therefore bear the lesse weight never meddling with matters of Justice Can this be counted too low for a Lord which is high enough for a King our Nobleman freely serves his Countrey counting his very work a sufficient reward As by our Laws no Duke Earl Baron or Baronet though Justices of Peace may take any wages at the Sessions Yea he detesteth all gainfull wayes which have the least blush of dishonour For the Merchant Nobility of Florence and Venice how highly soever valued by themselves passe in other countreys with losse and abatement of repute as if the scarlet robes of their honour had a stain of the stamell die in them He is carefull in the thrifty managing of his estate Gold though the most solid and heavy of metalls yet may be beaten out so thin as to be the lightest and slightest of all things Thus Nobility though in it self most honourable may be so attenuated through the smalnesse of means as thereby to grow neglected Which makes our Nobleman to practice Solomons precept Be diligent to know the state of thy flocks and look well to thine herds for the Crown doth not endure to every generation If not the Crown much lesse the Coronet and good husbandry may as well stand with great honour as breadth may consist with height If a weak estate be left him by his Ancesters he seeks to repair it by wayes thrifty yet noble as by travelling sparing abroad till his state at home may outgrow debts and pensions Hereby he gains experience and saves expence sometimes living private sometimes shewing himself at an half light and sometimes appearing like himself as occasion requires or else by betaking himself to the warres Warre cannot but in thankfulnesse grace him with an Office which graceth her with his person or else by warlike sea-adventures wisely undertaken and providently managed otherwise this course hath emptied more full then filled empty purses and many thereby have brought a Galeon to a Gally or lastly by match with wealthy Heirs wherein he is never so attentive to his profit but he listens also to his honour In proportion to his means he keeps a liberall house This much takes the affections of countrey people whose love is much warmed in a good kitchin and turneth much on the hinges of a buttery-doore often open Francis Russell second Earl of Bedford of that sirname was so bountifull to the poore that Queen Elizabeth would merrily complain of him that he made all the beggers sure 't is more honourable for Noblemen to make beggers by their liberality then by their oppression But our Nobleman is especially carefull to see all things discharged which he taketh up When the corps of Thomas Howard second Duke of Norfolk were carried to be interred in the Abbey of Thetford Anno 1524. no person could demand of him one groat for debt or restitution for any injury done by him His servants are best known by the coat and cognizance of their civill behaviour He will not entertain such ruffian-like men who know so well who is their Master that they know not who they are themselves and think their Lords reference is their innocence to bear them out in all unlawfull actions But our Lords house is the Colledge wherein the children of the neighbouring Gentry and Yeomanry are bred and there taught by serving of him to rule themselves He hateth all oppression of his tenants and neighbours disdaining to crush a mean Gentleman for a meaner offense and counts it no conquest but an execution from him who on his side hath the oddes of height of place strength of arme and length of weapon But as the Proverb saith No grasse grows where the grand Seignieurs horse sets his feet so too often nothing but grasse grows where some Great men set their footing no towns or tillage for all must be turn'd into depopulating pastures and commons into enclosures Nigh the city of Lunenberg in Germany flowed a plentifull salt spring till such time as the rich men engrossing all the profit to themselves would not suffer the poore to make any salt thereof whereupon God and Nature being offended at their covetousnesse the spring ceased and ran no more for a time Thus hath Gods punishment overtaken many great men and stopp'd his blessing towards them which formerly flowed plentifully unto them for that they have wronged poore people of their commonage which of right belonged unto them In his own pleasures he is carefull of his neighbours profit Though his horses cannot have wings like his hawks to spoil no grasse or grain as he passeth yet he is very carefull to make as little waste as possible may be his horses shall not trample on loaves of bread as he hunteth so that whilest he seeks to gather a twig for himself he breaks the staff of the commonwealth All the countrey are his Retainers in love and observance When they come to wait on him they leave not their hearts at home behind them but come willingly to tender their respects The holding up of his hand is as good as the displaying of a banner thousands will flock to him but it must be for the Kings and Countreys service For he knows that he who is more then a Lord if his cause be loyall is lesse then a private man if it be otherwise with S. Paul he can do nothing against the truth but for the truth Thus Queen Elizabeth Christâ—ned the youngest daughter of Gilbert Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury now Countesse of Arundell Aletheia Truth out of true consideration and judgement that the house of the Talbots was ever loyall to the Crown Some priviledges of Noblemen he endeavours to deserve namely such priviledges as are completely Noble that so his merits as well as the Law should allow them unto him He conceives this word On mine Honour wraps up a great deal in it which unfolded and then measured will be found to be a large attestation and no lesse then an eclipticall oath calling God to witnesse who hath bestowed that Honour upon him And seeing the State is so tender of him that he shall not be forced to swear in matters of moment in Courts of Justice he is carefull not to swear of his own accord in his sports and pleasures Other priviledges of Noblemen he labours not to have need of namely such as presuppose a fault are but honourable penalties and excuse from shamefull punishments Thus he is not to be bound to the peace And what needs he who hath the peace alwayes bound to him being of his own accord alwayes carefull to preserve it and of so noble a disposition he will never be engaged in any braules or contentions To give an instance of such a Nobleman seems to be needlesse hoping that at this time in one city of this Realm and in one room of that city many such Noblemen are to be found together CHAP. 13. The
Sense from his mouth a Sentence and a tolerable speech cri'd up for an Apothegme Or lastly because God may sometimes illuminate them and especially towards their death admit them to the possession of some part of reason A poore begger in Paris being very hungry stayed so long in a Cooks shop who was dishing up of meat till his stomach was satisfied with the onely smell thereof The cholerick covetous Cook demanded of him to pay for his breakfast The pooreman denyed it and the controversie was referr'd to the deciding of the next man that should passe by which chanced to be the most notorious Idiot in the whole City He on the relation of the matter determined that the poore mans money should be put betwixt two empty dishes and the Cook should be recompenced with the gingling of the poore mans money as he was satisfied with the onely smell of the Cooks meat And this is affirmed by credible Writers as no fable but an undoubted fact More waggish was that of a rich landed Fool whom a Courtier had begg'd and carried about to wait on him He coming with his master to a Gentlemans house where the picture of a Fool was wrought in a fair suit of arras cut the picture out with a penknife And being chidden for so doing You have more cause said he to thank me for if my master had seen the picture of the Fool he would have begg'd the hangings of the King as he did my lands When the standers by comforted a Naturall which lay on his death-bed and told him that foure proper fellows should carry his body to the Church Yea quoth he but I had rather by half go thither my self and then prayed to God at his last gasp not to require more of him then he gave him As for a Changeling which is not one child changed for another but one child on a sudden much changed from it self and for a Jester which some count a necessary evil in a Court an office which none but he that hath wit can perform and and none but he that wants wit will perform I conceive them not to belong to the present subject CHAP. 13. Of Recreations REcreation is a second Creation when wearinesse hath almost annihilated ones spirits It is the breathing of the soul which otherwise would be stifled with continuall businesse We may trespasse in them if using such as are forbidden by the Lawyer as against the statutes Physician as against health Divine as against conscience Be well satisfied in thy Conscience of the lawfulnesse of the recreation thou usest Some fight against Cockfighting and bait Bull and Bearbaiting because man is not to be a common