ONe of the principall pointes that maketh a wise mā to be knowne, is rightly to gouerne his tongue, and aptly to cō ­duct his speech: for it is commonlie seene that the stroke of the tongue is more dangerous then the dent of the speare. Insomuch that this wound may easily be salued, but the hurt which the wicked tongue leaueth behinde him is alwaies incurable. Wherefore the sage Sirach saith; That hee may be worthily coūted happy which neuer offēded by his vnruly tongue. And this is hee which by [Page]the assertion of Saint Iames is iudged a perfect man.

It is a thing by custome incident to hu­maine things, that from whence we cull any commoditie: from thence, often­times wee gather also manie mishaps and miseries, for as it is apparant that the starres and celestiall bodies are most ne­cessarie to the sustenaunce of this our life: whereof dependeth all the proper­ties and inclinations of these inferior bo­dies, yet out of them issueth extreeme ca­lamitie which wee may hardly auoid by any aduise, as when it happeneth vs to be borne vnder a peruerse climate or cō ­stellation, through the beneuolence of the aire, wee drawe our breath, and enioy our vitall spirites, but when it is infec­ted, it fretteth euery corner full of mala­die, wailings, and mortalities, men cannot want the diuers vtillities which the sea and waters daily conueieth vnto them: yet when with might & maine they sur­mount their appointed limits, they dam­nifie [Page]many thousandes in one moment, whereof the inhabitants neers the Riuer of Loire may be very good witnesses by the inspeakable losse which lately chaun­ced to them thereby, in the yeare of our Lord God. 1570. The life of man cannot be continued without the vse of fire, yet who can vtter the soden frights & dread­full Tragedies which it hath brought forth of the earth, mother & nurse of all growing creatures, comes, ruines, trem­blings, & earthquakes, gapings, & pestife­rous exhalations, which sore annoieth mankind: euen so is the tongue as it is cōducted, for if it be well guided there is nothing better, nothing more pleasant: but if it be suffered to run at randon, no­thing is more perillous. The tongue God wot is a litle member of slender substāce, notwithstanding in it is conreined fire & water, souerein salue & deadly poisō, de­structiō & saluatiō: for in this world can­not be foūd a greater mischief thē a veni­mous tung, nor a more better thing then [Page]friendly wordes and workes agreeable to the same. For this cause the renowned wise Byas, or as some others will haue it Pytacus sent the tōgue of a certeine beas [...] allotted to be sacrificed to a King of Ae­gypt called Amasis, for the verie worst and best member of the beast. Thereby to giue vs notice, that in a man nothing is more excellent than the vse of a wel tem­pered tongue, nor nothing more villai­nous then a vyperous tongue.

Socrates the most vigilant Historiogra­pher, sheweth howe on a daie Pambus a silly sot deuoid of knowledge, bethought him to goe to a certeine famous Doctor to be instructed & better furnished in his defects: who after he had heard the first verse of the 38. Psalme, &c. I will direct my waies that I may not offende in my tongue, rose vp vpon the sodeine, tooke leaue of his maister and departed, saying; That he desired to learne nothing more, so that he might accomplish in his deedes the contents of this one verse. Signifying [Page] [...]ereby, that the chiefest perfection, the [...]st propertie perteining to a man, is to [...]orderate his tongue, for ouermuch bab­ [...]e is euer subiect to controlment, and he [...]at warely weareth his tongue sheweth [...]mselfe to be wise, and he that gards his [...]outh and tongue, gards his own soule.

Plutarch compareth these prating par­ [...]ts to emptie vessels, which being soun­ [...]ed, yeeldes a lowder noise then those [...]hich are wel fraught with good liquor. Isocrates, in his booke dedicated to De­ [...]onicus, saith; That there are two times [...]t for talking, the one when necessitie [...]oth vrge vs, the other whē a man spea­ [...]eth of that whereof he is verie wel skil­ed. It was obiected to Cherillus for what [...]ause Lycurgus had made so fewe ordi­ [...]ances. Hee replied, that the multitude of [...]wes and statutes was nothing needfull [...]o men that are spare of speech. Wee are [...]aught by the Phylosopher Zenon, that [...]ature hath giuen vs two eares to heare [...]ur fill, but one onely tongue to speake [Page]seldome. Whervnto accordeth S. Paul saying; Bee you quicke in hearing, b [...] ­slowe in speaking. Sueton, also recorde [...] that the principall cause whereof Oct [...] ­uian aboue all other fauoured and fa [...] ­cied Mecaenas, was, for the great ten­perance hee vsed in his talke. Cicero, r [...] ­citeth, Cato the Oratour, woulde neu [...] leaue in writing, anie his Orations: affi [...] ­ming that if it chaunced him to repe [...] ought that hee had said, hee woulde n [...] be vpbraid with his writing, which he could not denie. Cato the Censor beein [...] snapt at for his too much sobrietie i­ [...] talke, insomuche that his taciturniti [...] was of most men thought worthie [...] ­reprehension, aunswered, that the ho [...] ­ding of his peace should not offende a­nie man, considering his life was inno­cent and altogither without blame, fo [...] then hee vsed to speake when he [...] might, or longe bee silent. Into th [...] same reproach fell Heckades, anoble O­ratour of Greece, because hee sat mute [Page] [...]eeing inuited to a solemne banquet where others chatted and iangled out of [...]easure, which Archidamidas percei­ [...]ing, aunswered in the behalfe of Hec­ [...]ades to him that scoffed him for hol­ [...]ing his peace. Art thou ignorant saide [...]ee that those which can wisely speake, [...]an also warely holde their peace, when [...]hey see the times and tides not apt for [...]lke.

