Diuine Doctrine counselleth the holy Virgin Demetrias to eschew idlenesse Exhorting her withall that hauing done her prayers shee should take in hand wooll and weauing after the commendable example of Dorcas that by such change or variety of workes the day might seeme lesse tedious and the assaults of Satan lesse grieuous concluding his deuout Exhortation with this definite position I speake generally no rayment ornament or habit whatsoeuer shall seeme precious in Christs sight but that which thou makest thy selfe either for thine owne peculiar vse or example of other Virgins or to giue vnto thy Grand-mother or thy Mother no though thou distribute all thy goods vnto the poore See how strictly this holy Father proceeds with his religious Daughter Yet was this Demetrias to whom he addreâ—â—ed this his exhortation a Noble Lady not one whom pouerty did enforce to actions of such necessity but one honourably descended richly endowed powerfully friended Let this Lady be your Patterne her action your direction her obedience your instruction that you may share with her in a peacefull dissolution Entertaine no time without some deuout taske reflect vpon the Noblenesse of your descent ennoble it with excellence of desert For you must know true honour is not wonne Vntill some honourable deed be done Waste not prodigally the precious Lampe of your life without some vertuous action that may purchase loue Your time is lesse than a minute in respect of eternity employ that minute so as it may eternize your memory Let this bee your highest taske to promote the honour of your Maker esteeming all things else a slauish and seruile labour THere is nothing which requires more discretion AFFECTION than how to behaue or carry our selues while we are enthralled to affection The Louer is euer blinded saith wise Platâ— with affection towards his beloued Reason is laid asleepe while Sense becomes the master Wooer Whence came that vsuall saying One cannot loue and be wise But I wholly oppose my selfe to their assertion who seeme thus farre transported with the sensuall opinion of affection My Tenet is One cannot truely loue and not be wise It is a Beldam frenzy and no fancy which giues way to fury and admits not reason to haue soueraignty Yet in this Subiect Gentlewomen is your temper best tryed your discretion most required and your Patience oft-times most exercised Looke therefore how you plant it lest you bootlesly repent it when it is misplaced It is most certaine there is nothing more impatient of delay than loue nor no wound more incurable while we liue There is no exemption all haue a taste of this Potion though it haue seuerall degrees of operation Looke all about you who so young that loues not Or who so old a comely feature moues not Yet what different passions arise from one and the selfe-same Subiect Heere Gentlewomen you shall see some of your Sexe so surprized with affection as it bursts out into violent extremes BEHAVIOR their discourse is semi-breu'd with sighes their talke with teares they walke desperately forlorne making Launds and desolate Groues their disconsoâ—ate Consorts Their eyes are estrang'd from sleepe their weakened appetite from repast their wearied limbs from repose Melancholly is their sole melody They haue made a Contract with griefe till griefe bring them to their graue And these poore wenches are much to be pittied because their owne tender hearts brought them to this exigent hauing either set their affections where they thought verily they might bee requited and were not or else where they receiued like seeming tender of affection but afterwards reiected what they wished to effect they could not So as in time if continuance of absence reduce them not to a better temper they fall into a poore Maudlins distemper by giuing raines to passion till it estrange them from the soueraignty of reason Whereas others you shall see though not such kind soules nor halfe so passionate yet more discreet in their Choyce and in the passages of loue more temperate These will not deigne to cast a loose looke vpon their beloued but stand so punctually vpon their termes as if they stood indifferent for their choyce albeit constantly resolued neuer to admit of any change These scorne to paint out their passions in plaints or vtter their thoughts in sighes or shed one dispassionate teare for an incompassionate Louer Their Experience hath taught them better Notions they wil seemingly fly to make them follow and so take them by whom they are most taken They can play with the flame and neuer cinge their wings looke loue in the face and preserue their eyes conuerse where they take delight and colour their affection with a seeming disdaine These are they who can walke in the Clouds to their intimatest friends make their eyes strangers to their hearts and conclude nothing more foolish than Loue if discouered nothing more wise if artfully shadowed But I neither approue the violence of the former nor indifference of the latter The one interlayeth affection with too much passion the other with too much dissimulation These were well to bee so allayed or attempered as neither too much eagernesse taxe the discretion nor too much remisnesse argue coolenesse of affection For the former I must tell them they giue great aduantage to an insulting Louer to ' entertaine Loue with such vehement ardour it fares with these as with hot duellists who fight themselues out of breath and so subiect their relenting force to the command of a better tempered enemy For the latter they hold constantly that position in arguments of Loue as well as in other actions of their life She knowes not how to liue nor how to loue that knowes not how to dissemble I must tell these Dissimulation sorts not well with affection Louers seldome read Loues Polliticks Let them appeare what they are with that discreet temper as they may deserue the embraces of a Noble Louer In briefe let such as are too hot in the quest of their desires attemperate that heat with intermissions such violence is best rebated by absence Contrariwise such as are too coole let them quicken that easinesse with their more frequent conference and assiduate presence VVHat a furious and inconsiderate thing is Woman PASSION when Passion distempers her how much is her Behauiour altered as if Iocasta were now to be perâ—onated True it is some with a bite of their lip can snppresse an intended reuenge and like dangerous Politicians pleasingly entertaine time with one they mortally hate till oportunity vsher reuenge which they can act with as much hostility as if that very moment were the Actor of their iniury But this Passion neuer workes more tragicke of fearefull effects than when it streames from Iealousie or Competition in the Subiect where they loue Whereof wee haue variety of instances euen in our owne Iland to omit Italy which is a very Theatre of Tragicke Conclusions in this kinde It is not long since we had
