payeth them in the end with more grieuous punishment than that which is obiected to our eyes or that which is inflicted vpon the body But would you see one example of the secret iudgements of God Titus the Emperour had intelligence what Christ had prophecied of Ierusalem that one stone should not be left standing vpon an other see nowe the secret iudgementes of God that the same man that persecuted the Christians at Rome goeth now to Ierusalem to reuenge the death of Christ vppon the Iewes that had crucified him drawne heereunto without doubt by his owne passion but ouer-ruled by God to be the executioner of his Iustice who many times looseth the reines of bloud to runne vpon bloud drawing one sinne to doe execution on an other one murtherer to kill another one wicked Cittie to afflict another and one prowd nation to chase and persecute another For the seauen liberall Sciences Grammar Logicke Arithmetike and the rest if I should take vppon mee to speake in their commendations I might happen to speed as he did that would needs take vpon him to speake in the praise of Hercules and to that purpose had whetted the strength of his wit to haue made a long Oration But a Philosopher hearing this needelesse commendation very prettily interrupted him and asked him Whie who discommends Hercules and I doe thinke there is not a greater argument of folly then for a man to vndertake the praise of that which is more excellent of it selfe than any other commendation a man can render vnto it For those that are professours of the Artes if there be any that are of a contentious wrangling spirit they are vnto such a one like a sword in a madde mans handes more apt to doe hurt than good The Grammarian his subiect is but wordes teaching vs to bring the diuers partes of speach in one congruitie and to this purpose they doe many times tire and martire themselues more than needes Logicke teacheth how to sift out the troth from a number of falshoodes howe to frame an argument it setteth downe rules and precepts how to define distinguish diuide conclude and how to iudge and argue But there be too many that with this little mist of knowledge will seeke to peruert and deface all knowledge and sometimes by wresting the weapons of reason will mannage them to the confusion of Reason it selfe Rhetorike by her rules doth beautifie the speach with pollished words fine phrases and gratious colours whereby to stirre affections which is fitter to adorne a leasing than to set forth a serious troth which the Apostle well proueth where he saieth Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach and that not in wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ might proue in vaine Which woordes the Apostle vsed to the end the Gentiles should not thinke his exhortation to be but a well cowched leasing such as their Orators were accustomed to perswade by the force of their Arte for those haue most neede of artificiall speeches who with pleasing words doe go about to couer dishonest deedes The country-man is more afraid of the serpent that lieth hidden in the grasse than of the wilde beast that feedeth openly on the mountaine The mariner is more endaungered by hidden shelues than knowne rockes and more perrill in a secret ambush than in a ranged battell A naked tale doth most truly set foorth a naked trueth and veritie then shines most brightly when she is in least brauery A good cause bringeth credite it needeth not the help of Art and to vse superfluous eloquence in a matter of sufficient excellencie is a greater shew of a pregnant wit than of a perfect wisedom yet eloquence is one of the greatest graces whereby the popular sort are best perswaded and thinke that a man hath much wisedome and knowledge if he can speake with great eloquence and hath a sweete tongue with pleasing wordes Aristotle writte with such slender ornament of wordes with such simple manner of deliuerance and with such obscuritie of stile but yet his Axiomes Problemes and all his sentences being opened they held such lineaments and proportions of rare admiration that some ignorant expositours would needes conclude that Aristotle had deliuered his writings in this sort but of sette purpose rendring this reason because hee would that his workes should passe with the greater authoritie he writ vnder Riddles They might haue saide the like by Plato who with no lesse harsh breuitie obscureth his reasons and many times darkeneth his writings by the ill placing of the parts of his tale but yet Cicero praising his eloquence saide That if Iupiter should haue spoken Greeke hee would haue spoken as Plato did Musicke hath his proceeding from the concordance and agreement of soundes I would I could praise it but halfe so well as I loue it but yet for all that for him that hath his head troubled with too many crochets I would rather wish to haue his cunning than his wit Arithmeticke proceedeth but from a vnite yet by addition multiplication and the rest of her partes it comprehendeth things that be infinite Geometry hath likewise