to looke after forraine examples let vs but examine what estate our France was in when the storme came vpon vs and the manner how we haue beene beaten I will no more then you haue so bad a conceite of the well-fare of my countrey nor despaire so much of the mercy of God that I thinke her vtter destruction to be at hand Neuerthelesse what way soeuer things fall out it must needes breede an exceeding great alteration full of miserie and calamitie Can we deny but that this calamitie is iustly come vpon vs and that wee were growne then into such a disorder an infamous corruption that we were ashamed of our selues and serued as an argument vnto Impietie to conclude that God who forbore so long to punish vs had no care of humane affaires I will not offend your eares with a new rehearsall of the abominable vices that raigned amongst vs and bee alledged by posteritie for a witnesse of the shame of my nation and of the infamy of this age I will content my selfe with that which Musaeus hath touched of it in generall and very sparingly and with that which you all know in particular to your great griefe as I beleeue I desire onely to enter into consideration with you of the manner which Prouidence hath vsed to punish vs all one by another leading guiding our actions to an end altogether different from our own intent turning all our counsels against our selues for our punishment We are here amongst our faithfull friends I beleeue that whatsoeuer we shall speake shall not go ouer the threshold of the doore wee may speake freely If humane meanes and policy might serue against the decree of Prouidence questionlesse it seemed that the late King might easily haue auoyded the mischief that ouerwhelmed him For first there was no likelyhood to vse against him the pretext of Religion seeing that he was not onely a Catholicke but euen excessiue in shew of deuotion leading the life rather of a Frier then of a King so that whatsoeuer the opinion of religion may worke in a State it was on his fauour and seemed to doe much for his conseruation Amongst his subiects the Princes of his blood were of his partie as well for the duetie they owed vnto his dignitie as for that they were perswaded that the new faction which was raised in the State was to suppresse them The Nobilitie was almost all at his command as well for the same reasons as for that they knew full well that if the people made an insurrection against their Prince they would pull downe all that were high and loftie The poore countrey people were so wearied with the last warres that they sought for nothing so much as rest those of townes and citties had almost their wealth in the Princes hands either by reason of the Rents or Offices that euery one had bought of him he hauing bestowed the places that belonged to warre and the execution of Iustice vpon them that enioyed them at that time Among Churchmen the Prelates were all made by his hand and whosoeuer looked for any preferment could not expect it but from him and for the meaner sort hee graced and fauoured them as much as he could Who would euer haue thought that a King strengthened with such meanes should haue feared any thing specially a commotion that was the certaine ouerthrow of all such as should put their hands vnto it And at least who would euer haue mistrusted hee could haue receiued such an affront as hee suffered that fatall day of the Barricadoes that birth day of our miserie Mee thinkes I dreame whensoeuer I call it to mind and cannot beleeue what my memory representeth vnto me so farre this accident seemeth to me to goe beyond all sense and reason The King was in his capitall Cittie attended by a very great number of braue Princes Lords and Gentlemen his Parliament was there and his officers of Iustice he held the battell and had in his power all the strong places of the towne the Ordenance and Munitions of Warre the Maior and Sheriffes Coronels and Captaines of the Citrie were all his Officers and obliged Seruants and much affected to his seruice he had moreouer neere sixe thousand men of warre strangers disposed of abroade as he pleased himselfe Notwithstanding all this a popular commotion raised vpon a false report made him to behold his people armed against him and his owne person besieged in a manner within his owne house It was a wonderfull thing for a man to consider the humour of the people in their mutinous fits for among so many armed men that came foorth the better sort iudged well enough the end of this action and euen the most part of the rest were kept backe by the respect due vnto the Soueraigne So that if they had bin questioned euery one by himselfe there had bin few or none that had not wished this stirre had neuer falne out or that it had been already appeased Neuerthelesse the furie that mooued these people did so incense their courages that those which feared at first to come forth into the street with weapons in their hands were ready the next day to go besiege their soueraign Prince euen within his