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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20947	Heraclitus: or, Meditations vpon the misery of mankinde, and the vanitie of humane life with the inconstancie of worldly things; as also the wickednesse of this deceitfull age described. Faithfully translated out of the last edition written in French by that learned diuine, Monsieur Du Moulin By Abraham Darcie.; Héraclite; ou, De la vanité et misère de la vie humaine. English	Du Moulin, Pierre, 1568-1658.; Darcie, Abraham, fl. 1625.	1624 (1624)	STC 7326; ESTC S115746	58,947	176

other mortall creatures Kings are most liberally prouided for for what maketh man appeare more happy in this world then Goods Honors Dignities and Rule licence to doe good or euill without controulement power to exercise liberalitie and all kinde of pleasure as well of the body as of the minde all that may be wished for to the contentation of Man either in varietie of meates magnificence in seruice or in vestures to raise at their pleasure the meanest man to high place and with a frowne disgrace the mightiest All which is continually at a Princes command there is nothing that may please the memory or flatter the desires of the flesh but is prepared for them euen from their cradles onely to make their liues more happy and full of felicitie But now if wee iudge of their liues vprightly and weigh them in a true ballance wee shall finde that the selfe-same things that make them happy in this world are the very instruments of vice and the cause of greater sorrowes for what auaile their costly ornaments honorable seruices and delicate meates when that they are in continuall feare to bee poisoned wrong seduced and often beguiled by their seruitors Haue wee not had experience thereof many times Doe not Histories report that some men haue beene poisoned with Pages and with the smoake of Torches Wee may reade likewise of certaine Emperours that durst not lye downe to rest in the night before they had caused their beds to be lyen in and all the corners of their chambers to bee searched lest they should bee strangled or murthered in their sleepes Others that would not permit any Barbers to touch their faces for feare that in trimming of their heads or beards they would cut their throats and yet to this day they are in such feare that they dare not put meat into their mouthes before their taster haue tasted thereof What felicity can a Prince or King haue that hath many thousands of men vnder their gouernment when he must watch for all heare the complaints and cryes of euery one procure euery mans saufeguard prouoke some ●o doe well by liberall gifts and others by terrour feare He must nourish peace amongst his Subiects and defend his Realme against the inuasion of forraine enemies besides many other calamities that are depending vpon a Regall Crowne But now touching the vnhappy states of wicked Princes vnto whom three kindes of people are most agreeable and familiar The first are flatterers which be the chiefe enemies to all vertue and they that impoison their soules with a poison so pestiferous that it is contagious to all the world their Princes folly they call Prudence their crueltie Iustice their wantonnesse Loue their fornications Pleasures and pastimes if they be couetous they call it good husbandry if they be prodigall they call it liberalitie So that there is no vice in a Prince but they cloake it vnder the shadow of some vertue The second sort are such who neuer rest night but in the morning they bring in some new inuention or other how to taxe and draw money from the poore people and generally all their study is imployed to bee wastefull and prodigall in the exactions and misery of the poore Commons The third and last sort are such that vnder the cloake of kindnesse and honestie counterfetting good men haue alwaies their eyes fixed vpon other mens liuings and make themselues reformers of Vices They inuent wicked false deuices not only how to get other mens goods but oftentimes their liues who before God are most innocent Behold heere you may well see the manifold miseries that compasse Scepters and States of Princes Heere are the thornes that they receiue in recompence of their brightnesse and royall dignity which ought like a Lampe to giue light to all the world but when it is eclipsed or darkened with any vice it is more reproachfull in them then in any other priuate person whatsoeuer for they sinne not onely in the fault which they commit but also by the example which they giue The aboundance of honours pleasures that Princes enioy serueth as a bait to induce them to euill and are the very matches to giue fire to vice What was Saul before hee was made King whose life is