portrature she made for her selfe directed her eye to the picture of vertue and pointing thereat with her finger vsed this Imprezza That picture is my posture Truth is shee that makes vertue her obiect cannot but make euery earthly thing her subiect Yea there is nothing shee weares which she makes not a morall vse of to better her selfe Her very attire puts her in minde of what she was before she needed it and how breach of obedience necessitated her to weare it Shee will not therefore pride her selfe in her shame nor glorifie her selfe in the couer of sinne Shee cannot eye her selfe with any selfe-loue seeing she lost her selfe by affecting that which she ought not to loue Her head-tyre puts her in minde of the helmet of sâ—luation her stomacher of the brest-plate of righteousnesse her partlâ—t of the shield of faith her very shooes of the sandals of peace In this Tabernacle of earth shee is euery day nearer her port of rest for her discourse is euer seasoned with discretion winged with deuotion and graced by her owne conuersation She is none of these who are Saints in their tongues but Deuils in their liues Shee propounds nought fit to be done which shee confirmes not with her owne action Againe for her actions shee is free from publike scandall as her whole life is a golden rule of direction a continued precept of instruction In a word she considers from whence she came her descent was noble and this she graceth with noble vertues Her house must receiue no dishonor froÌ„ her but an ample testimony of a deseruing successour Let this Idaea Gentlewomen be your Patterne Pure is the Cloath you weare let no staine of yours blemish it no Moath of deserued detraction eat into it Many of your Sexe though highly borne haue so blemished the honour of that house from whence they came and corrupted that noble blood from which they sprung as their memory rots yet their infamy liues Againe others there haue beene who though obscurely borne yet by those eminent vertues which did adorne them those Diuine parts which did truly ennoble them they became enlightners of their obscurity filling Annals with their glorious memory Imitate these relinquish those Honour is not worth receiuing vnlesse it be entertained by one that is deseruing yea how many haue incurred disgrace by dis-esteeming vertue when they were aduanced to highnesse of place Nay how many while they liued obscure liued secure and preserued their good names who afterwards by becomming great lost that priuate esteeme which before they possest So hard it is to encounter with honour and euery way returne a sauer Seeing then no Cloath takes such deepe tincture as the Cloath of Honour Let no vicious aspersion spot it no corrupt affection staine it lest by being once blemished it bring that honour into contempt which before you retained LAndmarkes are vsually erected for direction of the Mariner Honourable Personages should be Presidents of goodnesse Epictet and Magistrates elected for instruction of the inferiour The keele of mans life being euer more laden with vanity than verity and more chilled with the bitter gusts of affliction then cheered with the soule-solacing drops of true consolation is euer tossed with contraâ—y windes neither without the helpe of some expert Pilot can poore deluded man arriue safely at the Port where he would be Pride transports him auarice infects him riot corrupts him sensuality secures him anger distempers him enuy consumes him idlenesse duls him Thus becomes he piece-meale diuided from himselfe because he reflects not with a pure and impartiall eye vpon himselfe What great need stands he in then of direction in this Maze of misery vale of vanity He portraid him well who in the description of him stil'd him a story of calamity a statue of infelicity He is fraile in resisting prone to falling slow in rising Examples then were vsefull to conduct him in his â—ournall And who more fit to be these Presidents than such whom an honourable descent hath ennobled or Princes fauour aduanced It is not for these to entertaine any seruile or degenerate affection nor to â—arbour one mutinous thought against the soueraignty of reason To be a Lady of honour is more then titular She is onely eminent who makes euery action of her life a vertuous president Goodnesse must be infused in her blood that descent may partake of desert Now there be three especiall obiects vpon which they are to reflect Charity Chastity Humility An honourable minde is best showne in her Liberall and compassionate exhibition to such whose necessities require reliefe Yea she loues those best to whom these arguments of bounty are in highest measure exprest She auerts not her eare from the needy beggar she will shew him all fauour for his image or feature She holds it an vnbeseeming state to entertaine a sowre looke where noble pitty should beget in her a compassionate loue She is so daily and duely inured to workes of mercy as shee ioyes in no obiect more than occasion of bounty Shee considers and this she Diuinely applies vnto her selfe how nought but vanity is to be attributed to them retaine they neuer so much earthly glory on them who dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the Moath Iob 4. 19. Silken vanity cannot delude her nor any opinionate conceit of her owne estate transport her Her minde is not subiect to wauering nor her walke to wandring Be her life long her goodnesse becomes improued be it short her desires are crowned Neither reserues shee the gleanings for him that is Master of the Haruest Pouerty appeare it neuer so despicable to her eye it conueyes compassion to her heart Shee giues Almes of the best for his sake whom shee loues best A miserable minde she hates for she conceiues how nothing can be better worth enioying than a liberall desire of disposing which she expresseth with that cheerefull alacrity as it inhanceth the value of her bounty Thus shee liues in a free and absolute command of what she enioyes with an hand no lesse open than her heart that action might second her pious intention Neither is the true Nobility of her minde lesse discerned by her loue to Chastity Pure bee her thoughts and vnstained The Sanctuary of her heart is solely dedicated to her Maker it can find no roome for an inordinate affection to lodge in Shee knowes not how to throw out her loue-attracting Lures nor to expose the glorious beauty of her soule to shame A moments staine must not blemish her state Shee will not therefore giue her eye leaue to wander lest it should betray her honour to a treacherous intruder How weak proue those assaults which her home-bred enemies prepare against her Her looke must bee set on a purer Obiect than vanity Shee will not eye it lest shee should be taken by it Her Discourse must be of a better subiect than vanity She will not treat