Castle So that he was inforced for to saue himselfe to retire as if he had fled away yet these people were so mad that they would willingly haue pursued him A strange thing that those people whom hee had so much cherished and fed with the spoyles of the rest of his subiects with whom he had made himselfe familiar and inward yea farre beyond all decencie which had more interest then any other in the conseruation of the publike quiet should lose in an instant the respect of royall Maiestie the remembrance of his bountie the feare of the Law the reuerence of his Magistrate to cast thēselues headlong by such an insolency and rashnesse into a bottomlesse pit of woe and miserie What meaneth all this but that there was a higher power which stirred those spirits and gaue life vnto this sedition that it might be the beginning of the punishment that God had prepared for the King and all the kingdome For I hold that euen from that day the crowne fell from his head and to our great mischiefe and his too began to be broken And since that all things were turned to our ruine and all the counsels that could be taken for our recouerie haue beene turned into our miserie and calamitie and into theirs that were the authours thereof But that which is the most admirable in the continuall course of our euils is that since God suffered this poore state to be torne into those two great factions he vsed them in such sort that you would haue sayd they had beene set and disposed to giue one another by turnes each of them a blow as if they had beene wagered by diuine Iustice to punish one another The first blow was that which the king
wee should confesse what trouble it is yet in the end it will make it selfe knowne and wrest from forth our brest those groanes and sighes that we refused to graunt vnto it voluntarie No beleeue it that in such fits as these Nature and our Phylosophy cannot agree together You must choose which of the two you will keepe Had you power to expell Nature that is the lawfull Mistresse of our passions and which shee fearing that wee might suffer our selues to bee beguiled with slye words and alluring discourses and so withdraw vs from her obedience keepeth within vs a garrison of her affections which narrowly obserue and watch vs and vpon all occasions that are offered exact from vs the tribute that we owe her Either teares are no naturall signes and markes of a true griefe or else wee ought to yeeld them to the Euill wherein Nature is most offended which is in the ruine subuersion of our Countrey for by that fatall Blow are wounded all those that are conioyned to vs eyther in Bloud Friendship or Alliance but if wee haue no feeling of their paines and compassion of their miseries I say that then wee violate and infringe both Ciuill Lawes and naturall Pietie and the Maiestie it selfe of that great God whose Spirit resteth among vs as a Protector of the rights of human society I was already offended with your troublesome Philosophie which forbiddeth vs teares but reading to day an ancient Author I resolued to driue her away spightfully so pleasing was a place to me I lighted on by chance wherein he writeth That in the Towne of Cumae there was a Statue of Apollo which was seene to weepe and shed forth teares when the Romans destroyed the Towne from whence it was fetcht as being grieued that its Countrey should be ruined and that not able to assist because the ruine of it was fatall and had beene by Apollo long fore-told And shall a Marble Statue finde teares to deplore its Countrey and I finde none to bemoane mine Being remooued so farre off it suffered for the calamities of its fellow Citizens and shall not I sigh vpon the view of mine and amidst all their miseries No no I am a true-hearted subiect I am bred and borne in the Towne which I see now exposed to ruine beleeue this that a man whose eyes are without moysture at this present had need to haue a heart of Stone yea I thinke if Pietie were not fled out of the World wee should weepe as well as the Cumaan Apollo for our reasons I am sure are greater This faire Citie the Metropolis of the most renowmed Kingdome of the Earth the Seat of our Kings the Throne of Iustice and Estate and as a common Temple to all France to perish in our view and euen by our hands the Richesse of her Citizens the Magnificence of her Buildings the Learning of so many famous men that shee hath brought vp could neyther saue nor helpe her O how fitly did an ancient Author expresse the power of God vnder the Name of Fortune when hee said That when shee had resolued vpon any thing shee blinded the eyes of man for feare hee should interrupt her purpose Consider a little how wee haue almost euery one of vs vnawares giuen way to our owne ruines and affoorded our helping hands to the plucking downe euen of our owne houses for you know Musaeus what infinite number of men euen of the wisest amongst vs haue combined to set forward this designe and cast vs into this boysterous storme of worst then Ciuill Warres Behold