Barretour to set the creatures at discord and seeing Antipathy betwixt creatures was kindled by mans sinne what pleasure can he take to see it burn Others are of the contrary opinion and that Christianity gives us a placard to use these sports and that mans Charter of dominion over the creatures enables him to employ them as well for pleasure as necessity In these as in all other doubtfull recreations be well assured first of the legality of them He that sinnes against his Conscience sinnes with a witnesse Spill not the morning the quintessence of the day in recreations For sleep it self is a recreation adde not therefore sauce to sauce and he cannot properly have any title to be refresh'd who was not first faint Pastime like wine is poyson in the morning It is then good husbandry to sow the head which hath lain fallow all night with some serious work Chiefly intrench not on the Lords day to use unlawfull sports this were to spare thine own flock and to sheere Gods lambe Let thy recreations be ingenious and bear proportion with thine age If thou saist with Paul When I was a child I did as a child say also with him But when I was a man I put away childish things Wear also the childs coat if thou usest his sports Take heed of boisterous and overviolent exercises Ringing oftentimes hath made good musick on the bells and put mens bodies out of tune so that by overheating themselves they have rung their own passing-bell Yet the ruder sort of people scarce count any thing a sport which is not loud and violent The Muscovite women esteem none loving husbands except they beat their wives 'T is no pastime with country Clowns that cracks not pates breaks not shins bruises not limbes tumbles and tosses not all the body They think themselves not warm in their geeres till they are all on fire and count it but dry sport till they swim in their own sweat Yet I conceive the Physicians rule in exercises Ad ruborem but non ad sudorem is too scant measure Refresh that part of thy self which is most wearied If thy life be sedentary exercise thy body if stirring and active recreate thy mind But take heed of cousening thy mind in setting it to do a double task under pretence of giving it a play-day as in the labyrinth of Chesse and other tedious and studious Games Yet recreations distastfull to some dispositions rellish best to others Fishing with an angle is to some rather a torture then a pleasure to stand an houre as mute as the fish they mean to take yet herewithall Doctour Whitaker was much delighted When some Noblemen had gotten William Cecill Lord Burleigh and Treasurer of England to ride with them a hunting the sport began to be cold What call you this said the Treasurer Oh now said they the dogs are at a fault Yea quoth the Treasurer take me again in such a fault and I le give you leave to punish me Thus as soon may the same meat please all palats as the same sport suit with all dispositions Running Leaping and Dancing the descants on the plain song of walking are all excellent exercises And yet those are the best recreations which besides refreshing enable at least dispose men to some other good ends Bowling teaches mens hands and eyes Mathematicks and the rules of Proportion Swimming hath sav'd many a mans life when himself hath been both the wares and the ship Tilting and Fencing is warre without anger and manly sports are the Grammer of Military performance But above all Shooting is a noble recreation and an half Liberall art A rich man told a poore man that he walked to get a stomach for his meat And I said the poore man walk to get meat for my stomach Now Shooting would have fitted both their turns it provides food when men are hungry and helps digestion when they are full King Edward the sixth though he drew no strong bow shot very well and when once John Dudley Duke of Northumberland commended him for hitting the mark You shot better quoth the King when you shot off my good uncle Protectours head But our age sees his Successour exceeding him in that art whose eye like his
the rock and commanded by God onely to speak to it with his rod in his hand being transported with anger smote it thrice Thus some Masters which might fetch penitent tears from their servants with a chiding word onely shaking the rod withall for terrour in their fury strike many blows which might better be spared If he perceives his servant incorrigible so that he cannot wash the black-moore he washeth his hands of him and fairly puts him away He is tender of his servant in his sicknesse and age If crippled in his service his house is his hospitall yet how many throw away those dry bones out of the which themselves have suckt the marrow It is as usuall to see a young serving-man an old beggar as to see a light-horse first frō the great saddle of a Nobleman to come to the hackney-coach and at last die in drawing a carre But the good Master is not like the cruell hunter in the fable who beat his old dogge because his toothlesse mouth let go the game he rather imitates the noble nature of our Prince Henrie who took order for the keeping of an old English mastiffe which had made a Lion runne away Good reason good service in age should be rewarded Who can without pity and pleasure behold that trusty vessell which carried Sr. Francis Drake about the world Hitherto our discourse hath proceeded of the carriage of Masters towards free covenant servants not intermedling with their behaviour towards slaves vassals whereof we onely report this passage When Charles the fifth Emperour returning with his fleet from Algier was extremely beaten with a tempest and their ships overloaden he caused them to cast their best horses into the sea to save the life of many slaves which according to the market price was not so much worth Are there not many that in such a case had rather save Jack the horse then Jocky the keeper And yet those who first called England the Purgatory of servants sure did us much wrong Purgatory it self being as false in the application to us as in the doctrine thereof servants with us living generally on as good conditions as in any other countrey And well may masters consider how easie a transposition it had been for God to have made him to mount into the saddle that holds the stirrop and him to sit down at the table who stands by with a trencher CHAP. 8. The good Servant HE is one that out of conscience serves God in his Master and so hath the principle of obedience in himself As for those servants who found their obedience on some externall thing with engines they will go no longer then they are wound or weighed up He doth not dispute his Masters lawfull will but doeth it Hence it is that simple servants understand such whose capacity is bare measure without surplusage equall to the busines he is used in are more usefull because more manageable then abler men especially in matters wherein not their brains but hands are required Yet if his Master out of want of experience injoyns him to do what is hurtfull and prejudiciall to his own estate duty herein makes him undutifull if not to deny to demurre in his performance and chusing rather to displease then hurt his master he humbly represents his reasons to the contrary He loves to go about his busines with cheerfulnesse One said He loved to heare his carter though not his cart to sing God loveth a cheerfull giver and Christ reproved the Pharisees for disfiguring their faces with a sad countenance Fools who to perswade men that Angels lodged in their hearts hung out a devil for a signe in their faces Sure cheerfulnesse in doing renders a deed more acceptable Not like those servants who doing their work unwillingly their looks do enter a protestation against what their hands are doing He dispatcheth his busines with quicknes and expedition Hence the same English word Speed signifies celerity and successe the former in businesse of execution causing the latter Indeed haste and rashnesse are storms and tempests breaking and wrecking businesse but nimblenesse is a fair full wind blowing it with speed to the haven As he is good at hand so is he good at length continually and constantly carefull in his service Many servants as if they had learnd the nature of the besoms they use are good for a few dayes and afterwards grow unserviceable He disposeth not of his masters goods without his privity or consent no not in the smallest matters Open this wicket and it will be in vain for masters to shut the doore If servants presume to dispose small things without their masters allowance besides that many little leaks may sink a ship this will widen their consciences to give away greater But though he hath not alwayes a particular leave he hath a generall grant and a warrant dormant from his master to give an almes to the poore in his absence if in absolute necessity His answers to his master are true direct and dutifull If a dumbe devil possesseth a servant a winding cane is the fittest circle and the master the exorcist to drive it out Some servants are so talkative one may as well command the echo as them not to speak last and then they count themselves conquerours because last they leave the field Others though they seem to