flash of Wit but not a solid Understanding and a Young Man may be a Hopefull Man but not a knowing wise Man a Young Man may be a Virtuous Man but not a Valiant Man for it will take up some time to know what true Valour is and as Time adds to the stature and strength of Bodies so it gives stature and strength of Knowledge sound clearness of Understanding which without it cannot be Youths virtue YOuth is bashfull pitifull charitable pious quick and nimble merry and lively cleanly and neat liberal loving and kind But Vanities which are the Attendants and Followers of Youth in Age either come to be Vices or else are turned away like idle Companions as they are The Follyes of Youth YOuth is sudden rash desperate in their actions as to venture without all reason or likelyhood lavish and prodigal for their Money is too heavy for their Mind till it be spent and their Lands trouble their way till they be sold they are deboyst with Women Gaming and Wine they are vain and fantastical in their Fashions Garbs and Clothes they are various and unconstant for they will love one day to madness and the next day hate to abhorridness they are impatient of delayes for if they may not have what they would they will hardly take it when they may and they are so conceited and self-loved as they believe all love them and admire them when few care or think of them then they are so credulous and believe all for truth and so open and free that they cannot keep counsel So Youth loves all things that are not his but cares for nothing that is his own What becomes or not becomes Age. THere is nothing so ungratefull as to see Age to act the part of Youth as Dancing Singing playing on Musick and the like or to wear gay Ribbons Feathers or Clothes or to see him Amorous and Wanton in Love or to use any light Gestures or Discourses which in Youth are graces to adorn them but in Age they are acts to deform them But there is none so Aged that Arms become not so long as he can bear them or wear his Sword for they are the Accostments of his Courage and Valour the which he should never forsake for a Valiant Man lives in Active Courage and dyes in Passive when he can Act no more Of Fools THE Amorous Fool is one that sighs out Love-verses sings Songs and cryes at his Mistrifles Feet complains of Cupid's Cruelty but whosoever entertains his love he despiseth and whosoever despiseth him he dyes for and yet lives The Self-conceited Fool is one that scorns to take counsel and doth not onely think his Fancyes the fullest wit and his Judgement the wisest and his Actions the regularest but that his House his Horse his Dog any thing is best not for the Conveniencies of his House or for the beautifull Architectures or for the situation or that his Horse is the strongest or soundest or best natur'd or choyccst colour'd or perfectest shaped or fullest of spirit or swiftest of race or surest of foot or that his Dog is the best Hound to hunt withall or the best Spaniel to couch withall or the best Grey hound to run withall or the best Mastiff to fight withall So that it is not for the worth or benefit which he receives from any thing that makes him love or csteem of it But he thinks whatsoever is good pleasant or profitable is created so by being his The Humorsome Fool is one that doth nothing for Reason but out of Will The Passionate Fool will be Cholerick Jealous Malicious Envious Sullen Merry and Loves and Hates and knows not why The Fearfull Fool shuns his own shadow and is Poetical in his vain Fears in creating Fancies of Terror wherein he makes Life a Torment having alwaies the pains of Death upon him The Impatient Fool is all for the present for he thinks his Throat cut untill he be satisfied in his desires a day to him is as a thousand years nor he scarce thinks of Heaven because he enjoys it not The Luxurious Fool thinks of nothing but to please his Senses he knows no Compassion he neither regards Health Honour nor Profit Ease and Idleness are his dear Companions and his Natural Affection is Voluptuousness The Slavish Fool will do any act through Fear The Learned Fool admires and is in love with all other Languages besides his own for if he were bred with the Greek or Hebrew which are counted the most significant he would prefer Low Dutch which hath the least Compass before it He is one that is Proud in being acquainted with several Authors although his Acquaintance oppresseth his Memory smothers his Judgement by the multitude of Opinions kils his Health by his study destroys his Natural Wit by the transplantings and ingraftings of what he reads Then he is so bound up to Rules as he gives himself no reasonable Liberty The Talkative Fool loves not to hear any body speak but himself neither will he let them for he speaks so fast as he permits not nor gives room for any other to take place insomuch as what with his loud fast and tedious discourse he will make his Hearers deaf The Superstitious Fool is an Observer of Times Postures Figures Noyses Accidents and Dreams and many such like As for Times they will not begin a Journey or marry or buy Land or build or begin any work but on such Days as appear to be lucky For Dreams if they dream their Teeth fall out of their head or of Flowers or Gardens or of any thing green or the like or to see their Faces in a Glass or to fall from a Precipice or being at Weddings they think it Fatal For Noyses the howling of Dogs the croaking of Ravens the singing of Crickets the skreeching of Owls For Accidents the bleeding three drops at the Nose Iron molds the Right Eye itching Salt falling to them For Postures or Figures as a Hare to run cross them or to stumble at the Door Insomuch as they never enjoy any present Recreation for fear of an evil Accident The Venturous Fool thinks all desperate Actions honourable Valour as to go into the Field for Battel unarmed or to wear something as a mark for the Enemy to shoot at or to give the Enemy any advantage Where the Honour of the Valiant is to beat and not to be beaten For he is a Fool that will give his Enemy ground And others think it a Valour to leap over Hedges and Ditches and Gates to jump over dangerous places to swim or make their Horses swim over large great and deep Rivers or to try Experiments upon themselves and all to no purpose but to shew what they dare do Whereas true Valour will do none of these Actions unless it be upon strong necessities as to avoyd and hinder a great danger but Fools have neither Foresight to prevent nor Judgement to choose nor Patience to suffer
