else as we are neere vpon it if the town be taken or surprised and is sacked and spoyled we shall fall into the hāds of barbarous inhuman souldiers the more for that they are strangers which after they haue beaten and tormented vs will keepe vs in a wofull thraldome where perhaps we shall remaine sicke and languishing without reliefe it may be they will add torture to sickenes And in the end we shal see our selues dying in this misery and for a surcharge we shall haue about vs a company of poore little children voyd of al comfort and to whose compassion we shal affoord nothing but sighes What minde so well setled will be able to endure such fits and finding himselfe in such a remedilesse agony doth not curse a hundred times a day and abhorre the houre of his birth wishing rather to haue been abortiue then seasonably borne in such a dangerous time I confesse this to be the hardest and most irkesome of all that may befall vs but I deny it intollerable and maintaine that Vertue may brauely withstand this assault get the victorie and keepe our minde safe vnder her Buckler full of quiet and content But if we must come to fight let vs not giue our enemies more aduantage then they haue already let vs not make them bigger then they are let vs not suffer them to come in a throng against vs let vs compell them to come one by one to the breach The first that appeareth to fright vs is a number of long tedious diseases Why rather now then 20. yeeres a goe Do we thinke diseases to be more frequent and troublesome in want then in wealth in frugalitie then in prodigalitie Good God how blinde we are Did wee euer finde in Cottages the Gout the Stone the Winde-collicke or the Megrim in the head I confesse I neuer saw any there and yet I haue diligently obserued it All such euils which are sharpe and stinging diseases are most commonly in cities in great mens Pallaces they are the Sees of Bankets Feasts Watchings and of nights passed in pleasing sports So that the miseries we endure amongst other commodities they bring vnto vs they take a way the cause of those great maladies and root them out cutting off the Fibers Branches of pleasures which fed and maintained them But admit they were to happen where may they be better cured then in Pouertie What doe you thinke there is in the Bookes of Galen and Hippocrates wholsomer to all or at least to most diseases then Sobrietie All those other remedies Physicke hath inuented with so much Art and industrie are almost onely for Effeminate people which would be cured with delight and abate nothing of their pleasures choosing rather Art then Nature for their Physitian But yet I will grant we may want remedies should we want courage for all that Shall we suffer our selues to be subdued by paine and submit that which is absolute and soueraigne in vs vnto that strange power It were too great a weakenesse seeing the meanes Reason and Discourse afford vs to withstand it Either the Diseases that befall vs bring with them a violent or a moderate paine if it be moderate it is easie to be indured We that are vsed to suffer ought not to complaine of small twitches and being that we looke for greater we ought to giue thankes vnto our Destinie for quitting vs at so easie a rate and making vs lesse wretched then we made account to haue been Briefly who can endure the plaints of him that moaneth for a touch specially in a season where no body is free from Euill If the Euill be violent it shall be short Nature doth not suffer great Euils to be lasting and hath giuen them that comfort that their quicknesse doth almost take away the sence of them That goeth like a streame in an instant you see it dryed vp and know not what is become of it so short an Euill giueth you no time to complaine it is past afore you haue taken notice of it if you escape it it leaueth you with a kinde of pleasure to bee out of it if it beareth you away it carryeth with you the sense of the paine But whatsoeuer it is the euill can neuer be so great but reason and discourse ought to ouercome it I could rehearse vnto you the examples of the Ancients not of men but euen of women which haue indured long and sharpe diseases with so much constancy that paine hath bereaued them sooner of life then of courage But why should I go seeke them so farre off for you that haue a domesticke-one of your owne farre worthier then any Antiquitie can affoord I meane of your vertuous and deare sister which in that raging Collicke of sixe moneths that in the end carried her away hath shewed so constant a minde so inuincible a courage that her speech which neuer failed her vntill the very end was a comfort vnto them that saw her and prayses and thankes-giuing vnto God from whose hand shee receiued consolation and strength to endure the euill But lesse vs passe lightly ouer this skarre I feare in stead of healing a new wound I fester an olde one that hath so liuely and deepely touched you As for the torments we are to feare from them into whose hands we might fall we ought not to doubt that if we can take the resolution vnto the which both the reasons and examples heretofore by me related inuite vs but we shall easily ouer-rule them for they are not harder to be borne