wee are in it since that it is Gods pleasure at the Eue of a great shipwracke wherein wee must feare alike the rage and furie of our zealous Domestickes thirsting after the bloud of those that wish for the publique welfare and the violence that may happen from those that are abroad which should be inflicted promiscuously against good and bad and in this Sea of Miseries you will forbid me teares As farre as I see replyed hee this time causeth euery one to shift sides which perhaps is the fault of the age for my owne part I haue euer maintained Nature against your Phylosophy for in my conceit you made her too powerfull and would haue giuen her a commission too violent and tyrannicall But it falleth out commonly that the wrong that is done to one whom we loue not reconcileth vs to him and mooueth vs for pittie sake to vndertake his defence I see you dishonour the day and disgrace Phylosophy that hath so tenderly and deerely fostered vs and that you suffer passions to treade vpon her who dares not so much as to defend her selfe You surnamed her afore Queene of this Life Mistresse of our Affections Tutrix of our Felicitie and now you onely keepe her as a Buffoone to spend your idle time withall entertaine her at least as one that is descended of noble Stocke you haue no reason to forsake her if you will diuorce your selfe restore vnto her the libertie she brought your house let her retire with safe honour and with all her rights and priuiledges As for my part I maintaine her free and professe my selfe a protector of her libertie I dare not giue her the power to take away from body and soule the sence of paines and griefe for I know it ought to giue way to naturall affections but I hold it keepeth in and restrayneth sorrows within their bounds and bankes which otherwise would ouerflow the soule and in time will qualifie and asswage those swelling euils I see by your countenance that you are too much incensed and will agree to nothing here come happily two of our best friends vnto whose iudgement I hope you willingly submit and as for my part I am content to stand to their triall Now these were two famous men the first whom for this time we will name Orpheus besides the knowledge of Arts and Learning hee hath purchased himselfe by his long and dangerous trauels great experience Tho other shall be called Linus who is knowne for one of the most learned in Europe whose iudgement and sinceritie is much esteemed O Musaeus you haue quoth I chosen Iudges that I cannot refuse for indeed they are not chosen but rather as I beleeue they are sent vnto vs euen as the gods that were let downe by deuice in Tragedies to act some great exploite beyond the power of man For my part I hold my opinion to be so sound and true and so deepely printed in my heart that none but such holy hands as theirs can roote it out Vpon this we drew neere and saluted each other We feare quoth they we hinder your discourse wherein it seemeth you are farre gone and by your lookes wee iudge you disagree You guesse well quoth Musaeu and you are seasonably come to reconcile vs for wee haue assigned you Iudges of our controuersie The precept of the wise forbiddeth vs to be Iudges betwixt our friends yet we will do
wherewithall our body staineth it should bee stript by that Soueraigne Physitian that commeth of himselfe to vs and doth nothing but for our good I perceiue by your countenances that out of the diuine fire of this Discourse there ariseth a smoake that makes your eyes to smart It is in my opinion a great inequalitie of proportion that is seene in punishment of the wicked that lesseneth the credit of that which we haue already sayd concerning Prouidence For we see dayly that amongst the wicked some are punished and some are not some that haue committed many grieuous offences endure much paine and others to the contrary That which I haue sayd heretofore might suffise me to answer this obiection to wit that the will of God is the supreame Iustice that sithence he will haue it so it is well The same reason wherefore he doth all things requireth also that no body should ask him the reason of them His counsels are deepe vnsearchable and bottomlesse depths and when our eyes that hardly can see that which lieth at our feete cannot reach and neuerthelesse if wee will follow his footsteps we finde it so iust yea so tollerable that it will giue vs a reason euen of such things for which it is not bound to yeeld any and shall finde his Iustice in most part of the things that torment vs euen like vnto himselfe And though for a time it hideth it selfe it comes foorth at last and appeares of the same colour in one place as well as in the other imitating therein diuers riuers that are lost vnder ground in some places but neuerthelesse spring vp againe and run when they come neere the Sea First in regard you esteeme there are some wicked vnpunished you are deceiued wickednesse and punishment are twins that are borne together and forsake not one another The sharpe and stinging