so much that in the latter daies of their Government though it was called a Republick yet every Man was striving to be Chief and setting up for themselves And say they why may not Caesar think himself as fit to be Emperor as any of his Fellow-Citizens seeing the Government would change And that it was as great an Injustice when he cannot do another good to do himself wrong as to do another wrong and do himself no good or to do himself and another wrong for how often was it aimed at by Sylla Cataline and many more though not ripe untill Caesar's time so that Caesar had not onely Necessity and Opportunity but Justice to perswade him on his side for any Government is better than none for they were come almost to that pass that there was no Unity for every Man was against one another but onely sided when they saw a particular Rise But the general Faction fell into two hands the one for a Republick the other for a Monarch wherein the Monarchical Faction prevailed wherein Caesar was Chief and it may be a question whether the other Faction did not take the Republick onely for Name but had a Monarchical Design But say they Envy that is the Enemy to all Good Success would have disclaimed against the other side if they had had the same Fortune for Envy dyes not when Action ceaseth but lives as long as Honourable Fame survives and that Good Fortune made Caesar seem Ambitious and Pompey more humble by his Ill for though Good Fortune hath many Friends and more Followers yet it is to the present Condition But to conclude that Caesar was Valiant Witty Industrious Sweet-natured and Bountifull Gratefull Constant to his Friends and Mercifull to his Enemies shew by his Acts and for his Valour he fought many Battels upon great Ods and Disadvantages and hazarded his Life other waies many several times Others dispraise Caesar and say he was a Traitor an Usurper and naturally Cruel but what he did artificially with Prodigality to compass his Ends and that he was a Coward and bought more Victories by his vast distributions of Provinces and other Gifts than were truly got by his Courage or Conduct But the Factions of Caesar and Pompey dyed not when their Wars ceased but have lived ever since amongst the Historians for they cannot praise one so well unless they dispraise the other for to praise or dispraise them both would have made their Theme so short they should have little to write on for Disputes both lengthen and heighten But there are most commonly more faults found by Historians than Applauses but Writing hath as great a defect as Government in Commonwealths and Armies though of less Consequence But they say Men of Action have two sides a good side and a bad side and some take the good side of Caesar and the bad of Pompey others the good side of Pompey and the bad of Caesar but the bad side lyes more open and broader than the good which makes it so often beaten upon by Envy for Envy discovers the one and veils the other Of Mark Anthony MArk Anthony made Caesar's Body the Ladder to reach to his Ambition for he knew if he did side with the party of the Caesars he should be one of the Chief and have a Party to govern and command but if he sided with Brutus he must still submit to obey either to the Common People if Brutus and Casstus meant really to deliver up their power to the Commons when they had once got it or if they did intend to keep it he must submit to them And though Anthony loved Caesar very well yet I rather believe he raised the Faction more to raise himself than to revenge the death of Caesar for few remember the Benefits of the Dead and they know the Dead cannot give them thanks for any service they can do them Of Cleopatra AS for Cleopatra I wonder she should be so Infamous for a Whore since she was Constant to those Men she had taken for she had no other but Caesar whilst he lived and for Anthony she dyed soon after him and can there be a greater Constancy We must not judge Strangers according to our Laws but according to the Laws of the Nations where they were Natives for she had taken them as Husbands if the Men had more Wives than they should have or put away good Wives for her sake that was their Inconstancy and we must not make their Faults her Crimes and they call her a Dissembling Woman because she did strive to win her Husbands Affections shall we say those dissemble that strive to please those they love if they say true Love can dissemble they may as well say Truth is no Truth and Love is no Love but the Lover delivers his whole Soul to the Beloved Some say she was Proud and Ambitious because she loved those had most Power She was a Great Person her self and born to have Power therefore it was natural to her to love Power Besides she might have got a worse Reputation in being thought a base and unworthy spirited Woman if she had loved any below her Worth Some again say she loved out of Craft to keep her Kingdome I say there is an honest Policy and it is out of Envy when they lay a reproach on it for whosoever is to choose it is lawfull to make the best choyce when it is in an honest way Of Lucretia THE onely true and honest Wife was Lucretia for she killed her self to save her Husbands Honour although it was her Husbands fault that caused her Ravishment for it was not her admittance to entice Men but her Husbands foolish and rash admittance to bring Men to be tempted for it was her Husbands Praises that kindled and her Beauty that inflamed the Ravisher But that Man is worthy to be Horned that is not contented to enjoy the Virtues of his Wife to himself Of Caesar. HAlf Caesar's Deeds dyed when he dyed for though his Fortunes were to shew himself a Valiant Man a Good Souldier and a Carefull Commander yet he lived not to shew Justice in the Publick as what Laws he would make or what Government he would form so that Caesar onely lived to shew his Conduct in Wars but not his Magistracy in Peace Of Brutus BRutus was thought a greater Friend to the Commonwealth than to Caesar but I think him a Friend to neither for the Envy to the present Government or Governor begot his desire of Change for Brutus was wise enough to know an Indifferency in Commonwealths is safer than a sudden Alteration Indeed had the Commonwealth been at the worst then a Change must needs have been for the better but it was not so for there were more that seemed for it than against it but we must judge in those Causes by the Ourward Actions to approve of Caesar's Government by adhering to that Patty for if they had liked better of their Old
