Retirement of Noble men Fol. 66 12 An Oration for Liberty of Conscience Fol. 69 13 An Oration against Liberty of Conscience Fol. 70 14 An Oration proposing a Mean betwixt the two former Opinions Fol. 71 15 An Oration Reproving Vices ibid. 16 An Oration concerning the Forein Travels of Young Gentlemen Fol. 73 17 An Oration concerning Playes and Players Fol. 75 PART IV. Several Causes Pleaded in Several Courts of Judicature 1 ACcusing and Pleading at the Barr before Judges for and against a Woman that hath Kill'd her Husband Fol. 78 2 A Cause of Adultery Pleaded at the Barr before Judges Fol. 81 3 A Cause Pleaded at the Barr before Judges concerning Theft Fol. 85 4 A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt two Bastards Fol. 89 5 A Cause Pleaded before Judges between an Husband and his Wife Fol. 90 6 A Widdows Cause Pleaded before Judges in the Court of Equity Fol. 93 7 A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt a Master and his Servant Fol. 96 8 Two Lawyers Plead before Judges a Cause betwixt a Father and his Son Fol. 98 PART V. Speeches to the King in Counsel 1 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Soveraign Fol. 100 2 A Petition and Plea at the Council-Table before the King and his Counsel concerning two Brothers Condemned by the Laws to Dye Fol. 101 3 A Speech of one of the Privy-Counsellours which is an Answer to the former Plea and Petition together with the Petitioners Reply and the Kings Answer Fol. 103 104. 106 4 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to the King at the Council-bord Fol. 106 5 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Soveraign concerning Trade Fol. 108 6 An Oration to his Majesty for Preventing imminent Dangers Fol. 110 7 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to the King of the Council-bord Fol. 111 8 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-bord Fol. 114 9 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-Table Fol. 115 10 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-bord Fol. 116 PART VI. Orations in Courts of Majesty from Subjects to their King and from the King to his Subjects 1 COmplaints of the Subjects to their Soveraign Fol. 118 2 The Subjects Complaint to their Soveraign of the Abuses of their Magistrates Fol. 119 3 A Kings Speech to his Rebellious Rout Fol. 121 4 A Kings Speech to Rebellious Subjects Fol. 122 5 A Kings Speech to Discontented Subjects Fol. 124 6 A Kings Speech to his Rebellious Subjects Fol. 125 7 A Recantation of the poor Petitioning Subjects Fol. 126 8 Repenting Subjects to their Soveraign Fol. 128 9 A Kings Speech to his Good Subjects Fol. 129 PART VII Speeches of Dying Persons 1 A Kings Dying Speech to his Noble Subjects Fol. 131 2 A Daughters Dying Speech to her Father Fol. 133 3 A Souldiers Dying Speech to his Friends Fol. 134 4 A Dying Speech of a Loving Mistress to her Beloved Servant Fol. 135 5 A Forein Travellers Dying Speech Fol. 136 6 A Lovers Dying Speech to his Beloved Mistress Fol. 138 7 A Sons Dying Speech to his Father Fol. 138 8 A Young Virgins Dying Speech Fol. 139 9 A Husbands Dying Speech to his Wife Fol. 140 10 A Common Courtisan's Dying Speech Fol. 141 11 A Vain young Ladies Dying Speech Fol. 142 12 A Fathers Speech to his Son on his Death-bed Fol. 144 PART VIII Funeral Orations 1 AN Oration to the People concerning the Death of their Soveraign Fol. 146 2 A Young Noble-mans Funeral Oration Fol. 147 3 A Generals Funeral Oration Fol. 150 4 A Judges Funeral Oration Fol. 152 5 A Sergeant or Barresters Funeral Oration Fol. 154 6 A Magistrates Funeral Oration Fol. 156 7 A Funeral Oration of a Student Fol. 157 8 A Funeral Oration of a Divine Fol. 158 9 A Funeral Oration of a Poet Fol. 159 10 A Funeral Oration of a Philosopher Fol. 160 11 A Funeral Oration of a Dead Lady spoken by a Living Lady Fol. 162 12 A Foreiners or Strangers Funeral Oration Fol. 163 13 A Post-riders Funeral Oration Fol. 165 14 A Young Virgins Funeral Oration Fol. 166 15 A Young New-married Wife's Funeral Oration Fol. 168 16 A Widdows Funeral Oration Fol. 170 17 An other Widdows Funeral Oration Fol. 172 18 A Young Child's Funeral Oration Fol. 174 19 An Old Ladies Funeral Oration Fol. 175 20 An Ancient Man's Funeral Oration Fol. 176 21 An Old Beggar-womans Funeral Oration Fol. 178 22 A Young Brides Funeral Oration Fol. 180 23 A Child-bed Womans Funeral Oration Fol. 182 24 A Souldiers Funeral Oration Fol. 183 25 An Oration concerning the Joyes of Heaven and Torments of Hell Fol. 185 26 An Oration to a Congregation Fol. 191 27 An Oration to a Sinfull Congregation Fol. 193 28 An Oration which is an Exhortation to a Pious Life Fol. 195 PART IX Marriage Orations 1 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and Bridegroom Fol. 198 2 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and an Old Bride and Young Bridegroom Fol. 199 3 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and Aged Bridegroom Fol. 201 4 A Marriage Oration of two Poor Servants Fol. 202 PART X. Orations to Citizens in the Market-place 1 AN Oration against Excess and Vanity Fol. 204 2 An Oration Contradicting the Former Fol. 206 3 An Oration against Usurers and Money-Horders Fol. 210 4 An Oration concerning the Education of Children Fol. 212 5 An Oration concerning the Plague Fol. 214 6 An Oration against Idle Expences Fol. 217 7 An Oration for Men to Please themselves Fol. 218 8 An Oration against Vice-Actors Fol. 220 9 An Oration against a Foolish Custom Fol. 221 10 An Oration against the Liberty of Women Fol. 222 11 An Oration for the Liberty of Women Fol. 223 PART XI Containeth seven Femal Orations from Page 225. to Page 232. PART XII Nine Orations in Country Market-Towns where Country Gentlemen meet from Page 233. to Page 240. PART XIII Orations in the Field of Peace 1 A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Clowns Fol. 241 2 A Peasants or Clowns Oration Spoken in the Field of Peace concerning Husbandry Fol. 243 3 A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Peasants Fol. 246 4 A Peasants Oration to prove the Happiness of a Rural Life Fol. 248 PART XIV Orations in a Disordered and yet Unsetled State or Government 1 AN Oration against Taxes Fol. 251 2 An Oration contrary to the Former Fol. 253 3 An Oration against Collectors Fol. 256 4 An Oration for Taxes Fol. 258 5 An Oration to hinder a Rebellion Fol. 260 6 An Oration against Civil Warr Fol. 262 7 An Oration against a Tumuliuous Sedition Fol. 265 8 An Oration to Mutinous yet Fearfull Citizens Fol. 267 9 An Oration concerning Trade and Shipping Fol. 270 10 An Oration for the Disbanding of Souldiers Fol. 273 11 A Souldiers Oration for the Continuance of their Army Fol. 274 12 An other Oration against the Former Fol. 275 13 A Souldiers Oration concerning the Form of Government Fol. 277 14 An other Souldiers Oration Contrary to the Former Fol. 279 15 An other Oration Different from the two Former Fol. 280 16 An Oration which is a Refusal of an Absolute Power Fol. 281 17 An Oration concerning Disorders Rebellion and Change of Government Fol. 283 18 An Oration to a Discontented People Fol. 287 19 An Oration in Complaint of the Former Fol. 288 20 A Kings Oration or Speech to his Subjects Fol. 289 21 A Generals Oration to his Chief Commanders Fol. 290 PART XV. Scholastical Orations 1 A Sleepy Speech to Students Fol. 292 2 A Waking Oration of the Former Sleepy Discourse Fol. 298 3 Of Parte and Wholes Fol. 302 4 An other of the same Subject Fol. 303 5 Of the Soul Fol. 304 6 A Speech concerning Studies Fol. 305 7 An other of the same Subject ibid. 8 An other Concerning the same Subject Fol. 306 9 An other of the same Subject Fol. 307 FINIS
and millions of other Sins besides but Death will stay no longer for Blessed Angels bear away my Soul Farewell A Fathers Speech to his Son on his Death-Bed Son I Have Lived a Long time so Long that were not you a Good Son you would have Wished my Death before Nature had Ordained me to Die but as Heaven hath blest me with Long Life so with a Good Loving and Dutifull Son which hath been a Help and Comfort to my Old Age and as Heaven hath given you Grace and Nature a Good Disposition to Love and Obey your Father so Heaven and Nature hath given you Health and Ability to beget Posterity in which I shall Live in Name and Fame though I Die in Body But Son as you have been a Helpfull and Dutifull Son so I have been a Loving and Carefull Father for I have been more Prudent for my Sons Good than Vain for my Own Pleasure I have been more Industrions to Advance and Inrich my Son than to Please or Delight my Self and I have thought my Self Happier in my Sons Life than I have done in my Own Thus Son I have and do Love You better than my Self and all the Desire and Request I have to you is that as I have been a Father to You so you to be a Father to Yours and so I Pray the Gods to Bless you Fortune to Favour you Wisdome to Help you Nature to Strengthen you Time to Prolong you and when your Time comes to Die that we may meet in the other World with Joy and Happiness The Gods have Mercy of Me and Bless You. Farewell FUNERAL ORATIONS PART VIII An Oration to the People concerning the Death of their Soveraign Dear Country-men and Loyal Mourners WE may see our Loss by our Love and our Love by our Grief and our Grief by our Tears but we have reason for our General Mourning and Sorrow in every Heart that our Dread Soveraign is Taken from us He was our Earthly God as our Protector Defender Assister Subsister Ruler and Governour he Protected us with his Justice Defended us with his Arms Assisted us with his Prudence Subsisted us with his Love Ruled us with his Power and Govern'd us by his Laws and such a Prince he was as he was Dreadfull to his Enemies Helpfull to his Friends and Carefull of his Subjects he hath Inlarged his Dominions with the Sword and Inriched his People with the Spoils and hath Increas'd his Power both by Sea and Land and so Strengthned and Fortified his Kingdomes as his Subjects have no cause to Fear any Forein Invasion but may safely sit with Pleasure under their own Vines And so Wise and Good a Prince he was that though he be Gone yet he hath left Peace and Plenty amongst his People and Power Dominion and Strength to his Successors with which Heaven grant they may Inherit his Wisdome Moral Vertues Divine Graces Heroick Spirit Good Fortunes and Great Fame that though our Old Soveraign is gone to the Gods above yet our New Soveraign may be as a God to us here for which let us pray to our Soveraign Saint to intercede for us to the Gods on High to indue their Deputy on Earth with Divine Influences and Humane Wisdome to Govern and Rule us as he did A young Noble man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together as Funeral Guests to a Dead man who died in the Flower of his Age and whilst he Lived was Favoured of Nature Birth Breeding and Fortune for he was Handsome of Body Understanding in Mind Noble of Birth Knowing in Learning and Rich in Wealth He was Generous Valiant and Courtly he had a Pleasant Speech and a Gracefull Behaviour He was Beloved of the Muses Admired by the Sciences and Attended by the Arts he was Entertained with the Pleasures of the World and Feasted with the Varieties of Pleasures yet all could not Save him from Death Indeed Death appears more Cruel to Youth than to Age because it takes Youth from the most Flourishing time of their Life although Youth Fears Death less than Age not that Youth hath more Courage but Youth doth not Think of Death so often as Age doth for if Youth had Death in their Mind they would Fear Death more than Age doth by so much more as they are Younger and know the World less but Youth thinks Death a Long time off from them although to many he is so Near as ready to Seize on them Wherefore if those that are Young did think they should Die Soon they would not be so Eager and Fond of the World as they are nor be so Vain and Intemperate as many Young Persons be the brave Gallants would take little Pleasure in New Modes Gay Cloaths and Fair Mistresses a Young Gallant would be but a Dull Courtier a Melancholy Lover not Melancholy for his Mistress disfavour but at Death's approach not for Love but for Life neither would he take Pleasure in Musick or Dancing for the thoughts of Death would make him Dance false and put his Hearing out of Tune and the Musick would Sound to his Ears as his Passing Bell neither would he Eye Beauty but if he did the Freshest Beauty would appear Faded In truth all his Senses would be as Rough and troubled VVaters disturbed by the Storms of Fear raised in his Mind for the most Valiant minds are somewhat Disturbed with the thoughts of Death by reason the Terrors of Death are Natural to all mankind not so much to Feel as to Think of not only for the Parting of Soul and Body and the dark Oblivion in Death but for the Uncertain condition after Death for though Death is not Sensible of Life yet Life is Sensible of Death so that it is the Thoughts of Death that are Fearfull and not Death it self that is so Terrible as being neither Painfull to Feel nor Dreadfull to Behold because Invisible and Insensible having neither Shape Sound Sent Tast nor Touch But this Noble Person is past Thinking and therefore past Fearing also past Wishing for he doth not Desire to live in this VVorld again he Thinks not of the World or of any thing in the World he is free from all Trouble of Mind or Body in which Happiness let us lay him in the Tomb with his Forefathers there to rest in Peace and Ease A Generals Funeral Oration Beloved Friends THis Noble Person that lies here Dead was once our General a Valiant man he was a Skilfull Souldier a Wise Commander and a Generous Giver he Loved his Souldiers more than Spoil and Fame more than Life he was full of Clemency and Mercy he would give his Enemies their Lives Freely when he had Overcome them Valiantly and he was so Carefull of his Own Souldiers Lives as he would never Adventure or put them to the Hazard but when he saw great Probability of Victory Yet this Gallant man this Excellent Souldier whom his Enemies could never Overcome Death hath Taken Prisoner with whom
