Phillipo eighteene moneths but growing familiar with his Master one day when he saw his time and his Master in a good humour tooke a coale and vpon a white wall drew him from head to foot this being seene of his fellow slaues and shewed vnto his Master who had neuer seene a picture before was cause of his deliueance for making his escape or at least his Master winking thereat he made shift to come to Naples where hee wrought in colours a most curious Altar-table for King Alphonsus Hence hee went to Florence and made another Altar-table which pleased Cosmo de Medicis wondrous well whereupon hee was employed by Cosmo in making many small Pictures whereof some were sent vnto Eugenius the fourth whereupon he grew in great fauour with the Pope He was so addicted vnto Women that what euer he got hee bestowed and spent it among them whereupon Cosmo shut him vp into a Chamber in his house that he might follow his worke close but hauing beene thus mewed vp by the space of two daies the humouâ— of gadding tooke him againe in the head and one euening cutting his sheets made ropes of them and so gat out at a window But shortly after found and brought to Cosmo againe he had libertie to go and come at his pleasure and was better attended and serued then before For said Cosmo. The excellence of rare Spirits are heauenly formes and no burden-bearing Mules Many excellent peeces he made in Florence admired and applauded by the best Masters At Prâ—tâ—o by Florence where hee was acquainted the Nunnes of Sancta Margarita procured him to make their high Altar-table where being at worke hee espied a beautifull virgin a Citizens daughter of Florence whose name was Francisco Bati This maid was there kept to be made a Nunne she was most beautifull her name was Lucretia so he wrought with the Nunnes that he obtained leaue to draw her Picture but by continuall gazing vpon her countenance he became so enamoured of her that what by close messengers and other meanes he got her out of the Nunnerie he got her away and married her and by her he had a sonne named also Phillip who became an excellent Painter This Frier Phillips workes are to bee seene at Prato And amongst other S. Bernard layed out dead his brethren mourning about him and many Cripples and diseased persons which as it was said with touching the Herse and his body were healed Then hee most excellently wrought the Martyrdome of S. Stephen the beheading of S. Iohn Baptist with many others He died aged fiftie seuen Anno 1438. Hee had a stately Monument of Marble erected ouer him his Epitaph was written by Angelus Politianus which for the elegancy I will set downe Coâ—ditus his ego sum picturae fama Philippus Nulli ignota mea est gratia mir a manus Artifices potui digitis animare colores Sperataque animos fallere voce diâ— Ipsa mess stupuit Natura expressa figuris Meque suis fassa est artibus esse parem Marmorco tuâ—ulo Medices Laurentius hic me Condidit antè humilâ— pâ—lâ—ere tectus eram Antonello de Messino Antonello borne at Messino ought not to be forgotten who was the first that brought painting in Oyle into Italy For certaine Oyle peeces being sent by the Merchants out of Flanders to Alphonsus the first King of Naples which the King had in great admiration for that they could not be washed out with water comming to the view of Antonello Antonello could neuer be in quiet vntill he had found out the Inuentor whose name was Iohn Van Eyck who entertained Antonello very curteously and shewed him his Art what he could but at last Iohn van Eyck dying Antonello returned vnto Venice where his workes of the Magnifici were much admired and for that he brought the working in Oyle the first into Italy he was honored with this Epitaph D. O. M. Antonius pictâ—r pracipuum Messanâ— tâ—tius Siciliae ornamâ—ntum hac humâ— contegitur non solâ—m suis picturis in quibus singulare artificium venustas fiâ—t sed quod coloribus elâ—â— miscendis splendorem perpetuitatem primus Italica pictura conâ—ulit summo semper artificum â—â—â—diâ— celebratus Dominico â—irlandaio This Dominico was a Florentine by profession at the first a Gold-smith but falling to Painting hee became a great Master therein His first worke was a Chappell for the family of the Vespucci wherein hee drew in his Sea habit and standing vpon an vnknowne shoare Americus Vesputius who gaue America her name His best peeces are to be seene at S. Maria Nâ—vella in Florence He died Anno 1493. Raphaell D'Vrbine I ouerpasse for breuitie sake many other excellent and famous Artists of Italie equalling the former as Bellino Pallaiuoli Botticello Verrocchio Andreas Mantegna of Mantua so highly esteemed and honoured of Duke Luduvico Gonzaga Francesco Francia Michael Angelo and will comprise them in the excellencie of one onely Raphaell D'Vrbine who was borne at Vrbine whose fathers name was Giâ—vanni de Santi a Painter also This Raphaell was brought vp vnder Petro Perusini in Perusia where he so gaue his mind from a child vnto Drawing and Painting that in short time hee contended for the Palme with the greatest Masters of Europe and was for his admirable inuention sirnamed the Wonderfull There was a great aemulation betweene Raphaell and the afore named Francesco Francia who liued and wrought at Bâ—logna till at the last through meere admiration by report of each others skill they grew most louing friends greeting each either by letters continually yet had Francia neither seene Raphaell Vrbine nor any of his workes by reason he was old and could not trauaile abiding alwaies in Bologna vntill it fortuned that Raphaell Vrbine hauing made a S. Cicilia in a faire Altar-table for the Cardinall De Pucci Santi quatro which was to be set at Bologna at S. Giovanni Sopra Monte or on the Hill which Table he shut in a Case and sent it to Francia as vnto a deare friend that if any thing were amisse or it happened to be defaced or iniured in the carriage hee would amend it and beside so much befriend him as to set it vp in the place appointed and to see it want nothing fitting When he vnderstood thus much by Raphaels Letter hee opened the Case with great ioy and set the peece in a good and faire light which when he had throughly viewed he was so amazed and grew so out of conceipt of himselfe and his owne worke confessing his worke to be nothing in respect of Raphaell Vrbines which so strucke him to the heart that he died presently after he had set the peece in his place Anno 1518. The fame of Raphael Vibine at this time was so great that he was sought for and employed by the greatest Princes of Europe as namely the Popes Adrian and Leo Francis the first King of France Henry the eight King of England the Dukes of Florence Vrbane Mantuâ— and diuers others Those stately hangings of Arras containing the Historie of S. Paul out of the Acts than which eye neuer beheld more absolute Art and which long since you might haue seene in the banquecting house at White-hall were wholly of his inuention bought if I be not deceiued by King Henrie the
Shield within a Bordure Componeè Or and Gules before the Armes of Ferrara in recognisance of the league and fidelitie wherein hee promised to stand bound to serue the King at his own charges And for the like respect Lewis the eleuenth in May 1465. allowed Pietro de Medici to beare three Flower-de-luces in his shield which I haue seene borne in cheife vpon one of his sixe Lozenges Of Difference by the Labell A second difference is by the Labell borne chieefely as the difference of the elder Brother As Edward the blacke Prince and all our Princes of Wales eldest sonnes to the King beare their Fathers Soueraigne Coate with a Labell of three points Siluer Iohn of Gauns had his Labell Ermin Edmond of Langley Duke of Yorke on his Labell Siluer nine Torteauxes Edmond Plantagenes sonne and heire of Richard Duke of Yorke Earle of Ruâ—land who being a Child scarce twelue yeares of age was stricken to the heart with a Dagger by the Lord Clifford at the battaile of Wakefield had vpon his Labell of fiue points Argent two Lionceaux Gules with nine Torteauxes The Coate of Vlsâ—er and Mortimâ—r being â—mpaled with his owne as may be seene in the windowes of Fâ—deringhay Castle the mansion house of the Duke of Yorke where by his father Richard Duke of Yorke and Cicely Nevill his mother hee lyeth buried whose bodies remoued out of Fâ—deringhay Church-yard for the Chancell in the Quire wherein they first were laid in that fury of knocking Churches and sacred Monuments in the head was also felled to the ground lapped in Lead were buried in the Church by the commandement of Queene Elizabeth and a meane Monument of Plaister wrought with the Trowell erected ouer them very homely and farre vnfitting so Noble Princes I remember Master Creuse a Gentleman and my wâ—rthy friend who dwelt in the Colledge at the same time told me that their Coffins being opened their bodies appeared very plainly to be discerned and withall that the Dutchesse Cicely had about her necke hanging in a Silke riband a pardon from Rome which penned in a very fine Romane hand was as faire and fresh to be read as it had beene written but yesterday Of Difference by the Bend. A third difference is by the Bend Baston c. as the house of Burâ—â—â— beareth Frâ—â—â—â— with a Bâ—tune Gules though the proper and true Coate of 〈◊〉 is Of a Lyon Gules within an Orle of Escallops Azure Lewis Earle of Eureux in Normandy brother to Philip le Bâ—ll bare Seme de France with a Batune Componeè Argent and Gules Iohn Earle of Lâ—â—â—aster and Brother to Richard the first afterward King bare for his difference a Batune Azure If the mother be of the ligne Royall many times her Coate is preferred into the first quarter as Hâ—nry Earle of Dâ—â—â—nshire and Marquâ—sse of Exeter â—â—re his mother Kâ—tharines Coate who was daughter to King Edward the fourth And the like Humphrey Stafford who was the first Duke of Buckingham by Anne Platagâ—nâ—â— his mother â— the Coate of Thomas of Woodstocke whose daughter she was This Coate I remember standeth in the great Chancell window in the Church of Kimbaltâ—n In France it hath beene and it yet a custome among the Nobilitie to 〈◊〉 their owne proper Coates and take others as perhaps their