play the Handmaid the Handmaid the Mistresse is a great abuse There can be no successe in that family where the houshold is mannaged so disorderly O restraine your affections limit your desires beare an equall hand to the better part The Building cannot stand vnlesse you remoue the rubbish from the foundation The Soule in the body is like a Queene in her Palace If you would then haue this little Common-wealth within you to flourish you must with timely prouidence suppresse all factious and turbulent molesters of her peace your passions especially those of vaine-glory must bee restrained motiues to humility cherished chast thoughts embraced all deuious and wandring Cogitations excluded that the soule may peaceably enioy her selfe and in her Palace liue secured Whereto if you obiect that this is an hard lesson you cannot despise the world nor hate the flesh tell mee where are all those louers of the world cherishers of the flesh which not long since were among vs Nothing now remaineth of them but dust and wormes Consider diligently for this consideration will be a Counterpoize to all vaine-glory what they now are and what they haue beene Women they were as you are they haue eat drunke laughed spent their dayes in iollity and now in a moment gone downe to hell Here their flesh is apportioned to wormes there their soules appointed to hell fire till such time as being gathered together to that vnhappy society they shall be rowled in eternall burnings as they were before partakers with them in their vices For one punishment afflicteth whom one loue of sinne affecteth Tell mee what profiteth them their vaine-glory short ioy worldly power pleasure of the flesh euill got wealth a great family and concupiscence arising carnally Where now is their laughter Where their iests Where their boasting Where their arrogance From so great ioy how great heauinesse After such small pleasure how great vnhappinesse From so great ioy they are now fallen into great wretchednesse grieuous calamity vnsufferable torments What hath befallen them may befall you being Earth of Earth slime of slime Of Earth you are of Earth you liue and to Earth you shall returne Take this with you for an infallible position in these your Cottages of Corruption If you follow the flesh you shall be punished in the flesh if you be delighted in the flesh you shall be tormented in the flesh for by how much more your flesh is cockered in this world with all delicacy by so much more shall your soules bee tormented in hell eternally If you seeke curious and delicate rayments for the beauty and brauery of your rayments shall the moath bee laid vnder you and your Couering shall bee Wormes And this shall suffice to haue beene spoken touching Delicacy of Apparell we are now to descend briefly to the second branch Superfluity whereof we intend to discourse with that breuity as the necessity of the Subiect whereof wee treat shall require and the generality of this spreading malady may enforce DIuine is that saying Superfluity of Apparell and well worthy your retention The couetous person before he gaine loseth himselfe and before hee take ought is taken himselfe He is no lesse wanting to himselfe in that which hee hath than in that which hee hath not Hee findes that hee lost not possesseth that hee owes not detaines that he ought not and hates to restore what hee iniuriously enioyes So vnbounded is the affection or rather so depraued is the auaritious mans inclination as hee cannot containe his desires within bounds nor enter parley with reason hauing once slaued his better part to the soueraignty of a seruile affection This may appeare euen in this one particular Food and rayment are a Christians riches wherein he vseth that moderation as hee makes that Apostolicall rule his Christian direction Hauing food and rayment I haue learned in all things to be contented But how miserably is this golden rule inuerted by our sensuall worldling Competency must neither be their Cater in the one nor Conueniency their Tayler in the other Their Table must labour of variety of dishes and their Wardrobe of exchange of raiments No reason more probable than this of their naked insides which stand in need of these superfluous additaments What myriads of indisposed houres consume these in beautifying rotten tombes How curious they are in suiting their bodies how remisse in perferring their soules suit to their Maker How much they are disquieted in their choyce how much perplexed in their change how irresolute what they shall weare how forgetfull of what they were This edging suits not that pirle sorts not this dressing likes not off it must after all be fitted and with a new Exchange lesse seemely but more gaudy suited The fashion that was in prime request but yesterday how it begins to disrellish the wearer as if it had lost the beauty by vnseasonable weather thus is fashion fallen into a quotidian Feuer See our compleatest Fashionmongers how much they tyre themselues with their attiring how they trouble themselues with their trimming It seemes wonderfull to me that they are not wholly crushed with that onerous burthen with which they are pressed What a shop of guga nifles hang vpon one backe Here the remainder of a greater worke the reliques of an ancient Mannor conuerted to a pearle Chaine There the moity of an ill-husbanded demaine reduced to a Carknet Long traines must sweepe away long acres the Epidemicall vanity of this age doth exact it and shee is held least worthy affecting that doth least affect it What sayes my delicate Madam Is it for one of my ranke or descent to affect what is vulgar how then should I become popular I confesse we are all composed of one Earth yet is there to bee presupposed a difference in our birth Were it fitting that I should fall off either from that delicacy which is generally approued or that variety which is by our more generous formalists applauded What auailes a mighty fortune to a miserable disposer Or braue meanes where a base mind is the dispenser Apparell must be with delicacy sorted variety suited or the dignity of the person be it neuer so conspicuous will be obscured Admit variety be meere superfluity at worst it is but the ages vanity which is such an vniuersall malady as it pleads exemption without farâ—â—â—r apology Whereto I answer it is true the 〈◊〉 labours of this disease where the eye becomes a determiner of our worth by the outward habit which wee weare It reflects not on what is in vs but what is on vs. She is not to be accounted a Court visitant who restraines her selfe either in her choyce of deliâ—acy or variety of habit What then Shall a vitious or effeminate age depraue your iudgement Or a corrupt time depriue you of iudgement No you haue more absolute perfections within you than to be blemished with these imperfections which you too frequently carry about you The more you display your pye-coloured
