with sloth quickly vvitlesse as ielousie increaseth madnesse Idlenesse is the ground of ignorance and a foole is the scorne of reason but exercise maketh the fallow field fruitful and a good wit pleasant and plentiful Idlenesse againe is the sister of doltishnesse both enemies to Art vvhereas exercise conference experience make both arte and wit to yeeld forth fruit exornation Idlenes is cause of lazines diseases corruption of bloud dulls the spirit which peraduenture by nature would produce commendable effects but wearines may come of weakenesse and great labour and then rest and idlenesse is a refreshing to nature and recouery of strength Idlenesse worketh contraries against kinde for commonly idle men sleepe a daies and walke a nights but woe be vnto them that make day nighâ— and night day for questionlesse they cannot preuent pouerty Idlenesse is called the graue of the liuing was so odious amongst the Persians that to auoid idlenes they would whittle sticks or rip the seames of their coats to â—end and sow them againe Idlenesse is a priuation of goodnesse and it is ill to doe nothing worse to doe bad and worst of all neuer to repent and amend Idlenesse maketh a foole miserable when trauell maketh a wise man honourable Idle men amongst the Philosophers were banished the couetous hated the traitors hanged aliue the vicious were buried and the lasciuious were whipped Idle Bees gather no hony and so become drones to rob the hiue thus are pampered iades vnapt to trauell and lasie rogues vnwilling to worke Idlenes is to bee hated as vnprofitable and wickednes to be abhorred as damnable Idlenesse causeth sleepe out of season which must be auoided for sleepe is a kinde of death and therefore so much as you take from sleepe you adde vnto your life Idlenesse is the mother of pouerty the rust of reason the enemy of health the spring of malice and the fountaine of vices whereas labour is the improuer of wealth the preseruer of health the andidote of vice the seed of vertue the mistresse of experience as experience is of art and art of wit and delight Idlenesse may be excusable in grosse and fat men yet Ioseph Betâ—ssi being asked what a fat man did who stood sweating in the sun answered that he was either trying of suet or warming of water Idle shepheards makes the Woolfe shiâ—e wooll Idlenes knowes not where to bestow itself nor how to imploy the time but when wakefull working villany makes a cloke of honesty God is dishonoured and Gods nature abused Idlenes neuer preferreth to honour wit is not challenged by inheritance wisdome commeth not from ancesâ—ors nor can wee leaue vertue to our posterity except by example and imitation Idlenesse boasteth of sleepe as if it were a praise to liue at ease but a great sleeper shall goe in a ragged coat Idlenes many times begets frenzy and then the lunaticke and franticke are full of mischiefe which cannot be auoided but by industry and good endeuors Idlenes sleepes out the morning to the losse of the whole day but the night watches are the bodies weakenes and immoderate sloath the poison of health Idlenes is hatefull yet better lie still then goe about an ill busines and better be asleepe then awake to doe villany Idlenes is casie to a corrupt minde yet willing labor makes the taske more pleasing and when all is done no goodnes can come by the ease of lasines whereas great matters are compassed by industrious indeauors Idlenes makes men nasty slouens loathsome and vnholsome as weomen out of coiues pride and folly become ridiculously fine Kings We Gods on earth are still enstil'd what then We should fly pride sith we must die like men KIngs as they be gracious and worthy of their scepters are Gods Lieuetenants and so they make Nobles vertuous Officers iust Iudges vpright Lawyers perfect Preachers zealous Merchants industrious the Citizen honest the Countrey-man laborious the Scholler studious the Souldier vigilant all estates orderly dutifull and the whole land peaceable and plentifull Kings haue glory through wisdome and encrease of happinesse by the loialty of the subiect and the confederacy of forren Princes Kings crownes seeme glorious but the burthen of them is heauy for they bring more cares then their heads haue haires Kings confederate themselues by diuine wisdome and counsell but ciuill discord is a worke of the diuell Kings maintaine not their maiestly by bigge lookes but by wise counsels and reserued cariages nor magnanimity consisâ—eth in high words but in bountifull and roiall deeds Kings that are gracious make the state beautifull and sure as castels well fortified the indwellers secure Kings loue high flying Hawkes but if they stoope to the Lure they are the better manned Kings weare rich Diamonds as Iewels in their hats but a gracious Queene is a iewell in his heart and wise counsell a iem at his eare Kings that are good are called gods but those that are wicked goe to the diuell for all their titles Kings are Gods Lieuetenants vpon Earth where if the Officers be not Saints the Diuell will creepe into their companies Kings hearts are in the hands of God how euer the heart of the Kingdome is in the hand of the King Kings courts are best for fauourites yet such as bee young and vnexperienced may suppose it a pleasure as the warres are a brauery to those that are ignorant Kings must take heed of violence or outragious actions for Dionisius hearing that his sonne had deflowred a virgin of honor caused him to be brought before him and in great anger rebuked him asking if euer his father did the like to which his sonne answered No For you had not a King to your Father nor quoth he shalt thou haue a King to thy sonne if thou vse these vild actions Kings after Alexander the Great his opinion and answere to one which demanded how he came by his Monarchy maintaine their estates by counsell elloquence martiall discipline and curteous liberality Kings are more glorious in their wise and vertuous gouernment then in their sumptuous pallaces but aboue all their mercy shewes a diuine spirit Kings are blessed when God chooseth them for his seruants and the Kingdomes are blessed when such a King is chosen ouer them Kings can neither endure comparisons though the subiect should excell in some enriching quallity nor contestings though they are in the wrong themselues Kings haue scepters swords the one their subiects the other for enemies and both for the honor of iudgement and ornament of maiesty Kings fighting for kingdomes make a valiant conquest but he that fighteth for his conscience makes a heauenly victory Kings come to ruine by priuat profit inward hatred and ciuill warre Kings keepe their Crownes by armes and preserue their kingdomes by gouernment in both labour and art must make a league Kings that get their Crownes by the sword enamell them in blood but possessed with peace they are brighter then a Diamond Kings
