obey their Message and the Messenger shall be discharged Sometimes they come to fetch away some Sin let them have their Errand with them and they are gone Only when they come as Refiners of thy Drosse or gilders setters off of thy Graces wish not their Removeall for it would be the greatest Crosse to be without one The do Little worth Little A Do yra el Beuey que no ara Whither goeth the Oxe that will not plow The Spanish Proverb knocketh that Oxe on the Head that will not plow Doubtlesse the willfully Vselesse Man is better in the Earth than on the Earth Lazy unprofitablenesse must look for its Slaughter-house in the other World if it take not a New-Gate in the way here if necessity betrayit not to such self-punishing courses yet Idlenesse beckeneth to sinnes of a worse Nature Upon the Couch of Idlenesse expect the Sinnes of Sodome It was never a good world since Employment was counted mechanick and Idlenesse Gentility Since Gentleman and Labourer took their Leaves The ingenious Germane in this shameth the most of his Neighbour-hood in Christendome counting the Idle man no Edleman no Gentleman and therefore instruct their noblest borne in some Art if not labour it not being indeed Disparagement for the best bloud to be acquainted with Sweat out of a hot house or without the help of a Diet Drink The sad Descant DEsque naci llove y cada Dia nace porque When first brought forth we cry Each Day brings forth its why History affordeth examples of Soules Prophetick at and before their Death but by this Spanish Proverb Every one calculateth his Nativity truer than Astrologers and sentenceth his own future fate by crying at his Birth not comming only from the Bodies Monopathy or sole suffering by change of i'ts warme Quarters but according to some from Sympathy with the divining Soule that knoweth it selfe for a Time banished from the Father of Spirits the God that gave it into a World elemented with Sinne and misery the following Dayes being but Division and Descant on this plaine Song Lachrymae teeming with Causes of sorrow if not for punishment yet for Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If one Day prove a Mother the other is a Step-Mother dying daily into the succession of each other Mirth endeth in Dulnesse if not Sadnesse Griefe againe hath its intervalls the saddest notes their Pauses and Rests The Sisters Web of our lives is checkered with Vicissitude The whole peece proving but a medley of Light Shadow The one of these Mothers is welcome the other we must not strike nor by Impatience provoke With thy good Dayes be chearfull in thy bad Dayes be Serious not sad nothing we can suffer from without being worth one minutes Disquiet of so noble a Thing as the Soule which then commeth neerest its Originall the nearer it commeth to Immutability Let not therefore Sun-shine Dayes betray thee to naked Security or wanton forgetfullness of change nor blustring ones so muffle thee up in a Mourning Cloak as if thou wert following the Funerall of hope Sperat infestis metuit Secundis Alteram sortem bene praeparatum Pectus informes Hyemes reducit Jupiter idem Summovet How doth Horace his Harpe and Davids agree the one telleth us the same Power bringeth the Joyes of the Spring that sent the unwelcome hardships of Winter the other assureth us our sad Vespers are succeeded with the Comfort of Festivalls If griefe lodge with us over night Joy shall be our Day Guest Well since I must quarter the forces of two Garrisons it will be prudence to dissemble the unwelcome of the one and silently to welcome the other not knowing which may at last get me into a sole subjection to them He that will not be injured by either must provide for both The thrivâ—ng Craft THat golden-mouthed Father was a rare Spokes-man for the Almighty's Box such are the poore when he said Nescis quod non tam propter Pauperes quam impendentes Deus instituit Eleemosynas that God commanded Almes not so much for the Poores sake as the good of the Rich which with a slender Descant will appeare The Poore man getteth a corporall Refreshment Rayment or Food The Rich if he keep his left Hand in Ignorance and his right Hand in Actions of Liberality receiveth Interest not only exceeding but excelling the Principall Thy Lone or rather Restitution what is it but Coloured Earth and Drosse and thy Reward O Mercy rewarding its owne Gifts viz. The Almes and the Minde to give beareth no imaginable Proportion for a Cup of Cold Water Waters of everlasting Life For thy cast Clothes the Robes of Christs Righteousnesse for thy Scraps the Bread of Life and that in fullnesse of Joy for ever more Chrysostome might well call this Nobilem Prodigalitatem a Noble Prodigality as another calleth Almes Artem omnium Artium quaestuosissimam An Art the most thriving of all Arts. It is so gainfull it is very hard to be honest in the exercise of it that is sincere Sincerity being nothing but honesty towards God without regarding our owne Profit more than our Brothers Necessity or Gods Command Nay the Almighty often maketh present Payment knowing how hardly he can get credit from our Infidelity and even in temporalls Thy Bread cast upon the Waters maketh better than East India Voyages and returneth back to Thee Laden with Improvements Thy Corne given to them with whom all yeares are deare the Poore is more advantagious than Corne sold in the greatest Dearth even by a Monopolist Such is the Mystery of this â—raft where God is Debtour and Man Creditour that Present payment is the least and worst the Lender oweth more than the Receiver The Poor whose prayers are heard bestowing more than he receiveth and his Box is more the Rich mans treasury than his one wouldest thou have a Policy on Heaven of thy uncertaine Riches make the Poore thy Ensurers Parlour Divinity OUr Table is a Book on which is written Gods bounty our Frailty and our Hopes the first readeth Thankefullnesse the second humble sobriety the third Comfort As for our Frailty what rotten Tenements are our Bodies that need Reparation twice in twelve houres keep the wind from them and Childrens Houses of Cards will stand longer How do our Meales then upbraid our Designes we repast as if to live but to day every Meale being but the renewing of our Lease for twelve Houres longer and we build as if to live for ever but againe for our Hopes How is our living for ever assured by the severall Deaths of Creatures for thy use receiving a kind of Resurrection to life from their common Sepulchre thy stomack Look on thy full Table as a Mortuary of the dispeopled Elements where their slaine are hudled up and all to extract Reparations of Life for thee In their Progresse behold thine through Corruption to Resurrection and feare not Death that thus but dresseth Thee for Immortality Mercy 's Hyperbole
that Lex Naturae quae jubet Nos non tantum Deos nosse sed sequi Accidentia non aliter excipere quam Imperata that Law of Nature teaching us not only to discourse of God but to follow him with willing submission Looking on all Events not as Casualties but Commands Demetrius that Heathens cheerfull submission to the will of the Gods shameth all our verball Pater noster Parrats that say nothing oftner and meane nothing seldomer than Thy will be done Seneca bringeth him in saying I can complaine of nothing O yee Gods but that you would not let me know your Mindes for I had met this Calamity Et maluissem afferre quam tradere I had rather have offered my selfe or your Loves then stay the Delivery upon Demande This is that Temper and Pallat that gusteth A Quodcunque evenerit optimum What befalleth best and relisheth the Dish set before him above all other This Ductility of Spirit commendeth Men as well as that other doth Mettals it being not the least among the Commendations of Gold and is indeed the true Philosophers stone turning all occurrences into its owne Temper Such a golden Complacency as thereby Victory may be conquered and Adversity made prosperous for will what befalleth and befall what will The end of the second Decade THE Quacking Hermaphrodite OR Petticoat Practitioner Stript and Whipt ANd have at thy Coat old Woman or young whose knowledge is Simples Practise the misapplying of them Charity Manslaughter Creed a Receipt-Book and Library an Herball Since you will be learning Propria quae Maribus Arts difficult enough for Men still nibling at forbidden knowledge pray be not so angry at the reading of these Truths or if you be it matters not as justly I was at the writing hereof And first let me tell you I do not so much wonder you retaine your Grandmother Eves Quality with this difference she kil'd us all at one blow and you kill us one by one as our excellent Poet said in another Case as that there are any nay so many that will Jugulum dare be killed by the hands of a Woman How easily might I here digresse in Satyre against Mountebanck-making Patients from whose folly Fooles set up for Employment in a Profession that requireth as sufficient abilities as any the fools Beard teacheth the young Barber his Trade Were there not foolish Men there would be no Cunning Women but I returne to the enquiry of the two things believed in you Mrs D. your skill and your Good will which when proved to be no more in these hae Galeni Heteroclite Physitians nam genus variant for they change the Gender than there is Frankincense in a close-stooles Contents we shall I hope be as sick of these shee Docters as of their Physick and many Sextans know that is sicknesse to the purpose the Physitian and Physick being both simples compounding the Destruction of the Credulous Patient First for their skill if it were Catechâ—sed in any part of that requisite knowledge which distinguisheth the Physician from the Mountebanck viz. the Diagnostick and disease-discovering Part all its Answers will be it is a Surfet a Cold an Ague A Feaver A Consumption and neither of which they know any thing bâ—t the Nick-names in neither can they pronounce any more than that Waterologer in Dr. Harts Anatomy of Vrines that sent his Patient word he was sick of a blinde Ague