Wiâ—es or the Armes of that Srigâ—â—â—â— whereof they are Lords or whence they haue their Titles as Mons. Hugues brother to King Philip marrying the daughter and heire of Herbere Earle of Verâ—â—â—dâ—â—â—s forsooke his proper Coate and bare his Wiues which was Checky Or and Azure onely three Flower-de-luces added in chiefe to shew he was of the blood And Robert Counâ— de Dreux albeit he was brother to King Lewis 〈◊〉 bare Checky Azure and Or with a Bordure Gules Robert Duke of Burgogne brother to Henry the first tooke for his bearing the ancient Armes of the Dukes of Burgogne which was bendy Or and Azure within a Bordure Gules giuen by Charlemaigne to Sanson Duke of Burgogne And whereas we in England allow the base sonne his Fathers Coate with the difference of a bend Batune sinister or bordure engrailed or the like it was in France a long time forbidden I thinke vnder the Capets to the Princes of the blood as 〈◊〉 Earle of Mâ—mfort base sonne to King Robert was forced to leaue his Fathers Coate and beare Gules a Lion à la queue fourcheè Or passeè per à lentour Argent for Le maison de France â—â—â—â—tant les bastardes no leur endurè son armeirè c. saith Tillet The last and least obseruation is of Crests the Helmet the Mantle and doubling thereof which according to the manner of diuers Countries are diuersly borne In Germany they beare their Beauers open with Barres which we allow in England to none vnder the degree of a Baron in some places they haue no Crests at all If you would farther proceed in Nobilitie or Heraldry I would wiâ—h you to reade these bookes of 〈◊〉 obâ—â—itie in generâ—â—â— Simon Simonius de Nâ—â—ilitâ—â—e 〈…〉 at Leipsig 1572. Chassanâ—â—â—â— his Catalogus Gloria munâ—â— Hippolitus à Collibus his Axumata Nobilitatis Conclusiones de Nobilitate Doctorain published by one of Meckleburg who concealeth his name printed 1621. dedicated to the Archbishop of Breme Petrus Eritzius Counâ—â—â—â—er to the Elector of Brandenburge published Conclusiones de Nobilitate in quarto Lionellus De pracedentia â—omiâ—um Of the Spanish Nobilitie these Authors haue written Ioannes ab Arce Offalora in folio Priuilegios y Franquezas y libertades des bijos dâ—algos De Senniorio de Vizcaia c. in fol. Ludovicus de Mollâ—â—a De primogâ—niorâ—m Hispanicorum iure c. in fol. Iosephus de Sesse in Decis Aragon Decis 8. 9. 10. c. Gonzales de Câ—rte his Nobliza del Andaluzia in fol. Of Italy Sicily Naples c. Scipie Mazzella nelle Neapoli Illustrata in quarto Paulus Merula in Cosmograph lib. 3. pt 3. in Italian Of France The Workes of Tillet Ferâ—â— Charles L'Oisâ—â—â— Choppin Theatre d'Honneur Of Germany or the Empire Fran. Contzen his Politiques in fol. The Collections of Goldastus with some others The practise of Blazonrie Willeged the first Abbot dyed the same yeare that Off a did of very griefe it was thought for the death of his king and kinsman whom he dearely loued Anno 8â—8 After him succeeded these in order Eadricke Vulsigus Wulâ—â—â—us Eadfrithus Wulsinus Who built Saint Peters Church Saint Michaels and Saint Stephens and made a faire market place in the towne Alfricke Aldredus Who digged vp and searched the ruines of Verlam-cesire which in his time were dens of theeues and whores saued all the tile and stone for the repaire of the Church and in digging vpon the North side in the vale found oaken plankes pitched Shelles peeces of oares and a rusty Anchor or two Eadmer after his death being a religious and a good man imitating his predecessour saued all the ancient coines vrnes
it vp c. Neither hath humane knowledge beene the onely subiect of this Diuine Art but euen the highest Mysteries of Diuinitie What are the Psalmes of Dauid which S. Hillariâ— so aptly compareth to a bunch of keies in regard of the seuerall doores whereby they giue the soule entrance either to Prayer Reioycing Repentance Thanksgiuing c. but a Diuine Poeme going sometime in one measure sometime in another What liuely descriptions are there of the Maiestie of God the estate and securitie of Gods children the miserable condition of the wicked What liuely similitudes comparisons as the righteous man to a baiâ— tree the Soule to a thirstie Hart vâ—itie to oyntment and the dew of Hermon What excellent Allegories as the vine planted in Aegypt what Epiphonema's prosopopoca's and whatsoeuer else may be required to the texture of so rich and glorious a peece And the song of Salomon which is onely left vs of a thousand is it not a continued Allegorie of the Mysticall loue betwixt Christ and his Church Moreouer the Apostles themselues haue not disdained to alledge the authoritie of the heathen Poets Aratus Meâ—ander and Epimenides as also the fathers of the Church Nazianzen S. Augustine Bernard Prâ—demius with many others beside the allowance they haue giuen of Poetrie they teach vs the true vse and end thereof which is to compose the Songs of Sion and addresse the fruite of our inuention to his glorie who is the author of so goodly a gift which we abuse to our loues light fancies and basest affections And if Mechanicall Arts hold their estimation by their effects in base subiects how much more deserueth this to be esteemed that holdeth so soueraigne a power ouer the minde can turne brutishnesse into Ciuilitie make the lewd honest which is Scaligers opinion of Virgils Poeme turne hatred to loue cowardise into valour and in briese like a Queene command ouer all affections Moreouer the Muse Mirth Graces and perfect Health haue euer an affinitie each with either I remember Plutarch telleth vs of Telesilla a noble and braue Ladie who being dangerously sicke and imagined past recouerie was by the Oracle aduised to apply her minde to the Muse and Poetrie which shee diligently obseruing recouered in a short space and withall grew so sprightly couragious that hauing well fortified Argos with diuers companies of women onely her selfe with her coÌ„panions sallying out entertained Cleomenes K. of the LacedamoniaÌ„s with such a Camisade that he was faine to shew his back leauing a good part of his people behinde to fill ditches and then by plaine force of Armes draue out Demaratus another king who lay very strong in garrison within Alexander by the reading of Homer was especially mooued to goe thorough with his conquests Leonidas also that braue King of the Spartanes being asked how Tiâ—taus who wrote of warre in verse was esteemed among Poets replied excellentlyâ— For my souldiers quoth he mooued onely with his verses runne with a resolute courage to the battaile fearing no perill at all What other thing gaue an edge to the valour of our ancient Britons but their Bardâ—s remembred by Athenaus Lucan and sundry other recording in verse the braue exploits of their nation and singing the same vnto their Harpea at their publike â—easts and meetings amongst whom Taliessiâ— a learned Bard and Master to Merlin sung the life and actes of King Arthur Hence hath Poetry neuer wanted her Patrones and euen the greatest Monarches and Princes as well Christian as Heathen haue exercised their Inuention hereinâ— as that great Glorie of Christendome Charlemaine who among many other things wrote his Nephew Roulands Epitaphe after he was slaine in a battell against the Sarracens among the Pyrenaan hills Alphonsiu King of Naples whose onely delight was the reading of Virgil Robert King of Sicilie and that thrice renowned and learned French King who finding Petrarchs Toombe without any inscription or Epitaphe wrote one himselfe which yet remaineth saying Shame it was that he who sung his Mistresse praise seauen yeares before her death and twelue yeares should want an Epitaphe Among the Heathen are eternized for their skill in Poesie Augustus Caesar Octanius Adrian Germanicus Euery child knoweth how deare the workes of Homer were vnto Alexander Euripides to Aâ—yntas King of Macedon Virgil to Augustus Theocrâ—us to Ptolomey and â—â—vâ—nicâ— King and Queene of Aegypâ— the stately Pindar to Hiere King of Sicilie Ennius to Scipie Ausonius to Gratian who made him Pro-consull in our owne Countrey Chaucer to Richard the second Gower to Henrie the fourth with others I might alledge The Lady Anne of Bretaignâ— who was twice French Queene passing through the Presence in the Court of France espying Chartier the Kings Secretarie and a famous Poet leaning vpon his elbow at a Tables end fast asleepe shee stooping downe and openly kissing him said We must honour with our kisse the mouth from whence so many sweete verses and golden Poems haue proceeded But some may aske me How it falleth out that Poets now adaies are of no such esteeme as they haue beene in former times I answere because vertue in our declining and worser daies generally findeth no regard Or rather more truly with Aretinâ— being demaunded why Princes were not so liberall to Poesie and other good Arts as in former times Because their conscience telleth them how vnworthy they are of the praises giuen them by Poets as for other Arts they make no account of that they know not But since we are heere hauing before ouer-runne the Champaigne and large field of Historie let vs a while rest our selues in the garden of the Muses and admire the bountie of heauen in the seuerall beauties of so many diuine and fertile wits We must beginne with the King of Latinâ— Poets whom Nature hath reared beyond imitation and who aboue all other onely deserueth the name of a Poet I meane Virgil In him you shall at once finde not else-where that Prudence Efficacie Varietie and Sweetnesse which Scaliger requireth in a Poet and maketh his prime vertues Vnder Prudence is comprehended out of generall learning and iudgement that discreete apt suting and disposing as well of Actions as Words in their due place time and manner which in Virgil is not obserued by one among twentie of our ordinary Grammarians Who to vse the words of the Prince of learning hereupon onely in shallow and small Boates glide ouer the face of the Virgilian Sea How diuinely according to the Platonickes doth he discourse of the Soule how properly of the Nature number of winds seasons of the yeare qualities of Beasts Nature of Hearbs What in-sight into ancient Chronologie and Historie In briefe what not worthy the knowledge of a diuine wit To make his Aentas a man of extraordinary aspect and comlinesse of personage he makes Venus both his mother and Ladie of his Horoscope And forasmuch as griefe and perpetuall care are inseparable companions