one matchlesse President of this stampe It sometimes pleased a young Gentlewoman whose fortunes had swell'd her high to settle her affection on a Gentleman of deseruing parts which he entertained with a generous requitall nothing was omitted that might any way increase this respect or second the height of their ioyes Continuall resort and frequent made them inseparably one No day so pleasing as when they were together No houre so tedious as when they were asunder But how short is that moment of vading happinesse which hath in it a rellish of lightnesse and is not grounded on essentiall goodnesse Long had they not thus liued and sociably loued but the Gentlewoman conceiued some priuate suspition that her selfe was not sole soueraignesse of his heart but that another was become sharer in his loue Neither was this Competitrice whom shee suspected any other than her owne attendant whose Caskets shee secretly opened where she found a Ring of especiall note which shee had formerly bestowed on him This confirmed her Conceit changed her reall loue into mortall hate which shee seconded with this tragicke act Inuiting him one day to a Summer Arbour where in former times they were vsually wont to repose amidst of an amorous discourse she casually fixt her eye vpon three Lennets one whereof picking some priuet leaues purposely to build her neast flew away while the two which remained louingly billed one with another which she intentiuely obseruing vsed these words How tenderly and intimately doe those poore fooles mate it Were it not pitty they should euer be diuided Which words she had no sooner vttered then the Shee-Lennet flew away and left the Male alone till another returned with whom the Hee-Lennet billed and amorously wooed as hee had done before Which shee more seriously eying O quoth shee How light these males are in their affection This may seemâ— to you an easie error but were I Iudge of Birds it should receiue due censure Why Lady replyed hee These poore Birds doe but according to their kinde Yea but what doe ye kind men then who ingage your loues interest your selues empawne your soules to bee constant where you professe loue and performe nothing lesse than what you professe most Nor would her long intended reuenge admit more liberty to her tongue for with a passionate enterbreath shee clozed this speech with a fatall stabbe leauing so much time to her vnfortunate and disasterous Louer as to discouer to one of that sorrowfull family the ground of her hate the occasion of his fall which hastned on the dolefull Scene of her Tragedy Now to allay or abate these passionate furies there is no better meanes than to enter parley with reason to chastise all such innouating motions as disquiet the inward repose of the mind to vse the helpe of such wholesome instructions as may attemper the heat of those indisposed and inordinate passions Anger being an inflammation of blood about the heart is such a fury as to giue way to it is to disclaime reason much wisedome is then required mature aduice to bee vsed all assistants of Art and Nature to be employed before this Adder can be charmed For wee shall hardly see any one more forget themselues than when they are surprized with this Passion Some you shall obserue so amazed or entranced as they become wholly silenced They cannot vtter an articulate word to gaine a kingdome Gladly would they expresse their distaste and menace reuenge if their tongues would giue them leaue but wrath hath tyed them to good behauiour Others are so voluble of tongue as nothing can passe them vntouch'd to asperse disgrace on such by whom they hold themselues wrong'd If any infamy which to that time lay buried offer it selfe to their memory how they ioy in the occasion of venting their malice on their persons be their Calumny seconded with words of fowlest aspersion Which sort of people the euerliuing Pindarus termes persons of vnbounded and vnbrideled tongues To remedy which enormities take along with you these instructions they will benefit you much in the height and heat of your anger and allay your passion when it rageth and riseth into hugest distemper Forthwith so soone as you shall perceiue your selues moued restraine your passion but if you cannot appease nor compose your inward Commotion at least restraine your tongue and inioyne it silence that if it speake no good it may speake no euill lest being loose and set at liberty it vtter what wrath and not reason dictates More soueraigne and peacefull it will bee for you to retire from society make recourse to your Oratory by recommending to your best Physician the cure of this infirmity Vse likewise this Cordial salue to your corroding soare the receit is Diuine if seasonably applyed and will minister you comfort when you are most distempered So soone as your disquieted minds begin to expostulate with the quality of your wrongs which your Enemy is apt to aggrauate and exasperate purposely to hasten your precipitate reuenge propose and set before you all the disgraces which possibly you can suffer and conferre them with those that were aspersed on your Sauiour this will prepare you to suffer teach you to conquer for Arrowes foreseene menace lesse danger Likewise when you consider the iniuries which are done you by others you may reflect vpon the wrongs which are done by you vnto others for the consideration of your owne infirmity will exact of you towards others an impunity Weigh with your selues how much others suffer of you how much God himselfe suffers of you who if he should haue inflicted reuenge for euery particular offence you should haue perished long since In a word you your selues are frequently grieuous and displeasing to your selues Seeing then you are so distastefull vnto your selues as you must of necessity suffer many iniuries and affronts from your selues repine not at the sufferings which are inflicted by others on our selues You are likewise to consider these discommodities which arise from this Passion which will arme you with patience if of your selues you haue any compassion What auailes it to be reuenged after our iniury be râ—ceiued Is your wouÌ„d by anothers wound to be cured Or disgrace tendred by rendring disgrace restored Besides all this see what hee obtaineth who anger obeyeth 1. He is depriued of the Crowne of glory and reward of eternity 2. He becomes a Minister and Instrument of the Deuill 3. He destroyeth his owne soule that he might hurt an others body Greg. For a dispassionate or angry person is like vnto him who that he may kill his Asse destroyeth himselfe or rather like him who for huge debts which he is not able to discharge is throwne into prison and disdainefully refuseth any ones offer to pay his debt for him For by him who doth you wrong is the debt which you owe to God forgiuen if with patience you suffer the iniury which is done Whereas the angry person who will bee his owne reuenger
