledge of things to come for if he had a prescience of his prosperitie hee would be carelesse and vnderstanding of his aduersitie hee would be sencelesse God who hath made all mortal things hath authority to dispose them euen with the same power where-with he hath created them As much do we owe vnto God for the dangers from which hee deliuereth vs as for the great wealth and dignities wherunto he hath alwaies raised vs. Men may order warre but God giueth the victory VVhere Vertue doth raise to honor there God failes not to establish the dignitie God is called a VVel both because he hath all good things from himselfe also for that he doth communicate from thence with his creatures without any hinderance to himselfe for GOD ministreth to all lacking nought and receiuing nothing of any man God in his Church is a most bright sunne which ariseth vpon such as feare him and goeth downe from them that are carelesse and prophane As it is a most certaine token of death saith Hippocrates if the sicke man dreame that the visible sunne is hidden or obscured so a most certaine death of the soule is at hande if our sunne Christ be darkned by the abolishing or corrupting of the true doctrine The treasures of vices are in vs the aboundance of goodnes in God The greatnes of God is more seene in mercy then in punishment God vseth vs not as our offences deserue but as his mercy willeth God deales in one sort with the sinner in an other maner with the iust to the sinner hee pardoneth his
worst God did not couer nor hide the truth vnder a Mountaine to the ende that none but such as toyled for her might finde her but as with the heauens hee hath enuironed the earth and the hells so hath hee couered the truth with the vaile of his charitie which whosoeuer will knock at the heauenly dore might enter in The end of Grammer is to speake aptly and agreeably and the ende of speach society of Rethorick to carry all mens minds to one opinion of Logicke to finde a truth amidst many falshoods all other Arts doe likewise tend to truth Speech is but the shadow of effect which as Euripides sayeth agreeing with the truth is single plaine without colour or counterfait Pharamonde the first King of Fraunce was named VVarmond which signifieth truth Truth feareth nothing more then to be hid shee careth for no shadowing but is content with her owne light Truth is a vertue that scaleth the heauens illumineth the earth maintaineth iustice gouerneth common-weales kils hate nourisheth loue and discouereth secrets Truth is a sure pledge not impaired a shield neuer pierced a flower that neuer dyeth a state that feares not fortune and a port that yeelds no danger Cicero Truth is health that is neuer sick a life that hath neuer end a salue that healeth all sores a sunne that neuer setteth a moone that is neuer eclipsed an hearb that is neuer withered a gate that is neuer lockt and a voyage that neuer breeds wearines Truth is such a vertue that without it our strength is weakenes our iustice tyrannous our humility trayterous our patience dissembled our chastity vaine our liberty captiue and our piety superfluous Truth is the Center wherein all things repose the card whereby we sayle the wisedom whereby we are cured the rock whereon we rest the lampe that guideth vs and the shield which defendeth vs. Truth is the ground of Science the scale to Charity the tipe of eternity and the fountaine of grace By truth the innocent smyleth before the Iudge and the traytor is discouered before he is suspected Truth is a good cause and needs no help of oratory and the least speach deserues the best credite Qui veritatem occultat et qui mendacium prodit vterque reus est ille quia prodesse non vult iste quia nocere desider at August Non boue mactato coelestia numina gaudent Sed quae praestanda est et sine teste fides Of Conscience Defi. Conscience generally is the certaine and assured testimony which our soules carry about with them bearing witnesse of what we speake thinke wish or doe it is to the wicked an accuser a Iudge a hangman and a rope to the godly a comfort reward and ayde against all aduersities A Guilty conscience is a worme that biteth and neuer ceaseth The conscience once stained with innocent blood is alwayes tyed to a guilty remorse Conscience is a worme that fretteth like the Seres vvooll secretly and deepely easily gotten and hardly worne out VVhere the conscience is drowned vvith worldly pompe and riches their wisedome is turned to foolishnes He that frameth himselfe outwardly to doe that which his conscience reproueth inwardly wilfully resisteth the law of God Plato writeth that many when they are in health doe thinke all but toyes which is spoken of hell but at the point of death when their conscience pricketh thē they are troubled and vexed out of measure calling their former life into minde The conscience is wasted where shipwrack is made of faith A good conscience is the onely liberty The conscience is a booke wherein our daylie sinnes are written A good conscience is a continuall quietnes Although the consciences of many seeme to be seared with an hote yron as if it were voyde from all feeling of sinne yet at the point of death it is awakened yea and it driueth the miserable soule to desperation VVe shall carry nothing with vs out of this life but either a good or a bad conscience Discerne discreetly and practise reuerently those thinges that are good that thine owne conscience may be cleere and others by thy dooings not offended A cleere conscience needeth no excuse nor feareth any accusation None is more guilty then hee whose conscience forceth him to accuse himselfe To excuse ones selfe before he is accused is to finde a foule crack in a false conscience Conscience beareth little or no sway where coyne brings in his plea. The conscience loaden with the burthen of sinne is his owne Iudge and his own accuser VVhereas any offence is cōmitted through ignorance or any other violent motion the causes that increase the same beeing cut off penitence and remorse of conscience presently followeth The Philosophers account those men incurable whose consciences are not touched with repentance for those sinnes which they haue committed There is no greater damnation then the doome of a mans owne conscience The conscience of the wicked shall tremble lyke the leafe of a tree shaken vvith euerie wind but the conscience of a good man shall make him bold and confident The violence of conscience commeth from God who maketh it so great that man cannot abide it but is forst to condemn himselfe The Furies which Poets faine to reuenge euils figure the torments of euil consciences A wicked conscience pursueth his Maister at the heeles and knoweth how to take vengeance in due time Nulla paena grauior paena conscientiae vis autem nunquam esse tristis bene vire Isodorus Heu quantum paenae mens conscia donat Sua quemque premit terroris imago Of Prayer Defi. Prayer as some Diuines affirme is talke with God crauing by intercession and humble petition eyther those things necessarie for the maintenaunce of this lyfe or forgiuenesse of those things which through frailety we daily commit THe iust mans prayer appeaseth the wrath of GOD. Prayer must be freely giuen neuer sold. Prayer is the oblation of a thankful hart the token of a contrite and penitent mind Prayer is not to be attempted with force violence of heart but with simplicity and meekenes of spirit Augustine Happy is that man whom worldly pleasures cannot draw from the cōtemplation of God and whose life is a continuall prayer Prayer kindeleth inflameth and lifteth vp the hart vnto God and the incense of meditation is pleasing in his eyes The prayer of the poore afflicted pierceth the clouds Prayer is the wing wherewith the soule flyeth to heauen and meditation the eye wherby we see God Prayer is a vertue that preuaileth against temptation and against all cruell assaults of infernall spirits against the delights of thys lingering life and against the motions of the flesh Bernard Praier engendereth confidence in the soule confidence engendereth peace and tranquility of conscience Fayth ioyned with prayer maketh it more forcible but humility coupled with it maketh it benificiall and effectuall Vertuous and godly disposed people doe daily pray vnto God for the clensing of the
wilfull mind is subiect to much error Vnicum est bonum scientia et malum vnicum ignorantia Imperitiam comitatur temeritas Of Goodnes Defi. Goodnes is that which includeth in it selfe a dignitie that sauoureth of God and his works hauing a perpetuity and stedfastnes of godly substance GOodnesse in generall makes euery one thinke the strength of vertue in an other whereof they finde the assured foundation in themselues Plato As oft as we doo good we offer sacrifice It is too much for one good man to want A man may be too iust and too wise but neuer too good Socrates There is no good vnlesse it be voluntary A good man reioyceth in aduersity and forgetteth not to be thankful vnto God in time of prosperity Greg. A good mans wish is substance faith and fame glory grace according to the same A man is not to be accounted good for his age but for his charitable actions Hee may worthily be called good vvhich maketh other men to fare the better for his goodnes Thou canst not be perfectly good when thou hatest thine enemie vvhat shalt thou then be vvhen thou hatest him that is thy friend Socrates There is no greater delectation comfort to a good man then to be seene in the company of good men Plato The further a good man is knowne the further his vertues spread and roote themselues in mens harts and remembrance He that doth good is better then the good which he dooth an euil man is worse then the euill that is done by him VVhat soeuer is right and honest and ioyned with vertue that alone is onely good He that is mighty is not by by good but he that is good is presently mighty Isocrates The goodnes that proceedeth from an ignorant man is like the hearbs that grow vppon a dunghill Riches will decay prosperities may change but goodnes doth continue till death Goodnesse is three-fold and hath relation to three things the goods of the minde the goods of the body and the goods of fortune The more our grace and goodnes dooth increase the more our soules addresse thēselues to God As God is all goodnes so loueth he all good things as righteousnes vertue and hateth vice and wickednes The goodnes of the soule is the most principall and chiefest goodnes that can be Vir bonus et prudens qualē vix repperit vnum Millibus é cunctis hominum consultus Apollo Iudex ipse sui totum se explorat ad vnguem Difficile est hominibus persuadere bonitatem propter ipsam diligendam Cic. Of Comforts Defi. Comfort is any ease helpe or consolation in our troubles aduersities which disburdenig the mind restores it to calme and quiet patience TIme heales the torments of disquiet mind The hugest tempestes last not all the yeere Cōfort in extremity healeth many wounds pacifieth the discontented hart gouerneth the mind Plut. Greeue not at afflictions for they are the rods where with God beateth his children Troubles are but instructions to teach men wit for by them thou mayst know false-hood from fayth and thy trusty friend from thy trayterous foe Dispaire not when all worldly meanes are done for God will rayse thee if thou trust in him Aug. Fond man bewaile not thus thy vvretched age thou now hast welnie reached thy iournies end There is nothing greeuous if the thought make it not Art thou backbited reioyce if guiltlesse guilty amend Be not discomforted at the losse of childrē for they were borne to die VVrong is the tryall of thy patience There is nothing the world can take away because the world giueth nothing fame perisheth honours fade wealth decayeth onely our true riches is our constancie in all casualties All things is vanity which is vnder the sun all thing continuall labour and trauaile what hath man to mourne for then when al things he can loose in this life are but fading and miserable Let not sorrow ouer-much molest thee for when thou has◠wept thy worst greefe must haue an end Sicknes is the prison of the body but comfort the liberty of the soule Plato Comfort is next friend to happines an enemie to weake lamentations and the heire of resolution The best comfort to a miser is to behold the ouer-flow of his wealth The suspectles the temperate and the wise man are neuer vncomfortable Of sorrow commeth dreames and fancies of comfort rest and quiet slumbers By sorrow the hart is tormented by comfort when it is halfe dead it is reuiued Sad sighs write the woes of the hart kind speeches comfort the soule in heauines Sad harts liue vpō teares with weeping but being recomforted die with laughing Assurance puts away sorrow and feare poysons comfort He that will be truly valiant must neyther let ioy nor griefe ouer-come him for better not to be then to be a bondslaue to passion He that coueteth comfort without sorrow must apply his wit in following wisedome To friends afflicted with sorrow wee ought to giue remedy to their persons and consolation and comfort to their harts The multiplying of comforts is the asswaging of cares Solon In the midst of all thy cares let this be thy chiefest comfort hard things may be mollified straight things may be loosened and heauy things shal litle grieue him that can handsomly beare them Sorrow sildom taketh place in him that abstaineth from foure things that is from hastines wilfull frowardnes pride and sloth Malê de te loquntur homines sed mali non de te loquntur sed de se. Elebile principium melior fortuna secuta est Of Patience Defi. Patience is a habit that consisteth in sustaining stoutly al labours and griefes for the loue of honesty it is the excellent good thing that keepeth the tranquillity of our spyrite as much as may be in aduersities and not to complaine of that which is vncertaine PAtience is a voluntary aduēturing of hard things for the desire of vertue The sweetest salue to mishap is patience no greater reuenge can be offered to fortune then to rest content in the midst of misery Hee is worthy to be counted couragious strong and stout which doth not onely with patience suffer iniuries rebukes and displeasures done vnto him but also dooth good against those euils Patience is the shield of intolerable wrongs that lighteneth the burthen of aduersity and seasoneth the ioyes of prosperity Better it is to offer thy selfe in tryumph then to be drawne to it by dishonour No patient man can endure to see another man obtaine that without trouble which he himselfe could neuer cōpasse without much trauaile It is a spetiall signe of heroicall magnanimity to despise light wrongs and nothing to regard meane aduentures It is good to forbeare to talke of thinges needlesse to be spoken but it is much better to conceale things dangerous to be told Patience is so like to fortitude that it seemeth she is eyther her sister or her daughter The common sort doe take
to pursue the change which gaines nothing but sorrowe and the blotte of auncestrie The thing possest is not the thing it seems and though wee be great by our auncestors yet we forget our auncestors The shifting of chambers changes not the disease the exchange of names exchanges not nature and auncestry Ambition which chiefely comes from ancestors beeing got to the top of his desires cuts off the meanes by which he did clime From our ancestors comes our names but from our vertues our reports The dissolute wicked life of Cataline obscured the glory of his ancestors and by him they came to obliuion Mercinary faith is discontented with euery occasion and newe start-vp glory with any old fame VVheÌ„ greatnes cannot beare it selfe either with vertue or ancestrie it ouerthrowes it selfe onely with the weight of it selfe Many troubled in conscience for disgracing their names with rash acts in cold blood repent their dishonors The base issue of ignoble ancestry wil loose their troths to saue their lyues Might will make his auncestors whom hee pleaseth Feare may as well carry care beyond truth as neglect may fall short of truth both are the auncestors to misfortune The euent of things is closed vp in darknes and though wee know vvhat cur auncestors were we know not what we shall be The longer wee delay the showe of vertue the stronger we make presumptions that we are guilty of base beginnings The more a man toiles his minde the more he is defild the more a man boasts of euill auncestors the more he is dismayed Feare vvhich vvill bee vviser then truth which is his best auncestor heapes vpon vs destruction SteÌ„mata quid faciuÌ„t quid prodest PoÌ„tice longo Sanguine censeri pictosque ostendere vultus Maiorum et stantes in curribus Aemilianos genus et proauos et quae noÌ„ fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco Of Warre Defi. VVarre is of two sorts ciuill forraine ciuill warre is the ouerthrow of all estates Monarchies and the seede of all kindes of euill in them euen of those that are most execrable it begetteth want of reuerence towards God disobedience to magistrates corruption of manners change of lawes contempt of iustice and base estimation of learning science Forraine warre is that which Plato calleth a more gentle contention and is then onely lawfull when it is for true religion or to procure the continuance of peace THere is nothing more vnconstant then warre did not patience make it stable true hope succesfull VVarre for excellencie as that betweene Euripides Xenocles is pleasing in the sight of all men Thucidides that great Captaine and Historiographer of the Greeks esteemed the fortunate and happy conduct of the warre to hang on three poynts that is to be willing to reuerence and to obey Traian was neuer vanquished because hee neuer vndertooke warre without iust cause which Liuius writeth of the Romaines in the end of the first Decad. Then warre there is nothing more necessary for the breach of friendship by discention strengtheneth the powers of loue in her new coniunction VVarre is most lawfull when it is warranted by the VVord eyther to defend a mans owne right or to repulse the enemies of God Lactan. Diuersity of religion is the ground of ciuill warre in show but it is ambition in effect VVarre ought to be deliberately begunne but speedily ended Affaires of warre must be deliberated on by many but concluded on by a few The effects of war are couetous desire the fall of iustice force and violence Epict. VVarre was onely ordained to make men liue in peace In the sacke of a Towne haue an especiall care to preserue the honour of Ladies and maydes from the violence of vnrulie souldiours Haue an espetiall care to whom ye commit the gouernment of an Army Town or Fort for loue doth much but mony doth more Entring into thy enemies Campe let all things of vse and baggage