and other antiquities hee could finde there Leofricke was sonne to the Earle of Kent and after being chosen to be Archbishop of Canterburie he refused it this Abbot in a time of dearth solde all the Iewels of his Church to buy bread for the poore After him succeeded Alfricke Leostan Frâ—theric Paul In this Abbot were giuen to the Monastery of Saint Albanes the Celles of Wallingford of Tinnemuth of Bealvare of Hertford and Binham Richard who liued in the time of William Rusus when the Cell of Saint Marie de Wymonaham or Windham in Norfolke was giuen vnto this Abbey beeing sounded by William de Albeney father to William de Albeney first Earle of Arundell Gaufridus who founded the Nunnery of Sopwell therby on the other side of the riuer founded and so called vpon this occasion two poore women hauing built themselues a small cabben liued in that place a very austere life praying and seruing God with great deuotion and for that they liued for the most part with no other sustenance saue bread and the water of a Well there wherein they vsed to soppe or dippe their bread it had saith mine Author a Monke sometime of that Abbey the name of Sopwell Then Radulphus Robert Simon Garmus Iohn William c. Off a gaue to this his Abby of Saint Albans these towns following viz. Thei l Edelâ—â—â—â—â— Wiclesfield Cagesâ—o cum suis Berechund Rikeâ—aresworth Bacheworth Crokâ—leie Michelfield Britchwell Watford Bilsey Merdell Haldenham Sprâ—t Enefeild Stâ—â—â—â—â—â— Hâ—â—â—â—â—ted Winelesham Biscopscoâ— Câ—dâ—â—â—dune and Mildâ—â—dune Egelsride his sonne and successour gaue Sandruge and Penefield Alfrickâ— Abbot of this Church after Archbishop Leofrick his brother gaue Kingesbury Câ—ealdwich Westwic Flamsted Nortâ—â—â— Râ—â—â—â—hang Wâ—â—â—â—field Birstan and Vpton AEthelwold Bish. of Dorchester gaue Girshuna Cuicumba Tyme Aegelwin Redburne ThuangnaÌ„ Lingley Grenburga One Tholfe gaue Estune and Oxaw One Sexi gaue Hâ—chamsted One Haâ—dh gaue Newhaâ— and Beandise Therefeld a religious woman gaue Sceanlâ—a Bridel Aegelwina another gaue Batesden Offal and Standune One Aegelbert gaue Craniford Aâ—â—an Cutesham Winsimus gaue Esenden Osulsus and his wife gaue Stâ—dham and Wilsinâ—â— others Walden Cudicote Scephal Bethell with sundry other Celles Churches and goodly possessions of me vnnamed If I should set you downe the inestimable wealth consisting in Plate Iewells Bookes costly Hangings Altar-cloathes and the like which by our English Kings Nobilitie and others haue from the foundation vnto the dissolution with the sundry priuiledges this Abby had I should weary my selfe with writing and you with reading but I omit them hauing onely proposed a mirrour to the eyes not of the Church pillars of ancient but the Church pillers of our times The Auncestors of this Noble family were Frenchmen borne taking their Surname of a Towne in Normandy called Sackuill whereof they were Lords and came into England to the aide of Duke William the Conquerour as appeareth by an auncient Manuscript or Chronicle of Brittaine now in the Custody of Mr. Edward Gwinn where he is called a Chiefetaine and is the seauenth man ranked in a Catalogue of names there for as it may be obserued out of Mr. Camdens Remaines that the better sort about the time of the Conquest began to take vp Surnames so againe they were not setled amongst the common people vntill the Raigne of King Edward the second He moreouer affirmeth that the most ancient and of best account were deriued from places whereof this name of Sackuill is one and to adde yet more vnto it Ordericus Vitalis the Monke in his Normane story saith that Herbrann de Sackuill was liuing in the time of William the Conquerour being father of three Noble Knights Iordan William and Robert de Sackuill and of a vertuous and beautifull Ladie named Auice who was married to Walter Lord of Alfage Hugleuill by whom shee had issue Iordan L. of Alfage Hugleuill that married Iulian the daughter of one Godsâ—all who came into England with Q. Adelize of Loâ—â—ine the Wife to King Henry the first After whose death the said Queene married to William de Albency Earle of Arundell from whom the now Right Honorable Thomas Earle of Arundell and Surry and Earle Marshall of England is descended S. Iordan de Sackuill Knight the eldest sonne was Sewer of England by the gift of the said Conquerour but liued and died in Normandy S. Robert de Sackuill Knight the yonger sonne liued in England and gaue together with his body the Mannor of Wickham in Suffolkeâ— to the Abbey of Sâ— Iohn Baptist in Colchester leauing issue a son named Sâ— Iordan de Sackuill a very eminent man in the time of King Richard the first as appeareth by a Charter of the said King made to the Monkes of Bordesâ—ey in Buckinghamshiere Sâ— Iordan de Sackuill that obtained of King Iohn a Friday Market weekely and a Faire once a yeare in his Towne of Sackuill in Normandy as saith the Kings Publike Records in the Tower of Lâ—â—don Holiinshed fol. 186. doth there ranke Iordan de Sackuill as a Baron calling him one of the assistants to the 25. Peeres of this Realme to see the Liberties of Magna Charta confirmed And for further proofe that they were men of no meane â—anke it is apparent in the Red booke of the Excheaquer in the 12. and 13. yeeres of the said Kings Raigne in these words Hubertus de Anestie tenes 2. food in Anestie parua Hornmcad dimid 〈◊〉 in Anestie de Honore Richardâ— de Sackâ—yle Agaiâ—e Sâ— Iordan de Sackuill Knight grandâ— childe to the said Iordan de Sackuill was taken prisoner at the battaile of Eâ—esham for siding with the Barons against King Henry the third in the 49. yeare of His Raigne whose sonne and heire named Andrew Sackuill being vnder age at the time of his fathers death and the Kings Waâ—d was like wise imprisoned in the Castle of Deuer Ann. 3. Eâ—n 1. and afterward by the speciall command of the said King did marry Ermynâ—â—de an Honourable Ladie of the houshold to Queene 〈◊〉 or whereby he not onely gained the Kings fauour but the greatest part of his Inheritance againe From whom the aforesaid Richard Earle of Dorset with Sâ— Edward Sackuill Knight of the Bathe his brother and others are descended one of whose Auncestors by marrying a daughter and co-heire of Rase de Denn sonne of Rodbert Pincerna that held the Lordship of Buckhurst with diuers other Mannors and Lands in Sussex about the time of the Normain Conquest In right of which marriage they haue euer since continued Lords of the said Mannor of Buckhurst with diners other Manors and Lâ—nds in Sussex c. Which William Earle of Devonshâ— was sonne of Sâ— William Cavendish of Chattesworth in the said Countie of Derby knight Treasurer of the Chamber to King Henry the eight Edward the sixt and Queene Marie by his wife Elizabeth daughter of lohn Hardwick of Hardwick Esquire The Auncestors of this Noble Familie called themselues Gâ—râ—ms whose issue
yet it is an Art nothing seruile and base but noble and free since we know not onely Emperors and Kings but Saints yea our blessed Sauiour to haue cured the sicke as Constantine Adrian Edward the Confessor King of England Mithridates King of Pontus whose Antidote yet beareth his name Artemisia Queene of Caria who first found the vertue of Mugwort bearing her name in Latine Gentius King of Illyricum now Sclauonia who immortally liueth in the herbe Gentiana as also Lysimachus in his Lysimachia Achilles in Achillea or the Yarrow Apollo Podalirius Moses Esay Salomon Ezechias Honor the Phisitian saith Ecclesiasticus then againe All Phisicke or medicine is from God and he shall receiue a reward from the King The skill of the Physitian shall exalt his head c. And as Ptolomy sometime obiected against Zoilus concerning Homer so may I vnto our Lordly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Physicke-haters Which of them all trebble their reuenewes can maintaine so many as one poore Galen or Hippocrates who though dead many hundreds of yeares since feed many thousands of families euen at this present I heere intend no common Chyrurgians Mountebancks vnlettered Empericks and women Doctors of whom for the most part there is more danger then of the worst disease it selfe whose practise is infamous Mechanique and base Fiftly concerning Merchants the exercise of Merchandise hath beene I confesse accounted base and much derogating from Nobilitie except it be exercised vndertaken by a generall Estate or the Deputies thereof Aristotle therefore saith That the Thebanes and Lacedaemonians had a Law that none should bee esteemed and held capable of Honor in their Common-wealth except they had ten yeares before giuen ouer Trading and Merchandise and Valerius Maximus reporteth that among other things the Romanes had to disparage Tarquinius Priscus withall and make him odious to the people was that he was a Merchants sonne Saint Chrysostome vpon that place of Mathew Hee cast out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple gathereth that Merchants hardly and seldome please God And certaine it is that the ancient Romans neuer preferred any that exercised Merchandise to any eminent place or office in their Commonwealthe perhaps agreeing in one with Aristotle who speaking of Merchants and Mechanickes saith Vilis est huiusmodi vita virtuti aduersa The kind of life is base and contrary to vertue But some may obiect vnto me the great Estates of Venice Genoa Florence Luca c. where their Nobilitie is nothing disparaged by the exercise of Merchandise I answer as their Coines at home they may raise themselues high or lower at their pleasure but abroad like Citie Maiors in other Countries they fall vnder value and a great deale short of their reckoning But if the owner of the Earth and all that therein is hath so bestowed and disposed of his blessings that no one Countrey affordeth all things but must be beholden not onely to her neighbours but euen the most remote Regions and Common-wealths cannot stand without Trade and Commerce buying and selling I cannot