Peace and Plenty as they have done with Me to whom I leave You and Him to you Farewell A Daughters Dying Speech to her Father FAther Farewell and may that Life that Issues from My young and tender Years be added to Your Age may all your Grief be Buried in my Grave and may the Joys Pleasures and Delights that did attend my Life be Servants unto Yours may Comfort Dry your Eyes God Cease your Sorrows that though I Die you may Live Happily Why do you mourn that Death must be your Son-in-Law since he is a Better Husband than any you could Choose me or I could Choose my Self it is a Match that Nature and the Fates have made Wherefore be Content for it is not in your Power to alter the Decrees of Fate for Destiny cannot be Opposed but if you could you would Rob me of the Happiness the Gods intend me for though my Body shall dwell with Death my Soul shall dwell in Heaven and Holy Angels that are my Marriage Guests will Conduct it to that Glory for which you have cause to Joy and not to Grieve for all Creatures Live but to Die but those that are Blessed Die to Live and so do I. Farewell A Souldiers Dying Speech to his Friends Dear Friends YOu are come to see me Die but I am sorry you shall see me Die in the Bed of Sloth and not in the Field of Action for now I shall Die like a Coward whereas had I Died in the Field of Warr I should have Died as a Valiant man indeed the Field of Warr is the Bed of Honour wherein all Valiant and Gallant men should Die but Fortune hath denied me that Honour she hath spar'd my Life to my Loss for those that Die in the Warrs have Greater Renowns and Gloriouser Fame than those that Die in Chambers of Peace for whatsoever Heroick Acts men have done for the most part Die if they Out-live them for such Actions Live by the Deaths of the Actors I do not say Alwaies but for the Most part which makes me fear the Service I have done my King and Country will Die with me and be Buried in Oblivions Grave yet should the Service I have done be quite Forgotten I should not Repent my Actions for Honourable persons and Gallant men should do what they Ought to do although they were certain Never to be Rewarded for though few men are Rewarded according to their Merits and many have Favour that did Never Merit a Reward so Unjust is the World Fortune and Fame yet their Injustice must not make men Unworthy but I have done my Part and Death will do His. Farewell A Dying Speech of a Loving Mistress to her Beloved Servant SErvant This day I should have been your Wife and so Your Servant as you have been Mine but Death hath Robbed Hymen of his Rights and now he Fights with Life which he will Overcome for Death is Conquerour of All and Triumphs in his Spoils Yet Death by taking my Life Prisoner will set your Person Free to choose an other Mistress to make a Wife in whose Imbraces I shall be Buried and utterly Forgotten I speak not this in Envy to Her Happiness nor Yours for Envy dwells with Life and not with Death nor am I Loth to Die nor Grieve to be Forgotten no not by those that I Loved most and equal with my Soul for those I Love I would not have them Mourn in Melancholy thoughts and Sad remembrance of my Death I only wish that She that you Love next may return Love again with as much Truth Constancy and Purity as I have Loved you and may she be the Glory of her Sex and Honour of her Husband and may you Live to Love each Other and Love to Live for One an others Sake may Nature Time Fortune Fate and the Gods joyn in your Happiness Farewell A Forein Travellers Dying Speech Dear Friends I Have Travelled Farr and have seen Much of the World and have gone Round about the World but now I shall Travel Out of the World from which I shall bring no News I shall not come back to Relate my Journies or to tell you what Strange Creatures there are in the Other World or what Dangers I escap'd or what Adventures I have made or what several Countries there are and which is good for Plantation or what Commodities there are or what Traffick there is or may be for though all Creatures are Transported yet no Returns are Sent back in Lieu of them unless we believe New-born Creatures are sent out of the Other World into This but that is not Probable because they are Made in this World and of the same Substances of the World But howsoever those that are Sent thither as by Sickness Casualties Fortune and Age Return no more wherefore I must take my Last leave of you for though I