his proceeding but from a pricke but the knowledge of it is excellent and serueth for diuerse purposes both for peace or warre But wee haue Geometritians in these dayes some that if they can but drawe three lines with a Compasse will vaunt themselues to haue as much cunning as euer had Euclides Astrologie for the Science it selfe it is a high mysterie Mary amongst the Professors there is great variety I will not speake of incertainty because there is one thing certaine which I my selfe can assure and that is whilest the Astrologian is calculating for others hee knowes not what is hanging ouer his owne head The Letters are the first instruments of the arts and Grammar Logicke and Rhetoricke are onely entries into the rest of the Sciences and may be called the Artes of well speaking Learning is the Ladder whereby to climbe to heauen it raiseth men from earthly vanities to the contemplation of things celestiall and diuine A man that is enlightned with knowledge grasps after vniuersalities and Science it is that stretches it selfe to the heauens it meditates of eternity and makes steppes whereby to ascend to the throne of Glorie A man without Learning is but an immortall beast he hath being with blocks life with plants and sence with beasts but as Aristotle saieth that the reasonable soule partaking of the same generall nature with the Angells is ashamed to behold her selfe placed in a body which hath but fellowship with beasts And as Socrates hath defined a man that is destitute of knowledge if hee be amongest the best hee may be saide to bee a man amongest beasts but amongst the learned the best you can repute of him is to be but a beast amongest men There is nothing then so much to be sought for as
hath but a dayes breeding and a years repenting In loue what seeth the eie lasciuiousnes what heareth the eare lasciuiousnesse what vttereth the tongue lasciuiousnesse what thinketh the heart lasciuiousnesse what inureth the bodie lasciuiousnesse And call you this loue I it is loue sir reuerence I haue heard of many that were mad for loue yet I neuer heard of any that were wise in loue I haue read of Conquerers whom Loue haue made effeminate but I neuer heard of any whom Loue hath made truly valiant I know where wise-men haue beene besotted by fancie but I could neuer learne where fancie made a wise man If men would dispose their eyes as warily as women can display their beauties garishly they should borrow bird-lime from the fowler catch the birds by compasse in his owne nets But he that treadeth that desperate laborinth of Loue is in ordinarie destinie of a wise man to take the habite of a foole of a carefull man to become negligent of a valiant man to become so weake as to stand in awe of a foolish womans word of a prouident man to loose all pollicie of a yong man to become withered of a free-man to become miserablie bond of a milde man to beare the burden of an Asse of a religious man to becom an Idolater of a rich man honoured to be a poore man scorned of a patient man to be a reuenger of the filthie causes of his Minion in briefe to forget God and to neglect the knowledge of all goodnesse I thinke my Ladie her selfe would laugh to see an Amorist that is kindly besotted how his Angels must flie to fetch new fashions from Venetian Curtesans to please his demie honest Mistresse Then she must haue a Maske to couer an impudent face a Periwigge to hide a loathsome bush a Buske to streighten a lasciuious bodie And for painting it is as generall amongest a number of women that would faine be accounted honest as it is to the most noted and common strumpet His loose legged Mistresse must spurre forward his wit to set abroach pretie conceits and if his braine be not too barren he must indite louing lines and amorous verses in the praise of his Mistresse He must borrow colours from Lillies and red Roses to beautifie her cheekes her teeth must be of Pearle her breath Balme a Pallas for her wit a Venus for her chastitie her tongue the tongue of an Adder her taile worse then the taile of a serpent he must learne pretily to lispe out sweete Mistresse kinde Mistresse he must kisse her prettie hand the handle of her fanne her Nosegay the nether skirt of her Petticote he must play with her little Puppie he must adore the point of her Busk the seate that she sits on the ground that she treads on yea the verie strings that serues to tie her shooes Base Vassals more base then basenesse it selfe the verie shame of men and the staine of manhood go learne with Sardanapalus to spinne and for those women that will retaine such seruants God make them honest for I am sure they wil neuer be wise But let vs speake a little of Loue for so farre as I vnderstand that which we call Loue is so farre from loue that I rather thinke it to be a doating frenzie rouing and running headlong vpon impossibilities ingendred first between Lust and Idlenesse his associates and chiefest companions are paine trouble anger rage furie doubt griefe languish threatning dispaire vncertaine hope his surest good