which vvho will attaine to must giue much take little seeke nothing and be thankfull whatsoeuer falls out Benefits from the suns light are not helpfull to the blind litle profiteth riches where the miser is we must therefore do good while we liue bestowe our good where we may doe good Benefits of good are quickly forgotten and nature is corrupted where the drosse of the earth drawes a man to the diuell Benefits sometimes make a man proud and elated when a man requited for a good action supposeth by and by his owne worth extraordinarie and so either vilipendeth the recompence or esteemeth better of himselfe then he deserueth Benefits after death makes the graue thank a man for his bountie and he that is miserable in life is a steward for hell Benefits receiued for flattery are worse then punishments suffered for truth Benefits are excellent trialls of mens dispositions for he that taketh in worth a smal reward shall bee sure of a greater but hee that growes proud of a great one shall want a small one and hee that cares for none at all meanes neuer to impart any to others Benefits wherein Courtiers reioyce are as they are bound to serue Princes they haue licence to craue of them as they endure many encombrances so they hope for great preferment as they toile in many iourneys so they participate of diuerse pleasures as they endure night watches they are glad of daily newes as they spend their owne substance so they supply their home necessities and as they wearie out their toilsome bodies so they recreate their disquieted mindes and at last according to their degrees growe forward to preferment Benefits multiplied to temporall prosperitie loued after with continuall greedinesse shew some token of following mishap Benefits tie vs to obseruation and keepe an honest man from speaking his minde so somtimes vertue is betraied to wealth and conscience made a slaue to respect Couetousnesse This is an ill which doth good most abuse Because it loues the good it hates to vse COuetousnesse maketh rich heires for a time but he that is blest of GOD is happy in his posteritie for euer Couetousnes is a spirituall idolatry an vnnatural misery a rich mans beggery a wise mans mockery a proud mans theeuery a poore mans tyranny a great mans infamy and a meane mans disquiet Couetousnes eateth vp the beauty of a commonwealth the honor of a kingdome the hart of the poore the soule of the rich Couetousnesse fills the Vsurers chest vvith trash the poore mans eyes with teares the good mans eares with wroth the mouth of the distressed with curses and the diuels hands with soules Couetousnesse is base in a King vncomely in a Court dishonourable in a Captaine prophane in a Churchman vnnaturall in a whore miserable in a Gentileman vnprofitable in a foole and dangerous in a Merchant himselfe Couetousnesse is such an enemie to the magnificence of Princes that Titus the Emperous vvas vvont to say he had lost that time vvherein he did not some good turne or bestowed a reward Couetousnesse is so great an enemie to the happinesse of life that Alexander cryed out there vvas nor life nor delight in life but to be liberall and to requite good turnes Couetousnes is so contrary to the nature of a noble valiant Captaine that Theopontus the Thebane gaue his shooes off his his feet to a souldier demaunding mony to buy bread saying plainly thogh I haue no mony it is better that I goe barefoot then thou an hungred Couetousnesse is an enemy to charitie the inuenter of vsury the plotter of misery and the breach of amity Couetousnesse feedes vpon prodigalitie liues in penury delights in scarsitie and dies in misery Couetousnesse makes the whores spring and the bawds haruest the vsurers Christmas and the prodigalls lent Couetousnesse makes the Lawyer vnconscionable the Iudge vncharitable the theefe vngracious and the hangman vnmercifull Couetousnes made Laban a deceiuer Naball a churle Gehezie a leper and Iudas a traytor Couetousnes is the roote of all euill Couetousnes should be so far from the hart of Kings that they must not onely abhor it in others but not practise it themselues For thus one way Galba lost his life and Empire and another way Dionisius the tyrant reprehended his sonne for keeping certaine iewels hee had saying Sonne I gaue thee these iewels to bestowe and not to hoord vp Couetousnes and Honor bee so contrarie that they neuer dwell in one person nor at any time had any affâ—nity Couetousnes is contrary to all other vices for euery other vicious man hath some tast in his sinnes intemperate humors but the most vnfortunate couetous niggard is tormented with that which others doe possesse takes no comfort in that which he hath himselfe Couetousnesse is euer accompanied vvith feare suspition either the raging flouds cary away his mills the cattell eate vp his medowes the mildew blasteth his corne the hunters breake his fences the thieues rob his treasure the family spends more then he is able to maintaine Couetousnesse is a wicked and secret theeuerie for how euer a miser keepeth his goods from others he robbeth nature of her blessings and debarreth himselfe euen of necessary substance Couetousnes seeketh euer to hoord vp wisheth that no man craue of him hideth his head from spending keepeth his hands from giuing dares not stirre out of dores nor cannot sleepe for disquieting himselfe with mistrust and despight Couetousnes is so terrible an enemy to conuersation that no honest man will approach him no man will talke no man will accompany no man giueth any thing no man enters his doores neither will any man fetch fire at his house For who will hope to receiue good from him which neuer afforded to doe himselfe any Couetousnesse keepeth the heart in fear the minde in care the body in trauaile and the soule in sinne Couetousnes makes the woe of nature the want of rest the wonder of reason and the way of hell Couetousnes debarreth the possessors from all loue and friendship for who will be a friend to him that is an enemy to himself who will remedy his necersity that neuer succoured others who wil send him a present that neuer gaue an almes who will succour him that suffered others to starue who will giue him wood that warmes himselfe with straw who will lend him money that hideth his owne in a corner nay who will wish him well to vvhom God hath threatned to do vengeance Couetousnes is worse then honest pouerty for the poore man is contented with a little when the rich miser with his aboundance seemeth to be in necessity Crueltie Diuine is mercy diuelish cruell bents Then men like God must pardon penitents CRuelty is not so raging in beasts as in men for they pray but for meere necessity when men rage of wantonnes Yea in a great hunger the Lion will not sease on a Lambe nor the Eagle catch at flies nor