by the leaue of so reuerend iudgements but account the honest Merchant among the number of Benefactors to his Countrey while he exposeth as well his life as goods to the hazzard of infinite dangers sometime for medicinall Drugges and preseruatiues of our liues in extremitie of sicknesse another for our food or cloathing in tâ—mes of scarsitie and want haply for vsefull necessaries for our vocations and callings or lastly for those Sensus animi oblectamenta which the Almightie prouidence hath purposely for our solace and recreation and for no other end else created as Apes Parrots Peacockes Canarie and all singing Birds rarest Flowers for colour and smell pretious Stones of all sorts Pearle Amber Corall Cristall all manner of sweete odouâ—s fruites infinitely differing in forme and taste Colours of all sorts for painting dying c. but I proceed Sixt and lastly touching Mechanicall Arts and Artists whosoeuer labour for their liuelihood and gaine haue no share at all in Nobilitie or Gentry As Painters Stage-playersâ— Tamblers ordinary Fidlers Inne-keepers Fencers Iuglers Dancers Mountebancks Bearewards and the like except the custome of the place determine the contrary as Herâ—dâ—tus and Xenophon witnesse to haue beene obserued both among the Aegyptians Scythians and Corinthians The reason is because their bodies are spent with labour and trauaile and men that are at their worke Assidui accibui vmbratiles esse cogumur Yea if a Noble man borne in captiuitie or constrained through any other necessitie shall exercise any manuall occupation or Art hee by the opinion of some loseth his Nobilitie Ciuill but not Christian and shall at his returne bee restored Where I said the custome of the Country I intend thus by the law of Mahomet the Grand Signior or great Turke himselfe is bound to exercise some manuall Trade or Occupation for none must be idle as Solyman the Magnificent that so threatned Vienna his trade was making of Arrow-heads Achmat the last horne rings for Archers and the like From the roote and branches let vs taste the fruite which fall not like the Apples of Sodoms with a light touch into nothing but are as those of Hesperides golden and out of the vulgar reach First Noble or Gentlemen ought to bee preferred in Fees Honors Offices and other dignities of command and gouernment before the common people They are to be admitted neere and about the person of the Prince to be of his Counsel in warre and to beare his Standard We ought to giue credit to a Noble or Gentleman before any of the inferior sort He must not be arrested or pleaded against vpon cosenage We must attend him and come to his house and not â—e to ours His punishment ought to be more fauourable honorable vpon his tryall and that to bee by his Peeres of the same Noble ranke He ought in all sittings meetings and salutations to haue the vpper hand and greatest respect They must be cited by Bill or Writing to make their appearance In criminall causes Noblemen may appeare by their Arturney or Procurator They ought to take their recreations of hunting hawking c. freely without controule in all places Their imprisonment ought not to bee in base manner or so strict as others They may eate the best and daintiest meate that the place affordeth to weare at their pleasure Gold Iewels the best apparell and of what fashion they please c. Beside Nobilitie stirreth vp emulation in great Spirits not onely of equalling others but excelling them as in Cimon the elder Scipio Africanus Decius the sonne Alexander Edward our Blacke Prince and many others It many times procureth a good marriage as in Germany where a faire Coate and a Crest is often preferred before a good reuenew It is a spurre in braue and good Spirits to beare in mind those things which their Ancestors haue
in Poesie was most rich and his sweetnesse and facilitie in a verse vnimitably excellent as appeareth by that Master peece his Psalmes as farre beyond those of B. Rhenanus as the Stanza's of Petrarch the times of Skelton but deseruing more applause in my opinion if hee had fallen vpon another subiect for I say with one Mihi spiritus diuinus eiusmodâ— places quo scipsum ingessit a Patre illoruÌ„ piget qui Dauid Psalmos suis calamistris inustos sperarant efficere plausibiliores And certaine in that boundlesse field of Poeticall inuention it cannot be auoided but something must be distorted beside the intent of the Diuine enditer His Tragedies are loftie the stile pure his Epigrams not to be mended saue heere and there according to his Genius too broad and bitter But let vs looke behinde vs and wee shall finde one English-bred whose glorie and worth although Cineri suppôsta doloso is inferiour neither to Buchanan or any of the ancients and so much the more to be valued by how much the brighter he appeared out of the fogges of Barbarisme and ignorance in his time that is Ioseph of Exeter who liued vnder Henrie the 2. and Richard the first who wrote that singular and stately Poeme of the Troian warre after the Historie of Dares Phrygius which the Germanes haue printed vnder the name of Cornelius Nepos He died at Bourdeaux in France where he was Archbishop where his monument is yet to bee seene After him all that long tract of ignorance vntill the daies of Henrie the 8. which time Erasmus calleth the Golden Age of learning in regard of so many famously learned men it produced more then euer heretofore flourished Sir Thomas More sometime Lord Chancellor of England a man of most rich and pleasant inuention his verse fluent nothing harsh constrained or obscure wholly composed of conceipt and inoffensiue mirth that he seemeth ad lepôres fuisse natum How wittily doth hee play vpon the Arch-cuckold Sabinus scoffe at Frenchified Lalus and Herney a French cowardly Captaine beaten at the Sea by our English and his shippe burned yet his victorie and valour to the English disgrace proclaimed by Brixius a Germane Pot-aster What can be more loftie then his gratulatorie verse to King Henrie vpon his Coronation day more wittie then that Epigramme vpon the name of Nicolaus an ignorant Phisitian that had beene the death of thousands and Abyngdons Epitaph more sweete then that nectar Epistle of his to his daughters Margaret Elizabeth and Cicelie But as these ingenious exercises bewraied in him an extraordinary quicknesse of wit and learning so his Vtopia his depth of iudgment in State-affaires then which in the opinion of the most learned Budaus in a preface before it our age hath not seene a thing more deepe accurate In his yonger yeeres there was euer a friendly and vertuous emulation for the palme of inuention and poesie betweene William Lillie the author of our Grammer and him as appeareth by their seuerall translations of many Greeke Epigrammes and their inuention tried vpon one subiect notwithstanding they lou'd and liu'd together as deerest friends Lillie also was beside an excellent Latine Poet a singular Graecian who after he trauelled all Greece ouer and many parts of Europe beside and liued some foure or fiue yeeres in the I le of the Rhodes he returned home and by Iohn Collet Deane of Paules was elected Master of Pauls Schoole which he had newly founded Shortly after began to grow eminent aswell for Poesie as all other generall learning Sir Thomas Challoner Knight father to the truly honest and sometime louer of all excellent parts Sir Thomas Challoner who attended vpon the late Prince borne in London brought vp in Cambridge who hauing left the Vniuer sitie and followed the Court a good while went ouer with Sir Henry Knyuet Embassadour to Charles the fift as his friend and companion what time the Emperour being preparing a mightie fleete against the Turkes in Argier the English Embassadour Sir Thomas Challoner Henry Knowles M. Henry Isam and others went in that seruice as voluntaries with the Emperour But the Galley wherein Sir Thomas Challoner was being cast away by foulenesse of weather after he had laboured by swimming for his life as long as he was able and the strength of his armes falling him he caught hold vpon a cable throwne out from another galley to the losse and breaking of many of his teeth and by that meanes saued his life After the death of King Henry the 8. he was in the battaile of Muskleborough and knighted by the Duke of Sâ—mmerset And in the beginning of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth hee went ouer Embassadour into Spaine where at his houres of leisure he compiled ten elegant bookes in Latine vers de Ropub Anglorum instauranda superuised after his death by Malim and dedicated to the old Lord Burghley Lord Treasurer Being sent for home by her Maiestie he shortly after died in London and was buried in Paules neere to the steppes of the Quire toward the South-doore vnder a faire marble but the brasse and epitaphe written by Doctor Haddon by sacrilegious hands is since torne away But the Muse and Eternall Fame haue reared him a monument more lasting and worthy the merit of so excellent a man Of English Poets of our owne Nation esteeme Sir Geoffrey Chaucer the father although the stile for the antiquitie may distast you yet as vnder a bitter and rough rinde there lyeth a delicate kernell of conceit and sweete inuention What Examples Similitudes Times Places and aboue all Persons with their speeches and attributes doe as in his Canterburie-tales like these threds of gold the rich Arras beautifie his worke quite thorough And albeit diuers of his workes are but meerely translations out of Latine and French yet he hath handled them so artificially that thereby he hath made them his owne as his Troilus and Cresseid The Romant of the Rose was the Inuention of Ithan de Mehunes a French Poet whereof he translated but onely the one halfe his Canterburie-tales without question were his owne inuention all circumstances being wholly English Hee was a good Diuine and saw in those times without his spectacles as may appeare by the Plough-man and the Parsons tale withall an excellent Mathematician as plainly appeareth by his discourse of the Astrolabe to his little sonne Lewes In briefe account him among the best of your English bookes in your librarie Gower being very gracious with King Henrie the 4. in his time carried the name of the onely Poet but his verses to say truth were poore and plaine yet full of good and graue Moralitie but while he affected altogether the French phrase and words made himself too obscure to his Reader beside his inuention commeth farre short of the promise of his Titles He published onely that I know of three bookes which at S. Marie Oueries in Southwarke vpon his monument