yield and go away yet with the flying Parthians shoot backward over their shoulders and dart bitter taunts at their masters yea though with the clock they have given the last stroke yet they keep a jarring muttering to themselves a good while after Iust correction he bears patiently and unjust he takes cheerfully knowing that stripes unjustly given more hurt the master then the man and the Logick maxime is verified Agens agendo repatitur the smart most lights on the striker Chiefly he disdains the basenesse of running away Because charity is so cold his industry is the hotter to provide something for himself whereby he may be maintained in his old age If under his master he trades for himself as an apprentice may do if he hath covenanted so before-hand he provides good bounds and sufficient fences betwixt his own and his masters estate Iacob Gen. 30.36 set his flock three dayes journey from Labans that no quarrell may arise about their proprietie nor suspicion that his remnant hath eaten up his masters whole cloth CHAP. 9. The life of ELIEZER ELiezer was Steward of Abrahams houshold Lieutenant generall over the army of his servants ruler over all his Master had the confidence in his loyalty causing the largenesse of his commission But as for those who make him the founder of Damascus on no other evidence but because he is called Eliezer of Damascus they build a great city on too narrow a foundation It argues his goodnesse that Abraham if dying without a sonne intended him his heir a kinsman in grace is nearest by the surest side
labore magno sed ridiculo inani But this obscurity is worst when affected when they do as Persius of whom one saith Legi voluit quae scripsit intelligi noluit quae legerentur Some affect this darknesse that they may be accounted profound whereas one is not bound to believe that all the water is deep that is muddy He is not curious in searching matters of no moment Captain Martin Forbisher fetcht from the farthest northern Countries a ships lading of minerall stones as he thought which afterwards were cast out to mend the high wayes Thus are they served and misse their hopes who long seeking to extract hidden mysteries out of nice questions leave them off as uselesse at last Antoninus Pius for his desire to search to the least differences was called Cumini sector the Carver of cumine seed One need not be so accurate for as soon shall one scowr the spots out of the moon as all ignorance out of man When Eunomius the Heretick vaunted that he knew God and his divinity S. Basil gravells him in 21 questions about the body of an ant or pismire so dark is mans understanding I wonder therefore at the boldnesse of some who as if they were Lord Mashalls of the Angels place them in ranks and files Let us not believe them here but rather go to heaven to confute them He neither multiplies needlesse nor compounds necessary Controversies Sure they light on a labour in vain who seek to make a bridge of reconciliation over the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwixt Papists and Protestants for though we go 99 steps they I mean their Church will not come one to give us a meeting And as for the offers of Clara's and private men besides that they seem to be more of the nature of baits then gifts they may make large profers without any Commission to treat and so the Romish Church not bound to pay their promises In Merionethshire in Wales there are high mountains whose hanging tops come so close together that shepherds on the tops of severall hills may audibly talk together yet will it be a dayes journey for their bodies to meet so vast is the hallownesse of the vallies betwixt them Thus upon sound search shall we find a grand distance and remotenesse betwixt Popish and Protestant tenents to reconcile them which at the first view may seem near and tending to an accomodation He is resolute and stable in fundamentall points of Religion These are his fixed poles and axletree about which he moves whilest they stand unmoveable Some sail so long on the Sea of controversies toss'd up and down to and fro Pro and Con that the very ground to them seems to move and their judgements grow scepticall and unstable in the most settled points of Divinity When he cometh to Preach especially if to a plain Auditory with the Paracelsians he extracts an oyl out of the driest and hardest bodies and knowing that knotty timber is unfit to build with he edifies people with easie and profitable matter WILLIAM WHITACRES Dr. of D Kinges Professor and Master of S nt Iohns Coll in Cambridge where He died An o 1595. Aged 47 yeares W. Marshall sculp CHAP. 5. The life of Dr. VVHITAKER WIlliam Whitaker born at Holm in the County of Lancaster of good parentage especially by his mothers side allied to two worshipfull families His reverend unckle Alexander Nowell Dean of S. Pauls the first fruits of the English Confessours in the dayes of Queen Marie who after her death first return'd into England from beyond the Seas took him young from his parents sent him first to Pauls School thence to Trinity Colledge in Cambridge where he so profited in his studies that he gave great promises of his future perfection I passe by his youthfull exercises never striving for the garland but he wonne and wore it away His prime appearing to the world was when he stood for the Professours place against two Competitours in age farre his superiours But the seven Electours in the Universitie who were to choose the Emperour of the Schools preferring a golden head before silver hairs conferr'd the place on Whitaker and the strict form of their Election hath no room for corruption He so well acquitted himself in the place that he answered expectation the strongest opponent in all disputes and lectures and by degrees taught envie to admire him By this time the Papists began to assault him and the Truth First Campian one fitter for a Trumpeter then a Souldier whose best ability was that he could boast in good Latine being excellent at the flat hand of Rhetorick which rather gives pats then blows but he could not bend his fist to dispute Whitaker both in writing and disputing did teach him that it was easier to make then maintain a challenge against our Church and in like manner he handled both Duraeus and Sanders who successively undertook the same cause solidly confuting their arguments But these Teazers rather to rouze then pinch the Game onely made Whitaker find his spirits The fiercest dog is behind even Bellarmine himself a great scholar and who wanted nothing but a good cause to defend and generally writing ingeniously using sometimes slenting seldome down-right railing Whitaker gave him all fair quarter stating the question betwixt them yielding all which the other in reason could ask and agreeing on terms to fall out with him plaid fairly but fiercely on him till the other forsook the field Bellarmine had no mind to reinforce his routed arguments but rather consigned over that service to a new Generall Stapleton an English man He was born the same yeare and moneth wherein Sr. Thomas More was beheaded an observation little lesse then mysticall with the Papists as if God had substituted him to grow up in the room of the other for the support of the Catholick cause If Whitaker in answering him put more gall then usuall into his ink Stapleton whose mouth was as foul as his cause first infected him with bitternesse and none will blame a man for arming his hands with hard and rough gloves who is to meddle with bryers and brambles Thus they baited him constantly with fresh dogs None that ran at him once desired a second course at him and as one observes Cum nullo hoste unquam constixit quem non fudit fugavit He filled the Chair with a gracefull presence so that one needed not to do with him as Luther did with Melanchthon when he first heard him reade abstract the opinion and sight of his stature and person lest the meannesse thereof should cause an undervaluing of him for our Whitakers person carried with it an excellent port His style was manly for the strength maidenly for the modesty and elegant for the phrase thereof shewing his skill in spinning a fine thred out of course wool for such is controversiall matter He had by his second wife a modest woman eight