then great and painfull diseases it seemeth rather that hauing body and health to resist them Nature doth second vs in this fight and to put the victorie into our hands It is incredible what power Reason and Discourse haue in this place nor onely to make vs constant but euen to make paine appeare to vs sweet and pleasant It were an infinite thing to alledge the examples of those which haue not onely with an vndaunted courage waited for torments but perswaded by Reason haue sought and endured them with a kinde of pleasure You know how that in Lacedaemonia young Children whipped one another when one could not perceiue in their face any token or apprehension of pain What then were they insensible No certainly but in those tender yeeres they had so fully perswaded themselues that it was a great glory to suffer and endure to doe their Countrey seruice that by their courage they easily ouercame paine and griefe and laughed at that others were wont to weepe for Cannot we for the honour of Vertue doe the like as they did for the honour of their Countrey And for the quietnesse of our Minde that which they did for the good of their Common wealth Alexanders Page suffered himselfe to be burned with a Cole and made no shew to be mooued at it least he should commit any vnseemely thing in his Masters presence and trouble the Ceremony of the Sacrifice And shall not
They deemed not the death of either father mother children kinsmen or friends a sufficient cause that we should vnnaturalize our selues and commit any thing against manlinesse They haue tolerated the first teares that are wrested by a new and fresh sorrow Those teares I say that may fall euen from the eyes of Phylosophers and which with humanitie maintaine dignitie which may fall from our eyes without Vertue falling from our hearts Such were those as I thinke trickled along the cheekes of faire Panthea when as Araspes fell in loue with her because he had seene her to his great liking weepe very tenderly and pittifully for her husbands death For the first violent brunt of sorrow raiseth in vs such liuely passions that they slip easily into the minde of those that look vpon vs and fill them with a like ardour But this inueterate sorrow that hath pierced vnto the very Marrow of our Bones withereth our face disturbeth our Soule so that there remaineth nothing in vs that is louely and gracefull And if Nature hath disposed of any thing comely in either our Body or in our Soule it is faded by this bitter passion as the beautie of a Pearle is dissolued in Vineger It is great pitty then to see vs we walke with our head hanging downe and our eyes fixed on the ground our mouth without euer a word our limmes without motion and our eyes are in no stead but to weepe you would deeme vs to be but sweating statues it is not without cause the Poets haue recorded Niobe was turned into an image of stone with ouer-much weeping Their intention was not onely thereby as an Ancient hath thought to represent to vs the silence shee kept in her mourning but also teach vs she had lost all manner of feeling by giuing her selfe ouer to sorrow We ought then to auoyde it were it but for that it is so vnbeseeming and dishonourable Furthermore it is strangely hurtfull and so much the more infects vs vnder colour of doing good she maketh as if she did hasten to helpe vs and contrariwise she doth offend vs she seemeth to pull the Iron from the wound and shee driueth it into the very heart shee doth promise vs Physicke and she giueth vs Poyson her Blowes are so much the harder to put by and her Attempts too crosse because she is an enemy fed and brought vp with vs so that we haue bred our selues to our owne mischiefe It was she in my opinion the Comicall Greeke spoke of when as he cryed out against men O poore people how many euils doe you wittingly endure besides those needfull Nature sendeth vnto you for who can wee complaine of but of our selues when after the feeling of euils past wee retaine still their griefe and opinionate our selues to ruminate and continually bring them into our memory or that for feare of time to come we faint for want of spirit and courage Doth not this euill befall to vs from our selues whereof we ought not to wonder that it is so lasting seeing it is like Riuers which come from the Sea and returne into it and fetching their spring from the same place they runne into are neuer dryed vp Poore fooles why do we so carefully water this plant that beareth such bitter fruite Can we finde any good taste in these moanes griefes sorrowes sighes wherewithall she pestereth our life and poysoneth all our actions for as long as shee dwelleth with vs what doe we doe worthy the name of men when doe wee thinke of doing seruice to our countrey or performing the dutie of good Subiects to oppose our selues against the factions of the wicked to defend the Lawes from the assaults of Ambition and Couetousnesse to protect our friendes from the oppression of the malicious what respite haue we from this importunate passion to lift vp our eyes to heauen and with a pure spirit giue thankes vnto that great and soueraigne God that hath placed vs here in this world and bestowed vpon vs so many blessings and fauours