have been at the Confines of Death and am Return'd to my Friends again yet I never was in the Region of Death a place I never was Ambitious or Desirous to go to for though I had the Curiosity to see the several Countries Kingdomes and Places in the several parts of the World yet I never had the Curiosity to Travel into Death's Kingdome no nor to see the Mansions of the Gods which may be Accounted a Sin Indeed Travellers are accounted Atheistical but if they were yet when they come to Die they would change those Atheistical Opinions and as Bad as they are thought to be yet they are not Afraid of Death for then they would not Venture their Lives so Often as they do indeed Travellers have as Great Courage as Souldiers have and 't is believed as Little Religion but not so much Hate Envy Malice Revenge nor Covetousness unless they be Merchants nor they are not Robbers and Murderers they do not Take away mens Lives nor Goods as Souldiers do but of all men Travellers have most reason to Adore and Worship God Best for they see Most of his Wonderfull works which shew his Power Might Wisdome and Majesty the which makes his Creatures Admire him Praise him Fear him Love him and Pray to him as the Great Omnipotent Infinite Eternal Incomprehensible and Everlasting God to whom I Resign my Soul and Leave my Body to Death Farewell A Lovers Dying Speech to his Beloved Mistress Dear Mistress THough I must Die I leave my Life to Live with You for You are the Life of my Love and the Love of my Life you are the Palace of my Soul wherein it Lives and will Remain though Death doth take my Body hence for Souls Live though Bodies Die yet do not Drown my Soul in Tears nor Cloud it with your Sorrows but give it Light of Joy and Please it with your Kind remembrance But O my Jealous thoughts do Torture more my Mind than Pains of Death do Torture my Weak Body lest you should Banish the Love of Me to Entertain a Stranger which if you do the Gods
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
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
Delightfull Safe and Profitable Also one thing more I must advise you that you provide a Practick Judicious man to Instruct the Players to Act well for as they must have a Poet to make their Playes so they must have a Tutor to teach them to Act those Playes unless the Poet will take the pains to teach them himself as to Humour the Passions and to Express the Humours Naturally and not to Act after the French Fashion with High strained Voices Constrained Motions Violent Actions and such Transportation as is neither Gracefull Becoming nor Natural but they must make Love Soberly Implore Favour Humbly Complain Seriously Lament Sadly and not Affectedly Fantastically Constraintly Ragingly Furiously and the like all which in my Opinion they do Senselesly Foolishly and Madly for all Feignings must be done as Naturally as may be that they may seem as Real Truths SEVERAL CAUSES PLEADED IN SEVERAL COURTS OF JUDICATURE PART IV. Accusing and Pleading at the Barr before the Judges for and against a Woman that hath kill'd her Husband Most Reverend Judges The Plaintiff THis Woman who is Accused not only for Killing a Man but her Husband we have for this Grievous and Horrid Fact brought before your Honours to be Judged according to the Laws delivering her to your Justice and Judgement Defendant Most Reverend and Just Judges 'T is true that this Unhappy Woman hath unfortunately Kill'd her Husband but Heaven knows it was Against her Will and as I may say Against her Knowledge for her Husband and She being Lovingly together not Mistrusting any Danger on a sudden came a Man who as it seems was her Husbands Enemy for he assaulted her Husband with a drawn Sword this Woman seeing her Husband in Danger as being Unarmed and Defenceless was so afrighted as she knew not what she did Wherefore she having got a Dagger which lay in the Room they were in and thinking to thrust it into her Husbands Enemy Unawares thrust it into her Husbands Body wherewith he fell down and immediately Died which when she saw and perceived the mistake she was as Distracted and at last fell into a Trance but being Recovered out of that faint Fit she hath since remain'd a most Sorrowfull and Lamenting Widdow I Express her Sorrow to prove her Innocence from all Evil Constructions for the Death of her Husband was not Designed or Intended by her but by Fate and Fortune and it is the Duty of a Loving Wife to defend her Husbands Honour Person and Life with all her Indeavours and if the success of her Honest Loyal and Loving indeavours falls out unfortunately She ought not to be Punished for her Misfortune for Misfortune is no Crime but rather to be Pitied and Comforted either can Justice make Misfortune a Law to Condemn to Dye and shall Duty and Loyalty be made Traitors shall Honest Love be Punished with Torments and Death No Most Reverend Judges Love and Loyalty ought to be Honoured with Praise and Respect and not with Torments and Death and the Death of this VVomans Husband was caused by a maskered Fear proceeding from an Extraordinary Love Thus his Death was a Chance not an Intended Murder Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges there can be no Witness of the Intention but her own Knowledge and Conscience which are Invisible and not Proveable and therefore Insufficient to Acquit Her but that which is a Sufficient VVitness against her Intention and may lawfully Condemn her is her indeavour to Resist the Judgement and Sentence of Death for all Good Loyal and Loving VVives ought nay desire to Live and Dye with their Husbands when as they be free from all Suspect wherefore much more ought they to accompany their Husbands in Death who are liable to be Judged and Condemned for Treason and Murder for as it is Unlawfull and Irreligious for to Act her own Death so it is Dishonourable and Impious to Indeavour to resist the Judgement of Death by Lawfull Authority Pleading by her Lawyers most shamefully for Life Defendant Most Reverend Judges It is not that she Desires to Live but not to Dye Infamously as to Dye as a Murderer of her Husband for though her Husband was Kill'd by her Hand yet he was not Kill'd by her Intention but by Chance which misfortune makes her Life a Torment to her for being so unhappy as Unwittingly to Destroy him which her Life did most Delight with but yet she would if she could rather Live Miserably than Dye Dishonourably for in her Dishonourable Death both She and her Husband doth doubly Dye Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges It were better Two Persons should Dye Four times over than such a Crime should be Once Pardoned for the Example will be more Dangerous than to have an Innocent Condemned would be Grievous But it is most probable She is Guilty A Cause of Adultery Pleaded at the Barr before Judges Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Man and a Woman that were Taken in Adultery and brought hither to be judged that they may Suffer according to the Law which is Death Defendant Most Reverend Judges This Adulteress and Adulterer for so in truth they are although the Woman is ashamed to confess in Words only in silent Tears yet the man confesseth his fault publickly and asks pardon only he says it is a Natural fault for the desire of Procreation is Born and Bred in all Nature's Animal Creatures it is an Orginal Appetite but whether it be an Original Sin he says he doth not know yet if it be it may more justly be Pardoned than Gluttony which was the cause of Mans Fall witness Eve and the forbidden Fruit and that Damnable Sin Gluttony that destroyes many Lives through Surfeits the Law takes no notice of but Procreation that begets and makes Life is Punish'd by the Law which seems strange to Reason that Cursed Gluttony should be Advanced and Loving Adultery Hang'd Indeed it is a great Injustice at least a grievous Law and surely our Forefathers that made that Law were Defective either in Bodies or Minds or at least in Judgement and though I confess it is not fit we should break or dissolve those Laws howsoever Erroneous they are that our Predecessors made yet we their Posterities and Successors may Sweeten or Qualifie the Extreme Rigor of their Laws as in this Case of Adultery to Punish the Bodies but to Spare their Lives or to Fine their Estates and Spare their Bodies for if the Rigor of the Law should be put in Execution in all Cases and to all Persons there would no man be Free either in his Estate Person or Life but howsoever this Male-offender my Client sayes that if he must Dye yet he shall not Dye Basely or Dishonourably by reason he shall Dye Loves Martyr As for the Femal offender She sayes that she was seduced by Nature as Eve by the Devil and Women being of Soft and Tender Dispositions do easily yield to an Inticing Appetite besides men being Eloquent in Perswading Prevalent