remorese of conscience heauy and mournfull sorrowes bitter repentance are his domesticall executioners that are neuer wanting Do not thinke them Fables that the parts represented by the Furies with firebrands in their hands comming to terrifie the guiltie It is a liuely picture expressing naturally the passion indured by the wicked that are tormented by their owne conscience Esteeme not the paines of a Wheele or of Fire or any other humane torture to approch any wayes vnto the crueltie of Furies vexing the minde of the impious What torment could be inuented so great and that could haue racked so much that same Catulus which presented the Iewes as his owne conscience representing vnto him in his dreames a great multitude of men by him massacred whose dreadfull and bloody shapes vncouered their wounds and challenged him for their children whom hee murthered for their goods that hee ransacked and in the ende threatned and foretold him horrible calamities What torture doe you thinke it was to Herod to heare night and day the Ghosts of his Wife and Children that reuiled and vpbrayded him with his crueltie in regard hee had most barbarously and wickedly slaine them What richesse what magnificence what pleasure can cheere vp those that are troubled with such thoughts Is not all their life a continuall torture But I grant there be some that escape those torments in this world what nation was there euer so barbarous that made any question but there was a hell that waited for them after their death and where their paine should bee the more horrible and fearefull that it was put off vntill that time to be discharged and acquitted when as they shall be most sensible of it Their torment doth not beginne in this life least it should end with life it stayeth for them till they are come to that place where they shall keepe it for euer And this may be obserued in the wicked whereof also they giue tokens enough for how many do we see that seemed afore to liue in great tranquilitie and quietnesse of minde that approching neere their end began to despaire and tumble and tosse strangely vp and downe foretelling the miseries that attended them in hell The wicked then cannot flie from the hands of diuine Iustice But some say they are punished too late and that Prouidence is too blame to forbeare them so long for if they were chastised for the first faults they would not commit the second afterwards It is a very easie matter to answer this curious obiection For though Prouidence had no other occasion to be so slow in punishing but to giue vs an example not to be too hastie when wee are to Iudge of the life of men she had reason enough Would to God wee might make good vse of the instruction she giue vs in this place If she that knoweth all that searcheth the bottome of our thoughts proceedeth very slowly and by degrees to iudgement what should wee doe we that in the cleerest things can see nothing and are commonly deceiued in those wee esteeme most certaine If wee tooke as much leasure and care to iudge of Prouidence as Prouidence doth to iudge vs we should be better informed then we are and should finde she doth nothing but with very great iustice and wisedome But she hath yet another euident occasion of this slownesse shee will make those that are incorrigible inexcusable and take from them all reason to say they had no time to amend and giue leasure to the flexible and tractable to remember themselues and come backe to saluation There hath beene many men seene in the world whose first offences if God had strictly punished he had smothered great yea admirable vertues that haue since flourished in them The first boyling heate of Youth doth sometimes cast out the scum of it that makes euen old age more pure and moderate Which the Greeke Poet would signifie when he represented Vlysses that with a naked sword in his hand forced Circe to giue him his companions againe and restore them to their first shapes for hee sayth she rendred them to him againe fairer and purer then euer they were Meaning to let vs vnderstand that when Reason that is signified by the sword forceth Voluptuousnesse that is signified by Circe to restore men to their true nature and put them again into their first perfection they become fairer then if they had neuer been defiled by pleasures and are euen as scoured with the grauell and dregges of the world wherewith they had bemired themselues Would you haue another reason yet of the slow execution of Gods iudgements against offendours It is because his executioners are not alwaies ready He doth not punish the wicked he forbeareth sometimes to chastise a tyrant vntill that a cruell and bold murtherer be found that will vndertake to kill him Sometimes he stayeth for a more fitting season to haue the more beholders of his iustice and that the example may be the more obserued Sometimes hee will keepe in it solemnities and ceremonies to make the action more famous so it was his will and pleasure Caesar should be slain in the
