IN Taverns and in other meeting places, when mat­ters of Consequence fell to be the Subject of Dis­course, it was formerly a custome to say, be it spo­ken under the Rose; but now when discord hath made mens tongues wrangle and jangle, it will be good for every one in the heat of their Arguments and Dis­courses to stay the claper of their conceits, with this old Proverb, fit to be applyed for these times, namely, vir sapit qui pauca loquitur.

For what has every one to do to be a censurer of his brother, we raise up ridiculous reports of Round-heads, and they undergo this mocking Character in the judg­ment of the Cavaliers, that they are a company of thick skul'd fellowes, who are the Idolaters of ignorance, and love to be factious; well, admit they would have no Service, but call it porridge, and think it to be no suttle brain to compose their entoxicated opinions; Suppose they cannot endure to see a Crosse, but will start & run back from it! Alas, they love good Coyn both in Gold and silver, though the impression and figure of a Crosse be stamp'd theron must I when I am tottering upon the Ale bench, and the Divell like a fly dancing about the candle, while every thing appears like a blew fogg or mist about me; must I or any one needs cast up our ma­lice [Page] in rayling against Round-heads, no, no, vir sapit qui pauca loquittur, it is a good Motto fit to be learnt of old and young, to shew them how to rule their tongue; for in this Age, the man is wise that few words speaks.

Now what sayes the Round-heads againe of the Ca­valeer, but that in regard of their long haire they may be said to weare a horses tayle, that they are nothing but the desperate sonnes of furious faction and fawning favour, and that they are very busie and daring in most places, and especially in the North, but whether this be true or not, vir sapit qui pauca [...]oquitur, hee is wise that speaketh few words.

As for Clergie men, it may bee they were faulty, perhaps they had more Religion in their habits and Hoods, than they had in their hearts, I have knowne many a Dunce has got a Benefice, while the better Scholler has read prayers; and besides some of that coat were most compleatly proud, and some of them h [...]ve, as it is generally knowne, preacht in the Pulpit like Players on the Stage, only to get themselves rich wives, but I need not pick holes in their coates, some poore Schollers Cassocks and cloakes are thread-bare enough already, and therefore, Vir sapit qui pauca lo­quitur, he is wise that speakes few words.

But there was never such a confusion of babling and pro and conning or cunning, you shall not finde three men agree in one opinion, but now they talke of the King, and then of the Parliament, as it happens and chan [...]es, and conclude with prayets for both; but let discreet knowing judgements meddle with their Mar­kets, and not with State matters, let them talke and thinke with reverence of the King and his gteat Coun­sell the Parliament, ever praying for the prosperity of both, and the tranquility and peace of the Kingdome, vir sapit qui pauca loquitur, few words are wisest in all [Page] matters. Suppose I see a woman and her husband fal­ling out together, she scoulds and rayles upon him, calls him Rogue and Rascall, the people they passe by and none give them a word, perhaps he's a drunken Cuck­old that spends at the Ale-house that which should maintaine his wife and children, and shee playes the light huswife and gives him monstrous hornes; will any one therefore be so foolish to speake what hee thinkes, and call his next Neighbour Knave, and h [...]s wife Whore; no, no, vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. Some againe talke of the Irish Warres, and they imagine the Rebels are all conquered, others suppose that the bu­sinesse slowly forward, and that there is a malignant party at home, and that there are more Counsellours then those of the Law, but mum there, vir s [...]pit qui pauca loquitur, fewest words are safest and wisest.

Pride is growne so rampant, that the Devils is tired with inventing new fashions, come to a great man as a distressed sonne of the Muses, and his Porter will al­most frowne you out of the Hall, at last if your Booke be preferr'd to fall into the Lords Lands, you shall be bound [...]o pray for his Honours halfe peece of bo [...]ntie, bestow'd on your outside in p [...]tty of your case while a Whore shall have her whole pieces for a wo [...]ke of one houres performance, but vir sapit qui pauca loquitur. But where are your Lawyers now with their suits lon­ger and more tedious than their Gownes, there was so much bribery in their practises, so much colourable deceit in their Councels, and such jugling of convey­ances under hand to defraud the true Heire, so that now if they were all turnd into Rookes they might live in some great Wood, for the Land has cast them up, and will be cheated no more by such fire-brands of diss [...]n­tion, that eate up the poore like bead, but vir sapit qui pauca loquitur, few words are wisest and best.

There was a Maid-servant cal'd Faith, and she was turn'd out of service, and I think Faith is turn'd out of a great many houses into the street; for the Divels have an intellectuall Faith, but no cordiall and spirituall Be­liefe, so that these seeming Fideans and Believers, are but white Divels.

There was a Letter brought to a Gentleman tother day, that contained merry News, good News, and true News: the merry News was, that the Yorkshire Maids have put down many of your Gallants at their own wea­pons, and that there are more wenches with child than ever was knowne in those Countries: But what was the true and good Newes? it was neither concerning this or that businesse, but onely of two Cheeses that a friend of his certified him he had sent him up by the Carrier, and there was no harme in all this, for, Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur.

Now as for Hull it is a strong Towne well seated and well victualled, it is strong in two respects; both for scituation and Munition, and stronger fort he sent of pitch and tarre that comes from the shippes, and it may also be said to be strong, because there is good strong drinke and wine therein, but for other matters, Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur, the man is wise that speaks few words.

As concerning a Declaration, it is an expression of the mind and thoughts, by word and writing, as a De­claration at Law is an expression of wrongs and grie­vances: A Love-letter is a kind of Declaration, wher­in he maketh knowne to his sweet-heart by the pre­sent contents of his Letter, that he is bound unto her in the utmost obligation of love and affection, but to speak of that or this Declaration of supreame and high con­sequence, [Page] vir sapit qui pauca loquitur, hee's wise that speakes few words: There's no harme in all this, were it not a mad thing for a man to burne his lippes with supping hot pottage, to talke or write himselfe into prison, as the notable Tub-Lectures the right unworthy Mr. Walker the Ironmonger hath done, and make the Proverbe true:

There have been other praters and railers, who have got nothing but to be tyed up like Mastiffe Dogges for barking, some against one person, some against an o [...]he [...] and some at their owne shaddowes, such vehement spirits are fit to be confin'd, for they would bring all to ruine, could their power be as unbounded as their ma­lice is; but they and all such may learne, vir sapit qui pauca loquitur, he's wisest that speakes fewest words.

There are another company of ignorant spirits that know not what Militia or Anarchy is, and yet they apprehend them as fearefull notions, and will talke as farre from the purpose as a blinde mans Arrow flyes from the marke, and all their Argument is their owne weake foolish opinion, these talke of matters at Bake­houses, Barbers shops, and Ale-houses, and especially women, for they will hold a thing stiffely by the end, especially when it comes within the compasse of their capacitie, but v [...]r sapi [...] qui p [...]uca loqu [...]tur▪ the man is wise that speaketh few words; but where the woman is that speakes few words, is hard to be found, unlesse she be asleepe, or laid in her grave; let women there­fore talke as they are, like Parrets of Religion, of Bi­shops, of the Service of the Church, and the govern­ment thereof, let them praise Tom Brownist, and Timo­thy Troublesome his companion L [...]cturer, and let them talke of newes from Yorke, from Ireland, and tell newes [Page] without booke to exercise their tongues, which can never lye still no more then their tayles: But let men speake with gravity of matters of Religion and Piety, let them speake nihil nisi bonum de principibus, & de Parliamento, nothing but good of the King and the Parliament, and let them think on this Caveat in their Discourse, Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur.