and desperate conscience is incurable though wee knowe that sin hath infected it Diseases are sildome cured with vvords without mature medicines vvhich while the Physitian museth on but misseth the true cause or royall cures the patient hits the way to heauen before he can agree vpon his ingredients Drunkennesse Who hath to friend a Drunkard hath a foe That with his friend can neither stand nor go DRunkennesse makes men worse then beasts for they doe neuer exceed the measure prescribed by nature but man will not be measured by the rule of his owne reason Drunkennesse and pride are hardly hidden wheÌ„ other wicked actions are many times couered and most times excused Drunkennesse dimmeth the braine dulleth the heart spills the stomack and spoyles the whole body I could say inflameth the stomack burneth the liuer infecteth the breath dazeleth the eyes loosneth the teeth encreaseth the palsy weakneth the ioynts swelleth the flesh and ouerthroweth the perfect temper and sound constitution of man Drunkennesse loues to open the follies of men the shames of women the gates of cities the secrets of Common-wealths the weaknesse of Princes the discoueries of treasons the burnings of incontinencie and the errors of all ages and sexes Drunkennesse is many times cause of madnesse but most times occasions of infirmities for when the interior senses and parts are brought into distemper the exterior are weake in working or worke in disorder Drunkennesse is contrary to all other vices for eyther they leaue vs or we leaue them through wants or age onely drunkennes is made worse with continuance and the older we growe the more beastly we are Drunkennesse bringeth forth shame impudencie and it fareth with men in this vice as with improuident sinners vvho are so farre from repenting themselues that they are sory they haue done no more Which makes me remember a certaine Father who hauing a Sonne giuen ouer to this beastlinesse brought him into the streets to see a drunkard wallowing in the durt and wondred at by many standers by supposing that the lothsomnesse of the sight would haue wrought vpon him the odiousnesse of the example diuerted him from offending But he was so farre from both that hee asked his father where that good wine was vvhich made the man so drunke that hee might goe and take his part Drunkennesse misconstrueth kindnes mistaketh friendship mistearmeth good felowship misuseth Gods creatures despiseth good counsell scorneth assistance forsweareth his owne senses Drunkards sinne against God who forbids the abuse of his good creatures against the poore that want them for their nenessary vses against their owne bodies which they fill with manifold diseases against their own soules which they defile with their swinish sinnes against their whole persons which they turne out of men into beasts and against their eternal saluation if they repent not and forsake not that beastly abhominable custome Drunkennesse makes a wet surfet a full stomack a sodden liuer a drownd soule Drunkennesse puts a Carpenter by his rule a Fencer from his ward a Poet out of his vaine and a Player out of his part Drunkennesse makes the victâ—er rich the rich man poore the poore man a begger the begger a roge a theefe and a murtherer and so the end is a halter Drunkennes as it is beastly so it is remedilesse and maketh the father ashamed of his child and the child carelesse of his father Which brings to my mind a story of a wise man who sending a son to trauell and enformed of his wanton courses resident in a lasciuious citie yet excused the same and hoped of reformation of all till it came to drunkennesse For when he was told of he was fallen into this filthie vice and abominable beazeling O saith hee youth may be wanton and heerafter stayednes may reduce him puft vp with pride that may be moderated by conuersation or religious aduise giuen to gaming either wants or the discouery of falshood may make him leaue it delighted with lechery either age wil tame coole him or an honest wife diuert him he may be carried away with ambition it shewd a noble spirit and some-thing must be gotten by men of worth but when hee is drawen to drunkennes he is to be lamented as vtterly lost without all hope but worse worie Effeminatenesse A man that is a woman ne're considers He is a Peacock all fowle but the feathers EFfeminatnesse hateth exercise is an enemy both to strength and wit when labour perfecteth the vnderstanding and raiseth manhood to a full height Effeminatnesse maketh happinesse but an imagination and then hope is a vveake hold but when vertue and valour builde the house the frame standeth on a good foundation and the workmanship must needs be honourable Effeminatenesse is ridiculous in a Courtier when a young man weares furred bootes dares scarce tread on the ground smelleth of perfumes holds a fanne in his hand to keepe the winde from his face rideth too softly in the streets must alwaies tread on a matted floer Effeminatenes is contemptible in a Knight when hee rideth on a slowe-paced Mule like an old Iudge painteth his face boasteth of wrought night-caps and buskins keepeth his bed because it is cold dares not stirre out of doores because it is durtie and will caâ—e no meat but tender and minced Effeminatenesse is lamentable in a souldier when hee must needs haue a downe-bed to lie vpon a warme wastcoat an oiled gauntlet a sweet shirt a perfumed armor lined greeues and a quilted burgonet Effeminatenesse is vnseemely for a Mariner when he cannot endure a storme girdeth his gowne to worke in is afraid to foule his hands and findeth fault with the smel of the pitch Effeminatenesse is an enemy to good huswiferie when either the man dares not plow because it mizells nor the wife rise for that it is a cold morning Effeminatenesse is a fault of all mothers when their children may not goe to bed without warming the same nor rise till the curtaines be all close nor stirre out of dores till their girdle be aired by the fire nor goe to schoole till they haue their breakfasts Effeminatenesse is the aduersary of health when a young man will not walke without a candle nor stirre but in faire vveather nor ride without a foot-cloth nor daunce without a Mistris nor do or weare any thing but tending to curiosity Eloquence Did I not make the wrong right now then I were an ornament to law-full men ELoquence is the beauty of learning if it proceed from wisedome and in the eare of vertue truth is the best Orator Eloquence that ouerthroweth the speaker is as bad as an ill perfume that poisons the braine Eloquence with beauty maketh nature gracious and wit honourable Eloquence of heathen men hath corrupted the heart of christians but venomous is that breath that poisoneth men in their soules Eloquence of liuely words cannot be expressed in dead lines letters for he that giues
