a sencible distraction For sour stomacks vn-acquainted with a new foode refuse it with many raspings So likewise our vnderstanding oppressd with new sudden obiects doth languish and become affrighted being not able to digest thinges in order We shall perceiue a threefold mischiefe which goes inseperate with discontents For they bee ready to seduce our thoughtes our wordes our actions Wee mis esteâ—…me mis condemne mis attempt through discoÌ„tented passions The reason is manifest For Discontent being the coÌ„â—…anion of our thoughts makes them our wordes and actions ruled by that and so become vnpleasing like it selfe Therefore doe Male contents vnder-value merite in their owne opinion Therefore being waspish they detract from worthinesse therefore they dislike or doe condemne bitterly and therefore likewise doe men thus affected vndertake more venturously theÌ„ wisely So that Salust hath obserued well touching the Character of Cattlines adhaerents that they were Homines quos flagitium egâ—…stas aut câ—…nsciu animus exagitabat And questionlesse such men so inwardly bitten with their owne afflictions can finde no leasure in themselues to keepe affinity with others Good Soueraignes therefore louing Parents honest Friends loyall Subiects wise Maisters haue been no Male-contents For being so it is impossible that such a troubled Fountaine should send forth any thing but off ensiue tumults There is nothing more doth make our enimies reioyce then a deiected spirit and nothing more afflicts our soule then to be sensible of their reioycings therefore doth that experienced Prophet Dauid so often wish for a deliuerance from their triumph â—…o often doth hee lament their insultations Infinite are those aduantages which may be had against men discontented As namely secrets may be extorted from and treasons may be infused vnto them It cannot otherwise bee For griefe and sorrow sitting most heauy vpon the vitall partes doe crush mortifie the spirits which failing to conuey a nourishment to the brain it presently growes light and spungy fitted to sucke vpp any new matter and to haue the old squeasd from it And therefore hath a melanâ—…holy spirit some prerogatiue in thiâ—… respect be cause his time of discontent is scarce distinguished from his daily carriage for night is sooner visible in an open Pallace then a smoky Cottage I may propound of sorrowes what Celsus doth of Cole-worts being halfe sodden they are laxatiue but twise sodden they are binding So discontents beeing but slightly apprehended and entertained may bee a meanes sitting to prepare the way for honest applications and to purge security But being suffered long to boâ—…le within vs they doe confirme their owne and also stoppe the passage of other worse corruptions Of Morall and awaâ—…ening Discontents the wise Salomon speâ—…kes when hee resolues positiuely Anger is better then laughter for by a sad looke the heart is made better Melior est iâ—…a risu quia per tristitiam vultus coâ—…rigitur animns delinquentis And without question some natures may be likened to the blacke-thornes that florish best with haile storme and tempest Or to the Mackerell which cannot bee awakened and brought vpwards but with thunder But some Fauourites there bee so much beholding to Fortune that in a whole Age they haue scarce learnt the definition of sorrow In these men the Prouerbe is verified Fâ—…oles are Fortunate and yet agreeable with an honest meaning For those I thinke are chiefly bouÌ„d to Fortune or Prouidence rather who cannot through a good simplicity affect dishonest practises and close dealings It being consonant with reason that men ill-befriended with a subtill Braine should be assisted with some higher Policy All that wee suffer is by our Owne or Fortunes worke Wee cannot bee too patient with Fortunes too much prouoked with our owne works of sorrow When Fortune punisheth wee haue no remedy wheÌ„ our own indiscretioÌ„ punisheth we may afflict our selues the longer with a wise fury that we may learne to recollect and to awaken our iudgement Some haue a resolute contempt for all aduersities but such a valorous scorne may bee ingendred by sottish ignorance or an vncapable dulnesse no otherwise then both may be a Drunkards motiues in extreme hazard As for my selfe I neuer felt a sorrow which I esteemed a 〈◊〉 vnlesse it gaue no profitable vse either by making mee more circumspect prouident or acquainting mee beforehand with my destiny The most honourable dealing with our worst afflictions is to confute them by a discourse of Braine and so exercise our knowledge for our owne aduantage against the â—…oes of Knowledge And doubtlesse there is enough left