for to these know-nothings all Diseases are occult it were to be wisht their Ideas and Discriptions were undisputable among the Sophies themselves in Physick Their generall information from their ignorant Latines concerning particular diseases what is it but Hee or Shee is taken for sooth for all the World as my Neighbour such a one was to whom you did good quickâ—y but the water will shew you more though the two maine things it can shew is that Waterologers are Knaves and such Patients Fooles that take the Vrinall for an Oracle Well this Meretrix the water my shee Doctor sometimes no better takes to Confession which after many shaking fits to her skillfull eyes confesseth a Distemper in the Bloud and it may be it shall be called an Ague and that is enough no matter what Ague call it any Thing but a Feaver for should you say an Ague were a Feaverâ— the Doctresse would have a shaking fit of Laughter at you presently though as many of your Books do say so as shee hath Glasses or Gally Pots Well the Seate of this Ague and the Cause shee neither knoweth nor careth to know Shee and her Medecine regard them alike their Remedies they apply as the Athenians dedicated that Altar Paul met with to the unknowne God to an unknowne Disease and thereby prove themselves as skilfull as those were Religious They are not much unlike blinde Fencers indeed they kill surer that should be famed for skill for casuall hits which doubtlesse they would not among Reasonable Men. What mad work it is to deale with unknowne Diseases let any Judge whose experience tells them that it is hard enough to graple with those that are best knowne either in their owne nature or in their particular subjects Such Repairers of our ruined Tenements our Bodies work like Babels workmen that when a Trowel was call'd for they brought a Brick so these mistake the call of the Symptomes for the Cal of the Disease When they should mind the latter they regard the former principally or only and when Nature calleth for Sweats which by endeavours of it oft she showeth oh give him Cooling Juleps Cordialls are too hot with such like non-sense do they Cure the Disease but it is by killing the Patient If Purge they think on how preposterous are they tell not them of Observations and cautions for the beginning Increase State or Declination of a Feaver if they consult with any rules it shall be an Almanacks if the Moone say Purge or Bleed the signes of the Infirmity and its Progresse shall not guide them so much as the Signes in the Zodiack and that Antick before Alâ—â—anacks that beginneth Aries Head and Face c. which they have by Heart or else they would give us leave to count them ignorant in deed If they want sleep through translation of the Peccant Humour to the Head without any Revulsion derivation or diversion c. their Poppy water and Syrupe of Poppy that edged Tool in the hands of such Doctor Wise-akers it may be shall come into Play by which many times the matter is more fixed to the encrease of their Patients Ravings or sleep is procured which only the last Trumpet can wake to say truth a goodly Nap And for the Criticall motions of Nature how adventurously do they check them hand over head with their Cooling slopps their Syrup of Limons Sorrell c. Things usefull in their orderly administration But because the word Criticall is Conjuring to our cunning Women I may explaine it by throwes of a Woman in Travell
held Hereticall that shall aver any thing defective or superfluous in his all-knowing Aristotle he that will deny the foure Elements shall have the Italian fifth bestowed on him according to whom I l mal dire d' Altrui e quinto Elemento Ill Language is the fifth Element The fire Philosopher will quickly reduce that Book to Ashes and it s Caput Mortuum that subscribeth not to its three Elements whithout a third cometh with his one single Element and quencheth the other three Thus hath difference about the Number of Elements caused as much disturbance almost in the lesser as their jarres and Combinations have in the greater World and such severe and sharp usage is enterchanged between dissenting Brethren in Philosophy But come to the Vatinian hatred of Books and Authors in Religious and Politick Differences and wee shall see it scarce possible for a Book writ on any Subject that will please two seveall Readers meerly because mens understandings are Garrison'd before with old Soldiers old Notions of undoubted Authority He that teacheth as having Authority he that speaketh as never man spake he alone can storme Assent It is not a work for the learned Scribe nor strictest Pharisee Nay he himselfe that was Truth Incarnate where he used not all his strength and irresistible Battery I mean his Spirit of Perswasion met with as bad Entertainment from the gain-saying Jewes as any that ever writ or dyed for him In Divinity Morals and Naturals true is that rule of the Lord Bacon in his Novum Organum Aphorisme 49. lib 1. Intellectus humanus Luminis Sicci non est According to that significant Phrase of Heraclitus Sed recipit Infusionem a voluntate Affectibus quod volunt recipiunt We receive onely those things for Truths we have a mind to Difficult things we endeavour not sober things we despise as streightning our Hopes Secrets of Nature timorous Superstition frighteth us from In Pride we decline Experiments as fixing us in low and changeable things Paradoxes our Master the People will not let us admit so much as to examine So many waies doth Affection stain our understandings But before wee leave our complaining Character of what Readers are take this as an unobserved secret Bad Readers make bad Authors which are fain to please bad Judges with Deformities instead of Beauties an excellent Iâ—lustration wherof is that of Polycletus who setting a new made Statue in the Market-place and over-hearing the Faults the common people found made one according to their Censures as he could remember when he came home If one said the Nose was too little he made it bigger If another said the Eye or Lip was too bâ—gg he made it lesse By that time he had done you may guesse what a peece it was Putting both again to view his first made by Art and that made by Opinion of the vulgar seeing his last derided and the former applauded said Know good people that which you commend I made that which you discommend you made So fareth it with Books the various Pallats of Readers and multitude of Correctors of the Press streightneth writers of that freedome of the Spirit that should bee in Authors who while they strive to please all become neither Friends to Truth nor reconcileable to common Sense Well we have seen what Readers are let us now see what they should be to bring Rasae Tabulae clean Tables to every Author is the advice of no small Philosopher Super-writing being scribling maketh neither the old nor the new legible a good course therefore it is to spunge out prejudicate Notions or Opinions received on any ground but that Scientificall Syllogisme where Reason is the Major and Experiment the Minor In making of which all our life will not exclude any new reason or experiment but it will help to make the Conclusion so much the truer though we come not to the Ergò of our knowledge untill we come to the conclusion of our daies and studies I will not slightly forgo any Notion delivered me from the Reasons of others received deliberately by mine own confirmed by both our Experiments For a Novelty diametrically opposite without it bring so convicting a Ray of Truth that as that one Dissenter in a Synode it confutes the whole Synode of Opposers Thus I would behave my selfe towards Positive Assertions and Tracts of Reasoning Now to Authors of modest Advice profitable Pleasure usefull variety c. I will dislike none because he is not the best or slight all because none perfect I look not for any Soule-like Composure among the works of men that according to the wordings of some Philosophy should be Totum in Toto tota in qualibet Parte Comprehensive of all I can expect I believe that no frighting Proverb from circuiting the Zodiack of Learning unus in omnibus Nullus in Singulis he that is some body in every thing is nothing in any thing For I believe there is no ullus in quovis Singulo perfect no culminating Writer in any one Subject so lofty as out of the reach of Imitation in some point or other I look on Libraries and Books as a Garden of Nature not of Art where usefull Plants finde a room as well as gay coloured Flowers And amongst Writers I look not every one should do by Themes as he did by virtues in Pindars high Line top only the choisest expressions or descriptions of them in the same Author though many times dull there may be a Diversity that may excuse being not equally bad Scarce any one Book that is all a Parenthesis that may be left out and the Reader never the lesse knowing The Elements of Books Martiall excellently summeth up in that Epigram Sunt bona sunt quaedam mediocria sunt mala plura Quae Legis hic aliter non fit Avite liber These Elements to Books Composure go Some good some bad and some So So. The Metaphor of Cooks and Guests familiar in Prologues may direct the Deportment of Readers who are to come to Bookes as Guests not Cooks it being a Squeamishnesse to forbeare satisfying his Appetite as a Guest because somewhat may be wanting in some Dishes Preparation that cannot satisfie the curious Criticisme of a Cook Martiall dressed his to Readers not Criticks Caeâ—ae Fercula Nostrae Malim convivis quà m placuisse cocis I 'de have my Books Content the Candid Guests not curious Cooks Lucilius was of the same temper that said Nolle se sua scripta legi nec a Doctissimis nec ab indoctissimis quod hi nihil intelligerent illi plus saperent quam ut posset illorum Judicio satisfacere Hee would not his Writings should fall under the perusall either of Dunces or great Schollars the former would not understand enough the latter too much for to rest satisfied And in vindication of Authors I may safely commend him whose Resolution is non nimium curo because of that quidam exactos esse Poeta negat not
Dinner Cookt his Supper Thus do we seek our selves in Acts of greatest Self-denyall to the worlds view while we fast to Gluttony and humble our selves to the pulling down of others And for acts of Charity how hath Suicisme crept into them He that giveth to the Poor lendeth to the Lord had not got the Almighty many Creditours but that the vulgar Translation hath it Foeneratur Domino lendeth with usury to the Lord if we fling our Bread upon the waters we chuse not Currents that run all one way and that from us but tyding waters we do good to such as may return it How usuall to move to Compassion by an Argument drawn from our selves it may be our own Case we our selves may fall into the like condition c. Our Charity as we call it on this very score is warmer to a Brief for fire than towards the Cold and Hunger-starv'd in Prisons because we presume our Husbandry fence against a Prison though our Houses are not so against Fire Well the Worlds grand Schismaticke wee have dissected and taken to peeces but now to set him together again and unite this Separatist to the Pursuance of publike Concernments were worth while To bring which to passe I know no speedier course than for every man to summe up his Quotus and survey his Qualis how inconsiderable a Vnite he is or how small a place he filleth up in the Masse of things and what Place Rank or Office he filleth be it small or great The first breedeth Humility the other directeth our Aimes aright As for the first think thy selfe but above what ever is dishonest and thou canst not think thy selfe low enough the want of which causeth this wrying all things to our own proper Interest as if for us alone this great Motion of the world were set a going Did we consider what an Atome and how easily to be spared the proudest he is that knocketh the Stars with his head in his own conceit I cannot tell whether we should pity or deride most this diverting of all Streames into our own Channell not considering that by our Crossing one another nay Destruction of one another the Designes of Providence do proceed and the Course of Nature is upheld being Societas nostra fornicationi lapidum simillima quae Casura nisi invicem obstarent Senec. Ep. 95. We are like a Brick or stone-wall where the ones resisting the motion of the other to the Center as they call it upholdeth the whole Fabrick Nay ex constitutione Naturae miserius est nocere quam laedi it is more miserable to do than receive an Injury saith the same Author by reason of that Community of partâ— in the Vniverse whereof we are Members Here is a Self-denyall talked of by Christians but to their shame more practised by the Moralists whose Humility made them beare patiently Checks of their private Designes rather than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natura it is Saint James his word c. 3. Course Circulation or wheele of Nature should meet with the least Jolt or Check But then consider qualis or what Relation thou hast in the common Body of the Vniverse and thou canst not be private spirited Heare the voice of Nature tell thee it Omne hoc quod vides quo divina humana conclusa sunt unum est Membra sumus Corporis magni Senec. Ep. 95. consider the Vniverse as one Body we are all Members of this great Body But to knock the Naile on the head heare Christianity speak in the language of that true publick Spirit Paul Shall the head say unto the foot I have no need of thee A Comparison by which it apeareth sequestred Aimes and Designes are naturall Treason and Mutiny as well as Politick as if according to the Fable the Arme should resolve to work for the Belly no longer but for it selfe a Folly quickly punishing it selfe with Atrophie and Consumption yet true of thee who ever thou art that wilt not lay out some of thy selfe on thy Country or the Church of God as this Apostle the greatest Prodigall of himselfe of any of the Apostles his Bones would it is very like and well might challenge the greatest share in his Flesh or to be first served no what fastings had not Whippings had of it and watchings and Travell they were last served and had but the others Leavings but such publick spirits are scarce as such Apostle I finde in the Schoole of Nature no better Embleme of this commendable Resignation of our selves to publike service than the Bee-hive of which we may use that of Ovid. Privati nil habet ista Domus They toile not for any Private Ends and Pliny will second it Apes Rempublicam ac mores habent nil novere nisi commune lib. 2. cap. 15. the Bees saith he have a Common wealth and have no designes but Publike Nay A Bee if you will beleive him in Stobaeus cannot live alone Sola perit Now Man according to Aristotle Est Animall civile magis quam omnes Apes vel animal ullum congregabile Polit Lib. 1. c. 2. is a more sociable Creature than any other Creature but we have Law on our side as well as Nature Dominus Membrorum suorum nemo videtur mulctat eum civitas ignominia afficit qui se ipse exanimavit ut qui Civitatem injuria affecerit F. de ventr in possess mit Leg. 1. p. 13. for according to the Civill Law No man is Master of his own Body and therefore selfe-destroyers have not common buriall and are after Death thereby disgraced as such that have injured the Common-wealth as well as themselves And that this Temper was believed to be according to Nature and Reason and Law take the Jury of Histories verdict Plutarch in Lycurgus affirmeth that the Lacaedemonians according to the above mentioned Embleme nec vellent nec scirent privatim vivere verum ut Apum more conglobati ad Rempublicam Patriae essent toti the Lacedemonians knew not nor desired any private drifts but like Bees with a publick concurrence of their Labours and Aimes consecrâ—ted both to their Countries general good On this score Paedaretus bore his Repulse of not being admitted into the number of three hundred chose before him to some honourable employment with more joy than troublednesse of Spirit Protesting He was glad there were so many in the City worthier than himselfe And take his other Instance in Polystratydas being sent to Treat with another Prince and being asked whether he came privately or by publick Authority answered them gallantly if I speed I came from the Common-wealth but if I am repulsed of my own head but I conclude this Ternary of Worthies with Cato and his Character in Lucan's Pharsal Patriae impendere vitam Nec sibi sed toti genitum se credere mundo Veneris huic maximus usus Progenies Vrbi Pater est Vrbique Maritus Justitiae cultor rigidi servator honesti In
times a more gracefull life than from Nature For the Musick of it the Ancients did not amisse in calling that part of it that on the Stage instructed the People Plectrum Animorum an Instrument of the same Musicall Efficacy over the Passions of the Mind as Davids Harp was over Sauls evil spirit It is true enough of most of all sorts of Poesy for what is it sometimes but Philosophy musically set in feet and Number or some stricter kinde of expression Oratours Moralists Historians that write in that nec Sermones â—ego mallem Repentes per Humum in creeping of Prose not flights of Verse are Compilers of the same sense but differing almost as a Song read and sung and as a Writer of our own saith wel Poetry is a sweet tun'd Eloquence and of singular use specially reduce it to Platoâ—s three Heads Divinos Hymnos Canere leges patrias magnorumque gesta virorum graviter recensere Consecrating it for the pious use of the Quire or politick service of the Common-wealth in embodying their more rugged Lawes in more beautifull Joyes or raising Monuments of Fame to her deserving Heroes when thus employed they are as it were divine Issues of the understanding Poetry wings Notions to a flight above the low and muddy conceptions of Ignorance or Dulnesse and although it may seem to rob Truth of her best Ornament Nakednesse as it is commonly objected to Poetry yet it furnisheth her with an advantageous Dresse of taking Pleâ—sance even to those that care not so much for Truth it self Thus Herbert saith excellently A Verse may finde him who a Sermon flies And turn Delight into a Sacrifice Nor is it absurd to aver that many Truths by their Fictions have been best usheredâ— into popular grace and Acceptance It is wel known in Gentilisme their Divines were Poets it is as well known among the first chosen People and Worshippers of God the Jewes the most usefull writings for life or manners nay for faith it selfe are Poetick as the Psalmes Job Proverbs Canticles c. for which consult Alsteds Triumphus Biblicus C. 27. where you may finde Scaliger refuted for denying Poetick Rhithme or Meeter because not like the Greeke or Latine and so not Poâ—sie in a strict sense to be in Scripture for Saint Hierome is of another minde and the impossibility of a Rhithme in that Language like our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Cadency of words which wee strictly call Rhyme is by Alsteds Instance refuted in Psal 118. 25. though as Alsted well if the manner were not the same to deny therefore there were no Meeâ—eâ— is no sound Logick his Instance are these two lines in the same Verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anah Jehova Hoshiangnah Na Ana Jehova Hitzlichah Na Help me now O Lord O Lord send us now Prosperity And Josephus gives us a Testimoniall to it and not to be rejected saith my Author The Reasons why some Scripture and chiefly the Psalmes are in Verse and Numbers if not in the gingling Rime see there more at large in Alsted But for the Honour of Poesie let Doctor Donnes Observation plead in his Essay of Divinity among his Fragments concerning that Song of Moses which was made saith he by God himselfe for though every other Poetick part of Scripture be also Gods word and so made by him yet all the rest were Ministeriall and Instrumentally delivered by the Prophets onely enflamed by him But this which himselfe calls a Song was immediately made by himselfe and Moses was commanded to deliver it to the Children from God choosing this way and