THE RICH CABINET Furnished with varietie OF Excellent discriptions exquisite Charracters witty discourses and delightfull Histories Deuine and Morrall TOGETHER WITH INuectiues against many abuses of the time digested Alphabetically into common places WHEREVNTO IS ANNEXED the Epitome of good manners exttracted from M r. Iohn de la Casa Arch-bishop of Beneuenta LONDON Printed by I. B. for Roger Iackson and are to be sold at his shop neere Fleet Conduit 1616. THE PRINTER To the courteous Readers GENTLEMEN HAuing had the good happe among other aduentures of Presse to Print not long since sundry small fragments full both of honest reuelation for Wit and vseful obseruation for Wisedome fit to please and profit the wel-disposed And perceiuing the same accordingly to haue found generall approbation and applause howbeit I must ingeniously confesse neither so orderly disgested by the Pâ—nne nor so exactly corrected at the Presse by reason of some vnseasonable hast as both the Author and my selfe haue since seriously wished Now therefore at better leasure for your greater delight in reading and ease in finding I haue here with the helpe of a skilfull and industridustrious friend Methodically reduced all into this Rich Cabinet doubly furnished with ample Addition of newe Treasures of diuers kinds which 〈◊〉 you accept no worse then the former I shall bee the more encouraged to endeauour your further content to the vttermost of my facultie So fare you well R. I. ¶ An Alphabeticall Table containing the heades of all the principall matters in this Booke AEfinitie fol. 1 Anger 3 Atheisme 6 Beautie 7 Birth 10 Benefits 11 Couetousnesse 13 Crueltie 15 Courtesie 18 Courtier 19 Clergy 21 Citizen 27 Countrey life 29 Cuckold 31 Death 32 Diseases 35 Drunkennesse 37 Effeminatenesse 39 Elloquence 40 Enuy. 41 Folly 44 Fortune 47 Friends 48 Gentrey 51 God 58 Grauety 61 Honour 63 Humility 65 Hypocrisie 67 Inuection 68 Ignominy 70 Idlenesse 72 Kings 74 Knowledge 76 Knauery 79 Lawes 81 Lechery 83 Loue. 85 Liberty 88 Merchant 89 Man 91 Modestie 9â— Money 94 Negligence 97 No-body 98 Nurture 100 Oeconomick 101 Office 105 Order 107 Oathes 109 Pleasure 111 Poetry 112 Pouerâ—y 113 Player 116 Pride 118 Profit 121 Quietnesse 122 Reason 124 Religion 126 Remembrance 129 Resolution 130 Statesman 132 Scholler 134 Souldier 135 Shifting 137 Singularitie 139 Sinne. 140 Sorrow 141 Temperance 144 Time 146 Traueller 147 Troubles 149 Vanitie 151 Vallour 154 Vertue 855 Warres 157 Wilfulnesse 159 World 160 Woman Whore A Treatise of Manners and behauiors THE RICH CABINET Containing Descriptions Characters Discourses and Histories Diuine and Morall Affinitie This wel may be the weake ones strong defence And stroÌ„g ones weaknes may proceed froÌ„ hence AFfinitie cannot haue greater glory then when the father is wise the children vertuous the brothers kinde the cosins louing and the kinred conformable Affinity is happy where cosins nephewes are well bred and kinde consorts sisters are modest and gracious maidens brothers are naturall and indiuiduall friends children obedient and pleasing to their parents wiues are vertuous and submisse to their husbands and wise and careful to gouerne their housholds Affâ—nity degenerating in honesty is like foule scabs in a faire skinne such Affines brings as much credit comfort to their friends as do lyce in their clothes they are much like of a lousie condition they will cleaue close vnto you while you haue bloud to feede them but if you begin to die or decay they goe from them that breed them Affinity doth sometimes shew a catalogue of kinsmen but a blank of friends For it is not the similitude of titles or names but the resemblance of like true and tender affection and harts wherein the reality of right and naturall affinity consists Affinity of faire words and false hearts are like Tantalus his apples they are euer hanging round about him but he may die for hunger before he shall taste them Or they are like the apples of Sodom that are faire without and dust within Good for nothing but to deceiue hungry passengers who would but cannot feed vpon them Affinity is pleased when the children and childrens children prooue the Parents delight but if vngracious they are more charge then comfort Affinity with needy and penurious friends is like a stemme that hath many suckers or vnder-plants which are still drawing the iuyce away from the great and maine root but themselues neuer bring forth a handful of fruit Affinity hath that priuiledge that in lordly houses and of inheritors there ought to be the haunts of brothers cosins nephews vnckles and all other of his kin bearing good will to their affaires supporting their necessities in such wiâ—e that to them is no houre forbidden or dore shut neuerthelesse there are some brothers cosins and nephewes so tedious in speech so importunate in visiting and so without measure in crauing that they make a man angry and also abhorre them and the remedy to such is to appart their conuersations and succour their necessâ—ties Affinity makes men presume in offences but heere lies the danger when kinsmen fall out indeed they are at deadly