in Nature if wee could apprehend to comfort all our troubles when I say thus I meane enough as wel to settle and confirme a soule shakâ—…n with vncertaine doubts as to redeeme a wretch laden with the worlds misery Nay if nature affoords matter enough to confute obiections she must needes yeeld matter also to remoue Sorrowes For euery sorrow of what kinde soeuer is nothing but an obiection to the minde which mans weakenesse cannot answere As the fortune of a Shipwrackt man obiects death of pouerty the fortune of a man Condemned obiects disgrace the Disapointed mans fortune obiects vnlucky dealing and so the rest All which I purpose at my leasure to recite in method to conuince their bitternes Which will vnless I be deceiued create men 〈◊〉 to despise affliction But in the meane time none among the worst crosses shal predominate if sometimes in a lawfull humour wee doe crosse our selues And so begin to learne the difficult maÌ„ner of denving our leâ—…d inclinations which cannot well endure a disapointment because they couet a sensuall fruition If any man thinkes these medcines taedious he may Dyogines his remedy in fewer wordes Fortunae confidentiam naturae Legem perturbationi rationem obijce Make Confidence resist Fortune Law resist Nature and Reason Discontents Two Bookes of Characters The first Booke CHARACTER I. An Impudent Censurer IS the torture-monger of Wit ready for executioÌ„ before Iudgement Nature hath dealt wisely with him in his outeside for it is a priuiledge against confutation and will beget modesty in you to see him out-face Hee is so fronted with striuing to discountenance knowledge by the contempt of it as you would thinke him borne to insolence though indeed it bee habituall and comes by negligence of his company which rather seeke to laugh anâ—… continue then to reforme his vâ—…nity A Chimney-sweeper may conuerse with him very safely without the hazard of blushing and so may any that will contemne his ignorance Buffets will conuince him better then language or reason That proues him ranke-bestiall descended from the walking Apes which on the Mountaines seeme carefull Inhabitants but at your approach the formality of mâ—…n only The Land-theefe and Sea-captaine be neuer leâ—…e out of their way but wiâ—…er coÌ„monly about their obiect They spare to wound poore trâ—…uellers but he incounters any thing not worth eye sight Hee will seeme to cleanse Bookes of errors but take
by being first to take the first charge giue the first assault and aboue all to bee according to his name truely forward in the high Archieuements of honour so forward as for any of his Ranke to bee before should bee reputed a miserable basenesse It is an obserued point of Nature among the Ancients that Elephants wheÌ„ they passe a riuer knowing by peculiar instinct that their aduersaries for the most part incouÌ„ter them in the Rereward they marshall themselues that the eldest may bee first ready to sustaine the violence which giues a memorable precept to mans Issue that hee if eldest ought rather to protect then to exceede his inferiour kinsfolke that they because youngest ought rather to submit where his good counsell may assist then be malignaÌ„t or maintaine Faction This Theater of mans life admits degrees of height in which the eldest is aboue the others and therfore as the Centinell or Scout in Atmies is vigilant to foresee aduantage and so preserue by diligence when courage of the rest is little worth So should superiours in birth bee as much prouident for the safety of those in respect of whome they be superior as to esteeme their birth-right a blessing It is therefore no safe conclusion to say hee is the eldest and so most excellent bnt hee is the eldest and therefore should bee most excellent For in production of the soule it fares otherwise with a man then with vnreasonable creatures Among which there needes no better warrant to signifie courage then the first breede which signifies the strength of Nature in the Parents or Breeders But with Man who communicates with a Beast onely in giuing outward shape it is sufficient for him to challenge in his Issue what himselfe bestowes As for the Diuine Materials of Reason if sometimes they doe heriditarily succeede to the sonne of a prudent Father wee may from hence conclude that GOD more often dispenses with it to make man see the true ORIGINALL rather then Flesh should challenge any part or Fathers think they bee the sole efficients For it is nowe made a common argument of the SONNES folly if the FATHER bee more then commonly wise And I am very much perswaded that this if nothing else may assure the Polititian of some supreame disposer who giues warning