that if wee had nothing else to doe but to giue him prayse yet wee should not haue halfe time enough to giue him his due Truely shee cannot bee excused she is either very vndiscreet or very malicious either her end is bad or else she erreth and strayeth from her end If it be her drift to encrease our euils and that the more she seizeth on vs the heauier more distastful she makes our life why do not we put her backe at her first entrance why doe not wee shut her out of doores or at least why doe not we driue her away by the head and shoulders as soone as we know her designe wee are traytors to our owne rest if being acquainted with its enemies if hauing notice of those do disturbe it we receiue them and vphold them and cherish them If it be her end to ease our sorrow to qualifie and soake it in our teares Why should we imploy so long so bad and rash an Officer that doth what is cleane contrarie to her intent Who did euer see her attaine vnto it What Mind did she euer enter that she hath comforted But contrariwise if she found it quaking hath she not quite ouerthrowne it If vpon falling ouerwhelmed it There commeth not one out of her Clawes but spoyled maymed and bruized When she hath gone ouer it she leaueth behinde neither strength nor resistance and becommeth like vnto a deepe and hollow place which is not onely defyled with the filth that groweth in it but on all sides Sinckes and Gutters run into it so that pure Water is corrupted therein For a mā possessed with Sorrow is offended with his owne Euils and other mens both with publique and priuate euen good fortunes befalling him doe displease him All things waxe tart in his Mind as meat doth in a deboshed Stomake But besides all this I say that Sorrow comming vpon such an occasion as it doth to you is verie vniust and I dare almost call it impious For what is it but a rash and outragious complaint against Nature and the Common Law of the World The first voyce which is pronounced by Nature is that all things which are vnder the Circle of the Moone must perish and as they haue had a beginning so shall they haue an end You would free your Citie from it as by a Priuiledge and make it Immortall Kingdomes States and Townes are of the same condition the other parts of the World are of nay their being is more vncertaine and weaker For most other things haue their forme which vniteth their members so straite and so strong with one only knot that they can hardly be seuered but States and Cities are composed of so many different things one from another which are knit and gathered together onely by the will and consent of men mooued to a communion and society by some Celestiall inclination And that will and consent being subiect to wauer the ruine of
image so man as an associate to his glory should make in the generation another body like vnto his And though God hath kept to himselfe the creation of the soule of man as of a great Master peece which cannot be wrought but with his owne hand yet in that he hath also called man euen as to his helpe hauing granted him the institution discipline and polishing of it that hee might bragge in a manner to haue affoorded something to his owne perfection But you must neither say nor think that the authority he hath giuen vnto creatures doth lessen his in any thing he doth not rely vpon their care neither doth he rest vpon their vigilancie contrariwise the greater power he hath giuen them so much the greater need hath he to watch ouer them and the more labourers hee hath at worke so much more necessary it is he should haue not onely the Eye but also the Hand ouer them to amend what they doe amisse contrary to the perfect patterne hee hath proposed vnto them and to guide and direct them in their workes which cannot any wayes stand nor last without his helpe and assistance This will I then say that what great faculties soeuer wee obserue in second causes we ought not to thinke for all this that the first is idle and that the others doe any thing but by his direction and farre lesse beleeue that this order and continuance wee see in all things is the chiefest and vniuersall cause thereof seeing it is but the effect no more then in Musicke the melodie is not the cause but the effect of concords produced by the Musitian his skill and art who gathereth the sounds and ordereth them into good consonance Now as it is Prouidence which by this regularorder that is called Nature bringeth forth and maintaineth euery particular thing according to the generall Law that is appointed for euery one of the same kinde so it is she which besides this regular order called Nature giueth sometimes vnto worldly things qualities and intermingleth accidents which one while are different another while contrary to their nature and then doth bring about the meeting of things amongst them to make them bring foorth the effect she hath ordained so that knitting and gathering vp many different causes she draweth from the connexion and weauing thereof not the ende that is natural or propounded to euery one of them but an euent prescribed by her selfe Insomuch that as Nature is seene especially in the creation production and maintenance of euery thing in it selfe according to