of man bent to but to Truth What doth hee delight in what doth hee yeeld vnto but to the knowledge of that which is indeed euen that which is not receiued but vnder the name of Truth And there is not one so ill conditioned in the world that is not grieued to erre to bee ignorant to bee deceiued and contrariwise that feeleth not pleasure and contentment by knowledge and learning And truly we may say that truth is the form of our vnderstanding for he doth neither vnderstand nor know but as long as she is in him God is all and all is in God Man desireth to bee euery where if he cannot carrie his body he carrieth his minde to it As farre as hee can embraceth all and filleth himselfe with the formes and Ideaes of all things God is the authour of all and delighteth in doing all Man hath no greater pleasure in this World then to bring foorth many things and there is nothing delighteth him so much as that which is produced by him bee it children workes or inuentions God is euer and man feareth nothing so much as to end and desireth nothing so earnestly as to perpetuate his being Hee seeketh to doe it by the conseruation of his life being not able to performe it that way hee endeauoureth to compasse it by the continuation of his posteritie and iudging that to bee too weake hee tryeth to doe it by the purchasing of a great and glorious fame God doth gouerne all things iustly Man loueth honoureth and seeketh for Iustice as the sole and sure bond of life and ciuill societie It is wonderfull how the loue of it is naturall to man euen those which being corrupted will not receiue it for themselues honour it in others God in his gouernment continueth still in the selfe-same designe and whatsoeuer man vndertaketh hee desireth to bring to passe hee will not suffer himselfe to bee ouercome by any difficultie or labour It is strange to see what men endure to execute their enterprises God liueth a plentifull opulent and pleasant life Wealth and pleasure are the ordinary wishes of man God doth contemplate and admire himselfe Man considereth himselfe wondereth at his owne excellencie valueth himselfe aboue all other creatures and all his studie aymeth to trimme and honour himselfe and make that appeare which is excellent in him Briefely you can imagine nothing in that great and soueraigne Creator whereof you not do perceiue man to bee strangely desirous and all motions bent to get it and vnite and conforme himselfe as much as hee can to that eldest and incomprehensible Diuine Essence Which caused the Auncient Zoroaster to crie out in amazement O mortall man thy boldnesse is extreame As beeing not able to comprehend that its this low and mortall World amongst Filth and Durt there could bee found so strong a nature that should rayse her selfe aboue the Heauens and by the knowledge of so many things and imitation of diuine actions should almost Deifie her selfe in this life But hee should haue learned of an ancienter then hee that that which is so wonderfull in man is not a thing that comes from Earth or this low or corruptible place It is a Diuine Essence euen as banished and exiled for a time from Heauen her true place of aboade which wandereth and erreth here in our body endeauoureth her selfe continually to reach to her owne and true dwelling and enter into celestiall and happy Habitation vnto the which the neerer shee comes so much the more diuine doth she appeare Why should you thinke I pray you that in the latter dayes of our Life in that agonie and wrestling betweene the Soule and the Body our Minde hath more Strength and Vertue disposeth of all things more wisely and holyly fore-seeth more certainely Time to come foretelleth and prophecyeth it but onely for that hee beginneth to approach vnto his Off-spring ioyne himselfe againe with that immortall Beeing and participate of Eternall Life Doe not you obserue that Stones falling from high the neerer they come vnto the Earth the greater speede they make downe Fire contrariwise that ascendeth vp towards Heauen the higher it is the more it hasteneth to flye because euerie thing naturally the neerer it feeleth it selfe vnto its rest and that which it desireth the more it striueth to come at it Euen so our Soule being iust vpon the point to enter againe into her owne Sphere and reioyne her selfe vnto that Supreme Diuine Nature sheweth her selfe more vigorous and actiue and doubleth her Virtue Now who shall make any doubt but things immortall which is so Diuine and tendeth perpetually vnto the Originall of Diuine beeing Therefore the Immortalitie of the Soule shineth in all her Actions But though nothing else should beare testimonie vnto it Diuine Prouidence would shew it plainely For seeing there is Prouidence whereof I beleeue that those which haue Eyes though they had neyther Wit nor Vnderstanding cannot doubt there must needes be Iustice in the World if there be Iustice the Good must be rewarded and the Wicked punished They are not euer so in this Life where wee see often Good men liue in Pouertie and die