conveyance of a Song as fittest to justifie his future Severities against his Children because they would be ever repeating this Song as the Delicacy and Elegancy thereof both for Divinity and Poetry would invite any to it and so he should draw from their own mouths a Confession of his Benefits and their Ingratitude Thus far that rare Observatour doubtlesse there cannot be a greater Testimony that there is something more than humane in Poetry somewhat more than ordinary in this rare Modulation for so it is in the Fancy as well as when Musick aireth a Poem on the Tongue of conceits by Poetick Lawes the light of Nature confesseth in that it confesseth it fit for the Service of their Gods the flat Hudles of Prose were too rude and of lower flight than fitted the Heights of Devotion for Zeale knowes no flatter Figures than Hyperboles gracefully set to number and measure For its use in their Philosophy I refer you to Plutarchs Morals de audiend Poetis for its Excellency and use through all the three Regions of Men as excellently Mr. Hobs the City Court and Country I refer you to Sir William Davenants Account thereof a Poem as amply commending Poetry as can be wished by its one Perfection only somewhat untoucht by them and as little observed by many as it is beleived by some few may be added for the use and therefore Apology for the Dramatick part of Poetry inferiour to none for usefulnesse to which Heathens and some Sermon-shunning Christians owe much of their Discretion Civility and Reclaimes as to Morall Honesty I here enter not the Lists with any Histriomastix to maintain the Stages Quarrell as to the Presentments on it they now being confuted as sometimes Bellarmine is but Writings and Pennings for it and first for Wit from Plautus or his Followers in Imitation I mean as well as Time it hath borrowed its Quicknings and Heights Nay Wisdome is Debtor no lesse to the Sock and Buskin Nor is it such a Paradox as it may seem to sound to some half-witted Eares for I dare aver what hath been writ for the Stage ancient or modern is not inferiour to any writings on the same Theme excepting the Advantages of Christianity and our better Schoolmasters for Heaven of never so severe an Authority Nay on the same Subjects some far above most other Pennings and Prejudice condemned instead of them they may appear so to those judgments that through some misbecoming and no lesse mistaken Gravity think them below their use and Plautus shall be my Instance for all the rest it is Stradas Beliefe not my Schisme besides divers others from him take most of the Instances and the Distastfulnesse of the Quarrell rest with my Author In Scripts of this Nature our Author requireth 1. Verborum vim varietatem 2. In Sententijs Pondus 3. In Personis Decorum 4. Praecepta demum instruendae vitae in memoriam revocare 1. For the first in their Translation they lose their Elegancy I shall therefore crave the English Readers pardon in this discourse unconcerned and keep the Language I begin with that Expression by way of Invitation to an Afternoones Society Dies jam ad umbilicum dimidiatus est Sepulchrum quaeramus ubi hunc comburamus diem And for our broad Hats it seems in this time how fitly doth he liken the Wearers to Toad-stools
and take Plato's word from mans Creation it selfe his Soule being but Harmony and the greater world but Dissimilium concordia Assertions we may be the modester in overthrowing in regard the abstruse nature of the Soule admits of no better positive Definition do I say nay Description in this shewing her Originall to bee from that Father of Spirits as being better described like him by Negatives than Positives But what kind of Harmony it is we shall better know when Hallelujahs come into Play This rare invention of Musick doubtlesse in some particular may challenge the Creatour for her Inventour in the Organs of those Aiery Choristers whose Layes like Grace before and after Meat are tuned Praises of him that filleth the expecting Gapings of the young Ravens and indeed of every living Creature they being appointed it may be to present in more artfull Notes the Praises of those Creatures besides their own whose more indisposed Temper and Organs have made them Mutes in the Temple of the Vniverse For its Antiquity when Heathen Authority hath kept all the Puther it can with their Amphion and Orpheus Moses stateth the Question about the first Inventor of Instrumentall Musick I wil not deny but Vocall might be Adams Prayer or Thanksgiving who doubtlesse would not be behind those Creatures he was Gossip to and named out of acquaintance with their Natures and if any no doubt the best Interpreter of Ornithology or Language of Birds In particular of the Cithara let Criticks interpret it Tubal Cain was Author as Hierome saith an Instument different from what is now so called and had foure and twenty Strings Of the Trumpet Moses himselfe was Inventor saith Josephus lib. 3. Of all which see Polydorus Virgil. de Inventoribus Rerum all or part of which may silence the dull and more