distempered that they have knocked their own heads against the wall as did a Learned man of our time called Ange Politian Some have been constrained in their sickness to eat Serpents as do those who are infected with the Leprosie From the bodies of others have issued out great number of Serpents as did out of the body of the Philosopher Pherecides Some there have been in whose bodies have been ingendred such great quantity of Lice that they have been eaten up with them CHAP. VI. Of Poysons NEither are these evils enough but Man hath invented of himself more to set forward his own death as well as his Neighbours as if those which Nature had prepared for him and were born with him were not sufficient to crush him Such are the poysons which men make now-a-days and that so dexterously that there can be no preservation from them unless men should shun all Society and betake themselves to Desarts with the brute Beasts in the company of whom he is more certain of safety than with men Some Ancient Authors as Orpheus Orus Medesius Heliodorus and Aratus have taught the Composition of five hundred sorts of Poysons and some others have since augmented the number but if they were now alive they would be reputed as dull and insiped so much is humane malice increased In former Ages they made use of certain Drugs which are of their nature so venemous that a Grain weight of them would kill a man immediately and was sold at an hundred Crowns an Ounce so great a Tribute paid he that used them yet nevertheless they had this consideration that they made him Swear who bought them that he should not use it in their Province nor against their Friends and Allies but only against strangers but men are grown in these our times so ingeniously industrious to do evil that they have found out ways to poyson men by scent only as did a certain Sienois to his Corrival presenting him with a Nosegay of Flowers the smell of which struck him dead immediately Another a Florentine Cavalier having taken off his Head-piece that he might refresh himself was espied by his Enemy who rubbed on the inside of it so deadly a poyson that as soon as ever he put it on his head made him give up the Ghost immediately They spare not in Italy so much as their Flamboies and Torches but corrupt and sophisticate them and that so artificially that the smoak of them poysoneth so that you dare scarcely light your Torches for your conduct in the night if you have suspicion of an Enemy 'T is a small matter to apply poyson to meats and drinks as in time past for men have found out means now-a-days to poyson the very Horssaddles Boots and Spurs and that which seemeth more pernicious is that some have lost their lives by shaking hands with them whose pretence was Friendship Some have been poysoned by Letters and Papers sent them which when opened there flies out such a poysonous vapour which rising upward penetrateth to the brain And so artificial are they in these Compositions that the venom killeth according to the intention of the Murderer for if he pleases the party shall live three months six month a year or longer so that death shall answer the time of the design of the Composition Moreover if they please they can so order the effects of the poyson that it shall hurt but one member at a time An experiment not much unlike to this we now speak of hath been found too true to their cost who drank of a poysoned Fountain on this-side the Rhine which caused their teeth to fall out of their heads who tasted of it but mens malice hath extended farther yet and hath given greater testimony of their execrable wickedness in that they have not stuck to mingle poyson with the blessed Sacrament CHAP. VI. Of the great Calamities which Men have suffered by the overflowing of Water WHAT remaineth more for the perfecting of Man's Misery seeing the very Elements rise up against him and are as Witnesses and Ministers of Gods vengeance for his sins what is there more necessary to Humane Life than Water seeing that neither Man Beast nor Herb can subsist without it not to reckon the Ornament and Beauty which it bringeth to the Universe it is the most ancient and mightiest of all the Elements as saith Pliny and Isidore It ruineth and layeth low the Mountains predominateth and governeth the Earth puts out the Fire turneth it self into Vapours surpasseth the Region of the Air from whence afterwards it descendeth to engender and produce all things on the Earth and yet nevertheless what Chastisements hath Antiquity experimented from the vigor of this Element when the Deluge of Water overflowed and covered the whole Earth when the Veins of the Heavens were opened that the Waters surpassed the highest Mountain by fifteen Cubits as Moses describeth it in Genesis How many times hath Egypt been drown'd by the overflowing of the River Nilus How many thousands of men have lost their Lives and been buried in the bellies of Fishes How sensible has Greece been of the fury of the Waters when the greatest part of Thessaly was drown'd all the Inhabitants expecting nothing but the entire ruin of mankind