food and commonly irreconcileable therefore a care must be had of the occasion and a cunning to contriue a pacification Affinity setteth whole families many times at variance euen to the drawing of strangers to take part but when an attonement is contriued the rest are not only condemned but pay for the mischiefe when a mans bloud returnes and feare of ouerthrowing the whole family keepes malice in restraint Anger Ire's good and bad if good it still doth swell At ill if bâ—d it frets at dooing well ANger is the heat of bloud as feare the defect of nature but in both temperance bringeth men to perfection Anger and Enuy makes the body leane and maâ—erates the minde when it had need of restâ—uâ—ation by rest Anger is sometimes manly as griefe vvith reason is naturall but to be outragious is beastly and to cry childish Anger without discretion turneth into furie and continuing without restraint endeth in sorow Anger vpon good cause is wisâ—dome and against sinne honesty and without sinne holinesse but to braule and swagger is vnciuell Anger without force is like a lustfull Eunuch willing but weak or like a mocked old man that holds vp his staffe but cannot strike in both a man shall show folly in willingnes to hurt and inability to execute Anger bringeth hastie spirits in danger of hurt and when the passion is cooled by consideration repentance followes but if it be too late it is subiect to derision Anger and excesse of meates are great enemies to health For meats doe corrupt the humors and anger consumeth the bones so that if men did not eate ouermuch and would not be ouer-angry there should be little cause to be sick and much lesse of whom to complaine For the whips that do most scourge our miserable life are ordinary excesse and deepe anger Anger made great Alexander like the least part
ended is birth to eternity and a true faith purchaseth felicitie Death is not to be feared when it deliuers from misery 〈◊〉 be refused when it leads to endlesse felâ—â—ity Death of a good 〈◊〉 is the misâ—ry of a good seruant 〈◊〉 of a good father the ioy and reioycing of a reprobate childe but hee is not worthy to liue that is sick of the father Death both vntimely and shamefull is commonly the end of theeues and lechers For thé one furnisheth the hatefull gallowes and the other is commonly finished by lothsome surgery Death vndesired of age sheweth little feeling of grace as youth doth little signe of good nature or breeding that doth not loue and reuerence his elders and betters Death endeth the sorrowes of the righteous and beginneth the miseries of the wicked Deaths musick is sounded when wee beginne the song with sighs end it vvith sobs and keepe time with teares Death belongeth to him that killeth his enemie but hell to him that killeth himselfe Death is one and the same to all how-euer diuerse Nations differd in their seuerall burialls and sepulchers Death amoÌ„gst the Salamines Agarens had an extreame enmity for they were buried with their backs turned one against another so that if in life they were enemies after death they scarce remained friends Death amongst diuerse Nations had as diuerse entertainements For the Hircanes washed their dead friends bodies vvith wine and afterward annointed them with oyle which they kept to eate and drinke The Massagetes drew forth the bloud and did drinke it burying the bodies The Caspians burnt the bodies to ashes which they did afterwards drinke in wine so that the entrailes of the liuing was the sepulcher of the dead The Schithes buried no man without one aliue were ioyned with him which if any friend denied a slaue was bought to maintaine the custome And so in many other Nations according to the seuerall conditions of life they had as many deuises of buriall Yet death is but the priuation of life in all Death of good children woundeth the Parents harts but the life of a wicked wife is the woe and misery of marriage so that in such a case it were better to be honestly dead and worshipfully buried then liue to be continually tormented Death eternall and life abreuiated is the reward of the wicked and damned Death makes an end of all liuing creatures whereas derth destroieth but some kingdomes warres depopulateth but some countries fire coÌ„sumes but some cities Death is so much the more grieuous to the rich by how much they made more account of long life For when a man shall bid his soule to liue at rest what a terror is it to haue it taken from him that night But life is irksome to the miserable because they cannot liue as they should nor die when they would Death of sutes proceeds from denialls and they commonly come by corruption of bribes and delayes are the miâ—eries of hope vnkindnes the scourge of loue and combersomnes the breach of friendship Death and murther are wrought by vnskilfull Physitians and ignorant idle or ill-liuing Ministers the one receiues money to kill the body the other benefices to destroy soules either for want of good Sermons or by corrupt examples of their loose and lewd liues Death is often wrought by meere conceit of a faint heart as the fight of a drawn sword is formidable to a coward Death is sweet to a quiet conscience when life is irkesome to a distempred minde Death that is honorable is farre to be preferred before an ignominious life and life that is vntainted cannot but end with a glorious death in both necessity must preuent disquiet and hope of heereafter good extinguisheth the griefe of present bad Death is no way hurtfull in it selfe but the manner and the cause makes it most irkesome and odious Diseases The minde and body subiect are to sin And so to sicknesse but the worst's within DIseases amongst the Greeks were preuented without physick when they did gather sweet herbes in May were let bloud once a yeere did bathe once euery moneth and also did eate but once a day Diseases torment the flesh as sinne woundeth the soule patience applyed to the one and repentance to the other if applyed in time will preuent