so Gracefull and Becoming as the One Delighted the Eyes of the Beholders as much as the Other the Ears of the Hearers but though his Body be Dead yet his Wit Eloquency Elegancy Honesty and Abilities are Living in the Memory of Living men which will Live by Tradition as Long as there are Men to Remember or Speak Wherefore let us Keep his Living parts in our Minds and Bury his Dead parts as his Body in the Grave there to remain in Peace as the other in Fame A Magistrates Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met here together to Mourn for our Loss for the Death of This man is not only a Loss to every Particular man but to the whole Common-wealth for he was a Wise man and an Upright and Just Magistrate he did not Serve the Common-wealth to Inrich Himself as most Magistrates do but took Pains to Inrich the Common-wealth nor did he Sell Justice for Bribes but Punished Bribe-takers neither was he Partial either to the Rich or Poor but Judged according to Right and Truth at least to Great Probability also he kept the Rich from Riot and the Poor from Idleness and he took away Superfluities to help Necessities not that he Troubled any man for Living to their Degree and Quality but he would not Suffer any man to Live Above their Degree and Quality neither would he hinder men from their Lawfull Pleasures and Delights but he would not Connive at their Disorders and Misrules neither would he Pardon their Wickednesses He Regarded not the Slanders of his Enemies nor was he Revengefull for he Suffer'd not his Enemies to be Injured but gave them all the Justice he could neither was he Unjust to his Foes nor Ungrateful to his Friends he had a tender Regard to the Old Sick Poor and Shiftless Indeed he was such a Magistrate as he was a Father a Husband a Brother a Friend a Master a Servant a Slave for the Common-wealth all which adds to our Loss and Grief but not to his Happiness for his Happiness admits of no Addition he being as Happy as can be in which Happiness let us leave him after we have Interr'd him with his Forefathers A Funeral Oration of a Student Fellow Students VVE are met together to VVait upon the Dead Body of our VVorthy Brother in Learning to be laid in Peace into the Bed of Earth whose Life was so Studious as we may say he was Partly Dead whilst he Lived for the most of his Conversation was with Dead Authors and his Study was as his Grave so that our Learned Brother hath only Changed his Habitation and Lanlord as from his Study to the Earth from his Bodily Life to Death I confess his Lanlord Death is Covetous for Death Exacts or Extorts the Flesh from the Bones as his due yet the Body is more Happy dwelling more Peaceably with Death than with Life and as his Body hath made a Happy Change so hath his Soul but his Soul dwells not now with his Body for the Soul is an Fnemy to Death and Flies from it neither can the Soul live in the Body when as the Body is turned into Insipid Earth for the Soul being of a Celestial Nature cannot Live in a Terrestrial place but when Separated being Pure in it Self it is Light and being Free as having Liberty it is Agil through which Propriety it Ascends unto the Gods on High and Lives with them Eternally Thus our Learned Brothers Body Resting Peaceably and his Soul Living Blessedly both shall meet Gloriously and so Let 's lay his Corps into the Grave Humbly Ceremoniously and Piously A Funeral Oration of a Divine Beloved Brethren THis our Dead Brother was an Holy man both in Profession and Life as for his Profession he was a Divine and his Practice was as Pious as his Profession was Pure he was Bless'd of the Gods for they Indued him with Spiritual Graces Inspired him with Spiritual Knowledge and Inabled him with Spiritual Eloquence to Inform Reform and Perform the Church of God according to the Word of God amongst men but though his time of Life is Expir'd yet his true Doctrine will remain for the Satisfaction Comfort and Salvation of the Souls in Living Bodies Wherefore let us lay his Body into the Grave and leave it to the time of Glorification A Funeral Oration of a Poet. Beloved Brethren OUr Brother whose Body is Dead and is brought to this place to be Inurned was the most Fearfull man that ever Nature made not to Die but to be Forgotten also he was the most Ambitious man not for Wealth Title or Power but for Fame In truth he was so Ambitious as his Body and Mind was Restless indeavouring to Live like as Nature or the Gods of Nature which Live and are partly Known In their VVorks and By their Works which are their Creatures especially the Chief of their Creatures which are Mankind for we cannot Perceive but that the Chief Habitations of the Gods are in the Minds of men with which Habitations they are so Pleased and Delighted as they Punish those men that Neglect or Forget them nay the Gods Made Men or such kind of Creatures to Remember them as to Speak of them Think of them and to Admire them in their Praises Contemplations and Adorations also to have Visible VVorship to their Invisible Deities as to have Altars Priests and Sacrifices to Offer Praise Prayers and Thanksgiving So that the Gods are not Satisfied to Live only To or In Themselves but in their Creatures VVherefore those men Resemble the Gods most that desire Fame which Fame is to be Remembred and Prais'd by All Men in All Ages throughout the VVorld whereas on the Contrary those that Slight Neglect or Speak against Fame as being a Foolish Vain-Glory in that it doth a man No Good to be Remembered and Praised after the Bodily Life are Irreligious Ungratefull and Unnatural Irreligious not Desirous to Imitate the Gods Ungratefull not Divulging Natures Gifts and Unnatural caring not for the Memory of their Own Kind as not caring to Live with Them which is to Live in their Minds Also they are Unjust to Themselves not desiring their Own Good as their Perpetual Name Memory and Fame But this our Brother was not of that sort of Mankind as to be Contented to be Buried in a Terrestrial Oblivion but would have a Celestial Remembrance which the Gods Perpetuate for a Reward to his Merit So let us lay his Body in the Grave and let his Praise Ring out his Peal A Funeral Oration of a Philosopher Beloved Brethren THis our Dead Brother when he had Bodily Life he was a Close Student and had a Great Library wherein were more VVorks than he had Time to Learn and they were of more Several Languages than he was Capable to Understand but he Indeavoured and was Advanced far in Knowledge his Study was Natural and Moral Philosophy his Library the Universe and his Several Books the Several Creatures
so softly as those that stood Close by her Bed could not hear her Sigh and when She was Dead her Beauty that all the time of her Mourning was Obscured in her Sorrows Appear'd in her Death only the Gloss of her Eyes were Covered with their Lids for Death had Shut her Eye-lids down and Seald up her Lips which Lips seem'd as if they had been Seal'd with Red Coloured Wax although Death had Kist them Cold for now Death is her Lover not an Amorous but a Deadly Lover to whose Imbraces we must leave her Body after we have laid it in the Bed of Earth An other Widdow's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met as Funeral or rather Marriage Guests of a Dead Widdow who is now Re-married to her Husband in Death and no question but their Souls will Joy in the Knowledge of each other for though Bodies Dye yet Souls do not but Live for ever Death having Power only over the Sensitive not over the Rational Life for Knowledge Lives though Senses Dye and if the Soul Lives no question but all that is Inherent in the Soul Lives as all the Passions Affections Thoughts Memory Understanding Judgement Conceptions Speculations Fancy Knowledge and the like which are the Parts and Ingrediences with which the Soul is Composed Form'd and Made Thus the Soul being made of such Thin Fine Pure and Rare Matter Death can take no hold of it for Death's Power is only on Gross Corporeal Substances or Matter not on Celestial Bodies but Terrestrial but this Widdows Soul was Purer than other Souls usually are for there are Degrees of Purity in Souls as well as Degrees of Grossness in Bodies The truth might easily be Perceived in her Life for there was as much Difference between her Soul and Other Souls as between Souls and Bodies at least as much Difference as between a Glorified Soul and a Soul Imbodied Nay her Soul was so Pure as it did Purifie her Body for it did Resine the Appetites which Cleared the Senses besides her Soul did Instruct the Senses which made them More Sensible so that they were kept Clean Clear and Healthfull by Temperance and made Apt Quick and Ready by Reason insomuch as Time had but a Little Power to Hurt them and was not Able to Destroy them without the Help of Death had she Lived Long but Death to shew his Power destroyed her Body without the Help of Time for she Lived not to be so Old as for Time to make a Trial yet her Body Lived Longer than she was willing it should have done desiring it might have Died when her Husband Died but the Gods Forbad it for though any Creature especially Man may Call Death when he Will and Force him to take his Bodily Life away yet the Gods are Angry if any man will not stay whilst Death comes of Himself without Inforcement Nevertheless Death did Favour this Widdow for though he did not take her so Soon as she would have Died yet he suffered her not Long to Live a weary Life for which Favour she received Death with Joy and a Smiling Countenance whereas Death for the most part is received with Fear and Sadness and since she Rejoyced at her Death we have no Reason to Mourn now she is Dead especially in that she Lived and Died Vertuously and Piously for which the Gods will Advance her to Everlasting Glory For this Glory let us Praise the Gods and Bury her Body in her Husbands Tomb or Grave that their Dust or Ashes may lye together A Young Child's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are the Funeral Guests to a Young Male Child an Infant who Died soon after it was Born and though all Men are Born to Live and Live to Dye yet this Child was Born to Dye Before it had Lived I mean in Comparison of the Age of men Thus this Child was Born Cried and Died a happy Conclusion for the Child that he had Finished what he was made for in so Short a time for he could not have had less Pain less Trouble nor less Desires to have left the World had he Liv'd longer for Life is Restless with Desires Sickly and Painfull with Diseases Troublesome with Cares Laborious with Labour Grievous with Losses Fearfull with Dangers and Miserable in all which Misery this Child hath Escap'd but had he Lived he could not have Avoided it besides he is not Guilty of Self-acting Sins and so Deserves no Punishment for neither Commission nor Omission can be laid to his Charge having no time for Either so that he is Free from Both as also from Suffering either in this World or the Next unless there be such a severe Decree as the Child shall Suffer for his Parents faults which Faults he could neither Hinder nor Annul neither did he Approve nor Allow them nor Assist them in Evil But it is not probable he shall Suffer being Innocent and Death that is Accounted the Wages of Sin may rather be taken as a Gift of Mercy also Death might be said to be a Purifier from Sin as well as a Punisher of Sin Wherefore this Child is past the Purgatory of Death and is in the Heaven of Peace Rest Ease and Happiness in which let us leave him after we have Covered his Corps with Earth An Old Ladies Funeral Oration THis Old Lady was Favour'd by Nature Fortune and Time Nature in her Youth gave her Beauty Fortune gave her Wealth and Time and Nature gave her long Life She was Courted in her Youth for the Pleasures of her Beauty and Flattered in her Age for the Profit of her Wealth but being Chast and Wise She was neither Corrupted with the One nor Deluded with the Other not Tempted with Courtship nor Coosen'd with Flattery and as She was Chast and Wise so She was Pious for the Gods gave her Grace to bestow her Wealth to Charitable uses Thus what she Got by Fortune she Gave to Heaven indeed she Bought Heaven with Fortune's Gifts for none can get into Heaven but by Faith and Good Deeds and her Faith did Believe that her Good VVorks would be as an Advocate to Plead for her and no question but they have gotten her Sute and her Charity will Live here on Earth though she be Dead and those she Relieved will make her their Saint Thus she will be Sainted both on Earth and in Heaven which is as Great an Honour and a more Blessed Condition than the Emperours had with all their Conquefts Power Pride and Vanity for the height of their Ambition was to be Deified on Earth and to be Sainted in as much They were Worshipp'd for Fear She Pray'd to for Love They had Idolatrous Worshippers She Sanctified Petitioners Their Idols lasted but a time She shall be Blest for Evermore An Ancient Man's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren AGe hath Ushered our Friend to Death and we are here met to attend him to the Grave it is an Human Charitable and Pious Service to see the
are the Dungers of the Earth to Carry and Spread the several Excrements of several Creatures thereon which makes us not only to have a Continual Stink in our Nostrils but to be a meer Stink our Selves Thus we are Beastly Within and Without for all our Thoughts are Imployed on our Labours which Labours are Brutish neither have we such Fine and Pleasant Recreations as other Men for our Recreation is only to Whistle Pipe and sometimes to Dance in a Crowd together or rather Jump and Leap together being Ignorant of Dancing Measures and the only Pleasure we have is to Rumble and Tumble our Country Lasses who being more Foul than Fair more Gross than Fine more Noisome than Sweet we soon Surfeit of them and then they become a Trouble instead of a Delight a Disease instead of a Pleasure a Hate instead of a Love and as they are to Us so no Doubt but in the End we are to Them a Loathing Surfeit for we Meet Wildly Associate Brutishly and Depart Rudely and as for our Profits though we Labour yet our Landlords have the Increase In short we are Slaves to Beasts and Beasts in Comparison of other Men. A Peasants Oration to prove the Happiness of a Rural Life Fellow Peasants THe Peasant that formerly Spoke hath rather Shew'n his Ungratefulness to Nature and his Unthankfulness to the Gods by his Complaining Speech than the Truth of our Condition and Life for he sayes we are the Unhappiest Miserablest and Bafest men in the VVorld all which is false for can there be more Happiness than Pease and Plenty can there be more Happiness than in the Repose of the Mind and Contemplations of Thoughts can we Associate our Selves more Contentedly than with Innocent Harmless and Sinless Creatures are not Men more Stinking Foul and Wicked than Beasts can there be more Odoriferous Perfumes than the Sweet Vegetables on the Earth or Finer Prospects than Stately Hills Humble Vallies Shady Groves Clear Brooks Green Hedges Corn Fields Feeding Cattel and Flying Birds can there be more Harmonious Musick than Warbling Nightingales and Singing Birds can there be more Delighfull Sounds than Purling Brooks Whispering Winds Humming Bees and SmallVoiced Grashoppers can there be a more Delicious Sweet than Honey more Wholesome Food than warm Milk Fresh Butter Prest Curds New laid Eggs Season'd Bacon Savory Bread Cooling Sallets and Moist Fruits or more Refreshing Drink than Whay Whig and Butter-milk or more Strengthening Drink than Ale Meath Perry and Sider and are not we at our Own Vintage nay should we Desire to Feed Highly we may for we are Masters of the Beasts of the Field and the Poultry in the Grange and know well how to Catch the Fouls of the Air can we have Warmer and Softer Garments than Cloth Spun from the Fleece of our Flocks to keep out Freezing Cold or can we be Cooler than under Shady Trees Whose Waving Leaves are