mee towards him that Coniugall duty mixt with all affability may winne him Againe is he old His age shall beget in mee more reuerence his words shall be as so many aged and time-improued precepts to informe me his actions as so many directions to guide me his rebukes as so many friendly admonitions to reclaime mee his bed I will honour no vnchaste thoughâ— shall defile it his Counsell I will keepe no forraine brest shall partake it I will bee a staffe to him in his age to support him an eye to direct him an hand to help him his Substance I will not scatter on a youthfull Louer but serue him still whom I haue vow'd to honour Againe is he rich Much good may it doe him this shall not make me proud my desire shall be he may imploy it for his best aduantage I will moue him to communicate vnto the needy that his riches may make him truly happy It is a miserable state that starues the owner I will perswade him to enioy his owne and so auoyd basenesse to reserue a prouident care for his owne and shunne profusenesse Againe is hee poore His pouerty shall make me rich there is no want where there wants no content This I shall enioy in him and with him which the world could not afford mee liu'd I without him It hath beene an old Maxime that as pouerty goes in at one doore loue goes out at the other but this rule shall neuer direct my thoughts should pouerty enthrall me it shall neuer appall me my affection shall counterpoize all affliction No aduersity can dâ—uide mee from him to whom my vowed faith hath indiuidually ti'd me In a word is hee wise He shall be my Thales Is he follish I will by all meanes couer his weakenesse as I am now made one with him so will I haue mine equall share in any aspersion that shall be throwne on him Thus if you expostulate your Christian constant resolues shall make you truly fortunate Your Fancy is on deliberation grounded which promiseth such successâ— as your Marriage-dayes shall neuer feare the bitter encounter of vntimely repentance nor the curelesse anguish of an afflicted Conscience THe selfe-same rule which Augustus was said to obserue in his choice and constant retention of friends Fancy is to be with constancy retained are you Gentlewomen to apply to your selues in the choice of your second-selues He was slow in entertaining but most constant in retaining Fauorites are not to be worne like fauours now in your hat or about your wrist and presently out of request Which to preuent entertaine none to lodge neere your heart that may harbor in his brest ought worthy your hate Those two Motto's I would haue you incessantly to remember for the vsefull application of them may highly conduce to your honour The one is that of Caia Tranquilla which she euer vsed to her royall Spouse Caius Tarquinius Priscus Where thâ—â— art Caius I am Caia The other that of Ruth vnto Naomi Whither thou goest I will goe and where thou dwellest I will dwell There is no greater argument of lightnesse then to affect the acquaintance of strangers and to entertaine variety of Suiters These as they distract the eye so they infect the heart Constant you cannot be where you professe so long as you affect change Vowes deliberately aduised and religiously grounded are not to be dispenc'd with But say you neuer vowed haue you made outward professions of loue and entertained a good opinion of that obiect in your heart Againe are you resolued that his affection is reall towards you That his protests though deliuered by his mouth are engrauen in his heart Let not so much good loue be lost insult not ouer him whom vnfained affection hath vow'd your seruan Let Wolues and beasts be cruell in their kindes But Women meeke and haue relenting mindes It were too much incredulity in you to distrust where you neuer found iust cause of distaste Yea but you will againe obiect we are already by your owne Obseruations snâ—ficiently instructed that Fancy is to be with â—eliberation grounded that loue lightly laid on lasts not long Should we then affect before we finde ground of respect Should wee entertaine a Rhetoricall Louer whose protests are formal Complements and whose promises are gilded pills which couer much bitternesse No I would not haue you so credulous lest your Nuptiall day become ominous Make true triall and experiment of his Constancy who tenders his seruice to you Sift him if you can finde any branne in him Taske him before you take him Yet let these be sweetly tempred with lenity Let them not be Taskes of insuperable difficulty This were to tyrannize where you should loue This was Omphaâ—es fault to make her faithfull seruant a seruile slaue Alas shall hee fare the worse because hee loues you This would induce others who take notice of your cruelty to loath you And make your discarded louer surprized with an amorous distemper to reply as Absalâ—m to Hushai Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend My counsell is that as it will be vsefull for you to deliberate before you take so much as the least Notions of an affectionate Seruant yea and to second that deliberation with some probable proofe or triall that hee is truly constant so it will be a gratefull office in you to retaine him in your fauour with a gracious respect to countenance the improuement of his constancy with a cheerefull and amiable aspect to banish all clowds of seeming discontent and to giue him some modest expressions of the increase of your good Conceit towards him Let this be done till Hymen make you indiuidually one Then and neuer till then may Loue enioy her full freedome She stands priuiledg'd by a sacred rite to taste that fruit which before was forbidden Mutuall respects like so many diametrall lines pointing all to one Centre are then directed to one exquisite obiect the purity of loue which produceth this admirable effect it makes one soule rule two hearts and one heart dwell in two bodies Now I would haue you when your desires are drawne to this period to become so taken with the loue of your choyce as to interpret whatsoeuer hee shall doe euer to the best sense It were little enough that you retained a good opinion of him who stands in so many seuerall ingagements obliged for you Should your riot bring him into debt his restraint must make you free Dâ—rance must be his suit while better stuffe makes you a Coate Yea what Conscience is there in it but hee should receiue an affable and amiable respect from you seeing if your Consciâ—nce be no Conformalist he must pay for you These respects should perpetually tye you to honour him who becomes so legally ty'd for you Requite these then with constancy and retaine this ensuing Example euer in your memory Theogena wife to Agathocles shew'd admirable constancy in her husbands greatest misery shewing her selfe most his
But marke the conclusion of these insulting spirits they sport so long with loue till they fall to loue in earnest A moment makes them of Soueraigns Captiues by slauing them to that deseruedly which at first they entertained so disdainfully The way then to preuent this malady is to weane you from consorting with folly What an excellent impregnable fortresse were Woman did not her Windowes betray her to her enemy But principally when shee leaues her Chamber to walke on the publike Theatre when shee throwes off her vaile and giues attention to a merry tale when she consorts with youthfull bloud and either enters parley or admits of an enter-view with loue It is most true what the sententious moral somtimes obserued We may be in security so long as we are sequestred from society Then and neuer till then begins the infection to be dispersed when the sound and sicke begin to be promiscuously mixed Tempt not Chastity hazard not your Christian liberty You shall encounter with many forward youths who will most punctually tender their vselesse seruice to your shadowes at the very first sight doe not admit them lest you prostitute your selues to their prostrate seruice Apelles found fault with Protogenes in that he could not hold his hands from his Table Whereas our Damsels may more iustly finde fault with their youthfull Amorists for that they cannot hold their hands from vnder the Table It is impossible to come off faire with these light-fingred fooles Your onely way is to rampire your chaste intentions with Diuine and Morall instructions to stop the source diuert the occasion subiect affection to reason so may you become Emperesses of that which hath sometimes tyrannized ouer Emperours By this meanes shall euery place where you publikâ—ly resort minister to you some obiect of inward comfort By this meanes shall Company furnish you with precepts of chastity inable you in the serious practice of piety and sweetly conduct you to the port of glory PRIVACY is the seat of Contemplation though sometimes made the recluse of Tentation From which there is granted no more exemption in the Cell than in the Court Heere is the Lawne where Melancholly drawes her line Heere the minde becomes our Mate Silence our sweetest Conference where the retired becomes either the best or worst friend to himselfe There is none who euer conuersed with himselfe or discanted solely with his owne humour who can bee ignorant of those numerous slights or subtilties which by that great Tempter whose long exercise hath made him no lesse subtill in contriuing than cruell in practising our ruine are priuateâ—y shadowed and shrowded purposely to circumuent poore man and leaue him deluded Diogenes when he found a young man talking alone demanded of him What he was doing who answered He was conuersing with himselfe Take heed quoth he thou câ—nuersest not with thine enemy To you Gentlewomen I direct my discourse How to behaue her selfe in Priâ—aâ—y whose priuacy may enable you if well employed for better things than the toyes tyres and trifles of this age How many the more our misery bestow their priuate houres which might be dedicated to Contemplation or workes of piety and deuotion vpon light-feather'd inuentions amorous expostâ—lations or minâ—ing of some vnbeseeming fashions How few enter into account with their owne hearts or so coâ—secrate their houres to Gods honour as they make Priuacy their soules harbour The day they spend in visitations how rare and tedious is one houre reserued for meditation What a serious intercourse or sociable dialogue is betweene an amorous Mistresse and her Looking-glasse The poynt or pendent of her feather wags out of a due posture her Cheeke wants her true tincture her captious Glasse presents to her quicke eye one error or other which driues her into a monstruous distemper Pride leaues no time for prayer This is her CLOSET for LADIES where shee fits and accommodates her selfe to Fashion which is the period of her content while purer obiects are had in contempt This is not the way to make Priuacy your mindes melody These employments should sooner afflict than affect you because they will sooner distract than direct you Your spirits will bee reuiued most when these are valued least Let me therefore recommend to your choyce Patternes of more exquisite worth such whose deuotion may be your direction whose direction your instruction Deuout mention is made of zealous Anna who made recourse to the Temple offring her incessant prayers a viall of sweet odours that she might conceiue a sonne of whom to her succeeding memory the Scripture recordeth that after her teares so deuoutly shed her prayers so sincerely offred her religious vowes so faithfully performed her countenance was no more altred Piety begot in her diuine loue faith in Gods promise made her beleeue and zeale to Gods house caused her to perseuere thus sighing she sought seeking she obtained and obtaining she retained a gratefull memory of what she receiued No lesse feruour shewed Ester in preferring the suite of her distressed Israelites what perswasiue Oratory what powerfull Rhetoricke what inducing reasoâ—s she vsed to haue their vniust censure reuersed their insupportable wrongs redressed their agrieuances relieued the incensed King appeased and them to fauour restored Shee wooed with teares in her eyes faith in her heart almes in her hand Gods cause was the progresse of her course shee desired nothing more then how to effect it which was seconded with a successiue conclusion because begun continued and ended with deuotion The like zeale expressed Iudith for her besiedged Bâ—thulites the loue of God had so inflamed her as no feare of the enemy could amate her faith armed her with resolution constancy strengthned her against all opposition Her armour was prayer Bethulia's cure her care holy desires her sole attendants she enters her enemies pauilion with a zealous confidence implores the Diuine assistance in her entrance and discomfits a daring foe with cautelous silence Her sighes and teares were as the first and second raine they brought successe to her thirsty soule and a glorious Conquest to her natiue soyle No lesse are we to admire the wonderfull deuotion of that teare-swollen Magdelen who with deuout loue sought her deare Spouse intombed whose body with obsequious Odours she had embalmed before euer he was interred Shee when his Disciples were departed left not the Sepulchre of her sweet Master still shee sate sorrowing and â—ighing weeping long and much rising from her seat of sorrow her graâ—e of griefe where he was he is not and where hee is shee knowes not with pioâ—s teares watchfull eyes weary wayes shee reâ—isits againe and againe the desert caues of his relinquish'd Sepulchre â—â—ping at last to haue the happinesse to behold whom with so feruent a desire â—hee sought Now once and againe had shee entred his desolate Tombe but little was all this to her that lou'd so much The power or efficacy of euery good worke consists in Perseuerance But obserue the