destruction Diseases vnfelt of the patient are like sinnes vnthought of by the reprobate Diseases at Ephesus were cured vvithout money or other instruction then their own experience and reading for the tables of medicines were hanged in the temple of Diana for euery man to read and such as had iudgement to practice Diseases are a bridle to the flesh and pull down the pride of lust yet sinnes that infect the soule are farre more dangerous Diseases are not easily and lightly cured when the patient is either inordinate or vnrulie the Physitian ignorant or vnfortunate and the medicine ill compounded or vntimely Diseases that continue are grieuous to nature as wants vnsupplied are wofull to reason Diseases are not cured in one body so soone as in another nor are the same medicines to be applyed to all constitutions alike at all times and vpon the same occasions Diseases most times are bred by gluttonie except such as growe from infirmity and when the appetite is choaked the stomack is made sick whereas hunger beeing orderly fed and nature moderatly supplied preuenteth that distemprature which shall tend to sicknes Diseases of cruelty are the gowt collick toothach stone and strangury but of senselesnesse loue and the lethargie Diseases haue had new names with new times and although in truth they haue been one the same yet are men so subiect to varietie that they must still say It is the new disease haue new physick and entertaine new Doctors Diseases are bred by infectious aire as a venomous tongue may procure death Diseases of the minde are bred by opinion which beguiles vs with a false taste of true happinesse for false opinion leads vs into vaine delight which is indeed the superfluitie of desire and enemy of nature Diseases are not cured without medicine nor fooles made wise without instruction which neglected the one may die in his griefe the other run mad in his folly Diseases are most dangerous that are not preuented betimes for if the bodie be corrupt they pull on still diuerse infirmities so that it many times chanceth that when a Physitian hath healed that disease which he was sent for yet the rest remaining bred by the former procure the ruine of the body Diseases and wounds are of one nature both resemble the conditions of sin for if diseases continue long putrifie they cannot be healed without corasiues and sharp burnings no more can a long sinner and corrupted heart come to heauen without true contrition or repentance troublesome afflictions Diseases weaken the body but sin ruines the soule Diseases of the body may be sometimes cured if the causes be apparant but the torment of a guilty
conclude a merry meeting or to set downe the conditions place and time You shall finde him in the Cock-pit in the vpper ring he offers a Iacobin but at next dangerous blowe layes halfe a crowne if it be sixe to one He can mew or man your hawke enter traine your hound shew you where to hunt when the hounds goe counter how to breake the fault follow the game and lie if not run as fast as the huntsman who if hee call him not vp before day yet of his owne accord hee will rise before dinner Hee layes not many wagers but stands as tightly on his reputation and hath his pedegree as perfect as any man and can readily recount what a royall house-keeper his great grandfather was in euery particular He sowes his crop and carries in his corne with the best expedition But as he neuer lends his neighbour his teeme so is he neither at season sheep-sheere or haruest beholding to any man His rent to his Lord at the due day is neuer vnpaid his houses are neuer in reparations no idlenesse or disorders are euer seene in his seruants He discommends the vanitie and varietie of costly clothes as the foxe did the grapes Hee railes on Vsurers the dearth bribery and corruption of the times He abhors Bayliffes Sergeants and Sheriffes Hee hates collections for any vses He hunts on Sondaies and wrangles for tythes yet he sildome or neuer goeth to law with his neighbours His fences are so good that no mans cattle can come into his ground and his own are so ringed and yoakt and lawde that they neuer trespasse on any other man He is alwaies in pursute of some good widdow but scornes to make his way by base briberie onely the maid shall be made by faire promises and kinde kisses His own mothers maid shall giue her word that he is good for propagation and breed none so good to plant a colony and people a country The dislike of his owne inclines him to seeke better fortunes in other countries and bar stormy winter dry byscuit bread and cold water no man shall trauaile a league further He well approues necessarie warres for those that haue bodies fit for cold and hard beds short commons and sharp swords but onely desperation of meanes driues himselfe to the vvarres yet not vnlesse hee want hart to be hangd at home for taking of purses VVhich should not seeme so by the often quarrels hee entertaines with his inferiors vpon equall hazard of life and lands saue that onely respect of reputation and honour with-holds him from fighting vpon vnequall tearmes with base companions And as for his betters hee is very temperate and discreet in forbearing them and bearing their iniuries who may be his benefactors Hee lesse feares to offend God then his rich idols to whose deitie he offers the incense of all his indeauours being euer superstitiously anxious to delight their eyes tickle their eares obserue their desires sooth their humors second their opinions applaud their speeches picke their thanks by finding and aggrauating the faults of their seruants This weake worthlesse luie must either not liue or lie down or else leane to some substantiall rich oake or other as his sycophant parasite or iester or else as his beadesman or bayliffe to goe afield with victuals to his woaders or weeders to ouerlooke their labours The top of his hope is to attaine to the chamber of some Court-fauourite grand Councellor graue Iudge or great Officer Where