to his presumption through the plague of a foolish Heire that hee may ouer-value himselfe at his owne perill seeing hee hath his owne workmanship before his eyes to argue against him and his arrogant couceit Bee it sufficient therfore that cunning Nature which principally and commonly workes out each naturall mans existence by causes well knowne Matter For me and Priuation is not able in things essentiall to distribute any parricle without Diuine prouidence So the Eldest naturally inherites nothing as by peculiar claime but sencelesse lineaments of body Howsoeuer most conuenient it is that euery one by birth ennobled either by single priority or priority vnited to noble parentage should seeke to accomplish the part of nature vndone in more then complement ciuill silence or common passages and make the birth absolute For Man a sluggish Creature prompt enough to decline after satietie seemes naturally to be vnfurnished that hee might not be vnbusied So nature hath left much imperfect to intimate by the vacant absence of some things needfull that mans labour should make things vsefull Nature affoords timber but workmanship the structure the earth produces Ore but Art the Siluer Nature giues plants Knowledge the vse Among all which she doth require a more ample and lesse supplement according to the value raritie or estimation of the thing For Chymicks knowe the more pretious mettals aske more paines in extraction of the true quintessence then baser Minerals Gold is the seauenth time purified then becomes beautifull besides the qualitie of things more pretious ought still to bee made answerable to the things value Couragious horses bee managed with curiositie delicate voyces bee selected to learne harmonies whilst harsh and strong voyc'd cryers bee ridiculous Diamonds not glasse become pure mettall and rich garments haue much costly appearance High blouds likewise be the fittest receptacles for high actions but if a sackecloth bee embroydred the adiunct may deserue honor though the ground-worke be Plebeâ—…an and men of vp-start Parentage may in respect of braine take place before Nobilitie though their persons bee odious Our selues and parents or instructors be the secondary causes which protract or abreuiate enrich or impouerish our owne destinies For either wee are driuen with fatal obstinacie to ouer-take fortune through a selfe-will else by the negligence of education or being not season'd in minority our stupid dulnesse giues Fortune leaue to ouer take vs through want of prouidence High birth is so farre from priuiledge to exempt any from these as it approaches neere to miserie when shame is vnpreuented makes destinie notorious I know no difference therefore betwixt the degrees of Fortune if Birth alone makes the comparison For which is more predominaÌ„t if one of obscurâ—… fortune becomes publike by meritts returning to his first ranke if he transgresse or if one descended Nobly doth but deserue himselfe and family through great engagemeÌ„ts being ready to desceÌ„d below himselfe if hee miscarry and be as publike in disgrace as vpstarts in applause For this Age of Innouation is fitter to behold one swimming to a remote shore theÌ„ to consider how happily the inhabitants be there delighted fitter I mean to see new actions actiue spirits proceeding then the maintenance of honor proceeded and fitter to behold one falling from a rock then from a stumbling mole hill So that if Noble-men aduanced coÌ„tiâ—…ue so ambitious Geâ—…try nay or basenesse do aspire and thriue I see no difference if ruine threâ—…tens both the last transcends in outward happinesse The best similitude which makes diuersity reaches but thus farre I see an embroydred empty purse and stoope to view it narrowly because the outside glisters I spurne a greasie 〈◊〉 before me and heare the sound of siluer I take both keepe both and will esteem the coyne aboue the empty purse and yet preferre the outsides a lone not both alike because the one is capable and beautious already the other doth containe already but can â—…euer be beauteous No more then vpstarts though renowned in meritts can euer tâ—…ke Nobility of Birth beause it will demand successioâ—… to conâ—…irme antiquity So that enobled fortunes being an outward beauty shal but make me more willing as an embroydred purseâ—… to see their in-sides not to enlarge their value when as perhaps one basely obscure shall more purchase my reuerence though lesse attract my labor to discouer him As for the chiefe ornaments which qualifie great parentage they should bee such aâ—… make most in the aduancement of a Common wealth which be the maintenance of publike Lawes and Iustice they being the honor of a common-wealth And well doth it 〈◊〉 that highnes