its kinde and condition and by an ordinary rule and euer alike Destinie contrariwise appeareth in euents which proceede from the meeting of these things already created which being ordered by a rule vnknown to men produce fore-ordaind effects which seeme incuitable and do not concerne nor accōmodate themselues so much to the nature of euery particular thing as vnto that of the Vniuerse Certainly it should seeme that this Law had not bin needfull in the world if euery thing had kept the first motiō God had giuen vnto it at its creation for hauing infused in euery one the most perfect forme and principle of working that could be desired it followed that if they had continued in that condition their owne Nature had of her selfe directed their actions to good effects one towards another and consequently to the good of all the world and glory of the Creator But either throgh the vice imbecillity of the matter or through the tēdernes of their forme which could not subsist without they should adhere perpetually vnto their Creator they haue beene disfigured and strayed from the way which Nature had traced out vnto them For example Angels and men were created as the most perfect and absolute peeces of the world and God in the Creation had infused in them a liuely and pure light to direct their actions to make good vse of worldly things and consequently to bring foorth workes to his glory But as it falleth out vsually in great Buildings that a rich Wainescot or an artificiall winding Staire wrought with great skill will soonest decay because that the more excellent a peece of worke is so much the weaker it is so those most perfect creatures haue first of all declined from the right way peruerted and violated the end of their Creation Which disorder did not remaine onely in them but for the great power wherewithall they were created they haue caused it to slip into the things they had abused And moreouer it seemes that by their fault other things that were created for them were presently changed either by a secret consent or by a secret iudgement to serue for their punishment Therefore it hath beene needful that this All-seeing-eye which pierceth through ages as the Sunne through the Aire hauing from the beginning foreseene this confusion should euen from that time appoint a remedy to stay the presumptiō both of mē and Angels and let them least they should stretch their ill actions as farre as their ill wills The remedie hath beene this inuiolable Law by the which he hath prouided for all euents and hath ordained that things should happen as we see them fall out not altogether after the ordinary power of causes but as it pleaseth God to make them worke sometimes increasing sometimes lessening their strength and now and then causeth them to worke against their nature and bringeth backe to his will what men thinke to doe at theirs But some one will say that this Law seemes to be contrary to the first God being immutable in his essence should be so likewise in his determinations Ought wee to thinke that hee who knoweth all things from all Eternitie taketh new resolutions The alteration that is in this is not in God but in his workes which being separated from him who is vnchangeable alone could not be like vnto him but subiect to decay and waste away by the defect of the matter whereof they are made And the remedy God hath brought vnto the euill is not a new aduice though it bee put in vse since the corruption of Nature neuerthelesse it was resolued vpon euen before her creation For as a worke man that sets a Clocke to goe foure and twentie houres before he taketh vp the weights and setteth it on going can fore-see that either rust wil stay its course or that some idle fellow will stirre the needle touch the wheeles or remoue the ballance euen then prouides whatsoeuer is necessary to set it in order again restore it to the first point so God that hath foreseene euen before the Creation of the world what would fall out in the gouernment and maintenance thereof did in the same instant appoint remedies for it which though they come not to our sight but after a long time and succession of ages yet they were prepared from all eternitie For as the Poet must haue his Play in a readinesse afore any body comes
vpon the Stage and that as soone as the Prologue begins he that is to play the last Act must know well his Quew euen so fareth it with all the things that are come to passe and that shall happen hereafter during so many yeeres in this world whereof the last that must finish the age of the world was knowne and ordained by the Creator afore the first began to be It is that as I thinke Diarchas in Philostratus would intimate when hee sayd God had begot the world all at once as the Beasts do their yong ones notwithstāding that he hath brought it forth by little and little as they doe causing one part to come out first and the other after It is not Time that is the father and authour of things hee is but their Steward and as Tatian shewed vnto the Greekes the Dispencer that bringeth them vpon the Stage Yea but some will say If things were ordained from all eternitie and that this decree cannot be violated what will become of the libertie of