shewed in the holy Scriptures whom God did elect Yet hee made a sudden eclipse or changing How wonderfull was the beginning of the raigne of King Salomon the which being ouercome with royall pleasures gaue himselfe as a prey to women Of two and twenty Kings of Iudah there is found but fiue or sixe that haue continued in their vertue If we consider the estate of the Assyrians Persians Grecians Egyptians we shall finde more of them wicked then good If we consider what the Romane Emperours were which hath been the most flourishing Cōmon-wealth in the vvorld vvee shall finde them so ouercome with vices and all kinde of cruelties that I doe almost abhortre to speake of their corrupt and defiled liues What was the estate of their Common-wealth before that Scilla and Marius did murmure against it before that Cataline and Catulla did perturbe it before that Caesar and Pompey did slander it before that Augustus and Marcus Antonius did destroy it before that Tiberius and Caligula did defame it before that Domitian and Nero did depraue it For although they made it rich vvith many Kingdomes yet were the vices they brought with them greater then the Kingdomes they gained For their goods and riches are consumed yet their vices remaine vnto this day What memory remaineth of Romulus that founded the Citie of Rome Of Numa Pompilius that erected the Capitoll Of Aurus Marius that compassed it with walles Did not they shew what felicity remaineth in high estates who are more subiect to the assaults of Fortune then any other earthly creature For many times the thred of life breaketh when they thinke least of death and then the infamy of those that bee wicked remaineth written in Histories for a perpetuall memorie thereof The which thing all estates ought more to regard a thousand times then the tongue that speaketh euill which can but shame the liuing but booke record a perpetuall infamie for euer which thing beeing duely considered of by many Emperours Kings in times past forsooke their Scepters and Royall Empires and betooke them to an obscure life resting better contented with a little in quiet then to enioy with full saile the crooked honors of the world CHAP. IIII. The life of Courtiers BVt aboue other vanities and miseries which corruption doth continually attend there doth appeare in Princes Courts a certaine Noble captiuitie where vnder the colour of Greatnesse is the highest Seruitude and those gilded chaines that fetter mens minds He which will liue heere must alwayes be masked and prepared in one houre to conuert himselfe into twenty seuerall shapes to entertaine many seruants but no friends Their innocency is accounted meere simplicitie and to affirme

HERACLITVS OR MEDITATIONS vpon the Misery of Mankinde and the vanitie of Humane life With The inconstancie of worldly Things as also the wickednesse of this deceitfull age described Faithfully translated out of the last Edition written in French by that learned Diuine Monsieur Du Moulin By ABRAHAM DARCIE LONDON Printed by G. P. for Thomas Pauier and are to be sold at his shop in Iuie Lane M.DC.XXIV TO THE ILLVSTRIOVS IOHN Earle of Bridgewater c. And to the Princely Lady FRANCES his Noble Countesse As also to the Honorable Ladies the Lady FRANCES HOBART and the Lady ARABELLA St IOHN their worthy Daughters And to the Honor of the Right Honorable The Lord St IOHN Baron of Bletso the Illustrious Lady ELIZABETH His Noble and Vertuous Wife with their Honorable Sonne Mr St IOHN The Lord HOBART L. Chiefe Iustice of the Common-Pleas and to the Religious Lady his worthy Wife to their Generous vertuous Son Sir IOHN HOBART True Patternes of Vertue and Pietie Noble Patrons and Patronesses of Honor and Learning ABRAHAM DARCIE wisheth to these Noble Families all internall externall and eternall Happinesse and prosperity in Christ Iesus Right Honorable Most Worthy THat great and wise Monarch King SALOMON said long since that there is no end of making Bookes and much studie is a wearinesse of the flesh Which Paradoxe was neuer more verefied then in these degenerate dayes of Vanity when ignorant as well as wise men will bee still writing of themselues whereby the Presse is euen oppressed with multiplicitie of such idle Treatises more light then vanity it selfe But for such Bookes as doe either affoord direction to the Church or a way to reforme and better our Life those are most worthy to bee read and carefully obserued This excellent Worke first penned in French by one of the most learned Diuines in France clearely shewing vs the Vanity Misery and Inconstancie of this World doth warne and admonish vs to take heede how we trust to it and that we must not build our happinesse vpon so deceitfull grounds as Riches and Earthly possessions but to direct our Hearts leuell and lift our mindes and thoughts to HEAVEN to that Eternal and blessed Habitation of CHRIST IESVS Considering these things what greater abomination can there be then to see the people of this miserable age delight to vndoe one another enuie despise curse warre and finally kill one another For a thing so vaine as this World deceitful miserable inconstant and damnable which sometimes honors vs and presently contemnes vs cals vs to high Callings and sodainly debases and degrades vs lifts vs to high prosperity and immediatly flings vs headlong into lowe aduersity Therfore PHILIP King of Macedonia acknowledging the worlds great inconstancie hauing receiued many good newes in one day prayeth the immortall Gods to stop the course of so greatioyes fearing lest some sinister actions and mournefull euents should ensue them Right Honourable this Booke hauing past many Impressions in FRANCE is now arriued newly reuiued and augmented here in England and though it bee little in shew yet it containes many good things yea matters of weight and consequence worthy to bee read knowne and obserued As also very fit and needfull for a Christian to meditate The exquisite worth thereof hath mooued mee to translate it but the fame of your rare vertues hath the more imboldened mee to publish it vnder the banner of your Noble protections Accept it most Honorable as courteously as officiously it is Dedicated and Consecrated to the perpetuall Honour and Honourable vse of your Illustrious Houses and Noble Families by Your Honours and Worthinesse humble and deuoted obseruant ABRAHAM DARCIE A Table of the Contents of this Booke CHAP. 1. THe vanity and misery of the Nature of man fol. 6 CHAP. 2. The vanity and inconstancy of man in his action 10 CHAP. 3. Of mans Ripe Age. 16 CHAP. 4. The life of Courtiers 27 CHAP. 5. The life of Magistrates and wicked Iudges 31 CHAP. 6. Of mans estate being in Wedlocke 36 CHAP. 7. The vanity and inconstancie of Women 42 CHAP. 8. Of Couetousnesse Enuie and Ambition 45 CHAP. 9. Of Petty-fogging strifes and law-contention 53 CHAP. 10. Of Philosophy and the knowledge of diuers tongues 55 CHAP. 11. Of Pilgrims and Ciuill vertues 59 CHAP. 12. Of old and decrepit Age. 77 CHAP. 13. Of Death 69 CHAP. 14. Of the terrible Iudgement seat of God 74 CHAP. 15. Of Heauen 79 CHAP. 16. Of Hell 81 CHAP. 17. The misery and vanity of our Life and the wickednesse that now raigneth HERACLITVS TEARES OR THE MISERY OF HVMANE LIFE WITH The vanity and inconstancie of worldly things IF we doe but seriously consider this besotted World how like a turbulent torrent it is ouerflowne with all sorts of impertinent and importunate affaires which cut our time into a thousand pieces wee shall finde that each of them takes from vs one part of our life leauing vs no time but that which wee gaine by theft subtracting some houres for to examine our selues in secret and to entertain our mind with religious thoughts These solitary meditations haue sufficient in them to employ our wits For the first Subiect which doth present it selfe to our perusall is a consideration of the vanity and misery of humane life not for to molest vs any way while we are in it but to prepare our selues to depart well out of it No man can aspire as hee ought to the future life which doth not contemne this present neither can any man contemne this present which doth not well know it and the way truely to know it is to remoue it farre from vs to withdraw it from our heart and to banish it from our affection For worldly goods beeing neere at hand doe both dazell the Minde and distract the Iudgement But let vs first enquire before we proceede of some one that hath passed this way King Salomon in the beginning of Ecclesiastes entring into that meditation doth write that vanity is most vaine all is vanity That great and mighty King who had riches without example peace without trouble glory without enuy who was obeyed of his Subiects respected of his Neighbors and raigned forty yeeres which was a sufficient time to content his minde in sumptuous buildings in multitude of Horses in all variety of studies and Sciences who had trauersed his spirits through all the secrets of Nature euen from the Cedar vnto the Hysop Neuerthelesse in the conclusion of all considering how these sweets are confected with bitternesse how there is little constancie in these things how there is small content in all this trauell hee makes this the cloze of all his actions That all is vanity and affliction of spirit But before that Solomon had proued these things hee learned that lesson of Dauid his father which is written in the 39. Psalme Truely euery man is nothing but vanity he walketh in a