will Punish you for your Inconstancy But pardon this my Jealousie for Doubts proceed from Love and your Virtue is the Anchor of my Hopes and Haven of Security in which my Love lives safe Farewell A Sons Dying Speech to his Father FAther I have been an Unprofitable Son for I shall Die a Batchelour and so leave you no Posterity to keep alive your Name and Family which is a Double Grief both to your Self and Me indeed to Me it is a Treble Grief because the Fault is only Mine loving Vain Pleasures and Liberty so much as made me unwilling to be Bound in Wedlock Bonds believing that a Wife would be a Hinderance to those Delights that Pleas'd me besides I trusted to my Youth and Health thinking I had time Enough to Marry and Increase also I thought that very Young men's Children would prove but Weak and Sickly in Body and Mind thus did I bring many Arguments to Live a Batchelour untill such time as I had more Maturity of Years and then I did intend to Choose a VVife with your Consent or else Consent to Marry whom you Pleas'd but Death will alter that Design and you and I must both Submit to Heavens Decree Yet have I this to Comfort me that you did never Command me to Marry wherefore my Fault was not a Fault of Disobedience for I never Disobey'd you all my Life which makes me Die in Peace Farewell A Young Virgins Dying Speech Dear Friends I Do Perceive that Holy Angels hover about my Soul to Bear it to the Gods when parted from my Body a Virgin 's Soul it is Cloth'd with white Innocency and so fitter for their Company as also for the Robe of Glory which the Gods will give me As for my Body though it be Young yet is it only fit for Death as being Due to him for that was made of Earth and Death is Lord of all the Earth doth Form Breed and Bring forth but Souls being of an other Nature those that are Celestial Proceeding from the Gods do to the Gods Return whereas Wicked Souls that are Damned and Proceed not from the Gods but from the Damned Spirits Return to the Damned crew again for all is Good that doth Proceed from God and though the Best of Souls doth Sin yet God doth give them Purging Grace that Cleanses them from Evil which Grace hath Purified my Soul and made it Fit for Heaven where I do wish all Souls may come Farewell A Husbands Dying Speech to his Wife VVIfe Farewell for Death will Break our Marriage knot and will Divorce our Persons but not Dissolve our Love unless you be Inconstant for Death hath not that Power to Disunite our Souls for they may Live and Love Eternally but if you Marry a Second Husband you separate our Loves as Death will separate our Bodies for in that Marriage-bed you will Bury all Remembrance of me and so shall I doubly Die and doubly be Buried for your second Husband will be my second Death but if you Live a Widdow you will keep me stil Alive both in your Name and Memory where I desire to Live untill your Body Dies and then our Souls will meet with Joy Delight and Happiness till then Farewell A common Courtisans Dying Speech KInd Friends and Wanton Lovers when I was in Health you came to view my Beauty to hear my Voice and to Injoy my Person in Amorous Imbraces and all for your own Pleasures and Delights but I did Entertain such Visitors more for the Lucre of Profit than for the Pleasures of Love more for your Presents than your Persons the truth is I was more Covetous of Wealth than Amorously Affected not but that I took Pleasure in seeing my Beauty Admired and hearing my Wit Prais'd and took delight to insnare mens Affections with my Attractive Graces and was Proud of the Power I had by Nature's Favour yet that Power I only imploy'd to Inrich my Self that I might Live Bravely and Luxuriously or to Hord up to maintain me when I was Old But O those Covetous desires and Vain delights have Ruined both my Body and Soul in Grievous Pains I Live and should Despairing Die but that the Gods are Mercifull and Pardon Penitent Sinners for if I were to Live I would not Live that Life I have done not only for my Souls sake but for my Bodies for had I thought of Death or could imagine the Pains that now I feel the Pocky rotting Pains that Torture my weak Body I should have been less Covetous of Wealth and more Carefull of Health I should not have made my Beauty Wit and becoming Graces and Adornments to intice Customers to buy Sinfull Pleasures or had I thought of the Joys in Heaven I should have Despised all worldly Delights or had I