read twenty one years on the first Chapter and yet finished it not He counts the successe of his Ministry the greatest preferment Yet herein God hath humbled many painfull pastours in making them to be clouds to rain not over Arabia the happy but over the stonie or desert so that they may complain with the Herdsman in the Poet Heâ— mihi quam pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo My starveling bull Ah woe is me In pasture full How lean is he Yet such Pastours may comfort themselves that great is their reward with God in heaven who measures it not by their successe but endeavours Besides though they see not their people may feel benefit by their Ministry Yea the preaching of the Word in some places is like the planting of woods where though no profit is received for twenty years together it comes afterwards And grant that God honours thee not to build his temple in thy parish yet thou maist with David provide metall and materialls for Solomon thy successour to build it with To sick folks he comes sometimes before he is sent for as counting his vocation a sufficient calling None of his flock shall want the extreme unction of Prayer and Counsell Against the Communion especially he endeavours that Janus his temple be shut in the whole parish and that all be made friends He is never plaintiff in any suit but to be rights defendant If his dues be detained from him he grieves more for his parishioners bad conscience then his own damage He had rather suffer ten times in his profit then once in his title where not onely his person but posterity is wronged And then he proceeds fairly and speedily to a tryall that he may not vex and weary others but right himself During his suit he neither breaks off nor slacks offices of courtesie to his adversary yea though he loseth his suit he will not also lose his charity Chiefly he is respectfull to his Patrone that as he presented him freely to his living so he constantly presents his Patrone in his prayers to God He is moderate in his tenets and opinions Not that he gilds over lukewarmnesse in matters of moment with the title of discretion but withall he is carefull not to entitle violence in indifferent and in concerning matters to be zeal Indeed men of extraordinary tallnesse though otherwise little deserving are made porters to lords those of unusuall littlenesse are made ladies dwarfs whilest men of moderate stature may want masters Thus many notorius for extremities may find favourers to preferre them whilest moderate men in the middle truth may want any to advance them But what saith the Apostle If in this life onely we had hope we are of all men the most miserable He is sociable and willing to do any courtesie for his neighbour Ministers He willingly communicates his knowledge unto them Surely the gifts and graces of Christians lay in common till base envy made the first enclosure He neither slighteth his inferiours nor repineth at those who in parts and credit are above him He loveth the company of his neighbour Ministers Sure as ambergreece is nothing so sweet in it self as when it is compounded with other things so both godly and learned men are gainers by communicating themselves to their neighbours He is carefull in the discreet ordering of his own family A good Minister and a good father may well agree together When a certain Frenchman came to visit Melanchthon he found him in his stove with one hand dandling his child in the swadling-clouts and in the other hand holding a book and reading it Our Minister also is as hospitable as his estate will permit and makes every almes two by his cheerfull giving it He loveth also to live in a well-repaired house that he may serve God therein more cheerfully A Clergieman who built his house from the ground wrote in it this counsell to his successour If thou dost find an house built to thy mind Without thy cost Serve thou the more God and the poore My labour is not lost Lying on his deathbed he bequeaths to each of his parishioners his precepts and example for a legacie and they in requitall erect every one a monument for him in their hearts He is so farre from that base jealousie that his memory should be outshined by a brighter successour and from that wicked desire that his people may find his worth by the worthlesnesse of him that succeeds that he doth heartily pray to God to provide them a better Pastour after his decease As for outward estate he commonly lives in too bare pasture to die fat It is well if he hath gathered any flesh being more in blessing then bulk WILLIAM PERKINS The Learned pious and painfull Preacher of Gods word at S t Andrewes in Cambridge where He died Anno Dni 1602. Aged 44 yeares W. M. sculp CHAP. 10. The life of M r PERKINS William Perkins born at Marston nigh Coventry in Warwickshire was afterwards brought up in Christ-Colledge in Cambridge where he so well profited in his studies that he got the grounds of all liberall Arts and in the 24. of Queen Elizabeth was chosen fellow of that Colledge the same yeare wherein Doctour Andrew Willet one of admirable industry and Doctour Richard Clark whose learned Sermons commend him to posterity were elected into the same Society There goeth an uncontroll'd tradition that Perkins when a young scholar was a great studier of Magick occasioned perchance by his skill in Mathematicks For ignorant people count all circles above their own sphere to be conjuring and presently cry out those things are done by black art for which their dimme eyes can see no colour in reason And in such cases when they cannot flie up to heaven to make it a Miracle they fetch it from hell to make it Magick though it may lawfully be done by naturall causes True it is he was very wild in his youth till God the best Chymick who can fix quicksilver it self gratiously reclaim'd him After his entrance into the Ministry the first beam he sent forth shined to those which sat in darknesse and the shadow of death I mean the prisoners in the castle of Cambridge people as generally in such places living in England out of Christendome wanting the means of their salvation bound in their bodies but too loose in their lives yea often branded in their flesh and seared in their consciences Perkins prevailed so farre with their jaylour that the prisoners were brought fetter'd to the Shire-house hard by where he preached unto them every Lords day Thus was the prison his parish his own Charity his Patron presenting him unto it and his work was all his wages Many an Onesimus here he begat and as the instrument freed the prisoners from the captivity of sinne When this began to be known some of good quality of the neighbouring parishes became his auditours and counted
the Netherlanders who were well paid for their pains In those dayes the Sword and the Plough so took up all mens imployments that clothing was whollie neglected and scarce any other webs to be found in houses then what the spiders did make But since she hath seen and mended her errour making the best use of her own wooll and indeed the riches of a kingdome doth consist in driving the home-commodities thereof as far as they will go working them to their very perfection imploying more handicrafts thereby The sheep feeds more with his fliece then his flesh doing the one but once but the other once a yeare many families subsisting by the working thereof Let not meaner persons be displeased with reading those verses wherewith Queen Elizabeth her self was so highly affected when in the one and twentieth yeare of her reigne she came in progresse to Norwich wherein a child representing the state of the City spake to her Highnesse as followeth Most gratious Prince undoubted Sovereigne Queen Our onely joy next God and chief defence In this small shew our whole estate is seen The wealth we have we find proceeds from hence The idle hand hath here no place to feed The painfull wight hath still to serve his need Again our seat denies us traffick here The sea too near decides us from the rest So weak we were within this dozen yeare That care did quench the courage of the best But good advice hath taught these little hands To rend in twain the force of pining bands From combed wooll we draw this slender thred From thence the looms have dealing with the same And thence again in order do proceed These severall works which skilfull art doth frame And all to drive dame Need into her cave Our heads and hands together laboured have We bought before the things which now we sell These slender imps their works do passe the waves Gods peace and thine we hold and prosper well Of every mouth the hands the charges saves Thus through thy help and aid of power divine Doth Norwich live whose hearts and goods are thine We have cause to hope that as we have seen the cities Dornicks and Arras brought over into England so posterity may see all Flaunders brought hither I mean that their works shall be here imitated and that either our land shall be taught to bear forrein commodities or our people taught to forbear the using of them I should now come to give the description of the Day-Labourer of whom we have onely a dearth in a plentifull harvest but seeing his character is so co-incident with the hired servant it may well be spared And now wee 'l rise from the hand to the arm and come to describe the Souldier CHAP. 19. The good Souldier A Souldier is one of a lawfull necessary commendable and honourable profession yea God himself may seem to be one free of the company of Souldiers in that he styleth himself A man of warre Now though many hate Souldiers as the twigs of the rod Warre wherewith God scourgeth wanton countreys into repentance yet is their calling so needfull that were not some Souldiers we must be all Souldiers dayly imployed to defend our own the world would grow so licentious He keepeth a clear and quiet conscience in his breast which otherwise will gnaw out the roots of all valour For vicious Souldiers are compassed with enemies on all sides their foes without them and an ambush within them of fleshly lusts which as S. Peter saith fight against the soul. None fitter to go to warre