our selues vpon him The heauen moueth alwayes and yet it is the place of our rest On the contrary the earth resteth alwayes and yet it is the place of our motion The Quadrants and Horologies imitate the motion of heauen but the faith of the beleeuers doth imitate the Rest which is aboue all Vlysses did more esteeme the smoake of his owne house than the flame of anothers How much more then would he esteeme the flame of his owne chimney than the smoake of anothers Wee are heere strangers this is not our house our habitation is in heauen Let vs compare the smoake of this strange house and the darkenesse of the earth with the beauty and splendor of our owne dwelling which is the in Kingdome of heauen Here is the reigne of Satan there the Kingdome of God here is a valley of teares there the height of mirth here wee sowe in sorrow there wee reape in ioy here wee see the light of the Sunne through two little holes which are called the eyes there wee receiue light from God on euery side as if wee were all eyes Therefore because God is all in all to him be honour and glory in this world and in the world to come Amen FINIS ON THE WORTHY NAME OF MY NOBLE and learned Author that excellent Diuine Monsieur PIERRE DV MOVLIN the Mirror of our age PRaise mis-bestow'd on him t' whom none belongs ILl fits the Praised and the Praiser wrongs ERror in praising may the prais'd defame RAising vp worth on an vnworthy Name REst weake-wing'd Muse striue not this worth to raise ELated by its selfe its selfe can praise DV MOVLIN'S worth I meane whose sacred skill VNder ha's brought Romes Champion to his will MY Muse bee mute forbeare his worth t' expresse O! Wrong not that by praise to make it lesse VNto the world's broad Eye what riches rest LOck't in the closet of His pious brest IS cleerely seene and specially appeares NOw more transcendent in 's Heraclits Teares Deuoted to your Vertues ABR DARCIE THE TRANSLATOR TO the vnpartiall Reader all Prosperity ALl is corrupt and naught all eu'ry where BElow high Heau'n Ther 's not a corner Cleare RIch subtill worldlings wise cramd with wealths store ARe but the fooles of Fate exceeding poore HOnor Wealth Beauty Pompe i' th' best degree ARe subiect all to change no State liues free MONARKS nor Kings the glory they liue in DEath shall deface as if th' had neuer bin ATtend faire Vertue then Vice dis-respect REbuild thy sunke foundation Architect CLimbe Heau'n braue spirits let your Teares expell IN faire Repentance showr'd the worst of hell EVer to gaine those Ioyes no tongue can tell FINIS * This Princely Dame is a blest branch of these famous Trees of Honour the most ancient House of Derby and the Noble family of the Spencers * Honorable branches of Honour sprung from the Noble House of Bridgewater * Noble Twigs of vertue issued from the Illustrious family of the Paulets Marquises of Winchester Eccles 12. 12. Pyrrus King of Epirots that valiant and victorious warriour is killed by a silly woman with a tile stone He who had filled the earth with the Trophees of his deedes and triumphs of his victories Alexander of Macedonia that most famous Monarch died impoysoned by his owne seruants The chiefe of the Greekes hauing escaped so many perils in the Troyans warres is cruelly murdered before his Castle Great Pompey hauing shunned the bloudy hand of his enemies is killed by his deare obliged friend That victorious French Monarch Henry of Bourbon the 4. of that name whose inuincible valour made Spaine quake Rome trēble is in time of peace lamentably murdred in his Coach in the midst of his Royall citie of Paris These examples do euidently shew the worlds mutability and inconstancie Eccl. 1. 14. Of Infancy Of Youth Youth compared to yong trees That Kings and Soueraignes are not more free from misery then other inferiour persons The inuenters if new Patents Enuious insatiable Courtiers Wealth inticeth men to sinne New Duels doe adde to one much reputation for as it is a shame for a man to come into the world so they hold it an honour to send him out of it Mens reward for those follies and deboistnesse committed in their Youth Magistrates and wicked Iudges A Notable ad●ertisement for Judges and Magistrates The Author as before craues pardon of all modest Religious and vertuous women whose vertue hee doth honour and reuerence Mat. 15. 36. 6. 27. 