FOrtitude is one of the ele­ven morall vertues, of which there bee three sorts, there is Fortitude or Valour, which consists of rashnesse, which is to run wilfully upon danger, ha­ving no possibility to be a conqueror.

Then there is an inforced Valour, which is, when a man must either kill or be killed.

Lastly, there is a temperate Valour, those men which are indued with this sort of Va­lour, will neither give occasion to make abuse, neither will they take abuse, but are ready at all points to defend their King, Country and their owne persons, which is the onely true Valour; the other two sorts, though tearmed so, yet are not, but rather seeme to proceed from the loynes of cowardise; for to be truly valiant, is to be truly venturous, for as I said [Page] before, that Fortitude is a vertue, and by ver­tue comes goodnesse, wherefore conse­quently to be vailiant, is to be good.

Then let all admire the goodnesse of that most honourable Knight Sir Kenelme Digby, which proceeded from his Valour, as I shall now declare.

It is scarce unknowne to any how that he was exiled from his native soile England, which made him oftentimes thus to cry out,

‘Hei mihi quod Domino non licet ire meo’, woe is me, because it is unlawfull for me to see my Master (his King:) he kept his residence nigh to the Court of France, where hee was not lesse respected for the report of his former valour, then for the present affability and curtesie which he shewed to all men; ‘Omni so­lū sapienti patria est’, to a wise man every coun­try is to him as his owne native Country; but as the quietest of men sometimes have occasi­on for strife, so did it fall out with this worthy Knight.

It was his chance to bee envited by a Lord of France to dine with him, whither he went accompained with those servants he had; very merry they all were for a certaine space, at l [...]ngth they fell to drinking of healths to cer­taine Kings, as to the King of France, the King of Spaine, the King of Portugall, and divers others, but in the conclusion, the Lord [Page] which [...]nvited Sir Kenelme Digby to dinner, presumptuously beganne a health to the ar­rants coward in the world, directing the cup unto Sir Kenelme, who asked the Lord so soone as he had drunke whom that was hee did so tearme, hee bid him pledge the health and he should know, which he did; then an­swered the French Lord, I meant your King of England, at which the good Knight see­med very much discontent, knowing in what nature his Soveraigne was wronged, yet ve­ry wisely did hee seeme to passe it by untill dinner being ended, then did hee desire the same Lord the next day to come and dine with him, who promised him upon his ho­nour that he would.

The next day Titan being in his greatest pompe, unto Sir Kenelmes lodging this Lord came, who had entertainement befitting his place, neither did Sir Kenelme seeme to re­member the former daies discontent, but was very frolicke and merry, and in the midst of dinner time desired them all to be bare for he would beginne a health to the bravest King in the world; the French Lord asked whom that was, Sir Kenelme made answer that when it had gone about he should know; well, about it went, and then Sir Kenelme said that it was the health of the bravest King in the world, which is the King of England my roy­all [Page] Master, for although my body bee ba­nished from him, yet is my heart loyally linckt: the French Lord at those words see­med to laugh, repeating the same words be­fore mentioned, then was Sir Kenelme throughly moved in the behalfe of our Sove­raigne King Charles, whereupon he whispe­red the Lord in the eare, telling of him how that twice he had reviled the best King in the world in the hearing of mee which am his faithfull subject, wherefore for satisfaction, I require a single combate of you, where either you shall pay your life for your sawcinesse, or I will sacrifice mine in the behalfe of my King: The French Lord being of a resolute spirit, condescended to fight, the place was appointed, dinner being ended, they both a­rise from table and privately went together, being in field, off they pluckt their doublets, and out they drew their weapons.

Mars would have bashfull beene to have seene himselfe by Noble Digby there excel­led, long worke with the contemptible French Lord, he would not make, for feare lest any should lye in ambush and so he might hazard his owne life, wherefore in foure bouts hee ranne his rapier into the French Lords brest till it came out of his throate a­gaine, which so soone as he had done, away hee fled to the Court of France, and made all [Page] knowne to the King thereof, who said the proudest Lord in France should not dare to revile his brother King.

A guard was pesently chosen to conduct Sir Kenelme unto Flanders, which they did, where he tooke shipping for England, where he now is, where in peace and quietnesse may he still remaine.

As for the French Lord hee was paid ac­cording to his desert, and may all bee so re­warded which shall dare to revile the Lords anointed, who suffers by other Nations, for the clemency hee hath shewne to his owne Nation, ‘Sed beati sunt pacifici’, but blessed is the peace maker; good King for thy patience in this world there are Crownes of immortall glory laid in store for thee in the world to come, there shall not traitors dare to shew their faces, nor shall perplexity proceed from the great care of ruling of a Kingdome, in the meane while may more such Noble Digbies encrease, to rebuke all cursing Achitophels, and reviling Rabshakey's.

Let God arise and then shall the enemies of our gracious King bee sure to bee scat­tered.