by the violence of this Element What mischief received the Romans by the overflowing of the River Tiber which swelled after such a manner that the waters mounted above the highest Towers and Pinacles of the City the Bridges were broken down their Gold Silver Corn Wine Cloth Silk Stuff Oiles Wool and other Goods to the value as was computed of two or three Millions of Gold lost and consumed above 3000 Men Women and Children were destroyed by the violence of the Flood Jasper Contaren writeth in his Book of the four Elements That in our time Valence a City of Spain lacked but little of being drowned with all its Inhabitants by the violence and before unknown eruption of Water so that if it had not been speedily succoured with Ramparts they had all undoubtedly perished CHAP. VII Of Fire and the Mischiefs which Men have receiv'd by it WHAT is there more admirable in Nature than the Fire by the benefit of which all our Meats are seasoned the Lives of many preserved the Metals Calcinated and made flexible the Iron softned macerated and vanquished the Stones which we use in the structure of our Buildings baked and hardened in the belly of the Earth by its aid and assistance and yet nevertheless how many famous Cities have been burned and reduced to Ashes the most ancient Testimony of this is in the Sacred Writings concerning Sodom and Gomorrah upon which the Lord rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven The last Conflagration and Universal ruin of the Earth must be executed by the fury of this Element as is written by the Prophets and Apostles In the time of Lucius Marcus and Sextus Julius Consuls there broke out such a great Flame from two Mountains that all
HERACLITUS Heraclitus weeps well he may Since ffate Hath chain'd poor Man to such a mournfull State Where Crosses Croud to fill his life with pain And all prevention he can use is Vain I. Oliver Sculp Heraclitus Christianus OR THE MAN OF Sorrow BEING A REFLECTION ON ALL States and Conditions OF HUMAN LIFE In Three Books Summum hominis bonum bonus ex hac vita exitus LONDON Printed by A. M. and R. R. for Brabazon Aylmer at the three Pigeons over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1677. TO THE READER FOR an Author to court the Reader by an Epistle into good humour is as customary and every whit as essential a concomitant of writing as shadows to Bodies or Envy to Virtue For I am not insensible that by the exposing of this Book I shall expose myself too to the censure of those who take measure of every thing by their petulant humours and have no other way to set off their own barren inventions but by perpetual invectives against the multitude of Books which appear every day in the world whereas indeed the mischiefs which they complain of have proceeded not from their number but quality For should every man write an exact Narrative of the various experiences and circumstances of his Life comprehending as well his Vices as Vertues and them with simplicity related how useful would this prove to the Publick though it would much encrease the number But this so impartial an account may rather be wished for than expected since men have ever preferred their own private Reputation before the real good of themselves and others The Book here offered to perusal though it be none of those before-named in particular yet is it a true Representation of Man in General and having found no less Profit than Pleasure in the Reading of it my self I could not be detained by a thousand imperfections which I am sensible it labours under as well in words as matter from offering it to those who are willing to make the improvement which might be made by a Prospect of Humane Misery THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. OF the strange Humour of Timon and many others in their Resentments of Humane Misery Page 1 CHAP. II. That Man in respect of many natural advantages is inferior to the Beasts and Inanimate Creatures 10 CHAP. III. The Beasts and Irrational Creatures advantages over us further considered in respect of those many Diseases wherewith Man is Afflicted partly by Nature and partly by his own Intemperance 13 CHAP. IV. The advantages of Beasts and other Animals over us in respect of natural instinct whereby they have recourse to proper Remedies for their particular infirmities and distempers 19 CHAP. V. That Man hath been instructed in several useful Arts and Inventions as also in sundry points of Morality and Philosophy by Birds Beasts and Fishes 22 CHAP. VI. That Man is more miserable than other Animals by reason of his repugnancy to the Laws of his Creator in obedience to which liveth all other Creaturs 37 THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND BOOK CHAP. I. OF Man's Misery in his Conception in the Womb. 41 CHAP. II. Of Man's miserable Birth and entrance into the World 45 CHAP. III. Man's misery considered in the Nurture of his Infancy 48 CHAP. IV. Man's misery further considered in the course and Education of his Youth 58 CHAP. V. Of the misery attending the State of Manhood 63 CHAP. VI. Man's misery more particularly considered and first of the miserable life of Mariners 65 CHAP. VII Of the misery attending the life of Husbandmen 67 CHAP. VIII The miserable life of Merchants considered 69 CHAP. IX Of the miserable life of the Soldier 73 CHAP. X. The miseries of Courtiers considered 79 CHAP. XI Of the miseries attending the life of Kings and Emperours 84 CHAP. XII The miseries incident to Popes and Prelates 92 CHAP. XIII Of the miseries which attend them who Administer in Publick Affairs 95 CHAP. XIV Of the miseries of Marriage 100 THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD BOOK CHAP. I. OF the misery arising to Man from the Diversity of Religions 109 CHAP. II. Of divers Plagues wherewith men have been afflicted 113 CHAP. III. Of the miseries which Mankind have suffered by Famine and many other Plagues 119 CHAP. IV. Of divers other Distempers and Phrensies wherewith men have been affected 129 CHAP. V. Of Poysons 132 CHAP. VI. Of the great Calamities which Men have suffered by the overflowing of Water 135 CHAP. VII Of Fire and the mischiefs which Men have receiv'd by it 137 CHAP. VIII Of Earth-quakes 139 CHAP. IX Of Avarice 146 CHAP. X. Of Envy 151 CHAP. XI Of Love 155 CHAP. XII Of the misery of Old Age. 165 CHAP. XIII Of Death 167 CHAP XIV Of the Final Judgment 171 Licensed and Entred according to Order Heraclitus Christianus OR THE MAN OF SORROW THE FIRST BOOK CHAP. I. Of the strange Humor of Timon and many others in their Resentments of Human Misery MANY of the Ancient Philosophers upon exact consideration and curious inquisition into the Nature and Manner of Living of all Creatures whatsoever have joyntly cry'd out That amongst all those which breathe upon the face of the Earth there 's none more Miserable than Man Others more rigorous censurers of the works of Nature have began to Blaspheme against her calling her a Step-dame rather than a tender and indulgent Mother Some there have been that have deplored all their life-time the Calamities whereunto we are subject And such a one was Heraclitus who perswaded himself that whatsoever we could contemplate under the Cope of Heaven was nothing else but a real Theatre of Sorrow and Misery and worthy of nothing but continued Lamentation and Pity Others there have been who have testified their passion by an excessive Laughing And such a one was Democritus who should he come again upon the Earth and should behold the disorders and confusions wherein lieth our Christian World he would have just cause to heighten and redouble his Laughter There has been another kind also of Philosophers but of a humor more strange than the former who were not contented to murmur against Nature and her effects but by a particular hatred and animosity have set themselves against Man their fellow Creature imagining that Nature had set him as a mark against which she would let fly all her Arrows of rage and fury Amongst which was Timon the Athenian Philosopher who hath been the most affectionate Patriarch of his Sect and who declared himself an open and Capital Enemy of all Men and witnessed the same in the presence of every one and in all places wherever he came and indeed effectually confirmed it for he would not be conversant with any man but dwelt all his life time with brute Beasts in a Desart neither did it suffice him to have men in hatred and detestation and to avoid their company but as if they were some wild and furious Beasts he sought all means that might
his living that all men might know that he lived by his labour and not by the sweat and pains of other men for which Reason the Consul had born before him his Rods and Axes the Priest a Hat or Chaplet in manner of a Coif the Tribune a Mace the Gladiator a Sword the Taylor his Shears the Smith a Hammer the Orator and Rhetorician a Book they suffering not that those that were Masters of the Sciences should be the Disciples and Scholars of vices So that Mar. Aurel. making mention of the ancient diligence and industry of the Romans writeth That they set themselves with so great earnestness to their labour that a person in all Rome could not be found so much at leasure as to carry Letters two or three days journey though of never so great importance Which considered may not a little reflect upon those which make profession of Christianity for if all the idle and useless persons were chased and banished out of our Cities the remainder would be a very small and inconsiderable number And if we would consider all things whatsoever which God hath created we shall find no one but Man who remaineth in idleness For by how much the more the things that are created are excellent and perfect the more is there given to them of labour and travel you see the Sun how 't is never free from continual and perpetual motion as also the Moon how greatly unacquainted with stops and stayings The fire can never be without some kind of operation the Air flies continually whirling from one side to the other the Waters Fountains and Rivers flow and are in perpetual agitation the earth is never at rest but is always busied in