follow thee at the back but thine enemy comming vpon thee let the same bee brought into the middle of the Army VVhere thou maist conquer with money neuer vse Armes and rather choose to ouercome thine enemy by policy then by fight In places of danger in troublesom times euer double the number of thy Sentinels Necessity makes warre to be iust Bias. Nulla salus bello pacem to poscimus omnes Incerti sunt exitus pugnarum Marsque est communis qui saepe sâ—oliantem iam et exultantem euerit et perculit ab abiecto Of Generalls in Warre Defi. Generalls are the heads and leaders of Armies and they ought to be great magnanimous constant in all their doings free from the defects of rashnes and cowardise THe Tent of the Generall is the pure Riuer running through the Army by whose soundnes all his souldiers are preserued and made stout but if it bee impure or corrupted the whole hoast is infected Let euery Generall knowe himselfe to bee the sunne in the midst of his hoast froÌ„ whose beames euery souldiour boroweth his shine wherefore let his splendour be glorious that their light may be beautious The office of a Generall is more hainous in example then in act Vnlesse wise valiant men be chosen Generals the old chaos will returne and Vertue die at the feete of confusion He that will be a Commaunder in Armies first let him be commaunded in the same for an ambitious souldiour will neuer make a temperate conductor A wise Generall must not only fore-cast to preuent such euils as hee heares of but also be circumspect to fore-see such ill as may happen beyond expectation Demost. A Generall after the battaile ended must haue a circumspect care howe hee prayseth one Captaine more then another A Generall ought not to bring all his forces to battaile at once vnlesse it be vppon great aduantage It is very needfull for a Generall to knowe the humor and disposition of his aduersaries Generall whom he fighteth against The oration of a Generall giues courage to cowards and base-minded souldiers A couetous Generall purchaseth to hymselfe more hate then loue Crassus for his auarice was slaine by his own souldiours A Generall must not bee ignorant of such things as are necessary in a iourney A Captaines courage must alwaies be guided with skill and his skill armed with courage neither must their hardinesse darken theyr wit nor their wit coole their hardineâ— They must bee valiant as despising death confident as not wonted to bee ouer-come yet doubtfull by their present feeling and respectfull by that they see already A Captaines feete ought to be steddy hys handes diligent his eyes watchfull and his hart resolute It is requisite for a Generall to know all aduantages of the place where the battel should be fought It prooueth oft the ruine of an Army when the Generall is carelesse and maketh no account of his enemies proceedings It is dangerous for the person of the Generall to follow his enemie flying It
from iniurie done vnto vs but hatred often times is conceiued of no occasion Arist. VVrath and reuenge taketh from man the mercy of God and destroyeth and quencheth the grace that God hath giuen him Periander in his rage murthered hys ovvne wife and Dionisius in his anger killed the Syracusian his page Hee best keepeth himselfe from anger that alwayes doth remember that God looketh vpon him Plato As fire being kindled but with a small spark worketh oft times great hurt and damage because the fiercenes thereof was not at the first abated so anger beeing harbored in the hart breaketh foorth oft times into much crueltie The angrie man meditating vpon mischiefe thinketh that hee hath good counsell in hand VVrath is a desire to be reuenged seeking a time or oportunity for the same Lactan. As disordinate anger is a fault so is sometimes the want of moderate choller or rather hatred of vice Anger is the sinewe of the soule for that it serueth to increase valour beeing moderate and temperate Plato Clineas by playing on the Harpe and Theodosius by reciting the Greeke Alphabet did forget their anger An Ant will be angry and yet wee are not able to discerne when shee is mooued much lesse in God whose works are vnsearchable and passe the capacity of our vnderstanding Anger makes a man to differ from himselfe There is no safe counsaile to be taken from the mouth of an angry man Anaxag Anger is like vnto a clowde that maketh euery thing seeme bigger then it is Rash iudgement maketh hast to repentance Anger is defined after two sorts either according to her nature or according to her effect According to her nature anger is a heat of blood and an inflamation of the same euen to the innermost part of man According to her effect anger is a lust or a desire to punish or to be in some sort reuenged on him which hath done vs any vvrong or iniurie Anger consisteth in habite and disposition but wrath in deede and effect Like as greene vvood which is long in kindling continueth longer hot then the dry if it haue once taken fire so coÌ„monly it falleth out that the man silde me moued to anger is more hard to be pacified in his anger then he that is quiâ—kly vexed Plato If thou haue not so much power as to refraine tâ—ine anger yet dissemble it and keep it secret and so by little and little thou maâ—st happily forget it VVrath and rigour leadeth shame in a lease Isocrates It is a prophane and horrible foolishnes for a man to waxe furious in his anger In coâ—râ—â—â—ing wrath is to be forbidden for be that punisheth while he is angry shall neâ—er â—eepe that meaâ—e which is betweene too much and too little Hastie and froward speeches beget anger anger beeing kindled begetteth wrath wrath seeketh greedily after reuenge reuenge is neuer satisfied but in blood-shedding As he that loueth quietnes sleepeth secure so he that delights in strife and anger passeth his dayes in great danger It is good for a man to abstaine from anger if not for wisedoms sake yet for his owne bodily healths sake He that is much subiect to wrath and hunteth after reuenge quencheth the grace that God hath giuen him and commits through rage and furie more horrible offences then can afterward be reformed Quae libet iratis ipse dat arma dolor Ira feras mentes obsidet eruditas praeter labitur Of Cruelty Defi. Cruelty is commonly taken for euery extreame wrong it is the rigorous effect of an euill disposed will and the fruit which is reapt from iniustice CRuelty hath his curses from aboue but curtesie is graced with the title of commendation VVhere lenity cannot reclaime there seuerity must correct It is as great cruelty to spare all as to spare none Tyrants vse tryall by armes but the iust referre their causes to the arbitriment of the lawes To pardon many for the offence of one is an office of Christianity but to punish manie for the fault of one appertayneth properly to Tyrants An intemperate sick-man maketh a cruell Phisition Socrates He that accustomes him selfe with sorrow acquainteth him selfe with cruelty Plato It is amongst euills the greatest euill and in Tyrants the greatest tyrannie that they of themselues vvill not liue according to reason and iustice but that also they vvill not consent that malefactors should receaue punishment It is more profit for a Prince that is a Tyrant that his Common-wealth be rich and his Pallace poore then the Common-wealth to be poore and his owne pallace rich Hee neuer serueth gratefullie vvho by violence is subiect to another The vvoman that holdeth in her eye most cruelty hath often in her hart most dishonestie The Captaine that is bloody minded and full of reuenge is eyther slaine by his enemies or sold by his souldiours Causelesse cruelty neuer scapes long without reuenge VVith the irefull we must not be importunate to craue pardon but to desire that vengeance may be deferred The Numantines besieged by the Romans and brought to great miserie made a vovv no day to eate meate vnlesse first they had made theyr first dish of a Romans flesh nor drinke any drinke vnlesse their first draught were Romans blood Tiranny amongst many other euils is most vvretched in this that his friends dare not counsaile him He that shewes himselfe cruell towards his seruants dooth manifestlie declare that his vvill is good to punish others also but hee wanteth authority Priuate crueltie dooth much hurt but a Princes anger is an open war Tyrants raigning with cruelty sildome die honourably A cruell Prince ouer a rebellious Nation is a great vertue vvarring vvith a vvorld of wickednes Omnibus quoruÌ„ mens abhorret á ratione semper aliquis talis terror impendet Nulla nobis cum tyrannis est societas sed summa potius distractio neque est contra naturam spoliare eum quem honestum est necare Of Feare Defi. Feare is two folde good and euill Good feare is that which is grounded vppon a good discourse of reason and iudgement standing in awe of blame reproch and dishonor more then death or griefe Euill feare is destitute of reason it is that which wee call cowardlinesse and pusillanimitie alwayes attended on with two perturbations of the soule Feare and Sadnes It is also the defect of the vertue of Fortitude THE feare and reuerence of one God is more worth then the strength of all men No man can be iust without he feare reuerence the Lord. Feare dependeth vpon loue and vvithout loue it is soone had in contempt Alex. If thou be ignorant what sin is or knowest not vertue by the feare loue of God thou maist quickly vnderstand them both Socra Hee that feareth God trulie serueth him faithfully loueth him intirely prayeth vnto him deuoutly destributeth vnto the pore liberally VVicked men vvanting the feare of God are haunted of euill to their own ouer throw and destruction Boetius It is the