our Will must it not be a Bond-slaue vnto this Law and bee such or such good or bad according as it hath appointed No for this Destinie that hath fore-ordained all things hath decreed that our Will shall bee free so that if there bee any necessitie in our will it is this that it is necessarily free And as for that our Wills haue beene foreseen such as they shall bee they haue beene foreseene because they shall be so and are not so because they haue beene foreseene But another will say What auaileth our will seeing that of such things as wee would haue to be done there comes nothing to passe but what God hath ordained and there is almost nothing in our power We cannot almost desire any thing how easie soeuer it bee if it were but in a manner to carry our hand to our mouth that may not be hindered by an infinit number of chances it is that which the Prouerb saith There falleth out many things betweene the Belly and the Lips Though we can do many things that we will and will many things that we can do yet we cannot say that any euent how little soeuer it be depends wholly vpon vs. Notwithstanding out Will remaineth free because it is not the action but the motion vnto action and serueth vs neuerthelesse because that althogh it be not the onely cause yet it co-operates with the rest which are gathered and bound by Destinie into the same knot to bring forth one onely effect When it aimeth at the end which it ought it is backed by Destinie and fauoured by the meeting of other causes and so doing it is conducted vnto its owne purpose or at least to another ende that Prouidence iudgeth to bee good for it When contrariwise it is bent to an ill end it is by the concurrence of other causes and force of Destinie carryed away to a cleane contrarie end from its owne but still for one purpose from the which in spight of it God draweth his glory the good of the Vniuerse For although Destinie most commonly changeth nothing in the nature of causes and suffereth those that are voluntary to worke voluntarily and those that are necessary necessarily and those that are naturall naturally neuerthelesse from the mingling and gathering of them altogether in the point forme wherein he causeth them to meete he bringeth foorth such effects as he listeth drawing oftentimes from the selfe same causes cleane contrary effects as by the transposition of the selfe same letters wee compose words altogether different He is so cunning a worker that he can apply any thing to doe his pleasure yea many times when as wee thinke to withstand his counsels suffring vs to haue our will he carrieth vs where he pleaseth iust like vnto that great Circle in heauen that inuelopeth all the others though he letteth not their naturall course from West to East neuerthelesse he draggeth them all euery day along with him from East to West Whether we run or goe hasten or stay goe right or wrong we come still to our lodging with Destinie we cannot auoyd it we fall vpon it in recoyling from it we finde it when as we flie from it we run vpon it thinking to ouer run it This Destinie comes from too wise a power and too powerfull a wisedome to bee resisted either by force or craft Now such and how great soeuer it be it is but euen as Nature one of the effects of that wise Prouidence which filleth gouerneth all things that is spred ouer all the parts of the world being euen as its soule She ruleth all the parts of it with wife and infallible counsels most certain reasons which often we do not apprehend but very late and sometimes not at al either for that her wisdome is so deep inscrutable that we cannot penetrate into it or that our negligence and stupidity is so great we doe not vouchsafe to open our eyes to consider it from whence it coms that men attribute vnto Fortune the accidents whose causes they comprehend not And frō thence it is come that some being grown so brutish as they obserued no causes of the effects which they saw they deemed all did happen by chance So out of their ignorance and brutalitie they haue made themselues a Goddesse which they call Fortune and paint her out blind-fold turning with a wheele worldly affaires casting al at randome and throwing her presents and fauours by chaunce as they do new money at the first entrance of Kings into a towne according as they stand neere so euery one takes vp what falls vpon him But I could wish that those which would make the world to be gouerned so many ages by this rash and blind foole would but suffer her to gouerne their houses for one yeare they should see fine oeconomie Sillie people they perceiue well enough that a small familie cannot subsist a yeare without great prudence and they would haue this great Vniuerse composed of many different parts to subsist so many thousand yeares vnder the conduct of Chance They would not haue giuen a flocke of sheepe vnto a Shepheard that were ill sighted and they would commit vnto a blinde Temeritie the gouernment of so many legions both of Angels and men O ingratefull kinde of people why do you set vp Altars to your gods if your sacrilegious opinions worship nothing but Fortune Why doe you offer sacrifices after your victories to giue thankes vnto her that saw you not when she saued you and seeth you not when you giue her thankes you thinke perhaps that this Hobgoblin hath better eares then eyes That which filled men with this errour and compelled them to snatch the Rule and the Compasse from the hands of Prouidence to make all things to rush at randome one against another and happen by hazard it hath beene in my opinion for that they would accommodate the greatnesse and power of God