base weaknesse his fruits are laborsome aduentures nay rather loathsome misaduentures To speake truly that which we call Loue stands vpon too many nice circumstances when filthie lust and inordinate desire do euermore march vnder Loues Banner and doe make the name of Loue their Bawde to cloake and boulster out their fleshly appetites The Amorist is seldome seene to take delight in ouerworne antiquities or in vnseemely deformities an argument that they are rather in loue with the bodie then the minde and that their loue is both earthly and fleshly The effect of loue is faith not lust delightfull conference not detestable concupiscence He therfore said well that said Loue was Diuine for loue indeede is a subiect of greater excellencie then to ioyne earth to earth I cannot thinke the societie betweene man and wife may be called loue because it giueth oportunitie to lust and it hath too much trade and trafique with carnall desire I thinke a man should loue his wife with as great zeale and feruencie as he loueth himselfe and he cannot be said to loue but rather to hate himselfe that doth not so respect his loue and dutie to God as to curbe his braine-sicke affections that they raunge not after sensuall pleasure not to pamper nor to please himselfe with the vaine delights of a fleshly appetite that leadeth from the diuinitie of Loue and draweth to loathsomnesse and to the destruction of the soule Now the husband that should loue his wife in this sort that should seeke to bridle her from her foolish vanities a hundred to one she would neuer loue him againe and all the women in the Parish would protest against him and sweare that he were neither louing nor kind to his wife Why then we may perceiue the excellencie of loue is where God is a partie or where it hath relation to things that are diuine This prescribed commaundement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and thy neighbour as thy selfe is it that draweth neerest vnto loue betweene man and man but this loue cannot be said to be terrestriall when it hath his originall from the Commaundement of God But would you know what is true loue indeede the loue of God who loued vs vndeseruedly And this loue was well expressed by our Sauiour in the day of his passion when neither the torments of his bodie nor the wickednesse of his people could restraine him not onely reconciling those to his grace that were present or alreadie passed but to loue those that were yet to come and hereafter to be borne was a loue neuer heard on before nor sithence but in the person of our Redeemer Our libertie and absolution dependeth vpon his condemnation He was condemned by the sentence of men and we absolued in the iudgement of God Here is true loue indeed and the property of his affection doth neuer alter towards his chosen for he pitcheth his Tents about them to defend them and his eares are euer open to heare them if they appeale to him in their aduersities and he accompanieth them with his holie Angels to guide and direct them that they runne not astray There is no doubt but there are some that doe meditate on this mercy and that haue grace again to consider of this inestimable loue of GOD towardes man that indeuoureth againe with all humilitie and thankfulnes of heart both to loue and feare and for his sake to be both of a louing and charitable
many desired but by few well executed And although it were knowne that our Sauiour Christ was accused by false testimonie yet those that sat in iudgement would rather condemne iustice then displease the wicked Iniurie and oppression vsed by those that haue beene in authoritie haue turned to Commotions Rebellions and Reuolts and there is no broile more noysome and hurtfull to any weale publike then that which falleth out betweene the Magistrates and the Commons about gouernment for if we should aduisedly call to minde Hystories of Antiquitie it would appeare that there hath not been any gouernment so happily founded which hath not beene shaken againe through dissention and discord rising and falling out betweene those of ancient Nobilitie and the meanest sort of the rascall and peeuish people The pollitike gouernement of the Switzers was changed by a generall mutiny of the multitude who for the tyranny of their Princes and Magistrates freed themselues by murdring all that took vpon them either the dignitie or title of a Gentleman The multitude of the people the greatest part of them are ignorant of the best things they are euermore desirous of chaunge hating still what is present amongst whome the counsaile of the wise were neuer heard without daunger neither can there be any thing profitably ordain'd by the confused fury of the multitude And although popular loue be light yet their hatred is heauie and it little auailes to haue walles and fortresses where the heartes of the people are estranged Dionisius the Tirant being guarded with many armed Souldiers was asked by Plato why he had committed so many offences that he should be so imprisoned with so many squadrons The feare