for pouertie sith no man lyueth so basely as he was borne Salust It is giuen onely to a wise man to bee content in pouerty Suffer that with patience which thou canst not auoyde be not displeased at thy poore estate The beggars crutch serueth him both to leane vpon and to fight withall Patiently should that bee borne vvhich no strength can ouer-come nor counsell auoid whether it be pouerty to pinch the body or aduersity to crosse the minde It is better to suffer necessitie then to borrow of him whom a man may not trust Pouerty possessed in safetie is better then great riches enioyed with much feare VVhen a man is plagued with pouerty and sicknesse both ioyned together without any succour or easement then riseth in him an intollerable griefe a fire not able to be quenched a sorrow without remedy a tempest full of wracks Pouerty is a vertue of it selfe Diog. Hee liueth in most wretched estate of beggery that is not indued vvith any good qualitie Si ad naturam viuas nunquam eris paâ—per si ad opinionem nunquam eris diues exiguum natur a desiderat opinio immensum Seneca O vitae tâ—ta facultas Paâ—peris angustiquelares ô munera nondum Intellect a Deum Of Banishment Defi. Banishment is a putting away or driuing out of any man eyther from the place where he ought and should inhabite or from thence where he tooke delight desired to dwell FOr sinne was man thrust into the world therfore his life in it is banishment No banishment is sweete but the banishment of a righteous soule from the prison of a world wearied body Stebeus Banishment is there where is no place for vertue Cic. The banished man without a house to dwell in is like a dead body without a graue to rest in It is better for a man to bee banished his country with wise men then to liue there still amongst fooles He that denieth himselfe to his Country is in banishment already VVheresoeuer a man liues well there is his Country Cic. In exile calamity wee know friends from aduersaries A chast eye exileth licentious lookes To exile a true friend is to loose a persit soule To banish hope is to call home dispaire Good fortune attends not euerie great estate nor euill chance euery exild person To stuffe thy coffers with coyne is to commit thine honour to exile True happines is neuer had till after death nor exile welcome but in death There was neuer foule loue nor faire prison welcome death nor desired banishment It is a needlesse question to aske a sick man if he be willing to haue his health or an exile if he would be called from banishment There is nothing better then a contented minde nor any thing worse then the name of a fugitiue There is more sorrowe in loosing a mans owne Countrey then in conquering a world of other nations Death banishment come soone enough if slow enough In time custome becomes a second nature and long banishment breedes loath in delightfulnes The ayre is neuer vvithout some vvind or some clowde nor a banished man vvithout some crosse or trouble Sweet is rest after long pilgrimage great is the comfort a banished man takes at the tidings of his repealement It is the nature of man to loue those things deerest which are banisht farthest from him Hee that in the morning is proude of his possessions may happen ere night to be banished from his pleasures Seneca Beauty and youth once banished neuer repeale The comfort of fugitiues is that there bee many fugitiues Care followeth a fugitiue person euen as a shadow followes the body Exilium terribile est ijs quibus quasi conscriptus est habitandi locus non ijs qui omnem orbem terrarâ—â— vnam vrbem esse dicunt Cic. Priuari patria magnum malum est sed maius ve quam sermone Of absence and presence Defi. Absence is the departing or losse of a friend or anie other obiect wherein wee take delight and presence is the continuall companie of the partie with whom wee desire to be most conuersant THe presence of the minde is to be preferred before the presence of the body VVee neuer know how profitable the presence of a friend is vntill vvee haue felt the want of his absence for a time Absence in loue makes true loue more firme and constant The absence of friendes is the presence of griefes As contraries are knowne by contraries so the delight of presence is knowne by the hell of absence Man seperate from money is like a soule seperated from a body The griefe of vnwished absence is vvorse then the wound of a stubborne launce The diuorce of sorrow is slow-footed and lasie A teadious presence decayes loue a long absence forgets true familiarity The absence of couetousnes is the prosperitie of present estates Trauaile not to gaine absence for society is the strength to happines Absence puts off happines and time alters resolutions VVhen thought absents it selfe from truth the soule presents her selfe to sinne Demost. The euills got by absence wisedome recureth Take heede of speaking ill of the absent The solitary man is either a God or a beast Much absence is a signe of small loue Life and faith once absented neuer returne The fayrest presence is but a dunghill couered ouer with white and purple VVhilst the presence of power by pleasures gets acquaintance vertue is vnknowne and liues in absence Infamy is neuer absent from arrogancy Men gaine theyr desires by trauaile sustain them by thought and are absent from them by anoyance Aristip. The presence of one day blameth the absence of another but the last shall giue iudgement of all that is past Absence from euill cleeres vp of euill The absence of punishment is no pardon for transgressions Absence is death death is rest absent death is deaths rest Non vna eademque molestia est rerum praesentium et absentium Euripides Distantia locinon seperat amicitiam sed operationem Aristotle Of Acts. Defi. Acts are the monumentall deedes of our liues and our actions are the Ensignes by which are knowne the perfectnes of our good or euill lyuing ALl the praise of inward vertue consisteth in outward action An action without reason a reason without an action are both alike imperfit Action is the ready entrance into contemplation A silent deede is better then an vnperformed word Crates Neyther can good words colour a bad action nor badde vvordes depraue from a good action Shape beautifies an image good actions commends a man Actions are by so much more manifest then words by how much the eyes are surer witnesses then the eares It is an argument of too much weakenesse to remember what should haue been doone Action is the life of contemplation and the tongue of conceit In action a man doth not onely benefit him selfe but profit others S. P. S. God would neuer haue deliuered a soule into the body which hath
to complaine vpon God for the shortnes of their life when as they themselues as short as it is doe through ryot malice murthers care and warres make it much shorter both in them selues and others Theophrastus hoc est Viuere bis vitâ posse priore frui Est nostra vno vita quam sâ—millima Acescit est quem reliqua parua portio Of the Soule Defi. The soule is a created substance inuisible incorporall immortall resembling the image of her Creator a spirit that giueth life to the body where-vnto it is ioyned a nature alwaies mouing it selfe capable of reason and the knowledge of God to loue him as beeing meet to be vnited to him through loue to eternall felicity THE greatest thing that may be said to be contained in a little roome is the soule in a mans body An holy vndefiled soule is like heauen hauing for her Sunne vnderstanding the zeale of iustice and charity for the Moone fayth and her vertues for the starres Euery soule is eyther the spouse of Christ or the adultresse of the deuill Chris. The minde is the eye of the soule The soule is compounded of vnderstanding knowledge and sence from which all Sciences and Arts proceede and from these she is called reasonable The soule is deuided into two parts the one spirituall or intelligible vvhere the discourse of reason is the other brutish which is the sensuall will of it selfe wandring where all motions contrary to reason rest and delighting onelly to dwell vvhere euill desires doâ— inhabite The actions of the soule are vvill iudgement sence conceiuing thought spirit imagination memory vnderstanding The incomparable beauty of the soule is prudence temperance fortitude iustice All the felicity of man as well present as to come dependeth on the soule Clement The soule is the organ and instrument of God whereby he worketh in vs and lifteth vs vp to the conteÌ„plation of his diuine power and nature The sweetest rest and harbor for the soule is a conscience vncorrupted The Philosophers set downe foure powers to rule in the soule reason will anger and concupiscence in which they lodged foure vertues to euery one one prudence iustice fortitude and temperance The soule payeth well for her hire in the body considering what she there suffereth The soule of the iust man is the seat of wisedome August The body is the sepulcher of a dead soule The soule is the breathing of God Ambr. If thy soule be good the stroke of Death cannot hurt thee for thy spirit shall liue blessedly in heauen Basil. As they that haue