and desperate conscience is incurable though wee knowe that sin hath infected it Diseases are sildome cured with vvords without mature medicines vvhich while the Physitian museth on but misseth the true cause or royall cures the patient hits the way to heauen before he can agree vpon his ingredients Drunkennesse Who hath to friend a Drunkard hath a foe That with his friend can neither stand nor go DRunkennesse makes men worse then beasts for they doe neuer exceed the measure prescribed by nature but man will not be measured by the rule of his owne reason Drunkennesse and pride are hardly hidden wheÌ„ other wicked actions are many times couered and most times excused Drunkennesse dimmeth the braine dulleth the heart spills the stomack and spoyles the whole body I could say inflameth the stomack burneth the liuer infecteth the breath dazeleth the eyes loosneth the teeth encreaseth the palsy weakneth the ioynts swelleth the flesh and ouerthroweth the perfect temper and sound constitution of man Drunkennesse loues to open the follies of men the shames of women the gates of cities the secrets of Common-wealths the weaknesse of Princes the discoueries of treasons the burnings of incontinencie and the errors of all ages and sexes Drunkennesse is many times cause of madnesse but most times occasions of infirmities for when the interior senses and parts are brought into distemper the exterior are weake in working or worke in disorder Drunkennesse is contrary to all other vices for eyther they leaue vs or we leaue them through wants or age onely drunkennes is made worse with continuance and the older we growe the more beastly we are Drunkennesse bringeth forth shame impudencie and it fareth with men in this vice as with improuident sinners vvho are so farre from repenting themselues that they are sory they haue done no more Which makes me remember a certaine Father who hauing a Sonne giuen ouer to this beastlinesse brought him into the streets to see a drunkard wallowing in the durt and wondred at by many standers by supposing that the lothsomnesse of the sight would haue wrought vpon him the odiousnesse of the example diuerted him from offending But he was so farre from both that hee asked his father where that good wine was vvhich made the man so drunke that hee might goe and take his part Drunkennesse misconstrueth kindnes mistaketh friendship mistearmeth good felowship misuseth Gods creatures despiseth good counsell scorneth assistance forsweareth his owne senses Drunkards sinne against God who forbids the abuse of his good creatures against the poore that want them for their nenessary vses against their owne bodies which they fill with manifold diseases against their own soules which they defile with their swinish sinnes against their whole persons which they turne out of men into beasts and against their eternal saluation if they repent not and forsake not that beastly abhominable custome Drunkennesse makes a wet surfet a full stomack a sodden liuer a drownd soule Drunkennesse puts a Carpenter by his rule a Fencer from his ward a Poet out of his vaine and a Player out of his part Drunkennesse makes the victâ—er rich the rich man poore the poore man a begger the begger a roge a theefe and a murtherer and so the end is a halter Drunkennes as it is beastly so it is remedilesse and maketh the father ashamed of his child and the child carelesse of his father Which brings to my mind a story of a wise man who sending a son to trauell and enformed of his wanton courses resident in a lasciuious citie yet excused the same and hoped of reformation of all till it came to drunkennesse For when he was told of he was fallen into this filthie vice and abominable beazeling O saith hee youth may be wanton and heerafter stayednes may reduce him puft vp with pride that may be moderated by conuersation or religious aduise giuen to gaming either wants or the discouery of falshood may make him leaue it delighted with lechery either age wil tame coole him or an honest wife diuert him he may be carried away with ambition it shewd a noble spirit and some-thing must be gotten by men of worth but when hee is drawen to drunkennes he is to be lamented as vtterly lost without all hope but worse worie Effeminatenesse A man that is a woman ne're considers He is a Peacock all fowle but the feathers EFfeminatnesse hateth exercise is an enemy both to strength and wit when labour perfecteth the vnderstanding and raiseth manhood to a full height Effeminatnesse maketh happinesse but an imagination and then hope is a vveake hold but when vertue and valour builde the house the frame standeth on a good foundation and the workmanship must needs be honourable Effeminatenesse is ridiculous in a Courtier when a young man weares furred bootes dares scarce tread on the ground smelleth of perfumes holds a fanne in his hand to keepe the winde from his face rideth too softly in the streets must alwaies tread on a matted floer Effeminatenes is contemptible in a Knight when hee rideth on a slowe-paced Mule like an old Iudge painteth his face boasteth of wrought night-caps and buskins keepeth his bed because it is cold dares not stirre out of doores because it is durtie and will caâ—e no meat but tender and minced Effeminatenesse is lamentable in a souldier when hee must needs haue a downe-bed to lie vpon a warme wastcoat an oiled gauntlet a sweet shirt a perfumed armor lined greeues and a quilted burgonet Effeminatenesse is vnseemely for a Mariner when he cannot endure a storme girdeth his gowne to worke in is afraid to foule his hands and findeth fault with the smel of the pitch Effeminatenesse is an enemy to good huswiferie when either the man dares not plow because it mizells nor the wife rise for that it is a cold morning Effeminatenesse is a fault of all mothers when their children may not goe to bed without warming the same nor rise till the curtaines be all close nor stirre out of dores till their girdle be aired by the fire nor goe to schoole till they haue their breakfasts Effeminatenesse is the aduersary of health when a young man will not walke without a candle nor stirre but in faire vveather nor ride without a foot-cloth nor daunce without a Mistris nor do or weare any thing but tending to curiosity Eloquence Did I not make the wrong right now then I were an ornament to law-full men ELoquence is the beauty of learning if it proceed from wisedome and in the eare of vertue truth is the best Orator Eloquence that ouerthroweth the speaker is as bad as an ill perfume that poisons the braine Eloquence with beauty maketh nature gracious and wit honourable Eloquence of heathen men hath corrupted the heart of christians but venomous is that breath that poisoneth men in their soules Eloquence of liuely words cannot be expressed in dead lines letters for he that giues