of it lest she should be engaged to it Her thoughts are not admitted to entertaine vanity They must not conceit it lest they should be deceiued by it Occasions wisely shee foresees timely preuents and consequently enioyes true freedome of minde You shall not see her consume the precious oyle of her Lampe the light of her life in vnseasonable reere-bankets vnprofitable visits or wanton treaties Those will shee not admit of for companions who are prodigall of their honour These she reproues with a mild spirit labouring to reclaime them with an ingenuous tender of her vertuous compassion towards them None shee more distasts than these Brokers or Breakers of licentious bargaines Shee excludes them the List of all ciâ—ill society How cauteious shee is lest suspition should tax her Outwardly therefore shee expresseth what she inwardly professeth That honourable bloud which she from her Predecessors receiued till death surprize her will shee leaue vntainted Neither is there ought shee hates more than pride nor scornes more than disdaine Shee rightly considers how her daies are mensurable being but a span long which implies her breuity and miserable being altogether vanity Shee disclaymes that state which consists in scornefull lookes A sweet and affable Countenance shee euer beares The honour she enioyes makes her humbler and the prayses which are giuen her work in her thoughts no distemper So farre is shee from affecting the pompe of this world as it growes contemptible to her higher-mounting thoughts A faire and well-seeming retinue shee euer keepes about her but none of these must be Sycophants with their oylie tongues to delude her neither must any who cloaths his Countenance with scorne attend her Shee obserues on what steepe and dangerous grounds ambition walketh Her sleepes are sweeter her content higher her thoughts heauenlier It is one of her greatest wonders that any one should be so rest of vnderstanding as to forget what infirme ground he stands on The purest Creature be she neuer so absolute in her feature is of no richer temper than Earth our Common-mother She is wiser than to preferre a poore handfull of red Earth before her choycest treasure Though her deserts merit honour shee dis-esteemes her owne deseruings being highly valued by all but her selfe Thus shee prepares her selfe daily for what shee must goe to Her last day is her euery dayes memoriall Lower may her body be when interred but lower caÌ„not her mind be than at this instant So well hath shee attained the Knowledge of her selfe as she acknowledgeth all to be fraile but none frailer than her selfe Here Gentlewomen haue yee heard in what especiall Obiects you are to be Honourable Presidents You shine brighter in your Orbe than lesser Starres The beames of your reflecting vertues must admit of no Eclipse A thousand eyes will gaze on you should they obserue this in you Choyce and select are the societies you frequent where you see variety of fashions imitate not the newest but neatest Let not an action proceed from you which is not exemplary good These that are followers of your persons will be followers likewise of your liues You may weane them from vice winne them to vertue and make them your constant followers in the serious practise of piety Let your vertues cloath them within as their veiles doe without They deserue not their wage who desist from imitating you in actions of worth Your priuate family is a familiar Nursery Plants of all sorts are there bestowed Cheere and cherish those that be tender but curbe and correct those that be of wilder temper Free and fruitfull Siens cannot be improued till the luxurious branches be pruned But aboue all things take especiall care that those vices spread not in you which are censured by you You are Soueraignesses in your families neither extend your hand too much to rigour neither contract it by shewing too much remisnesse or fauour Let neither vertue passe vnrewarded nor vice if it grow domineering passe vnreproued Foule enormities must admit of no Priuileges No should you by a due examination of your selues finde any bosome-sinne secretly lurking any subtill familiar priuately incroaching any distempred affection dangerously mutining Be your owne Censors Be not too indulgent in the fauouring of your selues Proficients you cannot be in the Schoole of vertue vnlesse you timely preuent the ouer-spreading growth of vice Let not your Sunne the light of your soule be darkned Let not your Spring the fount of your vertues be troubled Let not your Fame the perfume of your Honour be impaired As you are generous by descent be gracious by desert Presidents are more powerfull than Precepts Be examples of goodnesse that you may be heires of happinesse The style you enioy the state you retaine the statues which after you may remaine are but glorious trophies of fading frailty Vertues are more permanent Monuments than all these these are those sweet flowers that shall adorne you liuing impall you dying and Crowne you with comfort at your departing Lastly as you were honourable Personages on Earth where you were Presidents of goodnesse so shall you be glorious Citizens in heauen where you are to be Participants of all happinesse WHere Vertue is sowne in a noble Seed-plot Vertue or vice whethersoeuer takes hold first retaines a deeper impression in honour than any lower subiect manured and fructified by good discipline strengthened by Example and adorned with those more gracefull parts which accomplish the subiect wherein vertue is seated what bickrings of fortune will it sustaine What Conflicts in the necessities of nature will it cheerefully encounter Her spirit is raised aboue any inferiour pitch Yea the habit of goodnesse hath wrought such diuine impressions in her soule who is thus disposed as society may improue her but cannot corrupt her because a zealous affection to vertue doth possesse her You shall euer obserue these whom Nobility of blood hath aduanced to retaine some seeds or semblances of their progenitors which are so impressiue in them as no occurrent be it neuer so violent can estrange these from them Here you shall see a natiue affability or singular art of winning affection to one naturally deriued There in another such a rough and vnseasonable austerity as her very count'nance is the resemblance of a Maleâ—ola Some from their infancy haue retained such a sweet and pleasing Candor as they could couer anger with a cheerefull smile and attemper passion with a gracefull blush Besides they had the gift to expostulate with their discontents and by applying seasonable receits to their wounds free themselues from falling into any desperate extreames Others would rather dye then suffer the expressions of their Passions to dye For affronts as their spirits could not beare them so did their actions discouer them and make them obiects of derision to such as obseru'd them And whence proceeds all this Surely from the very first relish of our humours Arist. 3. de anima when that vnwrought Table of youth