then those who have made their peace with God in Christ for such a mans soul is an impregnable fort It cannot be scaled with ladders for it reacheth up to heaven nor be broken by batteries for it is walled with brasse nor undermined by pioners for he is founded on a rock nor betrayed by treason for faith it self keeps it nor be burnt by granadoes for he can quench the fiery darts of the devil nor be forced by famine for a good conscience is a continuall feast He chiefly avoids those sinnes to which Souldiers are taxed as most subject Namely common swearing which impayreth ones credit by degrees and maketh all his promises not to be trusted for he who for no profit will sinne against God for small profit will trespasse against his neighbour drinking whoring When valiant Zisca near Pilsen in Bohemia fought against his enemies he commanded the women which followed his army to cast their kerchiefs and partlets on the ground wherein their enemies being entangled by their spurres for though horsmen they were forced to alight and fight on foot through the roughnesse of the place were slain before they could unloose their feet A deep morall may be gathered hence and women have often been the nets to catch and ensnare the souls of many Martiall men He counts his Princes lawfull command to be his sufficient warrant to fight In a defensive warre when his countrey is hostilely invaded 't is pity but his neck should hang in suspence with his conscience that doubts to fight in offensive warre though the case be harder the common Souldier is not to dispute but do his Princes command Otherwise Princes before they leavie an army of Souldiers must first leavy an army of Casuists and Confessours to satisfie each scrupulous Souldier in point of right to the warre and the most cowardly will be the most conscientious to multiply doubts eternally Besides causes of warre are so complicated and perplex'd so many things falling in the prosecution as may alter the originall state thereof and private Souldiers have neither calling nor ability to dive into such mysteries But if the conscience of a Counsellour or Commander in chief remonstrates in himself the unlawfulnesse of this warre he is bound humbly to represent to his Prince his reasons against it He esteemeth all hardship easy through hopes of victory Moneys are the sinews of war yet if these sinews should chance to be shrunk and pay casually fall short he takes a fit of this convulsion patiently he is contented though in cold weather his hands must be their own fire and warm themselves with working though he be better armed against their enemies then the weather and his corslet wholler then his clothes though he hath more Fasts and Vigills in his almanack then the Romish Church did ever enjoyn he patiently endureth drougth for desire of honour and one thirst quencheth another In a word though much indebted to his own back and belly and unable to pay them yet he hath credit with himself and confidently runnes on ticket with himself hoping the next victory will discharge all scores with advantage He looks at and also through his wages at Gods glory and his countreys good He counts his pay an honourable addition but no valuable compensation for his pains for what proportion is there betwixt foure shillings aweek and adventuring his life I
imperfections Had they not been men they had not burn't yea had they not been more then men by Gods assistance they had not burn't Every true Christian should but none but strong Christians will die at the stake But to return to Ridley One of the greatest things objected against him was his counsell to King Edward which the good Prince wash'd away with his tears about tolerating the Masse for Princesse Mary at the intercession of Charles the fifth Emperour which how great it was let the indifferent party give judgement when the Historian hath given his evidence The Bishops of Canterbury London Rochester gave their opinion that to give licence to sinne was sinne but to connive at sinne might be allowed in case it were neither too long nor without hope of reformation Another fault wherewith he was charged was that wofull and unhappy discord betwixt him and reverend Bishop Hooper about the wearing of some Episcopall garments at his consecration then in use which Ridley press'd and Hooper refused with equall violence as being too many rather loading then gracing him and so affectedly grave that they were light again All we will say is this that when worthy men fall out onely one of them may be faulty at the first but if such strifes continue long commonly both become guilty But thus Gods diamonds often cut one another and good men cause afflictions to good men It was the policy of the Lacedemonians alwayes to send two Embassadours together which disagreed amongst themselves that so mutually they might have an eye on the actions each of other Sure I am that in those Embassadours the Ministers which God sendeth to men God suffereth great discords betwixt them Paul with Barnabas Jerome with Ruffin and Augustine and the like perchance because each may be more cautious and wary of his behaviour in the view of the other We may well behold mens weaknesse in such dissentions but better admire Gods strength and wisdome in ordering them to his glory and his childrens good Sure it is Ridley and Hooper were afterwards cordially reconciled and let not their discords pierce farther then their reconciliation The worst is mens eyes are never made sound with the clearnesse but often are made sore with the bleernesse of other mens eyes in their company The virtues of Saints are not so attractive of our imitation as their vices and infirmities are prone to infect Ridley was very gracious with King Edward the sixth and by a Sermon he preach'd before him so wrought upon his pious disposition whose Princely charity rather wanted a directour then a perswader that the King at his motion gave to the city of London 1 Greyfriers now called Christ-Church for impotent fatherlesse decrepid people by age or nature to be educated or maintained 2 S. Bartholomews near Smithfield for poore by faculty as wounded souldiers diseas'd and sick persons to be cur'd and relieved 3 Bridewell the ancient Mansion of the English Kings for the poore by idlenesse or unthriftynesse as riotous spenders vagabonds loyterers strumpets to be corrected and reduc'd to good order I like that Embleme of Charity which one hath expressed in a naked child giving honey to a Bee without wings onely I would have one thing added namely holding a whip in the other hand to drive away the drones So that King Edwards bounty was herein perfect and complete To return to Ridley His whole life was a letter written full of learning and religion whereof his death was the seal Brought he was with Cranmer and Latimer to Oxford to dispute in the dayes of Queen Mary though before a Syllogisme was form'd their deaths were concluded on and as afterwards came to passe being burnt the sixteenth of October Anno 1555. in the ditch over against Balioll Colledge He came to the stake in a fair black gown furr'd and fac'd with foins a Tippet of velvet furr'd likewise about his neck a velvet night-cap upon his head and a corner'd cap upon the same Doctour Smith preacht a Sermon at their burning a Sermon which had nothing good in it but the text though misapplyed and the shortnesse being not above a quarter of an houre long Old Hugh Latimer was Ridleys partner at the stake sometimes Bishop of Worcester who crauled thither afâ—er him one who had lost more learning then many ever had who flout at his plain Sermons though his down-right style was as necessary in that ignorant age as it would be ridiculous in ours Indeed he condescended to peoples capacity and many men unjustly count those low in learning who indeed do but stoop to their Auditours Let me see any of our sharp Wits do that with the edge which his bluntnesse did with the back of the knife and perswade so many to restitution of ill-gotten goods Though he came after Ridley to the stake he got before him to heaven his body made tinder by age was no sooner touch'd by the fire but instantly this old Simeon had his Nunc dimittis and brought the news to heaven that his brother was following after But Ridley suffered with farre more pain the fire about him being not well made And yet one would think that age should be skilfull in making such bonefires as being much practised in them The Gunpowder that was given him did him little service and his Brother-in-law out of desire to rid him out of pain encreased it great grief will not give men leave to be wise with it heaping fewell upon him to no purpose so that neither the fagots which his enemies anger nor his Brothers good will cast upon him made the fire to burn kindly In like manner not much before his dear friend Master Hooper suffered with great torment the wind which too often is the bellows of great fires blowing it away from him once or twice Of all the Martyrs in those dayes these two endured most pain it being true that each of them Quaerebat in ignibus ignes And still he did desire For fire in midd'st of fire Both desiring to burn and yet both their upper parts were but Confessours when their lower parts were Martyrs and burnt to ashes Thus God where he hath given the stronger faith he layeth on the stronger pain And so we leave them going up to Heaven like Eliah in a chariot of fire CHAP. 12. The true Nobleman HE is a Gentleman in a Text Letter because bred and living in an higher and larger way Conceive him when young brought up at School in ludo literario where he did not take ludus to himself and leave literarius to others but seriously applyed himself to learning and afterwards coming to his estate thus behaves himself Goodnesse sanctifies his Greatnesse and Greatnesse supports his Goodnesse He improves the upper ground whereon he stands thereby to do God the more glory He counts not care for his Countreys good to be beneath his state Because he is a great pillar shall he