which makes it Subtil and Active and sometimes Raging Violent and Mad and as it is the First that seiseth on us so it is the Last that parts from us and though Reason should be the Judge of the Mind yet Self-Love is the Tyrant which makes the State of the Mind unhappy for it is so partially Covetous that it desires more than all and is contented with nothing which makes it many times grow Furious even to the ruin of its own Monarchy Of Love LOVE is accounted of all the Passions the pleasantest and delightfullest and yet there is no Passion Tyranniseth so much as Love for it is not a return of the like though it come in an Equal Measure that can temper it nor Hate that can kill it nor Absence that can weaken it nor Threats that can affright it nor Power that can beat it off for it delivers up it self and it will abide with what it loves Neither is it like other Passions for Anger although violent is short Hate ceaseth with the Cause Ambition dies when Hopes are gone Fear is helped by Security Absence or Reproach of others cures Envy but nothing lessens or takes away from pure Love for the Pain increaseth with the Affection and the Affection with Time for the elder it groweth the stronger it becomes I mean not Foolish and Fond Love for Inconstancy is the Physician to that But firm and pure Love it is opprest with all other Passions for other Passions are but one against one but Love is Fired with Ambition Rubbed with Anger Torn with Fear Crampt with Envy Wounded with Jealousy so that it Mourns more than it Joyes This Passion makes Labour a a Recreation Pain Easy and Death pleasant when it brings any benefit to the Beloved And though Self-Love be the Ground from whence the love of other things springs yet it lives in the thing beloved and dies for the thing beloved to please it self much Love contracts the Mind and makes all things little and narrow but what it loves those that love are dead to themselves and live in those are their Beloved for the Desires of the Beloved are the Desires of the Lover let them be good or bad for though all Love is from Self-Love yet at last it Unthrones and dispossesseth it self and placeth the Beloved in its Rome We cannot alwaies love our selves WE cannot have the purity of Love to our selves unless we were perfect for where there are vain Opinions and false Imaginations unsound Understandings and various Passions which make us unconstant to our selves for though we do not absolutely hate our selves yet we grow weary of our selves and dislike our selves for many things so many times we seek to destroy our selves by taking our Lives away as those that murther themselves yet the neerest perfection of Love is Self-love because it is the Original of all other Passionss There is no perfect Love or Hate in Humanity THE reason why there can be no perfect Love or Hate in this World is because all things are subject to change and alter for at whatsoever is in the World we may take such an Exception that we may come to hate that which we seemed passionatly to love and to love that which we seem violently to hate for perfect Love or Hate must come from chosen Opinions of Good or Bad either to love Good or hate Evill as it is natural if there be any evil in Nature or in relation to our selves as we conceive to do us Good or Hurt for we cannot truly love or hate untill we can distinguish between Good or Evil but to speak truly we cannot love or hate untill we perfectly know the Nature and Essence of what we love or hate which is impossible for who knows the Essence of any one thing in the World and what is more unknown than the Nature of Man either by themselves or others which is alwaies subject to Alterations And since nothing can be known we cannot truly love or hate for Knowledge is required to the establishment of either but the Inconstancy of Man is such as he esteems and despises one thing in a Moment Of Envy ENvy they say is out of Self-love which cannot endure the Light of Good Fortune to shine upon any House but its own yet it seems strange that Self-love should become its own Hell for who can say in reason a Man in love to his Body racks it so as it never comes to its strength again so doth an Envious Man to his Mind But Envious Men are like them that had rather please their Palats than abstain for Health so they had rather see the Ruine of those they Envy than to have Prosperity themselves Of Natural Fears AS the Sword gets Power so Fear maintains Power for Fear makes Laws and Laws are Rules to keep Peace Fear subjects the Minds of Men and makes them submiss and makes them to do Right to one another for fear others should do Wrong to them Fear makes Carefulness and is a Watch-Tower for a Mans Safety Fear makes Order Order makes Strength and Strength maintains Power for a Body out of Order is weak and is subject to be overcom I mean not a Cowardly and Servile Fear to quit his Right but a Noble Fear to keep his Own for as Base Fear makes Knaves so Noble Fear makes Honest Men as not to dare to do a Wrong for as Base Fear is the ground of Cowardliness so Noble Fear is the ground of Valour for a Valiant Man is so afraid to lose his Honour as he will adventure his Life a Coward is so afraid to lose his Life as he will adventure his Honour Base Fear distracts Noble Far unites Fear makes Devotion and Devotion breeds Love so it is the Parent and Child to Love as to breed it and obey it And Security weakens Power for Security makes Carelesness and Carelesness makes Disorder and Disorder makes Confusion Besides what States nay what private Families are without private Spies to find out what weakens and no sooner found but discovered to our Enemies and an Enemy will lose no known Advantage Besides Opportunity makes Enemies when Care not onely keeps out Enemies but makes Friends for Fear makes a Wise Conduct when Security brings a Disorderly Fear Of Revenge for Ill Words IT is the greatest Dishonour for a Man to be called a Coward for a Woman to be called a Whore and nothing will satisfie a Man that is called a Coward but the Life of him that doth it so Tender is he of his Honour and so Revengefull doth the Loss make him But a Woman can give no Honourable Revenge if she be disgraced with Words she must onely mourn over her Loss of Honour she may weep Funeral-tears over it or curse or sigh for it but when it is once Dead it hath no Resurrection Of the Passions of Love and Hate and of good and bad Dispositions THere are but two Parent-Passions as Love and Hate from whence