conceiued by subiects hath bin cause of mutation and the feare of the Spanish Inquisition was the first cause of Netherlands reuoult subiects haue reason to fear that are kept in fear without reason and he that is feared of many is hated of many and he had need to haue a large winde that will saile against the Tide Aristotle thinkes that the common good of the multitude is rather to be preferred than the priuate profite of some few And yet he wisheth rather to abolish the humorous passions of the multitude than to fauour it And Diogenes seeing the people to throng out of church doore preased as fast against them to get in and hauing once entred he said It was the part of wisemen to be alwayes contrary to the multitude The vulgar people through their dull wittes and brutish nature can not perceiue what is profitable either to themselues or to their country but the noble minde is not only the worker of present profite but also through great foresight preuents imminent daunger Furthermore the common people haue no taste nor feeling of honor and renowne neither in the defence of their countrey or of any corage or hardinesse of stomacke where on the other side the noble bloud is inflamed with renowne abhorreth dastardly cowardlinesse and in defence of a common profite attempteth great and dangerous enterprises but it is necessitie that maketh more wise men amongest the multitude than any other doctrine that reason can perswade It hath been questioned whether that gouernment be better where there is a naughtie Prince good ministers vnder him or where the Prince is good and the Magistrates euill Marius Maximus leaneth to the first and a pillar of Philosophie hath set downe this for a Maxime how that common-wealth is best and most assured where the Prince is ill conditioned rather than that where the Ministers are corrupt and badly disposed But there be many other of great authoritie that will in no wise consent when former experience hath so many times taught that euill men be oftener corrected by a good Prince than an euill Prince amended by good men but this is certain there can be no worse gouernement than that that is managed by opinion Seditious estates with their owne deuises false friendes with their owne swordes and rebellious commons with their own snares are ouerthrown Either Riches or Pouertie when they are in extreamitie doe bring the Common wealth to ruine for excesse is euer vnassured and in daunger to be shaken Amongst many eares in a well gouerned common-wealth there hath beene great respect had to these idle begging people whose libertie of running about hath produced many inconueniences sometimes in the time of sickenesse they haue spread the infection by their licentious libertie of gadding from place to place othersome againe vnder the pretence of begging haue searched out the secrets of Citties and Townes haue layed them open to an ennemy haue poysoned waters and haue sometimes fired Citties as the citty of Tire and other Citties in Fraunce haue well experienced and it is strange that here in our Country we haue so long escaped these practises when such multitudes of sturdy rogues haue bin suffered so ordinarily to passe by two by three by foure yea sometimes by sixe and more in a company vnder the pretence of begging Souldiors that neuer crossed the Seas the most of them to come where seruice was I speake not this to the annihilating of charitie which God knows is too colde already when those that are poore and needie indeede growne decrepite with age with impotencie with sickenesse with griefe and are not pittyed but suffered to lie in the open streetes pining away without any reliefe But it is no great reproach to see a poore man that hath spent his bloud in the defence of his Country that is able to bring good Testimonie of his honest seruice and beeing returned home hurt maimed lamed dismembred and should be suffered to crouch to creepe to begge and to intreate for a peece of bread and almost no body to giue it him Well God be thanked of amendment they say there is better order taken and there is great hope it will be as well executed I will not speake of Faults committed amongst Officers that in times past for the most part by seeming haue been transported into priuate gaine for if Princes themselues did aduisedly considder how much it would redownd aswel to their own commoditie as to the benefite of their subiects to looke to these Horse-leaches that haue suckt their own gaine by the ruines of Princes and the wrack of commonwealths they would become as vigilant as Vespasian who in the beginning of his gouernement gaue the greatest Offices and Dignities of Rome to those that were especially noted for oppression and wrong And when he was asked why he did so seeing authoritie giuen to the wicked was a meane to make them worse He answered that he serued his turne with such Officers as with spunges which when they hadde drunke their fill were then fittest to be pressed That gouernment must needs be happie where places of office and authoritie were giuen to such men as knew how to execute them as they ought and vnhappy againe haue
