THe fame eternized T [...]lly, in his booke of duties setteth downe, that the tea­ching of any doctrine, which is to be taken in hand in due forme, the exor­dium must begin with a definitiō, that the life of the subiect whereof the dis­course doth run, may the better be vn­derstood. Vertue, is an elected habit, or a setled qualitie, cōsisting in a meane, & that meane standeth in the midst Vertue, desi­ned. of two extreams, the more, & the lesse, and this that some laudable action, which by no other name can be termed but by the onely title of Vertue. Vice is opposite to Ver­tue, a habit of the minde annexed to nature, not striuing with reason, an inconstant desire in the whole life: re­belling against honestie: which two affections, growe Vice de [...]ined. vp to a habit by degrees, through vse and exercise, cho­sen by the rationall partes, and when by custome the will is setled in the course of either, the whole disposi­on is carried to good or bad.

Ex viro, di­citur virtus. The Stoikes, call Vice and Vertue, Animalia, li­uing creatures, because by them a man is discerned, for in respect of Vertue, a man is said to be a man, which is the Etymologie of the word, and in respect of Vice, to be a [Page] beast, because he wanteth those faculties, and demen­sions, [...] proper to a vertuous and good man.

Vertue is diuided into two parts, the Intellectiue, and the the Mortall, the former is begotten and nourished by good tutors, reading good Bookes, and exercise, from this floweth wisedome, science, prudence, memorie. The latter commeth by custome and vse, for these two are so forcible, as by it a man may get him a second na­ture, Actus. and this worketh this thing called Actus, in the extreame parts, and is the mother of Liberalitie, Forti­tude, and of all good manners.

The diuine essence of the soule, beholdeth nothing with contentment, but the perfect Idea of Vertue▪ be­ing so pure and excellent, as she onely aymeth at per­fect happinesse▪ if the corruption and disobedience of the body, did not contaminate & defile her. And there­fore the Philosophers say, whē she is in the company of good men she possesseth ioy, but among euill, is euer­more in heauinesse: for the soule is occupied in hea­uenly contemplation, and delighted to know her Crea­tor, his omnipotent maiestie and power, the workes of nature: but being imprisoned followes the bodies in­clination, The Christi­an Vertue. and by that meanes is kept backe from the ha­uen wherevnto it would most willingly arriue. But ac­cording to a Christian exposition, the verie faculties of the soule, are so essentially defiled with Adams trans­gressions, that it hath no power to thinke one good thought, or beget an acceptable motion, before it be re­generated and borne anew; for Christian Vertue stan­deth in Faith, Hope, and Charitie, not fashioned ac­cording to Philosophie; but to haue him the Author, which is both truth and righteousnesse.

[Page] We must not rest then vpon the morrall vertue, and make that the chiefe good, which are but steppes to clyme vp therevnto, as the wise Heathen taught: for all theyr doctrine, was but to fashion the outward man to ciuill obedience, making that the end which are but motiues to the end. For it is not all one, to be a morrall wise man, and a good Christian, a great profici­ent in humane Sciences, and a great Clarke in diuine misteries, heere is a maine difference, let no man repose himselfe, vpon such a sandie and shallow foundation, if he will stand sure: but build on Christ the Rocke, the bright starre of the immortall maiestie, on him to cast Anchor, purifie the inward parts, and digge vp that dunghill of filthinesse, deriued from originall corrup­tion. Mans happinesse standeth not in pleasures, ho­nour, nor in the goods of Fortune: but onely in those holy Vertues which proceed from a pure heart. This is the plaine pathway to sanctitie, and immortallitie, Vice sincking downe to hell, the one, with Eagle-winges mounts vp to heaue [...] ▪ the other, clogges the soule with leadē thoughts, benumming her dexteritie, for so high a flight.

But to prosecute my intent, which is to handle the morrall Vertues, and lay open the parts of humanitie, it wil not be amisse to touch by the way, the foure chiefe and principall Vertues, called cardinall Vertues, as Pru­dence, [...]ustice, Fortitude, and Temperance, which are distin­guished one from the other by their seuerall properties, all conioyne in one, and make a vnion: For though Ver­tue be subsisting in one single being, yet because of di­uers workes, she is deuidable, and albeit many sprigges growe out of these foure braunches, yet is shee called [Page] Vertue in the singular number.

Prudence. Prudence, is a certaine brightnesse shining in the minde, by which the light of truth is descried, foreseeing what is fit to be done, a true affection, labouring by rea­son to finde out the quallitie, and to iudge what is iust, fit, honest, profitable, equall, and good, not onely adui­sedly looking to the first motiue cause: but also to the consequent and finall endes, by this the present felicitie, and infelicitie of this life, is sweetly tempered, and all things ordered in comelinesse.

Whosoeuer rashly setteth vpon his businesse with­out her, rusheth vpon the rockes of errour▪ and by his owne headie opinion commeth soone to ruine: be­cause it is impossible to effect any thing well, vnlesse he be guided by her light, neither can hee be able to dis­cerne good from euill, things profitable, from thinges preiudiciall: but as a blinde man doth venterously tra­uaile without a guide, and at euery step readie to stum­ble: so hee that is ignorant in plotting his affaires, wa­deth in darkenesse, wherein euery storme of triall doth ouerturne his pollicie.

A prudent man, is so cautelous and vigillant, as wel in the consideration of fore-passed daungers, as in pre­iudicating perills to come, that he meeteth with euerie mischiefe, and is not ouertaken, with non putaui, had I wist, for hauing set his rest on a firme ground, doth not doubt but expect, not repēt in the end, but reioice in the whole action: so that she regardeth things past, present, and to come, and bendeth her force to that part that is needfull, to defend the weakenesse of reason, and when she hath drawne out the plot, which honestie doth re­quire, committeth it to Sapience, whch as a hand-maide, [Page] is readie to execute that in the outward worke, which before was determined. The main difference betweene these two, is, the former is a generall comprehending and knowledge of things; the other an experience of that in action. For as by reasoning, reading, and conuer­sing with wise men, a man may vnderstand much: yet without practise all is nothing. Before a Phisition doth minister to his Patient, he searcheth into the nature of the disease, and acquaints himselfe with the state of the body, which hauing once found out, it is to no end if he apply not himselfe in outward meanes, to benefite the sicke person with his potion: So if there be but a de­fused Scire tuum nibil est: nisi te scire, ho [...] sciat alter. knowledge of things, and as it were such a collec­tion, as by it the vnderstanding is bettered, and no out­ward demonstration, it is as treasure hid in the earth and serues for no vse: for there be markes to knowe a prudent man by, if hee be vniustly vexed, troubled, Ennius. or in pouertie, sicknesse, and tossed too and fro in Notes of a wise man. miserie, if he reioyce in these afflictions, and patiently beare the crosse, the same is a prudent man, and his suf­fring maketh it a meane to him: but when a man is cha­stised either in body or goods, and will not suffer without griefe and muttering, the same is a vitious and imprudent man. To be briefe, she is the right disposer of all things, an enemie to ignorance, the key of know­ledge, which openeth the rich treasure of diuine and humane things; doing nothing but that which is right, iust, and praise-worthy.

Iustice. Iustice, is a vertue that giueth to eueryman his owne, the first and principall part whereof is, and euer was, to doo God that honour which is due to his diuine maie­stie, consisting in feare, loue, & reuerence, for as Iustice [Page] will equally render to euery man his owne, & bring dis­cording things to an equalitie, by considering the diffe­rence betweene them: so much more and most of all, it is most iust, to loue God, of whom wee haue all that we haue, and being perished by originall corruption, were eftsoones recouered, by the sufferings of his son: this part of Iustice, ought to be imbraced with other af­fectiō than the Heathen, who wandring in the darknes of ignorance, know not God as he is. A iust man coue­teth not that that is an others, but rather neglecteth his owne for the good of the Common-wealth, nor with a greedie humor, doth incroach vpon his neighbors pos­session. Without Iustice, no estate can subsist, for all ver­tues are comprehended vnder the name of Iustice, of which a man is said to be a good man, for all the other vertues cannot make a man good, if Iustice be absent. Tully calleth her the Lady & Queen of all other vertues; by her is the societie of man preserued, the most excellēt blessing that euer God gaue to man was, to be gouerned by Iustice, which bridleth the hot fury of the wicked, comforteth the innocent, & equally decideth between Meum, & Tuā. And he that is exercised herein, his mind is lifted vp to the apprehension of greater wisdome. For howsoeuer the world is troubled with hurly burly, yet the quietnesse of his minde is no whit distracted, but re­sting in securitie, smileth at the worlds turbulent state. Finally it is a bloud in the vain, giuing life to the whole body, the head of all vertues: for of her selfe she may do many things, but without her the rest can doo nothing rightly.

[...]ortitude. Fortitude is a greatnesse of mind, which without fu­rious or rash resolution, feareth not to hazard it selfe in [Page] the greatest perils, and with eager pursuite to hunt after honourable actions, thirsting after glory, not respecting the tedious difficultie of the passages therevnto, to en­counter wiih dangers, wade through the mystic clouds of darknes, & willingly endure all bitternes of fortune, for the safegard of the country, such were Scipiones, Fa­bij, Alcibiades, Hannibal, &c. who by their valour & great prowes, reached to the top of honour. Neither is true Fortitude measured by the compasse of a great body, nor by dooing great enterprises, in respect of the huge stature, but by a fierce and couragious spirit, stri­ [...]ing The cause maketh a Martyr. in a good cause, the cause is all, it is not the torment that maketh a Martyr, but the cause for which he suffe­reth. So that to speake properly, Fortitude is that which is granted vpon good cause, & possible to be atchieued, such true valour was in Dauid, who could not abide to heare the name of God blasphemed by such a monster as Goliah, & therefore knowing God would aide his en­terprise, he relyed not vpon his owne strength, but cast off all vaine glory, for when matters are rightly attemp­ted, many straunge aduentures proceed, euen as it were by myracle: a iust & honest cause maketh a man bolde, hardie, and venterous, to striue against one of greater force; as King Alexander, being of small body, sought hand to hand with Porrus, which was a more mightie man: it is not then any great person or huge Collosse, that can triumph ouer a good cause.

The Romaine Scipio was wo [...]t to say, no man ought to leuie war, or fight with his enemie without iust cause offred: but if hee were prouoked by an iniust intrusion, it booteth not to tarry til they come, but intercept thē in comming, for such cause giueth encouragement to set vpon them freely.

[Page] As when our common enemies in 88. with their Spa­nish The Spanish brauadoes. braues meant to haue inuaded our Territories, and came armed with instruments of tirannie to insult ouer our natiō, and to bring our necks into a Spanish yoake, it pleased God to abate their pride, and turne their cru­elties into their owne bosomes. Heere was cause to make a coward valiant, and the fearefull forward to fight, because he was compelled to take vp weapons for his owne safetie; and he that will not defend himselfe, is not worthy to liue in peace, especially when his wife, children, father, mother, brothers, sisters, yea the whole Countrey is in daunger [...]o be torne and rent in peeces by sauage and mercilesse tyrants. When it is for a com­mon defence, is not he a wretch that will sit still and see his mothers throate cut? What if he dye in the con­flict? were he not better to dye honourably like a Mar­tyr and souldier of Christ, then liue to see the ruine and desolation of his whole Countrey? wherefore no man ought to stagger or saint at a good cause, but bee the more imboldened, because it giueth good encourage­ment. We may call to mind, and we cannot remember it too often, the ouerthrowe they then had, not simply in respect of our owne prowesse, but by the assistance of a higher power, we being but a poore handfull to their great multitude; they came like Briarius, threatning the heauens, and casting mountaines at Iupiter; yet theyr glorious tytle of inuincible was confounded, to theyr God g [...]ue the victori [...]. shame, and our glory: this we may thinke vpon with re­uerence, but ascribe the honour of the victorie to him by whose meanes it was wrought. If warre be leuied without cause, or if one man shall be so foole-hardie to attempt things impossible, and presume on his strength [Page] to assaile a greatmany, beyond hope to vanquish, it is no maruaile, if the successe fall out against his desire, for Ne Herculus contra duos. For Hercules himselfe held it oddes to deale with two: but when for the common good of the Countrey (as I said before) any man shall vndertake some hard aduenture to free it of some im­minent perill (if sent by imperiall commaund) though he loose his life in the action, yet for that hee is indued with true Fortitude, doth winne immortalitie: as the three Romans called Decij, who for the safegard of their Countrey auowed to dye, and with resolute and vn­daunted courages, pierced the host of their enemies, and though they lost their liues, yet by their stout ex­ample gaue such audacitie and courage to the rest of the Romaines by prouoking them forward, as they ea­sily obtained the victorie, which was thought to be vn­conquerable. I might speake the like of Codrus, Marcari­us, Curtius, Marcus, and Regulus, which dyed most wil­lingly for their Countrey. I might recite here also a Ca­talogue of those valorous English Knights, that haue honourably yeelded vp their liues in the field of Mars, for their Prince and Countrey: but that I intend not now to make an Apologie of this Vertue, but referre it to a Treatise of Iustice, which I suppose shall succeed this worke, especially vpon the improuement of this, God giuing mee time and quietnesse of minde to per­forme that.

This manlinesse is a Vertue that fighteth in defence of equitie and iust dealing: but we neuer finde that any man got true praise and honour by rash furie, for no­thing is honest that is voyd of Iustice. He that is hastie to surprise a man, & soone moued to impatiencie with­out [Page] iust cause cause doth rather merit the name of leaud boldnesse, then manly courage, because this Vertue standeth in honest deeds, and not in vaine glory, and be­ing truly carried, serueth as a hammer to beate downe those Vices, that oppose themselues to the beautie of Vertue, which chiefly doth appeare, when preferment doth lift a man alo [...]t, by imbracing humilitie, and ouer­comming pride, which soone creepes vpon the aduan­ced: or if tossed in aduersitie he be vigorous, and beare an inuincible courage, to combat against the passion of the minde, which is ready basely to decline: for what­soeuer falleth out crookedly, is turned to the better part, she inableth to vndergoe damage, to beare iniurie, to be patient, and not to st [...]rre, but for a common good, or his priuate defence, when a violent intrusion is made vnto his person.

Many hide themselues vnder the wings of this Ver­tue, that neuer seeke to apprehend her aright, and would True valour standeth not in vaine qua­ [...]elling. seeme valorous and magnanimous, when they are but white liuerd cowards and miscreants: as many of these brawlers and swashbucklers, whose hot bloud once stir­red, cannot be cooled without reuenge and field-mee­tings, which for euery light cause they vndertake, and so violently swaid with fury, that they rush forward in­to all desperation, without reuerence of the lawes of God, the law of nature, loue, charitie, & which is aboue all, care of their owne saluation, do arrogant to them­selues glory, by defacing and spoyling the Image of their Creator. The sonnes of Cain thus maistred with wrathful fu [...]ie, murder and dismember their bretheren, and as catiues and slaues, bend the will to such inhu­mane crueltie, and so become branded to euerlasting [Page] destruction. Now if all Vertue doth consist in obeying God, keeping his lawes, maistring wicked anger, and holding concord, how can that be praised which is a­gainst such a blessed assembly of vertues? or how thinke they, that that offence can be remitted, which is abhor­red, detested, & so expresly prohibited in the sixt Com­maundement? men ought to liue in Christian amitie, and leaue all reuenge to him, who saith, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay it. The poore Cinick, when one had hit him on the eare, I thought (quoth he) I had left The patience of [...] Heathens memorable. one place vncouered.

Socrates being tolde one spake many railing and euil words of him, was no whit moued thereat: and being asked why he would beare so great indignitie, answe­red; if he spake truth, I haue no cause to be grieued, be­ing iustly blamed; if false, I haue lesse cause to be angry, because that which hee spake pertained not to mee. O that men would learne patience [...] and not so of­ten fight and murder one an other, for verball and idle quarells: for now if one amongst a hundred be pa­tient, quiet, will carrie coales, and meekely suffer re­buke, he is noted of cowardize, and deuoyd of manly parts.

Now lastly followeth Temperance, as a sad and so­ber Matron, a prouident guide and wise Nurse, awai­ting Temperanc [...] ▪ that voluptuousnesse haue no preheminence in the soule of man, the most glorious Vertue in any kinde of estate, she ordereth the affections with continencie, an enemie to lust, and a mediocritic in the pleasures of the body, whose office is to cou [...]t nothing that may bee repented of afterwarde, nor to exceede [Page] the boundes of modestie, but to keepe desire vnder the yoake of reason. Of the lyneaments of her perfection, the whole world doth subsist and abide, euen from the lowest to the highest, without whom our lusts would ouerthrowe our vnderstanding, and the body rebell against all good order, and the habit of reason wholy suppressed: for shee tempereth and keepeth in frame This little m [...]cr [...]co [...]mi [...] is vph [...]ld by Temperance. the whole body of man, without whose aide many ene­mies would creepe in, and infect our best parts, and vt­terly ruinate and cast downe the bulwarke of reason, and walles of vnderstanding: but hee that doth sacri­fice his endeuours to so diuine an essence, swimmeth safe betweene two Riuers deuoyd of daunger. Ex­treames are euer hurtfull; for if a man eate too much or too little, doth it not hurt the body? so is it of too im­moderate labour, or too much idlenesse, of too much boldnesse, and too much cowardnesse: these extremi­ties are vicious and euill, but the meane doth temper them both.

No man is wise, happy, or any thing worth, if Tem­perance square not out the course of his life. And here­in the benefite of olde age is to bee honoured, for that it hath this preheminence ouer youth, time hath weakened theyr affections, abated their courage, and stayed the intemperate blastes of vnbrideled libertie, and by long experience haue gottē a more large portiō then they, whose affections being strong, and discretion weake, set themselues against this Vertue, eclipse her brightnesse with the fogges of ignorance. And for this cause haue wise men so ioyfully embraced olde age, which Tully so highly applaudes in his booke De Senectute.

[Page] This is guided by Prudence, which doth gouerne the life of man with such reason, as shee is euer carefull for the welfare of the body, by curbing those passions of the mind, which are vehement and vnruly: by her the mind is made capable of honest actions, and beautifull de­meanours, and like a prouident gouernesse, ruleth ouer concupiscence & flouds of lusts, which would else sur­round the puritie of the minde. A potion to purge the soule, an Antidote against pride, and a valiant tryum­pher ouer flaming desires, not like Aetna, too hotte, or Caucassus too colde: but is content betweene both, and reioyceth in it.

If the bodie be not dieted with moderation, it will proue a stubborne seruant to the soule, vnfruitfull, fit for nothing but thorny cogitations, the greatest enemies to the spirituall powers that can be, for the flesh pampered in delicates, or kept short of her naturall needments, is effeminated, corrupted, and weakened, and many dis­eases be gotten, which are all staid by a meane and tem­perate dyet and the boyling lusts of the bodie asswaged.

Thus farre of these Vertues: more might be added, if I meant to intreat of them at large: but this briefe re­capitulation, may serue as an introduction, to our fol­lowing discourse. Omnis virtus, vna virtus absoluta, All Vertues, are but one simple Vertue, being chained and Plato. linked so neer together, as one cannot be sundred from the other, without disparagement of the whole. For­titude is a noble Vertue, but if destitute of Iustice, shee is hurtfull to the good; if Temporance keepe not her vnder she will turne into rage; and if Prudence be absent, they all fall into error. There is a mutuall league, a proximitie, and neare acquaintance, which doth conglutinate and [Page] ioyne them all in one, one must haue relation to an o­ther, and follow by degrees; Pietie, Truth, and Tem­perance, must march before Fortitude; In a word, Vertue is no other but Vitium fugere: hating Vice, and loathing euil, and we better knowe her by her contrary, then by her selfe, which doth make the imagination gesse at Vertue a farre off: so that knowing Vice, is a good grounde of Vertue, whereby the inwarde powers are helde in, with vnspotted simplicitie, farre more better then such as cunningly seeke to knowe what Vertue is, then willingly betake themselues to follow it in theyr life, so that knowledge is not enough alone, vnlesse it be practised by outward action: for it is better to doo wisely, then wisely to deuise.

So that in generall, Vertue rightly carried, compre­hendeth whatsoeuer, is conducing and leading to a good and holy life, and hee that once hath tasted the sweetnesse of one, is drawne with much desire to an other; one good thing begetteth an other, and taking once a deepe impression, his estate is thereby preser­ued incorruptible without chaunge: whereas if a man taketh holde on externall goods, and leane to the mutabilitie of Fortune, doth often stumble vpon ma­ny daungerous Rockes, and fall into wretchednesse, when Vertue will firmely vpholde a man in the midst of all calamitie.

Siluer is cheaper then Gold, and Gold of lesse price then Vertue. She is of great moment and most inesti­mable value, although a carnall and grosse minde, can­not equally deeme the price of so rare a Iewell, for where ignorance doth couer the minde, she is reiec­ted [Page] and held of base esteeme: as a simple peasant trampleth many wholsome hearbes vnderfoote, which a skilfull herbalist would carefully gather vp, & extract some rare quintessence out of theyr hidden secrets. Wilt thou build thy safetie vpon a sure foundation? then here is the rocke that no tempest can shake; here is a shelter to defend thee from perils, a safegard to pre­serue the puritie of the soule, from beeing polluted by the concupiscence of the body, and though neuer so many stormes of aduersitie and shewers of persecution, beate vpon thee (being in this world as in a wildernesse of woes) yet shrowding thy selfe vnder the Cannapie of Vertue, thou ioyest in the middest of all sorrow, and though the whole world be of an vprore, yet what is that to thee? thou art no whit moued thereat, for Ani­mo calestia tangis, thy affections are mounted vp to heauen, & thy mind aduanced aboue all earthly weak­nesse.

It is not onely hard, but very difficill to finde out, which of the Vertues are most predominant, that the victory may be imputed to her, because they are all knit in one single vnion, for the good of the soule. For as one linke of a chaine draweth an other, and an other after, til it come to the last, the Antecedent the Relatiue: so one Vertue is an Adamant that draweth an other Ver­tue vnto it.

And though shee take vp her lodging in a crooked and deformed body (as she is euer readie to dwel where shee findeth the heart yeeldable to honestie) yet pene­trating with inward desire, and bringing the stragling powers of the minde to a vniformitie, doth make vp the want of nature, with a supply of grace, causing him [Page] shine like Christall, for when the life is laudably lead, there appeareth so great a glory, that it is not onely ad­mirable to the eyes of man, by reason of formall carri­age in humanitie: but also high pleasing to God, by the intellectuall goodnesse, Vertue, is the spurre of Honour. It is not the aboundance of wealth and great dignitie, that maketh a man truly noble: but the possession of Vertue, which is true honour and auncient riches, and is not gotten by loytering Idlenesse; but with industrie and much labour, for Ardua virtutis via est, Tis labours force that carrieth a man to Vertue, a hard entrance, a continuall perseuerance, because he must en­counter against his passions, and stop the flouds of in­temperance: for such high and admirable things can­not be had without effectuall indeuour, and by how much the more straighter the passage is therevnto; by so much the more carefull must hee be, least it slip away through arrogance or vaine glory: for in Vertue, pride begins to swell, or some Vice or other to creep in, which if not beatē back at the first, wil hazard the whole frame of Vertue; or beeing maistred by some ouer-weening thought, or singularly carried away with selfe-loue, a passion of the minde disquieting reason, doth wholly estraunge himselfe from her Beatitude▪ loosing those complements which formerly he was possest of.

Maior no­bilitas. The reward of Vertue, is true generositie, and where it is ioyned with great possessions, and hath long conti­nued in the house of a Gentleman, without corruption of bloud, that nobilitie is most to be honoured, foras­much as long continuance hath giuen it the badge of glorie. Plato, diuideth Nobilitie [...]oure waies, the first saith he, are those that rise from good and iust parents; [Page] the second those whose parents were Princes, or great men; the third famouzed for martiall exployts; the Quadri fa­ria nobilitas. fourth which excell in any kinde of learning, and for Vertues sake onely are seated in the place of honour; these latter are verè nobiles, truly noble, made noble by Ʋera nobili­tas. Vertue. Yet if one shall stand vpon his riches, parentage, office, place, dignitie, and by these onely suppose to win the place of true honour, he climeth a rotten lad­der: for what is all this worlds pompe, or titulary pre­ferments, if not atchieued by Vertue? or what doth great birth auaile if hee debase it by his ill life? or a vertuous memorie of his auncestors, if hee follow not their ex­ample? are they not like smoake and vapours, which vanish with the Sunne? can a man without offence brag of the Vertues of his auncients, if his owne life be viti­ous? For hath he not broken off the succession of Ver­tue by wilfull detraction? wherefore what worldly glo­ry soeuer is otherwise had, is filched, and her chastitie at no hand will bee defiled with such bastardly plants. Prayses and commendations waite euer on Vertue. And therefore Tully in his Tuscul: questions, defineth honour to be a vnion of praises of good men, which iudge of Vertue without partialitie, and not by the opi­nion of the multitude, which looke more to a veluet Iacket, the outward brauerie, then to the minde how it is qualified: so that the noblenesse of man is his vertue, and they ought to be called noble & honorable, which are most honest and vertuous.

If I should enter into the wonderful account which the Heathen made of Vertue, I might shewe how Num [...] Pompilius, was taken from the plough, and chosen the second King of the Romanes, what was the cause think [Page] yee? but his Vertue and wisedome, for which they thought him worthy of so high a calling; this they reckened true nobilitie: likewise Quintius, a poore Husbandman, was made Dictator, which was a great office, and for three moneths had a Regall power, and when he had ended his office, went againe to his olde labour without indignitie to his person, or derogating ought from his worthinesse, of this high estimation was Vertue among them.

He that is nobly borne, and descended of an aun­tient house, should beare in his mind the remembrance of his birth, and frame himselfe to imitate his parents in Vertue, as well as hee looketh to possesse their inheri­tance, and ioyning these two in one, is truly noble: for if his auntients were more noble then he, whose digni­tie he enioyeth, his praise is diminished, and becom­meth a bye-word and a reproach, among them that haue heard of the former Vertue; or if they were vici­ous and of euill life, then to auoyd the scandal in him­selfe, to abhorre the like, and couet to liue in Vertue: so shall he purchase true honour to his riches, and wor­thily be deemed to enioy the inheritance. And there is great reason to induce him therevnto: for of such a one there is a generall expectation of some notable Vertue; the eyes of all men are bent vpon him as on a Commet or blazing starre, prying narrowly into him how hee li­ueth, what he doth, to what science he bēdeth his mind, and what good hee doth in the Common-wealth, for which he is borne, and as if his priuate actions should be openly done, no one word or deed of his can escape the common censure. It is the more behouefull, then to apply the mind to laudable actions, & to do good in the [Page] place where he is, for so much as he may appropriate to himselfe a good report for well doing, & by that means participate the heartie prayers, and many good wishes of the common people; gaine their loue, and induce thē with more facilitie, by his good example, to trace in the wholsome path that leadeth to the house of honour.

Likewise the vnknowne, the issue of a base stocke, obscurely brought vp, if he wil be aduanced to the type of honour, must addict himselfe to Vertue, which will be so much the more glorious at the last, by how much more obuious his estate was at first. And this I sup­pose, should be a spurre or goade to push them forward, because they shall not onely bee admired by the praises of the good, which are the badges and simballes of Ver­tue, but also acquire perpetuall fame and renowme, as the surname thereof. What should I say? Vertue is a The commo­d [...]ie of Ver­tues is vn­speakeable. pearelesse and precious Iewell, so rare and excellent, that it can neither bee sufficiently commended, nor worthily esteemed: all humane things doo faint, faile, sinke downe, and decay, when that onely will abide for euer, an honour for youth, a crowne to age, a comfort in prosperitie, a succour in aduersitie, delightfull at home, not burthensome abroad, & a pleasant walking-mate to accompany a man wheresoeuer hee goeth. What a diuine glory is heere? that striketh the be­holder in admiration, dazeleth his sight, and forceth the very abiect to reuerence him in whom it dooth appeare, for shee is so beautifull a Lady, as shee maketh many gaze at her a farre off, that haue no power to come nigh her, but striketh into wonderment at her in­comparable maiestie, are metamorphosed, as it were by Medusa.