other Worldly Pleasures The difference between Courage and Valour THere is a great difference between Courage and Valour for though Valour is alwaies Couragious yet Courage is not alwaies Valiant for true Valour is built upon Consideration and walled about with Honesty and kept in by Fear for true Valour dares not do a Wrong where Courage onely follows Appetite and never considers whether it be Right or Wrong Thus Wilfullness and Covetousness are the Spur to Courage and Justice to Valour Courage inhabits Beasts Valour onely Men. Of True Valour ALL those that fight are not Valiant but all that are Valiant will fight at fit times for Valour is a True Understanding for what to fight for A Valiant Man will not fight with a Mad Man a Drunken Man or a Coward but to defend himself nor with those that are Weak and Infirm as with Women Sick Folks and Children for a Valiant Man fights onely in a Just Cause not unto an Ill End and though a Valiant Man will not take any Unworthy or Base Advantage on his Enemy yet he will take all Honest Advantages and Opportunities But every one as I said that will fight is not Valiant for some fight through Fear as when they cannot avoyd the Danger of an Enemy or when they are forced by Command of Authority to fight or else they are sure to be punished with a certain Death some for Shame some for Example some for Revenge some for Covetousness some out of Despair some for one thing some for another but True Valour fights for no other End but Honour Of Fortitude FOrtitude of the Mind we call Valour when it is put into Action and in Suffering we call it Patience This Fortitude is led by two Prudence and Justice it is alwaies accompanied with Noble and Heroick Thoughts but it is often mistaken and in her room takes Desperateness or Fury which is alwaies led with Rashness and Indiscretion and is accompanied with Revengefull Malicious and Base Actions But Valour the Hand of Fortitude never strikes but in a Noble Quarrel for they are not alwaies Valiant that dare fight but those that fight for Truth and Rights sake and to defend Innocence from devouring Wrong but Desperateness followeth its Appetite and the Hands of Rashness strike at all But there is no Motion of the Mind that hath more consideration than Fortitude nor freer from Extravagancies of Anger or Hate nor loveth Life better nor more desirous to be from Scars or shuns Danger more than True Valour for true Fortitude cares not to be known so much to others as to be satisfied in it self with Noble Thoughts and Worthy Actions either to Act Gallantly or to Suffer Patiently Neither is True Valour exempted from Fear for it is afraid of all Dishonour and though a Valiant Man is not afraid to lose his Life yet he freely offers it to defend his Honour his Friends Country and Religion Thus Valour is not free from Fear but placeth it upon fit Subjects or Objects Of Exceptions THere are some Humours of the Mind although they are not Vices yet they are Veils to Virtue whereof Exception is one for there are few Actions that are more difficult than to keep off Exceptions and there is no Humout in Man more apt than to take Exceptions for Suspicion will fly upon every thing and sometimes upon nothing but by Opinions and Interpretations Besides there is no Man so exact but a Stander by may find some Faults at one time or other either at his Words Actions or Behaviour especially if Censorious And there is no surer way to judge of a Fool from a Wise Man than by Exceptions for a Wise Man takes few Exceptions but makes the best of all things but a Fool turns all things to the worst sense and thinks that all things he meets have a design to affront him which makes all his Thoughts full of Murmure and Discontent and there is an Old Saying A Word is enough to the Wise so one may say A Word is enough to a Fool as to trouble all the Company he keeps or comes into but the World is onely scattered with Wise Men and filled with Fools which makes the Wise cautious for though they will not Flatter yet for quietness sake they are forced to dandle and dance the Humours of Fools upon the Tongue of Fair Words What Natures bar Friendship and what make it THere are few Men can be true Friends A Cautious Man a Politician a Casuist a Jealous and an Amorous Man a Cholerick and Exceptious a Facile a False and Envious a Revengefull nor a Coward or Fearfull Man for all their Humours turn the Byas of Friendship another way Wherefore a Friend must be Wise Honest Valiant Generous Constant Sweet and Patient Man But these Virtues seldome meet in one Person which makes so many Professions and so few Performances in Friendships yet most think they could be Perfect Friends although nothing harder to perform for true Friendships are neither confirmed nor known but in Extremities and those Extremities are seldome put in use which makes Friendships like Bonds that are unsealed Neither can a Man so truly know himself much less another as to be assured of having a true and a constant Friend but by being one himself for a Man may be a Friend in one Extremity and an Enemy in the next nay a Man may be a Friend a thousand years and in as many Extremities if it were possible and yet one minute may alter him so Various and Inconstant are the Passions and Affections of Men and so little do they know themselves as not onely to be willing to dye but to have the Courage to endure all the Torments that Life can bear and yet at some other times of their Lives are so fearfull as they will part from that which is most dear but for hopes of Life or ease from Pain besides other several Accidents of less Consequence than Life that may cross Friendship which makes an Impossibility of Friendship in this World unless a Man had an absolute power over himself or that he had an unalterable Nature which is onely in the Society of Angels and not in the Friendships of Men. But those that may be accounted Friends amongst Mankind are those that do timely Curtesies and to choose Friends otherwise is out of a foolish and affected Humour for one cannot say I will choose me a Friend for Conversation onely but that is no Friendship that is but a Companion so an Acquaintance and a Companion and a Friend are several for I may have an Acquaintance with one and yet not my Companion and my Companion and not my Friend but a Friend makes the Triangle Of Friendship IT is said that True Friendship of Men is an Union of Spirits so as it is our Minds that make Friendship our Senses do not although they are the Dores that let in that Knowledge which causeth that Friendship but our Senses have not