lately repaired by some good Benefactor lie vnder his head which are Vox clamantie Speculum Meditantis and Confessio Amantis He was a Knight as also was Chaucer After him succeeded Lydgate a Monke of Burie who wrote that bitter Satyre of Peirs Plow-man He spent most part of his time in translating the workes of others hauing no great inuention of his owne He wrote for those times a tollerable and smooth verse Then followed Harding and after him Skelton a Poet Laureate for what desert I could neuer heare if you desire to see his veine and learning an Epitaph vpon King Henry the seauenth at West-minster will discouer it In the latter end of King Henrie the 8. for their excellent facultie in Poesie were famous the right noble Henrie Earle of Surrey whose Songs and Sonnets yet extant are of sweete conceipt and the learned but vnfortunate Sir Thomas Wyat. In the time of Edward the sixth liued Sternhold whom King Henry his father a little before had made groome of his Chamber for turning certaine of Dauids Psalmes into verse and merrie Iohn Heywood who wrote his Epigrammes as also Sir Thomas More his Vtopia in the parish wherein I was borne where either of them dwelt and had faire possessions About Queene Maries time flourished Doctor Phaer who in part translated Virgils Aeneids after finished by Arthur Golding In the time of our late Queene Elizabeth which was truly a golden Age for such a world of refined wits and excellent spirits it produced whose like are hardly to be hoped for in any succeeding Age aboue others who honoured Poesie with their pennes and practise to omit her Maiestie who had a singular gift herein were Edward Earle of Oxford the Lord Buckhurst Henry Lord Paget our Phoenix the noble Sir Philip Sidney M. Edward Dyer M. Edmund Spencer M. Samuel Daniel with sundry others whom together with those admirable wits yet liuing and so well knowne not out of Enuie but to auoide tediousnesse I ouerpasse Thus much of Poetrie CHAP. XI Of Musicke MVsicke a sister to Poetrie next craueth your acquaintance if your Genius be so disposed I know there are many who are adeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of such disproportioned spirits that they auoide her companie as a great Cardinall in Rome did Roses at their first comming in that to auoide their sent he built him an house in the champaigne farre from any towne or as with a Rose not long since a great Ladies cheeke in England their eares are readie to blister at the tendrest touch thereof I dare not passe so rash a censure of these as Pindar doth or the Italian hauing fitted a prouerbe to the same effect Whom God loues not that man loues not Musicke but I am verily perswaded they are by nature very ill disposed and of such a brutish stupiditie that scarce any thing else that is good and sauoureth of vertue is to be found in them Neuer wise man I thinke questioned the lawfull vse hereof since it is an immediate gift of heauen bestowed on man whereby to praise and magnifie his Creator to solace him in the midst of so many sorrowes and cares wherewith life is hourely beset and that by song as by letters the memorie of Doctrine and the benefits of God might be for euer preserued as we are taught by the Song of Moses and those diuine Psalmes of the sweete singer of Israel who with his Psalterie so lowdly resounded the Mysteries and innumerable benefits of the Almightie Creator and the seruice of God aduanced as we may finde in 2. Samuel 6. vers 5. Psalme 33. 21. 43. and 4. 108. 3. and in sundrie other places of Scripture which for breuitie I omit But say our Sectaries the seruice of God is nothing aduanced by singing and instruments as we vse it in our Cathedrall Churches that is by Antiphonie Restes Repetitions Varietis of Moodes and Proportions with the like For the first that it is not contrary but consonant to the word of God so in singing to answer either the practise of Mâ—riam the Propheteâ—se and Sister of Moses when she answered the men in her song will approue For repetition nothing was more vsuall in the singing of the Leuites and among the Psalmes of Dauid the 136. is wholly compounded of those two most gracefull and 〈◊〉 figures of repetition Symploce and Anaphora For Resting and Proportions the nature of the Hebrew verse as the meanest Hebrician knoweth consisting many times of vneuen feete going sometime in this number sometimes in that one while as S. Hierome saith in the numbers of Sappho another while of Alcaus doth of neoessitie require it and wherein doth our practise of singing and playing with Instruments in his Maiesties Chappell and our Cathedrall Churches differ from the practise of Dauid the Priests and Leuites Doe we not make one sound in praising and thanking God with voyces and instruments of all sorts Dâ—â—â—e as S. Hierome saith reboet laquear â—empli the roofe of the Church ecchoeth againe and which lest they should cauill at as a Iewish Ceremonie we know to haue beene practised in the ancient puritie of the Church but we returne where we left The Physitians will tell you that the exercise of Musicke is a great lengthner of the life by stirring and reuiuing of the Spiriâ—s holding a secret sympathy with them Besides the exercise of singing openeth the breast and pipes it is an enemy to melancholy and deiection of the mind which S. Chrysostome truly calleth The Deuils Bath Yea a curer of some diseases in Apugliâ— in Italy and therea bouts it is most certaine that those who are stung with the Taramula are cured onely by Musicke Beside the aforesaid benefit of singing it is a most ready helpe for a bad pronunciation and distinct speaking which I haue heard confirmed by many great Diuines yea I my selfe haue knowne many Children to haue bin holpen of their stammering in speech onely by it Plato calleth it A diuine and heauenly practise profitable for the seeking out of that which is good and honest Homer saith Musitians are worthy of Honor and regard of the whole world and we know albâ—it Lyâ—urguâ— imposed most streight and sharpe Lawes vpon the Lacedaemâ—niâ—ns yet he euer allowed them the exercise of Musicke Aristotle auerreth Musicke to be the onely disposer of the mind to Vertue and Goodnesse wherefore he reckoneth it among those foure principall exercises wherein he would haue children instructed Tulliâ— saith there consisteth in the practise of singing and playing vpon Instruments great knowledge and the most excellent instruction of the mind and for the effect it worketh in the mind he termeth it Staâ—ilem Thesaurum qui moros instituit componiâ—que ac moâ—tit â—rarum ardores c. A lasting Treasure which rectifieth and ordereth our manners and allayeth the heate and furie of our anger c. I might runne into an
infinite Sea of the praise and vse of so excellent an Art but I onely shew it you with the finger because I desire not that any Noble or Gentleman should saue his priuate recreation at leasurable houres prooue a Master in the same or neglect his more weightie imployments though I auouch it a skill worthy the knowledge and exercise of the greatest Prince King Henrie the eight could not onely sing his part sure but of himselfe compose a Seruice of foure fiue and sixe parts as Erasmus in a certaine Epistle testifieth of his owne knowledge The Duke of Venosa an Italian Prince in like manner of late yeares hath giuen excellent proofe of his knowledge and loue to Musicke hauing himselfe composed many rare songs which I haue seene But aboue others who carryeth away the Palme for excellency not onely in Musicke but in whatsoeuer is to be wished in a braue Prince is the yet liuing Maurice Landgraue of Hessen of whose owne composition I haue seene eight or ten seuerall sets of Morets and solemne Musicke set purposely for his owne Chappell where for the greater honour of some Festiuall and many times for his recreation onely he is his own Organist Besides he readily speaketh â—en or twelue seueral languages he is so vniuersall a Scholler that comming as he doth often to his Vniuersitie of Marpurge what questions soeuer he meeteth with set vp as the manner is in the Germane and our Vniuersities hee will Extempore dispute an houre or two euen in Bootes and Spurres vpon them with their best Professors I passe ouer his rare skill in Chirurgeriâ— he being generally accounted the best Bone-setter in the Country Who haue seene his estate his hospitalitie his rich furnished Armorie his braue Stable of great Horses his â—â—tesie to all strangers being men of Qualitie and good parts let them speake the rest But since the naturall inclination of some men driueth them as it were perforce to the top of Excellencie examples of this kind are very rare yea great personages many times are more violently carried then might well stand with their Honours and necessitie of their affaires yet were it to these honest and commendable exercises sauouring of vertue it were well but many neglecting their duties and places will addict themselues wholly to trifles and the most ridiculous and childish practises As Eropus King of Macedonia tooke pleasure only in making of Candles Domitian his recreation was to catch kill flyes and could not be spoken with many times in so serious employment Pâ—olomans Philadelphus was an excellent Smith and a Basket maker Alphonso Atestino Duke of Ferraâ—ra delighted himselfe onely in turning and playing the Ioyner Rodolph the late Emperour in setting of Stones and making Watches Which and the like much eclipse State and Maiestie bringing familiaritie and by consequence contempt with the meanest I desire no more in you then to sing your part sure and at the first sight withall to play the same vpon your Violl or the exercise of the Lute priuately to your selfe To deliuer you my opinion whom among other Authors you should