[Page] And howsoeuer it is that many are so blockish and sencelesse, that they wander vp and downe like vaga­bounds and base peasants, and make no account of Ver­tue and honestie: yet are they forced, will they, nill they, to flye to her for succour in time of want, and hide their misdeeds vnder her golden wings. And verily, no pretence or vaine shewe can preuaile against her, but that she will haue the iust victory and triumph ouer those that haue despised her; and when they are on the toppe of their hatefull enuye, they shall wish her com­pany, and desire to imbrace her, though it bee but with dull affection, which the Poet well noteth, Ho [...]b. 1. Virtutem incolumen odimus: sublatam ex occulis querimus inuidi. When Vertue doth offer her selfe, we denie her, but afterward seeke her greedily.

If thou therefore, whatsoeuer thou art, doest neg­lect to follow her in time, thou shalt bee taught by experience, when it is too late, what it is to cast off thy profered happinesse, a faithfull teacher, but a seuere and sharpe corrector: seeke her then while shee may bee founde, and bee as readie to enter­taine her into seruice, as shee is willing to serue; possesse thy selfe of her, and shee will Register thy [...]ame in her golden Booke, of neuer dying ho­nour.

Worldly ho­nor is no true happinesse. It is not the riches of Cressus, the tryumphes of Caesar, the conquests of Alexander the great, or any worldly pompe, can make a man truly happie, or crowne him with true honour, but onely Vertue. For if wee value men by outwarde prosperitie, wee deceiue our iudgement, and swarue from equi­tie.

[Page] Touching wealth, it is like poyson in a golden [...]uppe, and commonly where it aboundeth most, there Vertue is set by least, a laborinth wherein many are lost, not onely subiect to chance, and infract for­tune, but also to misgouernment, pride, ambition, and many other vices; for good manners oftentimes is cor­rupted by ouer-regarding riches, and moderate dispo­sitions turned into greedie desires; graunt it lifts vp a mans estate, to make his delight subiect to his will, in­deed hee is somewhat the wealthier, but no whit the honester, vnlesse as gotten by Iustice, so vsed in Tempe­rance, and distributed in charitie, and if the rich man bee also a good man, let him take heed least they bee a sting to his conscience, and drawe him to sinfull plea­sures.

So that the verdict, must passe vpon honestie, and the qualitie of Vertue, more precious then the quantitie of mony; for as a rich man couetous, gripple, and earth­ly minded, is not to bee respected, so a poore man sim­ple honest, and well qualified, is to be regarded, sith the one is as a craggie flint stone, the other a preti­ous and princely Diamond, and this was the cause a Prince of Troy chose rather to marrie his daughter to a poore man honest, then a rich man vicious: For it is better (quoth he) to haue a man without money, then money without a man, for Vertue is great riches, when Vice is like a sheepe with a golden fleece; and as the wise schoole maister Isocrates, counselled his Pupill De­mon▪ to make more account of a poore good man, than of a rich man not so honest.

H [...]ra▪ ad iccium. Pauper enim non non est, cui rerum suppetit vsus. Hee is rich inough that is content with his state. [Page] We must not measure men, by those things as are sub­iect to the tottering wheele of Fortune, which as Me­teors in the aire vanish assoone as they seeme: but for Vertue abi­deth to eter­nitie. that which is permanent, durable, constant, and firme, which is Vertue, onely Vertue, and nothing but Vertue; and therefore least worldly regard should striue against reason, the immoderate care of this life, must be sprink­led with the water of prouident respect, in considering those inconueniences that rise out of the roote of a­boundance: Mans felicitie, is not in riches, they are gotten with paine, and lost with griefe; pleasures ende in sorrowe, vaine-glorie, vanisheth; if we thinke it is in witte, that is perfect follie; for a wise man, euer esteemeth an other wiser then himselfe; Quoad Deum, touching God, and in this standeth the greatest poynt of wisedome, when a man doth neither exalt himselfe, aboue a stronger iudgement, nor insult ouer those that be weake, but readie to submit his opinion, to a bet­ter information: and hath such a slender care of his own [...] woorthinesse, that if he happe to possesse some worldly honour, doth blushingly receiue it, as a thing not deserued: so that we cannot find the perfect good we looke for, but onely and altogether, in the exercise of Vertue.

A foolish opi­nion. Yet now men hunt after Riches, as though there were no true honour without it, and that to be onely rich, were to be onely happie, and so set their felicitie on a slipperie foundation: but how false this opinion is, doth appeare alreadie. For be it that honour, be not giuen as our auncients did, onely to the vertuous and good, yet shall the vertuous man be praised, be he neuer so poore, euen of his most vtter enemie, [Page] as Metellus Macid [...]nicus, praised Scipi [...], for his Vertues, and wept for his death, though he were his mortall foe, for no man be he neuer so enuious, can take that from him which Vertue hath merited: but must, and will, maugre his head, applaud and commend him for an ho­nest man, euen behinde his backe, and be forced to ad­mire those good parts that are in him, when an other man being rich, and nothing within, but all without, shall be clawde and flattered before his face, but cursed and bande behinde his backe, and this preheminence it hath, maugre the worldes malignitie, that where this Christian veritie doth shine, shee forceth the gazer to breake out into wonderment, and spread that glorious report which it iustly meriteth: yet there be some so sot­tish and madde, that though they know themselues but flattered, suppose they be by & by praised, when he nei­ther speaketh it with his heart, but for some carnall rea­son, and they themselues know it to be false which hee speaketh. Beleeue no man therfore of your owne good­nesse, better then your selfe, if there bee ought in you worthie of it, if you deserue it not, thinke assuredly they doo but mock and deceiue you, and with their tongues seeme to be with you, when their hearts be against you. This is a sure token, for a man to see into his owne Vertue, first hee sueth not for honour, but ho­nour followeth him; and secondly is not greeued, though he be vnregarded, nor beareth indignation at o­thers happines, and this same thing is it that we call ho­nor: now seeing this worldly honor is of so small price, A true vertu­ou [...] ma. it is the part of a base and vile mind, to beleeue glozing and faire words, and grosse ignorance it is indeed, to build honour vpon the brainsicke and rude opinion.

[Page] Now what are all the goods of this worlde? but a troublesome carriage & greeuance, because they bring no assured comfort, but doo rather with their waight, plucke downe those minds, that be flying towards hea­uen, and hinder a man in the passage to glory.

Neuerthelesse, this might somewhat dismay the weakenesse of man to striue for Vertue, because com­monly it hath no reward in this world, but wandreth vp and downe naked, & forsaken: but this is no disparage­ment to a good man, for looke what he possesseth, be it more or lesse, is so moderatly expended, that it is compe­tent and sufficient, and this is the very fountain, whence all contentment proceedeth, for being well composed within, regardeth nothing without, but a iust applause for well doing: only couetous, to carry away a good re­port of his Vertues, which as Trophies are hung ouer his Tombe, for eternall monuments. Virtuti [...]merces, [...]adem & labor, illa & trophium est.

Touching such as are loaden with this worlds drosse, and moistened with golden showers, liuing in voluptu­ous and vaine pleasures, and defile those blessings with their lusts, what should we thinke of this? but that the great and rich God, is content to throw and scatter a­bout his goods, among a sort of pedegrant peasants, and insaciable horse-leaches, which greedily scrape it vp to fill their Cofers, and feed their lusts: not thinking one day they must recken of the well imployment.

Riches puffe vp men in pride. Riches, not rightly ordered, prouoke many hurtfull and wicked desires, the mother of pride, contempt, dis­daine, selfe-loue, and the very fire that burneth vp all good motions, if not quenched with moderation, for they puffe vp a man in opinion to be some bodie, when [Page] he is no body, and to thinke himselfe truly honourable, because he is honoured of the vaine world: supposing that to be rich in costly sutes, is the onely glory. This makes them spurne at all good aduertisements, and de­spise Christian admonitions; for how commeth it to passe, that so many great, rich, and mightie men of the world, are some Athists, Papists, Neuters, N [...]lla fidians▪ Vaine ho­no [...]r. &c. and so colde in charitie? but only this, impatiencie of good counsell, being hard to finde a faithfull man, that will boldly speake without partiallitie: but elther is blinded with greatnesse, or driuen to silence for out­ward respects, to keepe in fauour with smooth words, especially when his state dependes vppon great men, there is then a Filme growes ouer the eye-sight, and such a dimnesse, as he cannot see, no not the Sunne at noone dayes, be it neuer so cleare or splendidious, but be rather as cloudes to hide their shame, or instruments to incite them to more leaudnesse. For if such a one fall into a grosse errour, and by his life be a scandall to the good, liuing openly in some vile crime, he shall not want trencher-flies, clawbackes, and Sycophants, that wil crie peace, peace, when he is at warre with his owne conscience, and feede his humour with flattery, be his life neuer so sinfull; such may be fitly called seruingmen, for they neuer serue God, but soothe them vp to serue their owne turne, they pretend much loue and great seruice, when tis nothing but superficial flattery, if these see but a small moate amisse, a wrinkle awry, how ten­tible they be to mend it! but though the minde be ne­uer so spotted with vice, the eye cannot pierce it, be it ner so visible, and indeed if the humour of their mai­ster, take it in ill part, they may chaunce for their in­telligence [Page] to be turnde out of all preferment; O how they wil storme if controwlde in their course! and take The m [...]lici-A [...]h [...]st neuer want slaun­ders. it exceedingly ill, as though they had a dispensation to doo what they list without reproofe, because they are great. If Preachers crie out against vice in generall, then is it specially applied, he ment me, he spites me, and so goes about to stop their mouthes, by accusing them of [...]yling, sedition, or slaundring: or if priuately admo­nished, then are they busie, factious, and stray from their text: y [...]t for all this, a good man will not be abashed to whisper into their eares priuatly, or inueigh against vice publikely, come what will come. Solon compareth (not vnfitly) lawes to copwebs, for that great flies can breake through at ease, when the lesser are intangled: in like manner great men can soone rush through the walles of lawe, and breake downe Iron Gates; when the weake must abide the extremitie, and haue no o­ther defence but their owne innocencie. Thus doth might deceiue them: but A [...]risacra fames quid non? what cannot gold bring to passe? it can dim the clearest sight, and raise vp an humble minde to a haughtie courage: is it not strange that a base pedanticall parasite, in hope of a lease, or some small fauour, should clappe his hands at wickednesse? and that a man indued with reason, and hath the vse of his fiue wittes, should beled by flattery, and made blinde with plausible wordes, not to see his owne faultes, though they be as thicke as the darknesse of Egipt, to be felt with the hande and not seene with the eye? for be it he is so obdurate, that he cannot, or will not see them: yet must he needs be noted, poin­ted at, liue defamed, as a may-game to the worst, and a lamentable spectacle to the best.

[Page] A memorable example of a Heathen [...]ing I remember I read once of Alexander, if happily I can now repeate it, who on a time vehemently blamed his Steward, for that hauing serued him so long, and bene so conuersant in his affaires, so familiar with his priuate doings, and laie as it were in his bosome, as if he had bene his second selfe, that in all the time of his seruice could not spie ought amisse, to dimme his glo­rie: For it is impossile (quoth hee) in so many yeares, and so much opportunitie, that I should neuer offend and blemish my vertue, with some dishonourable acti­on: deseruing either prewarning in the beginning, or reproofe in the ende, and so expelled him his ser­uice.

Here is a mirrour of true honour, this noble Prince, cast off his Steward, because he concealde his faultes Obsequium amicos, veri­tas odium pa­rit. amongst Christians, that should be inspired with high­er wisedome; the contrary is daily practised, the [...]er­uant shall be dismist for telling truth, and honest minds purchase shrewde rebukes; this head-strong opinion is the downe-fall of all good order: for when men-plea­sers, and claw-backes, doo leade captiuitie cap [...]iue in the fetters of vanitie, a multitude of honest mindes are in daunger to be seduced, to imitate their course of life. Sycophants are daunge­rous enemies to Vertue. For as the Marriners in a shippe, haue theyr eyes ear­nestly bent vpon the Maister, that sitteth at the helme, and readie at his becke to doo his will; so such men as stand vp in the Common-wealth, and holde the Rudder of direction in theyr handes, are duly watcht, and attentiuely ouerseene, and according to their aime, the common sort bend their course.

O howe riches mocke men with certaintie, when nothing is more mutable and slippery, with perfect [Page] happine [...]e, when nothing is more wretched, the nurs [...] of pride, the schoole of abuse, and the guide that leades into many temptations, it is much better rather to shine in Vertue, then in riches. And therefore our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell, comp [...]reth the felicitie of a rich man, to an impossibilitie: [...]aying, that it is as hard for him to climbe to heau [...]n, being loaden with drosse, as for a Cammell to creepe through the eye of a Needl [...]: and this made the Philosophers in their humane wise­dome, so much despise worldly honour, and vndergoe [...]amples of con [...]emn [...]rs o [...] money. pouertie with so great patience. A [...]nacreon▪ hauing a huge masse of money sent him by Policrates, could ne­uer rest till he was rid of it againe, his minde troubled, his sleepe broken, returned it againe to him that sent it: saying he neuer liued in so great feare and dread all his life long, as hee had done those two dayes while the mony was in his house. Pho [...]n, in like manner, when the king had sent him a great beneuolence, hee asked him that brought it▪ what mooued his maister to send him so much mony, seeing the king did not know him▪ answered, it was in respect of the great fame he heard of his vertues: If that be the cause (quoth he) carry it backe to him againe, and let him leaue me as I am, and [...]ot by increase of wealth to diminish my vertues. Diogines re­fused all, and craued nothing, but the common benef [...] of the Sunne, which Alexander had taken from him, by standing betweene him and it.

Plutarch reporteth, that when Alexander vpon a time came into a poore barren Countrey, thinking to haue made some great conquest, found the inhabitants gathering rootes & grasse to [...]ate, neither vsing force to repell and keep him backe, nor any meanes to disswade [Page] him from his warlike attempt, but as poore snakes, were altogether busied for their bell [...]es. The King conside­ring their pouertie, and vnfruitfulnesse of their coun­trey, had pittie and compassion on their miserie, and bad them aske what they would, and it should inconti­nently be graunted. Quoth they (with one consent) giue vs euerlasting life. Why how can I giue that (quoth he) that am but a mortall man? Then why seeke you to win the whole world, as though you were immortall, and should neuer dye? Zenon, Crates, infinite were the ex­amples of those that were rauished with the formossitie and excellent hue of Vertue, that they contemned mo­ney, riches▪ pompe, choosing pouertie for the pure life of perfection, bearing the bitternesse of fortune with an vnconquerable courage. The auntient victorious Ro­maines [...]ought after Vertue, and by their noble deedes and heroicall spirits, got the palme of true honour, not sparing body or goods to aduance the Cōmon-wealth; The shadow of vertue was more estee­med among the Heathen, then the true body is now among the Christians. in so much as many of them had not wherewith to en­dowe theyr daughters, nor which was lesse, to defraye Funerall charges, but what they had out of the commō store, which by their conquests they had so greatly en­riched, as S [...]ipio, Sylla, and the great Pomp [...]y: for then Vertue was their chiefest riches. An example we finde of a noble captaine, who beeing offered a great reward by his Generall for his knighthood and valour done in seruice, with this gratulation thou shalt bee paide in riches for thy valour, and not in honour for Vertue; hee refused the one, and tooke the other, counting riches not worthy to bee matched wi [...]h the dignitie of V [...]rtue.

The Martyrs in all ages are much to bee admired, [Page] that being indued with true fortitude, did most willing­ly embrace their deathes, and suffer their bodies to bee rent, torne, and cruelly burned, by the persecutors, for the profession of a good conscience, and by theyr meeke sufferings, gained perpetuall honour.

And although it falleth out as for the most part it doth, that men indued with rare and singular vertues, are vtterly forgotten, and scarce noted while they liue; yet beeing dead, theyr fame mounts vp to heauen, and is divulged and spread in the earth; for the want of a good thing, is then most precious when it is remooued farthest off. Cato was scarce knowne while he liued, but after his death, was of great price; and all those famous Philosophers, Orators, schoole-men, that liued in dark­nesse, and were so basely esteemed, yet wee see by the memorie of their goodly vertues, they now liue againe by being recommended from one age to an other. And herehence sprung the multiplicitie of Heathen goddes, I meane from the notable vertues of singular men: for the foolish antiquitie, honoured men as gods after their Cicerods nat▪ d [...]or. deathes, which eyther were of high dignitie while they liued, of great birth, or had done some notable benefite for their Countrie: for honour and reuerence is rehi­bited for some certaine cause, rising of externall things, framed by Vertue, for honour is compounded of hone­stie. Honor ex virtute [...]ri­tur. H [...]rmes, or Mercurius, was of such fame among the Aegiptians, as hee was deified and made a god, calling him the Messenger of Iupiter. Mars, a great warriour. Bacch [...], the inuenter of wine. Esculapius, a Phisiti­on. Pyth [...] ▪ was so reuerently thought of amongst the Barbarians, for that by his singular wisedome hee had withdrawne the inhabitants from their vices, that [Page] they made of his Cottage a Temple, giuing him di­uine honour. What contumelies and strife was about the bodie of Homer, when seuen Cities were at vari­ance to possesse his corpes when he was dead.

Diogenes liued beggerly, in contempt, but after his death was honorably interred in a monument of fame: so that the memorie of these sprung from the roote of Vertue, and from some notable exployt, which got the peoples loue, who thought the applause of this worlde was no sufficient recompence for theyr ver­tues.

The flourishing state of the Romaines, Athenians, Lacedemonians, and other dominions, were all vpheld Vertues hold vp a common-wealth. by Vertue; for where Vertue is established, there Vice is detested: for as light and darknesse, fire and water, can­not be put together but one will confound the others nature: so these two contraries, cannot ioyntly hold possession, but one will vtterly extinct the other; and where Vertue is wanting in a generall gouernment, that Common-wealth is wholly ouerthrowne.

The good hate to sinne because of Vertue, the bad for lawe, but he is onely good, that of his owne wil, and honest mind, eschueth euil more for cōscience sake, thē [Page] for dread of mans punishment: the euill and vicious contrariwise, are with-held by the rigour of Iustice, and for feare of penaltie, the rebellion within is kept from outwardly working: so that nothing but the sword of the magistrate doth stay the hot rage of his furie, when the conscience lyes vast and open to all wicked desires, he is not to bee numbred amongst vertuous and good men. To conclude, where the Common-wealth is gui­ded by godly lawes of Princes, the lampe of Vertue shi­ning in the hearts of subiects, laudable sciences imbra­ced, Iustice without partialitie administred, the good protected, the bad punished, & peace maintained; there is a happpie and blessed gouernment, a sweete harmo­nie of nature, and an earthly Paradize: for he that shall goe about to counite and couple Vice & Vertue in one, putteth a man and a beast together: honestie admits no such knot, for the end of good, which ought to be af­ter one sort, must not be mingled with any thing disa­greeable in an other sort; for Vertue is no longer Vertue, if mixed with contrarie qualities: we may then safely conclude, that there is no goodlyer possession then Ver­tue, and that it is perfect folly, to couet to be rich, migh­tie, and creepe vp to worldly honour, and make so small reckening to be stored with Vertue, which is so certaine, the tytle so glorious and permanent, wherevpon one calleth it Dimidium animae meae, which is not vnproper­ly spoken, for take away vertue from a man, which is the plain path to sanctimony, he must be numbred among those creatures that haue onely essence, and want vn­derstanding, sith hee aymeth not at the purpose of his creation.

The audacitie and stout courage of the Heathen [Page] was such, that for morrall vertues would ca [...] them­selues into daungers, many times deadly, abandon ri­ches, endure pouertie, abide tortures, desiring rather a poore quiet life to follow Vertue, then by a prosperous state to draw the mind into a troublesome stirre: for po­uertie, performes that indeed, that all Philosophy goeth about to perswade.

But this dooth much shake the feeble conscience when wee behold diuers good men endued with rare vertues, and stored with good parts, notwithstanding Vertue dis­ [...]yed by pouertie. oppressed, discarred, and as it were made the scorne and May-game of the world, finding no place of safetie to rest vpon, and the bad and vicious to sit in Fortunes lap. Now whē we mark these vnproportionable accidents, onely with the eye of common reason, ō how it di­stracteth the minde! accusing through ignorance the iust and diuine prouidence, because he permitteth the good to be punished with miserie, and the bad to swim in prosperitie: but if we bend our wits to find out a dee­per reason, we shal see that the good are not afflicted for their hurt, but fatherly chastised for their better triall, the wicked not fauored, but seuerely punished▪ for God worketh al things for the good of those that are his: yet who can denie, but that the burthen of pouertie is im­portable, hunger, imprisonment, exile, intollerable per­secution, and death insufferable? all which is inough to driue a man to dispaire of his owne happinesse, suppo­sing God had vtterly forsakē him: but the waight here­of is lightned & made easie to them that steadfastly be­leeue Gods promises, and cast their care on him, as Pe­ter willeth: Cast thy care on him, for hee hath care on thee. Moreouer, though a man be poore, sicke, diseased, [Page] An honest mā is not poore, for in aduersi­tie Vertue sheweth her chiefest operation. and wayed downe with a clogge of miserie: yet can he not say, hee is so bare and naked, as vtterly vnable to help himselfe or an other: for admit he hath no tempo­ [...]all goods to helpe that way, yet can hee harbour and shewe the rights of hospitalitie: if hee hath neither of both, yet can hee visit the sicke, and cheare vp his mind with good counsell: if he be poore, sicke, lame, harbor­lesse, and comfor [...]lesse himselfe, yet can he helpe with his prayers, and communicate his loue by his orysons and deuout supplications: so that euery one hath a rich fountaine within, which vpon euery occasion may be powred out, and therefore no man can pleade disa­bilitie, and want of meanes to relieue.

And what though a man haue some casuall defor­mitie in his body, or bee vnhappily fallen into a wret­ched estate▪ yet so long as his vertue and honestie may bee iustified, hee neede not bee ashamed of bru­sing the flesh, or feeling penurie, but rather boast and glorie in them, for it cannot bee any shame or dis­honour, to carrie about him the visible tokens of such scarres, neither dooth it any whit impaire his credit with the wise and vertuous, nor make him of lesse e­steeme with good men, much lesse with God, who put­teth no difference between a king and a begger, but onely in obedience to his will: but here is the ignomi­nie, to bee branded with the hotte iron of wicked The simbolls of vanitie. conuersation; as when a man shall haue his eares cut from his head, or marked in the hand for some villai­nie, and the spots of vice so pregnant on his body, or going vnder a hard censure, for a bad opinion iustly conceiued, in this case hee hath small cause to glory or boast, but rather blush, be ashamed, and exile himselfe [Page] from common societie, and striue with humilitie to re­forme those rebellious passions, that haue so strongly lead him into such dishonestie.

But where Vertue doth rule, the affaires and acti­ons of this life are mannaged with wisedome, and those swelling thoughts kept backe, which as a raging floud carrie away all that is not ground▪fast, that any outward griefe is quietly suffered, and patiently endu­red: for what aduerse fortune soeuer happens, is borne with contentment; in so much as neither pouertie, sick­nesse, crosses, afflictions, or what calamitie soeuer come, cannot moue or distemper a stayed minde: for beeing inflamed with a constant resolution, doth fit himselfe to beare the troubles of this life, with a valiant and im­mutable courage.

Stilp [...] a Greeke Philosopher, when the citie where hee dwelt was burnt to sinders, his wife and children consumed in the flame, and all that hee had turned to ashes, himselfe hardly escaping with his life, was asked what he lost in the fire (quoth he) I lost nothing, for Om­nia Omnia mea mecū perto. mea mecum porto, all that is mine I carrie about me; meaning his vertues, the onely proper goods of a wise man, which no force of fire can cōsume, nor the furie of no enemy take away. In like maner an other being told his own son was dead, was no whit moued at y ^• message; and being told againe & again he was dead, why quoth he, what of that? I knew I begat a mortall creature, and being mortall, he must needs die: who could beare such great cause of griefe without some shew of sorrow? but such smal reckning did the wise Heathē make of world­ly losses: for it is the nature of mā to relent, deplore, and be subiect to lamentations, yet their wisedome kept it [Page] vnder the yoake of reason: or who in these daies would Riche [...] right­ly vsed, are great bles­sing [...]. refuse such preferment as Di [...]genes? o [...] his loade of gold, as Fabritius? or cast his treasure into the sea, as Antippus▪ I verily suppose fewe or none would bee of that minde, neither is it so needfully required, Christian sorrow for worldly losses is sufferable: riches and wealth to a good man are comfortable, by reason he hath greate [...] means to do good, for the daunger lyeth in the abuse, and not simply in the vse: for to a bad man they are indeede the cause of more euill, because they minister more matter to his wicked and sinfull desire.

A man may warme him by a fire, though hee burne not himselfe in it: so a rich man may mod [...]rately vse his riches, though with them hee stoppe not vp the gappe to happinesse: but the deadly hatred they bore to externall things, shewed theyr loue to Vertue, and the desire they had to diue into the depth of wise­dome; ô how they stroue about the contemplatiue and actiue life! some choosing one, some the other, strugling who should come nearest vnder the wings of Vertue, and yet for all this they laboured but in darkenesse and blinde ignorance, and neuer attained to that true ioy, by which the heart is exalted to immortalitie: for the true and absolute Vertue is the true knowledge of GOD, the way to worship him aright, and true comfort in aduersitie, for nothing can bee good without the soueraigne good: if m [...]n bee ignorant of that, all is false, and theyr intentions goe awrie, but the Philosophicall summum bonum re­sted in this; namely, in the quiet apprehending of reason, and fashioning the outward man to ciuill obe­dience, and could neuer possesse themselues of that [Page] heauenly felicitie, vnder which all Vertue is comprehen­ded.