With wholsom Herbs of Judgment for the Tast Healthfull and Nourishing This Dish will last To Feast your Nephews all if you can fit The Marriage Act to get your Children Wit For stronger Stomachs Ven'son if that fail And you grow Queasy then the Lady Quail Or the plump Partridge tast the Phesant do Thus feast your Souls the Bodies look you too An Olio of Confections not refrain For here 's a Sumptuous Banquet for your Brain And this Imaginary Feast pray try Censure your worst so you the Book will buy What the desire of Fame proceedes from THE desire of Fame proceedes from a doubt of an after being And Fame is a report that travells far and many times lives long and the older it groweth the more it florishes and is the more particularly a mans own then the Child of his loines for Fame is a child of his merit which hath no compartner in it and many times the child of his loines deceives the parent and instead of keeping his fathers fame brings him an infamy as being a coward a traitor a lier a fool or the like which the world will judge being apt to cast aspersions that they were qualities which he had by inheritance from his father but actions that his merits beget will never deceive him when it is rightly and honorably gotten but there be bastard fames as well as bastard Issues which men of honour will never own But all those that are born are not so fruitfull as to have issues of their brain or so fortunate as to overcome their enemies or so rich to build Towers and Castles or monuments of fame or so happy to have such advantages to shew their own worth and abilities And those that cannot leave a child of fame must content themselves to live a life of quiet for fame is seldome gotten with ease but with paines and labour danger and trouble and oftentimes with life it self The Reward of Fame IT is a Justice to a mans self and no vain ostentation or braging to write or speak truly of his own good service to his king and country since none knowes it better then they that the world may know them so as to be remembred with love and honour For though fame is not alwaies a true Recorder yet it is a loud reporter which is a more certain reward to his merits then from Kings and States For Kings and States most comonly receive the service and forget ths reward and many times gives them disgrace instead of honour and death for life Where fame is so prodigall to those she entertaines as she will Cozen the rest of the world to contribute to her particulars But time the reviver of all removes this sound farther off and many times extinguisheth it quite yet Fame the older she is although she be lame and goeth upon Crouches the more lovers and admirers she gains neither is envy so sharp toothed as to hurt her and many are proud not onely to be acquainted with her but in being able to mention her so honourable is ancient Fame Of Fame and Infamy SOme love the life of their memory so well as they would rather chuse to be remembred by the World as a fool rather then to be forgotten as a beast Which is rather to live in Infamie then to die in obscurity For Infamie is a loud reproach where Fame is a loud Applause yet neither of them are got by ordinary means but by extreams either by Nature Fortune or Fate As to make them ring aloud for the sound to be heard through many Nations and to live in many Ages But infamie hath this advantage if it be one that it lives longer and strikes harder upon the ears of the World then Fame doth Fame makes a difference between man and Beast NExt the being born to the glory of God Man is born to produce a Fame by some particular acts to prove himself a man unlesse we shall say there is no difference in Nature between man and beast For beasts when they are dead the rest of the beasts retain not their memory from one posterity to another as we can perceive and we study the natures of Beasts and their way so subtilly as surely we should discover some-what but the difference betwixt man and beast to speak naturally and onely according to her works without any Divine influence is that dead men live in living men where beasts die without Record of beasts So that those men that die in oblivion are beasts by nature for the rational Soul in man is a work of nature as well as the body and therefore ought to be taught by nature to be as industrious to get a Fame to live to after Ages as the body to get food for present life for as natures principles are created to produced some effects so the Soul to produce Fame What makes Fame speak loudest THose Fames that is gotten in the Wars sound louder then those that are gotten in Peace by reason War is a disturber and causeth a violent motion like a tempest at Sea sea or a storm at land it raiseth up discord fear and furie it swallows up industry it pulls up the root of plenty it murthers natural affection and makes such a noise where it is as all the world besides is inquiring and listening after it for fear of being surprised so as the world follows the noise as much as the noise follows them The Fame of valour and wisdom IT is a better and more certain Reputation to have the Fame of being a wise man then a man of courage because every man that is wise hath courage for he that is a coward cannot be wise because fear puts him out of the right way but there be many men that have courage which be not wise for courage is only a resolution of the minde either to Act or suffer and to destroy or be destroyed so that courage doth not direct and guide as wisdom doth but dares and executes besides wisdom is more to be admired because it is rarer as scarce one wise man is found in an Age but men of Courage whole Armies full in every Age neither is wisdoms Fame subject to fortune as courage is for Wisdom makes fortune her servant and uses all times and accidents to her advantage and the worse her fortune is the greater she appears when the Fame of courage is a slave to fortune and onely flourishes in her smiles but is buried in her frowns It is true Courage is a vertue that defends and protects its Countrey and keeps an enemy in awe yet it is a vertue that is onely exercised in destructior in the patient suffering of his own or the acting to anothers Where wisdom is alwayes exercised in uniting and composing searching and leading into the wayes of peace when courage chuseth and searches for the wayes of danger and courts her as his loveliest and beautifullest Mistris and is many times so couragious as he forceth