beeing soone slypt into his satin sute silke stock treble ruffe and beauer hat he is not long in learning his occupation and the due respects hee is to haue whose cause hee furthers and whom hee admits knowing that the profit of his watchful prouidence heerein will in short time enable him with means to impropriate a prety punk and purchase good lands But if this all other meanes faile why yet with a little labour he would proue a pretie excheator a prowling promooter or a good land-spaniel or setter for a hungry Courtier to smell him out a thousand pound sute for a hundred pound profit But to say the truth the onely ordinarie vocation he is most naturally apt vnto hath dexteritie in that he likes and likes him that he liues by and liues in is the Art of cheating For conclusion this beggerly Gentleman is too proud to be a seruingman to poore to be a Merchant-man too weake to be a husband-man too wastfull to be a tradseman too lazie to be an artificer too idle to be a scholer too tender to be a souldier and yet hath matter in him to make him fit for all this with good moulding in tract of time For full and finall description of this indigent gentleman he is a rationall creature potentially apt for any thing but actually good for nothing A Gentleman without manners is like a custard of addle egges in a siluer coffin which promiseth sweetnesse by his sugered crust 〈◊〉 pâ—ooues vnsauourie and loathsome to the stomack and taste faire to looke on but fulsome to feede on Or if you will An vnmannerly Gentleman is like an vnparboyld pastie of tainted venison which graceth the table and pleaseth the guests as it comes out of the oven but beeing cut vp forth-with fills their noses and offends their stomacks so that that which earâ—â— delighted their eyes doth now loath their appeties It was ill imployed cost of pepper and salt in the seasoning and butter and creame in the crust Right so the out-side of an vnmannerly gentleman seemes an obiect of worth where hee is vnknowne but if you taste him or try him by more neere commerce or inward conuersation you shall finde him for ignorant prating for impudent lying for scornfull scoffing for rude rayling for quaffing and quarrelling for swaggering and swearing for bawdery and blaspheming of so riotous and rotten so contagious and stinking a condition that of all others you may least endure him as the sweetest and best meats once corrupted yeeld of all other the most vnfauourie stinks The first sight of an vnciuill Gentleman is the best the further you see him the better you like him the neerer he comes the worse you brooke him T was all lost was layd out on the education of so costly a caryon To this purpose I remember a story in the time of H. 7. who was ledde after the sedation both of forren and domestick encombrances by the hands of prosperity to the house of a great Maiestie and Honourable wealth insomuch that the Court encreased to statelinesâ—e the Citie prospered the Country thriued and all sorts of people thought it the greatest glory to liue in the florishingest showe wherevpon it is recorded that a husbandmans sonne hauing been imploied in some seruices vvhere example had raised his spirits to immitation demaunded of the King as a recompence to be made a Gentleman The King neither angry nor pleased quickly dispatched him with this answere he could not For though
to heare of other mens faults and ouer-sights then of their vertues Inuections need small oratory for to rayle on a man bitter words are quickly found when to commend vertues the sweetest phrases are hardly belieued Inuections are not accepted at all times alike for in a setled State libels passe as Pasquills but in a time of innouation or confusion they are dangerous in themselues and perilous to the author Inuections may be both waies matters of policie and both waies dangerous especially in millitarie affaires Thus did the explorators of the land of Canaan terrifie the Iewes thus did Caleb and Ioshua comfort their bretheren Inuections are meerely wicked that depraue praue the good when they merit vvell extenuate their worth when they deserue farre better and of a mole-hill of imperfections make a mountaine of transgressions But if he be cursed that remooueth the marke of his neighbours land surely he must needs be accursed that killeth him oliue and taketh away his good name Inâ—â—ctions are so far from the rules of vertuâ—â— that whereas humanity pardons iniurieâ— these will not remember good turns nay from an ingratefull mind they repine at small ones and take the best but of dutie and necessitie Inuections are commonly taken in ill part may briefely be defined to be a too too vehement rebuking of others when vvee are more faultie our selues Inuections without cause are in a foole ridiculous in a Diuine irreligious in a great man ignominious in an officer malicious in a meane man dangerous in a wise man vngracious and in all men vnworthy of commendation or allowance Inuections with cause must bee moderated against superiors mittigated against inferiors sparing against equalls and confined vvithin the borders of charitie toward all Inuections are vnhappy ratings when men shall be told of their faults in publique that may otherwise be reprehended ciuilly in priuate this way good aduise doth many times make the wicked worse and and so the fault remaines with the shame and the very best are rather obstinat then reclaimed Ignominy The feare of me diueâ—â—s all gentle mindes Thogh high in state to liue like honor'd Hinds IGnominy is due to those that hold the place of iustice when Clyents are made miserable by the delay of Courts and partiallity of Iudges Ignominy followeth sudden falls which if it be from dignitie is the anguish of the hart from wealth the griefe of the mind but from 〈◊〉 death of the soule Ignominy â—â—â—llâ—ame may well be comparâ—d to a glasse that is crackt vvhich without great circumspection cannot be preserued but once broken can neuer be recouered Ignominy