Pouertie ought not to disqui [...]t [...] the minde. Pouertie ought not to moue the minde with rest­lesse passions, but to allaie the heate with contentati­on, and pacific the vnstaied affections, which will more easily be done, if a man considerately call to mind, how many persons in the world are in as wretched, or more wofull estate then he himselfe is, yet the deare children of God too: but in aduersitie many lose themselues in discontentment, not patiently wayting, but greedily snatching, not content with that they haue be it neuer so much, but adding goods to goods, and multiplying more to enough with neuer satisfied desire, tormenting the minde with vnquiet motions, and by that meanes make the freedome of life a sharpe and bitter bondage: for if their life were six times so long, as it may be by the inuitable course of nature, yet the tenth part of that they haue, were sufficient to maintain them well and honest­ly, and declare whereto they were borne, and inrich their posteritie after; why should they then be so greedy and earthly minded to consume their dayes in such vn­reasonable cares? whereby they are neuer at rest, but in continuall slauery, so greatly do they feare least they should be poore: and so in the midst of plentie liue in want, and thus become incaple of reason, and most mi­serable of all men: for no externall thing can in them­selues make a mā vnhappie, if immoderate desire creep not in to breed rebellion, so that still our former asserti­on must hold: In medio concis [...]t virtus, Vertue stands be­tweene two extreames, in cooling the heate of desire with Temperance, not in feeding the belly so much as it will hold, cloathing the backe so farre as the purse will [Page] stretch, and giuing scope to pleasure, as though much wealth gaue much libertie, for that is prodigalitie, nor in pinching & hoording it vp from necessary duties, for that is illiberalitie, & ouerturneth the whole fellowship of mankind: neither must a man neglect his priuat state, but labour in his calling to supply his wants; the meane therefore is the safest path to walke in, in which whoso­euer goeth, is safe from stumbling vpon extremities: If Y cor as had held his medium t [...]tiss [...]mum, he had not so vn­timely In medi [...] concistit vir­t [...]s. fallen: or Phaeton, obserued the good counsell of his father, he had not bin striken with thunder; but pre­sumption & arrogance, casteth men healong into woe and misery. So that if Temperance do not order the life, and dispose our humane affaires, we fall into an insati­able desire of hauing, or into an vtter neglect of our own wants, spending too much & that vainly, or sparing too much, & that too nigardly: But as the higher we clime, the lesse appearance those things seeme to haue that are vnder vs, our sight being remoued from the obiect and species of things: so the nearer we approch to God, and frame our obedience vnto him, the lesse we value these base & transitory things. Now, if by this compendious course, our mindes are abstracted & drawen backward, immediatly our cogitations ascend vp to heauē, as vnto the country to which we are trauelling, we must not the incumber our mindes with so heauy a load, as the cares of this life, least they hinder vs in the pursuit to perfect blessednesse. O what a burden of torments doth the co­uetous desire bring with it! a disease like the Drop­sie, the more it hath, the more it would; thirsty as the ser­pent Di [...]sas, neuer satisfied till it burst, wanting that it hath, and hath that it wanteth; because the good vse of [Page] those things present, are euer absent▪ ô whither would the greedine [...]e of man run if Mydas golden Wish were to be had? the couetous Lawier would haue the diuell and all; the secular Priest, be sick of the golden dropsie; the Artificer, Alcumize his Instruments into gold; the plow▪man weary of his labour: so that here would be Aurea atas, a golden world. Thus would extreame co­uetousnes bring a misery vpon the owners, and though with Mydas, they might turne any thing into gold with a touch; yet should they be starued with hunger, famish the bodie, and robbe the soule of all true comfort. For these waight alwaies on a couetous man, Impietie, per­iurie, thefts, rapines, treasons, fraud, deceits, and all kind of vnconscionable and mercilesse dealings.

Let a man then be content with his portion, and not seeke to aspire vnto terrestiall honour, by tearing out the bowelles of his brethren, with vsurie, extortion, and vnconscionable brokerie. For it is better to be con­tentedly poore, then miserably rich, and to surpasse in rare Vertues, then in earthly treasure; for albeit a man be downe in misery, yet if honest and vertuous, hee is raised vp to immortall glory: for the excellency of Ver­tue, makes him shine with such a grace, as h [...] may soone be eleuated to the top of true honour, and cannot goe vnrewarded for his honourable seruice; for hauing va­liantly Post f [...]r [...] virt [...]. fought vnder the banner of so noble a matron, his paie is fame in despite of death, and eternall fe­licitie in the world to come▪ for Vertue inableth a man to enioy the fruition of perfect happinesse, and eternall life.

Then let a poore ma [...] reioyce in affliction, and patiently beare aduersitie▪ and comforte him selfe [Page] with the hope of a better life, which assuredly hee shall The comfor­table hope of a poore man. enioy if so be he hold out to the ende in a holy and ver­tuous course, and for sorrow here, haue ioy there; and for a hellish life now, a heauenly life then; when those that haue their heauen here, and wallow in solace, ioy, and carnall pleasures in this world, must with Diues be tormented in endlesse flames in the world to come.

To what end then should a man be grieued at mise­ry, and murmur, as though hee were an abiect, an ou [...] cast, and forlorne: when there shall be a supply of his wants, in aboundant measure, and be crowned a king of that heauenly Ierusalem.

Vpon a time Solon found a poore man sitting by the sea side, bewayling his miserie in great dispaire, whom he comforted in this manner: Brother why weep you, what haue you lost, is it want and pennury that nippeth you? Alas for that you haue small cause; for say you were in the middest of yonder great sea, loaden with treasure, in daunger of drowning, would you not wil­lingly lose your goods to saue your life? Why thinke then you were once in like perill, and haue escaped, and lost but your onely goods, then now pacific your selfe, be content with your state. Thus we see what daunger a rich man is in, by the opinion of this wise Heathen.

Vice & Ver­tue two waies. Two waies are proposed and laide open to all, the one inuiting to Vertue, the other alluring to vice; the first is combersome, intricate, vntraded, ouergrowne, and many obstacles to dism [...]y a passenger; the other, plaine, euen beaten, ouershadowed with boughes, ta­pistred with flowers▪ and many obiects to feed the eye; now a man that lookes but only to the outward shewe, will easily tread the broadest p [...]the, but if he [...] perceiue [Page] that this smooth and euen way, leads to a neast of Scor­pions: or a litter of Beares, he will rather take the other though it be rugged and vnpleasant, then hazard him­selfe in so great a daunger.

The high-way that leades to pleasure is verie spati­ous, it lyeth open like the sea, many tempting motions to inuoke the mind, Lamea sitting by the way gorgious­ly deckt, the Syrens with sweete melody, to intrappe the passenger, if with Vlisses he bind not himselfe to the mast of prouident respect; and many Lyōs, Beares & Wolues lie in waite for their pray. But the pathe leading to Vertue, though it be toylesome, laborious, difficult, a way vneasie to be trackt, hard to finde, craggie, sto­nie, thorny, and a sweating turmoyle, as the Poet descri­beth:

Yet seeing hee goeth streight to his iournies ende, shall arriue at the house of Fame, be crowned with ho­nor, who will not vndergoe a poore labour, to gaine so rich a Iewell? for though the rootes of Vertue be bit­ter, yet the fruites be sweete.

Dulcia non mer [...]it. Againe, if in things dangerous and full of perilles, a man will not sticke to hazard his life, [...]run through fire [Page] and water, abide hunger, colde, and willingly beare a thousaud miseries, incident to long and tedious iour­nies, to diue into the bowelles of the earth for golde, traffique to Orinoque, the Indians, and farre remote pla­ces to feede the long desire of this short life, as the Poet saith:

How ought they thē to hunt after Vertue, the bright sonne of prosperitie, which can raise them vp, tamquam ê puluere & lut [...], out of dust and claie, to the high pitch of euerlasting honour.

Many waies leading to l [...]ame. But as many waies crosse the Queenes high▪way, so Vertue is wanted and thwarted, with many smoothe paths, if by exact care they be not auoyded, and though there be a spatious opposition an Antithesis, yet no such difference at the first seemeth, for long pacing breedeth content, by reason the mine is nummed and brought a sleepe, with such varietie of obiects, as dazle the sences, and fixe the opinion so firme in an ill course, that he findeth himselfe enexorable to turne head, and set foo­ting in the way of Vertue.

Neuerthelesse, though Vertue is so noble, glorious, honourable, immortall, &c. (that neither my dull wit, rudenesse of speech, or this little volume is able to ex­presse her infinit praises: but had rather need of prompt eloquence, and cunning most excellent, and much lei­sure therevnto) yet Vice is painted out with such good­ly colours, and so gorgiously set out with pompe, that iumping with the naturall impediment, a man is soone lulde a sleepe in pleasures, and deluded by phantasma, [Page] a dreame, a shadow: as it was with Calippus, that dreamd he was a King, and whēawooke he was a begger: or the foole of Syrac [...]sa, who being opprest with melancho­ly, thought all the ships that arriued in the hauen, were laden with his marchandiz e; so doth it mocke the ima­gination, with flattering allurements, and drawe a man by litle & litle to his owne destruction. O tis an amiable diuel, a sweet sinne, a lycorous poyson, a smiling cut­throate, a weeping Crokidile: so that by this the minde is drawne from all celestiall contemplation, and from that heauenly regard which the singularitie of that di­uine sweetnesse doth require, and by that meanes be­come carelesse & negligent, in the pursuit of Vertue, and haue no desire to be partaker of her vtilitie and profite, but are wholy circumuented and carried away by Iniu­stice, luxurie, pride, couetousnesse, selfe▪loue, and such like; for this fleeting ioy, is a sweet delight; but as the Poets faine, that drinking the water Lethae, breedeth for­getfulnesse: so vice and pleasure, makes the mind obtuse and carelesse of all holy vertues, wherby the whole man is transported into all licentiousnesse. And for this cause are pleasures [...]ompared to the Syrins, that appeare loue­ly in sight with golden locks, chirry lippes, rosie cheeks, &c. and all that part aboue the water goodly, beautifull, and pleasant to beholde: but the tayle hid belowe is sharpe, crooked, venomous, that she no sooner draweth a man vnto her by a wantō countenance, but presently stings him to death; for paine & pleasure are two twins, for he no sooner letteth his minde slip to one, but the other is readie to cast him into miserable estate. And therefore to shun pleasures, it is good to behold her be­hind and not before, to cōsider what trouble, torments, dishonour, and ignominie, waits vpon her, for after her [Page] ghests are surfeited with dainties, she makes the ende as fatall and ominous as the Centaurs feasts, a suttle Sy [...]on, that telles a pleasing tale to breede securitie, dropping hony from her lippes, but hath the poyson of Aspes vn­der her tongue, a standing ponde, cleare aboue: but all filth and mudde below: and therfore the wise schoole­maister, warneth his scholler to shunne pleasures, for I [...]o. ad De­ [...]on. feare of smart; sowre things follow sweete, and ioy hea­uinesse. Volupt as esca malorum, saith he, Pleasure is the bait of euil: and hor. ad lollium.

F [...]olish wise­dome. Yet many repute themselues wise and excellently seen, though they are nothing daunted at such a hidious monster: and so are wise only in opinion, and with this sottish cogitation enterprise matters infamous, yea of­tentimes to the vtter ruine & ouerthrow of themselues, and by this meanes run headlong into all manner vice, not suspecting the mōster-like danger ouer their heads.

He that followes pleasure, is as the spider that labou­reth all day to intangle a flie, or like a wa [...]on boy that blowes vp feathers into the aire, and spends the time in running vp and downe after them; for what is pleasure but a puffe? and what is all painfull and ponderous la­bours but a copweb? If we shoote not at this marke, to cast anchor in the harbor of Vertue, for if we couet to be honoured, otherwise then by Vertue, we climbe a rot­ten ladder sure to fall; for vaine-glory is a blaze which soone vanisheth, glistering for a while in some outward pompe, in the darknesse of this world, carrying with it some shewe of Gentri [...], when tis but the scumme [Page] of Vice, Pride, and swelling Ambition: for what gaine is it for a man to win the whole world, and loose his owne soule? to daunce in pleasure for a while, and liue in woe for euer? What great matter was in Darius and Alexander, Tamberlaine and Baiazeth, Caesar and Pompey, that stroue for the monarchiall gouernment, and to be sole Potentates of the world? but that the after times might sing with Melib.

What was their happines, but vnquiet & perturbati­ons? and neuer attained to that theyr ambition sought after, but snatching at vncertaintie, like Esops dog, lost that they were sure of before: so that all this worldly strife was but to satisfie the hungry desire of a fewe dayes, to purchase such honour as sinkes into obliuion, leauing no happie memorie behinde of any notable vertue.

The best warre▪fare. But the onely warre-fare is striuing for Vertue, by resisting the passions of the minde: this is both a valiant and an honourable expedition, a true Martialist he is indeed, that by strong hand labours to suppresse his re­bellious lusts, and is ambitious of nothing but onely Vertue, as Themistocles, that said, the monuments, Tro­phies, glory, and great fame of Miltiades, would not suf­fer him to take his rest, for that exceeding desire he had to imitate him in Vertue, that so he might rise vp to like honour. Former presidents are spurres to quicken the Pl [...]tarch. mind, to embrace that Vertue portraied out by our aun­tients, and a meanes to make vs vigilent and watchfull, [Page] least by sloath we become blinde, ignorant, and grope in the darke with Polephemus: and this is most euident, that so long as we liue in pleasure, the minde is neuer il­luminated with diuine moysture: for while the time is spent in voluptuousnesse, a blast of vanitie, a bubble of water, the excellent faculties of the soule are depressed and weyed downe with base & seruile designements.

But hauing thus rudely run ouer the profitable stu­die of Vertue, in this homely manner, as the dulnesse of my wit, and shortnesse of time would suffer, it now re­maineth to blaze out her enemie Vice, & more liuely to paint out those capitall euils which oppose themselues A diometrical opposition be­twixt Vice and Vertue. against honestie. And in this the method of the aunti­ent Philosophers is to be obserued, who were not con­tent to explain the morall vertues, with a bare and sim­ple demonstration, but also set to euery one her contra­ry and repugnantvice, that by due considering both, we might embrace the good and shun the euill; and that by the glory of one, the other might be more vg­ly and loathsome: for when Vertue is visibly painted out, inuironed with Vice, we haue her in greater admiratiō, and her excellencies in higher regard, & therfore Forti­tude hath audacitie on the one side, & timiditie on the other side, science, ignorance, & sinister perswasion, and so euery one, the more & the lesse, whereby we see not onely the Image and reflexion, but the very abstract and essence of them both, & although one would think that Temperance, a heauenly Vertue, were inough to moue to sobrietie, yet if the many enormities that come of the contrary be omitted, a man is hardly disswaded. Therfore Diogenes being demaunded how one should keepe himself sober, by beholding (quoth he) the beast­linesse [Page] of drunkards; for it is manifest, that when a crab­bed visage and a misshapen body, shall stand by an ami­able & louely personage, the deformitie of the one doth much illustrate and beautifie the other. Venus was euer fairest when she stood by Vulcā: so that viewing this An­tithisis, honour and shame, perfect blisse & neuer dying sorrow, & looking to the finall endes, & the reward that they both yeeld at last, we may be stirred vp with an ar­dent zeale, to destroy Vice, & maister that combersome seruant passion.

Now the chiefe motiue herevnto, is diligent educa­tion & training vp youth in discipline, wherby a vniuer­sall Good educa­tion is the happinesse of a kingdome. good is attained; for this is the maine pillar that hol­deth vp & vnderprops the gouernment, without which no Commō-wealth could stand & peaceably continue. And therfore it is in the power of parents, to make or marre the world, for if children be not well nurtured, how shall they bequeath that to posteritie which they neuer der [...]ued frō their auncestors? or if superiours and magistrates, giue not good example in their places, how should they induce other to pietie? for as Atlas is faig­ned to support the heauens with his shoulders, so must the world be held vp by discipline, & those vices cut off with the sword of reformation, that fight against hone­stie; for her valour and courage will soone weaken by impunitie and euill example; but as the cutting off the head of a serpēt killeth the body, so the immoderate pas­sions of y ^e mind rooted out in the beginning, the whole body of this hidious mōster voluptuousnes is destroied, and the tranquility of the mind possest with greater ioy; for being once taught to loath Vice, & traded in wel do­ing, from the cradle, is thereby so well qualified, as it [Page] doth not easily chaunge any good course it vndertakes, but vpon well grounded reasons. For hauing some knowledge of it owne inward good, findeth nothing without of so equall rate, for which it should alter and turne, but being firmly setled in an honest course, kee­peth a sweete concord betweene the intellectiue and the morrall, and yeeldeth it selfe sutable, to the vertuous disposition of the minde, the excellencies whereof, is manifested with such rare demonstrations, that it neuer subiecteth it selfe to base inconstancie and feeble ha­zards, expelling Vice, as an enemie to all good ende­uour.

To proceed, Vertue cannot bee gotten without Hypo [...]rkes and dece [...]uer [...] creepe vnder Ver [...]ue. imployment of the minde and body in commendable arts. Securitie and ease draweth to Vice, if a man then will build vpon a perfect assurance, and make his estate durable, hee must bend his whole endeuours to honest labour, & not onely do well, but continue there­in to the end. But if a man suppose to be richly vertu­ous for one good deed; as in paying duties, impositi­ons, tallages to the poore Church, or Commō-wealth; if taxed according to his abilitie, and forcibly exacted from him, it is but the superficies and blaze of Vertue: for Intentio animi non actus perfecit actum: the willingnes doth approue the act: or if a man do a good deed by ac­cident and haphazard, to blinde the opinion, and by a counterfeit shewe seeke to insinuate into a good re­port, when otherwise the whole scope of his life be viti­ous and euill, what lawde can hee iustly merite? but where intirely the minde is bent therevnto, and infla­med with her pulchritude, so that he persist and holde out therein. As for example, as he is not to be termed a [Page] Taylor, that onely mendeth his garment, or he a shoo­maker that onely patcheth his shooe, vnlesse he make it his whole art, and expose himselfe therevnto, as to his trade and occupation: so in like manner, he that stum­bleth vpon one good action by chaunce, is not by and by to be deemed a perfect man; but he onely that doth well, and persisteth in so doing, and as his trade, bee wholly occupied therein. For as the minde of the hus­bandman is euer vpon cattell, tillage, and such things as belong to his calling, Saylors vpon their ships, & soul­diers on the warres, and schollers on learning, so must the whole disposition and carriage be occupied in Ver­tue, as on the day-starre that guideth to the hauen of rest.

It is not therefore one or two good deeds, or such things as are done by chaunce-medley, or peraduen­ture without a setled minde, that Vertue honoreth, for euery man goeth so far in common honestie: but when the integritie of the heart is stirred vp by deuotion to streame out a continuall store of good workes, with a mind willingly disposed therevnto.

Neuerthelesse, if our eye▪sight and vnderstanding could pierce inward, or that we had the eyes of Linx, to penetrate the secrets of the minde, we might see many rauening wolues, couered with a sheepes skinne, and the nature of a cruell and sauage Tyger lurking in some, that outwardly carrie a semblance of Vertue, a ciuil course, & an hypocrite clad with the mantle of ho­nestie: for shee carrieth a generall good liking of all men, and (as Plato saith) if she could be visibly painted out to the eye, euery one would bee wonderfully rauished with her perfections, and therefore the euill [Page] seeke to hide their vices vnder her shadow, and drawe the curtaine of pollicie in the portraiture of pietie: for stand he neuer so obstinate in a desperate state, and bee really possest with wickednesse, yet in no case will hee willingly seeme to be that in shewe which hee Hypocrisie is double impie­ [...]ie▪ is indeed, but labour to hide it what he may, and co­uer the shame of euill with a simple shadow, if it be but with figge-leaues, and deaurate and guild ouer his spottes and sores with the tincture, and dye of holy­nesse. For the puritie of Vertue makes men detest their owne euill, and though Vice breake out, and be ne­uer so pregnant, yet will they cunningly blinde the opi­nion, and flye to her for succour: and albeit theyr eyes bee dazeled with the splendour of Vertue, and cannot choose but admire her beautie, yet haue they no power to follow her, but pine away, and giue her no Hor. entertainment, which the Poet well noteth, Virtus lau­datur & alget.

Vertue (saith hee) is praised of many, but she may s [...]arue for colde before they will take her in, and warme herby their fire.

These are right counterfeites, that haue nothing but a clowde or skinne of Vertue, which as a slender painting is washt off with cu [...]ry dash, a glose, an I­mage, that they keepe so long as they haue pleasure or profit thereby: they may well be compared to vaine­glorious women, who because they want beautie, co­lour their faces with painting, to get that by art, that na­ture hath denied them.

Yea there be some that seeme the very Images of sanctitie, lowely, courteous, modest, humble, their eyes [Page] fixed on their graues, their haire shorter then their eye­browes, as though they were myrrours of religion Dec [...]it [...]ul do [...] ­ble dealers. and pietie, and by robbing Vertue of her best apparell, decke themselues with the habite of honestie, and yet haue nothing within but artificiall knauerie, fraud, deceit, and hypocricie: for if outwardly stretcht to shewe theyr inward good, they then appeare as they are, and lay themselues open to theyr owne shame: the touch-stone of triall can soone distinguish them a­right; ô how such smoothe fronted hypocrites can dally with the time, and cut out their manners to the best fashions, onely to please those who measure others good by their owne integritie, and as long as the Sun shines, goe by the shadowe of others, but their light failing, soone leaue their earnest following, and is so hotly bent in his colde zeale, that he is neuer without a boult in his mouth to shoote through his simple neigh­bour.

But because I will not be too Cinicall, to anato­mize particular imperfections, I will bee sparing: I could neuerthelesse paint out some, that as long as gaine hung on their profession, were not slacke to ouer­take There be too many such cold Christiās the best men: but the world slyding, their meanes failing, and the gaine they reaped by such their profes­sion decaying, theyr hotte loue to pietie melts away like snowe before the Sunne, and as dogs, turne back to their owne vomit. So that heere is the depth of poli­cie, in sifting the carryage to the humour of good men, that tracing the path of counterfeit holynesse, might gaine both fauour and aduancement. For as I said before, if Vice should come in her own shape, fewe or none would giue her entertainment, and though [Page] in wardly imbraced of some, yet outwardly detested of all.

These are like blades that haue painted sheathes, but canker-fret and rustie within. And as the Cameleon hath all colours saue white, so haue they all parts saue honestie.

The fish Polipus (as some write) hath this propertie, that it can turne itselfe into the likenesse of a stone, or seeme to be that which is next it, and so vnder colour of not seeming as it is, doeth rauen vppon other fishes. So in like manner do colde Christians prey vppon the simplicitie of honest mindes, and fit themselues to all companies. If among good and vertuous men, then is he like them, setting himselfe in his best properties, and seeme to haue that which euery honest man ought to haue, and so by that means hide great vices vnder a thin colour of Vertue, that by so fitting his habit to the time and place, is for the humour of euery person, and thus by craftie and disguised dissimulation, liue in outward happinesse, by praying vpon the good opinion of other men.

But as Socrates said to an humble hypocrite, his pride might be seene through the rents of his cloake: so this false and double dealing cannot so long be hid, but it wil breake out at one rent or other, and detect his pilfe­rie, according to the chaunge of times.

And albeit [...]he puritie of truth is not hereby any whit impeached, being euer one and the same: yet by this we may see the nakednes of old Adam, that wil at no hand appeare as he is.

But this idle shewe and false appearance, ô how dan­gerous it is to the truth! being possessed with nought but [Page] treacherie and cosonage, a capitall plague, it is for the wicked to make shewe of goodnesse, and may fitly be sorted to the Apothicaries painted boxes, that haue no­thing within but poyson, or some deadly compound: for which the Pharises were sharpely reprehended by our Sauiour in the Gospell, and as the Lorde complai­neth by the Prophet, They honour me with their lippes: but their hearts are farre from me. And therefore he is no Vertue is not in vain words: but in con­scionable workes. good man that can reason of Vertue in words, but hee that hath a true possession in deed, whereby the consci­ence is lead to deale iustly, in a continued course of well doing: for it is no paine to giue milkie words, sweete tearmes, and make a vaine florish of honestie, to choake the hard opinion, which otherwise might iustly be im­puted: for this is but vaine-glory, which is euer gaping with open mouth for popular applause, for doing some thing that hath a shew of Vertue, to get praise of the rude multitude.

And though by prosperitie a man be dignified with glorious titles, yet if it spring not from Vertues roote, it is but a bastard plant, a rotten carkasse with a painted skin. And howsoeuer they mocke the world for a while with the badge of honestie, yet the all-seeing eye of heauen, God sear­che [...]h into the heart. to whom darknesse is light, perspicuously obserueth all their deeds, and will bring them forth euen as they are naked and vncouered: But as such fallacies, and dillusi­ons, are incident to a base and seruile condition: so are they euermore abhorred of an honest man.

Lying is be­come [...]n oc­cupation [...] ­mongst ma­ny men. Neuerthelesse many there be that binde themselues apprentise to vniust collusion and fraudulent dealing: in so much that lying and falshood is become an occu­pation, faire and smoothe words carry away all their [Page] gaines, increased by oppression, and by deluding the simple, make bad wares vendible, and that which is cor­rupt, vnholsome & naught, (with many protestations) vtter for good and excellent, and that at vnreasonable rate too. It is lawfull for euery man to maintaine his charge, and by his calling in which he is set, which to o­mit is worser then an Infidell: but with this caution, e­uermore profit, must go with honestie, and not immea­surably carried with greedy affectiō, to multiply gain by vniust means; that that is cōscionablygottē is profitable; and nothing profitable, that is dishonest: but to pull a­way either by vsurie, extortion, briberie, or fraudelent dealing, is repugnant to honestie: or to encrease a com­moditie by an other mans discommoditie, ryueth asun­der the common fellowship of mankinde. Tully hand­ling Lib. 3. this argument in his offices to his sonne Marke, saith; If two runne in a race, each one ought to striue so much as he can to win the prize: but in no case he must not trip his fellow, keep him back with his hand, or cast blocks to stumble on, for that is not equal: so in like sort (saith he) while we run a race in this world, it is good to get that may serue the turn, in an equall & iust course: but it is neither right, nor honest, to racke, extort, and purloyne from other, and by setting the conscience on the tainter-hookes, to rise vp by his fall.

It was ordained by the Athenian Lawe, that the seller, should laie open the faultes of the ware to the buyer, and seeing he selleth, to sell with the best aduan­tage Lib. 3. offic. to him that buyeth, with this or the like promul­gation.

Aduexi, exposui, vendo meum non plur is quam [...]terie fortasse etiam minoris, cum maior est copia, c [...]ifit iniuria?

[Page] Here is my ware, I offer it to sell, I sell mine for no more then other men, perhappes also for lesse, seeing I haue more store, to whom is the wrong done? but hee that should obserue this in our dayes, would either be thought a mad man or a foole; so farre is this griping co­uetousnesse rooted in the harts of many, that they make no conscience to get gaine; Fas, aut nephas, by hooke or crook so they may come by it▪ in so much that this gree­die desire hath eaten vp all remorse of conscience, that labor all day with deceit, and rise vp early to wealth, by the spoyle & vndoing of other. O how pleasant & sweet is the sauour of gaine to the carnall man, be it neuer so iniuriously gotten! Vespasian the Emperour, delighted so in powling and pilling his subiects, that nothing was exempted from his tallage: not so much as the very vrin made in euery house, but he had tribute for a certaine quantitie, for which being maligned and ill spoken of, his sonne disswaded him from it, as a thing base & dis­honourable: but putting some of the pissing mony in a Vnlawfull gaine is sweet to a stinking minde. perfumed napkin, held it to his sonnes nose, asking him how it smelt; meaning thereby, that though it was had of a filthy excrement, yet the money sauoured well enough; Suauis odor lucriex qualibet, and that gaine is sweete of whatsoeuer it commeth.

All lying, in making bargaines is vtterly forbidden, false waits & measures abhominable, and wealth gotten this way clogs the soule: for it is neuer profitable to do euil, because it is euermore hatefull: and because it is al­wayes honest to deale iustly, tis euermore profitable. No man by the ignorance of an other, ought to increase his owne gaine: and no greater iniurie can be vsed amongst godly Christians, then falsely to mocke the [Page] vnderstanding. Nothing couetously, vniustly, wrong­fully, or waueringly, is fit to be done.

He that is therfore set vp in a trade, and hath to deale with men in bargaining, must be warie least he be carri­ed into vnconscionable getting, and be content with a reasonable gaine without exaction, for the ignorance of the buyer, cannot excuse the deceit of the seller.

Neuerthelesse, many shop-keepers, keep small con­science in vttering their ware, their shops, shops of de­ceit, for now almost all men crye out, that there is no­thing but cosonage in buying and selling, and not with­out cause: for let a simple man come to buye a peece of cloath, or what other thing he needeth in some of their shops (I will not say all, for no doubt some deale honest­ly) if hee be ignorant and vnskilfull in that hee buy­eth, is sure to pay double the value, or at leastwise much more then it is worth: and yet wil they sweare and pro­test, Many [...]ue vpon the sim­plicitie of the poore. and heape vp a many oathes, that were it not to him he could not haue it so, and that it is farre better then the mony he paieth; the buyer thus deceiued, yet thinks himselfe greatly friended: but if he bookes that he sells, and that the buyer comes vpon trust, then shall he pay well for Inke and paper, that in the ende he must buye his commoditie twise. Yea, craft is crept into the bo­some of some, with such Foxe-like subtiltie, that they laie open their ware as nettes, to catch young Gentle­men, who hauing good friends and assured possibilitie, shall haue what he will vpon trust: prouided his lands be bound for paiment; and so long feede his humour with coyne and commodities, that they creep at last in­to his whole possessions.