our best to reconcile you but we must tell you freely we haue come farre therefore giue vs leaue to sit Then Linus began to tell that he heard a pittifull Historie of a poore woman which for want of Bread to giue her Children hanged her selfe on a Beame in the toppe of the house And I quoth Orpheus did see euen now a poore maid that fell downe starke dead for lacke of foode and a little after I met some poore folkes feeding vpon a dead Dogge all besmeared with bloud that they had broyled and as I auoyded this grieuous Spectacle I met with certaine Women that cryed out and said That the Lanskenets had eaten vp Children hard by a place that is called the Temple which I cannot beleeue Hearing this wee all burst out into sighes whereupon I replyed my cause is gayned since none here could forbeare but needes must vpon recitall of this pittifull Historie expresse how sensible they are of the publike miserie I leaue it then to your consideration to imagine how wee ought to quake and tremble when wee bethinke our selues how many seuerall sorts of Miseries are spred ouer this vaste and populous Citie Alas how many secret Wounds is there that are hidden and couered by shame then how great and fearefull are the Calamities wee fore-see expect and cannot almost auoyd You vpbraid me with my teares Musaeus but you may with better reason obiect vnto me the hardnesse of my heart which is the onely impediment that so sharpe and stinging griefe doth not at one instant end both my life and sorrowes Then turning towards Orpheus and Linus I gaue them to vnderstand what discourses passed betweene Musaeus and my selfe and vpon what points wee differred Which when they heard Our good Fortune quoth Orpheus hath brought vs hither in a very luckie time to heare so learned Disputations but Musaeus since you haue done vs the honour to giue credit to vs giue vs also leaue to make vse of the authoritie you haue granted vs and in stead of discoursing and demonstrating your Propositions apply them and make triall of their vertue vpon vs whereof you boast against this irkesome disease of the minde which is the griefe that we all receiue from the publique miserie you haue a faire and large subiect for I verily beleeue there is not one of vs whose minde is free from this disease I assure my selfe that if Antiquitie hath inuented any medicine for the curing of a troubled minde you are the likest to haue got the best and profitablest receipts But I feare it falleth out here as it doth in your Mathematicall demonstrations wherein you prooue by a thousand faire Propositions what no Artificer can make vse of eyther vpon Wood or Stone Proceede then and make your accompt if you can asswage our minde and free vs from this griefe wherewith we are vexed then your suit is granted for deedes are stronger proofes then words besides if you beguile vs you shall doe vs but a curtesie to rid vs of so great an Euill so I am sure our Land-Lord will be glad to be ouercome for he shall gaine by the losse I will doe my best endeauour to content you quoth Musaeus but let me intreate you to remember that we labour in a common peece of worke therefore if I chance in rehearsall of this matter to forget materiall reasons that you call to minde and supply my wants since that our strife is onely to try Truth out and to the end Reason may ouercome you ought the more to fauour her side in respect the reward of victorie is equall to vs all The chiefest thing to be obserued in the curing of a disease is rightly to know the cause of it wherefore if wee be desirous to free our soule from sorrow and restore it to a quiet estate it is needefull in my opinion to examine from whence proceeds the maladie which torments it The nature of man hath not onely a great proportion and correspondencie with the whole World but also with euerie part and especially me thinkes when it resembles the Royall State they are both almost of like conditions and subiect to like casualties The Soueraigne Prince that is to rule a multitude of men Townes and Prouinces appointeth subordinate Magistrates And to direct and instruct them in the execution of their charge giues them his Lawes to rule their Actions by and besides aduiseth them to referre doubtfull and important matters to him attend his censure Certainly as long as this Order is obserued Subiects obey the Magistrates and Magistrates the Law and Soueraigne Prince the State remaineth in Peace flourisheth and wonderfully prospereth But contrarie when those which iudge and rule vnder the Soueraigne suffer themselues to be ouer-reached by their owne softnesse or bribed by fauour in deciding controuersies and that without respect vnto their Soueraigne they make only vse of their authoritie for the execution of their rash Decrees whereby they bring all things