healthfull bodies easily endure both cold and heat so they that haue a stayed and setled soule haue the dominion ouer anger greefe ioy and all other their affections Plato It is not death that destroyeth the soule but a bad lyfe A sound soule correcteth the naughtines of the body All mens soules are immortall but the soules of the righteous are immortall and diuine Socrates It is good to haue a regard to the health of the mind that the body thereby may be preserued from danger The power of the minde is two-fold one part is in the appetite the other in reason which teacheth vvhat is to be followed and vvhat to be eschewed By this reason commaundeth and appetite obeyeth The diseases of the body are easie to be cured but for the malady of the minde no medicine can be found The pleasure of the minde excelleth the pleasures of the body By vvhat other name canst thou call the soule then God dwelling in a mans body It is as great charity to edefie the soule as sustaine the body Bernard The nobility of the soule is alwayes to be thought vpon The soule in the flesh is as amongst thorns Bernard The soule is the naturall perfection of the body Aurel. The body considereth nothing but what is present the minde conceaueth vvhat is past and what is to come The soule of man is an incorruptible substance apt to receaue either ioy or pain both heere and else where Solon The soule despiseth all worldly busines and being occupied onely about heauenly matters she reioyceth greatly vvhen she is deliuered from these earthly bands VVhile the soule is in the company of good people it is in ioy but vvhen it is among euill men it is in sorrow and heauines As the body is an instrument of the soule so is the soule an instrument of God The body vvas made for the soule and not the soule for the body Looke hovv much the soule is better then the body so much more greeuous are the diseases of the soule then the greefes of the body Diogenes By the iustice of God the soule must needs be immortall and therfore no man ought to neglect it for though the body dye yet the soule dieth not The delights of the soule are to knovv her Maker to consider the works of heauen and to know her owne state and being Tres vitales spiritus creauiâ— Omnipotens vnum qui carne non tegitur alium qui carne tegitur sed non cum carne moritur â—â—eâ—tium qui carne tegitur et cum carne moritur Primus AngeloruÌ„ secundus hominum tertius brutorum est Anima dum viuificat corpus anima est dum vult animus dum scit mens dum recolit memoria dum rectum iudicat ratio dum spirat spiritus dum aliquid sentit sensus est Of the Sences Defi. Sences are the powers of the soule body in number fiue seeing hearing smelling tasting and touching Of Seeing THe eyes vvere giuen to men to be as it were theyr vvatch-towers and sentinels the guiders and leaders of the body Of more validitie is the sight of one eye then the attention of ten eares for in that a man seeth is assurance and that he heareth may be an error The piercing power of the sight is able to reade Homers Iliads though they were written in the compasse of a nut-shell The sight the affection and the hands are instruments to gather bribes Sight increaseth compassion and compassion calleth vp care S. P. S. VVhat can saying make theÌ„ beleeue whom seeing cannot perswade S. P. S. Sight is the riches which nature graunteth to the poorest creature S. P. S. A wanton eye is the messenger of an vnchast hart Aug. Marcus Varro was surnamed Strabo for his quicke sight that from Libaeum a prouince in Sicilia he could tell the number of the saile of shippes vvhich came out of the Hauen of Carthage Hee that is borne blinde is wiser then the deafe or dumb Arist. Blindnes it selfe commends the excellency of sight Aug. The eyes are the iudges seat of the mind The eye is the most precious part of the body and therefore it is saide I vvill keepe thee as the apple of mine eye The eyes are the windowes of the body or rather of the soule which is lodged in it The sight is the chiefest sence and the first Mistresse that prouoked men forward to
stepdame into the house Quintilian VVe ought to giue good examples to children because if they see no vncomlines they shall be inforced to follow goodnes and vertue Xenophon The Lacedemonians aunswered Antipater that they vvould rather dye then giue him their children which he demaunded for hostages so great account made they of theyr education Amongst the Lideans such children as were not vertuous were disinherited Some haue written that at Rome in auntient time it was ordayned that children for the first fault should be told of it for the second punished for the third hanged and the Father banished Such as leaue great riches to their children without seeing them brought vp honestly are like vnto them that giue much prouender to young horses but neuer breake them at all for so they wax fatte but vnprofitable Socrates Hee which maketh his sonne worthy to be had in estimation hath done much for him although he leaue him but little wealth The Romaines had a good custome to put theyr chyldren to those whom they woulde haue them to imitate Chyldren ought to learne that which they should doe when they are men Agesil Cornelia coūted her children to be the chiefest treasure and riches which she had No punishment can bee thought greatenough for that child which should offer violence to his Parents vvhom if there were occasion offered he should bee ready to defend with losse of his owne life Striue not in wordes with thy Parents although thou tell the truth Solon being asked why he made no lawe for Paracides aunswered that he thought none would be so wicked Caereus in vitium puer est monitoribus asper Magnam vim magnam necessitudinem magnam possidet religionem paternus maternusque sanguis ex co si qua mucula concepta est non modo elui non potest verum eó vsque permanat ad animum vt summus furor atque amentia consequatur eum Of Youth Defi. Youth is the fourth age of man then doe men grow in body in strength and reason in vice and vertue and at that age the nature of a man is knowne and wherevnto hee bendeth his minde which before could not be discerned by reason of the ignorance of his age YOuth that heeretofore delighted to try theyr vertues in hard Armors take nowe theyr whole delight and content in delicate and effeminate amors VVantonnesse libertie youth and riches are alwayes enemies to honestie The deeds that men commit in their youth were neuer yet found so vpright and honest but it was thought more praise-worthy to amend them then declare them Youth going to warres ought to feare nothing but good and euill renowne Eurip. In the old time there were certaine persons chosen out of diuers good Townes which they called Sophronists who had a continuall charge and care to controle moderate and rule the manners of youth It is very requisite that youth bee brought vp in that part of learning which is called humilitie A man followeth all his life long his first addressing in his youth as if a tree blossom not in the spring it will hardly beare fruite in autumne As the Cipres tree the more it is vvatered the more it withereth the oftener it is lopped the sooner it dyeth so vnbridled youth the more it is by graue aduise counsayled or due corrections controled the sooner it falleth to confusion VVhere vice is imbraced in youth there commonly vertue is neglected in age Youth for the most part followeth wanton vvit too vvilfully neuer preuenting perrils while they are past nor dreadeth dangers vntill they be halfe drowned Youth fiereth his fancie vvith the flame of lust and old age fixeth his affections with the heate of loue Young yeeres make their account onely of the glistering shew of beauty but gray haires respect onely the perfect substance of vertue The minde of a young man is momentarie his fancie fading his affections fickle his loue vncertaine his liking as light as the winde his fancie fiered with euery new face and his minde moued with a thousand sundry motions lothing that which of late hee did loue and liking that for which his longing minde doth lust frying at the first and freezing at the last The follies that men cōmit in their youth are causes of repentance in old age Cupid alloweth none in his court but young men that can serue fresh beautifull to delight wise that can talke secrete to keepe silence faithfull to gratifie and valiant to reuenge his mistresse iniuries It is not loue but sorrow not mirth but displeasure not tast but torment not delight but despight not ioy but annoy not recreation but confusion when in a louer there is not both youth and libertie The prime of youth is as the flowers of the Pine tree which are glorious in sight vnsauorie in the smell Youth if it blush not at beautie and carrie antidots of wisedome against flatterie follie will be the next hauen he shall harbor in He that in youth guideth his life by reason shall in age finde the ready foote-path from ruine Theopom There is nothing sweeter then youth nor swifter decreasing while it is increasing Young VVillowes bende easily and greene vvitts are intangled suddainly So tutor youth that the sinnes of age bee not imputed to thee Pythag. Impardonable are theyr offences that for heaping vp of riches forget to bring vp their youth in honest manners Youth well instructed maketh age well disposed Hee is most perfit which adometh youth with vertues Hermes Noble wits corrupted in theyr youth vvith vice are more vngracious then pesants that are borne barbarous The better that a child is by byrth the better ought he in his youth to be instructed The impression of good doctrine stampt in youth no age nor fortune can out-weare Examples are the best lessons for youth VVhen young men will sport and recreate themselues let them beware of ryot and remember modestie The humor of youth is neuer to think that good whose goodnes he seeth not S. P. S. The death of youth is a shypwrack Youth ought to vse pleasure and recreation but as naturall ease and rest The instructions which are giuen to youth ought not to be teadious for beeing pithie and short they will the sooner heare them the better keepe them Young men are no lesse bound to their Tutors for the vertues they teach them then to theyr parents for the lyfe they gaue them It is most requisite that Princes prouide vertuous Tutors to instruct theyr chyldren in theyr youth that they may be after them the better able to gouerne their kingdoms Semper magno ingenio adolescentes refraenandi potius á gloria quam inuitandi sunt amputanda sunt plura illi aetati siquidem efflorescit ingerij laudibus Vicina est lapsibus iuuentus quia variarū aestus cupiditatum feruore calentis aetatis inflammatur Of Musicke Defi. Musicke is an insearchable and excellent Art in which by the true concordance of soundes a