A man must not onely vse a lawfull trade, but also [Page] vse it lawfully, without deceit; and though it be neuer so base, yet if followed with diligence, will maintaine his estate honestly, so be it that he alwaies keepe within the essenciall properties thereof: yet there be some that haue such wandring wittes and shittle heads, that neuer rest til they haue assaied all meanes, leaue the limits of their calling, and runne into by courses, and either fall into a loytering life, or attempt that wherein they haue no skill, whereby their follies many times are made ma­nifest to the world; for none can iudge of an Art, but he that is an Artizan, hereby hindring his neighbour, who hath fitted himselfe to it by experience, deluding the common-wealth, and offending the lawe. Appelles rule is quite forgot; Ne sutor, vltra crepidam. The shomaker The p [...]inter spake this so long since, that it is now forgotten. must not goe beyond his latchet, the plowman meddle in matters of Art, nor schollers teach Coridon to holde the plough, but euery man to keepe within the com­passe of his owne skill, and not like wilde coultes to breake into other mens [...]astures: But many busie fel­lowes that haue short armes, yet will claspe many things, supposing that to enterprise is sufficient to exe­cute, and that to beginne is onely inough, though they neuer make an end, and thrust into many trades, and heape one thing vpon an other, in so much that it often falleth out, that being Solicitus circa multa, busied in many things, proue vnfit for any thing: let the vnum One thing is necessar [...]e. then be preferred that tyeth a man in compasse of good abilitie. For as a swift currant running in one kill, is very forcible, but if deuided into small angles is lesse power­full: so in like case so long as a man holdeth out in that hee was brought vp in, it is effectuall, but if hee once straggle and scatter into other Arts, doth vtterly wea­ken [Page] and disable hims [...]lfe, and is vnfit for any notable enterprise, and by leauing his peculiar trade, is pos­sest with such a greedie discontent, as hee repineth at the prosperitie of his neighbour, which is the fruite of enuy.

Others there be so luskish and idle, that though they haue both meanes, strength and abilitie, yet will follow none at all, but be better content with hunger and ease, then labour and profite, or else by vnlawfull shifts come to a shamefull ende: but as the gripplenesse of the one is to be auoyded, so the securitie of the other is to be hated. It is meete that euery man follow his owne vocation, and being ordained for one thing, not to fall into an other: If fit for one, to holde that, and So said old [...]ther Lati­mer. seeke no other: if apt for pollici [...], to leaue the Mini­strie: if fit for the plough, to leaue the Pulpit, and vse that for which hee is most pregnant: for one of these require a whole man, and not the least part of a man.

Three things vphold a Mo [...]chie in peace & tran­quillitie, Scil: tu supplex, ora, tu protege, tuque labora, Pray thou, defend thou, and labor thou: these 3. imploy the Three things intended in policie. happinesse of euery state; the first the Ecclesiasticall dis­cipline: the second, the politique state: and the third, the state subiugate: so that by these, & in these, a peace­able gouernment is maintained: and these are the im­ployments of the particulars members of a politique bodie, within the limits of which, euery one must keepe and containe himselfe.

But if any man fall into extrauagant courses, hee slippeth into those euils that flowe from the complexi­on of nature. Wee see howe many are rapt vp with [Page] greedie desire of getting, and neuer satisfied with that they haue, or can come too, eyther by violent extortiō, brabling suites, and vniust vexations, that they had ra­ther spend ten pound in lawe to feed the malice of the mind abroad, then by loosing ten pence, to haue it qui­etly ended at home.

I and now a dayes some are so madde & brain-sicke, that they fall together by the eares for the value of a strawe, and make hard shift though they be neuer so poore, but they will be Termers, and trot to Westmin­ster three or foure times a yeare, though their wiues and children begge in the meane while: and what get they in the end after their long suites, saue a flap with a Foxe­taile (as the saying is) and come home by Need▪ham crosse, and fooles acre, then crye they out, might ouer­comes right, would I had knowne thus much before, a vengeance take the lawiers, I am vndone: they weepe, the lawiers laugh, and the diuels sings. The common-wealth If it were not for some ho­nourable well quallified, and conscionable Lawier [...], the generation of Fogge, would eate out the bow­elles of the common-wealth. is as a den of controuersies, a man cannot brooke a pettie wrong, but by & by he runs to some make-bate some petty fogger, who no doubt is forward enough to put fier to towe, and the bellowes to blow the coales of contentions: filling the head with quirkes & quiddits, who being hote before, is now of a light fier, till he be in law, the world shall not disswade him. Lawiers swarme as thick in England, as frogs in Egipt; they norish strifes, beate downe charitie, and purchase to themselues great inheritance by the discords of brabling clyents.

Againe, some for a priuate gaine, will murmur at a common good, and rather wish a dearth to benefite some fewe, then a plentie, that may bring profit all: if they haue store of corne, they had rather keepe it [Page] still in their barnes, till it be mustie and naught, or suffer vermine to spoile it, in hope of an excessiue price, then by bringing it out in due time, to haue a reasonable gaine▪ and this is a true experiment, that such moathes are so auaricious and couetous, that they had rather keepe their graine till it be corrupt and foistie at home, or send it to our enemies abroad, to starue and weaken our owne state, then to relieue their bretheren with the crop of their encrease. Certainly though they would seeme Christians, and men of good spirits, yet are they not equall, no nor any whit comparable to the Hea­then, sith they thought nothing too deare for their countrey, neither life, goods, nor any thing else, and these thinke all too much, be it neuer so little. And to what end serueth this greedie desire of gaine, but to make logger-head the sonne, march before the cormo­rant his father in some worldly pompe, and to couer his fine daughter Si [...], with Copweb-lawne to catch butterflyes: this is not the high-way to honour.

We see that plaine Corydon, that hath no more wit Euery misers son must be a gentleman. then to knowe the price of Sattin and Veluet, and toies to make him soole-fine, cannot be content to hold the plough, and be one of those Aratores optimos ciues Reip: good common-wealths men, keepe hospitalitie, and spend his reuenewes moderately, and doo good in the place where he dwells: but being crept vp to wealth by the death of his miserable olde father, must instantly be dubd a gentleman of the first head, and purchase armes, though it be at a deare rate, and bee a smoakie gallant in youth, though he beg his bread in age, and lash out that riotously, that his father got miserly; and as one well saith, tedding that with a forke in one yeare, that was [Page] not gathered together with a rake in twentie. And this iumpeth with that which is affirmed before, that the goods of a wretched miser holdeth not long together, but as it hath bene badly gotten, so tis as leaudly spent. He is now of no esteeme vnlesse hee be cut of the fashi­on, and can swagger and braue it out, sweare himselfe into smoake with pure refined oathes, and fustion pro­testations, take Tabacco with a whiffe, and be odly hu­morous. And in no case it must not be forgotten he is a Gentleman, and therefore to shun the stab, you must prouide a sacke-full of worshipfull titles to coole his bloud, when (God wot) his grandfather would haue bene glad of a crust of browne bread: but what should he be toucht with base birth or bad life? is he not now a Gentleman, and hath wherewithall to hold it vp? but such generositie is like a copper Ring new guilt ouer, that wareth off with the least persecution.

Fortunafa­ [...]et fat [...]os. Now these cannot truly say that the honour of their house did first rise in them, or that true gentilitie is deri­ued out of their loines to succession, because they are neither possest with any notable Vertue, nor created noble by accident, but haue onely a little pelfe, which with swallow-wings, is flying away as fast as their rio­tous course can lay it on.

Yet will their insolence arrogate to themselues ho­nour, as though it stood onely in riches and worldly glory, and many vaine titles will they plucke by vio­lence Honoured ig­ [...]ranc [...] ▪ from the rude world: for simple ignorance gi­ueth humble reuerence to wealth and a gay coate: but though by the curtesie of wise men, and simplicitie of fooles, they haue many faire titles, yet let them not thinke they are any whit the more honourable, vnlesse [Page] they haue the temperance of the minde & body before remembred.

We haue here in common vse to buy and sell, diuers peeces of siluer and gold, which passeth from man to man as good payment, so long as the mettall be currant, and the Princes stampe vpon it: but if we finde a peece counterfeit, and the true stampe set vpon base mettall, we presently naile it to a post, and wish the coiner han­ged, so that all the estimation is in the mettall, and not in the print: so in like manner, though a man be neuer so Counterfeit gentilitie. rich, & neuer so highly aduanced, yet if Vertue hath not framed him fit for those places, wise, affable, temperate, but foolish, malicious, and vainglorious, he is no other­wise, but as the print of honour, set vpon base bullion, and so commits horrible treason against the maiestie of Vertue.

There bee some that hunt after honour, and some that be hunted after by honour: touching the first, they are such as by bribes or double diligence creepe into a place or office of preferment, and neuer rest night not day, till by money & friendship they haue got it a hun­grie eye to spye out, and an impudent face to thrust in, and beeing warmely seated, strout vp and downe with swelling termes, as if they had risen by some degree of Vertue. The other sort are sought after by honour, and they bee such that Vertue frameth fit for that purpose, that first growe excellent in some high desert, for these beg no place, nor foist into office, but if it come, they vnwillingly hold it, and be no whit the more puft vp in opinion, but iustly exercise the same, not so much for theyr owne priuate gaine, as for the generall good.

[Page] Liberalitie [...]s the artires, vaines, and si­newes of le [...]r­ning, and the worlds Para­gon. Liberalitie is a mediocritie in giuing benefites, the bloud and strength of sciences, a Vertue diuine; and to speake briefly of her properties, first and chiefly a libe­rall man is ready to reward honesty, his friends alliance, and such are neare him, to succour orphanes, widowes, bestowe poore maidens in marriage, and raise vp foun­dations, and mend decayed structures, for the good of posteritie, & is still occupied in such memorable works: and he is onely a franke man, that distributeth his sub­stance measurably, and where it is fit, and must consider to whom he should giue, that is, to the needie; how much? according to his owne abilitie, and the others necessitie: and when? in season and in due time, for li­beralitie res [...]eth not onely in the quantitie of the thing giuen, but in the naturall disposition of the giuer. And this is one of the chiefe species of Iustice, to follow the worthines of the person in considering his good parts: for if gifts followe not Vertue, it is a great disparage­ment A liberallman i [...] a generall good man. to her followers: nothing is liberall but that which is iust, which is the ground of all; for Iustice is euery Vertue, if her shoulders be bowed downe with want, to be raised vp againe with gifts: for there is no Vertue, but too much miserie destroyeth: in so much that if a man be as prudent as Cato, as iustas Manlyus, as magnanimious as S [...]ipio, and as temperate as Curius, yet neuerthelesse, if these vertues bee not eftsoones cherished by beneuolence, they will soone faint, growe feeble, and be daunted. Tollegloriae cupiditatem, & omne Os [...]r▪ [...]ib. 1. studium virtutis extingues, saith one. Take away the desire of glorie, and all studie of Vertue is vtterly extinct: for true it is, that no man eyther for his pri­uate good, or common profit, will apply the minde to [Page] any Vertue, vnlesse he be held vp and comforted in ad­uersitie, or rauished with an immortall hope, because the faculties of the minde are wholly studious to holde vp his poore dying life. Againe, who would bend him­selfe to Art, Science, Facultie, or any kinde of learning, if there were not some glory? for what moueth the Lawier to beate his wits on Littletons Maximes? or to be so earnest to finde out the differences of causes, to bring them to a head, but glory? the Diuine to studie the mysteries of Gods wonders? or the Phisition to Hon [...]s alit art [...]s. diue into the secrets of nature, if they aymed not at pre­ferment? To conclude, honour nourisheth Art, and for the regard of dignitie, do learned men striue to exceede in facultie; so that aduancement is the mother of Ver­tues Common-wealth; yet neuerthelesse is it not so tyed within the limits of a circle, to keepe there and goe no further, I meane in respecting simply the vertues of the Donee, as to reward Vertue, and nothing but Vertue; for the vicious being in want, must bee likewise cherished, though not for his owne sake (hauing nothing in him of worth, yet because he is a Christian brother) & ther­fore the Apostle willeth vs to do good to all, but especi­ally to the vertuous.

So that a franke minde doth as well march before and leade the way to Vertue, as nourish her in whom Entisign [...]tiōs of Vertue to be cherished. she is first set. The substance of a rich man is not so to be shut [...]p that liberalitie cannot open it, nor so vnlocked to lye abroad for euery body, but a measure to be kept, which must bee referred to abilitie: for as it is not the part of a liberall man to be too pinching and niggardly, as to with-hold from good dutie, so is he prodigall that spendeth his faculties vpon flagitious and vile persons, [Page] or vpon bad and leaud courses, but onely where there is a signe of Vertue present, or an introduction to a fu­ture honestie: for the imployment of money is not ho­nest, vnlesse it be to some good end▪ neither is he a wise man that is so foole-large in distributing his goods, to waste his patrimonie, especially vpon such vaine things whereof a short memorie or none at all doth remaine, necessitie not prouoking, nor shewe of honestie indu­cing: such vnaduaned mispence bringeth nought but ignominie and shame: for what credit is it for a man to lash out his mony in feasts, playes, huntings, hawkings, and such vaine sports that soone vanish? It is the grea­test folly that may bee, that the thing that a man doth which is honest, to endeuour it may no longer be done: for as a wise man omitteth not to do good at all times, so hee vseth the matter with such moderation, that he keepeth a store by him to helpe with when occasion is offered.

How infamous among writers is Comodus, Ner [...], Caligula, Heliogabalus, and other like monsters, which exhausted and deuoured infinite treasures in banquets, Prodigalitle i [...] a r [...]ging fir [...]. brothel▪houses, and such abhominations, was this libe­ralitie? shal they not suffer reproach to the worlds end? and shall not all prodigall spend-thrifts, that wastfully consume their wealth, be partakers of the like shame? Surely yes, when they are not transferred with the rule of measure, to doo that which they may continue to do, and sith they haue meanes to do good, to raise vp a happie memorie by dedicating theyr beneuolence to posteritie: and this was the cause our auntients set forth the picture of a Gentleman with his hands open, to sig­nifie that liberalitie was the honour of a Gentleman, [Page] and that to giue was alwayes heroicall.

Now what aduantage then hath a rich man, that by rewards may purchase immortalitie, and outstrip the furie of Vice with good workes? if so be hee abandon vaine glory, and do that he doeth with sinceritie.

From a good man, gifts passe with a free donation, not looking backe for requitall, nor blowing the trump when he giueth almes: yet can wee not say, but grati­tude as a hand-maide, is euer attendant; for though a poore man cannot acquite againe in measure, yet is he forced, will hee, nill hee, to confesse a debt beyond mea­sure; for a good mind doth alwayes remunerate a good turne.

So that it is a great decay of Vertue, when the merits of the vertuous are carelesly ouer-passed, for when men are ledde by passion, not by reason, many worthy spi­rits run out their liues vnprofitably, consume their daies in condolement, and repent the time spent in science, when they might haue gotten some adulterous trade. Now I say when Vertue doth knocke at the doore of li­beralitie, and can haue no entrance, no maruell though she be frozen with colde, & goe a begging from doore to doore: but the iniquitie of the time hatcheth many euils in aduancing where Vertue doth not merit, in rai­sing vp such as are voyd of all good parts. Now whē no­table imploymens are vnworthily bestowed, and giuen by corruptiō, the power of Vertue must needs be weake­ned and growe colde, and be feeble as the Orator saith; [Page] Malê enim se res habet, cum qu [...]d virtute effici debet, id Offic. lib. 2. tentat ur pecunia. The matter (saith he) cannot goe well, when the same that should be wrought by Vertue, is ac­complished by money: this ouerturneth all, for no man will willingly embrace her, if shee bring no aduance­ment: so that in this there lyeth a two▪folde mischiefe, one in the discouraging of learning, the other in the corruption; for he that buyeth an office must needs sell it againe, and by extortion wring the conscience with iniustice: and therefore Cato would that no olde offi­cer should be remoued till he dye, or for some notable Officers sought for wi [...]h greedi­n [...]sle. crime. For ( [...]aith hee) new officers are as hungrie flyes, that neuer leaue sucking till their bellies be full, whereas the old ones being ful before, sucke more faintly, so that the oftner they are chaunged, the more do they gnawe and sting the Common-wealth: and yet what is more common then buying and selling of offices? for there is almost now a daies, no office, but is bought, sold, & offe­red to him that wil giue most, as a bankerout selles his goods: for if he can but nickhornnize his name in some ordinary fa [...] simile, he may step vp to dignitie: Nāgenus Hor. ad nun. & formā Regina pecunia donat, though he want all good properties & intelligible parts. If a hungry flye, a smatte­ [...]er, either for enuy of the partie that is already possest of Hungry flyes bloudsuckers. some office, or to satisfie his desire of priuate gaine, (for by this it shalbe best knowne) do seeke vniustly to aspire by crowding and wresting the other out, & therein la­labour, Omnibus neruis, by direct and indirect means, it may wel be thought he hath opened the gate of his cō ­sciēce, to corrupt & false dealing. And therfore if a mā be not lawfully called, it is a point of wisdom to stay & haue an vnworthy opiniō of himselfe, & be pacified with his [Page] present state, vntill the vacancie of a place shall impor­tune him to make sute.

But it often otherwise commeth to passe, that mo­ney and countenance can promote men of no desert to preferment: for instance, one whose braine is all mudde, that neuer put his asse-head into the Accade­mie, little wit, and lesse honestie, may notwithstanding climbe vp to office, and be highly seated, so that he sing Egl [...]. 3. sweetely with Menalc [...]: Aur [...]a mala decem misi cras alte­ra mittam.

And a base stigmaticall Thraso, Fex populi, the scum and dregges of the people, that hath no commendable qualitie, as meanes to insinuate into fauour, but garru­lous pratling, vnworthy chaste cares: yet shall he want no countenance, if so be he can but Ars adulandi, to feed the flambe of wickednesse, with the fuell of sinfull fop­perie.

Vi [...]e rides on horsebacke, when Vertue i [...] faine to trot on footbacke. And thus shall Vice be animated and borne out, be it neuer so brutish and vnciuill, and be hugd in the bo­some of charitie, when a man honest, if poore, shall bee scarce knowne of his neighbours, much lesse haue any measurable allowance. O pittifull case when Vice shall be exalted, wickednesse loued, and godlinesse hated! Hence it is so many daungers arise, when the meede of Vertue is ingratitude, and so many good wits iniured in the iustice of their merit, guld by sycophants and flatte­rers, are not onely heereby distracted in their studies, and dismayed to proceed, but which is worse, so great discontentment breed, that they often proue disloyall, reuolt from obedience, and eyther fall into dishonest shifts at home, or bad atchieuements abroad: thrusting their weapons into the bowels of their mothers, eyther [Page] by open practises, or secret conspiracies. When with bribery and collatorall practises, men of no gifts leape vp to preferment; & though they be neuer so weake and simple in iudgement, yet wil dare (being thus lifted vp) to censure euery man, as they were not meanly sighted in the deepest things, and by a malicious rage are readie The ignoran [...] is selfe-wis [...]. to controwle others doings, whē to back their carping tongues, put on a superficiall habit of learning, whereas if they be nearly toucht, they appeare nothing else but emptie bagges, stuft with vain-glory, Nomine gramatice re Barbari, & seeke what they can to barre the vertuous of their iust reward, and darken their good names with scandalles, that the memorie of their labours may die. Thus when good deserts are neglected, liberalitie for­gotten, and the bad countenanced, the common state is in great hazard: but this is that iron age Ouid speakes Fe [...]ea [...]t [...]. of, wherein Vertue should finde cold comfort, and passe from doore to doore vnregarded: which prescience of the Poet was neuer more verified thē in these last times: for neuer was this sweet harmony of nature, the eye of world, the mistris of reason, of lesse price amongst men then now, for some are puft vp with pride & violence, that they had rather burye their coyne with E [...]clio in Plautus, then impart a myte for the incouragement of laudable Sciences: in so much as this colde deuotion, causeth many to leaue trading for so excellent a Ie­well.

And not only Couetousnesse is an obstacle and let therevnto: but Pride, Pride, diuellish Pride, is crept in­to all states, euery man is fallen in loue with himselfe, either of his person or apparell, his quallities are so ex­cellent in his owne eye, a poore mans wife will be as [Page] trim as a gentlewoman, and euery one studious to deck themselues in brauerie, when their manners are out of all good order: like the Musition that is very carefull to set his strings in tune, and let his manners be still out of order, the minde is set vpon fashions, fangles, & gaw­ish cloathes, now one, and then an other, neuer con­tent long with modest and sober attire, it is too meane, too base, too beggerly: for now he or she that can put themselues into a monstrous fashion, a singular habit, and be straungely drest vp, are in theyr owne opinion very gallant, but in the iudgement of wise men they are Pride as brief in England, as euer it was in Sodome. but a blowne bladder, painted ouer with many colours, stuft full of pride and enuie: the brauerie without, shew­eth the arrogancie within; for as there is no fire without smoake, nor no visible griefe, but an inward festering, so in whom so euer such badges of vanitie appeares, it is a sure token there is a stinking puddle of vain glory with­in. Some iuggle theyr lands into gay apparell, and clap it vp in a small roome, that contained a great circuite, and holde it a point of pollicie, to put their lands into two or three truncks of new cloathes, that wearing their lands on their backs, they may see that no strip nor wast be done by their tenants: but when they would Iuggle backward their cloaths into lands againe, alas and wela­day they are so thredbare & out at th'elbows, that they will not match the former value, and so is dubd Sir Iohn Hadland; a knight of pennylesse bench. Thus to make Idolls of their carkasses for a while, begger themselues for euer. And many such base pesants that haue witlesse wealth, or wealth without wit, are puft vp with such pre­suming thoughts, as they ambitiously aime to tricke vp themselues in costly suites, and couet to match, nay to exceed men of good worth and place: but this is desti­ned [Page] to such high mindes, that when they are crept vp to the toppe of such brauerie, they often fall to great shame, being the first steppe to the downe-fall of beg­gerie: but howsoeuer they incroach into vaine-glori­ous tytles, yet wise men measure all estates by their ver­tues, not by pompe and outward brauery, and despise not him whome birth, time, place, or office, maketh worthie of such costly ornaments, but holde it lawfull and commendable to fit their degrees in apparrell, an­swerable to their callings: but if we should enter into the intollerable abuse of Pride, wee might paint out some that are dying theyr faces with painting, to be more louely and amiable, and stretch their wits aboue Ela to be the originall of some new toye: but who is so foolish to count them the fairer for that? but rather the fowler: for that face that is slubbred & starched with so many ointments & dregs, is more liker a sore & scurffe, then a naturall face: God hath giuen the face, and thou Painted faces abhominable. defilest it with myre & dirt; wouldst thou be faire, to be more amiable? why, silence, sobrietie, chastity, are beau­tifull ornaments, and richer then any orient pearle, and with wise men more inestimable: but indeede if thou wouldest intice the eyes of them that behold thee, nou­rish lust in young men, and drawe them after thee, then this is the way: but in my opinion, it is impossible for thee to get a good & vertuous husband with whō thou maist liue quietly & wel, by smering thy visage: for whē he seeth that thy face was but florisht ouer, he shall finde thee a deceitfull crocodile, and so loathe and hate thee more afterward, then euer he loued thee before.

Now what are these thus patcht vp by their owne workmanship, but the least part of thēselues: they cānot be cōtent to be as God made them, but as though they [Page] were hudled vp in haste, and sent into the world not fully finished: and to this end serue their drugs, balmes, The diuell the inuenter of f [...]arch, po­king stickes, &c. oyntments, paintings, Lac virginis, & certere quid non? to mend the least mote amisse: sye vpō these frownsing Irons, poking stickes, perriwigs, embroided fore-tops, &c. which are all an euident token of that filthy ken­nell of mudde wherwith they are possest: for what is all this but to impeach the Creator, and disable the all omnipotent workemanship of nature? for when they haue done what they can, they paint but a muddy wall, and set a glosse vpon a counterfeit: for though they should bathe themselues in milke euery day, as Cleopa­tra, yet will they crye out with Ouid, I am meos v [...]ltus Ru­ga semilis erat.

And ouertaken with time, the visage will bee wrinckled, rugged, and hard-fauoured, and the whole body crooked, infirme, weake, and bent downeward, and force them, mauger their heads, to behold theyr graues, where vnder a clod, they and theyr gay cloutes must bee buried; the remembrance whereof should make them vaile their plumes, and turne pride to humi­litie: but the abundance they wallow in, like Epicures, drowne the minde in sensualitie, choake vp the vnder­standing, and keepes it backe from the contemplation Cold charitie now a dayes. of future happinesse. And notwithstanding they are so rich and sumptuously arrayed, and carrie so much golde about theyr neckes, and so hung with costly Iewels, yet will denie to giue a halfe-penny to them that haue neede: ô stonie heart! that can suffer the poore to be in want, yea dye for hunger, and thou stuft ful of delicates, cloathed in silkes and fine garments, and let them lye naked in the streetes: or if the extreame [Page] necessitie of some poore Lazarus moue compunction, to giue an almes, it must be done in the eie of the world, and set downe in capitall Letters, and commended to posteritie, as a worke of eternal memorie. In like maner if we descend lower, we shall see Pride ruffle in base Ru­stickes, Euery base Tapster or Oastler, will be as fine as a Gentleman. for euery one wil be in the fashion, howsoeuer they come by it; the seruant cannot be knowne from the Maister, the maide from the Mistris, nor scarce any mans estate distinguisht by his apparell; but euery slo­uenly seruingman, and greasie scrape-trencher will ex­ceede the boundes of his calling, and creepe into ac­quaintance with veluet, sattin, and such costly stuffe, too high I wisse for their lowe estate, and laie all they can rap and rend on their backes, in swaggering and vaine apparel, to seeme a clout of lowsie gentilitie, that pro­uing bankerouts in youth, are faine to weare ragges in age. And euery Countrey-wench that hath but foure nobles a yeare and shiftes, must be trimly trickt vp like mayde Marryan in a Morrice daunce, and her ruffes set aboue the common size, and bee in the fa­shion, though she get it with shiftes; but the shifts that makes her laugh, sendes her often home by weeping crosse.

But it is vndoubtedly true, that such as are so curi­ous, to dight vp themselues in quaint attire, forget to adorne the minde with humilitie, modestie, shame­fastnesse, and suche feminine vertues as becommeth theyr sexe, and vtterly omit to decke the soule with the sparkeling Icmmes of sober-beseeming qualities. Con­sider what you are, and whereto you must, a painted post doth but deceiue the eye, and a painted bodie the soule. Is there a new fashiō come out? be thou then the [Page] first to put it downe, follow not the guise of the world, but seeke for those virgine vertues that will make you liue admired, as a wise and sober matron; for the vanitie of apparell shewes the lightnesse of the heart, and the A faire whore i [...] a sweet poy­son, and her lou [...] like a false fire soone out. very badge of inconstancie, whē many female serpents lye in waite to deceiue young wits with traines of loue, and set out their gay bodies to sight, as pleasing obiects to intrap the soule, that tender youth may make anna­tomie of miserie by their owne woes.

A beautifull strumpet is an Adamant that drawes, a Panther that allures, and of the nature of quicke-siluer: for as this mettall doth mingle it selfe with gold where­soeuer they meete: so they respect nothing in a man but money, and on that set their loue, and prize wealth before any internall Vertue. For as they are a painted continent of flatterie, the Image of inconstancie, and the cabanet of euill: so the habitation of such scorpi­ons, is likened to hell, Noctes atque dies patet atri Ianua ditis, night and day the gates stand open to receiue all commers, and by their sweete words and loose maners, drawe soules to Gehenna. These iette with heads aloft, hung with rich abilliments, costly Iewels, and braue attire, when fetters for their feet, and manacles for their hands, were more seemlier for such shamelesse Curti­zans.