producing one thing or other wherefore laying all things before our consideration we shall find that nature never ceaseth her operation Finally there 's no plague more pernicious to the publick than idleness for its inventions and broodings are scarce any thing else than vice and wickedness so that we ought to esteem idle persons far worse than the bruit Beasts whose hides serveth us for Shoes their flesh for Meat their force and strength to cultivate the earth but the idle person serveth for nothing but to offend God and scandalize the innocent and eat the bread which other men have sweated for We may therefore apprehend by what hath been forementioned how liberally nature hath favoured other creatures and hath been as it were prodigal in their behalf so that men are constrained when they consider the indulgences of nature to other Animals in their regular way of living to follow and imitate them in many things But what Murderer can there be though never so great an affronter of Nature and desirous of human Blood that will not moderate his desire of mischief and malevolency when he considers that there is no Animal though never so fierce and furious that will kill his own Kind What Child can there be so ungrateful towards his Parents who will not be moved to gratitude when he seeth the little Storks feeding their ancient and decrepit Parents in acknowledgment of the benefits that they have received from them Aelian reports a matter not a little admirable That their Young are so tender of them that if provision is not at hand to relieve them then they strain and enforce themselves to vomit and cast up that which they had eaten the day before lest they should perish with hunger and with this they sustain them till they have gotten supplies from abroad Where is the Father who is so cruel and unnatural or the Mother so estranged from humanity that dares to murder their off-spring or be guilty of the least unkindness if they call to mind the Dolphins zeal for the preservation of their young who if it come to pass that any of them are taken by Fishers follow them continually even to the very last extremity and will rather suffer themselves to be taken The which is not only peculiar to the Dolphin but also to another Fish called Glaucus who though not so sociable and familiar with men as the other nevertheless he hath such great affection for his young that whensoever he seeth any that may seem affrightful he taketh them up into his mouth swallowing them down alive and when the peril and fear is over he disgorges them whole into the water which is indeed a thing almost incredible that his love should be so great to his young that he should force his Nature and endure any pain rather than they should be prejudiced Who is he that will not bear contentedly the irksomness of poverty if he considers the nature of a Fish called Polypus who feeling himself urged with hunger and seeing that food is wanting to him eateth the ends of his Finns and Curtails knowing in time that they will grow again Where is the Man so pusillanimous and fearful who is not in some measure comforted against the fear of Death when it presents it self to him when he hath considered the sweet singing of Swans and that when their end approaches though they are without hopes or thought of living again There is no Father can be so cruel barbarous or unnatural to defraud some of his Children to advantage the others if he hath taken notice of the order which the little Swallow observeth in the nourishing of his brood who as saith Aelian in his Greek History of Animals keepeth exactly to the rules of distributive justice and because she cannot bring all at once she goes divers times to her feeding and violateth not in the leastwise the right of Primogeniture for he that is first born is first fed the Second the second rank and so consequently the others which was the cause that an Indian Philosopher named Diphilus after having contemplated the manner and order of this little Bird and others cryed out That Nature had engraven in them as it were certain laws and formularies for the assistance of men in the conduct of their lives Is there any Man so stupid and blockish that encreaseth not his knowledg by considering the prudence of the despised Cuckoo who being sensible by instinct of Nature of his infirmity and excessive frigidity so that he cannot hatch his eggs watcheth and at last spieth an occasion that he may lay them in other Birds Nests first breaking theirs that were there before Which manner of the Cuckoo Eulgentius observing said That he was not unworthy in some things to be imitated by those Fathers who have many Children and by reason of their poverty cannot bring them up themselves they would do well to place them out in others Houses whereby they may get an honest subsistence What Servant is there so dull and sloathful that is not a little moved when he considereth the noble generosity of the Warr-horse who is so courageous that he had rather dye than leave his Master in danger so that he hath such a brisk kind of sprightfulness that is