Fans to Cool the Sultry Air or can we Lye Softer than on the Downy Feathers of Cocks and Hens and can we be Happier than to be Free from Stately Ceremony Court Envy City Faction Law Sutes Corrupt Bribes Malice Treachery and Quarrels and as for our Recreation although we do not Dance Sing and Play on Musick Artificially yet we Pipe Dance and Sing Merrily and if we do not Make Love Courtly yet we Make Love Honestly and for our VVomen whom our Fellow Peasant doth Disgracefully Scornfully and Slanderously speak of although they are but Plain Country Huswives and not Fine Ladies yet they be as Honest VVomen as They for they Spend their time in Huswifry and Waste not their time in Vanity and as for their Beauty their Faces are their Own as Nature Gave them not Borrowed of Art and if they be not so Fair yet they are as Lovely and as they use no Sweet Perfumes So they use no Stinking Pomatum and though their Hands be not Smooth yet they are Clean they use no Oyl'd Gloves to Grease them but Rub their Hands when Washed with Coasse Cloth to Cleanse them and as for their Garments they are Plain yet Commodious Easie and Decent they are not Ribb'd up with Whale-bones nor Incumbred with Heavy Silver and Gold Laces nor Troubled with New Fashions they Spend not half their time in Painting and Dressing and though they Patch their Cloaths sometimes out of Good Huswifry yet they Patch not their Faces out of Vanity as Ladies do neither do our Women Sweat to make their Faces Fair but Sweat for their Childrens Livelihood and though they Breed not their Children Curiously yet they Breed them up Carefully But our Discontented and Ambitious Peasant would Turn from a Clown to a Gallant as to Waste Lavishly to Spend Prodigally to Live Idlely to be Accoustred Fantastically to Behave himself Proudly to Boast Vain-gloriously to Speak Words Constraintly to Make Love Amorously to Flatter Falsly to Quarrel Madly and to Fight Foolishly but not to Thrive Prudently to Imploy Time Profitably to Spend Wisely to Live Temperately to Speak Truly to Behave himself Friendly to Demean himself Civilly to Make Love Chastly to Live Peaceably Innocently and Safely as we that are of the Pesantry do ORATIONS IN A Difordered and Vnsettled State or Government PART XIV An Oration against Taxes Fellow Citizens THis City is Taxed to Pay a Great Summ of Money which Tax is more than we are Able to Pay without being Impover sh'd yet if it were All that would be Laid upon us there were Some Comfort but that is not Likely unless our Ministers of State and Magistrates were Less Covetous to Get and More Sparing to Save for though they Get much they Spend much or rather Spoil much in Luxury Vanity and Bravery which makes them alwayes Needy and though they Pretend that their Taxing is for the Service of the Common-wealth yet most of it is Imployed in their Common Expences or Horded up to Buy Lands and Build Stately Palaces for their Posterity to Injoy and Live in thus they Build upon our Stocks and Buy Lands with our Labours so that we Take Pains for Their Pleasure but if they Tax us Often we shall be so Poor as we shall not only have Nothing to Pay but Nothing to Live on which Poverty will either Starve us or Force us to be their Slaves for Maintenance for when they have Ingross'd All the VVealth they will become Lords of the People or rather their Tyrants Thus if we Part with our VVealth we Part with our Liberty but to Keep Both let us not Part with our Money untill we know How it shall be Imployed for if it be Imployed in the Service of the Common-wealth it will Return to our Profit which will be as Traffick to Inrich and not as Robbery to Impoverish us but if they Robb the Common-wealth Imploying our Monies to their Own Use we are Doubly Robbed like as Men should take our Fathers Goods which is our Inheritance and also that we have Gotten by our Own
any Person had Composed and Put out a Whole Book of Pure and Perfect Orations but I could neither hear of nor see any such Works of any Person that Composed and Set forth to the Publick View a Book of Pure Orations Composed out of One Orators Own Fancy Wit and Eloquence 'T is true I have heard of Single Orations made by Single Persons in Single Parts Also I have seen Orations mixt with History wherein the Substance of the History is the Ground of their Orations Also I have seen two Translations call'd Orations but they are rather Orations in Name than in Reality for their Nature is History the One contains Relations of several Countries in the Other are Relations from several Princes of their Actions or Fortunes or Both Exprest in an Orators Style yet those are not Perfect or Right Orations but Adulterated or rather Hermophrodites But perchance my Readers will say I Understand not True Orations If I do not I am Sorry for and ask their Pardon for Speaking what I Understand not But I desire Noble Readers you will not think or believe I speak to Illustrate my Own VVorks and to Detract from the VVorks of Others for upon my Conscience I Speak and VVrite as I Believe and if I Commit an Error in this Belief I ask your Pardon and if you Excuse me I shall take it for a Favour and Obligation I have Written Orations and Speeches of all Sorts and in all Places sit for Orations Speeches or particular Discourses and first imagining my Self and You to be in a Metropolitan City I invite you into the Chief Market-place as the most Populous place where usually Orations are Spoken at least they were so in Older times and there you shall hear Crations Concerning Peace and Warr but the Generality of the People being more apt to make Warr than to keep Peace I desire you to Arm your Selves supposing you to be of the Masculine Sex and of Valiant Heroical Natures to enter into the Field of Warr and fince Warrs bring Ruine and Destruction to One or Some Parties if not to All and Loss causes men to Desire Peace out of Warr I bring you into great Disorders caused by the Ruins Warrs have made which I am Sorry for yet it Must be so the Fates have Decreed it and Misery causing men to be Prudent and Industrious by which they come to Flourish again at least their Successors and to shew you their Industry I bring you out of the Field of Warr into a New-built City where you must stay the Building of it for it will be Built Soon having Many Labourers and after it is Built there being a Large Market-place you may stand or sit with Ease and hear the Orations that are there Spoken and by Reason there are some Causes or Cases to be Pleaded I shall indeavour to Perswade you after some time of Refreshment at your own Homes to go into the Courts or Halls of Judicature after these Causes are Judged or at least Pleaded I shall desire you to Adorn your Selves fit for the Court then to Wait upon the Kings Majesty and if you be Privy-Counsellours or have any Business or Petitions at the Council-Table by the Kings Permission you may Enter into the Council-Chamber but great Monarchs having Many Subjects whereof some are more Active than Wise and more apt to Complain than to Obey you may hear the Petitions of the Subjects and the Speeches or Orations of the Soveraign and after a good Agreement Unity and Love you may Rest your Selves in Peace untill such time as your Charity calls you forth to Visit the Sick and when as Death hath Releas'd those Sick Persons of their Pains Humanity will perswade you to wait on their Dead Corps to the Grave and after some Tears showred on their Graves and having Dried your Eyes and Heard some Sermons of Reproof and Instructions you will be Invited as Bridal-Guests to see some Men and VVomen United in Holy Matrimony after the VVedding Ceremonies are ended you may as formerly you have done go into the Market-place again and hear what Orations there are Spoken wherein one short Oration concerning the Liberty of Women hath so Anger'd that Sex as after the Mens Orations are ended they Privately Assemble together where three or four take the place of an Orator and Speak to the rest the only Difficulty will be to get Undiscovered amongst them to hear their Private Conventicles but if you regard not what Women say you may Ride to a Country Market-Town and hear a Company of Gentlemen associate together their Discourse and Pastime and if you like not their Pastime then you may Walk into the Fields of Peace to Receive the Sweet and Healthfull Air or to View the Curious and Various VVorks of Nature and for Variety of Pastime you may stand or sit under a Spreading Tree and hear the Country Clowns or Peasants speak concerning their own Affairs and Course of Life in which Shady place Sweet Air and Happiness of Peace I leave you unless you will Travel to see the Government or rather Disorders in other States or Kingdomes to which Observation I will VVait upon you and when all is in Peace before we return Home we will if you Please enter some of their Colleges and hear some School-Arguments after which return I shall Kiss your Hands and take my Leave M. Newcastle A PRAEFACTORY ORATION Worthy Country-men YOu know that there is difference between Orations of fancy and Orations of business as also difference between Orations of publick imployments and private divertisements The one sort requires Rational perswasions the other only Eloquent expressions and as there are different Subjects of Orations so there are different Places for Orations and the Subjects of my Orations being of the most serious and most concernable actions and accidents amongst Mankind and the Places most common and publick it hath caused me to Write my Orations rather to benefit my Auditors than to delight them But by reason I have not been bred being a Woman to publick Affairs Associations or Negotiations it is not to be expected I should speak or write wisely the truth is it were more easie and more proper for one of my Sex to speak or write wittily than wisely but 't is probable my Auditors will think or judge that I have done neither Yet I can assure you Noble Auditors I have done my indeavour and my desire was and is that every several Oration may be acceptable to your Minds profitable to your Lives and delightful to your Hearing ORATIONS To CITIZENS in a chief City concerning Peace and Warr. PART I. An Oration for Warr. BE not Offended Noble Citizens if I labour to perswade my Country to make Heroick Warrs since it is neither safe profitable nor honourable for it to live in sluggish Peace for in Peace you become ignorant of the Arts in War and living sluggishly you lose the courage of men and become Effeminate and having
summ of Money to mend the one and to relieve the other who deserve not only Pay but Reward to encourage them An Oration for Contribution Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men IT seems you are Covetous but not Prudent that you are so loath to raise and so slow to pay Contribution-Money towards the maintenance of the Army which is to fight not only for your Lives and Liberties but to protect your Goods and that every man may without Disturbance injoy his own but you are so Covetous that rather than you would part with Some you will endanger the Whole and as you are Covetous so you are Fearfull for you will neither maintain poor Souldiers that are willing to fight for you nor yet go to the VVarrs to fight for your selves you Fear your Enemies and yet will take no care to Overcome them And give me leave to tell you that your Covetousness and Fear doth make you Treacherous for if you will neither help with your Purse nor your Person you betray your Country to the Enemies power also your old Parents tender VVives and young Children that cannot help themselves all which you betray to Slavery leaving them for a prey to the Enemy and not only your fertil Country and shiftless Friends and neer Allies but your own Lives for it seems by your Covetousness and Cowardliness that you had rather have your Throats cut than part with your Money or fight in your own Defence which is a strange Madness as to be afraid to Dye and yet to take no care to provide for your Safety nor to have Courage to fight for your Lives The best that can be said or thought of you is that you relie upon base hopes as that the Enemy may spare your Lives to inslave your Persons But I can only say this that either you must Fight your selves or Maintain others or else others will take what you have to maintain themselves to defend their Country An Oration to perswade a City not to yield to their Enemies Worthy Citizens I Do not doubt your Courage in Resisting and Fighting your Enemies nor your Patience in Sufferance nor your Care in Watching nor your Industry in Labouring nor your Prudence in Ordering and all for the defence of your City which is besieged by your Enemies which you indeavour to keep out by all possible means sparing neither your Limbs nor your Lives nor do I fear the power of your Enemies for whilst your Courages Strengths Patience and Industries be united together it is more probable you will raise the Siege than the Enemies take this City for though your Victuals be scarce and your Ammunition wasted yet your Temperance doth supply the scarcity of the one and your Courage the want of the other Only that I fear will make you yield upon any conditions is the Love to your Wives Daughters Mothers Kinswomen and femal Friends and not so much their safety for so long as your Lives last you will defend them but if you yield to your Enemies by yielding to the Womens Effeminate fears if your Enemies do not say or think you base Cowards they will say or think you facil Fools For give me leave to tell you that though men of Honour as Valiant men will Fight for the safety and protection of Women not only for those that are neer Allied to them but for those that are neither of their Country nor Kinn Yet no man that would keep the Reputation of Valour will quit that Honour for a Womans sake no although it be to save his Daughter Wife or Mother from their Enemies for a Gallant man dreads more the name of a Coward than any thing in the world and it is no dishonour to a Man to have his Wife taken and abused by his Enemy when he could not Honourably help her for Force is no Dishonour but a Base free Act for a man cannot be forced to be a Coward nor a chast Woman to be a Whore they may both have Misfortunes Injuries and Hatefull abuses done to them but not Wicked Base or Ignoble minds VVherefore let me perswade you for your own Honour's sake not to yield through the VVomens desires let not their tears move you nor their intreaties perswade you for if you yield though upon the assurance of your Lives and Liberties where will you wander to seek an Habitation for if you could not keep your own City and Wealth it is not likely you will get the like from other men alas your Neighbours will shut their Gates and Doors against you for Poverty and Misfortune hath not many Friends or Hosts for few are so Hospitable as to entertain either and you will not only find Charity cold but those that have envied you in your Prosperity will despise you in your Adversity and what Masculine spirits can bear such misery as Neglect Want and Scorn and the Infamy of yielding Courages Wherefore it is better to Dye in the Defence of your own City and be Renowned for your Valour and Constancy in after-ages wherein your Lives Acts and Deaths will be mentioned to your Honour and Renown An Oration for those that are slain in the Warrs and brought home to be Buried Worthy Citizens YOu lament over the Corps of your Friends slain in the Warrs shedding your tears and breathing your sighs on their Hearses 'T is true they are natural Showers and Zephyrus's airs of loving Affections and passionate Hearts yet give me leave to tell you you have more cause to Rejoyce than Grieve First that their Death begets their Renowns and is an Honour to their Memory to Dye in the Service of their Country for all men that have Worth and Merit would willingly nay gladly Dye to save their Country or for the Honour of their Country and all Wise men will gladly quit a present frail and uncertain Life to live Eternally in the memory of the present and future Ages in whose memories their Actions live like Glorified bodies and Purified souls for thus they become from Terrestrial to be Celestial The next cause you have to Rejoyce is that their Bodies are brought home as a witness of their Victory and their Deaths are their Triumphs which are adorned and set out with numerous and glorious Praises besides they have the happiness to be inurned with their Fore-fathers where by a natural Instinct or Sympathy they may mutually intermix and perchance transmigrate together and since they Fought Valiantly and Died Honourably they shall be buried Happily and will be remembred Eternally and have an everlasting Fame rejoyce with Musick Bells and Bonfires and offer unto the Gods Oblations of Thanksgiving ORATIONS IN THE FIELD OF WARR PART II. An Oration from a Besieged City ready to yield or else to be taken I Am come here to intreat you that are our Over-powerfull Enemies to be our Mercifull Saviours that though you are determined to destroy our City and possess our Goods yet you would be pleased to spare the Lives of