These are as baites to take men, as hookes do fishes, and as Hiena, flattereth when shee meaneth to kill, and the Crocodile weepe when she pretends murder: so do they imbrace their louer with a dagger in his bosome, and feede him with sweete words, wanton toyes, till they bring him into fooles paradize: but when the storms of aduersitie begin to flow, their loue doth ebbe: [Page] and whē my yong nouise his purse is dried vp, the great shew of loue doth abate: And therfore these mermaids may be fitly compared to glorious flowers, that haue stinking smels, puft vp with pompe & lightnesse, and cō ­taine nothing within but deceit and treachery: in sight louel [...] & sauerous: but in tast most deadly & venimous.

Ovaine mind! that buildst thy rest vpon sinful sport, and makest shipwracke of chastitie for gaine, as though there were no God, or at least that he were idle and did not regard the action of men: shall they not one day they knowe not how soone, be conuented before his seat, and giue account for euery idle word? much more for pride, couetousnesse, whoredome, and such like ab­hominable deeds: and being conuicted by their owne cōscience, wil they not be danted at the woful sentence, Goe ye cursed? &c. no doubt yes, their courage will quaile, & their pride abate: filthie sports & sweet sinnes are short and soone vade: but the guiltinesse tarrieth stil behind, and clogs the soule to eternall destruction.

Againe, by riches is corrupted the Iudgement with partiallitie; for doth not the vaine world value a man by mony, by the outside not the inside, and iudge him rich if possest with some worldly honour? For let a poore man be neuer so honest, wise, temperate, and his minde neuer so beautifull, yet if his backe be poore, in want, need, and out of fashion, and hath neither mo [...]ey nor friends, he shall haue Tom Drums entertainment: Sini­hil attuleris, ibis Home for as, Why money is the sinewes, the bloud, and soule of man, without which all is no­thing be it neuer so excellent: for vnlesse the purse be well lynde with crownes, neither Science, cunning, Art, honestie, or any Vertue, is auaileable to aduance [Page] to dignitie (without some mechanicall indeuour) for gold maketh a way to euery thing, yea and openeth the gates of hell as the Poet saith:

So that a man hath all these properties in the vaine opiniō of the world, if so be he be rich, but if poore, not­withstanding he be stored with good vertues, yet is he not reputed as he is: hath he mony? yea: is he rich, and hath he great possessions? yea: why thē let him be ho­noured, and deemed vertuous, gratious, and what hee will, though in truth and veritie he be nor so nor so. A­gaine, is he beggerly, hath he no money nor meanes? why then let him packe and walke along, no penny, no Pater noster: for hee is as one dead, among the liuing; though indeede properly this peremptorie sentence ought not to be so applied; but rather to Vertue, and lit­trature, without which the bodie is dead, although it liue.

What cannot this humpish elemēt bring to passe? can it not couer a masse of ill humors? and cause the son to A true speech of a Cannibal. betray his owne Father? as a leaud fellow said once, If my Father were a hangman, my mother a harlot, & my self no better: yet if I haue mony, I am liked wel inough, and neuer toucht with their misdeeds: so that there is [Page] no vice that wealth doth not smother: a rich man as proud as Tarquine, as cruell as Nero, as doggish as Ty­mon, as couetous as Diues, and as foolish as Lobellinus, yet all these vices are hid with greatnesse, and though counterfeit mettall, yet with a true stampe may currant­ly passe: but a poore man, in whom is great wisedome, and many good parts, Si res angusta domi, if coyne be wanting, he is despised, reiected, and neuer vsed in ex­ployting waightie matters: so that a man is neuer thought wise, learned, vnlesse he be rich, and swim in the streame of wealth: and though he speake well, and to the purpose, yet is he neuer gracious, as the Poet saith, Rara tenui facundia panno. A poore mans speech is Sa [...]yr. 7. seldome pleasant, and wisedome vnder a ragged coate seldome canonicall: which the Philosopher wel found, Learning thrust out by head & shoul­ders. when offring to presse into the presence with his simple weedes, was shut out by a grim Cerberus, but shifting his cloathes, was admitted without repulse: wherefore comming before the king, hee turned all his obeysance vpon his owne cloathes, saying: I must honour them that honour me, for my cloutes brought that to passe which all my Philosophie could neuer accomplish. And thus is the rich beautie of the minde, measured by a beggers weede, and gay apparell preferred before a minde well qualified: so the rude opinion lookes at nothing but the outward picture, and magnifie an ig­norant Asse, so he haue a gay coate, & set him on a high seate, where by silence he may seeme wise: for the wise­dome of a man saith Salomon, is knowne by his speech. But as by knocking on a vessell, the cracke (if any be) wil soone be seene, so if toucht with an argument, his crackt vnderstanding will soone be manifest.

[Page] Great places are possest with men of weake iudge­ment, Simple men cl [...]mbe to high places. that haue no iotte of worthinesse, but wealth and worldly fame, and can serue for no other vse but for a Nomenclator to tell the clocke, call a spade, a spade, and recken vp the proper names of things: yet if trimly spun­ged vp in some formality (though he haue litle wit, and small honestie) it is inough to raise him vp to some dig­nitie: but when such an one is exalted into the impara­tiue moode, how moodie his maistership is, so toade­swolne with pride and ambitiō, that he is ready to burst in sunder, & so rapt vp in conceit of his high place, that he vtterly forgets his first creation. Oh it is a world of sport to heare how some such clouting beetles rowle in their loblogicke, and intrinsicate into the maior of the matter, with such hide▪bound reasons, that he makes a pittifull learned face, one spreads his armes, cleares his throate, as who should say, attend, attend, for now hee speakes, whose conclusions are vnanswerable, but fin­ding the proposition too deepe for his shallow wit, sud­denly starts backe, and briefly huddles vp his headlesse matter. An other shakes his emptie head, and diues into the bottome of his bottomelesse braines, to finde some intricate and tedious circumstance, into which when he is entered hee cannot finde a period and full rest, so many Tautokogies and itterations come into the way, that vnlesse some Ariadne lend a threed to pull him out of Dedalus laborinth, hee must needs be lost; or at least­wise when he is gotten out, is so myred with his owne slyme, that he becommeth a scorne to wise men, in lay­ing open his owne weakenesse: yet who more talkatiue, and readie to stop the mouthes of men able to speake, then such insencible tatlers? for drunken fortune hath [Page] this opiniō of it selfe, that looke whatsoeuer it speaketh is authenticall, and droppeth frō the mouth like the O­racles of Appollo. There is nothing therefore so holy, so pure, so honest, so chaste, but money will corrupt, vio­late, and batter downe: so that these emptie bottles, a­pish gestures, and anticke faces, if wealthy, rich, & well monied, all grosse imperfections are ouershadowed. So that whē men are sotted in the alluremēts of this life, & dedicate their whole labours to so wicked a saint, they soone loose the vse of their goods, & become partially affected: if passion rule, & not reason, all goes to wracke; for if either prodigallitie rule the purse, whereby the mind is strongly carried into temporarie ioy, or so grip­ple and couetous as to doo nothing but scrape in the dunghill of this world, why these extreames doo so vrge the opinion, that they headlong run at randome into all licentious and loose liuing, in so much as they do not perceiue to what ende they are aduanced aboue other men, and made so rich among a company of beg­gers.

Many there be (the more is the pittie) that although God hath abundantly multiplyed his blessings vpon them, that they cannot iustly say they want any world­ly thing, yet bee they so neere to holde fast that which Hard-hearted Christians. they haue, that they doo as it were, single them­selues from all common duties, and lay aside that regarde of the publique good, which theyr consci­ence and priuate abilitie doth instantly tye them vn­to; let vs note them a little, who will sooner shift and wrangle off honest duties then they? will they not brabble and sophisticate for verye small pay­ments? and will they not wrest and winde lawes [Page] to their owne sence, if they may saue but a penny? and beare the repulse of superiour rebukes, thē to part with ought shall contradict their froward nature: is this the dutie of good subiects? do these seeke the peace of the state? doth not the Heathen man say: Non solum nobis natisumus: we are not borne for our selues alone, but for our countrey also: shall Christians be worser then Pagans? Let this great dutie therefore be considered, seeing thou hast store, with-hold nothing that is due: is not hee a caytiffe that will see his mother dye for hun­ger, and he hath bread to relieue her if he would? why, the Common-wealth is thy mother, euery poore Chri­stian is thy brother, wilt thou see them famisht before thy face and not succour them, hauing inough? Thou hast thy wealth to that end, if thou couldest see it, and vse it aright. Neuerthelesse, we see how men of good place and reckening, will hide themselues in corners, liue priuately, onely to keepe their purses, that they The Citie is extreamly po­stered with Inmates and Idle families, when y ^e Coun­trey lies waste & vnpeopled. may be lyable to no imposition, and crowde into Ci­ties, Boroughs, and priuiledge places, or like nonresi­dents, rowle vp and downe from one lodging to an o­ther, to the intent that being vncertaine where to be had, their states may be vnknowne, and by this meanes both ouerthrowe hospitalitie, defraude the Queene and Common-wealth of necessarie duties, and depo­pulate the countrey. Is it not a token of a couctous minde, that men of good possessions and faire liuings, should breake vp house, and soiourne onely with one or two seruants, that they may hoorde vp theyr rents, when they are sufficientlye able to keepe a good house themselues? surely it is a signe of a base condi­tion.

[Page] Furthermore, many wealthy Yeomen, & rich Far­mers that are risen vp to goods inough, doo tread the same path. For wheras erst when they dwelt vpon their owne, they kept good houses, and were no small stay to the places where they liued, are eyther couetous of some vaine-glorious title of gentilitie, or otherwise so miserly greedie of wealth, (for one of the two I know not which) thrust themselues in like maner, into Cities, Corporations, and Liberties, and yet holde theyr Farmes still in their owne occupying: for they haue such long armes, that they claspe many great liuings. And also lying vpon the aduantage, take Farmes ouer their neighbours heads, ten yeares before their Leases be expired: And what do they with these plurified li­uings? but place shepheards, heards, vnderlings, and such thred▪bare tenants in their stockes, and that at such vnreasonable rents too, that the poore snakes that dwell vnder them are driuen to weake shifts, to fare hardly, liue barely, moyle and toyle the whole yeare to scrape vp theyr rent, not sauing at the yeares ende for all theyr paines, scarce the price of an old Frise Ierkin: for theyr Lorde knowes better then they what profit will arise, and how euery thing will fall out: and if hee thriue vnder him, then doth hee stretch and racke it to the vttermost, till at last hee bring the whole gaine into his owne bagge; and so by this means can hardly beare ordinarie charges, much lesse doo workes of superrerogation, being kept downe so cru­elly by their greedie Land▪lords.

Now these haue not onely theyr meanes brought in vnto them by the sweat of poore mens browes, and sleepe in peace and securitie when others watch and labour (a great blessing, if rightly weighed) but will [Page] closely and cunningly seeke to shift off all duties by withdrawing them into odde corners. Oh that men of such abilitie should haue such Iron rustie hearts, to hide their heads, shut their hands, and whip deuotion from their doores! doo they not seeke to subuert and weaken the state as much as they can, by with-holding that part of dutie required by the lawe of nature? but the gree­dinesse of gaine causeth vnrelenting hearts, for one would possesse all alone.

O how are men deceiued in their owne estate, that being rich, are yet euer poore, because opinion is ne­uer satisfied: whereas if we onely respect nature, no man can be poore, Natàr a enim vt ait Philoso. paucis mi­nimis (que) contenta nature, is content with necessitie. But to bring all this to a head, though some bee carried with the streame of pride, some with the flouds of desire, some prodigall, some pinching; and though the coue­tous man gape for more, more, and like hell mouth, neuer satisfied, yet will they hide theyr plough-sores vnder the carpet of liberalitie, as now and then to giue an almes against a good time (as they call it) to beate downe a hard opinion, intimating thereby to bee good free-hearted men, when all the yeare be­side, they scrape and clawe it from other by the ex­cessiue prices of theyr badde commodities, and by pinching them with many vncharitable gripes, and yet will they hide theyr want of loue vnder Vertue and Religion: and why so▪ because it carrieth a generall good liking of all men: for although many haue no religion at all, nor one sparke of a vertuous man, yet for all this wil they seeme to loue and embrace it intire­ly, because of the vnspotted simplicitie they see in the [Page] true professors thereof: and that chiesly, because this outward shewe is some meanes to asswage the heate of sharp reprehensions; and that vnder colour of this, they may liue in some good report of the common sort: for if they should not hide the malice within, with a shewe of holinesse without, but permit the rebellion to rush forth, they would be hatefull to others, and disquiet theyr owne peace: to hold friendship therfore with the world, it is expedient for them to be hypocrites and de­ceiuers, and therefore will they performe many Chri­stian duties, and communicate with the Saints, yea and crowde to the Church doore of true deuotion, and both pray and vse good exercises in their families, fre­quent Sermons, yea and ride and goe six or seuen miles to heare a good Preacher: are not these good things, Cunning de­celuers. and the very properties of a true Christian▪ yes verily: but all this is but done in pollicie to mocke the world: how know you that▪ why looke into their course of life; if any vaine opportunitie be offred, wil theynot fol­low it? if the wicked call to goe, will they not run▪ will they not dice, carde, sweare, swagger, and be drunke? are they not vsurers, extortioners, proud persons, and so cold in charitie, that no Christian dutie can heat their loue? so it is an casie thing to see their hypocrisie, if a man but cast his sight vpon their conuersation.

And in like manner, many at the end of the yeare (as a charitable worke) will keepe open house, and set opē their gates, for al the rake-hels & loose vagabounds in a countrey, and fill idle bellies with their flesh-pots, when the poore, blind, lame, and sicke, are faine to lye in the depth of miserie, without comfort, helpe, or succour: and to what ende is this great superfluitie? [Page] forsoothe, to reioyce for the blessed feast of Christmas: The false vse of [...]ue ioy. Indeede this feaste dooth bring great cause of ioy, for that beeing all lost in Adam, and heires of damnati­on, are neuerthelesse by the comming of the Messias, the sonne of God, who tooke on him our flesh at this time of the yeare, to vndergoe the wrath of his father due to vs, redeemed vs from hell, and made vs inheri­tors of heauen: here is cause of ioy, what a happie me­morie is this? how ought this feast to be celebrated in magnifying the Almightie, and lauding his name for so great a benefite? but what a commemoration is here? when they turne true ioy into carnall iollitie: doth this true ioy stand in eating, drinking, rioting, feasting, mum­ming, masking, dauncing, dicing, carding, and such like, that taste wholly of Heathens superstition▪ is God ho­noured by this▪ nay rather is hee not more dishonou­red at that time of the yeare, then all the yeare beside▪ So that a counterfeit ioy is set vp in stead thereof, me­ditation and mercifull workes are pulled downe, and Epicurisme set vp, which doth vsurpe and imperiously beare rule ouer all holy desires: for in this is theyr deuotion, in vnlawfull and sinfull pleasures, to gur­mandize and waste in excesse the good blessings of GOD; and these men will not sticke to lash out a whole masse of money, in dedicating feastes to di­uell Bacchus, and maintaine Playes in theyr houses, as silthy as the Lupercalia in Rome, spend whole nights and dayes in reuelling, and toaste themselues by Virg. theyr great fires, and as the Poet sayeth, Regific [...] luxn paratae epulae, haue their Tables furnished at ex­ceeding and princely charges, to stuffe the guts and feede the belley, and wish with Polmixe, that they [Page] had throates as long as Cranes, so that they might taste their sweets with more leisure: In so much that by this vnreasonable excesse and gluttony, in a fewe daies wast out that riotously, that would relieue many poore peo­ple if measurably bestowed. Thus I saye like Epi­cures they consecrate the memorie of this blessed feast, with such a ioy, as sauours altogether of the drosse and slime of the earth: and this is liberalitie forsooth, chari­tie, and Christian loue, when it is but prodigallitie, vain­glory, and hypocrisie.

Moreouer, although they be too too slacke in ho­nest duties, yet will they scotch at no charge may bring pleasure, or holde vp some vaine-glorious memorie, as in building great houses, to be christned by their names, when many of them are but as Absolons pillar, a monu­ment of folly, a spectacle of vanitie, and a prey of time, many chimnies, little smoake: large roomes, wherein a man may walke and chawe his melancholy for want of other repast, and neuer be put to the charges to buye a tooth-picker. And to what ende is this great building and cunning Architect? but to stand in the gaze of the world, and make the passenger cry out with admirati­on,

Indeed here is the two-folde benefit it yeelds, not only in setting many poore labouring men a worke, but also a Princely edifise and stately building, is a great ho­nour to a kingdome. But such are worthie blame that [Page] ouerthrowe their state by building, not being able to vse one roome well of those many they build: for if a man of reasonable wealth fall into this humour of buil­ding gay houses, if he did small good before, is now vt­terly vnable to do any at al, his new foundation hath ea­ten vp all his olde meanes: this is the simple pollicie of some men that loue to begger themselues to please the eye. Againe, how prouident men are to graft their chil­drē into great stocks, that may not easily be striken with the thunder-claps of aduersitie, & though the stocke be neuer so rotten, infected, & blasted with Vice, yet if rich and mightie, it is inough: and surely this Ethicall polli­cie were highly to be aduanced, if so be that our conti­nui [...]g Citie were here: but seeing all things are fraile, momentaine, short and transitorie, that we [...]annot cer­tainly number to morrow among the dayes of our life, what a meere madnesse is this, to be so in loue with the flattering smiles of this life? and so myred in the dung­hill of pleasures, as to doate so much vpon it: for verily men seeke their owne danger, whē they make the thing that is indifferent, to be vnlawfull: do they not with Or­pheus catch the ayre? seeke the shadow, & loose the sub­stance? win earth, and loose heauen.

Yet these aboriginies, carth▪bred wormes, with high lookes, and insolent bragges, will stand vpō termes of gentilitie, and deriue their pedigree euen from Cad­wallader, the last king of the Britons, whē in sadnes they are not so much as sprinkled with one true drop of gen­tle bloud, neither one propertie of a Gentleman, vnlesse it should only stand in wealth & great possessions, which is contrary to our former assertion: for if true gentrie be a mind excellently deckt with rare vertues, not only [Page] by propagation of nature, but by integritie of qualities; not in beautie, but in Vertue; not in riches, but in honor; not in pride, but in comelinesse; not in costly and curi­ous diet, but feeding the hungry, and cloathing the na­ked; not in sumptuous building, ioyning house to land, kin to kin (with respectiue marriages) but onely in the true possession of Vertue: then albei [...]a man wallow in wealth, liue in pleasure, fare daintie, goe princely, hung with pearle, sweetly perfumed, hawkes, horses, hounds, and in a word, haue whatsoeuer pomp & glorie his hart can wish, or the world affoord: yet if he be not noble in Vertues, but ignoble in vices, and haue not those good parts that carry a vnion of good mens praises, he is but pirat & latro, a theefe and a robber; and all his rich pain­tings & goodly buildings, are but monuments of shame and basenesse. Is not Vertue then more honorable then Vertue more honourable then riches. riches? doth it not raise a man to immortalitie? & doth not riches ouerthrow his happinesse, if not duly ouer­watcht with Temperance? and if so be a rich man looke narrowly into his state, and cast vp his accounts well, he shall finde himselfe a very bankerout, and to owe more then he is worth: for why hath hee more plentie of ba­stardly riches then other men, but that hee is a bayliffe, steward, & Feoffer in trust, to dispose & lay out in almes and charitable workes? Now then if hee apply them to his owne vse, what reckning can he make, or how wil he answer it at the great assises, when it shall be obiected by the king of glory, When I was naked, you cloathed mee not: when I was hungry you fed me not? &c. Goe into euerlasting fire, &c. And therfore these great rich men of the world, haue obiects before theyr eyes, and are hemde in with poore on euery side: heere is one crying for bread, there an other for cloathes, the sicke to bee visited, [Page] the lame and infirme to be comforted, the straunger to be lodged, so that they cannot turne their eyes no way, but they haue motions to stirre vp charitie, and wofull clamors sounding into their eares of want: and yet had diuers of them rather doo any thing then relieue theyr necessities, to giue tenne pound for a Hawke, then ten pence to cloathe the naked. The Rauen forsakes her young ones assoone as they are hatcht, because seeing them of an other hew, thinkes them of an other kind: so in like maner some rich men looke aloft, snuffe & fume at their poore brethren, and cast off all deuosion & bro­therly loue, because seeing them humbled and brought lowe in the world, iudge them vtterly vnhappie, when verily they are not only of one selfe-same issue & parent, but also more acceptable to God in their base estate, thē they in all their royaltie.

Is it not lamentable, to see a number of poore win­terstarued people lye pining in miserie, which might Cold charltie in these daies, among many mysers. bee relieued, if it were but with the surplusage of their vaine expences, and comforted with that, which they wastfully consume? For do but view these kinde of men, and you shall see they will spare for no cost to build faire houses (as I said before) though they impo­uerish themselues for euer: galleries, bowling-allies, walkes, and whatsoeuer may bring delight; to ride with great retinew to shew their pompe, and maintaine their▪ quarrels, to feede idle bellies with their flesh▪pots, that are no sooner vp but run to vaine sports: but if a poore man be fallen into want, or an honest cause craue some reliefe, a penny is as hardly gotten from them, as fire out of a flint▪stone, or if it doth at last come, it is many times more for fashion to shunne reproach, then for charitie [Page] to the cause. But some perhaps will say, it is my owne, and may I not do with mine owne what I will? but tis neither so, nor so: for it is not thine, thou art put in trust to laie it out, to helpe and succour thy poore needy bro­ther. Perhaps thou wilt say againe, I brought him not to beggery: did I lame him? did I vnparell him? or did I vnhouse him? wherfore then should I recompence him whom I neuer wronged? Are Bees bounde to gather honey for droanes? and must I keepe life in rattes and myce, and such vermine as are bred by the infection of a plentious yeare? Indeed they are made poore, but tis because thou art rich; that thereby thou mightest exer­cise thy loue, for there shall be poore alwayes to set cha­ritie a worke: yet some are so farre from loue, as they fall into barbarous cruelty, that they had rather cut their throats, then cherish them with beneuolence: as it is re­corded of a B. B. of Constance, that vnder colour of gi­uing almes, assembled all the poore in the countrey to­gether, shut them vp in a barne, set fire to it, and burnt them vp together, counting it a worke meritorious: and no doubt for so doing, he was cannonized a saint by the impietie of Antichrist.

If one of these Bacchanalls, deliuer to his steward a great summe of mony to lay out in domesticke affaires, and he lauish it out in ryoting, drunkennesse, and leaud company, will not his maister pull his coate ouer his eares? brand him for a knaue, and turne him out at his gates? no doubt he would be as rigorous as so leaude a prancke should deserue: why then how do they thinke to escape? being bailiffes and stewards, to the Lorde of Lordes, who hath committed his treasure to them, with a charge to laie it out in such mercifull workes as [Page] he hath appointed, and they runne with it to the mar­ket A note for belly-gods. of vanities, and expend it in prodigall vses. Surely it will bee a mad reckening when they shall come in with Item in Pheasants, Patriges, Woodcockes, sawses, sops, & delicates for the body, so much. Item in strange fashions, and new fangles for my backe, so much: vpon dogges so much: in vaine building so much, and such like. I suppose this bill of Items will bee scarce plea­sing to theyr maister that hath put them in so great trust.

Then seeing God hath made thee rich, and thy bro­ther poore, be neuer the more pust vp with pride and disdaine, but studi [...] how thou mayest discharge so great a reckning as thou hast to make: think this with thy self, he that made me rich, could haue made me poore; it is in his bountie, not my deseruing; I do but possesse that of which an other is owner, who can disinherit me when he will: why then should I bragge as if it were mine owne? and though my brother be poore, yet peraduen­ture he is richer to God then I; I see no difference be­tweene vs, we are both of one moulde, [...]aue that I haue more chaffe and rubbish then hee, which is scattered with euery gust of winde: so that if hee well consider his state, and expostulate with himselfe in this manner, that loade of riches that is now so heauie, will be more easily borne.

The Poets faine, that Plutus the god of money is lame when he commeth, but hath wings swiftly to de­part: signifying that as riches are long in getting, so they are suddealy lost: and therefore a man should be rich in charitie and poore in desire, and impart the benefite to the needments and necessitie of other.

[Page] For as there is a diuine coherence between the mem­bers of the bodie, though they haue all a distinct and peculiar office, yet they all minister to the common so­cietie: so in like manner we being members of that bo­die, whereof Christ is the head, ought to bend our acti­uitie for the health & welfare of the same, and to beare such a mutuall coniunction and simpathie, as feeling members, to open the bowels of compassion on such as are in want: and this onely is Vertues Common▪wealth.

Neuerthelesse there be some well disposed and very forward to all good duties in saying, till it come to do­ing: but then they winch like a gald horse, ô they can­not away with charge: If my abilitie saith one would answere my willingnesse, I would do this and that, or if I had so much wealth, I would relieue the poore bet­ter, they should not goe emptie handed; or if I had so much wit, and such means, I would countenance good causes with the beautie of honor: and so do they vaunt of that they would do, and yet do not that they should do. I demaund what good doest thou with that little thou hast? thou art wise and politique, or at least thou thinkest so, how doest thou vse it▪ if thou art vnfaithfull in a litle, no doubt thou wouldest be so in a great deale: for as he is inconfident to whom mony is deliuered vpō trust to pale to an other, & doth either keep it back all, or deliuer but halfe: so hee that hath much or litle & doth not dispose it as he oght, is not worthy to be trusted with more. Perhaps thou wilt say, such a mā is of great wealth and he doth litle good or none at all, why then should I that am of lesser value do any thing▪ this is no excuse for thee, nor cause of suspence, for thou art to looke to thy owne dutie, and not weaken thy owne charitie, by the negligence of other men.

[Page] An other wil boast of that litle he doth, and be the trumpe of his owne praise: saying, I giue thus much weekly to the poore, and do this and that good: but he is to examine himselfe if it be according to his wealth and place or no, for otherwise an other man doth as much that is farre behind in substance, and with whom hee would bragge without measure, in comparatiue termes: but some thinke if they do a little good, though it be nothing in liew of their state, or if they doo not a great deale of hurt by pilling, powling, strife, factions, and such like troubles, they haue done so much good, that God is bound to paie them somewhat back again. But according to the Poet,

Although it were better to be occupied in practising those bookes alreadie written, then to write more, (this last age being so full, that it doth exceed all other): yet the necessitie of times, by reason of controuersies, do prouoke the learned to spende their labours that way: and not only so, but in explaining the scriptures, and No ende of making ma­ [...]y bookes. discoursing of Sciences, which worke is not only ne­cessary, but commendable; whereby a generall good is brought in: this godly vse of writing cannot be disliked of any vertuous man.

But forasmuch, as some are diuersly affected, they obserue not this decorum before noted, but fall into [Page] vaine iangling, and so conceited of their owne wits, and haue so many crotchets in their heads, that they pub­lish great volumes of nice and curious questions, ambi­guities, & doubts, as many of the Asse-stronomers, that are very inquisitiue to knowe if the world were created Curious starre gazets. in the Spring or Autumne, the night before the day, and how Moses could write credibly of the worlds crea­tion, liuing so many yeares after; as thoug [...] God could not as well tell him what was passed, as he did the Pro­phets what was to come, and such deep secrets, as thogh God had called them to counsel. In like maner some are busied in Natiuities, Destinies, Dreames, Palmestrie, and Phisiognamie: in a word, who is able to expresse the foolish curiositie of some men, that are neuer satisfi­ed in these vaine & idle studies, but spend whole yeares in searching after doubts and fallacies, and in the mean time ouerpasse those things which he hath vouchsafed to reueale vnto vs, sufficient for vs to know: Noli altum sapere, it is no time well spent to soare so high in things shut vp from common vnderstanding and reason, and chiefly seeing they are no ground of faith, nor meanes to edification.