roots of inordinate feare and inordinate â—â—ue haue brought many to the brinke of misery by plunging their mindes in the puddles of vanity Looke about you snares you shall finde within you snares without you Snares on your right hand and those deceitfull Prosperity in affaires temporall In which such persons are vsually taken and surprized by whom the benefits of God are abused As the Rich when hee bestowes his wealth in attiring himselfe sumptuously the Mighty in oppressing the needy the Amorous or Louely in giuing others occasion to be taken with their beauty Whence the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet Thou hast made thy beauty abhominable Snares likewise on your Left hand and those fearefull aduersity in affaires temporall In which the poore â—nfirme and afflicted are intangled and miserably in â—hralled who by suffering affliction impatiently curâ—e God their Neighbors and themselues in their â—duersity Whence that Dâ—uine and deuout Father â—aith In affliction the wicked detest God and Aug. lib. 1. de Ciuit. Dei blaspheme him but the godly pray vnto him and prayse him Now vertuous Gentlewomen whose titles doe not so much transport you as your loue to goodnesse doth inflame you you may hence obserue how noble and generous dispositions which indeed are properly defined equall or temperate disposers of the affections haue and doe euer receiue the first impressions of vertue which are with constancy retained as they were cheerefully receiued Expresse then this Nobility of your well-disposed natures in affecting what is good Vice throwes her aspersions on no subiect so much as on Honour Relinquish then rather all state than it should retaine the least staine Much is promised by your disposition and no lesse by your Discipline or Education Your well-seasoned youth was neuer knowne to that rudenesse which more rurall or seruile states were bred in Second these rising hopes of inward happinesse You are fruitlesly great if you be not fruitfully good Euery moment wafts you nearer your hauen let euery action draw you nearer heauen If you feare at any time to wander Religious feare will bee your Conductor If you doubt the issue of your Encounter stedfast patience will be your Encourager If you distrust your owne strength you are securer humility will crowne you with honour and direct you to an happy harbour As inbred noble dispositions haue then enrich'd you which by helpes of Education are seconded in you professe your selues louers of vertue by your affections aduancers of vertue by your actions that as honour attends your persons fame may crowne your names felicity your soules VVHat remaines then Vertue reduc'd to bâ—bit aspires to perfection to perfit this absolute Master-piece of honour but that yee reduce to habit and consequently to their best improuement these initiate seeds of goodnesse sowne in your natiue disposition growne by succession and ripened through Education Now are yee in the way and daily nearer the end of your worke Your vnconfined soules must euer bee aspiring till they come to their perfection There is nothing vnder heauen that can satisfie a â—ouâ—e created for heauen Are you Virgins Let â—our Virgin-Lamps be fed with the Oyle of Charity Be ready before the Bridegroome call you yea call on him before hee call you Let not your Virgin-vayles be vayles for vices Entertaine not a light thought lest by degrees it spread to a sinne In suffering Ismael to play with you though her sport seeme in iest your ruine will proue in earnest Eye not that Obiect which may enthrall you heare not that Subiect which may corrupt you rellish not that Delight which may depraue you admit not of that conceit which may delude you Retort a light discourse with a Maiden-blush Candida virgineis miscuit ora rofis it argues a spotlesse soule He well described a Virgins prime beauty who display'd it in shamefaste modesty Let your good name be such a precious oyntment as you would not spill it for a world Are you Matrons Enlarge your selues by instruction vnto the younger this is the office of a Reuerend Mother Deriue some portion of that knowledge vnto others which you fruitfully receiued from others Your liues must bee their lines Euery action of yours is exemplar take heed then it lead not into error As you are ripe in yeares so appeare rich in houres Remember not a sinne without a sigh nor a toy without a teare There is no sinne more odious because none more insolently glorious than to remember sinnes committed with ioy and apprehend them with delight Your families should be vertues Nurseries wherein your selues are to be Gouernesses and Presidents of goodnesse Aug. in Epist. Here you are to teacâ— your children in the trade of their wayes that when they are old Prou. 22. 6. they may not depart from them Briefly are you young or old Esteeme no life sweeter than when euery day improues you and makes you better Delights as they may moderately cheere you so let them not play too much on your fancy lest they take you Be not commanded by them but command them The onely meanes to weane you from them or make you more indâ—fferent for them is to fixe your affections on those which doe infiniâ—ely surpasse them There is no comparison betwixt a Pallace and a Prison Neither betwixt finite infinite is there any Proportion O how happy were you if with spirituall eyes you might once behold how the Princes goe before ioyning with the Singers and in the midst young Damsels dancing The way to contemplate these and consort with these is to meditate of heauen which enioyeth all these Here no pleasure be it neuer so promising no delight be it neuer so relishing no recreation bee it neuer so refreshing but though it cheere you in the beginning it cloyes you in the end Last day you were at Court where reuels reere-bankets showes and solemnities were obiects to your Eyes Eares aâ—d Tastes but all these are vanished This day you Coach to th' Exchange where you see all kinde of vanities set at sale that may any way soile a deluded soule but the night clozeth the day which makes them shut vp shop and then all those vanities are shroaded Next day you goe to a Play wherein you expect some new Scene of mirth or some State-action liuely presented but the last Exit your impreze of frailty dismisseth you and then all those artfull presentments which gaue so much content are remoued Thus you runne in a maze while you lay the Scene of your Mirth on Earth Recollect then youâ— dâ—uided thoughts seat there the delight oâ— yoâ—r minde where you may find a continued Mirth Earth is too low a Stage for an Act of that Maiesty and too straâ—ght to giue your best guest content within her Mad-wals of misery Let not one houre passe by you which is not well past Consider how the eyes of heauen are vpon you how that generous stemme from whence you were deriued