but displeasure not â—aste but torment not recreation but confusion when in the enamoured there is not youth libertie and liberalitie Loue according to the world enstructeth young men to serue the liberall to spend the patient to suffer the discreet to haue skill to talke the secret to keepe silence the faithfull to gratifie and the valiant to perseuer Loue the Bee for her hony and allow her a good hiue but trouble not her labours lest her sting be vnpleasant Loue is seene euen in creatures void of reason for the Pellicane makes her breast bleed yea sometimes to death to feed her young and the Stork is not vnkinde to feed her old one in age Loue of all passions is the sweetest and treason of all villany is the vildest Loue in youth is full of kindnes in age ful of trouble in folly full of vanity in ielouâ—e full of frenzie and in necessity ful oâ— misery Loue was an old nothing to exercise wit in idlenesse and is now a new nothing to feed â—olly with imagination Loue is begotten by the eyes bred in the braines walks in the tongue growes with the flesh and dies in an humor Loue doth trouble wit hinder Art hurt nature disgrace reason lose time spoile substance crosse wisedome serue folly weaken strength submit to beautie and abase honour Loue is wills darling patience triall passions torture the pleasure of melancholie the play of madnesse the delight of varieties and the deuiser of vanities Loue is the virgins crack the widowes crosâ—e the bachelers bane the maried mans purgatory the young mans misery and the ageds consumption a fained god an idle fancy a kinde of fury in some a frenzie Loue is the abuse of learning the ground of enuy the stirrer of wrath the cause of mischiefe the disquiet of the minde the distracter of the wit the disturber of the senses and destruction of the vvhole man Liberty I rather had abroad my selfe engage Then with the Larke liue in a golden cage LIberty is such a priuiledge of nature that the bird had rather flie in the open fieldes then sing in a siluer cage or princely banqueting house from which euen with gladnes if an escape can be made she flieth away Liberty hath bin so precious euen amongst Cities and Countries that many of them haue destroied themselues rather then be subiect to their conquering enemies Witnes Numantia who from her ancient originall of Greeks and immitation of their honorable maintaining their liberty set fire of all they had and after killed one another Liberty is so sweet a delight that it hath made kingdoms forsworne and Princes breake their vowes which necessity enforced witnes al the tributs that France England Denmarke and other Countries haue payd to one another and for vvhich whole Armies haue been leuied battailes fought thousands slaughtered Cities deuasted Countries ouer-runne and people brought to ruine and all to maintainâ— their libertie Liberty hath caused many rebellions and taught great Princes admirable lessons of magnanimitie For when Zenobia Queen of Palmira had lost her husband Odenatus shee raised warres in Syria against the Romans to maintaine her liberty but at last ouercome by Aurelianus the Emperour and carried in tryumph to Româ— shee there died in sorow for the losse of her libertie Liberty is a bewitching pleasure for it bringeth vs to pouerty for rather theâ— vvee will take paines or serue in some honourable attendancie we will be idle as vagabonds and abuse libertie in wicked and abhominable liues Libertie is cause of all disorder for if the licencious be not restrained by law terrified from offending by punishment and detained in obedience by denialâ— of libertie they would runne at randome to all vices and set open a larger fielde of intemperancie Liberty is the mother of wantonnesse and therefore as in a Citiâ— there be many watches Courts of gard gates defended rounds walking and Sentinells standing to keepe men within their houses at vnseasonable times so in the libertie of our liues there be diuerse vertues to suppresse our rebellious thoughts and as it were put in prison our impious cruptions of frailetie Liberty many times proceedeth from honorable respects and causeth losse of life before losse of reputation as in the story of Sophoâ—isba may appeare whom when Masinissa had promised Scipio to deliuer into his hands because hee would performe his word and defende her glorie from captiuitie hee caused her to poyson herselfe and so rendred the dead body to the Romans Libertie is the iewell of life and comfort of our verie soules For if wee be free it makes vs the Lords seruants and if wee be seruants it aduanceth vs to be the Lords free-men so still we must be at liberty from sinne to auoide the seruitude of Hell Liberty is a good mother of many bad children for sloth idlenes licentiousnes vanity wantonnes abuse of time pouerty and wants are many times the birth of her trauels and become monsters in the world through the abuse of libertie Libertâ—e in a young man is as dangerous as laciuious talke to an aâ—â—orous virgin for both tend to destruction and without speciall graces there is no preuention of ruine Libertie makes the deere leapâ— the horse neigh the calfe skippe the lambâ— play thâ— cony â—risk the dog wag his taile the â—ouirrell gamboll the ape mount the trees and all creatures reioyce for this benefite of nature Merchant I am if royall of that dignitâ—â— As bright by right makes my posteritie MErchant is a worthy coÌ„mon-wealths man for how euer priuate commoditie may transport him beyond his owne bounds yet the publicke good is many wayes augmented by mutuall commerce forren trading exploration of countries knowledge of languages encrease of nauigation instruction and mustering of sea-men diuersity of intelligences and preuention of forren treasons Merchant is onely traduced in this that the hope of wealth is his principall obiect whereby profite may arise which is not vsually attained without corruption of heart deceitfull protestations vaine promises idle oathes paltry lyes pedling deceit simple denials palpable leauing his friend and in famous abuse of charitie Merchant must bee cunning in diuers artes nay neede both learning and iudgement especially Arethmaticke Cosmography morallitie Rhetoricke vnderstanding to make vse of time and place and skill in his profession to knowe what is cheape to bee bought abroad and deerely soulde at home where ready money serues the turne and exchange of commoditie supplies the want how hee shall be entertained how long and how many times welcommed because in some places they are tied to precepts and limited to proclamations Merchant is no common freeman ouer the world as we suppose for euery countrey hath her seueral restraints he that trauels in the East may not goe into the streights he that goes into Indy cannot trade into Turkey not he that sends to Turkey haue busines in Stode or other places of our principall marts except he be free of those companies and