fear'd the Torments of Hell I should have Spent my time in Prayers and not in Courtships But Life is almost Past with me for Death hath strucken me with his VVand so that I cannot Live to Mend but Die to be Forgiven for I do truly and unfeignedly Repent Farewell A Vain young Ladies Dying Speech Dear Friends YOu are Charitable in Visiting the Sick a Charity that I did seldome Practise for when I was in Health I was so taken up with Vanities and worldly Pleasures as I could never Spare so much time as to Visit a sick Friend neither was I Charitable to the Poor as to help to Relieve their Wants for I spent so much on my Braveries as I left not any thing to give unto the Poor indeed I did shun Visiting the Sick because they put thoughts of Death in my Mind which thoughts did disturb my Mind and obstruct my Delights but if I had thought of Death more and had Visited the Sick oftner I had never Liv'd so Idlely nor Spent my time so Unprofitably nor had been so Foolishly Vain as I have been for I regarded nothing but Beauty Fashions Dressing Dancing Feasting Courtships and Bravery I never thought of Heaven nor Read holy Books of Divinity but only lying Romances and my Contemplation was all of Wanton Love 'T is true I went Often to Church but not to Pray but to be Pray'd to not as a Saint but as a Mistress I may say as a Sinner for I went not to Church for Instruction but for Destruction more for to Shew my Beauty than to Reform my Life more to get VVanton Lovers than to get Saving Grace I listned not to what the Preachers taught but look'd which of the Gallants eyed me Thus did I increase and multiply Sins under the Veil of Devotion for which I deserve great and grievous Punishments but the Gods are mercifull and will Forgive me for now I do more Hate Vanities than ever I did Love them and all my Evil thoughts are Banished from my mind indeed Death hath frighted all such thoughts away and Pious thoughts do take their place and as the Gods come neer the VVorld shrinks from me as Guilty of these Sins
Bridegroom Beloved Brethren WE are met together as Bridal-Guests to see this Young Man and Woman Married who are to be Bound Tied and Manacled with Holy Ceremony Vows and Promises yet all too little to Tie some Couples Fast for many do not only Loosen those Bonds with taking Unlawfull Liberty but quite Break them by Divorce which shews the Unruliness and Untowardness of Married People or else it shews the Unsufferable Condition of a Married Life and yet for all the Proofs Trials and Examples of the Evils that are in Marriage Men and VVomen will take no VVarning for not only Maids and Batchelours but VViddows and VViddowers run Head-long into the Noose or Marriage Halter I do not say this to Discourage this Young Couple but to Advise them when they are Married to Live Temperately Prudently Lovingly and Peaceably that they may not Surseit their Fond and Eager Appetites which Causes the Sickness of Aversion and Death of Affection or Prodigally VVaste their Maintenance or Idlely Spend their Time for Poverty breaks Friendship and turns neer Friends to Foes nor Live Inconstantly for that makes Jealousie and Jealousie Hate nor Live Quarrelsome for that makes Faction Faction Division and Division Divorce whereas Temperance makes Constancy Prudence Plenty Love keeps Peace and Peace makes Happiness which Happiness I wish this Young Couple and so I will Joyn their Hands Praying that God will Joyn their Hearts with an United Love and Felicity A Marriage-Oration to a Congregation and an Old Bride and Young Bridegroom Beloved Brethren VVE are met together as MarriageGuests to see this Couple Married together although it be an Unequal match the Bride being Aged and the Bridegroom Young She too Old for him and He too Young for her which shews as if She wanted VVit and He VVealth but I hope neither of them will want that Love which ought to be betwixt a Man and VVife I say not this to Hinder their Marriage for if They do Agree every one ought to Approve it and if they should not Agree None will Suffer but Themselves either in the Opinion of their Neighbours and Friends or in their Own Discontents for their Neighbours will Censure Both as if She was too Amorous for her Age and He too Covetous for his Youth and that Time will Cool the One and Riot Consume the Other which if it prove so you will wish one another Dead but not Love one another Living whereas when you Agree Kindly and Live