the Inhabitants for what profit will it be to destroy numbers of defenceless and powerless Persons only to satisfie your fury which will be satisfied with Time better than with Blood for though our blood may quench your present Rage yet it may afterwards clog your Consciences and cause a sorrowfull Repentance which may disturb the Peace of your Minds wherein your thoughts will be in a perpetual Warr for to Kill us after our Submission and when we have made a Satisfaction for our faults in yielding up our City and Goods without any further resistance our Deaths will be but Murders so that you will blemish your Conquest from being Noble and Generous Conquerers to be Cruel and Inhumane Murderers whereas the sparing of our Lives will be acceptable to God Nature and Mankind and the Trumpet of your Fame will sound sweetly and harmoniously in the Ears of After-ages where you will get as much love and praises for your Clemency and Mercy as admiration and renown for your Valours and Conducts whereas your Cruelty will sound so harshly with such discords as it will beget dislike and so much hate as to bury all your Valour and Wisdome in Fortunes partial and unjust favours ascribing that to her She had no right to Challenge A Common Souldiers Oration to take the City by Force Fellow Souldiers VVE have been long at the Siege of this City where we have not only been obedient to our Commanders carefull watchfull and laborious as also Valiant in assaulting regarding not our Limbs nor Lives but we have patiently indured want of Victuals and yet for all this the Town being ready to be taken our Commanders intend to rob us of the Spoils which by the Law of Arms ought to be ours as a Reward for those that Venture most ought to have the Greatest shares in the Conquest and the Common Souldiers venturing more than the Commanders ought to have the Spoil For though they Direct yet it is we that Fight and win the Victory Wherefore let us not suffer them to make a Composition but enter the Town by Force and plunder it otherwise the Commanders or rather the General alone will be the only gainer and all the rest losers and shall one man go away with the Wealth when as the poor Common Souldiers are naked and almost starved for Want Shall our sick and wounded friends that cannot remove or be removed nor help themselves be left as a prey to those which they have holpen to Conquer with the loss of their Blood and Limbs For no doubt but those new-made Friends will be their deadly Enemies and cut their Throats when we are gone and left them Thus we shall betray our friends and lose our shares if they make Peace and enter not the Town by assault for to take a Town by Force is a gain to the common Souldiers but little or none to the General or great Commanders but to take a Town by Composition is a gain to the General and chief Commanders but not to the Common Souldiers for we shall lye without the Gates whilst they are receiv'd in Triumph where they will Feast whilst we do Fast and will be inriched with Treasures but we remain in Want An Oration to those Souldiers that are against an Agreement with the Citizens Fellow Souldiers LEt me tell you that you speak against your own Profit when you speak against compounding and agreeing with the Besieged Citizens for it is not only Human and Charitable Generous and Noble to spare the Lives of Yielding and conquered Enemies but Profitable for their Lives will serve you and their Industry maintain you wherefore it is better to spare their Lives and make Peace with them also to take their Money and spare their cumbersome and combustible Goods which will trouble your carriage and hinder your march Neither can you make so much profit of them as they will give you for them And as for their City and Lives it were a great folly to Kill and Destroy them to no purpose unless to satisfie your Bloody minds and furious Rage for Death and Destruction will bring you not any Profit but if you give them their Lives and let their City stand they will give you a constant and setled Contribution towards your maintenance also they will be Surgeons Physicians and Nurses to our sick and wounded Souldiers by which means they may recover their former health and strength again and be able to do their Country more Service but if they be left behind us and none to take care of them nor Men to help them nor Houses to lodge in they must of necessity perish in great misery and we have no reason to fear they will be Cruel to them because they know we shall Return to revenge their Cruelty Besides they will be very carefull of them and kind and helpfull to them to keep Peace and to Merit our favours for Conquerers are alwayes flattered obeyed and served with ceremony industry and fidelity so long as Fortune favours them Thus you know by what I have spoken that it is the best for the Common Souldiers and Commanders to spare the City and Citizens And now give me leave to tell you that you are Unjust Judges of me your Generals actions and evil Censurers and malicious Accusers to accuse my Prudence for my Souldiers of Covetousness for my self and my carefull love for my Sick and wounded Souldiers of an insensible and cruel Neglect whereas you might more truly accuse me for using too much Clemency to my Mutinous and Rebellious Souldiers wincking at their faults and pardoning their crimes when they ought to have been severely punished by which they would have been better taught and I obeyed for Severe Generals make Humble Obedient Industrious Laborious Patient and Couragious Souldiers whereas a Compliant General quite spoils them But I have shewed Mercy to offenders Love and Care to the wounded sick tyred and weary and I have been Bountifull to the well-deservers all which I am forced to remember you of because you have forgotten at least are unwilling to take any notice thereof Yet I perceive it is the nature of most of Mankind especially Mean births Low fortunes and Brute breedings to be Ungratefull Malicious Revengefull and Inhumane An Oration to Souldiers after the Loss of a Battel Fellow Souldiers I Perceive you are dejected at your ill fortune for Fortune is a Thief robbing some to give partially to others wherefore we Souldiers whom She busies her self most with to shew her power and agility ought to be so carefull and watchfull as to lock and barricado out Fortunes malice giving her no advantage if you can possibly hinder her from taking any Yet was it neither for want of Conduct or Valour that we wonn not the Victory but Heaven and Earth was against us for the Sun Wind and Dust beat on our faces for you indeavouring to get the side of the Wind went against the Sun-beams so that with the
your Ruine your Vanity is vanished your Pride humbled and Plenty and Prosperity fled from you Where are your brave Furnishings your gay Adornings your far-fetch'd Curiosities and your curious Rarities your Numerous Varieties and Rich Treasures all plunder'd and gone Where are your Chargeable Buildings your Stately Palaces your Delightfull Theatres your Pleasant Bowers all Burnt to ashes Where are your Races of Herses you Fleecy Flocks your Lowing Herds your Feather'd Poultry and your full-stored Barns all Ruined and gone Where are your Rich Merchandises and your Thriving Trades all Spoiled Where are your Wife Laws all Broken your Sporting Recreations all Ceased your Ancestors Monuments all Pull'd down and your Fathers Bones and Ashes dispersed Where are your Camerads Companions and Acquaintance most of them Kill'd where are your Beautifull Wives Daughters Sisters and Mistresses the Enemy injoyes them and your Country is Desolate Ruined and Forlorn and you that are left are Miserable but what was the cause of your Misery your Pride Envy Factions Luxury Vanity Vice and VVickedness for you would neither be Instructed Advised Perswaded nor Ruled you Neglected the Service of the Gods Disobeyed the Orders of your Governours Trampled down the Laws of the Nation and Despised your Magistrates and did all what you would which brought this Confusion and so a Destruction in which Destruction you must have patience for Patience will Mediate and Qualifie your Misery A Conforting Oration to a dejected People ruined by Warr. Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men I Confess our Condition is miserable and our Lives unhappy in that we are so unfortunate as to be Overcome by our Enemies and Impoverished by our Losses but yet it was Uncharitable nay Inhumane for the former Orator to open our Wounded thoughts with Repetition of our Losses and to rub our sore Minds with bitter and salt Reproaches for if we have Committed faults I am sure we have been sufficiently Punished for them and if the Gods be Just as we believe they are our Loss and Misery hath made them a Satisfaction for which I hope they are Pacified and though we ought to Repent of our past Disobedience to the Divine and National Laws yet we have no reason to Repent of our past Lawfull Pleasure for who that is Wise will not make use of his Riches and Liberties whilst he hath them for were it not a madness for fear of a Dearth to Starve our selves Slaves in Plenty for fear of an Enemy to make our selves Slaves in Prosperity this were as much as if we should take away our own Lives before their Natural time because we know we shall Dye No Dear Country-men it is soon enough to quit Pleasure Liberty and Life when we can Injoy them no longer and since our Fortune is bad we must indeavour with Industry to amend it and if we cannot we must Suffer Patiently and please ourselves with Hopes for Hope is a Food the Mind delights to feed on and entertains it self with Pleasing Imaginations and those are Fools that will trouble their Minds for that which cannot be help'd for shall we have not only Enemies without us but also within us shall we Torture our Minds with Grief Sorrow Fear an Despair for our misfortunes No Dear Country-men let us wipe the Tears from our Eyes and defie Fortune's malice and when she knows we regard not her Frowns She may chance to Favour us for she is of the Femal gender whose Nature is such as the more they are Neglecte or Despised the Kinder they are An Oration for Rebuilding a City ruined by Warrs UNfortunate Citizens for so I may call you having been ruined by Warrs and spoiled by our Enemies for our City is not only Burnt to the ground and all our Goods Plunder'd but many of our Citizens and Country-men Kill'd and we that remain are preparing with our Wives and Children to seek new Habitations and Acquaintance in Forein Countries from which I would if I could disswade you since our Enemies are Gone and not like to Return for though they had the Victory and won our City yet it was with such Loss to them as will force them to keep Peace for a long time not being able to make Warrs any longer for their Valiant'st and most Experienc'd Souldiers are Kill'd and most of the Flour of their Youth besides they have spoiled and lost many of their Horses and have wasted and spent abundance of Ammunition and Arms all which considered they have not Gain'd much by this Warr Indeed Warr makes more Spoil than Profit for though we are Ruined yet our Enemies are not much Inriched but leaving them let us Consider what is the best for our selves in these our Misfortunes and to be Industrious to Repair our Losses my Advice is not to Separate but to keep in an United Body together and to Rebuild our City for shall we be worse Citizens than the Ants or Pismires which will Rebuild their Hill or Mount over their Heads whensoever it is pull'd down either by Beast Men or Birds and though it be often pulld down and the Dust dispers'd yet they will bring new Earth or gather up the Relicks of the former Farth to Rebuild and will never leave Rebuilding so long as they Live and certainly they are very wise in so doing The like for Men for it is better as the wisest way to Unite in a Common-wealth than to live Disperst and to Wander about like Vagabonds or to live with Strangers in Forein Lands or to be Governed by Unknown or new Laws or to Marry with Strangers that mix or corrupt their Generations for those Men are happiest that Live in their Native Countries with their Natural Friends are Govern'd by their Ancient Laws Marry into their own Tribes or Natives increase their own Breed continue their own Races uphold their own Families and are Buried with or by their Forefathers Wherefore Good Citizens be Industrious to Rebuild your City whereby and wherein you may be as Happy and Flourishing as formerly you were but if through a dejected Discontent you leave your City in its Ruins 't is probable you will Live unhappy and in Slavery all your Lives as also your Posterity after you An Oration for Building a Church Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men YOu have Built many Streets of Houses but never a Church which shews you think more of the World than you do of Heaven you take more care for your Bodies than your Souls for you build Stately Palaces to Live in but not a Church to Pray in Rooms to Feast in not Churches to Fast in to Unite in Riot not to Unite in Religion to Talk Extravagantly not to Pray Piously to Rejoyce in Evil not to Rejoyce in Thanksgiving But the Nature of Mankind is such that they Spend Foolishly and Spare Foolishly they will Spend to their own Hurt and Spare to their own Hurt they fear Evil but never indeavour to avoid Punishment they Repent what is Past but never take