both for the purge the vomit to cast the cruditie out then setling the stomack Order altred in nature distempers the body but peruerted in vertue damneth the soule Order is disturbed when nature is peruerted as when Sommer is cold or Winter hote so that the seasons of the yeere fall out so contrary that they are pleasant or profitable to no body Order climbs vp the mountaine with labor but teacheth you to come downe againe with discretion and leisure Order teacheth the eyes to direct the feet the hands to feede the mouth the mouth to fill the belly the belly to satisfie the entrailes and euery part to assist one another in due time and season Oathes Swearing contents no sense then what a diuell Is man to doe so ill for nought but euill OAthes haue been of great antiquitie for euen heathen Princes made their contracts vpon the assurance of oathes as you may read betweene Abimelech and Abraham who durst not offend God in the breach of the same Oathes haue assured damnation to the wicked for God did sweare in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest Oathes must not be made but by the name of God and then are they as dangerous to be broken as if you should rebell against him so then as you vvould auoide the name of traytor toward an earthly Prince you must take heed of the condemnation of rebel against the Prince of all Princes Oathes were foreseene by Gode himselfe to come to corruption and growe to abuse therefore was the law proclaimed to detaine vs in obedieÌ„ce to limit our tongues to curbe our vanitie to suppresse our idle talke to condemne our prophanation and aboue all to limit vs how farre wee might sweare and must be silent Oathes are many times abused euen to the eating them vp as a man will sweare by the bread and eate it by the drinke and drinke it but when hee comes to the candle he will refuse it Oathes are very forcible amongst most vnciuell people for in Ireland to sweare by their hand their fathers hand their Lords hand by Oneales hand such like are as forcible as if they called heauen and earth to witnesse Oathes taken in vaine are the more to bee condemned because of the greatnesse of the sinne and the easinesse to auoide it for of all other sins the naturall man can yeeld you a reason or if you will an excuse except swearing which being voluntary and not restrained is the more to be condemned because of the presumption and vnnecessary transgression Oathes vnnecessary are in themselues vnlawfull but in their violation abominable so that to so sweare is wicked but to forsweare damnable Oathes are meerely accoustomary wickednes or wicked coustome and thereby odious euen to the naturall and ciuill honest man Oathes haue tied all men to obseruation yet Euripides hath a saying that in cases of loue and soueraingtie an oath is not to bee trusted nor man to bee beleeued for so sonnes haue ouerreached their fathers and depriued them both of libertie and of life Oathes are the more dangerous by how much God is most holy and cannot endure to haue his name vnhallowed at any time much lesse by ordinary and audacious custome Oathes are the more fearefull by how much the casue is most friuolous for you shall heare euen vagabonds roagues and boies sweare with horrible libertie for trifels and slender occasions yea in their ordinary discourses as they goe in the streetes and walke in the fieldes Oathes and drunkennesse doe commonly goe together and being fearefully vnited make vp the diuels chaine to tie vs to damnation Oathes are monstrous in a woman in whom impudency ioyned with prophanation makes them the more odious and loathsome Oathes doe commonly depend vpon gaming wherein vnthriftines is ioyned with perdition for with the losse of time followes the losse of money the losse of reputation the losse of honesty the losse of faith and finally of saluation Pleasure I am the net of Hell except you looke For quicke preuention in true vertues booke PLeasures passe away with as great vanitie as there be passions and as many men as liue in the world haue their seuerall pleasures to content their mindes and recreate their bodies Pleasures hinder our heauenly exercises and are mayne enemies to contemplatiue studies Pleasures of the world should not be so eagerly pursued by men because they are transitory and vaine but the ioyes of heauen are euer to be thought vpon because they are euerlasting Pleasures delight the eyes with delicate obiects the eares with musicall harmonie the heart with ioy of health and the soule with the louely face of vertue Pleasure is a meere net of the diuell to catch a man that is idle but honest exercise preserues the body sets the minde on worke in some profitable study wherein asâ—uredly makes the labour easie and the attemptes runne on with pleasure and felicitie Pleasure must not so abuse vs as to spend the precious treasure of time so vnprofitably which we ought to imploy first to the benefit of our soules secondly for the augmentation and honour of our estates and fourthly for the reputation and credite of our persons fifthly for the helpe and comfort of our neighbour Pleasures are dangerous in their extremities yet is moderate mirth a recreation of body and minde musicke a diuine inuention hunting a martial imitation hawking a Princely pasttime riding manly and gracefull contentment and if skilfully performed an honourable ornament and infinite such like exercises followed in their fit and seasonable times increase health and strength and agilitie in mens bodies delight in their minds and relish and adapt both to better businesse Pleasure hath two great enemies an ouer eager desire and continuall feare for what we desire to enioy we are affraid to loose Pleasure of hunting consisteth in three chaces the Deer Fox and Hare but sinne hath the eescore times three which to hunt from our soules is happines to our selues heauenly ioy to the holy Angels Pleasure is but a further degree of contentment whence a willing trauaile is more pleasant then a forced ease Pleasure hurteth the flesh more then exercise as pride enuenometh the spirit aboue other more painfull sinnes Pleasure breedes a lamentable sorrow or a dangerous mutiney when the misery of a whole common-welth breeds the mirth of a few Pleasure is wretched that breedeth sorrow but it is a blessed sorrow that bringeth ioy Pleasure of riches in Christian mindes consisteth in commendable spending not in couetous hoording for if the poore starue the neighbour be needy the orphane complaine and the widowe shed teares what pleasure can it bee to thee to haue many bagges lying by thee and see them complaine and pine away in their necessitie Poetry I that doe make life ouer death to vaunt Can hardly liue without contempt and want Poetry was gratious when SalomoÌ„ made a loue song and with spirituall influence described heauenly secretes