they take them by report from their foolish Clients here is now all the difference the Lawier is well feed for his lie and I sell you mine for nothing Then first I acknowledge the Law it selfe to bee worthie of all honourable repute being leuelled and proportioned according to the first institution for the end wherevnto Law hath relation is to profit the good to perfect the commonwealth to relieue the oppressed to minister iustice neither is there any vice which is not by Law bridled yea where God himselfe was not knowne Law ministred equitie and the power of excesse by it hath beene restrained By Law good disciplines are prescribed the Common-wealth gouerned and all policies to the maintenance of peace both begunne continued ended In the commendation of the Law what can be said more They haue relation first to Religion next to Determination thirdly to prescription and custome and pleas whatsoeuer hauing past the asperitie of the Law may yet be ordred by conscience So that if aught be neglected by error may yet be relieued by equitie in the Court of Chauncerie But if the Law be certaine why should iudgement be delayed if bent to do right why are so many poore men wronged if grounded on conscience why should it be partiall But I reproue not the Law nor yet find I fault at the honest Lawier but alas how should they chuse but erre when their accusations bee but other mens reports and their whole pleadings nothing else but hearsayes maintaining but what their Clients will enforme them But this doth not excuse all for there be many others by whom the Law that of it selfe intendeth nothing but right is yet made the verie instrument of iniurie and wrong they haue Lawe to ouerthrow Lawe and there is no Lawe be it neuer so legitimate or truely begotten which with wrested gloses and subtil expositions they cannot bastardize They make their plea according to the pennie not according to the trueth when amongst them hee that hath most money hath commonly most right they coyne delayes for priuate aduantage they make streight crooked and crooked right they are open mouthed against the poore mans processe who shall sooner finde his purse emptied than his suite ended And where they shoulde be the Ministers of light they hunt after continuall darkenesse concluding the trueth within a golden cloude They are pugnantia inter se when amongst them there is no agreement but what they confirme to day to morrow they will frustrate this clause annihilated by this Iudge that distinction by another And although the text of the Lawe of it selfe be briefe yet they obscure it by their too many glosings and how many are there that doe checke the course of Iustice by dilatory pleas and how many Petty-foggers that doe nothing but set men at variance and a pox take Iohn a Nokes and Iohn a Stile for those two flie companions are made the instrumentes of a great deale of mischiefe And woe againe to all those Lawyers that are but like to Aesopes Kite that whilest the Mowse and the Frogge were at controuersie for superioritie in the Marsh he deuoured them both When a man comes to commense a suite in the beginning hee shall be entertained with a hope to obtaine and being entred they consume him by delayes and whilest hee hath meanes to beare out the charge they assure him his right is good but when they haue spent him that he is not able longer to giue they do pronounce Sentence against him and hee that is not well stored with money wherewith to corrupt shal want no sorro w wherof to complaine How many myracles are assigned to Saintes to whom we do go in pilgrimage we protest vowes yeeld worship and of whome we doe craue giftes Women likewise are not without their women Saints as Lucina whose help they implore when they would haue children and Iuno of whom they doe begge to bee reuenged on their angrie husbands there is almost no kinde of griefe that hath not his Physition amongst the Saints which as it is imagined is an especiall cause why Phisitions can not gaine so much as Lawyers because there is no controuersie be it neuer so litle so iust or so honest that hath either he Saint or she Saint to defend it They say it is an argument of a licentious common-wealth where Phisitions and Lawyers haue too great commings in As I haue not endeuoured any priuate accusation so I will not enter into any particular praise I might else in this place without any suspition of flattery take occasion to speake in the commendation of many worthy Professors of the Lawe not onely of some that sit Roahed on the Bench but also of others that are Pleaders at Barre The Professor of the Lawe hath Relation to leade him Conscience to direct him Iustice to counsaile him and Honour to reward him All happinesse may be saide to be in that common-wealth where Lawes be not only good but wbere they are likewise duely obserued and kept without wresting The materiall cause of the Lawe is that it consistes of such cases and for the