he shall have but a dark Lodging and cold Entertainment Thus Death is the most Absolute Conquerour that is for no Creature is able to Resist or defend themselves from Death whose Uncontroling Power makes him Dreadfull even to the most Valiant men not that they fear Death's Dart but Death's Oblivion for Valiant men love Life and fear Death more than Cowards or else they would not Venture their Bodies so often were it not out of Love to Life and Fear of Death Yet is it not that Life which Cowards are so Fond of nor that Death which they are so Afraid of but 't is the Life of their Fame and Death of their Name that Honourable and Valiant men so much Love and Fear insomuch that to gain the One and to shun the Other they will Sacrifize their Bodily Life and Imbrace their Bodily Death with more Delight and Pleasure than the Beautiful'st Woman that ever Nature made and they are to be Commended for it for it is Life that the Gods themselves take delight in for the Gods are pleased to Live in the Minds of their Creatures and are Angry if their Creatures Think or Speak not Of them as well as to Them So all Worthy men Desire and Indeavour to Live in the Minds of their own Kind and to be Praised at least Spoken of for they Desire and Indeavour to Live both in the Thoughts and Words of men in all Ages and in all Nations and by all Men if it were possible it being as Natural for Worthy men to desire to be Remembred as for all men to desire to Live and as Natural for men to desire to Live as to Love themselves But some say it doth a man no Good to be Remembred when he is Dead It may be answered that then it doth a man no Good to be Remembred whilst he Lives for Remembrance Lives in the Absent and Absence is a kind of Death but he is as Evil a Natured man that cares not to be Remembered by his Friends as those that never Remember their Friends also he is Unnatural to his Kind and it may be said that such men are Ungratefull Monsters or Monstrous Unnatural But this Noble Person was Remembred and and Spoken often of by his Absent Friends and did Remember and Spoke often of his Friends in their Absence whilst he was Living and his Worthy and Valiant Actions will be Remembred and Spoken of now he is Dead in which Remembrance and VVords he may Live so long as the VVorld lasts as being the only Reward this World can give to Worth and Merit as Piety Moral Vertue Valour and Generosity Wit and Learning for there is no other Reward in this World but Remembrance and Praise which Remembrance and Praise all Good men will give him as his due Thus will the Tongues and Minds of Living men Build him a Monument of Fame wherein all his Worthy Acts will be kept in Remembrance though his Body be Dead and Buried in Earth in which let us put it with devout Ceremony A judges Funeral Oration Dear Friends VVE are met together to see Judge N. N's Body laid into the Grave who in his Life-time was an Upright Judge for he Judg'd according to Truth and Right and not for Fear nor Favour he was free from Covetousness or corrupting Bribes he was both a Good and a VVise Judge for he would never Judge Over-hastily any Cause for or against untill he had Heard all Sides neither would he Retard or Delay Sutes Over-long but in All Causes he was very Attentive and in Doubtfull Causes very Cautious how to Judge and in all Criminal Causes or on Life and Death he would be very Inquisitive to Know the Truth for he would not Judge Rashly as to Judge Before he had Examined strictly and had sufficient Proofs and Witnesses or at least very Great Probabilities of the Truth Also he was neither a Temerarious nor an Over-bold Judge neither Cruel nor Foolishly Pittifull for as he would not Pardon so Much nor so Many as to Incourage men to Offend or Commit Crimes so he would not Condemn so Much nor so Many as to make a kind of a Massacre of Lives all which made him Live with a Good Conscience and Die with a Good Courage not Fearing a Condemnation neither in This World nor the Next but Desired to be Summoned to Gods Tribunal there to be Tried and Judged of the Course of his Life in This World to which Divine Judge we leave him bearing his Body to the Grave there to leave that but not to leave the Remembrance of Him nor the due Praise his Memory deserves A Sergeants or Barresters Funeral Oration Dear Friends YOu see the Body of Sergeant N. N. lies Dead ready to be put into the Grave which shews that he would not Plead for Life or else Death had no Ears to Hear his Sute but if he Pleads as well for Himself at Gods Tribunal as he did for his Clients at the Barr he will get Judgement on his side the truth is Nature as well as Education made him a Pleader for Naturally he had a Flowing Speech and a Fluent Wit to Turn Wind and Form any Cause as he Liked best for his VVit and Eloquence was such as to make a Doubtfull Cause seem Clear and had he not Known by Learning the Laws so Well as he did yet his Wit and Eloquence would have Covered his Ignorance and Supplied the Defect of his Learning but he was as Good and Learned a Lawyer as an Excellent Pleader and as Honest a man as Either for he took more Pains to Plead his Clients Cause than Pleasure to Take from his Clients Fees neither would he Prolong his Clients Sute to Drain their Purses nor yet make his Clients Cause more Doubtfull than it was to make them more Fearfull of the Success of their Sutes than they had Reason to fear and all this to get More Fees for Fears and Desires are Prodigal Givers as well as Promisers But rather he Pleaded Gratis for his Poor Clients wherein he shew'd more Charity to the Poor than Covetousness to the Rich. Thus he was a Good and Generous Lawyer a VVitty Ingenious Eloquent Pleader the truth is he did not only take Pains for his Clients but Pleasure in his Own Wit for he had more Delight than Profit by his Pleading and yet he did not take so much Pleasure in his Own Wit and Eloquency as Others did which Heard him insomuch as more went to Hear him Plead than those that had Causes to be Pleaded he Reproached not any man nor used Railing Speeches or Violent Actions in his Pleading as Many nay Most Pleaders do but his Behaviour was Civil his Wit Sweet and his Speech Gentle for though his Wit was Quick Ready and Free yet it was neither Salt Sour nor Bitter and though his Speech was Flowing yet it was not Rough for it ran in a Smooth though Full Stream and his Behaviour or Demeanour was
therein As for Moral Philosophy he knew well how to Compose Common-wealths and to Settle and Govern them also he knew well the Natures Humours Passions and Appetites amongst Mankind as also to Divide and Distinguish them and to Order Form and Reform them As for Natural Philosophy he did not only Study the Outward Forms of several Creatures but their Inward Natures In truth his Conception was so Subtil and Peircing his Observation so Dilative his Reason so Strong his Wit so Agil his Judgement so Solid his Understanding so Clear and his Thoughts so Industrious as they went to the First Cause of several Effects and he did not only Converse with the Body but the Soul of Nature indeed he was Nature's Platonick Lover and She rewarded him in Discovering to him her most Hidden and Obscure Secrets by which he begot Great Wisdome and Everlasting Fame for though his Body be Dead yet his Good Laws VVise Sciences Profitable Arts VVitty Experiences Graces Vertues and Eloquence will Live for the Benefit and Delight of Living men in all Nations and Ages and though we have great reason to Mourn for his Bodily Death yet we have more reason to Rejoyce for his Glorious Fame but leaving his Merits to Life and his Body to Death let us lay him into the Grave to Transmigrate as Nature pleases A Funeral Oration of a Dead Lady Spoken by a Living Lady Dearly Beloved Sisters in God VVE are met as Sorrowfull Mourners to attend this Dead Ladies Corps to the Grave She was in her Life the Rule of our Actions and will be in her Fame the Honour of our Sex She was Favoured of Nature the Gods and Fortune Nature gave her Wit and Beauty the Gods gave her Piety and Charity and Fortune gave her Wealth and Education She was Adorned by the Graces Beloved by the Muses and Attended by the Arts She was Sociable in her Conversation Just in her Promises and Generous in her Gifts She was Industrious in all Good Actions Helpfull to all Distress'd Persons and Gratefull for all sorts of Courtisies She was Humble in her Own Prosperities and full of Magnanimity in her Own Adversities her Mind had no Passage for any Evil nor no Obstruction against any Good But to repeat or summ up the Number of this Ladies Merits is beyond my Rhetorick or Arithmetick for certainly she was Composed of the Purest Effence of Nature and the Divinest Spirits of Heaven She had the Piety of Saints the Chastity of Angels and the Love of the Gods in which Love let us leave her Soul and lay her Body in the Grave till the time of Glorification A Foreiners or Strangers Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren YOu shew your Charity and Humanity and that they are not Bound up to Particulars or to your Friends and Country-men but that they Extend to Strangers in coming to see this Stranger who Died out of his Native Country Decently to be Buried in a Forein Land I mean Forein as from his Native Country although the truth is that all the World is Common to Mankind for Nature hath not assigned Men to any Particular place or Part of the World but hath given All the World freely to them as if she made the World and all other Creatures only for Man's sake for all other Creatures are not so generally Disperst or rather so Spreading and Branching throughout the World as Mankind is by reason they Belong Breed Prosper or Increase in Particular Climates as some in Cold and others in Hot and some in one Part of the World and some in Another for some Creatures will be so farr from Increasing in some Particular Climates as they cannot Live in them but in all Parts of the World that are Habitable there be Men. 'T is true Different Climates may cause men to be of Different Complexions but what Complexions soever they have they are all of the same kind as Mankind and of the same sort of Animals for though all Beasts are of Beast-kind yet a Fox and an Ass is not one and the same sort or kind of Beast but there is no such different sort amongst Mankind for there is no difference of men in their Natural Shapes Proprieties Qualities Abilities Capacities Entities or the like unless some Defects to some Particulars which is nothing to the Generality for all the kind of Mandkind is all alike both in Body and Mind as in their Shapes Senses Appetites Speech Frowning Laughing Weeping and the like as also alike in their Rational Parts as Judging Understanding Conceiving Remembring Apprehending Considering Imagining Desiring Joying Grieving Loving Hating Fearing Doubting Hoping Believing and the like And therefore since not any man can be accounted as a Stranger in any Part of the World because he hath by Nature a Right as a Natural Inheritance to Inhabit what part or place of the World he will But all Mankind are as Brethren not only by Kind but by Inheritance as being General Sharers and Possessors of the World so this Dead man ought not to be accounted as a Stranger but a Brother VVherefore let us Mourn as we ought to do for a Dead Brother and Accompany his Hearse to the Grave with Religious Ceremony there leaving it in Rest and Peace A Post-Riders Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren YOu have Exprest your Humanity and Charity in coming to this Poor Unfortunate man's Burial which though he was a Poor man yet he was an Honest man and therefore is much the more Worthy to be Praised for Poverty and Necessity is a great Temptation to Knavery as much as Riches is a Temptation to Foolery which is Vanity nay Riches is not only Guilty of Vanity but Vice as Luxnry Pride and Wantonness whereas Knavery is Cheating Coosening Stealing and the like of all which this Poor man was Free And as he was an Honest man so he was a Laborious man for his Profession of Life was a Post-Rider an Unfortunate Profession for him for he Riding fast upon a Stumbling Jade fell down and Broke his Neck Thus we see that Misfortunes as well as Sicknesses bring many to their Lives ends and many times to a Miserable end for Misfortunes take Life away Unawares and sometimes Unprepar'd to Dye so this man did not Think when he got on the Horses back he should Ride Post to Death for had he thought so he would have Chosen to Run a-Foot a Safer though a Slower pace But could his Soul Ride Post on Death to Heaven as his Body Rid Post on a Horse to Death he might Out-strip many a Soul that is gone before him for though his Soul as all Souls are Light and of no Weight yet Death is no nimble Runner being Cold and Numb and nothing but Bare Bones a Hard Seat for a Tender Soul Besides the way to Heaven is so Narrow and Steep as Death cannot Get up for should he Venture his Soul would be in Danger to be Overthrown and cast into Hell which is a Deep Dark