Hee therfore which will speake, must [...]vel consider before hee open his mouth, whither the wordes hee is about to vt­ [...]er may in time to come bee preiudiciall vnto him, hauing alwaies in minde the [...]ncient Prouerbe; Lingua quò vadis: Tongue whither wilt thou.

Amongest many goodly examples of [...]oo much talke, that which is written of [...]he Poet Ibyque seemeth verie fit for our purpose, who beeing sharpely assayled and besette on all sides, with a route of carelesse and roysting robbers, in a [Page]place far secluded from sucker where he could not be seene or heard of anie man the poore Poet, this distressed Ibyque, see­ing himselfe readie to bee sacrificed, no knowing where to complaine & appeal for iustice, sawe a company of Cranes i [...] the aire, to whom he called aloud, O you Cranes be you witnesses of the fraud and villany that I here receiue: after his death all passed a long time before it could [...] bee knowne who was guiltie thereof, till on a dismoll day that men assembled themselues to a Faier, where also the murtherers of Ibyque made their ap­pearaunce, it chaunced that at the same time certeine Cranes came that way, one of the same murderers smiling said to his companions, behold where flies the wit­nesses of the Poet Ibyque, which thing being noted of one that stood by, suspec­ted them of the fact committed: wherof incōtinent he aduertised the Magistrats, the murderers were apprehended, con­fessed the deed, and were executed, there­fore, [Page]which happened only by their chat­ting vnaduisedly▪

The verie like historie we read in Plu­tarch of certaine sacriligious persons, which by night had spoyled the temple of Pallas in Lacedemonia: the next mor­ning after this hainous offence heard of, was found an emptie flagon in the porch of the Temple, and as men made their recourse thither to beholde this pite­ous spectacle, they debated among them­selues what this Flagon should signifie, then one of the malefactors which was in the thronge, yet vnknowne, sayd, my friendes giue mee leaue and I will shewe you my censure vpon this mat­ter, as I gesse this thing is happened for that those whiche haue taken vpon them to robbe this Temple, fearing to bee attached in dooing the trespasse, had drunke of a certeine confection called Cyge, which is a kinde of mortall poy­son, to the ende they might bee quick­lie dispatched out of the waie, and not [Page]to be brought to the place of iudgement and infamie of the worlde, which other­wise they shoulde incurre. But if it so chaunced that they atchieued their enter­prise without beeing discouered, they had brought also with them a counter­poyson Cyge, which is wine without water. And for this cause I thinke the Flagon is here left voide, Certeine of the assistance marking this deuice, iudged him to be a partner of the practise, com­mitted him to warde, who vpon straite examination, was founde culpable, and had the rigour of the law for his enormi­ous guilt, whereof hee might thanke his incontinent tongue.

At London in Englande, an accident not vnlike to the former, happened of a theefe, which in the depth of the night had craftely conueyed himselfe into a ci­tizens house, minding to make speedie dispatch of the best wares that came next to hande, but hee coulde not so couertly handle the matter but the neighbours [Page]there adioyning, heard him bursling a­bout the doore, which immediately as­sembled themselues to take the theefe that was yet in the house, hee seeing this tumult to bee raysed for his apprehen­sion, cunningly got himselfe in the mid­dest of the prease, busily crying and cal­ling for the theefe: Insomuche that the neighbours thinking him to be stopped, began to retyre homewarde, when this frantike fellowe coulde no longer holde, but must needes say, farewell theefe, the deuil goe with thee, for I haue lost my hat in seeking of thee. Wherevpon he was strait clapt fast, for one kept the hat which hee sawe falling from the theefe as hee fledde, which beeing laide to his charge was so astonished, that hee coulde not denie the facte, and was hanged therefore at Tyborne, which hee might haue auoyded easely if hee had beene silent. King Seleucus surnamed Galyma­ca, for his noble and valiant prowesse in [Page]feates of armes, but as all humaine thing are full of fragilitie and mutations, so on a time it happened, that Mars which earst was his gracious guide, so vnlucke [...] lye lowred and thundered his threate vpon this vnhappie Prince, that he be­ing discomfited in a great conflict, was driuen to breake his Diademe, the onely ensigne of his Princely pompe, and to get him packing with three men, onely that hee might not be knowne. After he had wandred a while in the desolate de­sertes, hee chaunced vpon a poore cot­tage, where hee requested bread and a li­tle water, to the ende hee woulde not bee reuealed, his Hoast shewed him all the comfort and curtesie that in him laie, knowing full well that it was the King, and did conduct him in the waie that hee did require: who surely should haue gayned thereby a rewarde merito­rious for his trauayle, had not his tal­ketiue tongue marred all his market, the King departing said, farwel host, the pee­uish [Page]wretch aunswered, God keepe you my Lord, whereat the King fretting, not minding to be detected, made semblance [...]o offer his hande to his hose as though hee woulde take his host coine, but it was a token to one of his men that hee shoulde cut off his hostes head, such fruit we reape of our vnbrideled speech.