correcting of those disorders as accustomably befall in the Common wealth not of things impossible or such as do but seldome times happen The finall cause is to order the life of man and to direct him what he is to doe and what to forbeare What else are the great number of Lawes amongst vs but authenticall Registers of our corruptions and what are the manifolde Commentaries written vppon them But a verie corruption of the Lawes themselues and what do they witnes vnto vs But as the multitude of Phisitions doe in a Cittie that is to say the multitude of our diseases Good Lawes do proceede from the wickednes of men for it is offences that doe beget lawes for where there is no law there can be no breach of law Good lawe vnexecuted were better vnmade yet sharpe and rigorous lawes were rather made to terrifie then to destroy men And the seate of a Iudge that is too seuere seemeth to be a Gibbet alreadie erected Those Princes that haue Policie to attire Auarice and Crueltie vnder the pretence of establishing lawes they do therby exact their own commoditie for where there be many Lawes there must be many offenders the multitude of transgressors are the riches of the Prince when they make forfeyture as well of their goodes as of their liues Warre is the Minister of the wrath of God when hee is displeased no lesse greeuous to the worlde where it lighteth then the loathsome plague of pestilence The effect of Warre is the destruction of countries the desolation of noble houses and the sacking of opulent Citties The Action dependeth vpon fortune or misfortune vpon oportunities delayes expeditions frowardnesse and vntowardnesse of a number of vaine headed followers if discipline be not the better respected Warre is a minister of Gods Iustice eyther
seen answered An old Tyrant Princes most commonly are in nothing more deceiued then in bestowing their rewards but especially when they giue vpon other mens commendations Princes haue not so much scarcitie of any other thing as they haue of that whereof they should be most plentifully stored which is Of such as should tell them the truth The differences betweene the Prince that is vertuous and the other that is vicious consisteth in this The first striueth to enrich his subiects the other to sacke and spoile them the one spareth the honour of good women the other triumpheth in their shame the one taketh pleasure to be freely admonished the other dispiseth nothing so much as wise and vertuous counsaile the one maketh most account of the loue of his subiects the other is better pleased with their feare the one is neuer in doubt of his owne people the other standeth in awe of none more than of them the one burdeneth them as little as may be but vpon publique necessitie the other gnaweth the flesh from their bones but to satisfie his vaine pleasures the one in the time of warre hath no recourse but to his own Subiects the other keepeth warre but onely with his subiects the one is honoured in the time of his life and mourned for after his death the other is hated in the time of his life and registred with perpetuall infamie after his death A cruell Prince will make a slaughterhouse of his Common-wealth A vicious Prince will make it a stewes a prodigall wil sucke the marrow of his Subiects to glut some fiue or sixe Parasites that wil be about his owne person disguised in the habite of fidelitie A good Prince will not dedicate the Common wealth to himselfe but will addict himselfe to the Common-wealth And because no man asketh account of him in his life he will therefore bee so much the more stirred vp to aske the straighter reckoning of himselfe There be many other worthie prescriptions set downe by that worthie Emperour Aurelius that I may ouerpasse will giue a little touch of things necessarie and behouefull to be spoken of The expences of a King is great and therefore he must be well stored and stil prepared with treasure to beare out the charge It is he that must defend his Realmes and subiects from the spoyle and rapine of forreigne forces It is he that must be prouident in the time of peace to haue all things in a readinesse against the time of warre Can he then be vnprouided of treasure Or shall his subiects grudge and murmure against him if he supply his wants by Taxes or Subsidies which are warranted by the word of God and which the Prince may take with a verie good conscience for the bearing out of his expences which doe concerne the common good and safetie of the subiects the king must defend all and there is no reason but his wantes should be supplied by all There is yet a matter of great importance for a Prince to consider of that vnder this priuilege of taxing his subiects for his needfull and necessarie affaires hee doth not oppresse them for any vaine or idle expences for what is he that dare prescribe limits or bounds to a King what he should take or leaue of his subiects If he haue not a good conscience of himselfe if he haue not a charitable disposition towards his people of his owne princely nature who dare crosse