Natives secondly hereby he shall in a manner stand invisible and view others and as Josephs deafnesse heard all the dialogues betwixt his brethren so his not owning to understand the language shall expose their talk the more open unto him thirdly he shall have the more advantage to speak and negotiate in his own language at the least wise if he cannot make them come over to him he may meet them in the midway in the Latine a speech common to all learned Nations He gets his Commission and instructions well ratified and confirm'd before he sets forth Otherwise it is the worst prison to be commission-bound And seeing he must not jet out the least penthouse beyond his foundation he had best well survey the extent of his authority He furnisheth himself with fit Officers in his family Especially he is carefull in choosing 1 A Secretary honest and able carefull to conceal counsels and not such a one as will let drop out of his mouth whatsoever is poured in at his eare Yea the head of every Embassadour sleeps on the breast of his Secretary 2 A Steward wise and provident such as can temper magnificence with moderation judiciously fashioning his ordinary expences with his Masters estate reserving a spare for all events and accidentall occasions and making all things to passe with decency without any rudenesse noise or disorder He seasonably presents his Embassage and demands audience Such is the fresh nature of some Embassages if not spent presently they sent ill Thus it is ridiculous to condole griefs almost forgotten for besides that with a cruell courtesie it makes their sorrows bleed afresh it foolishly seems to teach one to take that which he hath formerly digested When some Trojane Embassadours came to comfort Tiberius Cesar for the losse of his sonne dead well nigh a twelvemoneth before And I said the Emperour am very sorry for your grief for the death of your Hector slain by Achilles a thousand years since Coming to have audience he applyeth himself onely to the Prince to whom he is sent When Chancellour Morvill Embassadour from the French King delivering his message to Philip Duke of Burgundy was interrupted by Charles the Dukes sonne I am sent said he not to treat with you but with your father And our M â— Wade is highly commended that being sent by Queen Elizabeth to Philip King of Spain he would not be turned over to the Spanish Privy Counsel whose greatest Grandees were dwarfs in honour to his Queen but would either have audience from the King himself or would return without it And yet afterwards our Embassadour knows if desirous that his businesse should take effect how and when to make his secret and underhand addresses to such potent Favourites as strike the stroke in the State it often hapning in Common-wealths that the Masters mate steers the ship thereof more then the Master himself In delivering his message he complies with the garb and guise of the countrey either longer briefer more plain or more flourishing as it is most acceptable to such to whom he directs his speech The Italians whose countrey is called the countrey of good words love the circuits of courtesie that an Embassadour should not as a sparrow-hawk flie outright to his prey and meddle presently with the matter in hand but with the noble falcon mount in language soar high fetch compasses of complement and then in due time stoop to game and seise on the businesse propounded Clean contrary the Switzers who sent word to the King of France not to send them an Embassadour with store of words but a Treasurer with plenty of money count all words quite out which are not straight on have an antipathy against eloquent language the flowers of Rhetorick being as offensive to them as sweet perfumes to such as are troubled with the Mother Yea generally great souldiers have their stomachs sharp set to feed on the matter lothing long speeches as wherein they conceive themselves to lose time in which they could conquer half a countrey and counting bluntnesse their best eloquence love to be accosted in their own kind He commands himself not to admire any thing presented unto him He looks but not gazeth on forrein magnificence as countrey clowns on a city beholding them with a familiar eye as challenging old acquaintance having known them long before If he be surprised with a sudden wonder he so orders it that though his soul within feels an admiration none can perceive it without in his countenance For 1 It is inconsistent with the steddinesse of his gravity to be startled with a wonder 2 Admiration is the daughter of ignorance whereas he ought to be so read in the world as to be posed with no rarity 3 It is a tacit confession if he wonders at State Strength or Wealth that herein his own Masters kingdome is farre surpass'd And yet he will not slight and neglect such worthy sights as he beholds which would savour to much of sullennesse and self-addiction things ill beseeming his noble spirit He is zealous of the least puntillo's of his Masters honour Herein 't is most true the Law of honour servanda in apicibus Yea a toy may be reall and a point may be essentiall to the sense of some sentences and worse to be spared then some whole letter Great Kings wrestle together by the strength and nimblenesse of their Embassadours wherefore Embassadours are carefull to afford no advantages to the adverse party and mutually no more hold is given then what is gotten lest the fault of the Embassadour be drawn into president to the prejudice of his Master He that abroad will lose an hair of his Kings honour deserves to lose his own head when he comes home He appears not violent in desiring any thing he would effect but with a seeming carelesnesse most carefully advanceth his Masters businesse If employed to conclude a Peace he represents his Master as indifferent therein for his own part but that desiring to spare Christian bloud preponderates him for Peace whose conscience not purse or arms are weary of the warre He entreats not but treats for an accord for their mutuall good But if the Embassadour declareth himself zealous for it perchance he may be forced to buy those conditions which otherwise would be given him He is constantly and certainly inform'd of all passages in his own Countrey What a shame is it for him to be a stranger to his native affairs Besides if gulls and rumours from his Countrey be raised on purpose to amuse our Embassadour he rather smiles then starts at these false vizards who by private instructions from home knows the true face of his Countrey-estate And lest his Masters Secretary should fail him herein he counts it thrift to cast away some pounds yearly to some private friend in the Court to send him true information of all home-remarkables He carefully returns good intelligence to
upon a beam and strangled in the night time and then threw out his corps into a garden where it lay some dayes unburied There goes a story that this Andrew on a day coming into the Queens chamber and finding her twisting a thick string of silk and silver demanded of her for what purpose she made it She answered To hang you in it which he then little believed the rather because those who intend such mischief never speak of it before But such blows in jest-earnest are most dangerous which one can neither receive in love nor refuse in anger Indeed she sought in vain to colour the businesse and to divert the suspicion of the murther from her self because all the world saw that she inflicted no punishment on the actours of it which were in her power And in such a case when a murther is generally known the sword of the Magistrate cannot stand neuter but doth justify what it doth not punish Besides his corps was not cold before she was hot in a new love and married Lewis Prince of Tarentum one of the beautifullest men in the world But it was hard for her to please her love and her lust in the same person This Prince wasted the state of his body to pay her the conjugall debt which she extorted beyond all modesty or reason so unquenchable was the wild-fire of her wantonnesse After his death she hating widowhood as much as Nature doth vacuum maried James King of Majorca and commonly styled Prince of Calabria Some say he dyed of a naturall death Others that she beheaded him for lying with another woman who would suffer none to be dishonest but her self Others that he