1. Tim. 6. Couetousnes the source and originall of all wickednes and abomination Of Enuie that cruell abominable and bloudy vice which doth generaly raigne now in this our degenerate age Of Ambition the cause of our fall and ruine Bernard Ambitiosorum Arcana sunt periculosissima Maledictus superbus est tam impudens voluntartè se separeta Deo Mans felicitie and happinesse doth not depend onely vpon greatnesse and degnity for contentment exceedeth riches Take Fees with both hands gull their Clients and make them like bare-headed Vassals pray and pay soundly for their importunate bawling An excellent Simile The vanity simplicitie and folly of aged men Hee that knowes much and knowes not himselfe knowes nothing Simile Such minds incite whores rather then chaste and vertuous women With good reason S. Austin said That Man pleaseth God the best that circled with beauties in the mids of Princes magnificent Palaces could fly their alluring temptations A notable comparison to confound the folly of men who thinke to auoid temptations by rendring and making themselues Anchorites and Hermites Non quaere-Christus Iesus glariam suam omnia Igitur relinqnere debes etiam te ipsum spernere abnegare vt frauris amicitia Ihesu Christi Simile A pittifull example of Mans Wolfe-like appetite his insatiate desire of riches and vgly terror of deformi●y Than the Day of Death there is nothing more certaine nor nothing vncertaine * Nota. This is weighty to be obserued not ouely of the poore and inferiour persons but more to be apprehended with feare by thē most mighty Soueraignes and greatest men of this world that they may not build their happinesse vpon the deceitfull ground of their riches and transitory possessions Death is a terrour to those ignoble minds whose pride of life makes them weake timerous most vndoubted Cowards to the least obiect Death shal present The Rich vnprofitable Mizerburns in Hell for his Auarice while his sonne in the world dancing a Whore on his Lap sets all prodigally flying Tunc Post vnam voluptatem sequuntur mille dolores Simile Most worthy to be read and considered with terrour and true repentance Ver Aeternum plenisfima delitiarum quam pura es The Maiesty of God in the generall Judgement Day shall be more terrible to the impious Monarks of the earth then either the world on fire round about them Hell gaping to swallow the vgly Fiends to torture or the paines of Hell can affright them Remember Hell t is not a feined but a place most fume most fearefull Poenitentia sera raro vera How Gods incomprehensible Prouidence frustrates the designes of men making their enterprises of no validity Luke 9. 99. Consider the subtilty of Satan and mans sudden ruine Memento decimo sexto die Octobris ●●ilo Antiquo quinto die Octob. slilo Nouo MDCXXIII Of the vaine glory of men most corruptible and transitory The iust reward of Kings proud mounting Fauorites Necessitas non habet legem Of the vanitie of humane thoughts desires and iudgements Idle most vnprofitable thoughts Read Swetons Worke. A true Simile of those that build Castles in the Castles in the ayre A principall and most worthy obseruation The profit of solitarinesse Death terrible to the foole Mans vncertainty where to rest Foolish and vaine desires Despaire animates man to hasten the destruction The strong operation of conceit The vaine and superstious follies of ignorant Idolaters Grosse errors which like a foggy mist blind and confound the sight and sense of men Adherents of the Church of Rome We must not thinke to make with our wealth and worldly riches a composition and truce with Death for Nature requires a tribute at our hands * A Simile worthy of obseruation a Wee are so rooted in this worlds abomination that we prefer a minute of worldly pleasure before heauens euerlasting ioyes incomprehensible and immutable Men ought not to be regarded not respected for their gallant and gorgeous apparell only but more for their vertues Man Iull'd in the Labyrinth of pleasures knowes not how to get out The custome of the world Marriage without loue and meanes breeds the most wofull experience of a miserable life Worldlings most wise in knowing the way to get riches but to seeke after the riches of Heauen dull Animals Omnia sub sole vanitas Happy the man that followes this blest example The world 's a Where full of deceitfulnesse There is no true friendship but among good men very scant in this Age. God in his infinite mercy ruinates the building of sinne in the body to re-build the Soule an euerlasting Mansion in Heauen The Alpes be inexasible high great Mountains which diuide France from Italy Man borne in misery most miserable euen frō his Cradle Mans life assaultod by peril I and eminent dangers No man free from sorrows miseries There is a time pre-ordained for euery thing Humilitie the Queene of Vertues Pride the Princesse of Vice * Belarmine He also by his most excelent and admirable Booke intituled The BVCKLER OF THE FAITH doth vtterly confound the Romane Church And many Iesuites in presuming to dispute with this rare Diuine are put to their Non plus vltra Yea the most famous of thē Mr. Arnoux the Iesuite is put to his Shifts and Euasions