honour By which means Seruius Sulpitius Tribune of the people hauing framed a Law that none among the Senators should run in debt aboue a thousand Drachmaes thought it a safe Licence for himselfe to exceed the quantitie and therfore was he found in debt after his death aboue three hundred Myriads amounting to three hundred times ten thousand Drachmaes The totall dutie of men greatly-noble is by the Laconian Prince deliuered in two precepts the knowle◅ge to command the knowledge to submit They should represent the Lyon who is noted aboue all to carry a most valiant head and a Maiesticke countenance imita◅ing the apparant and inuisible potencie of high spirits Besides that I may continue this Mythologie the ◅ecke of a Lyon hath no ioynts whereby he cannot looke backwards vnlesse hee turnes his body Neither can Princes without scandall to their integrity seem one thing and doe another not turne there faces vpon vertue and yet be fugitiue in their motion The backe of Lyons carries a magnanimous bredth And all the noble deedes of Ancestors historicall examples of Monarchs with infinite renowned precepts of former ages make but one broad backe-president to strengthen the wisedome of Princes The bones of a Lyon haue lesse marrow then others for lasciuious fuell ◅iminisheth valour The want ot pith there fore makes Oke more durable then Eldar and contempt of wantonnesse moues Princes to a more settled resolution Lyons haue an exquisite propertie to smell out their owne aduantage For it is reported the male knowes when the Lyonesse hath been adulterous with the Panther by a peculiar sence of smelling And the wisest part of men worthily descended is to betray their owne abuses for men of this ranck are incident to strong delusions A Lyon sleeps and yet his eies are open So prouident high Statesmen that possesse much cannot haue eyes too many or too watchful Neither may absolute man incurre security When Lyons deuoure famine doth inforce them And when Kings take the sword a zealous appetite to satisfie forgotten vertue should prouoke them Neither may generous Natures bee nobly offended except as by an impulsiue or sufficient cause they ouercome So by a Heroyicke scorne to malice they can both swallowe and digest the cause with the conquest Howsoeuer it may bee fictitiously reported that Lyons haue by a miraculous feeling beene defensiue to condemned Martyrs yet may the obseruatiō affoord thus much morality That as a true Noble man may by no meanes receiue a more excellent moderation of spirit and spur to greatly-good actions then by a religious feare so cannot this bee any way expressed better himselfe being so eminent then in protection of Diuine Iustice good mens causes It is admirable if true to see how generously Lyons haue scorned to be base debtors Insomuch that it is memorably reported How Androcles a vagabond captiue cured a Lyons paw In gratification whereof the Lyon afterwards when Androcles was among the Romane Spectacles to bee deuoured spares and protects him against a Rampant Pardall Which carrieth a double precept for generous natures First a preseruitiue against ingratitude where followers haue beene seruiceable Then a contempt to bee a slauish debtor if meanes can auoide it especially to base-minded Trades men who vpon single debts inforce a double ingagement Both of credite and restitution For if you remaine in their bookes for a commodity you must remaine likewise in their fauour to auoide scandall reiterations and commemora tions among all societies Such is the cōmon treacherous b◅senes of their conditions though they protest otherwise Which may exhort any Noble minde to beleeue this Maxime true Hee hath discharged halfe his reputation among men that scornes the cr◅dite of a Cittizen or indeede any man Another singular note is fi◅ed vpon this magnanimous beast aboue writtē his wrath extends no further then the prouocatiō And therfore when the Arabian Souldier charging a Lyon with his Speare was disapointed of the obiect and ouer-threw himselfe with violence The Lyon returned and onely nipping his head little for his presumption departed quietly This being confirmed with many famous examples I may inferre thus much If it may seeme conuenient or honorable for Nobility offended to punish not respecting penitent submissiō which may without high offences seem tyrannicall yet if the punishment exceed the crime we may confidently accompt it beastial and worse Againe it is notably remembred that Lyons neuer run away except they can priuately withdrawe being ouercome with multitude into a secure Mountaine or Wildernes