that they never cultivate or manure the lands for increase but eat of the plenty pretending beggery bur ingrosse all the wealth and for the women there are as many kept barren as would populate whole nations But they in their own defence say that they cast off all pleasures of the world lie cold and hard eat sparingly watch and pray and not onely to pray for themselves or for the dead but for those that are incumbred in worldly cares besides say they it is profitable to the Common-wealth for men that have small estates and many children not being able to maintain them according to their qualities and degrees may run into many errours for want of means which may disturb not only families but whole states where a monastical life a small portion and a little will serve the turn onely to keep soul and body together in which their lives are peaceable and full of devotion but the Laytie answers that the third part of the wealth of Christendom goeth to the maintenance of the Church onely in consideration of younger children that will be content and some are sorced in yet after that rate there will be little for the eldest which remaine without nor will be if they go on to lay such burthens upon mens consciences and such sums upon those burthens to buy them out neither is there any sort of men more busie in disturbing the Common-wealth for those that have not active imployment either in the ordinary affaires of the world or extraordinary affaires in the Common wealth their thoughts corrupt being not exercised in action they grow factious which causeth distractions for there is more war amongst the Christians about their opinion then upon any cause else This saith the one side but their enemies say that they are not only the covetous but the greatest cheaters in the world and all under the name for Gods sake for say they they bring in ceremony for gaines in that they set al the mercies of God to sale for what sins cannot be bought for money as adulterery incest murther blasphemy and sins past and present as for whores they permit them to live loosly without punishment and allot therein streets and houses to increase their sins in which they do authorise sin for a sum for they pay tribute to the Church and not onely sins past and present but to come as witnesse the yeares of Jubile besides the head take upon them the power of damnation and salvation as witnesse the excommunications and absolutions and if not out and in of hell yet out and in ofPurgatory which Purgatory is a great revenue to them yet they have a countenance for their covetousnesse which is that the offendant must have a true contrition or their sum of money will do them no good no more then will a true contrition without the sum but surely Monastical lives are very profitable to the Common-wealth whatsoever it bee for the soul for it keepes peace and makes plenty and begets a habit of sobriety which gives a good example and many times drawes their own mindes though naturally otherwise disposed to follow the outward carriage for the custome of the one may alter the nature of the other and in that they keep peace is because they live single lives not for the quarrels of marriage but in not oppressing the kingdome in over-populating it for those kingdoms that are very full of people growes mutinous and runs into civil wars where many states are sorced to war upon their neighbors for no other end but to discharge the stomack of the Common-wealth for fear it should breed incurable diseases Besides a Common-wealth may be over-stockt like grounds which causeth great dearth and plagues in a Common-wealth so that those states which have more traffick then men are rich where those that have more men then trade are poor and Civil war proceeds not so much out of plenty as out of proud poverty the next cause for plenty they are of a spare diet and most of what they eat or should eat by their order is Fish Roots and the like but if they do get a good bit one may say much good may it do them for they get it by stealth and eat it in fear at least not openly to avoid scandal but if they do not spare in the matter of meat yet they spare in the manner which cuts off all prodigal superfluities of feasting or open house-keeping wherin is spoiled more then eaten neither doth it relieve the hungry by the Almes-basket so much as it over-Gorges the full and for Ceremonies it keepes the Church in order and gives it magnificency besides it is beneficial to the State for it Amuses the Common people and busies their mindes and it is as it were a recreation and pastime to them as Saints dayes and the like nay they take pleasure and make a recreation to have fasting dayes so as they have much to think on and imploy their time in as fasting-dayes processions of saints confessions penance absolutions and the like as Mass and Musick and shewes as at Christmas Easter our Lady day on many dayes of the yeers and these affording one and the same but varieties in all besides every Saint having power to grant several requests it will take up some time to know what to ask of them and all these one would think were sufficient to keep out murmur and discontent which is got by idlenesse which is the cause of rebellion Thus the Church busies the people and keeps their mindes in peace so that these monastical ment which are the Church is the nurse to quiet the people or the masters to set them on wherein they never do unlesse it be in the defence of Christian Religion in which all good men ought to follow and surely it is beneficial to the Common-wealth whatsoever it be for the soul and for their souls although rationally one would think that God should not take delight in shaven heads or bare and dirty feet or cold backs or hungry stomacks in any outward habit but in an humble heart and low desires a thankful minde for what they have sorrowful sighs and repenting tears fear of offending admiration of his wisdom and pure love of his goodnesse and mercy thanks for his favours and grace obedience charity and honest worldly industry and to take as much pleasure as honest and vertuous moderation will permit for we might think that God did not intend man more miserie or leste of this world then beasts but alas all mankinde is apt to run into extreames which beasts are not either to bar themselves quite of the lawful use of the world or to run riot which of the two the last is to be shunned and avoided wherein this kinde of life is most secure neither must we follow our reason in Religion but Faith which is the guide of our conscience Of Society THere are many sorts of society and some comfortable as in