of pleasure and reward wherefore such as suffer in it aduersity shall in another world be recompenced with ioy Hermes He which delighteth in the world must eyther lacke what he desireth or els loose what he hath wonne with great paine He that is enamoured of the worlde is like one that entereth into the Sea for if hee escape perrils men will say he is fortunate but if he perrish they will say hee is vvilfully deceiued He that fixeth his minde wholy vppon the world looseth hys soule but he that desireth the safetie of his soule little or nothing regardeth the world After the olde Chaos vvas brought into forme the Poets faine that the vvorld vvas deuided into foure ages the first vvas the golden age the second vvas the siluer age the thyrd the brazen age and the fourth the yron age all which may bee more largelie read of in the first booke of Ouids Metamorphosis The worlde in the foure ages thereof may bee compared vnto the foure seasons of the yeere the first resembling the spring-tyme the second sommer the third autumne and the fourth winter Perdicas Hee that yeeldeth himselfe to the vvorlde ought to dispose himselfe to 3. things which hee cannot auoyde First to pouerty for hee shall neuer attaine to the riches that hee desireth secondly to suffer great paine trouble thirdly to much businesse without expedition Solon Mundus regitur numine deorum estque quasi communis vrbs et ciuitas omnium Cicero Mundus magnus homo homo paruus mundus esse dicitur Of Beginning Defi. Beginning is the first appearance of any thing and there can be nothing without beginning but onely that Almightie power which first created all things of nothing EVill beginnings haue most commonlie wretched endings In euery thing the greatest beauty is to make the beginning plausible and good It is better in the beginning to preuent thē in the exigent to worke reuenge That thing neuer seemeth false that dooth begin with truth The preface in the beginning makes the whole booke the better to be conceiued Nature is counted the beginning of all things death the end Quintil. To beginne in truth and continue in goodnesse is to gette praise on earth and glorie in heauen The beginning of superstition was the subtiltie of sathan the beginning of true religion the seruice of God There is nothing wisely begunne if the end be not prouidently thought vpon Infants beginne lyse with teares continue it with trauailes and end it with impatience A foolish man beginneth many things and endeth nothing The beginning of thinges is in our owne power but the end thereof resteth at Gods disposing Stobaeus Neuer attempt any wicked beginning in hope of a good ending The most glorious and mightie beginner is GOD who in the beginning created the world of nothing Small faults not hindered in the beginning amount to mighty errors ere they be ended A worke well begun is halfe ended Plato In all workes the beginning is the chiefest and the end most hardest to attaine The beginning the meane and the end is a legacie which euery one enioyeth Sodaine changes haue no beginning Nothing is more auncient then beginning That which is betweene the beginning and the end is short Greg. The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Sirach The beginning of all thinges are small but gather strength in continuaunce The beginning once knovvne vvith more ease the euent is vnderstood Begin nothing before thou first call for the helpe of God for God whose power is in all things gyueth most prosperous furtherance and happy successe vnto all such acts as vvee doe begin in his name Take good aduisement ere thou begin any thing but being once begun be careful speedily to dispatch it He that preuenteth an euill before it begin hath more cause to reioyce then to repent Take good heede at the beginning to what thou grauntest for after one inconuenience another will follow Begin to end and ending so beginne As entrance to good life be end of sinne Principijs obsta seró medicina paratur Cum malaper longas inualuere moras Principij nulla est origo nam ex principio oriuntur omnia ipsum autem nulla ex re alia nasci potest Of Ending Defi. The ende is that whereto all thinges are created by GOD which is the glory of his Name and saluation of his Elect albeit the order which hee obserueth the cause reason and necessitie of them are hid in his secrete counsaile and cannot bee comprehended by the sence of man THE end of thys worlde is a good mans meditation for by thinking thereon hee preuenteth sinne Basil. The end of trouble bringeth ioy the end of a good life euerlasting felicitie VVhat thing soeuer in this world hath a beginning must certainly in thys world haue also an ending The last day hath not the least distresse Felicitie is the end and ayme of our worldlie actions which may in this life be described in shadowes but neuer truly attained but in heauen onely Nothing is doone but it is doone to some end Arist. The end of labour is rest the end of foolish loue repentance The end is not onely the last but the best of euery thing Arist. The end of euery thing is doubtfull Ouid. The end of warre is a iust Iudge Liuius As there is no ende of the ioyes of the blessed so is there no end of the torments of the wicked Greg. The end of this present life ought to haue respect to the beginning of the life to come Bernard The end we hope for is euer lesse then our hopes VVhat was doubtfull in the beginning is made certaine by the end therof Hugo Seeing the euent of things doe not aunswer to our wils we ought to apply our wils to the end of them Arist. The end of a dissolute life is most cōmonly a desperate death Bion. Our life is giuen to vse and to possesse but the end is most vncertaine and doubtfull The end of sorrow is the beginning of ioy At the end of the worke the cunning of the work-man is made manifest Good respect to the ende preserueth both body and soule in safety Before any fact be by man committed the end therof is first in cogitation Many things seeme good in the beginning which prooue bad in the end Exitus acta probat careat successibus opto Quisquis ab euentu facta notanda putat Multi laudantur in principio sed qui ad finem prefeuerat beatus est Of Day or Light Defi. The word Dies which signifieth day is so called quod sit diuini operis it is Gods faire creature and the cheerefull comfort of man who by his word made the light thereof to beautifie it to the worlds end THose children which are borne betweene the foure and twenty houres of midnight and midnight with the Romans are said to be borne in one day Numa Pompilius as hee deuided the yeere into Moneths so hee deuided the
a benefite should not onely remember it but requite the same liberally and fruitfully according to the nature of the earth vvhich rendereth more fruite then it receiueth seede Quintil. Homer as it is written in his life dyd neuer forget to requite a benefite receiued and oftentimes gaue thankes to his good benefactors Mentor Phenius Tychius and Mentas who releeued him in his miseries The Egyptians of all vices most abhorréd ingratitude in which as Tully sayth all wickednesse is contayned Thou canst not cal a man by a worse name then to say he is an vnthankfull person Chilo Plutarch interpreteth Pythagoras Symbole of not receiuing of Swallowes that a man ought to shunne vnthankfull people Xenophon among the prayses which he gaue vnto Agesilaus reputed it a part of iniustice not onely not to acknowledge a good turne but also if more bee not rendered then hath beene receiued VVho soeuer receiueth a benefite selleth his owne libertie as who would say that heâ— made himselfe subiect to render the like The lawes of Athens Persia and Macedonia condemned the vnthankfull person to death It is written of Phillip the French King thaâ— he put one of his souldiours out of pay and proclaimed him a villaine because hee vvas found vnthankful and caused him to be marked in the forehead with the word vnthankfull In the old tyme liberties and franchises for ingratitude were reuoked Est aliqua ingrato meritum