Terrible and Dreadfull Pit wherein is no Hope of Getting out The truth is Death carries many Evil Souls down into Hell but Good Souls he leaves at the Bottom of the Hill that leads up to Heaven from which those Souls Climb and Clamber up with great Difficulty for whatsoever is Excellent is Hard to Get or Come to whereas that which is Bad is Easie to be Had. But howsoever this Poor man is Dead and we shall see him Buried leaving his Soul in its Journey and his Body in the Grave A young Virgins Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren and Sisters in God VVE here meet not only as Funeral Mourners but as Marriage Guests to Attend and Wait upon a Young Virgin to see her Laid into her Nuptial-bed which is the Grave 'T is true her Husband Death is a Cold Bed-fellow but yet he makes a Good Husband for he will never Cross Oppose nor Anger her nor give her Cause of Grief or Sorrow neither in his Rude Behaviour Inconstant Appetite nor Lewd Life which had she Married any other Husband might have made very Unhappy whereas now she will know no Sorrow for there is no Whoring Gaming Drinking Quarrelling nor Prodigal Spending in the Grave for Death Banishes all Riot and Disorder out of his Habitations there is no Noise nor Disturbance in his Palace Indeed Death's Palace is a place of Peace Rest Quiet and Silence and therefore all are Happy that Dwell there for there is no Envy Malice Slander nor Treachery there Men are not Tempted with Beauty nor Women Flattered into Wantonness they are Free from all Tentation or Defamation neither are they Troubled or Tormented with Pain or Sickness for Death hath a Remedy for all Diseases which is Insensibility the truth is Death is not only Charitable to Help all Creatures out of Misery but Generous as to be so Hopitable that he sets Open his Gates for all Comers insomuch as the Meanest Creatures that are have a Free Entrance and the Same Entertainment with the Noblest for there are no Ceremonies of State All is in Common there is no Pride nor Ambition no Scorn nor Disgrace and Death's Palace is so Spacious as it is beyond all Measure or Circumference being sufficient to Receive all the Creatures Nature makes and since there is such Store of Company in Death and Death so Generous and Hospitable why should we Fear or be Loath to Dye nay why should not we Desire to Dye and Rejoyce for those Friends that are Dead especially Considering the Unhappiness of Life wherein Man is most Miserable because he is most Sensible and Apprehensive of what he Suffers or what he may Suffer But this Young Virgin is Happier by Death than many Others are because she hath not Liv'd so Long to Suffer so Much as those that are Older Have done or as those that Live to be Old Will do Wherefore let us Rejoyce for her Happiness and put her into the Grave the Bed of Rest there to Sleep Quietly A Young New-Married Wif's Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren VVE are met together at this time to see a New-Married Wife which is here Dead to be Buried She hath made an unequal Change from a Lively Hot Husband to a Deadly Cold Lover yet will she be more Happy with her Dull Dumb Deaf Blind Numb Lover than with her Lively Talking Listning Eying Active Husband were he the Best Husband that could be for Death is far the Happier Condition than Marriage and although Marriage at first is Pleasing yet after a time it is Displeasing like Meat which is Sweet in the Mouth but proves Bitter in the Stomack Indeed the Stomack of Marriage is full of Evil Humours as Choler and Melancholy and of very Evil Disgestion for it cannot Disgest Neglects Disrespects Absence Dissembling Adultery Jealousie Vain Expences Waste Spoil Idle Time Laziness Examinations Cross Answers Peevishness Frowardness Frowns and many the like Meats that Marriage Feeds on As for Pains Sicknesses Cares Fears and other Troubles in Marriage they are Accounted as wholesome Physick which the Gods give them for the Gods are the Best Physicians and Death is a very Good Surgeon Curing his Patients without Pain for what Part soever he Touches is Insensible Death is only Cruel in Parting Friends from each other for though they are Happy whom he Takes away yet those that are Left behind are Unhappy Living in Sorrow for their Loss so that this Young New-Married Wife that is Dead is Happy but her Husband is a Sorrowfull Widdower But leaving Her to her Happiness and Him to be Comforted let us put her into the Grave there to Remain untill the day of Judgement which Day will Imbody her Soul with Everlasting Glory A Widdows Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Widdow at whose Funeral we are met Lived a very Intemperate and Irregular Life all the time of her Widdow-hood for which not only Nature but the Gods might be Angry with her for though She did not Surfeit with Feasting yet She Starved her self with Fasting and though She did not Drink her self Drunken as many Women in this Age will do yet She did Weep her self Dry She grew not Fat and Lasie with overmuch Sleeping but became Lean and Sick with overmuch Watching She VVatch'd not to Dance and Play but to Mourn and Pray nor did She waste her Wealth in Vanities but She did waste her Life in Sorrow She Sate not on the Knees of Amorous Lovers but Kneeled on her Knees to God Her Cheeks were not Red with Paint but Pale with Grief She did not wear Black Patches on her Face but Black Mourning on her Body She was Adorned with no other Jewels than her Tears She had no Diamond Pendents in her Ears but Transparent Tears in her Eyes no Oriental Pearls about her Neck but Drops of Tears lay on her Breast Thus was She Drest in Tears She suffered not Painters to Draw the Picture of her Face but her Thoughts did Form her Husbands Figure in her Mind She hung not her Chamber with Black but her Mind with Melancholy She Banished all Stately Ceremonies and Ceremonies of State and set her self Humbly on the Ground She past not her time with Entertaining Visitors but Entertain'd her Self with the Remembrance of her Husband She did not Speak much but Think much In short She was so Intemperate in her Grief as her Grief Kill'd her it may be said she was Murdered with Grief and no kind or manner of Murder is Acceptable either to Nature or the Gods but some sorts of Murders are Hatefull to both Yet this Widdow howsoever she Offended in her Over-much Grieving She had Pardon for her Praying and to prove the Gods did Pardon her they Granted her Request which was to take her out of this World without Painfull Sickness and so they did for She was so free from Pains as She parted with Life with a Smiling Countenance and lay as Still as if She lay to Sleep She breathed out her last Breath
Died in Child-Bed to be laid into the Bed of Earth a Cold Bed but yet she will not take any Harm there nor we shall not fear she will Catch her Death for Death hath Catch'd her the truth is that although all Women are Tender Creatures yet they Indure more than Men and do oftner Venture and Indanger their Lives than Men and their Lives are more Profitable than men's Lives are for they Increase Life when Men for the most part Destroy Life as witness Warrs wherein Thousands of Lives are Destroyed Men Fighting and Killing each other and yet Men think all Women meer Cowards although they do not only Venture and Indanger their Lives more than they do but indure greater Pains with greater Patience than Men usually do Nay Women do not only indure the Extremity of Pain in Child-birth but in Breeding the Child being for the most part Sick and seldome at Ease Indeed Nature seems both Unjust and Cruel to her Femal Creatures especially Women making them to indure all the Pain and Sickness in Breeding and Bringing forth of their Young Children and the Males to bear no part of their Pain or Danger the truth is Nature hath made her Male Creatures especially Mankind only for Pleasure and her Female Creatures for Misery Men are made for Liberty and Women for Slavery and not only Slaves to Sickness Pains and Troubles in Breeding Bearing and Bringing up their Children but they are Slaves to Men's Humours nay to their Vices and Wickednesses so that they are more Inslaved than any other Female Creatures for other Female Creatures are not so Inslaved as they Wherefore those Women are most Happy that Never Marry or Dye whilst they be Young so that this Young VVoman that Died in Child-Bed is Happy in that she Lives not to Indure more Pain or Slavery in which Happiness let us leave her after we have laid her Corps to Rest in the Grave A Souldiers Funeral Oration Beloved Brethren THis Dead man whom you attend to the Grave was whilst he Lived a Valiant Gallant man and an Excellent Souldier for that was his Profession in times of VVarr a Noble Profession for all Valiant Souldiers are Honour's Sons Death's Friends and Life's Enemies for a Souldiers Profession is to Destroy Lives to get Honour and Fame by which Destruction Death is a Gainer In truth Death is a Souldiers Companion Camerade and Familiar Acquaintance but not a Souldiers Friend though Souldiers be Death's Friends he is no Stranger to Souldiers for they see him in all Shapes Postures and Humours yet the most Terrible Aspects of Death could not Affright nor Terrifie this Souldier nor cause him to Remove an Inch back for he would Venture to the very Jaws of Death Thus Bold Adventurous Souldiers do more Affright Death than Death doth Affright them insomuch that Death for the most part Runs away from Valiant men and Seizes on Cowards and daring not Assault Valiant men in the Fore-front he Steals upon them as it were Unawares for he comes Behind Valiant men when he takes hold of them or else he Seizes on them by Treachery or Weakens their Bodies so much by Sickness as they are Forced to Yield Indeed there was no other way for Death to take this Valiant Souldier but by Sickness for he could never take him in the Field But Death is of the Nature of Ungratefull men who Indeavour to do those most Mischief that have been most Bountifull to them and are Ready to take the Lives of those they were most Obliged to for Valiant men give Death Thousands of Lives to Feed on yet he is like some Gluttons the more they Eat the Leaner they are nay Death is so Lean as to be only Bare Bones and by his Empty Scul he may be thought a Fool having no Brains though he be rather a Knave than a Fool for the Deceives or Robbs Nature and Time of many Lives taking them away before Nature and Time had Ordain'd them to Dye But leaving Death to Ingratitude Cheats and Robberies we must also leave him this Dead Souldiers Body for to Feed upon for all Heroick men are Death's most Nourishing food they make him Strong and Lusty and since there is no Remedy let us place this Dead Heros on Deaths Table which is to put him into the Grave and there leave him An Oration concerning the Joys of Heaven and Torments of Hell Beloved Brethren YOu have heard of Heaven and Hell Gods and Devils Damnation and Salvation and that you shall have a Fulness of Bliss in Heaven and be Everlastingly Tormented in Hell also you have heard Hell and Heaven described to you as that Heaven is Composed and Built all of Pretious Stones and Rich Metall as Gold Diamonds Rubies Pearls Saphyrs and the like as also what Degrees and Powers there be and for Hell it is described to be Dark as Night and yet great Elemental Fires in which the Damned shall be Tormented the like for other Torments that Devils use as their Rods and Scourges to Punish the Damned also that the Devils do Curse and the Blessed Sing and Rejoyce Moreover you have heard by your Teacher and seen Painted in Pictures both the Shapes of Devils and Angels the Angels with Wings and the Devils with Horns and Cloven feet like Beasts all which may be True for any thing we sensibly know to the Contrary and yet Perchance all these Relations may be False as the Relation of the Situation of Heaven and Hell and the Architecture of either or the Shapes of Devils or Angels or the manner and wayes of their Pleasures and Delights and their Pains and Torments all which may not be so as they are Usually Described to us but made by men's Fancies for no Mortal man is come either from Heaven or Hell to tell us Punctually of every particular Truth Yet a Heaven and Hell Good and Bad Angels Pains and Torments Joys and Pleasures there are for both Reason and Faith informs us also God himself tells us in his Holy Writs and by his Inspired Priests and Prophets that there is Reward for the Good in Heaven and Punishment for the Bad in Hell but if we will give our Imaginations leave to Work upon that we cannot Know whilst we Live here in this World let us Imagine what is most Probable and first for the Situation of Heaven and Hell or the Architecture of either or the Shapes of Devils or Angels it is beyond my Imagination yet some Imagination may beget a Belief at least some Probability of the Joys in Heaven and the Torments in Hell Wherefore I 'le begin with the Glorified Bodies in Heaven which Bodies in their Glorified Condition shall have their Senses more Perfect and their Appetites more Quick the Body being Purified into a Celestial Purity than when their Bodies were Clogg'd with a Terrestrial Grossness which made their Senses Weak and their Appetites Dull these Glorified Bodies shall have their Senses Fill'd and their Appetites
have Terrestrial Shapes why should they believe them to have Mens Shapes and not the Shapes of other Creatures it might be Answered the Belief Proceeds from the Son of God who did Take upon Him the Shape of Man but then we may believe that Angels are of the Shape of Doves because the Holy Ghost which is Co-equal and Co-eternal with the Son did Take upon Him the Shape of that Bird. Also what Reason hath man to Believe that the Devils Shapes are partly of the Shape of Beasts as to have Tails Horns Claws and Cloven feet do they believe that the Shape of Beasts is a more VVicked or Cursed Shape than any other Animal Shape But these Opinions or Beliefs proceed from Gross Conceptions made by Irregular Motions in Gross Terrestrial Bodies or Brains in Mankind who make Hell and Heaven God Angels and Devils according to their Fancies and not according to Truth for Man cannot Know what is not in his Portion of Reason and Sense to Know and yet man will Judge and Believe that which he cannot possibly Know which is Ridiculous even to Human Sense and Reason But to Conclude Dearly Beloved men's Thoughts are too Weak their Brains too Little their Knowledge too Obscure and their Understandings too Cloudy to Conceive Gods Celestial Works or Workings or his Will or Decrees Fates or Destinies Wherefore Pray without Forming Obey without Censuring Fear his Power Love his Goodness and Hope in his Mercy and the Blessing of God be amongst you An Oration to a Sinfull Congregation Beloved Brethren YOu Live so Lewdly Riotously and Wickedly as if you did not Believe there are Gods or Devils Heaven or Hell Punishment or Bliss and as if there were none other Life after this Life but you will find you shall be so Punished for your Wickedness unless you Amend as you will Curse your Birth Life and Death for so Bad and Wicked you are that the Seven Deadly Sins are not sins enough for you but Daily nay Hourly you Study to make more Deadly sins nay you are so Ingenious in Devising Sin as you are the most subtil Artisans therein that ever were you are a Vitruvius for Desigining Sins a Pygmalion for Carving out Sins an Apelles for Painting out Sins a Galileus for Espying out Sins an Euclid for Numbring and Multiplying Sins so that your Sins are now past all Account an Archimedes for Inventing Sins an Aristoteles to Find out Sins a Cicero in Pleading for Sins an Alexander in Fighting for Sins an Homerus in Describing Sins and your Lives and Actions are the Foundations and Materials the Stones and Chisals of Sins the Boords and Planks the Light Shaddows and Colours of Sins the Perspective Glasses of Sins the Figures of Sins the Instruments and Engins of Sins the Lines Circles and Squares of Sins the Bodies Parts and Lives of Sins the Tongue and Speech of Sin the Arms of Sin the Brains and Wit of Sin Thus you are nothing but Sin Within and Without for Life Soul Thoughts Bodies and Actions are all Sin Indeed you seem as if you were neither Made by Nature nor God but Begotten or Produced from Devils for Nature Exclames against you and God Abhorrs you the Devils will Own you but God of his Mercy give you Grace to Repent and Amend your Lives that what Sin is Past may be Blotted out and that your Lives Thoughts and Actions