short hospitality and a long feast Of Feasting THere is no action more extravagant then the making of great feasts for there is neither honour profit nor pleasure but noises trouble and expence and not onely an expence to the private purse but to the publike in the unnecessary destruction of so many Creatures neither doth it relieve the hungry so much as it over-gorges the full for indeed a great feast rather eates up the eaters then the eaters eat up the feast by the surfets it gives them but those that make great feasts and strive to please the luxurious palats of men are bawds to gluttony and the feast is the whore to tempt the appetite and wine is the fool to make all merry which never wants at those entertainments but playes so much and ruines so fast and growes so strong as it puts young sobriety and grave temperance out of countenance it unties the strings of strength and throws reason out of the wisest head so that reason neither begins it nor ends it for it begins with excesse of supersluity and ends in extravagant disorders Of drinking and eating WIne though it begins like a friend goeth on like a fool most commonly ends like a Devil in fury yet it is a greater fault to eat too much then too drink to much wine in that a man may live without wine but not without meat for wine is rather a superfluity or curiosity then a necessity wherefore food which signifieth all kinde of meat is the life and staffe to support life which staff being broken by excesse famine and plagues pursue which are able to destroy a kingdom where wine may onely destroy some part but not endanger the whole unlesse it be every mans particular kingdom which is themselves and there indeed it drowns both king and state Of Moderation THe way to a mans happiest condition of life in this world and for the way to the next is by the straight way of moderation for the extreams are to be shunnd and all that can be shunned even in devotion for the holy writ saith Turn not to the right hand nor to the left lest you go the wrong way for extreams in devotion run to superstition and idolatry and the neglect in both Atheisme but to keep the even way is to obey God as he hath commanded and not as we fancy by our wrong interpretation so for the minde of man great and hard studies and perturbations draw or wear out the spirits or oppresse them in so much that great students are not commonly long livd but sickly lean and pale and those that have extraordinary and quick fancies of their own do many times by the quick motion of their brain inflame the spirits to that degree as they run mad or so neer as to be strangely extravagant and on the other side those that study not nor have fancies of their own are dul-blocks that have no raptures of the minde but onely sensual pleasures and so when they can they run into with that violence as it turns to their pain not their delight and all is but emptying and filling as beasts do and not having the knowledge as men should have for moderation as for immoderation of diets how often do men suddenly die by the excesse thereof and how many diseases doth it bring to them that escapes surfets as fevers gowts stone dropsy and the like nay what diseases doth it not bring by the dross it breeds for superfluity of moisture oppresseth and slackens the nerves and dulls and quenches thespirits which makes them unfit for action or businesse in the affaires of the world it stuffs them with sloth or corpulency or fat it banisheth industry and many times courage on the other-side too spare and low diet chaps and dryes the body like the earth that wants rain or manuring shrinks and gathers up the rain it heats the body into Hectick fevers and sucks out the oyl of life for exercise the violence of it melts the grease inflames the blood pumps out too much moisture by sweats it over-stretches the nerves which weakens the body which brings shaking palsies in the head leggs and many times over the whole body on the other side too little exercise corrupts the blood and breeds obstructions which breeds Agues and spleen faintings and the like For the passions as for example a man that is extraordinary angry makes him run into fury for the present as many times to commit so rash an action as to make him unhappy all his life after by killing a friend or at least losing a friend or getting an enemy by an unseasonable word and those that have no anger must of necessity receive great affronts at some time or other for patience is to be content when there is no remedy but in many things or actions anger is required when fury would be too much or patience or silence too little and so the like in all other passions and as for great wealth it is both a trouble in the keeping or bestowing of it in the keeping of it the care is into whose hands to trust it or to what places to lay it in so that the watching and counting it and how and to whom to leave it too takes off the pleasure in it and for spending it the very noise and tumult that great riches bring in the exspence is a suficient trouble for a man can never be at home to himself he knows not who is his friend or who is his enemy he hears no truth for flattery he hath no true taste of any senses for the throngs of the varietie take away the pleasure of every particular as for poverty it is the drudge to the world the scorn of the world a trouble to their friends and a death to themselves as for power what for the care in the keeping it for fear of a usurper and though there is no enemy to oppose it yet what trouble there is in the ordering and disposing with their authority and those that have no power are slaves wherein moderation keepes peace in being content with our own share and not desiring to share with our neghbour in what is his and moderation gives wealth for he is richest that hath so much onely to enjoy himself moderation civilizeth nations it upholds government and keeps commerce yet makes private families subject it nourisheth the body recreates the minde and makes joy in life and is the petty god to the present pleasures of man Of Prodigality and Generositie THere is none complains so much of ingratitude as progals for when their purses are empty they grudge their hospitalitie and repine at their gifts when they gave more out of pride and magnificence then out of love or frendship but man is so incircled with self love as he thinks all those that have partaken of his prodigalitie are bound to maintain his riot or at least to supply his necessitie out of their treasury but of the difference of