to ruine and confusion In man the highest and most soueraigne facultie of the Soule is Vnderstanding being inthroned in the highest place to guide and conduct all his liues Actions hath appointed and ordained an vnder-facultie that we call Imaginatiue to dispose and iudge by the representation of the Sences the qualitie and condition of things offered with authoritie to rouse and stirre our affections for execution of its iudgement And least that Facultie as it is great and important might doe any thing rashly it hath proposed vnto it as a Law the light of Nature which shineth in all obiects and moreouer hath giuen it meanes in all doubtfull and weightie matters to haue recourse to the discourse reason and counsell of it that commandeth ouer all There is no doubt as long as this Order is kept in the managing of mans life but he is in an exceeding happy estate and that this great and generous creature sheweth himselfe worthy to be the master-peece of that Soueraigne Architect that created him But I know not what ill lucke is the cause man doth not enioy this happinesse for this Facultie that is beneath Vnderstanding aboue the Sences to whom belongeth the censure of things suffereth it selfe for the most part to be corrupted and mis-led and so conceiueth rashly and after it hath so conceiued stirreth and mooueth our affections at randon and leaueth vs full of trouble and vnquietnesse The Sences true Sentinels of the Soule set abroad to view all Obiects are like soft waxe on which is printed not the true and internall Nature but onely the superficiall and externall forme of things they present their Idea's vnto the Soule with fauour and euen with a fore-iudgement of their qualitie according as they appeare seuerally pleasing and gracefull to them and not as they are profitable and necessarie to the vniuersall well-fare of man and moreouer let in with the Idea's the fond opinion of the Vulgar from whence is framed that inconsiderate Opinion we haue of things
that they are good or bad profitable or hurtfull to be imitated or to be shunned which certainly is a dangerous guide and rash mistresse to follow and iustly such as our Belleau hath set it forth Opinion that is constant neuer That workes in vaine and striueth euer That builds her selfe a firme assurance Vpon the sands of light inconstance But whosoeuer will carefully obserue her effects shall find her farre worse then he describeth her for she is no sooner bred vp but she without respect or vnderstanding seizeth vpon our Imagination and there as if she were within a Citadell standeth out in defiance against true Reason And like a Tyrant that violently hath seized on a Towne by force setteth vp Wheeles and Gibbets for those that will not readily obey and offereth reward to those who will follow his partie Euen so when she intends to make vs flye from any thing she setteth it forth vnto vs with a horride and dreadfull visage but when she would delight vs she painteth it ouer and giueth it a smyling countenance whereby she slydeth downe into our hearts and stirreth our affections with violent motions of hope and feare sorrow and pleasure and because she would be sure for to disquiet vs she rouzeth vp our passions which are the true disturbers of our Soule But amongst all the other and aboue all the rest this sorrow wherewith I see you possessed which is nothing but a decay of Spirit and drooping bred by the opinion we haue that we are afflicted with great misfortunes is a dangerous Enemie to our rest for it is incredible how much this rust and mouldinesse that is gathered in the Soule by such accidents is contrarie to Nature and doth blemish and disfigure her workemanship it marreth her Faculties dulleth and benummeth her Vertues when contrariwise she should rouze vp her selfe to withstand the mischiefes that threaten vs and letteth into our hearts a deeper cause of our griefe Now since she is hurtfull to vs me thinkes we should beware of her and to the end she may not deceiue vs discouer and diligently view her before she hath got footing in vs withstand her in the verie Frontiers And whereas she would insinuate her selfe vnder the name of Nature let vs obserue that she is an Enemie to her who only maketh a shew as if she would ease our paine But let vs take notice how she encreaseth it as much as she can She seemeth to be deuout and religious let vs bring forth her deceit and impietie when as she would slip in by the fauour of Errour let vs driue her away by the authoritie of Reason and Truth First of all to shew that she cannot be sheltered vnder the name of Nature that she proceedeth not from her and is not a common Affection where with all men be tormented alike doe we not see those things that cause griefe and sorrow to some to breed mirth and delight in others That one Prouince weepeth for what another laugheth That such as come neere them that mourne and lament doe exhort them to be of a good resolution and leaue off their teares Heare the most part of them that are afflicted when you haue spoken with them and they haue taken time and leysure to examine their owne passions they will confesse it is a folly to be vexed and within three houres after will prayse them