was unjustly put to death and forced to change worlds that she might change husbands Her fourth husband was Otho of Brunswick who came a Commander out of Germany with a company of souldiers and performed excellent service in Italy A good souldier he was and it was not the least part of his valour to adventure on so skittish a beast But he hoped to feast his hungry fortune on this reversion By all foure husbands she had no children either because the drougth of her wantonnesse parched the fruit of her wombe or else because provident Nature prevented a generation of Monsters from her By this time her sinnes were almost hoarse with crying to heaven for revenge They mistake who think divine Justice sleepeth when it winks for a while at Offenders Hitherto she had kept herself in a whole skin by the rents which were in the Church of Rome For there being a long time a Schisme betwixt two Popes Urban and Clement she so poysed herself between them both that she escaped unpunished This is that Queen Joan that gave Avignon in France yet under a pretence of sale to Pope Urban and his Successours the stomach of his Holinesse not being so squeamish but that he would take a good almes from dirty hands It may make the chastity of Rome suspicious with the world that she hath had so good fortune to be a gainer by Harlots But see now how Charles Prince of Dyrachium being next of kin to Prince Andrew that was murdered comes out of Hungary with an army into Naples to revenge his uncles bloud He was received without resistance of any his very name being a Petrard to make all the city-gates fly open where he came Out issues Otho the Queens husband with an army of men out of Naples and most stoutly bids him battel but is overthrown yet was he suffered fairly to depart the kingdome dismiss'd with this commendation That never a more valiant Knight fought in defence of a more vitious Lady Queen Joan finding it now in vain to bend her fist fell to bowing of her knees and having an excellent command of all her passions save her lust fell down flat before Charles the Conquerour and submitted her self Hitherto said she I have esteemed thee in place of a sonne but seeing God will have it so hereafter I shall acknowledge thee for my Lord. Charles knew well that Necessity her Secretary endited her speech for her which came little from her heart yet to shew that he had as plentifull an Exchequer of good language promis'd her fairly for the present But mercy it self would be asham'd to pity so notorious a malefactour After some moneths imprisonment she was carried to the place where her husband was murder'd and there accordingly hang'd and cast out of the window into the garden whose corps at last was buried in the Nunnery of S. Clare CHAP. 3. The Witch BEfore we come to describe her we must premise and prove certain propositions whose truth may otherwise be doubted of 1 Formerly there were Witches Otherwise Gods Law had fought against a shadow Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live yea we reade how King Saul who had formerly scoured Witches out of all Israel afterwards drank a draught of that puddle himself 2 There are Witches for the present though those Night-birds flie not so frequently in flocks since the light of the Gospel Some ancient arts and mysteries are said to be lost but sure the devil will not wholly let down any of his gainfull trades There be many Witches at this day in Lapland who sell winds to Mariners for money and must they not needs go whom the devil drives though we are not bound to believe the old story of Ericus King of Swedeland who had a cap and as he turned it the wind he wish'd for would blow on that side 3 It is very hard to prove a Witch Infernall contracts are made without witnesses She that in presence of others will compact with the devil deserves to be hang'd for her folly as well as impiety 4 Many are unjustly accused for Witches Sometimes out of ignorance of naturall misapplying of supernaturall causes sometimes out of their neighbours mere malice and the suspicion is increas'd if the party accused be notoriously ill-favoured whereas deformity alone is no more argument to make her a Witch then handsomnesse had been evidence to prove her an Harlot sometimes out of their own causlesse confession Being brought before a Magistrate they acknowledge themselves to be Witches being themselves rather bewitch'd with fear or deluded with phancy But the self-accusing of some is as little to be credited as the self-praising of others if alone without other evidence 5 Witches are commonly of the feminine sex Ever since Satan tempted our grandmother Eve he knows that that sex is most licorish to tast and most carelesse to swallow his baits Nescio quid habet muliebre nomen semper cum sacris if they light well they are inferiour to few men in piety if ill superiour to all in superstition 6 They are commonly distinguished into white and black Witches White I dare not say good Witches for woe be to him that calleth evil good heal those that are hurt and help them to lost goods But better
no Christians and those who have a grain of grace under a load of imperfections would be counted reprobates thirdly because Gods vessells of honour from all eternitie not as yet appearing but wallowing in sinne would be made castawayes fourthly because God by the mixture of the wicked with the godly will try the watchfulnesse and patience of his servants fifthly because thereby he will bestow many favours on the wicked to clear his justice and render them the more inexcusable lastly because the mixture of the wicked grieving the godly will make them the more heartily pray for the day of judgement The desire of future glory makes the godly to cry Come Lord Iesus but the feeling of present pain whereof they are most sensible causeth the ingemination Come Lord Iesus come quickly In a word as it is wholsome for a flock of sheep for some goats to feed amongst them their bad sent being good Phisick for the sheep to keep them from the Shakings so much profit redounds to the godly by the necessary mixture of the wicked amongst them making the pious to stick the faster to God and goodnesse Fifth Position That the efficacie of the Sacrament depends on the piety of the Minister so that in effect his piety washeth the water in baptisme and sanctifieth it whereas the profanenesse of a bad man administring it doth unsacrament baptisme it self making a nullity thereof Herein the Anabaptists joyn hands with them as 't is generally known by their re-baptizing Yea some tending that way have maintained that Sacraments received from ignorant and unpreaching Ministers are of no validity Reason It is written Matth. 7.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit Confutation This is true of mens personall but not of their ministeriall acts that Minister that can adde the word of institution to the element makes a sufficient Sacrament And Sacraments like to shelmeats may be eaten after fowl hands without any harm Cum obsint indigne tractantibus prosint tamen digne sumentibus Yet God make all Ministers pious painfull and able we if beholding the present age may justly bemoan their want who remembring the former age must as justly admire their plenty Sixth Position That all learning and eloquence was to be condemn'd Late Sectarists go farther Greenwood and Barrow moved Queen Elizabeth to abolish both Universities Which we believe and wish may then be done When all blear eyes have quite put out the sunne Reason Because learning hath been the cause of many Heresies and discords in the Church Confutation Not learning but the conceit thereof in those that wanted it and the abuse thereof in such as had it caused Hereticks Seventh Position That Magistrates have no power to compell people to serve God by outward punishment which is also the distill'd position of our Anabaptists thus blinding the Ministers and binding the Magistrate what work do they make Reason Because it is a breach of the liberty of the creature The King of heaven gave not men freewill for the Kings of the earth to take it away from them Confutation God gave men freewill to use it well if they abuse it God gave Magistrates power to punish them else they bear the sword in vain They may command people to serve God who herein have no cause to complain better to be compell'd to a feast Luke 14.23 then to runne to a fray But these men who would not have Magistrates compell them quaere whether if they had power they would not compell Magistrates The Donatists also did mightily boast of miracles and visions they made nothing to step into the third heaven and have familiar dialogues with God himself they used also to cite their revelations as arguments for their opinions we will trust the coppy of such their visions to be true when we see the originall produc'd herein the Anabaptists come not behind them Strange was the Donatists ambition of Martyrdome they used to force such as they met to wound them mortally or violently to stab and kill them and on purpose to fall down from steep mountains which one day may wish the mountains to fall on them For Martyrs are to die willingly but not wilfully and though