may be such as may Gain upon Eternal Blessedness and Everlasting Glory for which let us Pray An Oration which is an Exhortation to a Pious Life Beloved Brethren YOu come here to be Instructed but yet you do not Amend your Lives for you Live Idlely and Wickedly you make no Profit of your Instructions or Exhortations for it seems by you that the more you are Taught the more Ignorant you are like those that become Blind or their Sight Dazled with Too much Light Indeed you Live as if you had not Rational Souls or that you thought Souls Die as Bodies do but you will find you have Souls that shall Live to indure Torment if you do not Reform your Lives 'T is true many have Strange and some Atheistical Opinions concerning the Soul for Some have had Opinions that Man hath no other Soul but such as Beasts have and Others that the Souls of all Creatures Go out of one Body into an other and that Death doth but Change the Souls Lodging and Some have had an Opinion that there is no such thing as a Soul but that which is called a Soul is only Animal Life and Others believe there be Souls but they Die as Bodies do Others that there is but One great Soul which is the Soul of the World but the Right and Truth is that men have Particular Souls which not any other Creature hath which are called Rational Souls and shall Live for Ever either in Torment or Bliss according to their Merit But the Best and Wisest men make no question of the Rational Soul of Mankind though many Learned men Trouble their Heads to prove What the Soul is for some believe the Soul is Corporeal others it is Incorporeal Also many Trouble themselves to know When the Souls of Mankind Enter into their Bodies some think Before the Body is Born others hold it enters not Untill the Body is Born and some think that the Body receives the Soul so soon as it receives Life in the Womb and some think Before as when it is newly Conceived but those that are of an Opinion that Life and Soul enters into the Body together believe their Departs together by Death and those that think the Soul enters not into the Body untill it be Born believe the Soul is but a Weakling at first and grows Stronger as the Body grows Older Thus they Trouble their Heads and Exercise their Wits concerning the Soul to know What it is and How it is but never take Thought as how it Will be when they Dye like the Dog that left the Substance to seek for the Shaddow so men leave the Salvation and Dispute about the Creation But my Exhortation is that you would Pray more and Dispute less for what shall we need to Trouble our Minds whether the Soul be Corporeal or Incorporeal or if Corporeal of what Matter it is made of so that it be Capable of Glory nor shall we need to Trouble our Minds When it Enters the Body so it Enters Heaven Wherefore those that are Truly Wise and Wisely Devout will Indeavour with all their Power Faith and Industry of their Minds Thoughts and Life to Do such Charitable Deeds and to Think such Pious Thoughts in Holy Contemplations and Pray with so much Zeal and Faith Penitence and Thanksgiving as God may be so well Pleased with them as to Glorifie their Souls in Heaven where there is all Joy and Happiness which Joy and Happiness I Pray the Gods may give you MARRIAGE ORATIONS PART IX A Marriage-Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and
Work as to Cleanse their Houses from Filth and let their Bodies be full of Foul Humours to Cleanse their Sinks and Gutters and let their Veins be full of Corrupted or Inflamed Blood Yet must the Bodies of men not be Cleansed until the City be Cleansed lest the Infected Air from Without should more easily Get Into them and Kill them But I hope I shall not need much Rhetorick to perswade you to take a Care of your Own Lives for Life is Sweet and Death is Terrible although I have Observed that Men though they Desire to Live nay are Afraid to Dye yet are so Careless Obstinate and Confident as not to Indeavour to Prolong their Lives or to Defend their Lives from Diseases which are Death's Sergeants for although all Creatures were made to Consume into other Forms and Men are Born to Dye yet no Creature was made to Dye and be Consumed or Transmigrated before their Natural time for Nature hath given her Creatures Defences and Remedies against the Spoilers and Destroyers of Life which Spoilers and Destroyers as also their Remedies and Defences are not easily to be Numbred but Men are often their own Lives Enemies Killing themselves with Riot and Excess or being Over-bold in Adventuring or Entring into Dangers or so Careless as to pass by Remedies Yet I hope you will be Carefull and Speedily Industrious to Prevent if possibly you can the Increase and Fury of this Plague An Oration against Idle Expences Fellow Citizens I Observe great Excess and Luxury in this City Prodigally Spending your Estates and Wasting your Lives with Riot which I cannot enough Wonder at that although men will Hazard their Lives to Get Wealth and to Keep it from those that would Take it from them yet will Spend it Lavishly as Extravagantly and Vainly nay more Readily to make them Sick than to make themselves Well when they are Sick for they will Spend it Freely in Luxury and be Sparing to a Physician which shews men Love Pleasure more than Health whereas Health is the Greatest Pleasure for Sensual Pleasures are alwayes Followed with Sickness and Pain which lasts Long even so long as many times they do Accompany them to the Grave and as Pains and Sickness follow Sensual Pleasures so Poverty and Scorn follows Vain Expences all which makes a Discontented mind Wherefore what man if he were Wise would Destroy his Body Disquiet his Mind and Ruine his Estate for that which is called Pleasure which is nothing but Sensual Appetites that are no sooner Injoy'd but are Forgotten or Loathed with the Fruition and for Pleasures of the Mind those are only Opinions which are nothing in Substance and therefore not to be Truly or Really Injoyed But as Temperance is the Greatest Bodily Pleasure because it gives Health so Judgement is the Minds Physick Purging out Vain Opinions Idle Thoughts and Restless Desires which give it the Health of Peace and Tranquillity Thus your Body and Mind will Live Healthfully Happily and Honestly Imploying their Time and Labours in the Service of God their Country and Friends Living Wisely Parting with the VVorld Willingly Leaving a Good Fame behind them and Ascend to a Crown of Glory and Eternal Life An Oration for Men to Please themselves Fellow Citizens GIve me leave to tell you that Moral Orations are more Proper to be Spoken in Schools than in the Market-place where they will sooner Spoil Young Students than Reform Old Citizens But those that Speak against Pleasure Speak against the Darling of Life and therefore I do not VVonder at any for Taking his Pleasures but at those that Speak against it since it is the Quintessence or Elixir of Nature as we may Know by the Scarcity of it for Nature being Just in all her VVorks hath Ordered them so as what is Curious Excellent and Good She hath Sparingly made but what is Indifferent and Bad She hath made Plentifully Countervaluing the Worth of the One Sort with the Quantity of the Other as we may Observe She hath made more Iron than Silver more Silver than Gold more Stones than Diamonds more Weeds than Flowers more Beast than Men and of Men she hath made more Fools than Wise men more Cowards than Valiant men more Bad men than Good men more Enemies than Friends and so more Pains than Pleasures but because there is but a Little of that which is Good shall not we Injoy it Shall we refuse the Best because we have not so Much as we Would that would be Unreasonable but as Men will give a Great quantity of Led for a Little Gold so Men will Indure a Great deal of Pain for a Little Pleasure and they have Reason for a Little Pleasure is of Great Value being the most Delitious Sweets in Nature but you will ask What is the Delitious Pleasure I Answer all that is Pleasure is Delitious yet every man is to Judge of Pleasure by his own Delectation for Pleasures are as Different as Men for although all men are of Mankind yet every man is not alike neither in Mind nor Body so although all Pleasure is Pleasure yet not One and the Same An Oration against Vice-Actors Noble Citizens OUr City doth so Increase with Vice as I fear the Numerous Vices will be like as the Plagues of Egypt to Destroy our City if you do not use Speedy remedy to Punish the Vice-Actors But we are so far from Punishing them as we Admire Applaud and Advance such as have Most Vices or Least Honesty the truth is that Vice and Injustice is the only way or means to Advance men to Office Power Authority Respect and Credit in our City for those men that are Temperate Honest and Just are thought Fools and Unprofitable Drones and those that are Wisely Provident and not Vainly Prodigal are believed to be Miserable men which know not how to Live and as for our Grand Magistrates they have more Formality than Reality more Good Words than Good Deeds more Covetousness than Justice they Regard not the Poor man's Cause but the Rich man's Money for they decide Causes not according to Right but according to Bribes Humility and Honesty are Strangers to them they Study their Self-interest but Regard not the Publick Good all which will bring a Confusion and so a Dissolution to this Common-wealth if that you do not Carefully and Suddenly Choose Wise and Conscionable men for Magistrates to Wit such as will Punish Extorsions Wrongs and Injuries Suppress Pride Vanity and Luxury Banish Quarrels put away Idleness and Administer Right and Justice for Right and Justice's sake as also Do as they would be Done unto An Oration against a Foolish Custom Worthy Citizens HEre is an Unjust and Unhandsome Custom in this City and therefore ought to be Abolished which is that whensoever a Wife Beats her Husband the next Neighbour Rides through the City Disgracefully not only Striding upon a Horse with his Face towards the Tail or Sitting astride upon a Staff but having
Live without them which shews we are as Ungratefull as Inconstant But we have more Reason to Murmur against Nature than against Men who hath made Men more Ingenious VVitty and Wife than VVomen more Strong Industrious and Laborious than Women for Women are Witless and Strengthless and Unprofitable Creatures did they not Bear Children Wherefore let us Love men Praise men and Pray for men for without Men we should be the most Miserable Creatures that Nature Hath or Could make IV. NOble Ladies Gentlewomen and other Inferiour Women The former Oratoress sayes we are Witless and Strengthless if so it is that we Neglect the One and make no Use of the Other for Strength is Increased by Exercise and Wit is Lost for want of Conversation but to shew Men we are not so Weak and Foolish as the former Oratoress doth Express us to be let us Hawk Hunt Race and do the like Exercises as Men have and let us Converse in Camps Courts and Cities in Schools Colleges and Courts of Judicature in Taverns Brothels and Gaming Houses all which will make our Strength and Wit known both to Men and to our own Selves for we are as Ignorant of our Selves as Men are of us And how should we Know our Selves when as we never made a Trial of our Selves or how should Men know us when as they never Put us to the Proof Wherefore my Advice is we should Imitate Men so will our Bodies and Minds appear more Masculine and our Power will Increase by our Actions V. NOble Honourable and Vertuous Women The former Oration was to Perswade us to Change the Custom of our Sex which is a Strange and Unwise Perswasion since we cannot Change the Nature of our Sex for we cannot make our selves Men and to have Femal Bodies and yet to Act Masculine Parts will be very Preposterous and Unnatural In truth we shall make our Selves like as the Defects of Nature as to be Hermaphroditical as neither to be Perfect Women nor Perfect Men but Corrupt and Imperfect Creatures Wherefore let me Perswade you since we cannot Alter the Nature of our Persons not to Alter the Course of our Lives but to Rule our Lives and Behaviours as to be Acceptable and Pleasing to God and Men which is to be Modest Chast Temperate Humble Patient and Pious also to be Huswifely Cleanly and of few Words all which will Gain us Praise from Men and Blessing from Heaven and Love in this World and Glory in the Next VI. VVOrthy Women The former Oratoress's Oration indeavours to Perswade us that it would not only be a Reproach and Disgrace but Unnatural for Women in their Actions and Behaviour to Imitate Men we may as well say it will be a Reproach Disgrace and Unnatural to Imitate the Gods which Imitation we are Commanded both by the Gods and their Ministers and shall we Neglect the Imitation of Men which is more Easie and Natural than the Imitation of the Gods for how can Terrestrial Creatures Imitate Celestial Deities yet one Terrestrial may Imitate an other although in different sorts of Creatures Wherefore since all Terrestrial Imitations ought to Ascend to the Better and not to Descend to the Worse Women ought to Imitate Men as being a Degree in Nature more Perfect than they Themselves and all Masculine Women ought to be as much Praised as Effeminate Men to be Dispraifed for the one Advances to Perfection the other Sinks to Imperfection that so by our Industry we may come at last to Equal Men both in Perfection and Power VII NOble Ladies Honourable Gentlewomen and Worthy Femal Commoners The former Oratoress's Oration or Speech was to Perswade us Out of our Selves as to be That which Nature never Intended us to be to wit Masculine but why should we Desire to be Masculine since our Own Sex and Condition is far the Better for if Men have more Courage they have more Danger and if Men have more Strength they have more Labour than VVomen have if Men are more Eloquent in Speech VVomen are more Harmonious in Voice if Men be more Active Women are more Gracefull if Men have more Liberty Women have more Safety for wenever Fight Duels nor Battels nor do we go Long Travels or Dangerous Voyages we Labour not in Building nor Digging in Mines Quarries or Pits for Metall Stone or Coals neither do we Waste or Shorten our Lives with University or Scholastical Studies Questions and Disputes we Burn not our Faces with Smiths Forges or Chymist Furnaces and Hundreds of other Actions which Men are Imployed in for they would not only Fade the Fresh Beauty Spoil the Lovely Features and Decay the Youth of Women causing them to appear Old whilst they are Young but would Break their Small Limbs and Destroy their Tender Lives Wherefore Women have no Reason to Complain against Nature or the God of Nature for though the Gifts are not the Same they have given to Men yet those Gifts they have given to Women are much Better for we Women are much more Favour'd by Nature than Men in Giving us such Beauties Features Shapes Gracefull Derncanour and such Infinuating and Inticing Attractives as Men are Forc'd to Admire us Love us and be Desirous of us in so much as rather than not Have and Injoy us they will Deliver to our Disposals their Power Persons and Lives Inslaving Themselves to our Will and Pleasures also we are their Saints whom they Adore and Worship and what can we Desire more than to be Men's Tyrants Destinies and Goddesses ORATIONS IN Country Market-Towns where Country Gentlemen meet PART XII I. Noble Gentlemen WHo are Innobled by Time and not by Favour give me Leave since we are Sociably met here in this Town that I Remember you of our Happy Condition of Life we Live in as on our Own Lands amongst our Own Tenants like as Petty Kings in our Little Monarchies in Peace with moderate Plenty and Pleasure our Recreations are both Healthfull and Delightfull which are Hunting Hawking and Racing as being far Nobler Pastimes than Carding Dicing and Tennis-Playing for whereas Gamesters meet for Covetousness we meet for Love they leave most of their Gettings to the Box we bring most of our Gettings to our Tables and whereas we make our selves Merry with Our Games they make Quarrels with Theirs Thus we Live more Friendly than Gamesters and more Happily than Great Monarchs we neither Quarrel nor fear Usurpers II. Noble Gentlemen THe Gentleman that formerly Spoke said we were Petty Kings making our Tenants our Subjects but if they be as Subjects they are Rebellious Subjects not Paying us our Rents Duely nor Truly besides they are apt to Murmur at the Least Increase of our Farms although they Sell their Commodities they get out of our Lands at a Double Rate and as for our Pleasures as Hawking Hunting and Racing they may be Sociable but they are very Chargeable for Hawks Hounds and Horses with their Attendance will Devour a Great Estate