And I obserue that it ill becoms a braue resolutiō to enter himselfe among proiects from which hee must necessarily recoyle except he carries a cautelous eie true circumspection Lastly I may conclude this moralized comparison with Aesops controuersy betwixt a Lyonesse and the Fox The Fox cōmends her owne fruitfull generation seeming to disgrace the Lyons single birth to which this answere doth reioyne I bring forth one and yet that one is a Lyon Which good allusion may remoue the curse which some would cast vpon Nobility because often their children in nūber be inferiour to common prostitutes But I am well resolued that the multitude of children reares vp an obscure family and bringes an ancient stocke to ruine For among many base childrens blessings birth may make variety of fortunes But among much Noble posterity Fortune doth challenge a more vaste partition and makes a discontented Heire fit for all innouating purposes So that one Noble remainder of much antiquity or one true Lyon of a family if Art and Nature can be made operatiue will be a more safe prop to succession then the doubtfull variety of children Men obserue it as an infallible rule that there haue been as many base originals as there haue beene honorable descents For as questionlesse the largest Ri uers bee deriued from lowely Springs So birth and succession haue beene so basely intermingled so casually interrupted so frequently impaired and very often attainted though with absolution that I may well iustifie the first principle and adde further That generally to maintain the noble estate of dead Ancestors requires as much true policy as to erect a new Family For men may clime better by troublesome rough and dangerous passages then stand tottering vpon the eminent spi◅e But to exceed the patterne of heroicke Ancestry deserues perpetuall commendations Which purpose cannot prosper well except they preuent or auoide oppositions They hauing been the ouer-throw of Kingdomes and flourishing Captaines because prosperity is waspish and brooks no competition nor almost assistance The Historian therefore saith well None more deafe to counsell then natures vnthwarted None more obtemperate to bee counselled then men destitute As for that ambitious extasie which makes men indirectly consult of new addition the Fable doth condemne it wisely For like Esops Dog they snatch at shadowes and loose the certainty who dote vpon such couetous desires Ambition being like Amilcars dreame Who at the
either he is now admitted to the seuerall orders or hee is prompt enough to subscribe generally when occasion peeps You must not dare to discommend or call in question his behauiour seriously with his companions for though you caÌ„not call the humor lawfull it is sufficient if you can call it his humour You may iustly forbeare to Restraine him for if hee be truely adopted he thinkes it an especiall part to be respectlesse Tobacco is a good whetstone for his property hee doth seldome therefore forget to prouoke his constitution this way and by being insariate he knowes well his humour may escape the search of reason by vertue of the mist. He hath from his cradle bin swadled vp with much obstinate peremptory affectation It being indeed coÌ„monly the character of his ripest age to support that freely in his man-hood which was forbidden in the spark of his minority hee neuer slips oportunity with deliberation hee is therefore prompt enough to begin and the reason of his act is enough though onely that hee hath begun because humour is the motiue There is nothing within the compasse of thought so triuiall so absurd and monstrous which his vanity will not auerre to be ponderous decent naturall Neither will hee abhor to iustifie them by his owne practise against all opposers He trauailes vp and downe like Tom of Bedlam vnder the title of mad Rascali Witty Rogue or Notable mad slaue and these attributes bee a more effectuall oratory to applaud his humour then a direct coÌ„mendation He will not sometimes vpon small discontinuance vouchsafe to acknowledge or at least know his familiar friendes without much impertinence and Interrogatories of their name or habitation whilst another time hee dares aduenture his knowledge salutations vpon meer aliens Hee is very much distracted and yet I wonder how the frenzy should bee dangerous for hee neuer breaks his braine about the study of reason or inuention seeing his humor is the priuiledge of both It is therfore sufficient for him to bee extreame melancholly and most ignorant of the cause or obiect and suddenly to bee vnmeasurably frollick without prouocation whilst he is onely beholding to a brainlesse temperature in