The euil that ensueth by an vndiscreet tongue, hath a huge heape of more ex­amples which of purpose I let passe, that I might set out to the view, the hidden treasure and gallant company that secret­lie embraceth, amongest whome Pa­pyrius hath merited the preheminence. The Romane Senators had an auncient custome, that one of their children should attende on them in the Senate house, till the said children passed the age of seuen­teene yeares, to this end, that they beeing inured to the holsom ordinances, of their ancestors, might after be the more fit for the regiment of their country. Now it so fell out that the Senate on a time cōfuted [Page]of a verie weightie matter, and straigh [...] charge was giuen that it should bee kep [...] close, where amongst the other youthe [...] this little Papyrius was also present: o [...] whom when he came home, his mothe [...] demanded what great matters had cause [...] the Senate that day to sit so long. Wher [...] vnto hir sonne replied that he might no [...] so doe, for he had commission to the cō trarie, and as women are euer curious to knowe, shee allured hir little sonne with fair promises, but therin she lost hir labor wherfore she vsed thumps & threates o [...] all sorts to get this hiddē mysterie, which Papyrius perceiuing, practised a pretti [...] policie, saying to his mother, that the thing which so much encombred the Se­nate was, that euery man should hereaf­ter haue two wiues, when the mother heard this, she staied no lōger, but incōti­nent aduertised the other Roman dames therof, that so vniust an ordinance might not go forward: the next morning at the gate of the Senate, were assembled great [Page] [...]oupes of matrons. Who instantly be­ [...]ought, that in Rome such inequalitie [...]ight not take place, for one mā to mar­ [...]ye with two wiues, affirming that it were much more expediēt that one wo­mā should haue two husbands, the Sena­tors abashed to see this inciuilitie in their wiues, wondred from whence it should proceede, but by any meanes they coulde not gather the cause hereof: thē litle Papi­rius stepped forth & bad thē to bee quiet, deciphering from pointe to pointe, what had hapned between his mother & him, and how for dead of hir hee was driuen to vse this deceit. The Senate highlie commending the wisedome & constan­cie of this youth, ordeined that their chil­dren should no more approch the Senates house, except only young Papyrius, be­cause the secretes of the Senate should not be reuealed, & thē Papirius was inue­sted with a garmēt called Pretext, which was the gretest honor that he could haue [Page]in those young yeeres to weare the ha [...] bite of a Senator. And this is reported o [...] Aullius Gellius and Macrobius in hi [...] Saturnals.

Alexander the great, hauing red [...] letter of great importance in the pre­sence of his friend Ephestion, which he [...] receiued from his mother, clapped his fin­ger vpon his mouth, meaning thereby that he to whom any secret thing is com­mitted, ought alwaies to haue his mouth closed. K. Licimacus offred to the Poet Philippide al that lay in his power to do, to whō the Poet said; My Lord the best benefite I can receiue of you, is neuer to know your secrets: this thing was not obserued of Fuluius, who knowing a great secret of the Emperour Octauius, did im­part it to his wife, & she disclosed it to di­uers others which hir husband often laid reprochfully to hir charge: whereof shee being impatiēt, in a frantike fury slue hir self, so did hir husbād Fuluius. An exāple not far vnlike to this, is recited by Pliny, [Page]of the Philosopher Anazerxes, who be reft himself of his tunge, & teeth also, that he wold not reueal a certain secret which the tyrant Nicocrion sought violently to wrest from him. The like we reade of Zenon a Philosopher, which chose rather to cut of his tongue, then to disclose his freendes councell. The Athenians made an Image of the dust of a Lionesse, in the remembrance and honour of a certaine wanton woman called Lionesse who ha­uing familiar company with Harmodius and Aristogidon, tyrants and enimies to the Athenian estate, concealed from thē, a certaine couert conspiracie, for which cause she is pictured without any tongue, to giue notice of hir secrecy. The seruants of Plocius Plancus as Valerius writeth, endured sharpe torments and strappadoes because they would not vtter where their maister had hid him selfe to his enimies, who sought to haue slaine him. Acgisi­laus king of Sparta greatly marueiled when it was told him to a condemned [Page]man which for anye crueltie that was done vnto him woulde neuer speake a worde. The seruant of Cato the orator, hauing seene a certaine trespasse commit­ted by his maister, to the death woulde neuer vtter it. A Romaine Tribune de­maunded on a time of Metellus a valliant captaine, what hee ment to do concer­ning a conflict which was at hande: He aunswered, if I knewe that my shirt had intelligence of that I pretend to do, I would straight waies cast it in the fire. When Darius was ouerthrowne and vanquished by Alexander, conueied him selfe into a close corner, they which saw this, and knewe where he was, woulde not bewray him, although they suffered the most bitter paines that could be inuē ­ted. Horace amongst his conuiuall con­stitutions willeth that euery man should kepe close that which is said and done at bankets.

It was a custome among the Atheni­ans, that when they were assembled at [Page]a feast, the grauest man of them all did alwaies keepe the dore: saying to them that entred there, take heede sirs that not one word be blowne abroad, of all that is done here. The order of Pithagoras discipline was chiefely to inure his dis­ciples to secrecie, to the which ende a long time they kept silence, and he had neuer any Scholer but he sat mute two yeares at the least: that thereby they be­ing accustomed to secretnes, might learne neuer to speake, but when necessity did compell them.

Aristotle being asked what was the most difficult thing for a man to rule, (sayde) to holde his peace. Saint Am­brose amongst the principall groundes of vertue hath placed Taciturnitie. The ancient Egiptians reuerence Harpocrate for the god of secrecy. So did the Ro­maines Angenora as goddesse of the same silence, whom they painted, closing her mouth with her fynger, in token of se­crecie.