exprobrare voluptas Ingratus qui beneficiuÌ„ accepissesse negat quod accepit ingratus qui id dissimulat rursum ingratus qui non reddit at omnium ingratissimus est qui oblitus est Of Pride Defi. Pride is an vnreasonable desire to enioy honours estates and great places it is a vice of excesse and contrary to modestie which is a part of temperance HE that bruseth the Oliue tree with hard yron fretteth out no oyle but water and he that pricketh a proude hart with perswasions draweth out onely hate and enuie It is impossible that to a man of much pride Fortune should be too long friendly It chaunceth oftentimes to proude men that in theyr greatest iolitie and vvhen they thinke theyr honor spunne and wouen then theyr estate with the web of theyr life in one moment is suddainly broken It is natural to proude men to delight them selues and to set theyr whole mindes vppon vaine desires VVhere least desert is there is most pride Men that haue their thoughts hie and theyr fortunes lowe liue alwayes a pensiue life Pryde should of young men be carefully auoyded of old men vtterly disdained and of all men suspected and feared Socrat. Pryde hath two steps the lowest blood the highest enuie Pryde eateth golde and drinketh blood climeth so high by other mens heads that she breaketh her owne neck It is better to liue in lowe content then in high infamie more precious is want with honestie then wealth with discredite Aspyring pryde is like a vapour which ascendeth high and presently vanisheth away in a smoake Plut. A proude hart in a begger is like a great fire in a small cottage vvhich not onely warmeth the house but burneth all that is in it Men that beare great shapes and large shadowes and haue no good nor honest minds are like the portrature of Hercules dravvne vpon the sands The more beautie the more pride and the more pryde the more precisenes Pride is a Serpent which â—lilie insinuateth herselfe into the minds of men Extoll one of base stocke to high degree no man liuing will sooner proue more proud then he An ambitious body will goe farre out of the right way to attaine to the height which his hart desireth S. P. S. Pride is the mother of superstition The proude man seeking to depresse an other man in stedde of superioritie attayneth indignity Pride enuie and impatience are the three capitall enemies of mans constancie Augu. Pride is alwayes accompanied vvith follie audacitie rashnes and impudencie and as Plato sayth with solitarines as if one woulde say that the proude man is abandoned of all the world euer attributing to himselfe that which is not hauiug much more bragging then matter of worth S. Augustine compareth a proude man to a shyppe without a Pylot tossed vp downe vpon the seas by the winds and tempest The sonne of Agesilaus vvrote vnto King Phillip who much gloried in some of his victories that if he measured his shadow hee should find it no greater after the victory theÌ„ it was before Herod glorying in his apparrell and the honour that was done vnto him was suddainlie smitten and shortly after eaten vp vvith wormes King Lewes the eleuenth was vvont to say vvhen pride was on her saddle mischiefe and shame was on the crupper Iulius Caesar was so proude as he would often say that whatsoeuer pleased him should stand for a law Pride dyd first spring from too great abundaunce of wealth Antist Chrisippus to rayse an opinion of knowledge to himselfe would sette forth those bookes in his owne name a fault common in our age which were wholy written by other men Husbandmen thinke better of those eares of corne which bowe downe and waxe crooked then those which grow straight because they suppose to finde more store of graine in them then in the other It is the propertie of proude men to delight themselues in theyr owne foolish inuentions Hermes Hee that knoweth himselfe best esteemeth himselfe least Plato The spring of pride is lying and the fountaine of truth is humilitie The glory of a proude man is soone turned to infamy Salust The proude man thinketh no man can bee humble Chrisost. It is a hard matter for a rich man not to bee proude If a proude rich man may scarcely be endured vvho can away with a poore man that is proude Aug. Apricus King of Egipt was so insolent that he vvould say there was neyther God nor man could dispossâ—sse him of his kingdome but shortly after Amasis put him by it and â—e was strangled of his owne subiects The proude man resembleth the Fisherman in Theocritus who satisfied his hunger with dreames of gold The pride of vnquiet and moouing spyrits neuer content themselues in their vocations Perdicas Pompey could abide no equall and Caesaâ— could suffer no superior Themistocles tolde the Athâ—nians that vnlesse they banished him and Aristides they should neuer be quiet Perdita tunc vrbi nocuerunt secula postquam ambitus est luxus et opum metuenda facultas transuerso mentem dubiam torrente tulerunt In rebus prosperis et ad voluntatem nostram fluentibus super bia magnoperé est fugienda naÌ„ vt aduersas res sic secundas immoderate ferre leuitatis est Of Prodigalitie Defi. Prodigalitie is the excesse of liberalitie which comming to extreamitie prooues most vicious wasting vertues faster then substance and substance faster then any vertue can get them PRodigalitie vvithout care vvasteth that which diligent labour hath purchased Prodigalitie is called the fire of the minde
inter euersae vrbis manubias varia sub specie migrauit ad graecos Of Couetousnes Defi. Couetousnes is a vice of the soule wherby a man desireth to haue from all parts with out reason and vniustly with-holdeth that which rightly belongeth vnto another body it is also a sparing and niggardlinesse in giuing but open-handed to receaue whatsoeuer is brought without conscience or any regard whether it be well or ill attained THe property of a couetous man is to liue like a begger all dayes of his life and to be founde rich in money at the houre of his death Archimed Gaynes gotten vvith an ill name is great losse Couetous men little regard to shorten their lyues so they may augment their riches Treasures hoorded vp by the couetous are most commonly wasted by the prodigall person Gold is called the bait of sinne the snare of soules and the hooke of death which being aptly applyed may be compared to a fire whereof a little is good to warme one but too much will burne him altogether The chariot of Couetousnes is carried vppon foure vvheeles of vices Churlishnesse Faint-courage contempt of God forgetfulnes of death Drawn by two horses called Greedy to catch and Holdfast the Carter that dryueth it is Desire to haue hauing a whip called Loth to forgoe A couetous man is good to no man and worst friend to himselfe The couetous man vvanteth as vvell that which he hath as that which he hath not He that coueteth much wanteth much There is greater sorrowe in loosing riches then pleasure in getting them Publius Couetousnes is the roote of all euill from whence doe proceed as from a fountaine of mishap the ruine of Common-weales the subuersion of estates the wrack of societies the staine of conscience the breach of amity the confusion of the mind iniustice bribery slaughters treasons and a million of other mischeeuous enormities Aurel. All vices haue theyr taste saue onely couetousnes The gaine of golde maketh many a man to loose his soule A couetons man passeth great trauailes in gathering riches more danger in keeping them much law in defending them great torment in departing from them The excuse of the couetous man is that he gathereth for his children Apollonius The couetous minded man in seeking after riches purchaseth carefulnes for him-selfe enuy for his neighbours a pray for theeues perrill for his person damnation for his soule curses for his chyldren and lavve for his heyres A couetous rich man in making hys testament hath more trouble to please all then himselfe tooke pleasure to get and possesse all A couetous mans purse is called the deuils mouth Dionisius comming into a Temple vvhere Images were couered in costly coates of siluer and gold These garments quoth hee are too heauie for sommer and too colde for vvinter and so taking them away with him hee cloathed them in Linsey-wolsie saying these are more light for sommer and cooler for the winter VVee feare all things like mortall men but wee desire all thinges as if wee were immortall Seneca Couetousnes in olde men is most monstrous for what can be more foolish then to prouide more money and victuals vvhen he is at his iourneyes end Couetousnes is a disease vvhich spreadeth through all the vaines is rooted in the bowels and being inueterate can not be remooued Tully To fly from couetousnes is to gaine a kingdome Publius Gold guides the globe of the earth and couetousnes runnes round about the world Most couetous is hee vvhich is carefull to get desirous to keepe and vnwilling to forgoe By liberality mens vices are couered by couetousnes layd open to the world Aug. A couetous mans eye is neuer satisfied nor his desire of gaine at any time suffised The gluttons minde is of his belly the leacher of his lust and the couetous man of his gold Bernard The couetous man is alway poore August Ardua res haec est opibus non tradere mores Et cum tot Croesos viceris esse Numam Vsque adeo solus ferrum mortemque timere Aurinescit amor pereunt discrimine nullo Amissae leges sed pars vilissima rerum Certamen mouistis opes Of Vsurie