discharge of his credit He will conuerse freely with Seruing-men and Souldiers within 12. houres presently when the ague hath once seized him hee proues tyrannicall and insolent towards the silly vermin He neuer brake a vow in his whole life or brake vowes continually for eyther they haue not suited with his varietie to bee intended or hee hath intended to keepe them no longer then might agree with his body which ebbes and flowes When hee growes old and past voyce hee learnes forraigne languages as if when he had dined he would deuoure the dishes In a word hee is a chiefe commander of new actions but no commander of himselfe being in his best brauerie but a Turkish Slaue euer subiect to desire and appetite according to their paterne he is himselfe to himselfe praise-worthy or elegant but to worthinesse it selfe odious CHARACTER X. A weake-brain'd Gull IS a needelesse ornament And yet an ornament to make wiser men more accounted Some call him a petulant neat youth I rather thinke him a glasse bottle in a gilded case that is a fayre outside with a braine easily broken Hee takes the vpper hand of a foole nay of a wise man also and in opinion is as good as a Courtier According to Platoes definition hee is no man Plato defined a man to be a two-legd creature hauing broade talents without feathers but this aboue named gull weares feather enough to hide a Helmet His education hath bin from a child tenderly fearefull and the mother remaines still afraide of his fortunes least his politick wisedome should hazard them too farre whilst his fortunes hazard his wisedom He hath beene alwayes a yong Master and yoked his eares first to insinuation vnder some oylie tong'd seruant or flattering Tutor hee continues loue no longer then hee finds a fellow consenting to his vaine-glory the dislike of which sooner then any thing makes him to be cholericke to resolue and fight perhaps but otherwise To know hee hath rich kindred and to deriue a pedegree satisfie his Valor Learning proficience in Estate or credit with meere contemplation So much indeede doth hee hang vppon the pillars of his gentrie as it shall therefore be the first preparatiue of his acquaintance to salute and aske What countrey-man your Father is of what house or hee will enquire his demesnes onely of some neighbour and if your body be hansome your cloathes proportionable your parents wealthy he hath purchased an euerlasting friend in the beginning A round oath is valour enough a foolish Dittie Art enough and good fellowshippe honesty enough He should be bought vp in Italy among the butchers for an English Calfe because hee carries his whole prise and value about him The truth is hee scornes to bee a searcher and thinkes it enough for his Taylor to meddle with linings But in the circumstaÌ„ce of making your cloathes the price of your Beauer and silke stockins your purpose to trauaile or of your long absence The Spanish Inqnisition cannot be so vnmercifull Hee is contented richly nay absolutely to be taken onely for a harmlesse man Suppose he hath now left the vniuersitie and bringes a little dreame of Logicke from the Colledge being ariued at London hee stickes a feather in his Hat and it is all one as if he had fastened it in his head for his braine from that day foreward becomes broken The generositie and noble carriage of â—…is discourse is to run desperatly into the name of some couragious gallant Knight or some 〈◊〉 in fauour if their alliance â—…o his family can be detected he â—…iues way with an apparant reâ—…ish The wisest action that euer 〈◊〉 atempted was to spare much 〈◊〉 in discourse by fingering â—…is beard or bandstrings and if â—…e bestowes much on Tobacco â—…e cannot be blamed much for â—…t hath many times freed him from the discredit of a Non plus He is very well fitted for all societies if his outside be sutable further theÌ„ which he neuer connersed with himselfe effectually Nor can I wonder though hee payes deerely and preserues cloaths delitiously seeing those alone are the maintenance of his whole worth and therefore you shal perceiue him more furiously â—…ngaged about the rending of his doublet or a little lace then a magnanimous box or a bastinado And he will enter into a Tauerne at the foreside though hee might goe a neerer way onely to discouer his gold lace and scarlet If his bands cuffs be sun-burnt they wil not much mis-become him for hee thinkes himselfe an vnlucky Asse if a painted beauty doth not shine vpon him He is ambitiously giuen to bee promoted either by some embassage to divulge his pedigree learne fashions or by entertainment of some chiefe Noble-meÌ„ to discouer his bounty But his worst ambition is to salute