followeth seuerall men in seuerall sinnes and is the more hainous by how much more their offences are vnnaturall as for a Diuine to be an hypocrite a Musitian mercenary a rich man a theefe an old man lecherous a young man impudent a matron vnmannerly a vvife a gadder abroad a Prince couetous a noble man proud a gentleman seruile a scholer ignorant an officer vaine-glorious and a graue man a great talker Ignominy is the shame of dignitie when honour is the grace of vertue Ignominy was so fearefull to the Romans that they haue chosen rather to die honorably then liue infamously nay many of them meerely to auoide shame and open opprobry haue slaine themselues with their owne hands Ignominy must be auoided in our liues as a Gentleman must not consent to dishonorable actions for 〈…〉 no not pouertie it selfe or else we â—annot preuent it 〈◊〉 death For hee that â—ared to bee ◠〈◊〉 traytor or committer of seruile crimes must looke to haue his actions registred on record and his infamy left to posteritie Ignominy is no other then a feareful shame for some base and degenerating courses taken in our liues as when a noble man is auaricious cruell vnciuell a receiuer of bribes and scornfull a souldier to begge or pilfer a gentleman to proue a pandor and such like In all which the great man must not presume on his power nor the meane man be desperat of his pouerty Ignominy or reproach done to noble Captaines stirre vp reuenge and is not pacified without bloud Thus was Narsetes reuenged on the Empresse Sophia many others despighted with scorn taunts incited to strange courses to reintegrate their honours The former story is thus When Narsetes gouerned the Western Prouices for the Emperor Iustinian and had been famous for many noble exploits his enuiers suggested that he ambitiously sought the Empire whereupon hee was enforced to passe from Rome into Asia where appearing before the Empresse Sophia shee thus taunted and defamed him Sith thou Narsetes art lesse then a man halfe a woman beeing an Eunuch I commaund thee leaue the gouernment of the Empire and get vp to weaue where my maidens knit caules Which words made so forcible impression that hee changed countenance the teares brake from his eyes and his choler thus vented his griefe Serene Princesse I would you should chastise me as a Lady but not defame me like a woman It grieues me not so much for that you haue said as the occasion you haue giuen mee to make you answere I therefore presently depart for Italy but to weaue knit and frame such a toile as neither thou maist comprehend nor thy husband vndoe Ignominy is neuer more aggrauated then when women are cruell which should be pittifull nor more deserued then vvhen subiects are disloiall who ought to be faithfull Ignominy is like an Adder in a path from whose very sight a man would start back but not be tainted with the poyson vpon any condition Ignominy maketh taunts so fearefull that euen mean men haue answered great Emperors distastingly to saue their reputation As when Alexander the great reproached Cleâ—nidus the pirat for a thiefe rouer It is true great Prince said he because I rob but with one or two ships I am therfore defamed but thou that fillest the Hellespont with mighty nauies art therefore a mighty Emperour and Monarch of the world Thus againe was the Lady Mary of Padilia reproued for her ambition and treason when the commons reuolted in time of Charles the 5. Emperor in Spaine If histories deceiue vs not saith the author Mamea was proud Medea cruell Martia enuious Popilia vnchast Mirrha malicious and Domitiâ— rash But I haue read of none that hath been disloyall and a traytresse but your Ladiship Ignominy is worse then blowes for they punish but for a time or at most our life time but shame and reproach continueth after death yea maketh our posterity dishonourable by our vile conditions or base proceedings Idlenesse With monstrous births I commonly do burst Of shame diseases pennury and lust IDlenesse will rather begge then vvoâ—ke and then correction is needful but when the rich will starue the poore the plague is a good scourge of a Common-wealth Idlenesse is an enemy to Honor and sloth bringeth pride to pouertie Idlenesse cares for nothing maketh men gracelesse and ioyned
that are wel gotten make good magistrates to releeue the widow and fatherlesse but hee that oppresseth them is both vnworthy of any office and to be punished for example of iniustice to others in like place Offices obtained by corruption make the prosperity and posterity that get them vnhappy because euil is vnpunished malice couered iustice hindred vice nourished and the inward enemies of our soules so strengthned against the vertues or our mindes that they are either so weakened that they cannot shew forth their efficacy or so vtterly banished that they sildome returne to their natiue country Offices are commonly a way for the Prince to know the condition of the subiects for as the touchstone trieth currant and counterfet mettals so doth the integritie or iniquitie vsed in offices try the disposition of magistrates and by them the opinion and conuersation of the subiect For good Princes make good lawes good lawes raise good magistrates good magistrates ouer-see good executions and good execution detaineth the inferior sort in obedience and loyaltie to supreame authoritie in loue to the country in due respect to their betters curtesie to equalls humanitie toward inferiors and charitie to all of all sorts Offices are still subiect to this error that such as should obtaine them by order of place are commonly shut out by fauour or reward insomuch that Princes cannot sometime eate or sleepe in quiet for such suters as are euer begging and buzzing in their eares Which makes me remember a story of Alphonsus King of Naples who being at supper and hauing on either hand some or other to whisper in his eare about the obtaining some office of honourable or profitable place suddenly with a loude voyce cryed out O