imitate and allow for the best there being so many equally good is somewhat difficult yet as in the rest herein you shall haue my opinion For Moâ—â—â—s and Musicke of pietie and deuotion as well for the honour of our Nation as the merit of the man I preferre aboue all other our Phoenix M. William Byrd whom in that kind I know not whether any may equall I am sure none excell euen by the iudgement of France and Italy who are very sparing in the commendation of strangers in regard of that conceipt they hold of themselues His Cantiones 〈◊〉 as also his Gradualia are meere Angelicall and Diuine and being of himselfe naturally disposed to Grauitie and Pietie his veine is not so much for light Madrigals of Canzonets yet his Virginella and some others in his first set cannot be mended by the best Italian of them all For composition I preferre next Ludouico de Victoria a most iudicious and a sweete Composer after him Orlando di Lasso a very rare and excellent Author who liued some forty yeares since in the Court of the Duke of Baueir He hath published as well in Latine as French many sets his veine is graue and sweete among his Latine Songs his seuen poenitentiall Psalmes are the best and that French Set of his wherein is Susanna vn jour Vpon which Dittie many others haue since exercised their inuention For delicious Aire and sweete Inuention in Madrigals Luca Marâ—â—zio excelleth all other whosoeuer hauing published more Sets then any Authour else whosoeuer and to say truth hath not an ill Song though sometime an ouer-sight which might be the Printers fault of two eights or fifts escape him as betweene the Tenor and Base in the last close of I must depart all haplesse ending according to the nature of the Dittie most artificially with a Minim rest His first second and third parts of Thyrsis Veggo dolca 〈◊〉 ben chi fa hoggi mio Sole Cantava or sweete singing Amaryllie are Songs the Muses themselues might not haue beene ashamed to haue had composed Of stature and complexion hee was a little and blacke man he was Organist in the Popes Chappell at Rome a good while afterward hee went into Poland being in displeasure with the Pope for ouermuch familiaritie with a kinswoman of his whom the Queene of Poland sent for by Luca Marenzio afterward she being one of the rarest women in Europe for her voyce and the Lute but returning he found the affection of the Pope so estranged from him that hereupon hee tooke a conceipt and died Alphouse Ferabosco the father while he liued for iudgment and depth of skill as also his sonne yet liuing was inferior vnto none what he did was most elaborate and profound and pleasing enough in Aire though Master Thomas Morley censureth him otherwise That of his I saw my Ladie weeping and the Nightingale vpon which Dittie Master Bird and he in a friendly aemulation exercised their inuention cannot be bettered for sweetnesse of Aire or depth of iudgement I bring you now mine owne Master Horatio Vecchi of Modena beside goodnesse of Aire most pleasing of all other for his conceipt and varietie wherewith all his workes are singularly beautified as well his Madrigals of fiue and sixe as those his Canzonets printed at Norimberge wherein for tryall sing his Viuo in fuoco amoroso Lucretia mia where vpon Iâ— catenatâ— more with excellent iudgement hee driueth a Crotchet thorough many Minims causing it to resemble a chaine with the Linkes Againe in Sâ—is potessi raccor'i mâ—i Sospiri the breaking of the word Sospiri with Crotchet Crotchet rest into sighes and that fa mi vn Canzonâ— c. To make one sleepe at noone with sundry other of like conceipt and pleasant inuention Then that great Master and Master not long
Fabius pinxi Neither was it the exercise of Nobilitie among the ancients onely but of late dayes and in our times we see it practised by the greatest princes of Europe without praeiudice to their Honors Francis the first king of France was very excellent with his pencill and the vertuous Margaret Queene of Navarre beside her excellent veine in Poesie could draw and limne excellently the like is reported of 〈◊〉 Duke of Savois Nor can I ouerpasse the ingenuitie and excellency of many Noble and Gentlemen of our owne nation herein of whom I know many but none in my opinion who deserueth more respect and admiration for his skill and practise herein then Master Nathaniel Bacon of Broome in Suffolke younger sonne to the most Honourable and bountifull minded Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight and eldest Barronet not inferiour in my iudgement to our skilfullest Masters But certainely I know not what fauourable aspect of Heauen that right noble and ancient family which produceth like delicate fruites from one Stemme so many excellent in seuerall qualities that no one name or family in England can say the like Painting is a quality I loue I confesse and admire in others because euer naturally from a child I haue beene addicted to the practise hereof yet when I was young I haue beene cruelly beaten by ill and ignorant schoolemasters when I haue beene taking in white and blacke the countenance of some one or other which I could do at thirteene and fourteene yeares of age beside the mappe of any towne according to Geometricall Proportion as I did of Cambridge when I was of Trinitie Colledge and a Iunior Sophister yet could they neuer beate it out of me I remember one Master I had and yet liuing not farre from S. Athanes took me one time drawing out with my pen that peare-tree and boyes throwing at it at the end of the Latine Grammarâ— which he perceiuing in a rage strooke mee with the great end of the rodde and rent my paper swearing it was the onely way to teach mee to robbe Orchard as beside that I was placed with him to bee made a scholler and not a painteâ— which I was very likely to doe when I well remember he construed vnto me the beginning of the first Ode in Horace Edite set ye forth 〈◊〉 the sportes atavit Râ—gibâ—â— of our ancient kings but leauing my ingenious Master to our purpose For your first beginning and entrance in draught make your hand as ready as you can without the helpe of your compasses in those generall figures of the Circle ovall square triangle cylinder c. for these are the foundation of all other proportions As for example your ovall directs you in giuing a iust proportion to the face Your Square or Cube for all manner of ground plots formes of fortification wherein you haue no vse of the Circle at all Your Circle againe directs you in all orbicular formes whatsoeuer and so forth of the rest Hauing made your hand fit and ready in generall proportion learne to giue all bodies their true shaddowes according to their eminence and concauity and to heigthen or deepe as your body appeareth neerer or farther from the light which is a matter of great iudgment and indeede the soule as I may say of a picture Then learne all manner of draperie that is to giue garments and all manner of stuffes as cloth silke and linnen their naturall and proper soldes which at the first will seeme strange and difficult vnto you but by imitating the choisest printes and peeces of the most iudicious masters with your owne obseruance you will very easily attaine the skill But since I haue already published a booke of Drawing and Limming wherein I haue discouered whatsoeuer I haue thought necessaâ—ie to perfection herein I will referre you for farther instruction to it and onely here giue you the principall Authors for your Imitation Since as I said proportion is the principall and chiefe thing you are first to learne I commend vnto you that Prince of Painters and Graund-master Albert Durer who beside that his peeces for proportion and draperie are the best that are hee hath written a very learned booke of Symmetrie and proportions which hath beene since translated out of high Dutch into Latine And though his peeces haue beene long since worne out of presse yet you may happen vpon them among our skilfull painters which if you can get reasonably keep them as iewels since I beleeue you shall neuer see their like they seeme old and commonly are marked with a great D in an A. For a bold touch varietie of posture curious and true shaddow imitate Goliziuâ— his printes are commonly to be had in Popes head alley Himselfe was liuing at my last being in the low Countries at Harlâ—â— but by reason of the losse of one of his eyes he hath giuen ouer a Hinge in copper and altogether exerciseth his pencill in oyle The peeces of Michael Angelo are rare and very hard to be comeby Himselfe liued in Rome and was while hee liued esteemed the best painter in Europe as verily it seemeth by that his famous peece of the last iudgment in the Popes Chappell being accounted one of the best in the world Hans Holben was likewise an excellent Master hee liued in the time of King Henry the eight and was emploied by him against the comming of the Emperor Charles the 5. into England I haue seene many peeces of his in oile and once of his owne draught with a penne a most curious chimney-peece K. Henry had bespoke for his new built pallace at Bridewell Of later times and in our age the workes of Shadan Witrix and my honest louing friend Crispin de Pas of Vtrecht are of most price these cut to the life a thing practised but of late yeares their pieces will best instruct you in the countenance for the naturall and 〈◊〉 dowes therof the cast and forme of the eie the touch of the mouth the true fall turning curling of the haire for ruffes Armour c. When you are somewhat ready in your draught for which you must prouide pens made of rauens quils black lead dry pencils made of what color you please by grinding it with strong wort then rowling it vp pencilwise and so let it dry get my booke entituled the Gentlemans Exercise which will teach you the vse and ordering of all manner of colours for limning as how to make any one colour what you please by the composition of many as a scarlet carnation flame colour all manner of greenes for leaues or banckes purples for the breake of the morning the violet the hyacinth c. all manner of changeable colors in garments of silke brownes blackes for haire colours the colours of barks of trees the sea fouÌ„tains rocks flesh colours or carnations for the face complexioÌ„ with the manner of preparing your card inbriefe whatsoeuer is needfull to