But by this, the Romaine marchant hath fetched in his greatest gaine, I meane by false reu [...]lations, and The Pope looseth no­thing by this▪ fond opinions, as Purgatorie, the Econimicall gouern­ment of the heauenly powers, the mansions and cham­bers in heauen, the degrees of Angels, and Archangels, Cherubins and Seraphins, and a thousand other fond imaginations, foysted in among them by their schoole dunces, which they falsely deriue from Dionisius Ario­pagita, one of the seuentie Disciples: so that by these in­tricate fallacies, and subtill silogis [...]es, wherewith they [Page] are maintained, many poore soules are insnared, and cast headlong into a laborinth of blinde superstition. This curiositie therefore is a daungerous disease, and a sore that must be healed, least it fester and run ouer the whole body.

Others there bee that haue such a leaprosie of wit, that they to disquiet and trouble the estate, seeke for in­nouation, and displant all good order established, not onely thereby amazing the weake Christians, but also alinating the hearts of many from their due obedience. Touching these that carpe at the present discipline, I will say little, onely this much by the way: that al­though many things may bee misliked in a pollitique state, & not seeme so precisely good to them that looke a farre off with slight imagination: yet may be wel per­mitted and tollerated in pollicie, to keepe peace and quietnesse: so be it the fundamentall properties stand fast, which otherwise could not but bring much confu­sion and disorder: and therefore it is no sure opinion (as the learned suppose) to goe about to change lawes, and breake downe discipline, which is alreadie established, least all comelinesse and good order be therewith ouer­throwne.

Some do nought else but scrape the puddle of con­tentions, to finde matter to wrangle, though they haue no cause to carpe.

And these are so ambitious of their sophisticall vaine of wrangling, that they put their brabbles in print, to the [Page] view of the world, and out of the rancour and malice of their hearts, spew and belch outscandals, slaunders, Busie con­trowlers. rumors and false reports: by that meanes kindle flambes of contentions in a peaceable state, and distemper the quietnesse of mens affections, and this is chiefly bent a­gainst good men: for the qualitie of grudging enuie is, to be sicke with sorrow and virulent hate, at the prospe­ritie of other: for hee that is exhorted by the desert of Vertue, is subiect to scandalls, and the back-biting of the uious.

But the hauen I intend to harbourin, is to speake somewhat of those vaine, idle, wanton Pamphlets and lasciuious loue-bookes, which as fire-brands, inflame the concupiscence of youth: for in my opinion nothing doth more corrupt and wither greene and tender wits, then such vnsauoury and vituperable bookes, as hurtful to youth, as- Machauile to age, a plaugh dangerous, and as common as dangerous.

The lazie Monkes, & fat-headed Friers, in whom was nought but sloath & idlenes, bred this contagion; for li­ning in pleasure & ease, and not interrupted with cares, they had time inough to vomit out their doltish & redi­culous Vaine bookes the spoile of many young wits. fables, & this was the subtiltie of Satā thē, to oc­cupie Christian wits in Heathens foolery▪ but now this age is more finer, mens wits are clarified, the dulnesse of that time is thrust out, an other method is brought in, fine phrases, Inkchorn-termes, swelling words, bumba­sted out with the flocks of sundry languages, with much pollished and new-made eloquence▪ with these daintie cates they furnish and set out their filthy and vicious bookes; now what do they, but tye youth in [...] setters of lust, & keepe them in the thoughts of loue? for do they [Page] not with glosing words tickle and stirre vp the affecti­ons to be conceited of some fond passion, to be more vngraciously subtill? and doo they not labour in vaine cunning to infect and poison delicate youth [...]? are not there idle Poems of carnall loue, lust, and [...]nchaste ar­guments? the very nurses of abuse, by which the minde is drawne to many pestilent wishes. For when as young folkes haue licked in the sweete iuice of these stinking bookes, their conuersation and manners are so tainted and spotted with Vice, that they can neuer be so cleane washed, but some filthy dregges will remaine behinde. I may liken them to fawning curres, that neuer barke till they bite: or a gaye painted coffer, full of toades and venemous beasts: So in like manner many of these bookes haue glorious outsides, and goodly titles: as if when a man tooke them in hand, he were about to read some angelicall discourse: but within, full of strong ve­nome, tempered with sweete honey: now while the minde is occupied in reading such toyes, the common enemie of man is not idle, but doth secretly insnare the soule in securitie. And some of good partes, and Good wits vaine writers. beautified with no common gifts, both of art and na­ture, not being ledde by the sun-shine of Vertue, infect the puritie of wit with prophane inuention, in some loose subiect; as patrons of Vice, and nurses of impie­tie, and spend the blessednesse of time in vnnecessary babling.

Other base and seruile wits runne rashly into any sinfull argument, and crowde to the prease with might and maine, not so much regarding the generall hurt, as some sixe▪penny allowance: nay, euery triuiall mate and cashired Clarke, will bewray his folly in print, and [Page] with a tumultuous confusion of words, lay out a deale of amorous prattle, though he be as tedious to his rea­der, as a muddie way to a wearie traueller. Now what is to be found in these bookes? but filthinesse and grosse ignorance; as for learning, there is none to be found in them, which neuer came neare the shadow of learning themselues, and as little wit, but a fewe fine words of lust, which are chiefly ment to bend the minde to wan­tonnesse: yet are they led with this vaine suppositiō, that if they haue bin luld a sleepe but one night on the Mu­ses lap, are able to publish any thing with well deserued commendations: and I must needs say, that I my selfe haue read in them, and taken great delight in their foo­lish lyes; but surely I could neuer find either goodnes or wit, vnles Vice be Vertue, or to tel a bawdie tale be wit.

Neuertheles, I would not haue any man think, that I inueigh against, or discommend Poetrie; for in al ages it hath bin thought necessarie: but only against those abu­sers of Poesie, who vnder the name & title of Poets, foist Modest Poe­trie cōmenda­ble. in their wanton & lasciuious verses. The true vse of Poe­trie standeth in two parts; the one in teaching the way to Vertue; the other to moue with delight therevnto: for honest delight stirreth vp men to take that goodnesse in hand, which otherwise would bee loathsome & vnplea­sant: so that when it is bent to a good end, and euery thing laide out in his due annalligie, with some ioy the affections are thereby inuoked to a serious considerati­on, to imitate that goodnesse wherevnto it is moued. Those bookes that both delight and perswade with learned discretion, & out of which some wholsome do­cument may be extracted, though it be simple, yet is it praiseable. Disdaine not (saith the wise Heathen) the [Page] simple labour of an other, though thou beest neuer so great; especially if he speake good words. Againe, con­sidering the diuersitie of mens minds, and how diuersly they are disposed, all honest delight is not to be dispro­ued, because euery man may finde both pleasure & pro­fit: for as I say, by a pleasant discourse the minde is more chearefully carried, both to read & meditate, to muse and studie, & the memory more willing to holde that it hath conceiued: So that Poetrie is no other thing, but a liuely presentatiō of things ingeniously disposed, wher­by Vertue is painted out with such fresh colours, that the mind is inflamed with her excellent properties.

Now whosoeuer shall discent from this true vse, is no Poet, but a vaine babler: for what are all these scur­rillous tales, & bawdie verses? do these moue to Vertue with honest delight? nay doo they not rather stirre vp bawdrie and beastlinesse? for are they not full of Paga­nisme and ribald speeches, to stirre vp the mind to shady idlenesse? is this Poetrie? verily they are as vnworthy the name of Poets, as Chirrillus, who had nothing to grace his verses by, but onely the name of Allex.

But if a man superficially & slitely glideth ouer these pye-bald Pamphlets, they are like a pleasing dream, that mockes the mind with silken thoughts: but if seene into with a sober iudgement, hee shall finde in that faire bea­ten path, many Adders & Snakes lye in waite to byte him by the heele.

A Legend of lyes. For if a view be had of these editions, the Court of Venus, the Pallace of Pleasure, Guy of Warwicke, Libbius and Arthur, Beuis of Hampton, the wise men of Goatam, Scoggins Ieasts, Fortunatus, and those new delights that haue succeeded these, and are now extant, too tedious [Page] to recken vp: what may we thinke? but that the floud­gates of all impietie are drawne vp, to bring a vniuersall deluge ouer all holy and godly conuersation: for there can be no greater meanes to affright the mind from ho­nestie, then these pedling bookes, which haue filled such great volumes, and blotted so much paper, theyr sweete songs and wanton tales do rauish and set on fire the young vntempered affections, to practise that whereof they doo intreate: who by reason of theyr infancie and imbicillitie of wit, are soone seduced, and with wine-puft eloquence, doo so artificially lim out the life of vanitie, as they easily take the impression of that which is portrayed out vnto them: and on this rocke stands the ensigne of their glory, if smoothly and pithily they can trick vp a tale of some beastly pra­pus, of lawlesse lust, and rip vp the genealogie of the Heathen gods, to carrie the minde into wonderment: ô how they will diue into the bottome of their braine! for fluant termes, and imbossed words, to varnish theyr lyes and fables to make them glib, and as we vse to say, to goe downe without chewing, which as poyson doth by litle and litle, disperse it selfe into euery part of the body.

From hence riseth so much foolish idle prattle, the Seruing-man, the Image of sloath, the bagge-pipe of va­nitie, like a windie Instrument, soundeth nothing but prophanenesse, and some are so charmed, as they spend their whole life in vaine reading, because they see in thē as in a glasse, their owne conditions: now such vaine fragments as fit their humors, they sucke in, and [...]queese out againe in euery assembly.

It is too true, that one such wanton toye dooth [Page] more breed Vice, then twentie godly treatises can in­duce to Vertue: nor twentie Sermons preached by the best Diuine in Englād, doth not so much good to moue to true doctrine, as one of these bookes do harme to in­tice to ill liuing: they corrupt good learning, & subuert all sanctimony, and by a tedious pratling ouer-sway the memory from that good purpose whervnto it ought to be imployed, not informing the iudgement in matters worthy to be learned.

From whence then creepeth in this pestilence, but out of these vaine bookes; for euery mischiefe by litle & litle crawleth vpon the good manners of men, which vnder some shewe of goodnes is suddenly receiued, which by a voluntary admittance at the first becōmeth habituall, especially when the spirituall faculties are defiled with much conuersatiō: in so much that many that hold pla­ces in sacred assemblies, become affected to their phra­ses, Metaphors, Allegories, and such figuratiue and su­parlatiue termes, and so much vaine eloquence, as they yeeld no fruite at all to their auditors, but driue them in­to amazement with a multitude of Inkehorne-termes scummed from the Latin, and defused phrases, as they flye aboue the commō reach, when the most profitable and best affected speech is that that is most congruable and fitly applied to the intendment & vnderstanding of the hearers by familiar and ordinarie termes, not sophi­sticall, darke, and obscure, nor too base and barbarous: but such as are animated by their present abillitie to speake more then other men, and be addicted to affecta­tion, haue commonly a dearth of iudgement, sildome edifie, but gallop ouer prophane writers to shewe theyr vaine reading.

[Page] Demosthenes beeing called to declaime against the rude multitude that had assembled themselues in the Forum of Athens, answered he was not yet readie, if he that had Facacia ingenij, the very soule of wit durst not speak in a serious matter without preparing himselfe be­fore, how cā such that come far short of him in prompt­nes of naturall wisdome, presume to handle holy things so rashly with humane learning, for it is an impudent boldnesse for a man to take vpon him to teach others that which he before hath not bene taught: but I may speake as Tully spake of the Orators of Rome, Sed tamen videmus quibus extinctus Oratoribus quam in paucis spes quanto in pa [...]cioribus facult as quam in multis sit audacia. We see (saith he) what noble Orators are put out of the way, and how in fewe a hope remaineth, in fewer a skill, but in many a boldnesse, that dare set vpon any thing.

To returne, doo not these idle pernicious bookes poyson the well disposed manners of youth, and mace­rate and kill the seedes of Vertue that begin to bloome? for doo they not vse more vaine eloquence then confi­dence in matters of wisedome? So that all that which they do, is but to make a mutinie. Men need not sowe for weedes, for they growe fast inough: so we are pollu­ted inough by kinde, though we be not more defiled by custome: thus do they proceed like cankers to eate off the tender buddes.

Neither do they want some Mecenas to Patronize their witlesse workes, and to haue some applause, bend Vaine worke [...] wel reward [...]d. the scope of theyr argument to fit their dispositions; yea, and many times thrust their dedications vpon men of graue and sober carriage, who will not sticke to re­compence [Page] their idle labours.

Now if the principall scope of all our actions and counsels, ought to be to some good ende, and that it must needs passe as a Maxime, that nothing can be good but that which moueth to Vertue, thē it must cōsequēt­ly follow, that all prophane and lasciuious Poems, are as an infectious aire that brings a generall plague, be­cause they striue against honestie.

And if Plato, sawe so great cause to shut them out of his common-wealth, as noysome to the peace and tran­quillitie thereof, what ought our Platonists to do? sith they more abound heere then euer they did there: or if we had but the zealous affections of the Ephesians, we would loathe the price of so great iniquitie, and sacri­fice them at a stake, though they were of neuer so great value. But happily it will be demaunded how Ladies, Gentlewomen, &c. should spend the time, and busie their heads, as though idlenesse were not a vice badde inough of it self, without fire to be added, and as though there were not a Bible, and many good bookes where­in they might be vertuously exercised.

Of good wits well imployed what good would en­sue, by setting out the praises of the immortall maiestie, that giueth hands to write, and wittes to inuent, what matter might they not finde: both honest and necessa­ry, in which they might first want words to vtter, then matter worthie to be vttered: especially those that are not only by their outward felicitie freed from troubles and perturbation of minde, imbracing content in the bosome of peace, the nurse of Sciences, but are also ina­bled, and sufficiently gifted to publish any thing of worth, ô how willing is Vertue to crowne them with honour▪

[Page] But this contagion, ought seriously to be considered by men of riper iudgement, and by such as haue autho­ritie to suppresse the abuses; for is it not lamentable? that a Pamphlet discoursing nought but Paganisme, should be so vendible, and vertuous bookes want sale, the one bought vp thicke and three fold, the other lye dead, for there commeth forth no sooner a foolish toye, a leaud and bawdy ballad, but if sung in the market, by the di­uels quirristers, they flocke to it as crowes to a dead car­kasse▪ buying them vp as Iewels of price, be they neuer so ribauld, filthie, or dorbellicall▪ but bookes of Christia­nitie, of modest argument, that ten [...] to rectifie the iudg­ment, lieth still in the Stationers hand as waste paper, not so much as looked after: so that by this we may plainly see, what a froward generation we are fallen into, where in such bookes as are most hurtfull and daungerous, are most deuoutly coueted.

Pythagoras rule. But if they would obserue the Philosophers rule, to abstain from speaking fiue yeare, I doubt not but in that time, they would be fitted and fully established, to write with sober iudgement, as men of vnderstanding & rea­son: or if the Apostles rule were followed, Be swift to heare, and slowe to speake, they would be more consi­derate, and not runne out the course of their liues in such vnprofitable studie.

But touching the defence some make, to approue this vaine writing, it is too ridiculous, and not worth an answere, that they doo by this meanes polish & refine our English tongue, and drawe it from barbarisme, into a more finer Cadence of words: but those bookes that polish the toong, & depraue the life, are dangerous, and in the sentence of wise men, in no case to be allowed: [Page] for it were better for a man to be dumbe, then by spea­king to approue a wrong, and accuse the innocent: and better it were indeed that they had not only no lear­ning at all; but also that they had no eyes to see, nor eares to heare: for as it is in the Gospell, it were much better for a man to goe blinde into heauen, then with two eyes to be cast into hell. Neither can I see but that they drawe our language from the auncient tenor, by mixing it with so many straunge countries, that it see­meth rather more artificiall, then naturall: and more baser then the common lawe, which is compounded of French, English and Latin, &c.

The harsh tooting of Pans pipe, was more pleasing to Mydas care, then the sweet harmony of Apolloes harp, Vaine men▪ iudge vainly. but this fault was in the Iudge, whose simplicitie could not distinguish them aright: in like manner, many are better content with vicious bookes, bawdie songs, foo­lish and wanton ditties, then in the well sea [...]oned wri­tings of holy men, and this is for want of iudgement, being as blinde as he was foolish. It may be said of such, as Pythagoras said to a leaude fellow that soothed him­selfe in conuersing with badde company, I had rather quoth he be acquainted with bawdes, then wise Phylo­sophers. L. Max. No maruell quoth he very sadly, swine delight more in dirt, then in pure and cleane water.

Of such bookes as moue to good life, and bring a benefit to posteritie, we haue but too fewe, and can ne­uer haue too many: but of such as followe their owne fancies in spewing out their wandering imaginations, we haue but too many, and it were to be wished we had none at all. Good men are not only otherwise imploy­ed, but also greatly discouraged, for if they set forth any [Page] notable booke of diuinitie, humanitie, or such like, they are in no request, but to stop musterd-pots, & what is the reasō but this, euery Stationers shop, stal, & almost euery post, giues knowledge of a new toy, which many times Good bookes lye dead. intercepts the vertuous dispositiō of a willing buyer: so that hauing time, and incouragement, labor what they can, to deface good mens workes, with the multitude of their sinfull fopperies.

Hee that can but bombast out a blancke verse, and make both the endes iumpe together in a ryme, is forth­with a poet laureat, challēging the garland of baies, and in one slauering discourse or other, hang out the badge Many Poets shallow wit [...]. of his follie. O how weake and shallow much of theyr poetrie is, for hauing no sooner laide the subiect and ground of their matter, and in the Exordium moued at­tention, but ouer a verse or two runne vpon rockes and shelues, carrying their readers into a maze, now vp, thē downe, one verse shorter then an other by a foote, like an vnskilfull Pilot, neuer comes nigh the intended har­bour: in so much that oftentimes they sticke so fast in mudde, they loose their wittes ere they can get out, ei­ther like Chirrillus, writing verse not worth the reading, or Battillus, arrogating to themselues, the well deseruing labours of other ingenious spirits. Farre from the deco­rum of Chauser, Gowers, Lidgate, &c. or our honourable moderne Poets, who are no whit to be touched with this, but reuerently esteemed, and liberally rewar­ded.

Then seeing this naughtie kinde of writing dooth plucke vp the seeds of Vertue by the rootes, and quench that little fire assoone as it beginneth to kindle, they ought to be shunned as Serpents & Snakes, and youth [Page] chiefly to be kept from reading them.

The Libeller is punished according to the qualitie A fit comparison. of his Libell, either by pillorie, whipping, losse of eares, fine, imprisonment, and such like: the thiefe hanged, the traitor drawne, and euery one punished in that kind he doth offend in: are not these filthy bookes libells? do they not defame, discredit, and reproach Vertue and ho­nestie, by expounding Vice with large comments? do they not steale away all holy deuotion, poyson good wits, and corrupt young people? shall hee be par­doned by course o [...] lawe, that offends in the highest degree▪ and shall hee be counted a maister of wise­dome, that teacheth nought but foolishnesse to the peo­ple▪ wherefore then should this so great mischiefe goe vnreproued▪

To conclude, he that can read, shall finde bookes worthy to be read, wherein is both wisedome and lear­ning, pleasant & wittie, sober and chast, that both profit The profit of reading good bookes. the life, and ioy the mind: but before all other, to read those diuine bookes, that both lift the heart to God, and direct vnto Christian duties: for such is Fomentum fidei, nourishing faith, Lexio alit ingenium, so the bookes bee wise, vertuous, chaste, and honest: touching the for­mer, they are but stinking infectious writings, which as mudde and dyrt defile the body, so do they pollute the soule.

By reading good bookes, the minde is stored with wisedome, the life bettered and setled in quietnesse: so that still all reading be referred to the Bible, frō whence all Vertue is deriued. For this cause S. Paul admonisheth Timothie to giue attendance to reading: for albeit hee was trained vp in the scriptures from a childe, and had [Page] all Ephesus vnder his charge, yet hee stirreth him to reading; for by reading more knowledge is not one­ly gotten, but also the decayes and breaches of the me­morie is againe renued; and vnlesse there be both a powring in of more, and a continuall restoring of that which is lost, all will drop away, and leaue a man emp­tie: for the memorie is like a ruinous house, readie to fall downe, which if not eft [...]oones repaired, will soone become inhabitable.

The ground [...]d opinion of wise and god­ly men against Playes, must be authentick. Touching Enterludes and Playes, I will omit to speak how the best iudgements conceiue of them, their reasons being strong and manifolde, to thrust them out as things indifferent, and make them simply vnlaw­full.

For although they are not simply forbidden in ex­presse words, yet if it once appeare the true vse be lost, and cleaue to a bad report, it is the part of euerie man, to shun and auoyd the same, and rather drawe other to reformation, then violently suffer himselfe to be swayed with the like affection.

I. Cor. 8. And this agreeth with that of Paul, If indifferent things giue offence to the weake, they ought to bee remoo [...]ed: for the freedome of those things giueth courage to the defect of grace, to be more vngraci­ous.

Nothing is lawfull but that which tendeth to the glory of God, and profit of man in comelin [...]sse: so that the end of all ioy and myrth, must be to glorifie the Creator.

Those pleasures of the body & mind which are of good report, are indifferent if modestly vsed: honest exercise [Page] doth much relieue the debilitie of nature, and quicken the dull spirits, which would else be depressed and ouer­laden with moderate labour. Idlenesse is to be condem­ned as the bel-dame of all euil: but idlenesse is not one­ly in doing nothing, but also in doing things vnprofita­ble. Eschew euill, and do good: it is not inough to ab­staine from euill, but we must do good also.

Some Playes, as they are now in vse, are scandalous Lust [...]ull Co­medies hurt­ [...]ull▪ Briefe Chronicles honourable, if circustances, &c. and scurrillous, detract from Vertue, & adde to Vice, and the very May-games of all sin and wickednesse: for, for the most part, they haue nothing in them but scurrilli­tie, or some grosse shewe of doltishnesse, to make the sinfull mouth of laughter to gape, and often sporting at that which should rather moue pittie and compuncti­on: Stages of desolutenesse, and baites to entice people to lightnesse. For is not Vice set to sale on open Thea­ters? is there not a Sodome of filthinesse painted out and tales of carnall loue, adulterie, ribaldrie, leacherie, murther, rape, interlarded with a thousand vncleane speeches, euen common schooles of bawdrie? is not this the way to make men ripe in all kinde of villanie, and corrupt the manners of the whole world? And there wanteth no Art, neither to make these bawdie dishes delightfull in taste. For are not their Dialogues puft vp with swelling wordes? are not theyr argu­ments pleasing and rauishing? and made more for­cible by gesture and outward action? surely this must needes attract the minde to imitate such vices as are portrayed out, whereby the soule is tainted with impie­tie: for it cannot be, but that the internall powers must be moued at such visible and liuely obiects. And prin­cipally, youth are made pliant to wantonnes & idlenes, [Page] and the tender buddes of good maners vtterly rooted out. And many times (which is most sinfull) intermixe A sinfull mixture. the sacred words of God, that neuer ought to be hand­led without feare and trembling, with their filthy and scurrillous Paganisme: is not this abhominable pro­phanation? is not that humble reuerence of the ora­cles of God, hereby blasphemed, and basely scorned? is this fit to be suffered where Christ is professed▪ must the holy Prophets and Patriarkes be set vpon a Stage, to be derided, hist, and laught at? or is it fit that the infir­mities of holy men should be acted on a Stage, where­by others may be inharted to rush carelesly forward in­to vnbrideled libertie? doubtlesse the iudgement of God is not farre off from such abusers of diuine myste­ries: as wee haue an example in E [...]sebi [...], lib. 8. to this effect, of a certaine Poet, who mixing the word of God in a Heathinish Play, was suddenly smitten blinde for his prophanenesse.

Furthermore, there is no passion wherwith the king, the soueraigne maie [...]tie of the Realme was possest, but is amplified, and openly sported with, and made a May­game The State many times is [...]gregiou [...]ly wronged, and the vulgar [...]ort d [...]rided. to all the beholders, abusing the state royall, moc­king the auntient Fathers and Pastors of the Church; and albeit the holy Ghost vouchsafeth them many faire tytles, and honourable Epethites, yet notwithstanding they are so impudent, as to traduce them on the Stage, and imploy them in base offices: for looke what part is more scornfull then other, is imputed vnto them. Must not this breede contempt to them and their places, and impeach so holy a function? no doubt yes. For when the faults and scandalls of great men, as Magistrates, Mi­nisters, and such as hold publike places, shall be openly [Page] acted and obiected to the sences, or faigned to bee re­plenished with vice and passion, it must needes breed disobedience, and slight regard of theyr authoritie, whereof ensueth breach of lawe, and contempt of su­periours: there neede not bee a quickening, or calling backe againe of the scapes of such men, to make them odious and contemptible, for euerie fault they com­mit, be it as smal as a pibble, yet is it so big as a mil-stone, because they stand in the gaze of the world, and soone spyed if they offend neuer so litle.

Vetus comae­dia. This Vetus comaedia was inuented to good purpose, the subiect, matter of morall documents, the assembly, the Senators and chiefe Cittizens: and as Tully calleth them, Humanae vitae speculum, a glasse of mans life: for when they represent the acts of vertuous men, time, Auntient Co­medi [...]s, absta­cles of Vertue. place, and persons considered, they are (deemed by some to be) sufferable, and that for this cause, when as the comely deedes of good men are feelingly brought to remembrance, it cannot but moue other to imitate the like goodnesse: or on the other side, when the spots and errours of our life, shall be acted to our owne shame, it is impossible that we should be content to be such, and not loath our owne euill, as when a bragging Thraso, a strutting Philopolimarchides, a double dea­ling Parasite, or such mad humours as raigne in com­mon disorder, dsplayed according to decorum, no spectator but is driuen to prye into himselfe if hee haue the like faultes or no: for I thinke verily that no man will allowe such abhominable actions in himselfe, when they are so visibly painted out in o­ther.

And albeit some benefite might come if circum­stances [Page] were obserued, yet now is it farre otherwise, for these moderne Playes, wherewith the world is now so pestred, are altogether made vpō lasciuious arguments, and serue as the very Organs & Instruments to vanitie ▪ the honour due to God, and reuerence to man, is laid a­side, Vertue disroabed, and Vice exalted; and in stead of morallitie, fictions, lies, and scurrillous matter is foysted in, and is cunningly conueied into the hearts of the assi­stants, whereby they are transformed into that they see acted before them: for the rusticke & common sort, are as Apes, that will imitate in themselues, that which they see done by other. Or if they stuffe their Scene with some one good precept, or well-worded instruction, what power hath that to moue to Vertue? when it is im­mediately prophaned with their exorbitant foolerie, as pure water in a foule and muddie cesterne.

The indicorum of Poets, & greedinesse of Histori­ans, iumping in one simpathy, haue changed the intēd­ment of the former ages.

Hor. in art [...] poetica. For as Menander in Greece, which is thought to bee the first inuenter of Comedies, Aeschilus, or Thespis, the deuiser of Tragedies, aymed at Vertue in blazing out the deeds of honestie, with graue and sober termes, which indeed were rude & imperfect, by reason of the infancie of the time, vntil they were afterward adorned with the Quintill▪ lib. 10. choice flowers of Sophocles and Euripides, of whom it is doubted whether is the better Poet.

These did labour by modest delight, to drawe men by example to goodnesse: neither can I imagin, but that they obserued many particulars, as well in the choise of their Auditorie, as of good matter, without gree­die desire to multiply excessiue gaine, and no doubt [Page] were played priuately in their Accademies, at some set times, at which were present the chiefe Burgomai­sters, Senators, and graue Fathers of the citie.