in Trouble and contrariwise the Wicked liue in pleasure and die at quiet Soules must needes then liue after the Body to receiue the Reward or Punishment for their good or bad Actions The Wicked desire to smother by reasoning the feeling which Man hath of the Immortalitie of his Soule but they cannot indeede It is a Beame of Light which Nature hath kindled in our heart that is in stead of a Guide vnto Vertue to direct her amidst this Mortall Darknesse and of a Furie-like Torch vnto Wickednesse to anticipate her deserued Torments Wee Christians are truely in this specially farre happier then the Heathen That God hath not contented himselfe with that which wee could learne of the Immortalitie of our Soules by the common Booke of Nature and by the helpe of our weake Reason but would himselfe confirme the Testimonie of it vnto vs by his owne Word and kindle into a cleare and full Light the first Sparke of this Naturall Hope O Diuine Goodnesse which presented Truth vnto others as veyled and couered but brought it downe from Heauen all naked for vs and powred it into our Mindes by the meanes of thy holy Word Blessed and admirable Word which affoordeth vs in a moment all the best and fairest of that which in so many yeeres Labours could not be gathered in the Mindes of the most Learned Philosophers Perfect Science which leaueth no manner of Doubt after her Precepts Excellent Discipline whose Rules are all Principles which perswade themselues Wee learne from her That our Soules are created and produced by thy hands and infused into our Bodyes to conduct and gouerne them That wee are placed heere as in a Magnificent Temple to contemplate therein thy Omnipotencie Worship thy infinite Goodnesse hearken to thy sacred Will and obey it That this Life is but the
vertue of such Commanders so that I presume that the motion and change we feele is not for the extirpation of the State but onely an incision that is made with a painefull and rough instrument and in lieu of the branch God hath cut off hee will put on a graft vpon the royall stocke And therefore I hope God will finde when we looke least for it some conuenient meanes to saue vs all and specially this faire and famous Cittie wherein there is a number of men which call vpon him with a pure heart Neuerthelesse if it should fall out otherwise wee must take it patiently for such great accidents happening by the eternall prouidence it is no more lawful then possible to oppose our selues against thē say further that it is neither iust nor profitable to be vexed for them being most certain that whatsoeuer is ordained by that soueraigne Hand is for our good and his glory But since it is supper time and that this discourse may be better continued by those that hearken to me then by my selfe I wil leaue it to them seeing our miserie is common that they may affoord something to our common comfort There Musaeus ended and we rose with a more setled minde then wee sate downe This is not all quoth I Musaeus seeing you discharge your selfe from prosecuting the discourse you haue began you must choose some one that will finish it Wherupon he kissing a withered posie that he held in his hand presented it to Orpheus I giue it you quoth he against to morrow I accept answered Orpheus the posie but not the charge to come vpon the stage after Roscius as the Prouerbe is And so wee parted with a mutuall promise to meete there againe the next day at the same houre The end of the first Booke ORPHEVS OR THE SECOND BOOKE OF CONSTANCIE LONDON Printed by Bernard Alsop 1622. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND All-praise-worthy the Lord BARCKLEY YOur Lordships very name were there nothing else that did induce me might he argument enough to make me dedicate this and with it my owne selfe also to your Lordships seruice but when by the world which seldome giues Vertue her due is added to your Lordship such perfections as made the Heroes in former times so farre surmount the ranke of ordinary men euer knowing Vertue to be truly Noble I could not chuse but also inuest your Lordship in these titles from whence those famous men thought themselues to haue reapt no small honor and that was in patronizing studious endeauors Which interest in you if it may seemerather to be by me vsurped then iustly challeaged or rightly deserued blame therein not my presumption but rather your Lordships vertuous fame that imboldened me so farre as to present so small a thing vnto your view which if you vouchsafe to looke vpon with a gracious eye I shall thinke my selfe bound for euer to remaine Your Lordships most humble seruant ANDREVV COVRT OR PHEVS OR THE SECOND BOOKE OF CONSTANCY THE next Day presently after dinner there was an Allarum beaten in the towne because we were all foure of one quarter wee met together in the Court of Guard there we gazed one vpon another speaking with our eyes and faces saying to our selues what pittie is this we must stand armed against our owne good and driue in a manner our good fortune