For to conclude this matter of silence, Quintus Curtius sheweth vs that the Percians had a custome which might not be broken, which was, to punish aboue all offenders, him that had bewraied anie se­cret committed vnto him: Further, such is the prouidence of nature in the situati­on of our members, that she hath assigned to ech one his right roome, aswell for the dignitie and decoration of the bodie, as for the commoditie and vse of the mem­bers. The braine which is the very feate of reason, the most worthie part of man▪ is placed all aloft in the head, as in an im­periall throne, there to prescribe and beare rule ouer the inferior partes: the tongue which is the interpreter of the inwarde thoughtes of the hart, is setled in the mid­dest of both, to the ende it should be vnder the braine, and not far from the hart, whō also the same nature hath enclosed and hedged in with teeth and lips, as it were within a defēsible bulwarke, that it might not be ranging vnaduisedly: for this cause [Page]the Poet Hesiodus compareth the tongue to a hidden treasure, which should not be vsed, but when necessitie doth constraine. The Prophet Esay reioyseth aboue mea­sure of the good gift he had in his toung: saying, God hath giuen mee a pleasant tongue, a tongue rightly instructed, that it should declare his words in due and cō ­uenient time, to the comfort of them that be in misery, but to the slothfull he hath framed my speeches more pearcing then the two edged sword. By our tongues saith Saint Iames wee praise God. To his purpose I remember a storie of a man cō ­demned to death, by an inferior Iudge, & before his death to be bereft of his toung, the poore fellow appealed to the parlia­ment of Tolosa, there vttering his hum­ble petitions said: that the principall cause that moued him to appeale, was for that hee was condemned to haue his tongue cut off afore his death, which God had gi­uen him to praise his name, & that it were great wrong that he should bee destitute [Page]of so good a member at the last instant of his life. Now if men maruell at a litle fish, called Remora, which is in length scarce halfe a foote, nor in breadth fiue inches, who notwithstanding mauger the rage of the surging seas, and blustering winds is able to stay a ship in the middest of his course, as though it were tied fast with an ankar. Then with more iust reason wee may wonder at the tongue, who being so litle a member can stir vp so manie mil­lions of men, and incencing countrey, a­gainst countrey, and Citie against Cittie, for this cause the Poets haue fained of old that Mercury had a magicall rod, called Caduse: which in deede was nothing else but an eloquent tongue, whereby he per­swaded, or diswaded men, at his plea­sure.

And for this cause they sayd of olde that Amphion forced great rockes to moue out of their place by the sweete sound of his Harpe. So did Orpheus cause okes and elmes to leape for ioy of his har­mony, [Page]wherby it is signified that the swet melody of their cloquēce, could prouoke and stir vp the most lumpish dullards of the world. In like maner the ancient frēch men fayned, that one Hercules Selticus, who hauing a litle chain through the top of his tongue, wherunto was tied a great number of mens eares, he led them whe­ther pleased him. Wherby he ment, that by the dexterity of his talke he made men to incline to what part he listed. Some men attributed to Socrates: some to Peri­cles, such a pleasant toung, that they could transforme their hearers. And for this cause were called flexanimi, because they turned the minds of men euen as they de­sired. By the benefite of the toung king Cresus son, who from his infancy hath al­waies bene mute, saued his fathers life, when a soldiar drew his sword to haue laine him, not knowing that he was the [...]ing. The boy cryed out kill him not, for [...]t is my father. Methridates was a barba­ous prince, & had notwithstāding vnder [Page]his dominion and obedience xxii. diuer languages which all he vnderstood an [...] gaue answere to ech one with an interpr [...] tor. The tongue of couetous Naball ha [...] prouoked king Dauid to wrath, but th [...] tongue of sage Abakell appeased him s [...] well, that he said with a loud voice thank [...] be to God that hath sent thee this day before me, blessed be thy counsell, and tho [...] also which hast kept me this day from bloudshed. Naaman of Siria returne [...] homeward in a rage, because the Prophe [...] had not healed him out of hande, but sen [...] him to the riuer of Iordaine, for said hee [...] I haue in my countrey as good waters a [...] that of Iordaine, but his seruantes by thei [...] holsome declaratiōs vnto him made him of an other mind saying: if the prophe [...] had commaunded thee to do any grea [...] matter, without doubt thou wouldes [...] haue done it willingly, but he said onely wash thee & thou shalt be whole. Which Naaman putting in practise was cute [...] incontinent. And by this we see the grea [...] [Page]commoditie which commeth of a good tongue. Let vs therfore follow the coun­sel of S. Paul, who saith: that no vnhonest talke, should procede out of our mouths, that ribaldrie, wanton speach, or fond de­uises, should not so much as be named a­mongst vs, but we should rather accu­stome our selues to thankes giuing.