But if we oppose our quotidian Enterludes to them of former time, and consider the multitude of ours, with the paucitie and fewnesse of theirs, wee shall see a great diuersitie as well in the method of writing, as in the time, place, and company: for now nothing is made so vulgar and common, as beastly and palpable folly: lust, vnder colour of loue, abstract rules artificially com­posed, to carrie the minde into sinfull thoughts, with vncleane locution, and vnchaste behauiour, as groping, colling, kissing, amorous prattle, and signes of Venerie, whereby the maidenly disposition is polluted with lust, and moued to impietie.

Againe, if a man will learne to be proud, fantasticke, humorous, to make loue, sweare, swagger, and in a The docu­ments of Playes. word closely doo any villanie, for a two-penny almes hee may be throughly taught and made a perfect good scholler: so that publike Sermons are made of all kinde of naughtinesse, and the bridle of wicked libertie laid on euery mans necke: and herein standeth their glory, if by pleasing the vulgar opinion, they gaine a plau­dite, at which they streake their plumes, & spread theyr pride.

Wisedome doth euer mistrusti [...] selfe. When Phosion had made an eloquent oration be­fore the people, and seeing them clap their hands for ioy, questioned such as were next him, if he had vttered any foolish and vnseemly thing: teaching vs by this, that we ought alwayes to suspect the rude multitude, for that their weake iudgements can hardly discerne betweene Vice and Vertue, and their affections so dull, [Page] that they commonly embrace the cuill in stead of good.

In like maner Hippomachus hearing one of his schol­lers praised for his fidling, bad him cease playing, for he was sure there was some great errour in the fingering, that hee was so applauded of the ignorant: what true glory then can they iustly merit, that are praised by the witlesse and braine-sicke multitude? And as these cop­per-lace gentlemen growe rich, purchase lands by adul­terous Playes, & not fewe of them vsurers and extortio­ners, which they exhaust out of the purses of their haun­ters, so are they puft vp in such pride and selfe-loue, as they enuie their equalles, and scorne theyr inferi­ours.

The common spectators and Play-gadders. Now the common haunters are for the most part, the l [...]audest persons in the land, apt for pilferie, periu­rie, forgerie, or any rogorie, the very scum, rascallitie, and baggage of the people, theeues, cut-purses, shifters, cousoners; briefly, an vncleane generation, and spaune of vipers: must not here be good rule, where is such a broode of hell-bred creatures? for a Play is like a sincke in a Towne, wherevnto all the filth doth runne: or a byle in the body, that draweth all the ill humours vn­to it.

For what more fitter occasion to summon all the discontented people together, then Playes? to attempt some execrable actiō, commotions, mutinies, rebelliōs, as it hapned at Windhā in Norff. in the time of Ed. the 6. where at a Stage Play (according to a drunken custome there vsed) the horrible rebelliō of Ket and his compli­ces, by a watch-word giuen, brake out, to the trouble of the whole kingdome: and doth it not daily fall out [Page] in common experience, that there is either fighting, whereof ensueth murther? robbing and theeuering, whereof commeth hanging? or spotting the soule with wickednesse, that he becommeth the very sonne of Be­liall? and are they not growne odious to good men, and ill reported of? are these indifferent to bee vsed? nay verily, if a man loue his owne safetie, he ought to withdrawe himselfe from such vaine spectacles.

Playes in the night, very hurtfull. But especially these nocturnall and night Playes, at vnseasonable and vndue times, more greater euils must necessarily proceed of them, beeause they do not onely hide and couer the thiefe, but also entice seruants out of their maisters houses, wherby opportunitie is offered to loose fellowes, to effect many wicked stratagems. In a word (as they are now vsed) they corrupt good man­ners, and set abroach the vessell of all vncleanenesse; the eare is tickled with immodest speeches, the minde im­printed with wanton gesture, and the whole affections rauished with sinful pleasure: in so much as many leaue their honest callings, liue idlely, and gadde to those pla­ces where the diuel displayeth his banner, liuing so long vpon the spoile of other men, till at last they are eaten vp by Tyborne. Nay many poore pincht, needie crea­tures, that liue of almes, and that haue scarce neither cloath to their backe, nor foode for the belley, yet will make hard shift but they will see a Play, let wife & chil­dren begge, languish in penurie, and all they can rappe and rend, is little in ough to lay vpon such vanitie. Ne­uerthelesse some will obiect they are necessarie, and fit to be allowed in pollicie: and why so? because they are meanes to occupie idle people, and keepe the wor­ser sort from worser exercises: for if Playes were not [Page] (say they) some would to drunkennesse, some a who­ring, others to dice, cardes, riotting, and such vile prac­tises, which by Playes is all preuented. This proueth them as lawfull in London, as the common Stewes in Rome, or Venis: for is this a sencible reason, that of ne­cessitie one sinne cannot be pulled downe, but an other as bad or worse, must be erected in stead of it? it is no sound argument, to dispence with one to eschew the o­ther, and so by shunning Carribdis, fall vpon Scilla: but how shall we spend the time? as though there were no exercise to be vsed, but that that leadeth to mischiefe. Time flyeth away apace, and therfore we are comman­ded to redeeme the time, seeing we haue but too much, when we wilfully loose and abuse it. Idlenesse is a sinne great inough of it selfe, though it haue no nourish­ment by sinfull games and sports: but doubtlesse if the cause were remoued, the effect would soone cease, and the time bee spent in more honest endeuours, and by litle and litle (the lawe obserued) the men would be wai­ned from such intollerable abuses.

Others will belch out this blasphemie, that a man may edifie as much at some Play, as at a Sermon: this I easily graunt, if so be when he goeth to Church, he lea­ueth his heart at home; or at least it is so [...]lintie, that no good thing will penetrate, the diuell sitting at the el­bowe, and eyther rockes him a sleeepe, or amazeth the minde with wandring thoughts: so that filling a place as a Cipher in augrime, heareth a buzzing sound in his eares, but is neuer truly toucht in his heart. Beside, the affections are not alike: for at a Play the whole facultie of the minde is altogether bent on delight, the eye ear­nestly fixed vpon the obiect, euery sence busied for [Page] the time, the eare narrowly waiteth to catch that that is vttered, sending it to wit: wit to reason: reason to memorie, which locketh it vp in a clozet, least it slip out againe: the diuell in the meane time like a quiet fellow, doth not trouble the affections with strange delusions; and why so? because they are occupied in his worke. Furthermore, a man is not wearied be it neuer so tedi­ous, because they doo not onely (as I say) feed the eare with sweete words, equally ballanced, the eye with va­riable delight, but also with great allacritie doth swiftly runne ouer in two houres space, the dooings of many yeares, galloping from one countrey to an other, whereby the minde is drawne into expectation of the sequell, and carried from one thing to an other with changeable motions, that although hee were vnac­quainted with the matter before, yet the cunning Art hee seeth in the conueyance, maketh him patiently at­tend the Catastrophae: when as at a Lecture and ho­ly exercise, all the sences are mortified and possest with drowsinesse: so that by this then we may see our cor­rupt nature, and the sore that runneth ouer the whole body; for the minde is nothing so tentible at a good instruction, nor the eare so audible, as at a vaine and sportiue foolerie: ô how dull is the affections to the one, and how prompt to the other! how the tongue will itterate and repeate the one with great ioye, and smoulder vp the other in drowsie melancho­lye.

Many well gouerned Common-wealths, did not onely note them to bee infamous persons that acted them, excluding them from offices, and giuing testimo­nie in causes crimminall, but also supplanted and beate [Page] downe Theaters and common Play-houses, least any things should be imprinted in the peoples harts against honestie.

Licurgus banished all Players, Pypers, Sophisters, &c.

Ouid for his wanton Ars amandi, was exiled by Au­gustus.

Iuuinall, as an instrument of obscenitie and bawdery, was driuen out of his countrey, because by their wan­ton Elegies, they made the mindes obsequies to loose liuing.

A good old father being demanded what he thought of Playes and idle Poetrie: answered, they were very good to infect young wits with vanitie and needlesse fopperie.

Foule idolla­trie in y ^e Hea­then. The grossenesse of the Heathen was such, that they dedicated Playes, games, mummeries, maskes, &c. to their Idols, to pacifie their (supposed) displeasure. And although there is none but abhorreth such foule Idol­latrie, yet the diuell hath such a Heccatombe of sacrifices out of obscene and filthy Playes. To bee short, men ought to recreate themselues comely and decently, and vse▪ exercises of better report, and lesse hurt: for what saieth Saint Chrisostome to the faithfull of his time? In no case (saieth hee) frequent Theaters, least you bee branded with infamie. It is no small offence (saieth Ciprian) for a man to disguise him­selfe in the garments of a woman, vnlesse in cases of great necessitie, to saue the life, &c.

And therefore it were to bee wished, that all loue-bookes, Sonnets, and vile pamphles, were bur­ned, and no more susfered to be printed, nor filthy [Page] Playes rehearsed, which are the bellowes to blowe the coales of lust, soften the minde, and make it flexible to cuil inclinations: vnlesse first seene and allowed, by some of approued and discreet iudgement.

To conclude, it were further to be wished, that those admired wittes of this age, Tragaedians, and Comaedi­ans, that garnish Theaters with their inuentions, would spend their wittes in more profitable studies, and leaue off to maintaine those Anticks, and Puppets, that speake out of their mouthes: for it is pittie such noble giftes, should be so basely imployed, as to prostitute their in­genious labours to inrich such buckorome gentlemen. And much better it were indeed they had nor wit, nor learning at all, then to spend it in such vanitie, to the dis­honour of God, and corrupting the Common-wealth: but he that dependeth on such weake staies, shall be sure of shame and beggerie in the ende: for it hath sildome beneseene, that any of that profession haue prospered, or come to an assured estate.

Hast thou wit, learning, and a vaine to write wic­kednesse? adde wisedome to thy wit, and couet to write goodnesse: so shalt thou in stead of cursing, be blessed, and immortally praised of the good and honest. The floud of wittie foolishnes, hath a long time ouerflowne the bankes of modestie, the world is full of idle bookes, and friuolous toyes, neuer in any age was the like: turne thy pen, write not with a goose quill any longer, clense thy wit of grosse folly, and publish things profitable and necessary, new, and good, to the building vp of Vertue and godlinesse.

Againe, is the minde and body wearied with vnrea­sonable care and labour? rest, ease, and inoffensiue pas­times, [Page] are then most fittest and in season: for we are not created to follow sports and pleasures, and sent into the world to play: but for graue and waightie studies, and to vse honest mirth, when the body is tyred and no lon­ger able to endure trauaile vnlesse it be againe refreshed with some actiuitie, and not otherwise: so that such as spend the time in vaine trifles, gadding after Playes, and idlely runne vp and downe, breake that straight iniunc­tion made by God to Adam▪ In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eate thy bread. What whoredomes, drun­kennesse, swearing, and abhominable Sodomie is daily practised? doth it not inuite and call vpon Magistrates to draw the sword of reformation? do they not crie for vengeance to heauen? surely there was neuer more fil­thinesse committed then now, the word contemned, Preachers despised, and a direct opposition against all honestie, that were it not for some fewe that stand in the gap, fire and brimstone would fall from heauen & con­sume the wicked like Sodome and Gomorrah. For doubt­lesse the sins of Sodome, are as rife here as euer they were there, pride, gluttony, cutthroat-enuy, self-loue, vnmer­cisulnesse to the poore, and such like, and those not pri­uate: but vnuersall in all places, and amongst most men.

Idenesse the roote of all cuill. The next enemy to Vertue is Idlenesse, a burthen of impediment, a vice so deeply rooted in some, that it ca­steth them headlong into infernall bondage: the toade out of which issueth nought but drunkennesse, whore­domes, pride, ignorance, errour, blindnesse, beggerie, and a thousand moe miseries. Time is like so many ligh­ted lampes, that with care & diligence ought to be kept with oyle: which with dampish idlenesse are soone put out, and by negligence let fall: for mans life of it selfe is [Page] not so short by nature, but it is more shortned by sinne, and the length of time hastened on by iniquitie. The soule is of too fine a mettall and so pure a temper as to loue to do nothing, but wil be imployed in labour; yet because she is imprisoned in the walles of flesh, follow­eth her sluggish inclination: the body by too much ease is like a pampered Iade vnseruiceable, and her dexteritie and faculties being made blunt and dull with sloth, be­commeth wholy vnfit for honest labour: for if he remit and giue his minde to idlenesse, ill corrupting mo­tions creepe into the soule, which polluting the purer parts, do by little and little carry him to all impietie, vn­till the whole man become nothing but the sonne of Belial: by it a wide gap is opened, for adultery to enter in at, and therefore Diogenes was wont to say, by doing nothing we learne to do euil: and lust (quoth he) is the trade and occupation of loyterers: and as that grand­maister of wantonnesse Ouid, in his booke Deremedio a­mors saith; Osia sit [...]llas, periere Cupidinis arcus. And it be­ing asked how the Emperour Aegistus became an adul­terer, it is answered:

It is a plaine case he was idle. For if the bodie be not set on worke, the minde goeth astray, whereby this litle world is soone ouerthrowne by the inuasion made a­gainst it by concupiscence: as whē a man doth fast long The cause of the plague or pe [...]lence. and abstaine from bodily foode, the emptinesse of the stomacke and passages, draweth into the bodie windie humours and infectious vapours, because according to Philosophie, there is no vacuum, but a present supply of [Page] ayre: so that often eyther by the disposition of the ele­ments, or by reason of some accidentall cause, the ayre is so infected and poysoned, as it pierceth into the vitall powers, and either bringeth a vniuersall mortalitie, or some lingring disease and sicknesse: so in like man­ner when the body is kept from corporall labour, and the minde from studious exercise, a fit mansi­on for don Sathan is prepared, euery roome empti­ed, and the whole poores and faculties of soule and body really possest with wicked impietie, wherein this grand-traitor to mans happinesse, as in a worke­house forge, or common shoppe, dooth stampe and coine a multitude of euils, and suggest abhominable vi­ces into the heart: for verily none are such fit instru­ments for him to worke by, then such as liue idlely and do nothing: for where there is no defence to keepe him backe, there dooth hee rule so strongly ouer the af­fections, that there is no other fruites but a sinfull life, and a shamefull ende: for such as occupie themselues in no commendable exercise, but mispend the time, no maruell though the minde bee vpon vnhallowed actions.

Idlenesse is a capitall plague, a sore vexing the body with extreame torment, and loading the bones till they cracke with weakenesse, pouertie, impotencie, and in the ende leaueth olde age naked and vnprouided for. In a word, nothing is more vnseemely in a Christian, nor more contrarie to the lawe of God, which com­maundeth euery one to get his liuing with the sweate of his browes, preiudiciall to humane societie, and iniurious to nature: and therefore Themistocles tear­meth idlenesse the graue and tombe of such men as [Page] An idle man is a dead car­kasse. are aliue, for that there is no difference betweene an idle man, and one that is dead, for that neither one nor the other doth any good.

Euery one is commaunded to be industrious in that calling wherein hee is set, and earnestly seeke to applie himselfe therevnto, for he that worketh not, is not wor­thie to eate: but hee that followeth his trade with dili­gence be it neuer so base or mechanicall, is alwayes sure of competencie and saturitie, when as the luskish and idle notwithstanding their great aboundance, are in short time consumed and come to nothing, as the wise Pron. 14. 30. man saieth: ‘I passed by the field of the slouthfull, and loe it was ouergrowne with bryars, and nettles had couered the face thereof, and the stone wall was bro­ken downe, &c. Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, a little fowlding the handes together, so thy pouertie commeth vppon thee like an armed man: and as it is in an other place, hee that putteth his hand into his bosome, is like to fall into pouertie.’

Some lur-daines that haue wealth left by their an­cestors, holde it a poynt of wisedome to rest theyr idle limmes and spare theyr bodies, and liue in the hyue vppon the hunney of others labour, and as vul­tures kill nothing themselues, but preye vppon that which is killed by other, so like Catter-pillers do they liue by the fruites of other mens labours and sore tra­uaile.

This kinde of life was so much hated among the Aethenians, that who so was seene idle was seuerely punished. And for this vse, was there Sophronistes and graue Fathers, that had the ouersight and surueigh­ing of the Common-wealth, and most chiefly looked [Page] to the manners of youth. Tully reports that none durst walke the streetes of Rome without bearing about him some signe of his profession, least hee should bee im­peacht of idlenesse: and in his oration Pro Archita poe­ta, hee saith of himselfe: What time other men spent in sports, playes, bankets, dice, cardes, tennice, &c. that saith he, I bestowed in poring on my booke: which is vndoubtedly true, for surely had he bene idle and gi­uen to pastime, as many students are in these dayes, hee could neuer haue bene that notable and excellent sum­mus Orator.

There is nothing so precious as time, which being wilfully or willingly ouerslipt, is impossible to be recal­led, The picture of time. for that she is deafe and cannot heare, and therefore she is painted with lockes before, but bauld behind, be­cause holde may be taken in the comming, but her back once past, is irrecouerable, and the lowder she is called, Mora tra [...]it periculum. the faster she flyeth.

It were a world to note the idlenesse of many in these times, and what multitudes liue with doing no­thing; or at leastwise in doing things vnprofitable and dishonest: yea, what numbers there be both in Citie and Towne, that liue like Drones & idle Grashoppers, as a right wise and honourable Counsellor reported in the Starre-chamber, that in the citie as hee verily was perswaded, there were at least a thousand families that could giue no honest reckening of their life. Some like Aesops labber, sit beating their heeles against a stall, some friske from house to house, as busie-bodies: others in curious obseruations and fault-finding with the gate, apparell, speech, and defects of other, and fat themselues with busie apprehensions.

[Page] This peeuish nature is deriued from that olde Witch L [...]mea hath many childré. Lamea, who as the Poets faine, had broade prospectiue eyes to pull out and in at pleasure, and at her going a­broad, would put on and be very curious and circum­spect in peering and poring about to see what was a­misse in her neighbours house; but at her return home, would locke them vp in a cap-case, and satte downe to spinning as blinde as a beetle, and neuer sawe what was amisse in her owne house: so in like manner, many both sonnes and daughters she hath, that cram the fore­part of the wallet with small defects, when the waight of their owne behinde, is readie to pull them backe­ward into all contempt: and many female sinners fre­quent great assemblies for nothing else but to spye out new fashions, of which they make large coments at their returne, neuer rest night nor day, till they be trickt vp with like trumperie, and if they spye a hole in theyr neighbours coate, a moate amisse, a wrinckle awry, then there is to do and to do, and turning it ouer againe and againe, as men ted hay, with wot you what neigh­bour, such a man is too familiar with his maide, he is a bankerout, an hypocrite, a busie-body; she is a muddie queane, a filthy beast, a lumpe of kitchinstuffe, and such like: is not here good ware which they offer to sell, to euery ones disgrace? and thus they passe away the time in vaine and idle obseruations, and vtterly forget to looke into their owne bosome, and prune and correct their owne deformities, which no doubt they should finde laboursome inough to reforme.

Euery day offereth a new occasion to doo good, and therefore no one houre ought to slip away with­out some profitable thing done: but as Caesar in his [Page] Commentaries setteth downe his dicirnall affaires, eue­ry Caesar Com▪ dayes businesse: so a man must exercise himselfe dai­ly in such things as belong to his calling, and to liue so that his company may bee desired, and by his life to yeeld benefite to the place where he liueth, and not so to liue, as if he were borne onely for himselfe; but as Pla­to Plato. saith, for our friends, parents, countrey, and such com­mon duties, which are the finall endes of euery mans labour: but he that regardeth neither of these, his com­pany cloyeth the stomacke, and therefore to be spewed out as an vnprofitable waster. Callings are distingui­shed into sundry professions, according to the necessitie of the time, because euery man may not onely haue wherein to imploy himselfe, and to benefite others by his trauell, but also to haue helpe by the facultie of his neighbour: yet all come into these two, either in minde or in body, the Magistrate, Minister, and such as holde publique and sacred places, do labour in minde with good counsel, in gouernment and doctrine, which is the more excellent calling: others are manuell or mechanicall, which is the more wearisome & toilsome: without these no common-wealth can stand; for as it is a great pollicie in maintaining discipline, so is it not a little cherished by other callings. The Husband-men which Tully calleth the best cittizens, in tillage, pastu­rage, and storing the Realme with graine. It is not e­quall nor agreeable to nature, for a man to liue prow­ling and shifting by the labours of other men, and prey vpon their earnings, but to labour himselfe in some cal­ling, that his companie may be enioyed.

The Philosopher did measure out their rest, and in­uent meanes to breake their sleepes, and shaking off the [Page] drowsinesse of nature, were content onely to refresh the spirits, that the poores might be more pliant to per­forme dutie.

Cato repented him of nothing he had done in all his life so much as of two things; one in going by water when he might haue gone by land: the other in passing ouer one day idlely, and doing nothing.

Quint. Cur. Alexander hated it so much, that least it should abate the courage of his souldiers, and raise tumults, kept them occupied in appointing Iudges to trie out such as had shewed themselues most valiant in the warres, to whom he gaue rewards due to their deseruings. Him­selfe delighted in the workes of Homer, in so much as he would lay it vnder his head when hee slept, to read in when he awaked.

Domitian would spend the time in catching flyes. Lucullus in building. Diogenes in rowling his Tubbe vp and downe. Marcarius in carrying heapes of stones from place to place. And if we consider the workes, la­bours, and large volumes of the Fathers, Philosophers, Orators, Historiographers, Poets, and Schoole-men, we may see they made precious vse of time, and by ta­king hold of opportunitie, left a memory thereof to po­steritie.

When Titus had mispent one day, and it was gone before he was aware, cried out, Amice diem perdidi. O my friend I haue lost a day. Appelles would not loose a day without shadowing a phisnomie.

It is remembred of the Emperour Octauian, thatin­structed his sonne in martiall affaires, and his daughter in making cloath, as well to get their owne liuing, if ad­uersitie hapned, as to keepe them from idlenesse.

[Page] Euerie one therefore ought to apply himselfe to some honest businesse, and stirre vp his body and mind to some commendable science: for by labour and ex­ercise, Vertue is purchased, when by dastardly idlenesse the poores become soft and delicate, through which they fall into sports, playes, and immoderate pleasures: and being emptie of all good motions, the diuell soone takes vp his lodging, and keepes open house for all vi­ces: the very rotte and spoile of youth, the summons to beggerie, which like a beadle doth scourge in the ende with the whip of repentance.

Haniball after all his great victories, by idlenesse was was wrapped in delights, and lost his honour.

Alexander at Babilon ouerthrew his glorie and his further hopes by dalliance, and quenched that forti­tude and valour with which hee was so really endu­ed.

Sardinapalus was exiled his kingdome through idle­nesse and carelesse gouernment.

Time flyeth away with wings, and therefore a wise man will lay holde of her forelockes while it is to day, to inrich the minde with the experiments of those things that bring perfect blessednesse. For it may bee supposed that God would neuer haue put a soule into that body which hath hands and feete, instruments of doing, but that it was intended the minde should set them on worke, and imploy them in action, and not to holde so diuine an essence in the dungeon of idle­nesse.

We are borne to labour, as well as the birds to flye. Salomon sendeth vs to the Emet to learne wisedome, to consider her industrie, who like a good Econimist, [Page] prouides in Sommer for Winter, whereof Esope affoor­deth a pleasant conceited fable: The Ant & the Grasse­hopper (saith he) walking together on a sunnie banke, the one piping and carelesly skipping, looked after no­thing; the other circumspect in prying about what pro­uision was scattered in the way, carefully gathered it vp and carried it to her cabbin, whom the Grassehopper seeing, scorned this needlesse thrift with many bitter taunts: now it fell out, that in short time these two par­ted, the one to her faire sweetes which the season did yeeld, the other to her labour; the one respected the time present, thinking the Spring would last all the yeare; the other time to come, prouiding against the sharpe stormes of frost and snowe. Anon colde winter grew on, and tooke from the Grashopper her wonted moisture, bereft him of his piping, and with his shackle hammes weakely skips too and fro, and beeing pincht wth hunger, and drencht with shewers, went for suc­cour to the Ant, her olde acquaintance, and entreated some teliefe, but the litle worme demaunded what she had done all the Sommer time, she could not prouide for Winter? The Grashopper answered with a hollow voyce, she sung to delight the passenger: then now you may daunce quoth she, to ease your hunger. With this the Grashopper yeelding to the weathers extremities, foodelesse, comfortlesse, and succourlesse, died without remedie: alluding by the alligorie to such idle and lai­zie meacocks, who spend the Sommer of youth in wan­tonnesse, that when the winter of olde age commeth, are forced to want and feele the stormes of penurie, and languish by inferred pouertie. And therefore while time doth offer it selfe, and the body able to endure, it [Page] is good to seeke for those things that may bring ioy and comfort to olde age. Neuerthelesse youth doth sup­pose that God keepeth a court of faculties for them to take vp a dispensation, to runne madding after euery va­nitie, hauing as they thinke, so much time as they know not how to spend it: but as the Miller who hauing too much water, openeth his floud-gates and sluces to let it passe: so they think they haue time plusquam satis, more then needs, and therefore vse meanes to spend it by breaking vp the floud-gates of their vaine affectiōs: and least they should be pent vp with too much time, let it vnprofitably runne out, and gather nothing by theyr owne labour, but spoile house, land, and whatsoeuer is left, in banqueting, dicing, hunting, hawking, and car­ding, which like a bauin giueth a goodly blaze for a while, but is soone out, and in the end glad to warme their nailes with their owne breath, and when frostie age commeth on, the ioynts feeble, the bloud dead, the body colde, and a quiuering paulsey ouer-spread the limbes: oh how faine would he be thriftie, and how nearely doth his want pinch him! he is forced with the laizie Grashopper to bewaile his state, and repent the losse of time. Oh what goods and possessions did my friends leaue me, which are prodigally wasted? how of­ten did they seeke to reclaime me with good counsell if I had bene gracious? and those vices that mustered about my young yeares, how soone might I haue sup­prest them? but then being young and foolish, am now olde and beggerly: to whom shall I communicate my griefe, that will yeeld succour? all my laments are boot­lesse, relentlesse, and pittilesse: what a heauie reckening haue I to make, wasting so many idle houres in eating, [Page] drinking, ryoting in sports, games, and pastimes, and all my flourishing youth in idlenesse, not spending one houre in his seruice to whom all is due, & now I should finde most comfort in that I haue got so neare my end, a hell of vnquiet torments lye on my conscience rea­die to sinke me downe to hell. Let youth therefore be warned, and laie holde on the winges of Time while it is to day, least by slipping the tyde of opportunitie they fall into a sorrowfull lamentation when it is too late.

And therfore such old men as are sorrie their youth is gone, it is a sure token they were neuer wise nor gra­tious, for hee is no wise man that repineth at the most profitable things, for age taketh away the delight of the flesh, the roote of all euill: for there can be no greater plague to mans happinesse then the will of the bodie, which by the priuiledge of youth is subiect to so many indirect courses, destroying the iudgement, and putting out the eye of reason, no communitie with Vertue, but a liuely brotherhood with vice and vanitie: yet some take great glorie to crake of their youthfull acts, and tell many stories of their prankes in former time; I did this and this saith one, I thus and thus saith an other, I holpe the Priest to say Masse saith a third, and by bragging of their stinking rottennes, and reuiuing their own shame: Suppose they gaine credite for such infamous practi­ses, and commend themselues to posteritie, as men en­dued The vani [...]ie of some olde men. with notable exploits, but howsoeuer they boast they glorie but in theyr owne shame, and by sporting at theyr wantonnesse, bewray theyr owne guiltinesse: for if thou hast committed any horrible offence in the time of ignorance, and not repented thy selfe of it in [Page] time of knowledge, thou hast giuen consent to thy leaudnesse, and so standest guiltie before God: and therfore the Prophet Dauid praieth God to forgiue the sinnes of his youth.