Grave than wise Coxcombs that call all Musick fidling is Originall being as noble and more ancient than many admired Crafts Nay Themistocles his Scorn when entreated to play on an Instrument he answered I cannot fiddle but I can make a little City a great one might be answered that That and building or enlarging Cities were of Antiquity alike But more its usefulness than Pedigree commends it I find these Vses principally recorded to its Honour In War it charmed their Fears and raised their Valour and that not onely Imaginatively for to such purpose doubtlesse it hath some reall Power though Philosophy can but offer at the Reason of it As for Beasts we know how some Aires have made the bounding Steed even tread the Aire and scorn the Ground as much as Danger By its known power on Beasts I cannot but believe that mans Soule is gone on some Errant and left the Body in Pawn that feeleth not one String of his Mind touched with a Concent with the ravishings of Musick but complaineth it maketh him dull or more Melancholy Musick hath had its use in the Wars of Passions and routed Discontents out of troubled Minds Nay when an Evill Spirit had Garrison'd Sauls Mind Davids Harp could vanquish even diabolicall Melancholy Sam. 1. 16. it not onely expells a bad Spirit but invites a good So Elisha King 2. 13. Cassiodorus reckoneth many rare Feats of Musick Cithara Tristitiam jocundat timidos furores attenuat c. Ep. 4. It unsaddens the melancholy quickens the dull awaketh the drowsie c. Herein you may heare the concent of a Consort of Authors Lemnius Giraldus Philostratus with the close of Scaligers confession of himselfe in music is supra omnem fidem capior oblector choreas libentissime aspicio c. I am saith he incredibly taken with Musick and Dancing and they are no Scaligers that take Scaliger for a Foole it seemeth a Screwer up of lower Passions more than Pins if he in Philostratus may be believed that he could Moerentibus moerorem adimere laetantem seipso hilariorem reddere amantem calidiorem c. That he could make a sad man merry and a merry man much more merry a Lover more enamoured and a Religious more devout But here mee-thinks the thread-bare scoff at Devotion Piping hot seemeth to deny any use of Musick in that where David chiefly used it in the Service of God But for my part that the wel-ordered Musick of former Ages did not better tune Devotion and to higher Pitches or Ela's of Zeale than Tunes began by an out-of-Tune Clerk is one of those many Postulata Assertions taken for granted that I cannot play Assent to at first sight David the best of divine Poets and were his Musick known not the worst of Musitians nay according to some so eminent as an Inventor of many sorts of it accounted not dumb Service I or out of Tune howling either fit eenough for him to be honoured with that continually doth and to all Eternity shall heare those Ravishing Hallelujahs since old Law and things as is objected were past away A cheerfull even Musically Service of God was retained by solemne Anastasius and seriously devout Ambrose who thought not Church-musick too light or needlesse to much lesse destructive of Devotion Poetry and Musick too in one Charge is the Apostolles Cure of the Christians Melancholy If any be sorrowfull let him sing Psalmes saith James 5. 13. And that even humane Invention may not be excluded the service of God Paul enlargeth it to Hymnes and Spirituall Songs where humane Invention cometh in for Ditty and Notes unlesse some that declame that generall whord humane Invention against all that cometh not from their own Spirit can make out to talk in their own Phrase the Canonicall Poetry and Apostolicall or Canonicall Pricksâ—ng wherein the Tune of those Hymnes I or Davids Psalmes were set that the Chrstians then used If they cannot let us not shut the Fancy or the Voice from the Service of him that made both which doubtlesse will be exercised in their highest Altitudes and most Elevated Perfections then when all Teares shall be wiped away and that endlesse Song of Joy be begun On which considerations I am much prone to subscribe to the Italians Opinion that the Enemy of Musick is one God loveth not confirmed by Pindars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom Jupiter beareth no good will Musick is Caterwawling That Soule hath indeed most commonly some jarring ill-naturednesse making harsh discord here among men and not without probability is a thing untunable for Heaven and unfit to beare a part in that Song of Moses and the Lamb which since it intimateth both Poesie and Musick we may say of them among Arts as Paul of Charity that when Faith and Hope cease Charity maketh her Nest above the Stars So when all Arts shall vanish then onely for the creditable Preheminence of them beâ—ore many here preferred Arts shall Poesie and Musick begin their endlessenesse let who will commend their Mistresselike-chosen Arts and advance them higher if they can NATURES REPRESENTATITIVE OR LIFE DEAD COLOVRED SIMONIDES worded it to the Life when he said