augmentation to the Armories of the Palsgraue of the Râ—ine in regard of Vienna so brauely defended by Phillip Earle Palatine together with the Count Solmas against the furie of Solyman who laid siedge to it with aboue 300000. men yet glad at the rumour of the Emperour Charles his comming to shew his backe For Solyman as himselfe was wont to say seared not Charles as he was Emperour of Germany but that good fortune which euer attended him in his greatest enterprises And no doubt but the blessing of God was vpon him as being one of the most religious iust and worthiest Princes that euer liued The family of the Haies in Scotland bare Arg. three Escotcheons Gules vpon this occasion At what time the Danes inuaded Scotland and in a set batraile had put the Scots to the worst one Hay with his two sonnes being at plow not farre off and seeing his Countrey-men flying froÌ„ their enemies to come vp a narrow Lane walled with stone on both sides towards him with their Plowbeames in their hands meeting them at the lanes end in despite beate them backe to charge their enemies afresh reuiling their cowardize that now hazarded the whole kingdome whereupon with a stout resolution they put themselues againe into array and returning backe vpon the Danes who were both disordered and in a feare lest a new supply had come downe to the Scots succour ouerthrew them vtterly and regained a most memorable victory Heâ—eupon Hay was by the King ennobled and had giuen him for his bearing in a field Siluer three Escotcheons Gules the rest a Plow-man with his Plow-beame on his shoulder and withall for his maintenance as much Land as a Faulcon put off from hand could sly ouer erc she did alight which Land in Scotland is to this day called Hay his Land and the Faulcon alighting vpon a stone about seuen miles off gaue it the name of the Falcons stone euen to this day Armes againe are sometimes taken from professions and those meanes by which the bearers haue raised themselues to honourable place as the Dukes of Florence for that they are descended from the family Di Medicâ— or Phisitians bare in a field Azure sixe Lozenges Sometimes they are wonne in the field from Infidels for no Christian may directly beare anothers Coate by his sword as was the Coate of Millan from a Saraceâ— it being an Infant naisant or issuing from the mouth of a Serpent And after the winning of Granadâ— from the Moores in the times of Ferdin 〈◊〉 and Isâ—bell Kings of Castile the Pomgranate the Armes of that kingdome was placed in the bast of the Escotcheon Royall and in regard it was gained principally by the meanes of Archerie the Bow and Quiuer of Arrowes was stamped vpon the Spanish sixpence which remaineth at this day to be seene Coates sometimes are by stealth purchased shuffled into Records and Monuments by Painters Glasiers Caruers and such But I trust so good an order hath beene lately established by the Right Honorable the late CoÌ„missioners for the Office of the Earle Marshalship carefull respect of the Heralds with vs that all hope of sinister dealing in that kind is quite cut off from such mercenary abusers of Nobilitie Many times gained at a cheaper rate by bearing as the Boores in Germany and the Netherlands what they list themselues neither can their owne Inuentions content them but into what land or place soeuer they trauaile if they espy a fairer Coate then their owne for they esteeme Coates faire or good as our Naturals according to the varietie of colours after their returne they set it vp in Glasse for them and their heires with the Crest and open Beauer as if they were all Princes as at Wodrichom or Worcom hard by Louestein I found ouer a Tradesman Coate no worse Crest then the three Feathers in the Crown and in many other places whole Coates of the French Nobilitie Heereof examples in those parts are so frequent that I must say Inopem me copia fecit Now being acquainted with your colours the points and euery place of the Escotchcon which the Accidence of Armorie of Master Guillims Display will at large instruct you in begin to practise the Blazon of those Coats which consist of bare and simple lines without charge as that ancient Coate of Waldgraâ—â— who beareth onely party per pale Arg. and Gules and the Citie of Virecht partie per bend of the same Then your fields equally compounded of moe lines as Quarterly Bâ—ndey Barrey Gyronned Checkey Masculie c. Withall know the names and vse of all manner of your crooked lines as Endemed Embatâ—elled Nebulè or Vndeè Danncéâ—â—â—è c. Know then those Honorable and prime places or Ordinaries with their Species as the cheese so called of Chef in French that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it possesseth the head or vpper third part of the Escotcheon The Fesse holding the middle third part of the shield containeth vnder it the Barre Barrulet Coste Barresgemells c. The Bend the Bendlet single and double Cotize Next know the Furres Counterchangings Bordures Tressures Orles Frets all formes of Crosses differences of Brothers Roundles of euery kind as Beasanâ—s Plaâ—es Pommices c. Then proceede to the blazon of all vegetable things as Flowers Trees c. Then to all quicke and liuing things as Beasts Birds Fishes Serpents and the like When you haue done know Honorable additaments whether they be by way of augmentation or markes and differences of alliance Coates of augmentation as those of Queene Katherine Parre Queene Katherine Howard and Queene Iane Seymor conferred by King Henry the eight By Cantons as Ferdinand King of Spaine honoured Sir Henry Guilford with a Canton of Granado and King Iames Molinâ— the Vâ—neâ—ian Embassadour with a Canton of the Rose of England and Thistle of Scotland empaled Then ensue differences of alliance by Bordures Labels Bends Quarterings and the like By the Bordure no where more frequent then in the Soueraignes Coate when the blood Roiall was deriued into so many veines to the distemper of the whole body vnder the dissention of Yorke and Lancaster Thomas of Woodstocke as also Humphrey Duke of Glocester who lyeth buried in the Abbey of S. Albanes vpon the South-side of the Quire and not in Paules bare the Soueraigne Coate within a Bordure Argent Richard Plantagenet sonne and heire of Richard Earle of Cambridge Duke of Yorke and father to Edward the fourth bare quarterly France and England within a Bordure Argent charged with Lionceeaux purpure Edmund of Hadham sonne of Owen Tuder by Queene Katherine the Soueraigne Coat within a Bordure Azure with Martlets and Flower-de-luces Or. Iohn Beaufort sonne of Iohn of Gaunt and his posteritie the same within a bordure Componeè Argent and Azure Charles the seuenth King of France in the yeare 1436. gaue leaue vnto Nicholas Duke of Ferrara to beare the Armes of France in a
in processe of time assumed to themselues the Surname of Cavendish as being Lords of the Towne and Mannor of Cavendish in Suffolke out of which familie disbranched that famous Trauailer Mr. Thomas Cavendish who was the third that trauailed about the world whose voyage you shall finde set downe at large in the English Discouerers written by Mr. 〈◊〉 It is borne by the name of Hobart and was the proper Coate of Sir Iames Hobart Knight Atturney Generall vnto King Henry the seauenth a right good man withall of great learning and wisedome hee builded the Church of Loddâ—n and Saint Olaues commonly called Saint Toolies bridge in the County of Norfolke This worthy Knight lyeth buryed vnder a faire monument in the middle I le on the Northside in Christs Church in Norwich But it is now borne with the Coate of Vister by the gift of King Iames vnto him as a Barronet by the Honourable and Nobly minded Sir Henry Hobart Knight and Baronet Lord chiefe Iustice of the Common Pleas of Blickling in the County of Norfolke whose vprightnesse in Iustice and loue to his country hath like his owne Starre communicatiue of it selfe dispersed the fairer beames into all places Râ—x dilect◠〈◊〉 sâ—o Roberto de Woodhouse Archidiacone de Richmâ—nd Thesaâ—rario sâ—o salutem Negotiaâ—os statum regni contingentia c. vobis mandamus â—irmiter iâ—iungentes quod omnibus alijs praterâ—issis c. Beside I haue sâ—ene the will of King Henry the fourth and Heâ—rie the fifth where one was a gentleman of Henry the fourth's chamber and by his will made one of his executors as also he was to Henry the fifth who wrote his letter to the Pâ—ior and Chapter of the Church of the Trinitie in Norwich to giue him leaue to build himselfe a Chappell in their Church So that from time to time they haue held an Honourable place and at this day are worthy stayes and pillars of Iustice in their Countries Nor must I heere let fall the worth of two sons of this Gentleman Sir Thomas Woodhouse Knight who marryed Blanch Sister to the right Honourable Henry now Viscount Rochfâ—rt and Master Roger Woodhouse his brother Gentlemen not onely learned but accomplished in what euer may lend Lustre to worth and true gentilitie This was also the Coate of Sir Thomas Louell Knight of the Garter made by King Henrie the seuenth of whose hoâ—se hee was Treasurer and President of the Counsell This Sir Thomas Louell was a fift sonne of Sir Ralphe Louell of Barton Bendish in the Countie of Norfolke This his Coate with the Garter about it standeth ouer Lincolnes Inne Gate He founded the Nunnery of Halliwell where was also his house on a wall of which not maâ—y yeares since was to be read this inscription All ye Nuns of Halliwell Pray ye both day and night For the Soule of Sir Thomas Louell Whom Harry the 〈◊〉 made Knight It appeareth also that Sir William Louell Lord Morley was Knight of the Garter for in Morley Church the seate of his Baronnie is yet remaining in a Glasse window which I haue seene this Coate with the Garter about it This Coate Armour is verie ancient as is proued by sundry bookes of Armes Church windowes and seuerall deeds wherof I haue seene two bearing date Anno 18. Richard the 2. with seales of this very Coate fixed thereunto with this inscription about the same viz Sigillum Robertide Ashfield as also another