Licurgus by his lawes forbad young men to play, or goe idlely vp and downe in the Marte or common pla­ces, or to be nursed vp in delights and pleasures, but in husbandry and tillage, that in their first yeares they might not taste of idlenesse.

And Zenocrates did vse to diuide the day into parts, reseruing one part for silence, that hee might meditate how to speake: not onely therefore the Realme is pros­perously held vp by businesse and labour, but a mans priuate wants supplied, and his domesticke neede­ments maintained: whereas idlenesse ouerthroweth all: and therefore warres in a kingdome are more pro­fitable (saith one) then peace, for warres stirreth the minde to Vertue, when peace breedeth idlenesse. And as the Poet saith:

How lamentable is it therfore for youth to be igno­rant, and defeat theyr mind of the store▪house of know­ledge, & so iniuriously wrong themselues in the way to blisse? for ignorance is fearfull, an inconstant passiō, base and contemptible, and is soone seduced, because it knowes not how to vse that well it possesseth, but is rash and headie, taking falsehood for truth, Vice for Vertue, not being able to distinguish one from the other; and by this deceit is carried into errours, omitting all good examples and honest actions: for if the carriage of wise and graue men be not obserued, the minde is clogged with ignorance, not onely not able to direct others in any matter of doubt, but is forced to aske counsell for himselfe in euery trifle. But a foole (saith Salomon) is wiser in his owne conceit, then seuen wise men that can render a reason: and drinking so much the water of selfe-loue, doth get such a buzzing in his braines, that managing his businesse by his owne wit, draweth vpon himselfe speedie repentance.

O how soone Vice creepes vpon the affections of youth in the spring of their yeares, if idlenesse slip in: for being intangled in the net of libertie, doth chauke out to himselfe the way to trace in, affecting that which the multitude seeme to allow, be it neuer so contrarie to sound iudgement: and therfore the best inheritance that fathers can leaue to their children, is good brin­ging vp, as a sure stocke to liue on in oldeage: for to [Page] put wealth into the hands of youth before hee haue wisedome to guide it, is as if hee should set him on a young coults backe that was neuer sadled, needs must he dangerously fall, hauing neither wit nor strength to rule him as he ought: or as if hee should put his patri­monic into a ship, and make his sonne Pilot, who for want of skill, needs must suffer shipwracke. And youth is no sooner capable of reasō, but by idlenesse the mind is carried into a multitude of vices, like a standing pond that gathereth nothing but scum and filth.

Those parents therefore that put their children to be seruing-men, haue small care of their education, for that they doo not onely mispend the time, but learne such vices as cleaue fast to nature, not easily to be shaken A Seruing­mans life an idle life vnl [...] he be imploy­ed in some of­fice. off, that many times they are forced to vnlawfull shifts in youth, or begge their bread in age. And Gentlemen incumber their houses with many vnqualified seruants, which deuour and eate much, but get little, and vnder pretence of seruice, do nothing lesse then serue with­out all contradiction; it is no charitie to foster such an idle superfluitie of seruants, with that which might bet­ter be spent on the blinde, lame, and poore people, then on such which serue for nothing but to beautifie a house and picture and shewe forth their persons. Ho­nor and worship resteth not in keeping many seruants, or riding with a great troup, but in his owne vertue. For though wise men for curtesie, and fooles for simplicitie, do reuerence and salute them, yet are they no whit the more honourable, vnlesse they be iust, temperate, affa­ble, modest, and haue such vertuous properties, & mor­rall conditions, as that they may be vsed in the Com­mon-wealth, for the seruice of their Prince & countrey.

[Page] Many idle persons drop out of Gentlemens houses, who with a frowne of their maister, are turned out of all preferment, not able to get their owne liuely-hood, but constrained through want to follow bad courses, & be­ing out of seruice, fall into offence of lawe, and are ma­ny times eaten vp by Tyborne.

And yet some heires of good possibilities, vnder co­lour of learning ciuilitie, humanitie, and some com­mendable qualities, are by their parents made Seruing­men, and their young wits so pestered with vice, that they sildome proue good members in the Common­wealth.

To conclude, euery one ought to betake himselfe to some honest and seemely trade, and not suffer his sen­ces to bee mortified with idlenesse: for whom the di­uell findeth in that case, hee soone possesseth, imploy­ing him in some damned worke, and wicked practise, and for euer disabling him to be vsed in matters of good consequence.

Rioting and drunkennesse doth both corrupt the bo­dy, and pollute the soule, and is such an extreame mad­nesse, as it transformeth a man into a beast, sauing in forme and portraiture, putting out the light of vnder­standing, [Page] dulling the wits, breeding diseases, hatching whoredomes, vncleannesse, quarels, strifes, &c. which as a chaine, draweth one linke after an other, vntill the linke of wofull wretchednes maketh his death timerous and fearfull by his leaud life: yet notwithstanding so or­dinarily practised in most places, as it is scarce noted as a Comunis er­ror facit ius. fault. An euill custome not contradicted, is made cur­rant by long vse, But as the schoole-men say, Bonum quo comunius eo melius: by how much the more common goodnesse is, by so much the more is it prized. So it holdeth in the opposition, the longer a beastly custome is in vse, the more odious and loathsome it is. This ca­coethes, or ill custome, vsurpeth such a priuiledge, and incroacheth so vpon the good maners of men, by com­ming in the habit of honestie, that they are not asha­med to hide their filthinesse with glorious titles, and necessarie colours, as a spurre to quicken the wit, and set The benefit of d [...]unkennesse. an edge on a blunt capacitie, a whetstone to memorie, a breeder of loue, an enemie to melancholy, a chearing the minde, prompt the conceit, a readinesse to pro­nounce, and many such: youth that are easily catched with these baites, and tasting the sweetnesse of this sin, are by manhood and age so deepely rooted, that they rather seeke to nourish an ill custome, then to frustrate so abhominable a practise, filling the body full of dis­eases, emptying the purse of all thrift, and cause them to stumble on theyr graues before olde age come.

Neither can these allegations imputed to this vice, excuse the dāgerous effects which proceed of her mon­strous deformitie. For as the Poets allude that Medusa could turne men into marble pictures, Circes into swine, [Page] so the excessiue vse hereof altereth reason, vnderstan­ding, and all the poores of the minde, and wrap vp many brutish conditions in a humane shape; for he that is ouerladen with sensualitie, looseth the vse of all those graces and diuine faculties wherewithall a modest and sober man is possest. And as those properties may holde in part, that is, so long as moderation beareth sway, so once falling into the more, it can no longer stand: for as one may sharpen his knife with grinding, so by too much and often doing it, the edge and mettall may be quite ground away and made blunt; and therfore Ana­charsis, a great wine-bibber, who was choked with a huske of a grape, did notwithstanding preach this doc­trine: The first draught saith he, cherisheth the bloud, the next comforteth the heart, but the third inflameth the braine, fumeth into the head, and breedes drunken­nesse.

He said moreouer, that the vine bareth three maner of grapes, the first of pleasure, the second of drunken­nesse, and the third of sorrow.

O how farre doth intemperance make a man differ from himselfe, and forget the finall ende of his creati­on, in procuring enemies against his owne happinesse! O what lamentable Tragedies is by this Vice acted a­mong wine-bibbing companions! There bee euils inough we bring with vs into the world, and we haue worke inough to holde warre with them, though we procure no more, which are alwayes a temptation to our best parts.

Drunkennesse is no inbred nor inherent sinne, but procured by custome and bad company, it corrupteth the soule, sucketh out the iuice of the body, withereth [Page] the beautie, drieth vp the sinewes, and like a canker cor­rodeth and deuoureth vp all good motions, making that body which should be a holy temple, a habitacle and dwelling house for the diuell: for being ouerladen with wine & gluttonie, the body is so much brokē, that as a holy Father saith, it is a wonder that those bodies made of earth and clay, become not myre and dyrt: it stirreth the mind to whoredome, for like twins they are neuer a sunder: Sine cerere & baccho friget venus, without wine and belly-cheare lust would be asswaged, incapa­ble of conceit: for you shall neuer see a drunkard so wel aduised to aske counsell, or with patience marke good documents, but either fleere and laugh it out, or be fu­rious and quarelsome: and therefore Father Cate was wont to say, it was lost labour to talke of Vertue to the belly, for that it hath no eares to heare, because their loose life maketh religion loathsome to their cares. This wine-washing licour giueth such scope and libertie to the tongue, as it rowleth vp and downe restlesse, an­noying the whole world with vnnecessarie prattle, run­ning into all degrees, censuring all men, and laying out that openly, which modestie would conceale, powring it into the bosome of his pot-mate: for the tongue of a drunken man, is the clozet of his heart; and that which a sober man thinketh, a drunkard speaketh. And as by a noise of crowes, one may ghesse where carrion is, so a flocke of drunkards may be found by their words, be­ing so inflamed with the fume and strength of the ly­cour, as it is impossible to keepe silence. Therefore as Cicero saith, there need no racking to procure confession of the truth, for it may with more ease be gotten by drunkennesse.

[Page] And as Homer saith, wine distracteth the wits of a wise man withvoluntary madnesse, and his grauitie is vtterly quenched with indiscretion. A drunken man is so prolixious and talkatiue, as he molesteth all his hea­rers: if he be in company with a sober man, he wearieth him with talke: if he come to the sicke, he grieueth him more then his sicknesse: if in a ship among passengers, he annoyeth them more then the waues of the sea: so that whersoeuer he commeth, he is troublous and irke­some.

It were one of Herculus labours to describe their se­uerall humours, some apt to quarell, if but crost with a word, and not pledged as he would be, & readie to stab, and make wo [...]ke for the Constable: an other throwes the pot about the house, breakes the glasse windowes with his dagger, and calles his hostise whore: some full of Apish tricks and toyes, sing, hollow, whoope, sweare, and swagger, with such confused disorder, that a sober man comming amongst them, would verily thinke hee were in hell, carowsing healths on their knees, at which great snuffe is taken, if not duly pledged; and so great indignitie offered, as many times the field is chalenged, where the diuels champions trie their valour, which to some is vntimely warning. Some like swine, wallow in their owne filth, and forced to disgorge and cast vp the superfluitie and excesse, which calleth for ven­geance from heauen, for so monstrously abusing the good creatures of God.

And though a drunkard recouer himselfe againe, yet the effect doth still remaine, leauing such a slyme behinde, as defileth both body and soule: yet not a fewe are rocked a sleepe in this brutish desire: but ô [Page] beastly and sinful desire, to circumscribe a mans chiefest good within the compasse of his belly, and destroy all those good parts that inhabit about the soule, and suf­fer the basest part of the body to ouercome the fiue wits. What a madnesse is this, custome getting victorie by little and little, preuaileth so much with some, that they become remedilesse, and haue not only the mappe of drunkennesse drawne on their visage by continuall vse, but the whole man polluted with the essentiall pro­perties thereof. Oh how odious is this vice to God and good men? and how dooth it putrifie and contami­nate body and soule, and yet how plentifully doth it raigne in most places without suppression? for now all good fellowship is in drinking, and hee is a flincher that will not take his licour, and be drunke for com­panie.

This riseth from sufferance and too much lenitie: for if drunkennesse be but a May-game, and hee ac­counted Ale-houses the cruse of much drun­kenn [...]s [...]e. no good fellow vnlesse hee be a perfect drun­kard, no maruell if it be so much practised. But the sur­plusage of Ale-houses, especially those that ar [...] kept by vnconscionable and irreligious persons, who make no scruple to open their doores to euerie drunken mate, is no small meanes to multiply a swarme of monsters in the Common-wealth.

Is it not lamentable that a poore man who hath nothing to keepe his charge but his sore labour, spen­deth all hee can rap and rend in drunkennesse and ryo­ting, and his wife & children want that which he leaud­ly wasteth, and where is the cause but in such base min­ded people, that for greedinesse of filthy lucre doo suffer them to drinke out theyr eyes, and sweare [Page] out their hearts so they may gaine: but let them be as­sured that hell mouth gapes to swallow vp such greedie accursed monsters, vnlesse they turne with speedie re­pentance.

It is now growne an exercise and a game of actiui­tie, to swill and quaffe much, and he that drinketh most winneth the prize, whereof hee is as proud, as if he had carried an oxe with Milo at the Olympian games. And by your leaue, drunkennesse is too grosse a terme, and deserueth the stabbe. For although all those fine termes and prittie Epithites, which are giuen to that sinne, import as much, yet (forsoothe) it must be coue­red with many sportiue denominations; otherwise you shall incurre no small displeasure, and bring your selfe into a drunken danger. But let them blinde it so long as they can with neuer so many faire attributes, yet sobrie­tie and reason will vnmaske and lay them open, to their vtter obliquie: and though they frame this naked ex­cuse, which they alledge as a poore shift to saue theyr credit, that they are not drunke so long as they knowe what they doo, can goe, stand, hold their first man, and keepe a iust reckening of their pottes. But he that drin­keth more then will content the want of nature, and falleth into the excesse, though his braine be so well set­led as he is not by and by bereft of reason, yet he deser­ueth no other epithite then a bowsie beastly drun­kard.

And when by coaction one shall be vrged either being not a thirst, or his appetite not mouing, the one offendeth in offering, the other in taking: and hence it is so great strife and quarelling ariseth, and so many frayes and field-meetings growe.

[Page] Drinking one to an other (according as I conceiue) is no other but a participation of loue, and a kinde com­munication, The vse of d [...]inking one to an other. as when a man saith, Syr, I drinke to you with all my heart this cup of wine; being as much as if he should say, all the strength and good this wine shall minister to my body, I am readie to spend it in your ser­uice, which being gratefully requited by the other, is full of humanitie.

The often bibbing at feasts, breakes the bonds of modes [...]ie. Some are ne­uer well but when theyr nose is in the pot, and so are made drunke by accident. Many noysome detracting euils lye hid in the bo­some of a drunkard, which breaketh out vpon euery occasion, in so much as he can neuer be at peace, but one torment succeedeth an other; which as eating vul­cers or sores, byte and gnawe continually, neuer suffe­ring body or mind to haue one houres respite for intol­lerable anguish.

The body I say, is subiect to so much pestilence and rottennesse, as cannot in fewe words be expressed, the face blowte, puft vp, and stuft with the flockes of strong beere: the nose so set out with pearles & diamonds, that by the reflecting beames which they cast frō so glorious antiquitie, the bye-standers may see to walk as by a ligh­ted tapor: and the whole body so impaired and shaken Thus doth God pursu [...] them with his iudgements: some the gal­lows knits vp, the sword de­uour [...], the pox, marble [...], &c. with goutes, sciaticaes, panges, palsies, appolexies, &c. that for the most part lye vnder the Phisitions hand: who though they liue, yet such life is a liuing death, for Medice viuere est miserè viuere. And being thus surfetted liue disconsolate, and hasten their owne destruction by casting themselues headlong into the bottome of end­lesse wretchednesse. For the excellencie of reason be­ing thrust forth of her cabbin by wine▪washing excesse, they incidently fall into woe and miserie.

Lot being drunke, committed incest with his daugh­ters. [Page] Noah was mocked of his sonnes. Holofernes had his head cut off by a poore woman: for it is an easie thing for the diuel to accomplish his will, if the mind be bent to surfetting. For this is that poysoned fountaine out of which floweth so many maladies, greeuous & long dis­cases, impostumations, inflamations, obstructions, ven­tosities, and what not, whereby the mildnesse of nature is disturbed.

And therefore one of the Sages being asked why he refused a cup of wine when it was offered him, because (quoth h [...]e) I take it to be poyson: for this other day when I was inuited to a Feast, I sawe that euerie one that drunke of it, soone after decayed, both in minde and bodie, hauing lost both reason and vse of theyr limbes: and as the Poet saith, Vino forma perit, vino cor­rumpitur at as.

But these straunge euents happen not simply in re­spect of the wine it selfe, being in it owne nature good, (for if it be moderately taken it comforteth the bodie, and cherisheth the minde, strengtheneth the sinewes, and helpeth the eyes: and that was the cause Saint Paul counselled Tymothie to drinke a little Wine) but only and altogether in the intemperate and immeasurable v­sage.

So is it likewise in meates, when one doth gurman­dize and feede vpon diuersitie and disguised dishes of manifolde operations. Many accidences arise and dis­eases growe, and this is by reason of the contrarietie and different natures of those meates, and in the su­perfluitie and aboundance as the prouerbe saith, much meate much maladie: whereas in simple and vniforme kindes, delight neuer exceedes the appetite: and [Page] he that feedeth but of one dish, liueth longer, and is more healthfull then those accidentall dieters & quea­sie stomackes that glutte themselues with eueric kinde artificially compounded, sometime of easie digestion, then of harde digestion, that many times before one can be concocted, the other putrifieth in the stomacke, and this is verie familiar in common knowledge, that the ploughman that liues by curdes, bread and cheese, and such homely fare, workes harde all the day, and lyeth vneasie at night, is more sounder, healthful­ler, and more free of malladies then those fine, nice, and curious dyeters.

Now when the bodie is thus misdieted by surfet­ting and drunkennesse, it is not only subiect to disea­ses, and afflicted with torments and incurable laments, whereby it becommeth vnweildie & vnfit for any vertu­ous exercise, but also draweth the horror and iudge­ments of God vppon both bodie and soule. How ought men therefore to liue soberly and chastely, and stoppe the abuse of such abhominable Epicurisme: and as wise Cato saieth, Eate to liue, and not liue to eate, like the Epicure, that putteth all his felicitie in Bac­chus his belly-cheare.

By this the quicke conceit of the spirit is dulled and made impregnable, the glorious sun-shine of Vertue eclipsed, and all good motions quite extinguished, that a man cannot be saide to be a man, but the trunke or ca [...]kasse of a man, wherein an infernall spirit in stead of a soule doth inhabite.

Heereby hee becommeth rash-headed and vnad­uised, dooing that in haste, whereof he repenteth at leisure.

[Page] As Alexander, who in his drunken nesse would sley his dearest friends, and being sober, w ould be readie to kill himselfe for anger: and all those noble vertues and princely qualities wherewith he was endued, were all defaced by the intollerable delight he had in drinking. The famous Citie Persepolis in a drunken humour was burned to ashes, which was no sooner deuised by Thayis the harlot, but was executed with great celeritie: but re­couering his wits, repented his folly: for with this spirit is a drunken man alwaies possest to attempt things rash­ly, to despise good counsel, to vndertake great exployts, but neuer with mature deliberatiō, vnruly, disobedient, and violating the lawes both of God and man: and last­ly, with the foolish Troians, (sero sapiunt phriges) be wise when it is too late. If this Hidra infuse her venome into the tendernes of youth, and not crushed downe when it begins to peepe, by killing the serpent in the egge, but suffered to growe ripe, ô how it distilleth into the soule, and pulles downe the whole frame of Vertue, whereby he is cast downe headlong from a high promentarie, in­to a deepe vgly dungeon: it weakeneth the nature, and maketh them fooles and meacockes, not fit for any im­ployment.

To giue wine to you [...]h, is olium igni addere. And therefore the Spartans and Lacedemonians at their great festiuals, would shewe vnto their children drunkē men, that by seeing their beastlines they might shun the like practise.

Vinum est quasi reme­dium aduer­s [...]s duritism senectutis largi [...] est. It was a great shame among the Athenians, for a young man to haunt tauernes or common tap-houses: in so much as on a time when a youth beeing in a ta­uerne, and seeing Diogenes come towards him, shifted into an other roome for feare he should see him. Nay [Page] quoth he, stay young man, the more you goe in that way, the further you goe into the Tauerne. If Diogenes or Polemon liued in these daies, they should haue wo [...]ke inough to sweepe youth out of Tauernes and Ale-hou­ses, being now traded vp in it, as in an occupation.

If we see a man often frequent the Phisitions house, we by and by suspect his health, and suppose he is not well, his body out of temper, and some infirmitie bree­ding: so when wee behold one often to repaire to such places of ill note, we may censure him, and safely con­clude his wits are distracted, and daungerously infec­ted with Opprobrium medicorum.

Neuerthelesse, leaud company is the ouerthrow of many good wits, which otherwise be ingenious, and of a liuely promptitude to Vertue, getting such vices in an houre, as tarrieth with thē many dayes: for bad compa­ny is as a stench about a man that annoyeth the sence. And as cleare christall water is corrupted if it fall into a a stinking puddle, so a vertuous minde is stained with the leaud vices of loose liuers: and therfore no man can be freed of the effect, till he shun the cause: for conuer­sing with naughtie people, the good disposition is soo­net infected with their euill maners, then the bad refor­med with their good conditions. For as by a contagi­ous ayre the soundest bodies are soonest infected, so the tender and greene capacitie is soone violently carried away into all voluptuousnesse. For as it is impossible to holde the hand in the fire, and not be burnt, so can hee not hold fellowship with bad companie, but hee must needs be the worse.

Euery creature keepeth a due course and order: the Sunne like a ramping Lyon, runneth about the [Page] Sunt septem ste [...], in hu­mero tauro. world with a swift reuolution: the Moone knoweth her sitting downe and rising vp: the Pleiades keepe their stations: the Starres goe their circuit: the earth, the sea, and euerie creature keepe theyr time, onely man is out of frame and temper too, and euerie part disioyn­ted, the naturall impediment is the verie bane and putrifaction of the soule. O how hard is it then to pull out those weedes within, which like rebels hold a continuall warre against all good motions: a grea­ter victorie is it therefore to ouercome a mans owne selfe, then to conquere a citie: for he that vanquisheth an enemie, mastereth but flesh and bloud, but hee that can humble his pride and rule his passions, ouercom­meth the diuell: the one is but the sonne of man, the the other the sonne of God.

Dauid could cut off the head of Goliah, yet was not able to tame his owne affections.

Sampson could slaie the Philistines with a iaw-bone, and yet was made a slaue to Dalilath.

In like manner the Poets ascribe to Hercules many incredulous labors, as in killing the snake of Learna, mai­stering the wilde bull of Aramanthus, clensing Domedes stables, killing the Centaures, and such toilsome works, Ouid Me­tam. that his taske-mistresse Iuno was faine to crie out, Defes­sa sum iubendo, and yet for all this was conquered by lust, and made spinne on a rocke by Omphila, with womens garments.

So that by this we may see, that it is more diffi­cill to quench the raging lust of concupiscence, and chase away the corruption of nature, then to do these wonderfull labours. Which thing Cicero in his Ora­tion Pro Marcello dooth well remember, speaking to [Page] the Emperour: O Caesar (saith hee) thou hast subdued kingdomes, subiected nations, tamed the Barbarians, and brought them vnder the Romaine yoake, and by thy matchlesse and heroicall spirit, hast made the Ca­pitoll ring of thy glorious triumphes: yet notwithstan­ding, to beate downe ambition, to bridle furie, to tem­per iustice with mercie, to be humble in maiestie, and conquer the vnruly passion of the minde, hee that can do this, Non ego eum cum summis viris comparo, sed similli­mum deo iudico. I do not onely compare him with the best men, but I thinke him rather a God.

By this it is manifest, that this Annarchie, this rebel­lion that is in nature, cannot so easily bee bridled and kept from rushing into disorder, but by execution of lawes: and to this ende is the Magistrate set vp, and the sword of Iustice held out, to tame the vnrulinesse of na­ture.

Now therefore the whole felicitie of man stan­deth in temperance, and in quelling those boyling lusts that set themselues against the noblenesse of Ver­tue.

Epictetus giueth two rules, to beare, and forbeare; by the first, patiently to beare aduersitie, and the bitternesse of Fortune: by the second to flye concupiscence, and abstaine from the will of the flesh; and these are the two pathes leading to Vertue. To conclude, there is no true ioy without Vertue, this is perfect honour & true nobili­tie: she offereth herself freely to euery man, she denieth none, but is open and ready to all that will seeke her, and doth neither require house, land, orworldly wealth, but is content with a poore naked man: and there­fore seeing that all is vaine without her, it is a shame [Page] to desire glory by riches or birth, and not rather deserue it by his owne vertue. For he that is therewith possest, is famous in earth, glorious in the graue, and immortall in heauen, according to the Poet:

By Vertue the famous Camilli, Fabij, & Scipiones, are mounted vp aboue all earthly weaknesse, & a memorie of their noble vertues cōmēded to posteritie. For there is nothing in this world of so great price, and which causeth more to augment, then the trade of good man­ners. For by this meanes, not onely fathers of families haue taken a domesticke forme of regiment in theyr houses, by good order keeping, but also Kingdomes, Common-wealthes, and publique affaires, doo hereby flourish, and are happily maintained. And for this cause I haue willingly aduentured to moue and stirre the mind therevnto, and that with a zealous affection. And although I haue taken vpon mee a thing very vnfit for [Page] my rude and small vnderstanding, yet I doubt not but the honest and vertuous will gratifie and approuc this my simple endeuour: especially because they more esteeme the preciousnesse of Vertue, then the pompious glorie of Vice: wherein they obserue the counsell of the wise Heathen, who wisheth that no man should despise the simple labor of an other man, especially if he speake good words, and giue no offence to the weake. And this was Platoes diuine institution amongst many other soueraigne decrees, that it is needfull in euery Com­mon-wealth to prescribe and giue order that it be not permitted to any man to publish any thing hee hath composed, except it be first perused and allowed by in­different Iudges therevnto assigned. If this iniunction were duly obserued, so many leaud bookes, vaine pam­phlets, and scurrillous ditties would not so easily passe, neither would idle wits bend themselues to write. For now through the abundance of naughtie bookes, wee are greatly endamaged, for by learning the sound doc­trine of good men, the basest and blindest manner of writers is most-what approued. From this spring or fountaine is risen this mortall and monstrous infection before noted.

Neither is this all, for there is a naturall rebellion, which like a sore runneth ouer the whole body: so that if the ground of the heart be not fallowed and plough­ed vp, and good seede sowne therein, the happinesse and felicitie of man is choked hith weedes, and poyso­ned with Hemplocke, iniquitie hath gotton the vpper hand so farre, that if we looke into the monstrousnesse of sinne in this age, we may see euery abhomination sport it selfe, as though there were no God. Drunken­nesse [Page] is good fellowship. Whoredome and adulteri [...], youthfull prankes: Swearing, the fire of manhood: Hy­poc [...]isie, deceit and cousonage, a common practise. In a word, there be too many whores, too many knaues, too many brothel▪houses, too little labour, too much idlenesse, too many Ale▪houses, too litle loue, too much hate, too little deuotion, and too much hard-hearted Christianitie. But I speake not this to derogate ought from the diligence of any. Neuerthelesse, it were to be wished, that more care were had to execute Iustice on such grieuous malefactors. If I haue done well to note what is amisse, thou shalt doo much better to mend the abuse.

Finally, the consideration of these abuses before na­med, ought to stirre vp both superiour magistrates, and inseriour officers, to aduance Vertue, and reforme Vice: because as the one begetteth most heauenly things in this earthly world: so is the other the ouerthrowe of all happinesse, both here and in the life to come. The Mi­nister of the word therefore is not exempt from this la­bour, for as he is the Phisition of the soule, so is hee to watch ouer the sicke patient; not so much to attendere famae & corpori, as to negligere salutem ecclcsie, to be olde in yeares, and young in knowledge: to couet to be rich in purse, and poore in charitie: to purchase pleasures, build great houses, and shewe no fruites by the sequell and euent that they worthily enioy their dignities: as many do in this age that stand in a spiritual place, are notwith­standing meere temporall men, and so rooted in the [Page] slesh, as they yeeld no fruites at all of the spirit: but they ought for care, conscience, and in a godly zeale, hol­ding sacred places, to labour earnestly and officiously, to suppresse those horrible euils that are so vsuall and commonly practised; that by this, sinne and wicked­nesse may be abolished, the true seruice of God maintained, to his owne glory, the good of his Church, and the happy and peace­able gouernment of this hono­rable Citie.