how happy are the very asses that trauaile with their burthens for when they are at their bait their maisters let them feede quietly which you see Kings cannot doe Officers ought to looke into causes not persons that power may not oppresse misery nor pitie hinder iustice to the hurt of any Officers and Magistrates are to knowe that mercy without remisnesse seueritie without tyranny zeale without hypocrisie iustice without extremitie and pitie without partialitie not onely conserue Common-wealths but augment the reputation of particular offices Offices abused by wicked magistrates make the rich murmure the poore cry out the widowe wring her handes the orphan shed teares the souldier mutiney the schoâ—er complaine and all sortes repine Officers that bee good may bee subiect to some imperfections and then knowing their infirmities they must rather with an humble lenity draw others from their errors then with a rough tyrannie make them destitute of hopes and more dissolute in manners Officers that are wise are the pillers of State as a gracious Prince is the ioy of his subiects Officers that are wicked sometimes do wel to gaine fame like healing witches that would be thought charitable and do that they doe meerly by delusion to obtaine an honest reputation Officers corrupted haue commonly euill eyes dissembling tongues hypocriticall harts open hands close feet For they will sit still for their owne profits but sildome take paines to help others Officers thinking of nothing but gaine forget to enioy what they haue already got with labour and paine Offices obtained by money and not to be continued long in probabilitie make the possessors the more greedy to enrich themselues Offices bestowed by Princes in court against ancient custome and commendable order make the Courtiers to murmur saying The Prince doth not consider the Councell doth not dispatch the Paymasters delay the Parasites beare sway the Bishops be not residents the Secretaries haue priuate pensions Iustices take bribes the officers compound for duties the gentlemen play the vnthriâ—ts the husbandmen that drudge for all are beggers Officers ought to be thankfull to God and pittifull to men for God hateth the sinne of ingratitude the poore doth reuenge iniuries with teares Officers in the administration of iustice are gouerned by learning and wisedome for learning to giue sentence prudence to gouerne both which are two such properties as many desire but few obtaine Offices amongst martiall men are bestowed by order of discipline and knowledge in the warres otherwise shall the vnexperienced hazard the businesse in hand and giue the whole Campe cause to repine and repent Yet many times the fauor of Generals may be iustifiable in the preferment of younger souldiers who may be of greater merit then their elders Officers that get to preferment with intent of priuat profit are not onely voyde of good counsell but continue therein to their greater scandall the dishonour of the bestower the infamy of the procurer the feare of good men and fall of good order Order The heauen 's without me would confused rest But with me bell may well receiue the blest ORder framed the world â—etled the heauens proportioned the motions of the Sunne Moone and Starres in their seasons embelished the earth with infinite varieties of flowers and fruits in their seasonable times limited the seas with banks and bounds and fet an orderly course in all creatures Where onely Hell is full of confusions horrours and vtter disorders Order but a little neglected makes a small errour to growe greater as a little spark ill raked vp kindles a great fire and a little foule filthy water marres the wholâ—â—ot of pottage howsoeuer the Cooke be his crafts master Order teacheth vs that an ill fauoured face a wicked nature a horrible life and execrable death doe commonly accompany one another The first is vgly the second hatefull the third fearefull and the fourth damnable Order teacheth the Iudge to summon the parties in question to appoint a day of hearing to giue eare to both sides to examine the particulars to certifie the iurors to open the truth to receiue the verdict and giue the sentence For as a carpenter by his axe and rule squareth and proportioneth his timber so in deciding of causes impertinent points are to be pared ambiguities sifted shyfts examined the truth discouered and so the cause orderly and truly decided Order maketh the eye though neuer so little see many things and that a far off one after another Order setteleth the maiestie of a Kings palace and quieteth the ambitious spirits of noble men who from order and princely direction knowe how to take their place without repining whereas if the offices in diuers mens hands are disposed without orderly rules there must needs be vnorderly proceedings in the duties that belong to their seuerall places Order in proceeding keepeth a hote braine from running into any extreame vvhereby the whole work may bee ouerthrown Whereas the minde is setled the body accommodated the hand ruled the worke perfected the workman commended Order marshalleth a feast appointeth the banquet disheth the meat placeth the dishes setteth the guests soundeth the musick and sets euery ones teeth on worke in his seuerall rank Order maketh the Physition famous by preparing the body