of wisdome for vnlesse a man bee able to make vse of his reading by memory and orderly adapting the obseruations of profitable precepts it is to no purpose to reade the principles of art or ouerlooke the histories of times Remembrance is an instinct of nature euen in beastes for the horsse remembers his rider especially his feeder the dogge his maister the hawke his fawlkner the lion his keeper and the beare his commander Remembrance maketh dumbe creatures reward good turnes as in the story of Andronicus the slaue in Aulus Gellius may appeare for when his maister Dacus had sent him bound to Rome to be cast into the Lions denne it was his fortune to chance into the hands of that Lion whose sore foot he had healed in Affrica which he presently tooke notice of and not onely saued him from the rest but fawned vpon him and relieued him by his obedience to the amazement and pleasure of the people Resolution I compasse great exploits make weaknes strong Outstrip faint hopes thogh time defer me long REsolution is perfected by patience so that valure and time effecteth euen impossibilitie to faint hearts Resolution is fearelesse and in a good cause makes a clean conscience as a strong castle Resolution tendeth to extremities and carieth wilfull men into many dangerous and desperate conclusions when without other reason then that they are resolute to doe so they runne headlong to infinite and vnreuerseable euils Resolution hath likewise a hand in Religion for a man must resolue to denie the world and dispossesse the diuell before he can come to heauen as he which determineth to take possession of a house wherin a stronger man dwelleth must needes forsake his ease and pleasures verter on many dangers and thrust him out either by strength or pollicy before hee get the victorie Resolution must prepare you to your trauaile for if you cannot endure labour want disgrace reuiling discomforts and diuers other inconueniences you were better stay at home then vndertake a iourney into forren countries Resolution made Caius the Philospher when hee was in a study at his going to death answere the tyrant Calligula that he determined to marke whether the soule would haue any knowledge or feeling of his departure from his body Resolution maketh women famous for many memorable actions worthy exploits As in the time of the Emperour Conradus the third Caesar hauing wars in the kingdome of Bauaria amongst other places came to the Citie of Monaco where when hee had lost some principall Captaines in the assault he swore that if he entred the towne he would not leaue a man aliue in it whereupon when it was in a great distresse indeede and not able to hold out some of the Ladies and best sort of women went to the Emperor and falling on their knees at his feete beseeched him so farre to mittigate the heate of his wrath that though he had sworne the death of all the men yet to spare the women and giue them leaue to passe away with life and euery one with that which she did cary orderly away which solemnly granted not one woman issued out of the towne but had either husband brother childe kinseman or friend on her back Whereat the Emperor much amazed coÌ„mended their resoluon and forgate his anger and in great mercy sent them with all the men into the towne againe gaue them all their goods and tooke the Duke not onely to mercy but aduanced him to honour as all the rest vnto fauour Resolution biddeth vs feare no shadowes for their forces are litle nor trust in dreams for they are but illusions Resolution raiseth valour to the first steppe of honour while excuse and feare are the disgrace of a noble nature Resolution made the siedge of Numantia so famous and the destruction so glorious for as the Romans one way were resolued to conquer it and so endured infinit troubles and distresses the Numantines were as absolute in the defence of their honours and so put in practise a most memorable stratagem For when there was no remedy but submission they brought al the substance of their citie into the market place and burnt it to cinders and presently kylled themselues so that when the Romans entred indeede there was neither riches to cary away nor persons to triumph ouer Statesman I languages with forren secrets know And for my countrey doe my paines bestow A Statesman cannot well maintaine the credit of his place except hee haue bin a Trauailer a Linguist a Scholler and iudicious for it is not an outward fame that can carry it away but a substantiall knowledge must leade you vp to preferment A Statesman many times hazardeth the credite of his honesty abroad for hee commonly reuealeth his owne secrets to know other mens and seemeth of any religion to pry into the businesse of a Kingdome A Statesman steps vp a higher degree then a Trauailer for what time this spendeth 〈◊〉 vanitie the other must consume in obâ—eruation A Statesman must not onely be secret himselfe but be very cautelous that no man else discouers his secrets for else hee shall onely passe with a superficiall knowledge and neuer attaine vnto true intelligence Statesmen at home haue agents abroad who 〈◊〉 are employed to obserue the businesse of other Kingdomes whereâ—◠〈◊〉 bee 〈◊〉 to vse honesty and 〈◊〉 to certifie nothing but 〈…〉 to doe it with the first wherâ—â—y commonly Embassadours themsâ—lâ—es are iâ—ous of such men because the affairs are certified vnderhand before their letters are read in publicke Statesmen at home must euer remember the common good before their priuate profit wherein these particulars are much in vse the honour of the Prince the glory of the Nation the confederacy of the Princes which may soonest annoy being enemies the affinitie of such as may best loue the countrey if alteration should happen the armies made sure the nobilitie held in fauour the Gentlemen maintained in their priuiledges the commons kept in obedience and the publicke treasury supplied Statesmen must not bee ignorant of ancient lawes and former antiquities least pollicie ouerthrow custome and new cunning suppâ—ant olde honesty whereby much murâ—uring ariseth amongst the people and dangerous grudgings traduce priuate men for their priuate respects Statesmen endeuouring to ouerthrow antient customes must worke it out by pollicy and to set vp new deuices contriue it by cunning for the people will quickely espy a rent in the whole cloth and dare doe more then whisper against the seducers of Princes Statesmen must take heede that Princes doe not fauour corrupt officers for though a Prince be good yet if his fauorites be bad it is as ill as if he were bad himselfe Statesmen must not practise any thing against the principles of religion least it sauor of Atheisme rather then pollicie and so the diuell seeme to bee serued and God dishonoured A Statesman if he be not carefull of his carriage will incurre the imputation of an enformer abroad and