of Fame with their Bills of Glory from thence they fly over the Groves of Eternity with their wings of Presumption but some Birds of Poetry light on the Ground of Recreation there hop through the paths of Custom made by the recourse of the peopled Thoughts through the Meadows of Memory in the Island of the Brain and sometimes skip upon a Stick of Conceit wagging their tail of Jests or else fly to the Forest of wild Phantasms but there finding little Substance to feed on return with weary Wings to their place of rest again but in the Spring time of Love the Nightingale-Poets sing Amorous Sonnets in several Notes of Numbers somtimes in the Dawny Morning of Hopes or in the Evening of Doubts and somtimes in the Night of Dispair but seldom in the high Noon of Fruition The Worlds Olio LIB II. PART II. Short Essayes 1. AS the Nightingale is the Bird of the Spring so the Fly is the Bird of the Summer 2. There would be no Twilight if there were no Clouds for the Clouds are like the Wieck of a Candle 3. Platonick Love is a Bawd to Adultery so Romancy and the like 4. If a Woman gets a spot in her Reputation she can never rub it out 5. It is the greatest study in the Life of a Chast Woman to keep her Reputation and Fame unspotted for Innocency is oft scandalized amongst the Tongues of the Malicious 6. Womens Thoughts should be as pure as their Looks Innocent Noble Honourable Worthy and Virtuous are words of Praises more proper for Women than Gallant Brave Forward Spirits these are too Masculine Praises for the Effeminat Sex 7. Men should follow Reason and Truth as the Flower that turns to the Sun 8. Pockholes take away the gloss of Youth from a Face 9. Some give Women more Praises than their Modesty dares countenance 10. True Affection is not to be measured because it is like Eternity not to be comprized 11. Those that would be Honoured must have Noble Civilities Gratefull Performances Generous Liberalities and Charitable Compassions 12. A Man may be as soon dishonoured by the Indiscretion of his Wife as by her Dishonesty 13. It is better to live with Liberty than with Riches 14. With Virtue than with Beauty 15. With Love than with State 16. With Health than with Power 17. With Wit than with Company 18. With Peace than with Fame 19. With Beasts than with Fools 20. There is no Sound so unpleasing as to hear Amorous Lovers or Fools speak 21. There is no Sight so unpleasant as Affectation 22. A Gracefull Motion sets forth a Homely Person and wins more Affection than the rarest Beauty that Nature ever made 23. Wit and bon Miene and Civility take more than Beauty and gay Clothing 24. Pride without State doth as ill as State without Civility 25. It is better to hear Sense in mean Phrases than Phrases without Sense 26. A Man should alwaies wear his Life for the service of his Honour 27. Men should have Variety in nothing but Gainfull Knowledge 28. It is proper for a Gentleman to have a bon Miene to be Civil and Conversible in Discourse to know Men and Manners 29. It is more proper for a Gentleman to be active in the use of Arms than in the Art of Dancing for a Gallant Man hath more use of his Arms than his Heels 30. It is more proper for a Gentleman to learn Fortification than Grammar But what pains will a Man take in learning several Languages wherein their Tongues are exercised and neglect that Learning that should maintain their Honour which is the Sword the one doth but trouble their Heads and overcharge their Memories the other gets Honour and saves their Lives the one is onely proper for Scholastical Pedants the other for Heroick Spirits 31. A Man should court his Sword as his Mistris and study to learn its Virtue and love it as his Friend which defends his Honour to revenge his Quarrels and guard him from his Enemies 32. For he is the more Gallant Man that hath a Generous Mind a Valiant Heart than he that hath only a Learned Head the first is Noble the other Pedantical the one gives the other receives 33. It becomes a Gentleman rather to love Horses and Weapons than to fiddle and dance 34. And he is not worthy the name of a Gentleman that had rather come Sweating from a Tennis-Court than Bleeding from a Battel 35. Men should never give Gifts but out of three respects either for Charity Love or Fame and it is a good chance when they meet all in one Subject not that one Subject should be all but all in one 36. All Civility hath a Natural and an Attractive Quality and like a Loadstone draws Affection to it 37. There is nothing more Noble that to overcome an Enemy by Curtesy 38. And there is nothing more base than to insult over an Enemy in Adversity 39. It is more Noble to win an Enemy to be their Friend than when they have them in their power to revenge their Quarrel for it is the part of Generosity to Pardon as well as to Exalt 40. It looks with a face like Generosity to be Gratefull 41. There is no greater Usury or Extortion than upon Curtesy for the Lone of Money is but ten twenty or thirty in the Hundred but the Lone of Curtesy is to inslave a Man all his life 42. Yet Gratitude is nothing but to pay a Debt for if one Man save another Mans life and he returns with the hazard of his own he hath paid him what he owed him but if he looks for it oftner than once its Usury than twice it is Extortion 43. It is Commendable to Censure like a Noble and Mercifull Judge not like a Wicked Tyrant 44. Who would esteem Fame when the Cruel and Wicked shall many times have Fortune befriend them so that they shall live with Applause which is Fame and the Virtuous and Well-deserving shall be stabbed or wounded with Reproach which is Infamy so that Fame is like a great King and Fortune the Favourite 45. Every one cannot be a Caesar or an Alexander but there must compile such Times Ages and Actions and Minds together to produce such Exploits 46. Humility is the way to Ambitious ends for few come to them by Pride but by Time serving or Bribery 47. For seeming Humility is the Tower whereon Ambition is bailt and Pride is the Pinnacle where Envy is an Engin to pull it down 48. Nature makes but Fortune distributes 49. God by Fortune doth not alwaies protect the Honest from the Envious of the World or Accidents of Chance 50. It is as impossible to separate Envy from Noble and Great Actions as to destroy Death 61. Power is like unto Love it is the strongest when it is drawn to one point for Power divided is weak so is Love or like the Sun when the Beams are gathered together into one point it burns 52. Kings