from vs for what good man is there who doth not wish euen with the sacking of the towne rather to get out of this extreme misery deliuer the kingdome from it then to sacrifice our liues thus to the rage and fury of a small number of seditious who desire to satisfie their cruelty and couetousnesse with our anguish pouertie What fatall sluggishnesse is this that all this people or at least most of those we see armed here know their euils and wish for its remedy may haue it if they will and notwithstanding haue not the heart so much as to complaine and maintaine those who shew them the way how to saue themselues so far hath this poyson of sedition seuered their wils the feare which the wicked haue printed in the hearts of simple people hath frozen their blood and stifled their spirits Now being come neere one to another Well quoth I our meeting is put off as farre as I see we are like to want such a sweet afternoone as we had yesterday Neuerthelesse this shall not excuse you of that you owe vs rather the forbearance shall encrease the debt for as you see our euils waxe great so your reasons must be stronger I feare much quoth he this day wil scatter vs depriue vs perhaps for euer of so sweet delightsome a fellowship I can assure you that if death had taken me away yesterday when I came from you she had found me very content and had finished my life to my liking For I confesse that the discourse of Musaeus so asswaged my griefe and so setled my minde by the weight of his reasons and by the sweetnesse of his words that I could wish to be sad euery day if I were sure to be alwayes so well cheered vp It is a happy disease that is cured with pleasure oh how earnestly did I desire he should haue continued his speech yea vpon condition I had lost my supper nay vpon condition that I had not supped all the yeere Such discourses are nothing else but Nectar Ambrosia it is meat more necessary this day to the mind then bread wine to the body it is both nourishment physicke I sweare to you when I heard him me thought that the faire Helena of Homer with the same hand wherewithall shee stole the hearts of the Greekes and Troians powred into my mouth that sweet and gracious Nepenthes which lulled asleepe the sorrow of the afflicted restored thē their courage He hath quoth I turned ouer his charge into a good hand I hope what hee hath beganne well you will finish it farre better Thereupon it was told vs that the noyse was past and we might retire Then I tooke them all three by the cloake you must come said I where you promised yesterday it is lawfull for armed men to right themselues if the Roman law permitted to draw into Iudgement those who refused to goe how much more the right of armes Wee will not goe onely quoth Linus wee will runne thither After wee were come in and had put off our armes and walked a turne in the garden to gather our spirits I pray you quoth I let vs take our places againe and let vs prouide for rest and quietnesse for in my opinion wee shall haue time enough to stand And since that it belongs to you Signior Orpheus to continue this discourse looke for no more intreaties and vse no excuses for in a word we will not receiue them after some such summons Orpheus began thus It is indeed the greatest and surest comfort man can receiue and take
in publike and priuate calamities to perswade himselfe that whatsoeuer befalleth him is ordained by that eternall power distributed by that infinite wisedome which gouerneth the world with the same goodnesse and Iustice wherewithall hee created it When this opinion is once rooted in the heart of man I doe not see what windes can shake his constancie For as much as wee ought to beleeue there commeth nothing from that kinde and gracious hand but what is intended for our good Now although this Prouidence which wee may define to bee the perpetuall care God hath in the gouernement of all that Hee hath created doth shine continually in all the parts of the world and appeareth in wonderfull effects neuerthelesse most men turne their eyes and looke awrie vpon it striuing to deceiue themselues to the end they may not bee beholden vnto that wise mistresse who ruleth the birth and conserueth whatsoeuer is seene in this Vniuerse There hath bin truelie verie few that durst bee so impious as flatly to denie it but if there hath bin any I will forget their names and being so vnworthy I will suppose they neuer were There are a number indeed whose opinions I haue heard but alwaies reiected which acknowledging diuine wisedome and power in the first creation of the world haue taken the gouernement thereof from it after it hath bin created some attributing it vnto that order which they call Nature some to a fatall necessitie some others vnto Chance and Fortune wherein they seeme rather to haue changed the name then the power of diuine prouidence for in expounding their opinion they plainely declare that in all worldly accidents they acknowledge some Entitie that is great and diuine the nature whereof is