Orderly you will be Prais'd VVorthily and so much the More as being Unusual and therefore not Expected for who would not believe but that an Old Wife should be Jealous and a Young Husband VVanton or who will believe an Old Wife to be Pleasing and a Young Husband Continent But this true Pleasure and Constancy I wish you and will Joyn your Hands Praying for your Happiness A Marriage-Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and Aged Bridegroom Beloved Brethren HEre is a Loving Aged Man and a Chast Young VVoman to be Joyn'd in Holy Matrimony which shews the Man to have Courage the Woman to be Prudent for surely it is very Dangerous for an Aged man to Marry a Young Woman especially an Handsome Young Woman not only that Youth is apt to be Inconstant and Loves Variety but Youth and Beauty is a Temptation to Amorous Lovers which will lay Siege and make Assaults indeavouring with all their Flattery Bribes Vanity and Prodigality to Corrupt Betray and Win her But she is Prudent to Choose an Expericed man Preferring VVisdome before Youth VVit before Beauty Love before Courtship and Temperance before Pleasure all which Fore-shews she will make a Chast Wife which will keep her Husbands Love and her Own Reputation which Love and Chastity will make them Happy and both will make them Honourable to which Respect and Happiness I Joyn them inseparably A Marriage-Oration of two Poor Servants Beloved Brethren YOu have attended these two Poor Servants to the Church as their Bridal-Guests to VVitness their Lawfull Marriage by which you do them Honour and if you will also do them Good you will bestow on them an Offering for though each Person should give but a Small Gift yet in the whole Summ it will be Great to them so that it will not be Mist in your Purses and yet be a Benefit to their Lives for it may make them Rich and your selves not Poor but if you give them not Any they may nevertheless by their Industry Thrive for as they have VVrought Honestly for their Master and Mistress so they will Labour Honestly for Themselves and as their Master did Thrive by their Service so they Hope to Thrive in Serving themselves and so in time they may become Master and Mistress to Servants as they were Servants to Master and Mistress for Prudent Industry and Thrifty Sparing makes the Poor Rich and Riches doth Advance them to Honour whereas Carelesness Riot and Vain Expenses make Rich men Poor and Noble men Mean so that in time Labouring Peasants and Thriving Citizens Posterities come to be Rich Men and Great Lords when as the Posterity of Rich Men and Great Lords through their Prodigality comes to be Poor Labouring men and Slaves for Heaven Blesses the Industry of the Poor but Punishes the Riot of the Rich which Blessing be upon This Couple and so let us Joyn their Hands with Holy Ceremony and Heaven Joyn their Hearts with Love ORATIONS TO CITIZENS In the Market-Place PART X. An Oration against Excess and Vanity Fellow Citizens I Observe great Excess in Stately and Chargeable Buildings Rich and Costly Furnishings Vain Adornings Wastefull Feasting Idle Enter taining and Unprofitable Attendances and the like Vanities First for your Building you Build not only for Conveniency and Decency but for State and Magnificence and you Build not only Large and High as if you would Spread to the Circumference of the Earth and Ascend to the Mansions of the Gods but you Indeavour to Work beyond Nature for Curiosities in Cutting Carving Ingraving and Painting to the Life also you Dig to the Abyfs as to the Centre of the Earth for several Materials as Diverse sorts of Stones and Metalls and Indeavour to make your Palaces to Out-shine the Sun with Gold wherein you waste so much Gold and Silver in Vain and Improfitable Gilding and Interlaying that there is not Enough left to make Coyn for Traffick also your Stately Building doth not only Ruine your Posterity leaving them more Houses than Land but you Ruine the Poor inclosing the Land with your VValls and filling up Lands with Houses whereas Corn and Fruits should Grow thus you Tread upon the Bellies Backs and Heads of the Poor And as for your Rich and Costly Furniture it Cost much and VVears out soon yielding no Profit for the Principal of so much Money is VVasted and no Use made thereof Secondly for your Feasting wherewith you Eat rather to be Sick than to Prolong Life you Spoil more than you
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