deed bearing date Anno 3. Henrie the fixt made from Robert the sonne of Iohn Ashfeild of Stow-Langton Esquire to Simon Finchanâ— and Iohn Whitlocke with a faire Seale of red Waxe whereupon was a Griffâ—â— Sâ—iant with his wings displayed ouer whose body is this Armes with this inscription about the whoâ—e Seale viz S. Robertide Ashfeild Armig. The aboue named Robert Ashfeild builded the Church of Stow Langton in the Quire whereof which I haue seene hee lyeth butied vnder a faire Marble he was seruant vnto the blacke Prince whom he followed in his warres in France This Coate is thus borne by Sir lohn Ashfeild Knight sole heire of that Family now Gentleman of the bedde Chamber to Prince Charles This ancient name and family of Crow was anciently of Suffolke for about the time of K. Edward the 4. Thomas Crow of Suffolke the elder purchased Bradsted in Kent whose sonne Thomas Crow the yoâ—ger married Ioane the onely daughter and heire of Nicholas Boare son of Iohn sonne of Richard Boare that married Lora the daughter of Simon Stocket of Bradsted in Kent The aforesaid Ioane brought to Thomas her husband his house called Stockets with a Chancell built by the aboue named Simon Stockets as appeareth by a French deede tempore Edw. 2. As also a house and certaine land called Boars by whom shee had issue Iohn Crow the elder father of Henry Crow father of William Crow of Bradsted Esq. who married Anne the second daughter and coheire of Iohn Sackuill of Chiddingleigh in Sussex Esq. The said Mannor of Chiddingleigh hath beene in the possession of the Sackuills aboue three hundred yeeres and at this day is part of the inheritance of the Right Honorable Richard Sackuill Earle of Dorset and Baron of Buckâ—urst which William Crow and Annâ— his wife hath issue Sackuill Crow their sonne and heire now liuing with others This Coate of Talbot belongeth vnto the Right worshipfull Master Thomas Talbot Doctour of the Ciuill Law of Miliers Hall in Wimâ—ndham in the Countie of Norfolke a very learned and honest Gentleman If you would proceede further in blazonry and the true knowledge of the desâ—â—â—ts of our English Nobility I refer you to that exact iust and elaborate worke of my singular and learned friend Master Augustine Vincent Rouge-croix very shortly to be publishedâ— which let it be vnto you of all that haue written in that kinde instar omnium So I referre you henceforward to your priuate reading and obseruation CHAP. 14. Of Exercise of the Body I Now from your priuate studie and contemplation bring you abroad into the open fields for exercise of your Body by some honest recreation since Aristotle requireth the same in the Education of Nobilitie and all youth Since the mind from the Ability of the Body gathereth her strength and vigor Anciently by the Ciuill Law these kinds of Exercises were onely allowed of that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the exercise of Armes by single combate as running at Tilt-barrians c. coiting throwing the hammer sledge and such like Running iumping leaping and lastly wrestling for the first it is the most Noble those Epithites of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue beene the attributes of Kings and Princes whose delight in auncient times was to ride and mannage great horses Hereby you are ennabled for command and the seruice of your Country And what saith Tullis can bee more glorious then to bee able to preserue and
cassocke and affecteth the wearing of the richest iewels the French huge feathers Scarlet and gold lace the English his armes rich and a good sword the Italians pride is in his Neapolitan Courser the Germanes and low Dutch to be dawbed with gold and pearle wherein say they there is no losse except they be lost But herein I giue no prescripon I now come to your diet wherein be not onely frugall for the sauing of your purse but moderate in regard of your health which is empaired by nothing more then excesse in eating and drinking let me also adde Tobacco taking Many dishes breede many diseases dulleth the mind and vnderstanding and not onely shorten but take away life We reade of Augustus that he was neuer curious in his diâ—t but content with ordinary and common viandes And Cato the Censor sayling into Spaine dranke of no other drinke then the rowers or slaues of his owne galley And Timotheus Duke of Athens was wont to say whoÌ„ Plato invited home to him to supper they found theÌ„selues neuer distempered Contrary to our Feastmakers who suppose the glory of entertainment and giuing the best welcome to consist in needelesse superfluities and profuse waste of the good Creatures as Scylla made a banquet that lasted many dayes where there was such excessiue abundance that infinite plenty of victualls were throwne into the Riuer and excellent wine aboue forty yeares old spilt and made no account of but by surfetting and banquetting at last he gat a most miserable disease and dyed full of lice And Caâ—sar in regard of his Lybian triumph at one banquet filled two and twenty thousand roomes with ghests and gaue to euery Citizen in Rome ten bushels of wheate and as many pounds of oyle and besides three hundred pence in mony We reade of one Smyndirides who was so much giuen to feasting and his ease that hee saw not the Sunne rising nor setting in twenty yeares and the Sybarites forbad all Smiths and knocking in the streetes and what thing soeuer that made any noise to bee within the City walls that they might eate and sleepe whereupon they banished cocks out of the city and invented the vse of chamberpots and bad women a yeare before to their feasts that they might haue leisure enough to make themselues fine and braue with gold and Iewels Aboue all learne betimes to auoide excessiue drinking then which there is no one vice more common and reigning and ill beseeming a Gentleman which if growne to an habit is hardly left remembring that hereby you become not fit for any thing hauing your reason degraded your body distempered your soule hazarded your esteeme and reputation abased while you sit taking your vnwholesome healthes vt iam vertigine tectum Ambulet geminis exsurgat mensa lucernis Vntill the house about doth turne And on the board two candles seeme to burne By the Leuiticall law who had a glutton or a drunkard to their Sonne they were to bring him before the Elders of the City and see him stoned to death And in Spainâ— at this day they haue a law that the word of him that hath beene convicted of drunkennesse shall not bee taken in any testimony Within these fiftie or threescore yeares it was a rare thing with vs in England to see a Drunken man our Nation carrying the name of the most sober and temperate of any other in the world But since we had to doe in the quarrell of the Netherlands about the time of Sir Iohn Norrice his first being there the custome of drinking and pledging healthes was brought ouer into England wherein let the Dutch bee their owne Iudges it we equall them not yea I thinke rather excell them Tricongius and the old Romanes had lawes and statutes concerning the Art of drinking which it seemes are reuiued and by our drunkards obserued to an haire It being enacted that he who after his drinks faltered not in his speech vomited not nâ—yther reeled if he dranke off his cups cleanâ—ly seek not his wind in his draughs spit not left nothing in the pot nor spilt any vpon the ground he had the prize was accounted the brauest man If they were contented herewith it were well but they daily inueâ—t new and damnable kinds of carrowâ—ing as that in North-holland and Frizeland though among the baser sort of vpsiâ— Monikedam which is after you haue drunke out the drinke to your friend or companion you must breake the glasse full vpon his face and if you misse you must drinke againe whence proceede quarrelling reâ—iling and many times execrable murthers as Alexander was slain in his drunkennesse and Domitius Nero's father slew Liberius out right because he would not pledge him a whole carrowse and hence arise most quarrells among our gallant drunkards vnto whom if you reade a lecture of sobrietie and how in former ages their forefathers dranke water they sweare water is the frogges drinke and ordained onely for the driuing of milles and carrying of boates Neither desire I you should be so abstemious as not to remember a friend with an hearty draught since wine was created to make the heart merry for what is the life of man if it want wine Moderately taken it preserueth health comforteth and disperseth the naturall heate ouer all the whole body allayes cholericke humours expelling the same with the sweate c. tempereth Melancholly And as one saith hath in it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a drawing vertue to procure friendship At your meate to be liberall and freely merry is very healthy and comely and many times the stranger or guest will take more content in the chearelinesse of your countenance then in your meate Augustus the Emperour had alwayes his mirth greater then his feasts And Suctonius saith of Titus Vespasians Sonne he had euer his table furnished with mirth and good company And the old Lord Treasurer of England Lord William Burghley how emploied soeuer in State affaires at his table hee would lay all businesse by and bee heartily merry Charles the Great vsed at his meates to haue some History read whereof hee would afterwards discourse And Francis the first King of France would commonly dispute of History Cosmography Poetry His Maiesty our Soueraigne altogether in points and profound questions of Diuinity When I was in Virocht and liued at the table of that Honourable Gentleman Sir Iohn Ogle Lord Gouernour whither resorted many great Schollers and Captaines English Scottish French and Dutch it had beene enough to haue made a Scholler or Souldier to haue obserued the seuerall disputations and discourses among many strangers one while of sundry formes of battailes sometime of Fortification of fireworkes History Antiquities Heraldrie pronunciation of Languages c. that his table seemed many times a little Academic In your discourse be free and affable giuing entertainment in a sweete and liberall manner and with a cheerefull courtesie