incomprehensible and neuerthelesse by I know not what carelesse presumption they would haue that little which they vnderstand of it to passe currant for sound doctrine and a part for the whole choosing rather to mistake Prouidence then acknowledge their ignorance It falleth out with them as it might doe with three seuerall persons which comming three seuerall wayes should see a farre off a great pyramide of Marble such a one as you might imagine that of the kings of Egypt carued on three sides with many Characters and hieroglyphicall letters euery one marking at first that face which is on his side and comming no nearer iudgeth there is no more but that and goeth backe with an opinion he hath seen all so all of them report sundry tales of one and the selfe same thing each of them maintaining it to bee as he had seen it on his side But had they approched nearer and walked round about it then euery one of them should haue seene all the three faces and haue knowne that all three make but one body would haue beene well enformed of the thing and would agree all together in it When these men are come to contemplate that Soueraigne power which conducteth and gouerneth this Vniuerse and that they haue considered it in its effects euery one of them hath had enough to behold it a farre off and apprehend as much as the first sight affoorded him He that obserued an order and continuall course of regular causes which are brought forth one of another hath called it Nature and hath beleeued this Nature did all He that had seene many things come to passe which had beene fore-seene and fore-told and neuerthelesse could not be auoyded hath called the power that produced them Destinie and fatall necessitie and deemed all to depend from thence The other that had seene an infinite number of casualties whereof they could giue him no reason and which seemed to happen without cause hath named the power from whence such euents did proceede Fortune and hath esteemed all things to be managed on this fashion But if euery one of them had taken the paines to approch neerer vnto truth and report publikely what he had seene in priuate perhaps they might haue knowne truly what was the figure of that first and soueraigne power from whence are deriued all the things and all the accidents of the world and vnderstand that in this Nature in this Destinie in this Fortune gathered all together shineth through humane ignorance that wise and excellent diuine Prouidence known neuertheles more according to the proportion of our weake vnderstanding then according to her incomprehensible greatnesse and Maiestie For I doubt not but in the Creation of this Vniuerse God hath established a rule and a certaine Law whereby all things must be produced disposed of and maintained which if any one will call Nature I will not gainesay so that he makes not of it an Essence separated from God vnto the which hee should thinke hee had committed the gouernment of things created to set himselfe on rest Contrariwise this Nature can bee nothing else but the first Power and Vertue which from the beginning without any separation from him hath printed it felse in the matter and hath giuen vnto it that regular motion by the which things are maintained in their being and bring foorth their effects besides Which Power and Facultie is by him from day to day and houre to houre and moment to moment inspired in the world which as it preserueth it so it doth create it anew againe and repaire it still and euery day makes it vp as it was made in the beginning In such sort that it seemeth God hath built it onely as a shop for him to worke in perpetually and keepe still in action his infinite goodnes which cannot endure but it must communicate it selfe vnto men True it is that like a great Architect he hath many workefolks vnder him which he doth imploy about this great gouernment not so much for any need he hath thereof as for the ornament of this stately worke-house the gracing of its brightnes and magnificence to impart vnto his creatures one of his most high soueraigne faculties cause them to produce create in a manner something as well as he And therefore throgh an admirable wisdom he hath left some part of these low terrestriall things imperfect in some kind to serue vnto man as matter subiect to work vpon hath forthwith giuen him the art to adapt apply them He hath giuen him stones hath not giuen him buildings but the art to make them hee hath giuen him mines and hath not giuen him mony but the art to make it he hath giuen him corne and hath not giuen him bread but the art to make it he hath giuen him wooll and hath not giuen him cloth but the art to make it To be short it seemeth that after hee had created man vnto his likenesse he hath shared with him the honour of the Creation of things yea euen of the Creation of man himselfe his will and pleasure being he should co-operate with him in the generation of his posteritie and that as hee Soueraigne and chiefest Creator had made the soule in his