Amongst those signes which accōpa­ny them that rightly beleue in our sauiour Christ, this in the scripture is reckoned for the chiefest: they shal speake with new tongues. Now S. Peter doth teach vs that new language: when he biddes vs to fol­low Iesus Christ: who being iniu­ried with wordes, did not replie with the like: when he was slaundered & back­bited, threatned not at al, but referred him selfe wholy to him that is the iust iudge. Whereof S. Paule being a right follow­er, writeth, we are ill spoken of, and wee blesse: we are persecuted, & we endure it patiently: we are maligned, and wee praye for them that taunt vs: we are made [Page]the outcastes of the world, and the most caitifes of al others, euen till this houre. Let vs consider diligently that the tongue is giuen vs to praise and magnifie God. According to the example of Melchise­deth, who thanked God, that had giuen victory to Abraham. Delbora exhor­teth the people to praise God. So did saint Paule, saying: blessed be God which is the father of our sauiour Christ, father of the desolate, and fountaine of all consolation: we ought not onely to praise God, but al­so be godly and vertuous men, as Dauid which praised the people in the name of God, after the Arke was brought vp and the sacrifices completed. We haue a great number of exāples in the scripture, shew­ing that our toung was giuen vs to praise [...] and magnify God. Dauid praised god, be­cause the promise of the Messias was ful­filled in him: who after his manifold [...] great tribulations, still exalted the name o [...] god. So did Salomon his sonne because h [...] had builded the sumpteous tēple of god [Page]The Apostles blessed & praised god with­out intermissiō, attending for the cōming of the holy ghost. You see now to what end we haue the vse of our toungs, which we ought to imploy to the seruice of god according to the examples of our forefa­thers. Abraham praied for Israel, and was hard Moises requested pardon of God for the people, confessing the manifold bene­fites that God had bestowed vpon them. Dauid praied that the blessing of God might be vpon his house. We are also commanded to praye, that the word of god and his truth might be spread abroad & haue his course throughout the whole world. Beholde they are the fruites of a good tongue, to praise God, to bles God, to praye vnto him, and to instruct those that are ignorant, for he that teacheth o­thers the way to righteousnesse, shall him selfe shine like a bright lampe for e­uer. Now if we will be true followers of our Maister Christ, wee must acquaint our selues with that kinde of language [Page]and speech which he alwaies vsed: for he preached and published the glory of god: he brought into the way those that wan­dred & straied, he reproued offenders, he sturred vp the slothfull, he cōforted those which were in misery, he praied for those that were out of the way, he gaue thanks to God for all. Finally he had a modest tongue, pleasant, gracious, amiable, and full of all consolation. The Apostles after they had receaued the grace and vertue of the holy ghost, said no more, but lord cō ­mand & we will make the fire to fall frō the skies, they striued no more amongst thē selues for soueraignty, but spake new things, they vttred to the world the great wonders of god: but alas at this day we see the cōtrary put in practise, for we indeuor to build againe the ancient tower of Ba­bilon, the tower of deadly strife and de­bate: when one sort will needes be called euangelistes, and other reformed Catho­likes, others entire and perfect protestants as though our sauiour Christ were deui­sible [Page]and of diuers sortes, & as though the weete name of our redemer, were a mat­ [...]er to scoffe at. In which behalfe we shall haue great neede of a newe Esdras, to re­duce againe this confusion of tongues in­ [...]o one Gospell: Who as soone as certaine strange women called Assotides, & Moa­ [...]ites, had corrupted the hebrewe tongue, speaking halfe hebrew, & halfe like moa­ [...]ites: the said Esdras brought it againe to [...]is ancient perfection. In like maner so many sundry sectes which are risen vp in the Church of god represented to vs by their barbarous womē: haue ouerthrown & marred the sincerity of the Gospel. Let vs therfore be no more followers of olde Adam, which cast the faulte of his offence vpō his wife Eue, & she threw it vpō the [...]rooked serpent: & let vs take heede that we be not of the race of Caine, who ha­ [...]ing slaine his brother, dissembled the matter: but rather let vs follow the foote­ [...]teps of good king Dauid, which with [...]is humble speech appeased the wrath of [Page]god: & according to the aduertisemēts of S. Paul, let our wordes be sauored with salt, tending alwaies to the edification of our neighboures, & that no wicked talke procede forth of our mouth. Let vs ther­fore submit our selues vnder the hande of God, to the end he may exalt vs in conue­nient time: for he hath alwaies a singular regard to his seruants. Let vs expell and banish from vs all slaunder, & backbiting, and close our mouth with our hande, like to patient Iob: that no vndecent word is­sue from vs at all, and when we talke, to speake the wordes of God, which wee ought to vse with feare, for when the words of god are spoken to the people vnaduisedly, it brings them straight to per­dition. We are charged also to instruct our children, that they by thee may be de­liuered, & numbred frō the seruitude of Sathan, & the better to accomplish the cō ­maundements of god. Lo this is the thing wherunto a good tongue ought to be [...] employed, that it may bring forth the [Page]worthy fruites of iustice. But now it is [...]me to speake of the mischiefe that hap­ [...]ens of a wicked tongue: it seemeth to bee [...] thing not from our purpose, first to de­clare what the tongue is, to the ende the subiect whereof we treat, may be the bet­ [...]er vnderstood. The tongue is a member of man, which is made of flesh, and open, full of vaines, and sinewes, because of his great stirring and mouing, and chiefelye for the sence of tasting, which is naturall and peculiar to the tongue, & nature hath giuen it a humor which neuer wanteth, that is to saye spittle, which is nothing else but the excrement of fleame which floweth from the braine into the mouth, for a moysture to the tongue: Which otherwise would soone waxe drye, by reason of his continuall mouing.