recompenced wherein a Gentleman should not be seene for it cannot be otherwise then a lye and a man cannot honestly make a lie nor seeke by vertuous courses to pleasure himselfe by the hurt of another Duty But ceremonies of dutie are not to bee left according to the ciuell custome of the place and therefore we say you and not thou to men of good sort so in the rest we must seeke to please others as well as our selues although sometimes we can yeeld no probable reason for the sam◠〈◊〉 we doe in the lawes of Princes which 〈◊〉 not presume to alter till they in 〈◊〉 thinke them meâ—t to be repealed 〈◊〉 at because custome alloweth those salutings of curtesy by tearme of kissing your hand I am your seruant and such like as they doe in Italy they are not to be left neither in writing nor speaking as for that harsh imitation of example of long former times it is no more to be practised then to send vs to eate akorns because in the beginning of barbarisme we did so Vanity We must not be touched with ceremonies of vanity or pride wherin custome of conntries is to be obserued for what is conuenieÌ„t at Naples being a City of Nobles and Gentlemen is not so requisite in Florence and Leuca places consisting of Merchants and inferior degrees as also because in Veniâ—â— there is an extraordinary kinde of kissing and saluting one another by reason of pleasing one another in giuing their baâ—es and consents for offices yet must not euery City or Towne 〈◊〉 like Combersomenesse Ceremonies are also to be restrained that breed coÌ„bersomnes wherin the circumstaÌ„ce of time age and condition must be respected for a Iudge need not vse such humility as another an old man as a young a country-man as a courtier a seruant as a stranger and diuers others for where men exspect a duty they care for no ceremonies and where they respect them they are also tied to decencies for as curtesy and humility are gracefull euen to inferiors so too much affectation and foppish motions tenâ— to flattery and make vs mocked with the titles of double diligence Booke Ceremonies For when men are cunningly courted they are weary of it disdaine it and herein is great reason because these glauering fellowes doe thereby shew that they estimate the party as a vaine and arrogant person or a simple and shallow-witted gull we must therefore take heed of Booke Ceremonies which in Spaine of all other places are vsed yea euen to the selling of them for money and obseruing how this man must bee spoken vnto that Nobleman saluted that Lord exalted that woman magnified c. So that nothing passeth without prescription which when ignorant men haue got once they practice with immoderate basenesse folly and cowâ—rdise Slandering Quarrelling and Wrangling We must not slander or depraue another mans doings no nor repine at our neighbors prosperity for therein we shall imitate the Oxe that goreth with his hornes or striketh with his feet All quarrelling wrangling and ouerthwarting must be auoided for as in a combat the victory is the principall end of the fight so in verball contentions wee endeuor to seeme to be in the right and preuaile as more iudicious then another so that the gaining the cause in trifling matters doth many times loose the loue of a faithfull friend for who will be acquainted with such that euery houre are contentious and giue vs cause rather to stand vppon our guard to preuent a quarrell then to desire conuersation to maintaine our delight and contentment Counselling and Reprouing We must be carefull how and whom we goe about to counsell or reproue for commonly it proceeds from self loue and pride that we are wiser then they yea sometimes it seemeth a checke to him for his ignorance and folly so that this intermâ—dling with other folkes businesse is a dangerous matter for hee that counselleth hath euer a good conceit of himself and an ill opinion against the other and he that reproueth others seemeth as though hee had no faults of his owne Scoffes and Scornes We must not scorn or scoffe at any man for it is a greater signe of contempt disdaine to scorne a man then to do him an open wrong For as much as wrongs may be done either of choller or of some couetous mind or other and the nature and effect of a scorne is properly to take a contentation and pleasure to doe another shame and villany though it doe our selues no good in the world therefore we must neither reproue the blemishes of nature in other men nor make a sport to counterfet their imperfections although there bee some difference betweene a scoffe and a mocke as that a scorne sheweth alway despight and a mocke may be done in pastime yet must a Gent auoide both the one and other or at least be limited in his mirth that it turne not to shaming the party and so may be counted as ill as a scorne or depriuaâ—ion For it many times chanceth that in boording and iesting one takes in sport the other strikes againe in earnest so that a mocke is no better then a deceit and he that seekes to purchase good will and be well thought on must not make himselfe cunning in mockes and iests and yet a pretty fashion of mirth is sometimes maintained from pleasant iests and conceits and a good wit is both commendable and allowable but herein must be a great gouernment and moderation because it cannot be good to iest in matters of weight and much lesse in matters of shame Againe where it is out of time for to laugh there to vse any iests or dalliance it hath a very cold grace besides iests must bite the hearers like a sheepe and not like a dogge for if it pinch as the bite of a dogge it shall be no more a iest but a wrong so then iests be no other things but deceits and deceit cannot be wrought but of men that haue fine and ready wits and very pleasant For to iest or taunt is not currant with euery man that will but onely with them that can Counterfetting Discourse at large We must not for other mens pleasures dishonest and dishonor our selues as to counterfet to bee fooles and vnsauery dolts nor talke at randome with farre fetch discourses and absurd relations onely as I said before a man may bee merry conceited and vse a pleasant liberty in speech amongst his equals as also vpon occasion discourse at large with well disposed speeches vttered to purpose concerning the trauels of forren places or the Hâ—story of Liues or the relation of troubles or such like circumstantiall matter wherein it behoues them to vse proper names and not to change them after but aboue all not to say any thing which vnsaid in silence would make the tale pleasant enough and peraduenture glue it a better grace to leaue it out yet sometimes men may dispose and order their tale first