him in his courses or tell him of those faults wherein he offendeth or what Subiect that knoweth his duetie dare speake against a princes prerogatiue It was not without cause therefore that Chrysostome with such admiration did say Miror si aliquis rectorum potest saluari And Apolonius saith that the treasure taken by a Prince from his subiects by tyrannie is more base then yron for being wette with the teares of the people it cankereth and becommeth accursed That Prince therefore that will exact more then inough between god his own conscience be it but the subiect is to make no resistance Our Sauiour Christ hath left vs example for hee himselfe paid that was imposed vpon him and when the Scribes and Pharisies demaunded of him whether it were lawfull to pay tribute to Caesar he did not impugne it Kings and Princes had neede of great priuileges their cares are many and farre exceeding the common capacitie of the simple multitude A Princes royall Robe doth couer many cares and their guardes are not able to defend the assaults of troubled thoughts Better for a Prince to bee Irus for contentment then to enioy the Empire of the whole world For whilest he seeth all pleasures he enioyeth none and in the middest of his sugred dainties he suppeth vp sorrowes euery day tyred with suters troubled with Damocles euerie night subiect to broken sleepes troublesome thoughts and vncouth dreames A Kings daintie dishes are alwayes sawced with suspition there is reason for although amongst the vulgar too much ielousie sauoureth of little wit yet more hurt commeth of the light beleefe of Princes then of mistrust amongst the rest Thales admonisheth Kings and Princes to suspect him most that is most busie still to be whispering in his eare Aristotle aduiseth that a Prince ought earnestly and aboue all things to haue care of things diuine he rendreth this reason For those subiects doe hope that they shall suffer lesse iustice from that Prince whom they deeme religious and who feareth God and lesse conspiracies are complotted against him as hauing God him selfe for his helpe and succour Let me now speake but a word of the time present and let me speake truly of our owne happinesse here within this Empire of great Britain with what zeale and feruencie hath our royall King re-established that Religion of the Gospel the which although hee found it here readie planted to his hand yet with how many ingins hath the Pope and the Diuell sought sithence to vndermine and ouerthrow it and are yet euerie day endeuoring if his Maiesty himselfe were not the more firme and constant He hath then blessed himselfe his Realmes and Dominions with the light of the Gospel and if the happinesse of peace be a blessing we likewise enioy it by his happie gouernement To prop vp all with great securitie he hath made choise of a most wise discreete and godly disposed Counsaile the Pillars indeede of a happie Common-wealth To conclude if there be felicitie in peace in prosperitie in pleasure in plentie we inioy all by his wisdome and prouidence if there be any thing wanting it is but thankefull hearts to God and to our King that hath blessed vs with those foysons that we are glutted and almost readie to burst but let vs take heede that with the churlish Nabal we harden not the heart of Dauid against vs. Let vs now looke into the particular dealing of one man towards another and we shall
Dauncer Oh for a Pipe of Tobacco The soueraintie of Tobacco Three sorts of Bavvdes One to the Vsurer The drunkard as precious to the Vintner as the vnthrift to the Vsurer Such Vintners do know their owne dishonestie Well worth a good liuerie Shamelesse Panders Drunkard Fruites of drunkennesse Epicure Couetousnes I am sorie for this experience A necessarie caueat A counterfeit Souldiour Easie to know the roare of a Lion from the bray of an Asse Lying and slaundering The reputation of a liar Patience Pride dangerous in all estates Prosperity begetteth pride Aduersitie more pretious to the soule than prosperitie Vertue neuer tried but in aduersitie Pouertie not greatly cloied with friends The frendship of this time What requird in friendship The Pope hath suspended vertue from Rome The Papist of more expedition than the Alcumist Table-talke Matters of small worth Husbandmen Well gotten goodes The rich mans ioy is but vanitie A guiltie conscience The woolfe that could measure his conscience A good conscience Honestie like to die Liberalitie An exercise aptly rewarded The Amorist The miserie of an Amorist that hath a coy Mistresse Loue sir reuetence More haire ouer her brows then would serue three or foure honest women The worst part shall be her soule What we call loue True loue in deede The loue of Christ Loue must be diuine Womens faults Report of no authoritie whereby to censure women An harlot hath more friends than an honest woman Frine the Curtesan of Thebes A vaine question by a great Philosopher Mariage commaunded by God Marriages in these dayes hovv they are made A foolish father The fruites of our Marriages A great error