Nowe the vse of the tongue is to frame our wordes, and to helpe to chawe our meate, in the formyng whereof wee ought to consider the great prouidence of God. For although the thought [Page]is the worthie part of the soule: yet what could it profite or auaile, if it had not the tongue for his interpretor? For this is he which setteth forth the knowledge of God. This is he which hath caused men to be assembled togither frō a brutish & sauege life, to humaine societie: this hath erected villages, great cities, & countries: this hath published and made known hol­some statutes, and ordinances: and final­ly all other things which are necessarye for vs. Wherfore we ought to knowe that the tongue was giuen vs, that by it we might know god, and to helpe one another by the communication of speeches. Vnto these two purposes wee should di­rect our talke. He then that will lead a prosperous life, & see happy daies, let him kepe his tongue wisely, and his lips that out of them proceede no fraud nor mis­chiefe: that he do good alwaies, & seke af­ter peace, & obtaine it. A holsome tongue which is not giuen to backbite, & blame others, is the tree of life, pleasant, and [Page]amiable to beholde: but frowarde talke maketh the soule sad. A wise man is al­waies sober in speech. The foole when hee holds his peace, is oftentimes thought to be wise: the tōgue resembleth a sharpe pointed darte, if it bee not well ordered. Wherefore Saint Iames likeneth it to a fierce fire, for saith hee; An immoderate tongue filles the worlde full of iniquities: And this makes mee to remember the Philosopher Anacarsis, who supping with Solon, as hee returned home was found sleeping halfe the way, hauing one hande to his mouth, the other vpon his priuie partes, shewing these were mem­bers which woulde bee carefully looked vnto. For he that will be thought religi­ous and refraines not his tongue, his reli­gion is not worth a dodkin. Amian, the composer of many prettie Fables, telleth one of a Satire, who beeing greeuouslie annoied with extreame cold of rigorous winter, repayred by chance to a husband­mans house, there to warme himselfe, and [Page]beholding his host to blowe his handes, asked him wherefore hee did so, he said, it was to heate his handes, not long af­ter when dinner was readie, hee sawe al­so his host busily blowing his pottage, and againe he asked him the cause there­of, his host answered, that hee did it to coole his portage which was too hot, whereat the Satire disdeining, sayde, What sir can you blowe hotte and cold both out of one mouth. Farewell fare­well, therefore, for I neuer ment to fre­quent suche manner of people, whiche haue nowe one thing in their mouth, and by and by an other, and so he tooke his leaue of his host, disproouing alto­gither those which haue two tongues, nowe praising a thing, and strait way blaming and misliking the same.

Wherevnto accordeth the Prophete Isaias, saying; That they are accursed which affirme the thing that is euill, to bee good, and contrarie, good to be euill, conuerting light into darkenesse, and [Page] [...]arkenesse to light, sweetnesse to sower, [...]nd sower to sweet, such was the tongue [...]f the wily Serpent, when he said to our [...]rst parents, ye shal be like vnto the gods: [...]uch was the tōgue of pernicious Ioah, who vnder the colour of faire wordes, [...]ue Amasa traiterously, in saluting him, [...]aining to giue him a curteous good euē. Such was the tongue of rebellious Abso­ [...]on, when hee so mischieuously slue his [...]rother. And such was the tongue of Ba­ [...]am, whē he tooke his iourney to speake euil of the people, had not his Asse repro­ued him by the way. Such was the tōgue of Dalyla, when she betraied Sampson to the Philistians his enimies. And such was the venimous tongue of the caitife Iu­das, when hee deliuered the Sauiour of the world in kissing of him, to his dead­ly foes. But none hath better discribed the mischeefe of a wicked tongue, then the kingly Prophet Dauid, when hee cō ­plaining of the malice of backbiters, saith; their mouth is ful of bitternes & cursings, [Page]full of falshood and deceit, and vnder th [...] tongue lurketh tedious strife and debate they lye in ambush and oppresse the in­nocent, out of close and couert corner they make a play game to bring to vtte [...] ruine those which are desolate. They watch continually for to intrap the silli [...] sort. They holde fast in their gripes the poore caitiue, that thinkes no hurt. They say in their heart God hath forgotten all, he hath hidden his face and shall neuer see the thinges that wee doe. The same Da­uid in an other place saith; Good Lorde deliuer me from lying lips & slanderous tongues, for they are like vnto swift and sharpe arrows, which are fet from a strōg and poysant bowe. The Ecclesiasticall storie doth admonish vs to hate the whi­sperer and tale teller, and specially he that hath a double tōgue. For herehence hath come the distruction, not of a few which earst liued in peace and tranquilitie. This is it which hath turned vp and downe many strong and defensible Cities, hath [Page] [...]efamed many worthie personages, hath [...]aken a sunder a number of princely Pa­ [...]ces, and hath incensed to ciuill sedition [...]any goodly countries. Whosoeuer [...]ndes a listening eare to these double [...]ngues, or rather to these two edged wordes, shall neuer rest in quietnes, shall [...]euer be at peace with any of his friends. [...]he lash of the whip woundeth the flesh, [...]it the stroke of the tongue breaketh the [...]one: the whip only persecuteth our car­ [...]on corpes, but the glike of a pernicious [...]ongue doth eclipse our bright renowne, [...]nd leaues a spot of blacke defame to our [...]osteritie, which is more dangerous then [...]y hurt we can receiue in our body. Ma­ [...]y men haue beene slaine by the edge of [...]e sworde, but many more by the pear­ [...]ng blowes of wicked tongues. The [...]id Prophet concludeth that he is in per­ [...]ect blisse, which hath not passed through his painfull Purgatorie of byting tungs, [...]nd hath quite escaped their fearefull fu­ [...]ie. For the death which commeth by yll [Page]tongues is maruellously to be feared, a [...] better it is to fall into any other kinde [...] death and daunger, then by that whi [...] comes hereby. For it is saide, that tho [...] which forsake our Sauiour Christ & h [...] holy name, shalbe vexed heerewith, a [...] she shall consume & extinguish thē wit [...] out restraint, & it shalbe sent against the [...] as a fierce Lionesse, & shall destroy thē [...] a wild Panther. Therfore saith hee, hed [...] in thy lips with thornes, & plant bars a [...] bulwarkes before thy mouth, that fro [...] thence proceede no vndecent wordes, f [...] God is the witnes of our thoughtes, t [...] true beholder of our hearts, & the hear [...] of all that which our tung bringes fort [...]