the best liuers and sutes in lawe are a meere laborinth to an honest man and quiet minde Troubles cannot ouerthrowe godly resolutions nor wise men bee ouercome with trifels Troubles of the spirit grow by the infirmity of the flesh and the infirmity of the spirit is the flesh ruined so that they are both wayes cause of each others calamities Vanitie The world though Heau'n is but meere vanity Compar'd with God no with Saints piety VAnitie in words cloathes and actions wherein men doe so much glory sheweth them voide of wisedome and pietie which if it infused no other infection to the speaker or hearer actour or beholder yet were it herein a great sinne that it is a lauish profuser of pretious time Vanitie and desâ—re of glory doe commonly keepe company for gorgeous buildings sumptuous tombes large hospitalles outward pompe delicate banqueting houses delightfull orchards and all such fabricks and sumptuous workes of purpose to bee talked of and adde to our fame are all but vanitie wanting the substance of good deedes and true humilitie Vanitie is often vented with litle vnderstanding and yet great study while the hand of wisedome quickly discouereth the folly of idle inuention Vanities are herein venemous that they so blast the forward wits of youth in the blossome or budde that they seeldome come to substantiall and mature frute Vanitie maketh wit a foolish wanton for he that delighteth in toyes to neglect weighty affaires hath litle vnderstanding Vanitie soothed corrupts wit and reason but the correction of vice commendeth and causeth wisedome Vanitie transporteth to vnprofitable pleasures when wisedome delighteth in necessary imployments Vanitie of the world is like a smoake in the ayre which seemeth to ascend vnto heaheauen but it goeth and vanisheth to nothing and letteth fall the followers thereof to the pitte of perdition Vanitie is seene in certaine things whereto no trust is to be giuen The chance of the dice the continuance of prosperitie the faire wether in winter or sun-shine in Aprill the teares of a Crocadile the playing of Dolphins the elloquence of a flatterer the preferment of a tyrant and the constancy of a woman Vanitie is soone seene in vaunting brauadoes as appeares by this story The Duke of Calabria going to make warre vpon the Florentines in a brauery saide hee would not pull off his bootes before hee had entred the citie to whom a merry fellow standing by saide oh my Lord you will I feare fret out a number of shooes then for it must needes bee a longer businesse then you imagine Vanitie is a great reproach to true vnderstanding when we either speak more then our cauâ—e in hand requires or liue aboue our abilitie and estates making a greater shewe and pompe then we can maintaine by our meanes or attempt any enterprise which we are not able to finish Vanitie sheweth it selfe much in idle actions and ridiculous iests as in this tale may appeare A Gentleman of Naples whose spirit was too high for his fortune liued farre exceeding his maintenance and yet had the fortune by secrete supportation to hold vp his head in the sea of the world in despight of enuious eyes Thus one night he lodged in the house of a baron a friend of his where waking somewhat early he fell to make his prayers vnto God for the remission of sinnes and worldly meanes which a certaine iâ—ster ouerhearing and lying in the next chamber answered with a lowde voyce oh thou prodigall childe thou art borne a yonger brother and to keepe but one man and a boy art stil begging but if thou wilt maintaine a number of idle followers whereof thou art ambitious learne to be thrifty spare in time or thy prayers will not be heard whereat the Gentleman seeing his vanitie and perceiuing he had coÌ„mitted some error replied Indeed I spake too lowde to let thee heare me and haue committed a greater folly to suffer thee to liue vpon me Vanitie of apparell sheweth the pride of heart the weaknesse of wit the fantasticknesse of will the defect of vnderstanding or vnrulinesse of affection the superfluitie of prodigalitie and a prognosticate of pouertie Vanitie of discourse and foolish table-talke maketh men often ridiculous as appeareth by this A Gentleman sitting at the table of a great friend being his fauorite the table fully furnished and the company wel prepared to their viands the maister of the house began to rouse his shoulders in a rich chaire and himselfe as richly attired spake to a kinseman of his somewhat abruptly and then leauing him he also spake to the former Gentleman and then againe to his cousin whereat all the company amazed expected to heare some matter worthy to be vttered but he gaue onely a hemme and with a spit saide no more but cousin what is that pye before you whereat a iester chaâ—ing that he had stayed his teeth to giue time to his eares replyed suddenly better eate of a calues head then heare an owle speake whereat the ghuests held laughter so hard that they were ready to breake and thus is idle ignorant vanity worthely made ridiculous by hier owne folly Valour Vnlesse I make a man base feare subdue He 's but a beast to God and man vntrue VAlour aduanceth to honour and thrusteth misery aside from pressing vs down in the durt Valour proceeding by wisedomes direction perfecteth such actions as otherwise would faile in the execution Valour may be accompanied with folly and and then is it meere foole-hardinesse or temeritie so that now in the schoole of the wisest it is disputable whether a wise coward or a valiant foole is the better man Valour maketh a Captaine with a few souldiers ouercome many enemies but he that ouercommeth himselfe is valiant indeede but he which is his owne enemy whether shall he flie for succour or securitie Valour differeth from foolish hardinesse as a wise feare may be farre from cowardice in boâ—â— extremities turne to vice Valour scorneth to moue the impotent to impatiency to betray the innocent to villany or to vexe the simple with impetuositie Valour wil not insult ouer a weake hearted nor picke a quarrell with one that cannot answer him either for impotency some defect of nature disabilitie of person inequalitie of condition or imperfection of sense Valour in a good cause doth not feare death as true diuines in Gods cause are not terrified with the diuell Valour is often ouerthrowne by rashnesse and had I wist is the worst part of vnderstanding for rashnesse without reason may breed sorrow without compassion Valour is glorious in mercy but a cowheard is tyrannous in victorie Vallour must not attempt impossibilities nor run into with absurdities but carry an equalhead both in the practise of attempts and relation of actions neither bosting of its owne worth or extenuate anothers merit Valour of the Captaines is a maine meanes of victorie to the whole armie whereuppon the Numantines being great souldiers thus commended the Romans when once in a
with by names and then rehearse them as neede require that are proper as for example who would describe coueâ—ousnesse or any other vice or vertue may peâ—sonate a name of any man notoriously infamed for the same or gloriuusly exalted for the other Plaine Words No double signification Apt wordes Our words must also be plaine that all the company may easily vnderstand them and withall for sound and sence they must be apt and swâ—â—t and not old rotten and out of vse but naturally bred in our 〈◊〉 without dâ—ubtfull and ambiguous aenigmas or amphibologies to put the hearers in a maze for the interpretation They should be also apt and proper to that thing we goe about to deliuer whereby the discourse shal be more pleasing and the iudgement of the discourser more commendable Forren Languages We must auoid all talking in forren languages to him that vnderstandeth not what we say nor should we vse it at all but when it is needfull for vs to be vnderstood and meerely when necessity enforceth to vse them For without controuersie our owne is more naturall vnto vs and addeth a grace to euery discourse Words dishonest in their meaning Besides this it becommeth euery honest Gentleman