Defi. Vsurie of the Hebrues is called byting it is an vnlawfull gaine gotte by an vnlawfull meane and that cruelty which doth not onelie gnaw the debter to the bones but also sucketh out all the blood and marrow from them ingendering mony of money contrary to nature and to the intent for which money was first made VSurie is compared to fire vvhich is an actiue and insatiable element for it burneth and consumeth all the wood that is laid vpon it so the Vsurer the more hee hath the more he desireth and lyke hell gates hee is neuer satisfied A vsurer is a filching and corrupt Cittizen that both stealeth from his neighbours and defraudeth himselfe The intent of vsury bewraies the crime Vsury is the nurse of idlenes idlenes the mother of euils Vsurie makes the noble man sell his land the lawyer his Iustinian the Phisition his Gallen the souldier his sword the Merchant his wares and the world his peace Vsury is an auntient mischiefe and cause of much ciuill discord A litle lewdly come by is the losse of a great deale well gotten Vsurie is like a vvhirle-poole that swalloweth what soeuer it catcheth Crateus He that with his gold be gets gold becomes a slaue to his gold Inordinate desire of vvealth is the spring of vsurie and vsurie subuerteth credite good name and all other vertues Couetousnes seeketh out vsurie and vsurie nourisheth couetousnes An vsurer can learne no truth because hee loatheth the truth Vsurie taketh away the tytle of gentry because it delighteth in ignobility Vsury oftentimes deceiues the belly altogether liues carelesse of the soules safety As the greedy Rauens seeke after carren for their food so doth the couetous vsurer hunt after coyne to fill his coffers Philo. Plutarch sayth that no kinde of people in the world are so notorious lyuers nor vse so much to falsifie theyr fayth in all practises as vsurers Appian in his first booke of ciuill wars writeth that by an auncient Law at Rome vsurie was forbidden vpon very great paine As he which is stung vvith an Aspe dyeth sleeping so sweetly doth hee consume himselfe which hath borrowed vpon vsury A vsurer is more dangerous then a theefe Cato Vsury is most hated of those whom she doth most pleasure Vsury maketh those that were free-borne bondslaues Publius Vsury is the manifest signe of extreame impudencie Chrysost. To be a vsurer is to be a manslayer Cato Vsurers were not suffered to enter the temple of sparing and well ordered expence Asellius was slayne for making a law against vsurers Appian By vsury money is brought forth before it be gotten Vsurie is the daughter of auarice and ambition turpia lucra faenoris et velox inopes vsura trucidat Nō sunt facienda mala vtinde eueniant bona Of Deceit Defi. Deceit or
Empedocles because he could not learne the cause of the burning Aetna leapt into it Aristotle for that hee could not giue the reason for Euripus flowing drovvned himselfe As he which without licence breaketh a prison procureth his owne death so in the world to come shall hee be perpetually punished which contraâ—y to the will of God will set the soule at liberty Plato Vincitur haud gratis iugulo qui prouocat hostem Qui nil potest sperare desperet nihil Of Deuils Defi. Deuils are our temptours to sinne blasphemie and all other euills they that standing in feare of God take pleasure in that which displeaseth him THe deuill labours to deceaue men and greatly enuies that any should be saued The deuill was the first author of lying the first beginner of all subtile deceites and the cheefe delighter in all sinne and wickednes Philo. Diuers spirits were wont to deceaue people eyther by misleading them in theyr iourneyes or murdering them in theyr sleepes Psellus The more the deuills increase in theyr boldnes the more increaseth theyr punishment The deuils not able to oppresse GOD in himselfe assault him in his members Aug. The deuill intangleth youth with beautie the Vsurer with golde the ambitious vvith smooth lookes the learned by false doctrine The deuills oft-times spake truth in Oracles to the intent they might shadowe theyr falseshoods the more cunningly Lactan. The deuill vvith false miracles beguileth the world The deuills as being immortall spirits and exercised in much knowledge seeme to worke many thinges which in truth are no miracles but meere works of nature All the great power of deuills proceedeth from the iust indignation of God vvho by such whyps chastiseth the wicked and exerciseth the good The deuils haue diuers effects the one troubleth the spirit the other molesteth the body some insinuate steale into our harts where depraued desires are ingendered or els into our vnderstanding to hinder the vse and office of reason The power of God and not the deuill is to be feared Greg. The inuisible enemy is ouer-come by faith The deuils haue will to hurt but they want power Augustine The deuill is ouer-come by humilitie The deuill is strong against those that entertaine him but weake against those that resist him Aug. From euill spirits proceedeth Art-magick whereby the slauish practisers of that damnable Art by many false miracles deceiue the simple and confound themselues God many times suffereth the deuill to tempt the godly that by temptation theyr fayth might be tryed He that giueth his word to the deuill breaketh his bond with God Luther The deuill temptation and sinne vvere the occasions of mans fall He that makes a God of the world and vanitie is a deuill in the fight of heauen wisedome The harts of the rebrobate containe as many deuils as vnchast thoughts Greg. The deuill is to some a Lyon to some an Ant. Gregory The deuill ceaseth to tempt them whom he hath already wonne The worlde the flesh and the deuill are three powerfull enemies to prouoke men to wickednesse The deuill is the Father of lies the chiefe author of all deceit The deuil tempteth the righteous one way and the wicked another way Greg. The deuill presents before vs many vaine delights to the intent hee might the better keepe our minds from godly meditation VVhat sinne soeuer hath beene by man at any time committed was first by the deuill inuented The deuill first accuseth vs of our euill words next of our euill works lastly of our euill thoughts Greg. Vt cum princeps vult hospitari in aliquo domo praemittit nuncium et vbi ille recipitur ibi descendit Dominus sic diabolus praemittit malas cogitationes vt ei preparent hospitium vt vbi recipiuntur illuc declinat Christus Leo dicitur propter fortitudinem Agnus propter innocentiam Leo quod inuictus Agnus quia mansuâ—tus Ipse Agnus occisus vicit Leonem qui circuit quaerens quem deuoret diabolus leo dictus feritate non virtute Of Hell Defi. Hell is in all things contrary to heauen it is a place of torment misery and desolation where the wicked shall endure the endlesse iudgement of paine for their offences ZEno the stoick taught that the places of the reprobate were seperate from the righteous the one beeing pleasant delectable the other darksome and damnable Hell is the hold of horror distresse and misery the Cell of torment griefe and vexation The losse of heauen is to the damned more grieuous then the torments of hell Chriso Hell is the land of darknes Greg. In hell all torments are not alike Aug. VVoe be to him that by experience knoweth there is a hell Chrisost. Hell is in the center of the earth remote from all comforts replenished with endlesse horror where desolation raigneth no redemption may be expected Hel is the place of punishment which God hath reserued for the reprobates In hell is no order but a heape and Chaos of confusion The wretches in hell haue an end without end a death without death a defect without defect for theyr death liueth continuallie the end beginneth alwayes the defect can neuer faile Eternall death is the reward of sinne the plague of sinne hell and damnation Hell is euery where where heauen is not The torture of a bad conscience is the hell of a lyuing soule Caluine Good men haue theyr hell in thys worlde that they may knowe there is a heauen after death to reward the vertuous and vvicked men escape torments in this worlde because they shal finde there is a iudgement to come wherein the wicked shall haue punishment according to the number of theyr offences Lactan. They that beleeue in Christ haue alreadie ouer-come sinne and hell To them that are enamored of the worlde the remembrance of hell is bitter The image of our sinnes represent vnto vs the picture of hell Hell like death is most incertaine a place of punishment most assured Hell that is knowne no where is euerie where and though now neuer so priuate yet in the end it will be most publique Hell is compared to the Laborinth vvhich Dedalus made whose entrance is easie but beeing once in it is not possible to rerurne If thy minde bee not mooued with the fire of heauen take heede least thy soule feele the flames of hell Infernus lacâ—s est sine mensura profunditas sine fundo plenus ardoris incomparabilis plenus faetoris intolerabilis ibi miseriae ibi tenebrae ibi horror aeternus ibi nulla spes boni nulla desperatio mali Noctes atque dies patet atri ianua Ditis FINIS A Table of all the principall matters contayned in the former Treatise A. A Boundance 2. vide riches Absence 124 62 Abstinence vide Temperance Acts 125 94 Actions 4 6 42 91 103 113 182 228. Action 48 92. Accusation 153 Admonition 17 41. 64. Admiration 52 48 168 Aduise vide Counsell Aduersity 6 114 vide