Now although the life of man be su [...] iect to sundry sortes of calamitie, yet n [...] reckening those which comes by sickn [...] ses, poisons, lightnings, tempests, & sod [...] mischances, notwithstanding that cān [...] be founde any thing frō whence there [...] stilleth more mischiefe & miserie to h [...] mane kind, thē from a disloiall & deuil [...] [Page] [...]ongue. For ther is no kind of inconueni­ [...]nce that brings vnto vs a more mightie [...]ea of mischiefs of al sorts, then wars. But were not malicious tungs the cause ther­of, we should surely haue no war at al, for [...]hey are the trumps & drums that strikes [...]he alarum to all seditiō, It was these that pricked forth Alexander to many bloudie battels, promising him that hee should be conqueror of the whole world. K. Pirrus also had diuers stingers & buzzes in his eare, which babled nothing els but brauls and murders, whom the wise Cine as en­countred and ouermatched. Who on a time seeing K. Pirrus prest to bid battell to his enimies, asked him what hee ment to doe, seeing alreadie hee vanquished the Romanes. I will assay my force saide he with the Sicilians, & when you haue o­uercome Sicile said Cineas, what then will you do? Pirrus answered, I will set vpon Lybia, Carthage, and Maceaonia, whiche yet remaineth vnconquered: [Page]and this atchieued said Cyneas, what wil [...] you then more: wee will said Pyrrus re­pose our selues in ioy and solace, then Cy­neas replied, & I pray you sir what haue you to doe with all this warre, that after them you may liue in rest, whereas you may be in present quietnesse and tranquil­litie. And by this sound aduice the Kyng was quite diswaded to make war vpon neighbors. If Fraunce during these stur [...] die stirres, had had but one good Cyneas, that flourishing realme should not haue beene so tossed and turmoyled as wee see now, in such sort, that it is almost in eue­rie place sparkled with humane bloud, so fiercely were they set on fire one against the other. But from whence I pray you came all this, but from seditious tongues: for a man might see dissentious bookes Printed and sowen abroade verie rife. Wherein was nothing lesse treated of then peace, nor nothing more laboured then warre and iangling, so that had not GOD resisted their malice, you should [Page]haue seene long or this the totall destruc­tion of this goodly countrey. And if it happen that anie more of these bloudie Butchers and setters forth of al mischief doe againe shewe their monstruous heades, I wishe them no more harme, but that they may become as dumbe as euer was Iparkion, or that they might be bereft of their tongues as Zenon Ela­tes: and to them that would reitterate a­gaine this ciuill sedition, might also bee void of hands to execute their wicked in­tent, as was the handes of Ieroboam, and might be as blind to go forward therein, as was Tyripe or Hipse, and that they might not be able to goe no more, then was Myphiboseth: that their Horses might resemble the fatall steede of Gna­ius Zoianus, & that the Captaines might haue no more valure and force then euer had Eracinade, that the bootie and praie might be like to the gold taken from To­losa. In briefe I vow vnto them, all the execrable curses of Oedipus, and all those [Page]balefull blisses conteined in the Psalme; Lorde doe not conceiue my praise, for surely they are not of GOD which ha­teth peace, desiring nothing els but blou­die warre.

He that will liue in continuall rest and quietnesse saith Dauid, let him take heede that his tongue speake no hurt of others, and let him keepe his lips from lying and deceit. But to returne to our purpose of the mischiefe that comes of euil tongues, Salomon saith; He that warneth wisely his mouth, gardes his soule, but he that pratleth vnaduisedly [...]s oppressed with manye miseries. Iob calleth such kinde of people forgers of Fables, who accor­ding to the saying of Ieremy haue in­structed their tongues to lye leudly, and haue imployed all their trauell to doe mischiefe, yet some pleasant compani­ons there bee which accountes lying to be no sinne, though Dauid saie, that all liers shal goe to vtter perdition. From an euill disposed tongue, proceedeth not [Page]only lying but swearing, blasphemyng, reproaches, scoffings and slanders.

Reade ouer the auncient Chronicles, and among them all you shall not finde so many kinde of straunge others as are nowe daily vsed amongst the Christi­ans, looke well about and you shal finde euerie corner full of periuries. It was an infamous thing amongest the Hea­thens, if anie happened to sweare by their false Gods, yet amongst vs Chri­stians wee make it a play game to take the name of the eternall God in vaine.

Plutarch reciteth, that in times past it was not lawfull for litle children be­ing within doores to sweare by Hercu­les or Dinis, but that they must go out of the house, that by this kinde of tem­perature, they might learne not to sweare at all, or at the least to bee moderate in their oathes. The auncient Byshops of Rome which our auncestours long agoe called Famines or Diales, for feare [Page]durst not sweare at all, whatsoeuer dread or danger was offered them.