Errs more in their Rebellion for the Greatest Tyrant that ever was was never so Destroying or Cruel as a Rebellion or Civil Warr for this makes a Dissolution whereas the other makes but some Interruptions but now we have found our Errors we shall mend our Faults I in Governing You in Obeying and I Pray the Gods to Bless us with Industry and Uniformity Unity and Love Plenty and Tranquillity that this Kingdome and People may Flourish in all Ages and have a Glorious Fame throughout the World A Generals Oration to his Chief Commanders Fellow Souldiers and Gallant Commanders I Have Required your Assembly at this time to Perswade you to Practise both Riding and Fencing when you have Spare time from Fighting for it is impossible you should Atchieve any Brave or Extraordinary Actions by your Single Persons in the day of Battel unless you be Excellent and Skilfull in the Manage of your Horses and in the Use of your Swords for your Horses well Managed and well Rid shall not only Overthrow your Opposites as Man and Horse that are Ignorant in the Art but any One of you will be able to Disorder an Enemies Troop 'T is true an Ignorant HorseCommander hath less Assurance than a FootCommander besides it is a Double Labour and Requires a Double Art as to Manage a Horse and to Use a Sword Skilfully at one time but then he hath a Double Advantage if he can Ride well and hath a good Managed Horse that Obeyes well the Hand and the Heel that can tell how to Turn or to stop on the Hanches or to go Forward or Side-wayes and the like The truth is a good Horse-man although not so well Skill'd in the Use of the Sword shall have Advantage of an Ignorant Horse-man although well Skill'd in the Use of the Sword but to Know both Arts is best for a good HorseSouldier As for Foot Commanders they must Chiefly if not only Practise the Use of the Sword for it is the Sword that makes the greatest Execution for though neither Horse nor Sword is either Defensive or Offensive against Canon Bullets yet they are both Usefull against Bodies of men for all sorts of Bullets either from Canons Muskets or Pistols will Miss ten times for Hitting once whereas an Army when Joyning so Close as to Fight Hand to Hand the Sword is the Chief and Prime Executor insomuch that a Sword Skilfully or Artificially Used hath the Advantage over the Strength of Clowns or their Clubs or the But-ends of their Muskets Wherefore a Compleat Souldier should be as Knowing and well Practised in the Use of the Sword and the Management of his Horse as in Drawing up a Body of Men and Setting or Pitching an Army in Battel Aray for by the fore-mentioned Arts you will make a great Slaughter and a Quicker Dispatch to Victory and Gain a great Renown or Fame to each Particular Person that are so well Bred or Taught to be Horse-men and Sword-men SCHOLASTICAL ORATIONS PART XV. A Sleepy Speech to Students Fellow Students WHo Study to Think and Think to Dream As there are three Sorts of Worlds so there are three Kinds or Sorts of Life viz. the Material Poetical and Drowsie World and the Dreaming Contemplating and Active Life but of all these three Worlds and three Lives the Drowsie World and Dreaming Life is most Wonderfull for it is as a Life in Death and a Death in Life and this Drowsie World and Dreaming Life is a Type of an Unknown World and an Unknown Life for Sleep is a Type of Death and Dreaming is a Type of the Rewards and Punishments in the other World Good Dreams are like as the Rewards for the Blessed and Bad Dreams are like as Punishments for the Wicked the One Receives Pleasure and Joy the Other Fear and Torments and these Joys Pleasures Fears and Torments are as Sensible to the Senses and as Apparent to the Understanding and Knowledge as when Awake also Memory and Remembrance and the same Appetites and Satisfactions are as Perfect in Dreams as when Awake the Passions of the Mind as Forcible the Dispositions and Humours of the Nature as Various the Will as Obstinate the Judgement as Deep the VVit as Quick the Observation as Serious Reason as Rational Conception as Subtil Courage as Daring Justice as Upright Prudence as VVary Temperance as Sparing Anger as Violent Love as Kind Fear as Great Hopes and Doubts as Many Joys as Full Hate as Deadly Faith as Strong Charity as Pitifull and Devotion as Zealous in Perfect Dreams as Awake also they are as Uncharitable VVicked Foolish Cowardly Base Deboist Furious and the like in Perfect Dreams as Awake but Dreams in Sleeping Senses are Shorter than the Actions of VVaking Senses and not so Permanent for they Suddenly Fade and their Sudden Fading Oftentimes makes a Confusion and more Disorder than in the VVaking and Active Life But to Speak of the Sleeping Senses Generally and Particularly have we not the same Appetites and Satisfactions are not we Sensible of Dying Living Suffering Injoying Mourning Weeping Rejoycing Laughing are we not as Sensible of Pain and Ease of Accidents Misfortunes Dangers and Escapes in Dreams as in Active Life for if we Dream of Thieves and Murderers are not we Sensible of the Loss of our Goods and of our Bonds and Wounds do we not See our Loss Feel our Bonds and the Smarts and Pains of our Wounds as much as if we Saw and Suffered Awake and do not we Indeavour to Help our Selves and do not we Beg for Life Call for Help and Strive with Resistance as much in Dreams as Awake though not Vocally Verbally Locally nor Materially yet Spiritually for it is the Sensitive Spirits and not the Senses Gross Bodies or Parts that Travel into Forein Countries and Unknown Lands and make Voyages by Sea in Dreams do not we Hear and See in Dreams Lightning Thunder Wind Storms and Tempest Seas Billows Waves Ships Ship-wracks and are not we Drown'd in Dreams and do not we see Huge Precipices Barren Deserts Wide Forests and VVild Beasts and Serpents and other hurtfull Creatures and Indeavour to Escape and Avoid the Danger do not we feel Stinging Serpents and Flies Striking Tearing Clawing Biting Beasts as Sensibly in Dreams as Awake do not we see Flowry Meddows Low Vallies High Hills Corn-fields Green Meddows Grazing Pastures and Beasts Clear Springs Fruitfull Orchards and Small Villages Labouring Husbandmen Great Cities and Many People do not we see Light Colours Sun Moon Stars Clouds Rain Frost Snow Hail Shade Dawning Mornings and Closing Evenings in Dreams as Awake do not we see Fish Swim Birds Fly Beasts Run VVorms Creep in Dreams as Awake do not we see our Friends Living and our Friends Dying and those that be Dead in Dreams as Awake do not we feel Drought VVetness Heat Cold Itching Scratching Smarting Aking Biting Sickness in Dreams as Awake do not we hear all Warring Sounds and see all Warring Actions and feel all Warring
Miseries do not we see Courts Balls Masks Beauties Playes and Pastimes do not we see Musical Instruments and hear Harmonious Musick and Several Tunes Notes Airs Words Voices distinctly do not we see Feasts and Bankets and do not we Taste the several Meats distinctly not only Fish Flesh and Fowls but distinctly every Sort and Particular Taste of every Part also the Ingrediences of the Sauces and their Particulars in them and do not we Taste Bitter Salt Sour Sharp and Sweet distinctly in Dreams and the several Sorts of them and do not we Smell the several Perfumes that are by Art and Nature made as also the several Stinks in Dreams as Awake And for Desires and Ambitions would we have our Dead Friends Living have we not them in Dreams or can we See and Converse with Them or they to Us as if they were Alive but in Dreams nay in Dreams we may Rejoyce with Them Feast with Them Sport and Play with Them Ask their Advice or Give them Advice and the like would we have a Beautifull Mistress or many several Mistresses of different Beauties Behaviours Births Fortunes Wits and Humours have not we them in Dreams would we Injoy a Mistress do not we so in Dreams would we be Rich Noble Generous Valiant are not we so in Dreams would we see the Ruine of our Enemies do not we so in Dreams would we have our Enemies Dye or be Kill'd do not they Dye or are Slain in Dreams would we have Stately Palaces have not we so in Dreams would we Feed Luxuriously do not we so in Dreams would we Live Riotously do not we so in Dreams would we View our Selves as to see our Faces and Bodies do not we so in Dreams would we Ride Race Hunt Hawk and have the like Pastimes and Exercises do not we so in Dreams would we Win at Carts do not we so in Dreams would we Fight Duells and Battels and have Victory have not we Victory in Dreams would we Conquer all the VVorld do not we so in Dreams would we be Emperour to Rule and Govern all the World do not we so in Dreams But as I said that there are Pleasing and Delightfull Dreams so there are Displeasing and Fearfull Dreams and there is as much Trouble Disorder and Opposition in the Sleepy or Drowsie World and as much Discontent Faction Detraction Defamation Troubles and the like in this Dreaming Life as there is Method Order Agreement Praise Trust and the like therein yet for all that this Drowsie World and Dreaming Life is the Best of the three for can there be greater Pleasure in the Material World and Active Life than Rest to the VVeary Limbs and Sleep to the Tired Senses which have been Over-power'd with Gross Objects which have Laid Heavy Burthens on them or can we Injoy any thing so Easily Freely Suddenly without Actual Trouble as we do in Dreams or can we be Quit of all Sorts and Kinds of Trouble and Labour but by Sleep Wherefore if Dreams were but more Constant and of Longer Continuance and that we should alwayes Dream Pleasing Dreams the Greatest Happiness Next to the Blessed Life in Heaven were to Sleep and Dream for it would be much more Pleasant than the Elyfian Fields The Next VVorld and Life that were to be Preferr'd were the Poetical World and Contemplative Life but all the Senses are not Sensible in the Contemplative Life whereas all the Senses are as Sensible in the Dreaming Life as Awake the truth is the Poetical VVorld and Contemplative Life is rather a VVorld for the Thoughts and a Life for the Mind than the Senses yet if the Senses were as Sensible in Contemplation as in Dreams it would be the Best Life of all because it might make the Life what it Would and the Pleasures of that Life to Continue as Long and to Vary as Oft as it Thought Good and for the Poetical World or rather Worlds they would be a Delight to View as well as to Live in A Waking Oration of the former Sleepy Discourse Fellow Students OUr Brother in Learning or rather Dreaming hath Commended that which is an Enemy to Study viz. Sleeping and Dreaming wherefore in the Drowsie World and Dreaming Life there be no Scholars for they cannot Sleep to Study nor Dream so much as to be very Learn'd neither are there Poets for Poets Live altogether in their Own Poetical World and Contemplative Life neither are there Eloquent Orators for Dreams will be Faded before an Oration is half Spoken or else the Subject of their Oration will be Lost in the Variousness of Dreams neither can there be Pleaders at the Barr nor Preachers in the Pulpit for their Text and Cases may be altered in a moment of Time from Gospel to a Romancy from Law to Riot neither can there be Justice on Life and Death for by the Alteration of Dreams the Thief may Escape and the Honest man Hang or the Judge may Hang Himself neither can there be a Setled Government in Dreams for the Government may End in a Piece of a Dream or instead of a Common-wealth of Men be a Forest of Wild Beast neither can there be Wise Counsellours or Grave States-men for their Gray Faces and Gray Beards may be Chang'd into Monkies Faces and Goats-Beards and the Wise Counsellours in the midst of their Serious Advices may on a sudden Sing a Wanton Song or else there may Suddenly appear a Tumultuous Monster or a Monstrous Tumult where in a great Fright they will Run from their Council-Bord or Senate-House and as for School Arguments and Disputations they are quite Banished and for Lovers a Hundred to One that when a Dreaming Lover is Imbracing a Young Fair Lady she Suddenly turns into an Old Ill-favoured VVitch or for a Plump Smooth Smiling Venetian Courtisan he Chances to Imbrace Grim Death's Bare Ratling Bones which will Fright a Lover more than a Fair Mistress can Delight him And as for Dancing Balls and French Fiddles when the Gallants in Dreams are Dancing in Smooth Measures and with Fair Ladies and the Musick keeping Tune to the Dancing Time on a Sudden the Courtly Dancers or Dancing Courtiers turn Topsie Turvy Dancing with their Heads Downward and Heels Upward a very Unbecoming Posture for Fair-faced Ladies and as for the Musick that is quite out of Tune and the Fiddle-strings Broken and the Musicians as Mad as March-hares and many other such like Disorders Confusions and Extravagancies as Asses Heads or Bulls Horns set on Mens Bodies or a Wood-cocks Head to an Asses Tail as also Men turn'd to Beasts Birds and Fish also walking Woods and Trees but set aside the Extravagancies Deformities and Monstrosities in Dreams yet there are more Bad Dreams than Good more Fearfull than Delightfull more Troublesome than Quiet more Painfull than Easie Wherefore the Dreaming Life is a worse Life than any and the Drowsie or Sleepy World is only good for Dull Lasie Unprofitable Creatures and as the Dreaming Life is