in Parents A good lawe As Knights grow poore Ladies grow prowde Vnduetifull children Diuinitie The demi-gods of these latter dayes that dare take in hand to warre against doctrine Disagreement among cleargy-men The authority of the ministerie Of Philosophie Philosophie could neuer find out God Fabeling of this Philosopher No matter to wonder at Affinitie betweene Art and Nature Nature what it is An vnfit answer by Aristotle We ascribe many things to blinde Fortune that doe belong vnto God himselfe That would bereaue God of his prouidence An excellent answer of Euclides A notable example of gods iudgements Seauen liberall Sciences Grammar Logicke Rhetoricke drawes mens mindes to one selfe opinion Better to couer a leasing than to sette foorth a truth Trueth best naked Musicke Arithmetike Geometrie Astrologie The Letter Learning in generall He is but a beast that knoweth no more thē what is common to beasts Men for their excellencie in learning accounted gods What gods the Romanes haue worshipped Rome full of gods Learning the riches of the minde Learning poorely requited Historiographers flatterers Many worthy fictions feined by Poets Many excellent Poets at this time the worth of their owne workes their best cōmendation Bastard poets A number of vaine and foolish bookes Poets turned Parasites As foolish readers as there be of Poets A good title better than a good booke Euerie thing may be imploied to vse Foolish books good to set Printers a worke Doing better then saying A couetous Magistrate most pernitious They haue more ambition pride whereby to gouerne then wisedome or policie wherewith to gouerne Luxurious magistrates are the cause of commotions The mutinie of the Switzers It is a tickle state that is founded on the multitude whose good opinion is woonne with what they see and lost again with what they heare The good of the multitude especially to be preferred Nobilitie best to rule A good prince will suffer no power vnder him to oppres Opinion is a barre it still cleaueth to the mighty A most especiall thing to be regarded How many Princes haue felt the smart of this A fine policie vsed by Vespasian The time was Offices boght and sold· The pollicie of the estate not to be medled with Pollicie that is more for profit thē honestie The pollicies of men must giue place to the pollicies of God Euery man borne for his Countrey Where honor is taken from desert there vertue is taken from men They be as of other professions good and bad The Law intendes to giue euery man his right There is but one right and that is suppressed with many wrongs Iohn a Nokes and Iohn a Stile Not a Saint in heauen medicinable to end controuersies Many worthy men professors of the law Many lawes a signe of many faults Many lawes commodious to the prince Warre a grieuous plague The fruits of warre Souldiors must serue the Prince A iust warre Ciuill warres most miserable The motiues that draws on ciuill warre There was neuer yet any kingdome free from the practise of ambitious heades that lay in ambush for a Crowne The knowlege of warrs most necessarie Vnskilful men fitter to furnish a funeral then to maintaine a fight Souldiors are full of faults This sparing of princes doth most hurt themselues A souldiors best reward is ingratitude The want of pay the cause of much mischiefe A prince can not want souldiors All chosen souldiors Good to be warriors but not warre louers Peace the nurse of all iniquitie After Rome began to discontinue her warres vice forgat not to reenter into custome The ill more in number than the good Dissimulation in the time of Peace wors than warre Truces many times patched vp the cause of many insuing dangers A Prouerb truely approued A Princes Court Court flattterie A noble mans nod a banket for a foole Such saints such reliques These beging Courtiers that are spying out of suites to the hurting of the common-wealth Goods ill goten will sticke to the soule Princes fauorites Nobilitie fittest for a princes Court Danger and honor doe follow one an other wisedome and modestie second them They chase from them the professors of vertue That greatnes to be commended that consisteth in goodnesse Prou. 29. Nobilitie fittest to counsel kings Vnfit for counsellors A law amōgst the Thebans An excellent vertue in a Counsellor Kings the great ministers of God Kings and Princes must be obeyed The prerogatiue of princes The office of a King Wherin princes are most deceiued Of what princes haue least store Comparison betweene a good prince and a bad A King must not be vnnished of treasure Warres not to be mainteined with emptie coffers Many examples in the Scriptures to warrant it A necessarie consideration for princes Subiects must not resist Kings haue need of great priuileges Chamber counsellers that are still buzzing in the eares of Princes The blessednesse of the time present The crueltie of one man towards an other We are afraid to do well Ill feasting with God The distemperature of our own humors The miserie of man Our reputation but as it pleaseth the foolish people