On a time in Athens, acerteine Sorceresse accustomed to the Paynime sacrifices, was instantly desired and re­quested of all the people to curse and call vengeance vpon Alsibiades, which then was verie euil thought of in Athēs. Wherevnto she answered, that shee had receiued hir Priestly dignitie thereby, to consecrate and blisse the people, and not wish hurt or vengeance to any, and so she coulde neuer bee induced to speake yll of Alsibiades, if wee laie aside examples of infidelles, and consequently to come to those of the Christians.

Saint Lewes did so abhor periurie and blasphemie, that hee constituted a lawe, that whome soeuer was founde to bee a blasphemer of Gods holie name, should haue the Flower deluse glowing hot im­printed in his forehead, to the ende he might bee knowne of all men to his ex­treame and great ignomie and reproach, [Page]wheresoeuer hee came. It so chauneed that a certeine noble man of his Court being ouercome with coller, had sworne vnaduisedly, and as the officers woulde haue executed the rigour of the lawe vp­on him, manie of the peeres of the rea [...]me withstood it, beseeching pardon & grace of the King in his behalfe, but the King was no lesse seuere in obseruation of this his Edict. Then was that good King Seleucus in his Penall Statute made a­gainst adulterers, who woulde haue pu­nished his sonne, for that hee had trans­gressed his ordinaunce: Euen so the said King Lewes aunswered, that he would himselfe abide the payne conteined in his Edict, and that the said marke should bee fixed in his owne forehead, that all blasphemies thereby should bee banished his realme. So the most Christian King desirous to put in practise the laudable constitutions inuented by his predeces­sours, for the punishment of blasphemie hath ordeined that no manner of person [Page]shoulde blaspheme the name of GOD, or vse any other execrable oathes, vn­der paine and forfeiture to haue his tung pearced with a hot yron.

Phillip an other of the French Kings, made a lawe, that if any whatsoeuer gen­tle or simple, yea, although hee were in birth right noble, in what place soeuer hee were thought it were in, a common Tauerne where manie wise men forget themselues, if hee blasphemed Gods ho­lie name, hee should presently be drow­ned.

Maximilian the Emperour made a lawe, that whosoeuer were apprehen­ded as a vaine swearer, should leese and pay thirteene shillings foure pence, but if after hee woulde not bee sorie for his offence, and willinglie paye the sayde money, hee should lose his head. At Tu­binggen in Germanie, a desperate boy de­uised [Page]newe oathes, suche as were not in common vse, but the Lorde sent a Canker or some woorse diseases, and consumed the instrument wherewith he blasphemed God.

But to goe beyonde men the Lorde himselfe hath made a lawe, hee that blasphemeth and taketh the name of the Lorde GOD in vayne, shall dye the death. Leuit. 24.

That faithfull and good instru­ment in Gods Churche Maister Iohn Foxe, from whome I collected this notable and woorthie historie, giueth a moste gentle and fatherlike admoni­tion and warnyng vnto all young Gen­tlemen to leaue and vtterlye to forsake theire moste extreame outragious and horrible swearyng, by the greate and fearefull example of these Gentlemen following.

In the time and raigne of the most famous Kyng Edwarde the sixt, there [Page]was in Cornewayle a lustie young Gen­tleman, who dyd ryde togither with other more Gentlemen, and their ser­uantes in number about twentie horse­men, amongst whome this lustie yon­ker entering into talke, began to sweare most horriblie, among whome one of the companie not able to abide suche blasphemous abomination, in gentle wordes sayde to him, that hee shoulde giue an account for euerie idle worde, the Gentleman takyng snuffe thereat, why quoth hee takest thou thought for mee, take thought for thy winding sheet, well quoth the other, take heede, for death giueth no warning, for as foone commeth a Lambes skinne to the mar­ket as an olde Sheepes: Gods woundes (quoth hee) care not thou for me, raging still after his swearing maner worse and worse in wordes, till at length passing onwarde their iourney, they came ry­ding ouer a greate Bridge which stan­deth [Page]ouer a peece of the arme of the [...]a, vpon which bridge this gentleman [...]wearing, spurred his horse on such sort, [...]hat he sprang cleane ouer the bridge with the man on his backe, who as hee was going, cryed horse and man and all [...]o the deuil. That priuate example which [...]appened to some especial, euery mā per­ [...]iculerly may consider with him selfe [...]ow common and great swerers are af­flicted. I could neuer yet either by expe­ [...]ience or reading find, but that they which [...]ake delight in swearing, and vsed vainely [...]o sweare, were greeuously punished one way or another. For my part though I am of small yeares and but young, yet I haue noted in some, that God will not suffer this vice to go vnpunished. When I was in a certaine place for lear­nings sake, I knew a company of youthes which were very familiar, and would sel­dome be a sunder, they were so wickedly bent, that whē they were met, one would haue supposed that a companye of young [...] [Page]two olde lecherous dotars, whom Go [...] miraculously deliuered, for her innoce [...] cy, by the helpe of young Danyell, who no lesse straight iudged and condemn [...] the said olde wilye marchants, who lay [...] in ambush to oppresse the said holy m [...] trone. What should I speake of iust N [...] bothe, against whose innoce [...] the fal [...] and periured Iesabell, suborned two fal [...] witnesses, they not onely to bereaue hi [...] of his vineyard, but of all his landes a [...] life also.

O Lord increase the number of thy se [...] uantes, roote out vaine swearing and pe [...] iurie, conuert blasphemers to the obed [...] [...]nce of thy will, and aduaunce thy ho [...] name: who art to be glorified now and euer more, togither with thy Son our Sauiour, and the holy Ghost.

Amen.