to eschew those words that haue no honest meaning for the goodnesse of words consisteh either in their sound or pronouncing or in their sence and interpretation so that a man must not onely beware of vnhonest and filthy talke but also of that which is base and vile and especially where a man talketh and discourseth of great and high matters as for example to scratch the scabbes of sinne to name weomen of the world scuruy whoreâ— and infinite of this sort wherein wee must auoide the filthines of speech and rather accustome our selues to such gentle and courteous speeches and so sweete that they may haue no manner of bitter tast in them nay as I said in the reprehension of sinne and discoursing of pleasant matters we must be moderat vse couert tearmes and descriptions Moreouer a man should not bring a mans faith and honesty in question and doubt but if a man promise you any thing and doe not performe it you shall rather impute it to forgetfulnesse then thrust out any stings of complaint anger or choller you should therefore neuer speake before you haue first considered and laid the plot in your minde what it is you haue to say for in so doing your talke shall be well deliuered and not borne before the time Voyce and tongue must be pleasant We must also beware that our voyce be not hoarse and shrill and when wee laugh and sport in any sort wee must not cry out and scrich like the pulley of â— well nor yet speake in our yawning so that if a man doe flatter by nature or become hoarse through imperfections it is most meete for him to be sparing of speech and rather silent and attentiue to others then forward to discourse with displeasing it is also an ill noyce to heare a man raise his speech high like to a common cryer and yet not so low and softly that he that hearkens shal not heare him nay if he be inforced to repeate his tale againe he must doe it soberly and not as if he were angry indeed our manner of speech must be also disposed as the common vse is and not vnsorted disordered and scattered confusedly as many doe vpon a brauery like a Scriuener or some pedanticall schoolmaster nor must wee preposterously place our words as versefiers may doe nor should we vse the pompe brauery and affectation incident to others but withall we must take heed of such base speech as vile meane people or as we say the rascall scab accustome in one word as wee haue partly shewed before we must fashion our selues like Gentlemen and professors of ciuilitie Talkatiue fellowes As the defects of slowe and fumbling speâ—ches are to bee reformed so must wee not talke too fast nor too much as many talkatiue fellowes who out of vanitie loue to heare themselues speake and trouble all the company there is another fault likewise to be redressed and that is interrupting another mans discourse which must not bee for nothing mooues a man sooner to anger then when he is suddenly cut short of his wil and his pleasure be it neuer so little of smal importance If any man therefore be in a redinesse to tell his tale it is no good manners to enterrupt him nor to oppose against him although hee entermin gled some lie or fiction in his discourse nor must you diuert the hearers from any mans discourse to a new begunne speech and tale of your owne for as the interrupting of a man is as if you should take him by the sleeue and stop his course beginning to run so to aske abrupt questions in the midst of a tale or offer to beginne another discourse when a man is telling a story or such like is as if you should shuffle stones against him which goeth For euery man in his owne conceit thinkes he can tell his tale well although for modesty sake he deny it yet men must take heede of ouer much talking for he must runne into some errors and commit many faultes that talkes too much and he that talks all the talke to himselfe would after a sort prefer himselfe aboue them that heare him as a master would be aboue his schollers and therefore it is not good manners for a man to take vpon him a greater state then doeth become him Silence Wee must not also bee ouermuch silent for to vse silence in place where other men walke too and fro is in manner as much a fault as not to pay your scot and lot as other men doe therefore it is good manners for a man to speake and likewise to holde his peace as it comes to his turne and occasion requiers A good grace Wee must also vse a manner of grace in our speech and actions For it is not enough for a man to do things that be good but he must also haue a care he doe them with a very good grace and a good grace is nothing else but such a manner of light as I may call it as shineth in the aptnesse of things set in good order and well disposed one with another and perfectly knit and vnited together without which proportion and measure euen that which is good is not faire and the fairenes it selfe is not pleasant Of Vices curled haire sweet smels custome condition country Wee must not offend any man with our vices for as they be foule and filthy in themselues so they produce shamefull effects and turne to our losse and reproach it shall then be necessary for Gentlemen and men of good behauiour to haue a regard to this measure I speake of in going standing sitting iesture apparell port silence rest and action for a man must not apparell himselfe like a woman as in their haire and beardes frisled and curled with bod-kins their face necke and handes painted or starcht their perfumes so hot as a daintie strumpet and themselues meerely effeminate and womannish As for apparell spoken of before wee must vse them according to the fashion and our calling for we must not take vpon vs to alter custome at our will for time doth beget them and time doth also weare them out yea wee should apparell according to the countrey we liue in for what peraduenture is allowed in Verona perchance would not be suffered in Venice Comlinesse in going We must not run nor goe too fast in the streete least it make one sweate and puffe which is too vnseemly for a Gentleman nor yet are we to goe so soft and demurely as a maide neither should we shake the armes or writh the body mince it or walke with high gate and lifting vp the leg nor stampe with the feete nor goe as it were splay-footed nor stroake vp the stockins in going nor stare in ones faee nor looke vp too high nor muse too lumpishly nor doe any thing vnseemely when wee would bee professed Gentlemen who should be masters of true ciuilitie good manners and curtesie Many other things I could here relate as a table wherein a true life is pensilled our and delineated for example and immitation but because it would bring mee along as it were into a confused iourney I will desist from trauelling in vnknowen waies and wading further in the deepe then I shall be able to recouer the shore and so I leaue with these few cautions and abbreuiated principles and hope you haue the discretion to retire to greater volumes and better direction if these be not fully satisfactory BY T. G. Nemo desperet meliora lapsis FINIS