to die be a debt due to nature yet he that payes it before the time may be called upon for repayment to die the second death Once many Donatists met a noble Gentleman and gave him a sword into his hand commanding him to kill them or threatning to kill him Yet he refus'd to do it unlesse first they would suffer him to bind them all for fear said he that when I have kill'd one or two of you the rest alter their minds and fall upon me Having fast bound them all he soundly whipt them and so let them alone Herein he shewed more wit then they wanted and more charity then wit denying them their desires and giving them their deserts seeking to make true Saints by marring of false Martyrs These Donatists were opposed by the learned writings of private Fathers Optatus Milevitanus and S. Augustine no Heresie could bud out but presently his pruning-hook was at it and by whole Councells one at Carthage another at Arles But the Donatists whilest blessing themselves cared not for the Churches Anathema's being so farre from fearing her excommunications that they prevented them in first excommunicating themselves by separation and they count it a kindnesse to be shut out who would willingly be gone Besides they called at Carthage an Anti-councell of their own faction consisting of two hundred seventy Bishops to confirm their opinions Let Truth never challenge Errour at the weapon of number alone without other arguments for some Orthodox Councells have had fewer suffrages in them then this Donatisticall conventicle and we may see small Pocket-Bibles and a great Folio-Alchoran But that which put the period to this Heresie for after the six hundredth yeare of Christ the Donatist appears not I looked after his place and he was not to be found was partly their own dissensions for they crumbled into severall divisions amongst themselves Besides the honest Rogatists of whom before they had severall sects some more some lesse strict called from their severall masters Cresconians Petilians Ticonians Parmenians Maximians c. which much differed amongst themselves Thus is it given to all Heresies to break out into under-factions still going further in their tenets and such as take themselves to be twice-refined will count all others to be but drosse till there be as many Heresies as Hereticks like the Ammonites so scattered by Saul 1. Sam. 11.11 that there remained not two of them which were together But chiefly they were suppressed by the civill Magistrate Moses will do more with a frown then Aaron with a blow I mean with Church-censures for Honorius the godly Emperour with his arm above a thousand miles
judgement is clear and quick to discover the mark and his hands as just in Shooting as in dealing aright Some sports being granted to be lawfull more propend to be ill then well used Such I count Stage-playes when made alwayes the Actours work and often the Spectatours recreation Zeuxis the curious picturer painted a boy holding a dish full of grapes in his hand done so lively that the birds being deceived flew to peck the grapes But Zeuxis in an ingenious choller was angry with his own workmanship Had I said he made the boy as lively as the grapes the birds would have been afraid to touch them Thus two things are set forth to us in Stage-playes some grave sentences prudent counsells and punishment of vitious examples and with these desperate oathes lustfull talk and riotous acts are so personated to the life that wantons are tickled with delight and feed their palats upon them It seems the goodnesse is not portrayed out with equall accents of livelinesse as the wicked things are otherwise men would be deterr'd from vitious courses with seeing the wofull successe which follows them But the main is wanton speeches on stages are the devils ordinance to beget badnesse but I question whether the pious speeches spoken there be Gods ordinance to increase goodnesse as wanting both his institution and benediction Choak not thy soul with immoderate pouring in the cordiall of pleasures The Creation lasted but six dayes of the first week Prophane they whose Recreation lasts seven dayes every week Rather abbridge thy self of thy lawfull liberty herein it being a wary rule which S. Gregory gives us Solus in illicitis non cadit qui se aliquando à licitis caute restringit And then Recreations shall both strengthen labour and sweeten rest and we may expect Gods blessing and protection on us in following them as well as in doing our work For he that faith grace for his meat in it prayes also to God to blesse his sauce unto him As for those that will not take lawfull pleasure I am afraid they will take unlawfull pleasure and by lacing themselves too hard grow awry on one side CHAP. 14. Of Tombes TOmbes are the clothes of the dead a Grave is but a plain suit and a rich Monument is one embroyder'd Most moderate men have been carefull for the decent interment of their corps Few of the fond mind of Arbogastus an Irish Saint and Bishop of Spires in Germany who would be buried near the Gallows in imitation of our Saviour whose grave was in mount Calvary near the place of execution 'T is a provident way to make ones Tombe in ones life-time both hereby to prevent the negligence of heirs and to mind him of his mortality Virgil tells us that when bees swarm in the aire and two armies meeting together fight as it were a set battel with great violence cast but a little dust upon them and they will be quiet Hi motus animorum atque haec certamina tanta Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescunt These stirrings of their minds and strivings vast If but a little dust on them be cast Are straitwayes stinted and quite overpast Thus the most ambitious motions and thoughts of mans mind are quickly quell'd when dust is thrown on him whereof his fore-prepared Sepulchre is an excellent remembrancer Yet some seem to have built their Tombes therein to bury their thoughts of dying never thinking thereof but embracing the world with greater greedinesse A Gentleman made choice of a fair stone and intending the same for his Grave-stone caused it to be pitched up in a field a pretty distance from his house and used often to shoot at it for his exercise Yea but said a wag that stood by you would be loath Sir to hit the mark And so are many unwilling to die who notwithstanding have erected their Monuments Tombes ought in some sort to be proportioned not to the wealth but deserts of the party interred Yet may we see some rich man of mean worth loaden under a tombe big enough for a Prince to bear There were Officers appointed in the Grecian Games who alwayes by publick authority did pluck down the Statues erected to the Victours if they exceeded the true symmetrie and proportion of their bodies We need such nowadayes to order Monuments to mens merits chiefly to reform such depopulating Tombes as have no good fellowship with them but engrosse all the room leaving neither seats for the living nor graves for the dead It was a wise and thrifty law which Reutha King of Scotland made That Noblemen should have so many pillars or long pointed stones set on their sepulchres as they had slain enemies in the warres If this order were also enlarged to those who in peace had excellently deserved of the Church or Commonwealth it might well be revived Overcostly Tombes are onely baits for Sacriledge Thus Sacriledge hath beheaded that peerelesse Prince King Henrie the fift the body of whose Statue on his Tombe in Westminster was covered over with silver plate guilded and his head of massy silver both which now are stollen away Yea hungry palats will feed on courser meat I had rather M r Stow then I should tell you of a Nobleman who sold the monuments of Noblemen in S. Augustines Church in Broadstreet for an hundred pound which cost many thousands and in the place thereof made fair stabling for horses as if Christ who was born in a stable should be brought into it the second time It was not without cause in the Civill Law that a wife might be divorc'd from her husband if she could prove him to be one that had broken the Sepulchres of the dead For it was presum'd he must needs be a tyrannicall husband to his wife who had not so much mercy as to spare the ashes of the departed The shortest plainest truest Epitaphs are best I say the Shortest for when a Passenger sees a Chronicle written on a Tombe he takes it on trust some Great man lies there buried without taking pains to examine who he is M r Cambden in his Remains presents us with examples of Great men that had little Epitaphs And when once I ask'd a witty Gentleman an honoured friend of mine what Epitaph was fittest to be written on M r Cambdens Tombe Let it be said he CAMBDENS REMAINS I say also the Plainest for except the sense lie above ground few will trouble themselves to dig for 't Lastly it must be True Not as as in some Monuments where the red veins in the marble may seem to blush at the falshoods written on it He was a witty man that first taught a stone to speak but he was a wicked man that taught it first to lie To want a Grave is the cruelty of the living not the misery of the dead An English Gentleman not long since did lie on his death-bed in