that haue manfully withstood Fortune in their aduersities and incountered their owne afflictions with a bold and generous courage So that in all this there is neither equalitie nor certaintie as there is in the workes of Nature and thereby it appeareth that men doe not frame their moane to their sorrow but to the opinion of those they liue withall Remember I pray you that publique mourning the Ancients did so much affect What doe you say of them that were hired to weepe and lament in Funerals The teares which came from others eyes that were shed onely to bee seene and were dryed vp as soone as they were not looked on were they naturall or artificiall What was the intent of those that were hired and likewise of those that hired them but onely to submit themselues vnto that tyrannicall opinion forged in those Countreys that in such accidents it behooued vs to weepe and as for them that had no sorrow of their owne were bound to buy it of their Neighbours for readie money Did not such people betray their owne Reason wittingly and purposely prostitute their manlinesse Shall we deeme they did euer learne such bad conditions in the Schoole of Nature But rather in the Schoole of Opinion that teacheth how to peruert Nature to please the Vulgar and which bringeth forth nothing but is counterfeit and painted For proofe of this will you behold with how much vanitie it breedeth feedeth and bringeth vp this sorrow wherewith we are so much tormented I pray obserue in your selfe and in all those that are afflicted whether those things shee setteth forth vnto vs as causes of our griefe doe not vex vs either more or sooner then they ought to doe The chiefest instrument she hath and wherewithall she most disturbeth vs consisteth in euils to come She hath power ouer vs onely by fraud and deceit She knoweth that the crosses we stood in feare of prooue not so heauie when they are come as we did imagine them and are asswaged by vse and custome Therefore she casteth her selfe vpon time to come as into a thicke darkenesse and taketh her opportunity euen as many chuse night to strike men with feare vpon small occasion she doth then represent calamities vnto vs as they doe Robin-good-fellowes vnto little Children They raise abate increase and lessen them at their pleasure because they talke vnto them of things they neuer saw She tormenteth vs with Euils that are not but in regard we deeme them or feare them to be so and which doe not so much offend vs by their nature as by our apprehension how many haue we seene make their calamities true Euils with ouermuch griefe which for feare to be wretched are become so and haue turned their vaine timorousnesse into a certaine miserie Some haue been so frighted with pouertie that they haue fallen sicke vpon 't Others through iealousie of their wiues haue been driuen into a consumption And the like may be said well-neere of all other feares wherein for the most part it serueth vs in no other stead but to make vs finde what we seeke to auoide Let vs feare no more we shall haue no hurt at least we shall not haue it till it comes and let it come when it will it will neuer be so bad as we thought it As for me I beleeue that of all Euils Feare is the most powerfull and troublesome for others are Euils no longer then they last and the paine ceaseth with the cause But Feare is of that which is of that which is not of that which perchance shall neuer be yea many times
of that which cannot be O tyrannicall Passion which to vex man goeth beyond Nature and by our discontents extracteth a griefe out of that which is not and to satisfie the opinion of a fained and imaginarie miserie draweth from vs sharpe and stinging torments Like vnto the Painter Parrhasius who the better to expresse the fabulous torments of Prometheus put his Bond-slaues to the Racke Why should we be so ambitious to our harme and in such hast meete with our euils Let vs take a little patience and suffer it to come neere happily the time which we think will bring vs afflictions will afforde vs comfort How many chances may there fall that may auert the blow we feare A Thunder bolt is turned away with the wind of a Hat and the fortunes of powerfull Kingdomes are altered in a moment a turne of a wheele setteth vp that which was downe and often from whence we expected ruine we receiue safetie There is nothing so easie to be beguiled as humane Prudence what she hopeth for miscarryeth and what she feareth comes to passe and that falleth out she lookes not for God keepeth his counsell by himselfe what man resolueth vpon one way he determineth another Let vs not make our selues vnhappy before the time and it may be we shall not be so at all Future time that deceiueth so many shall as soone deceiue vs in our feares as in our hopes It is one of the chiefest Maximes in Physicke That Predictions are neuer certaine in sharpe diseases If violent motions of heate bereaueth the Physitian of iudgement what wise man dare be so bold as to assure any thing of the successe of our Ciuill dissentions which are apparantly seene to be stirred vp and maintained by a more then human power It is a hard matter to warrant the safetie of our State but it is likewise vncertaine to fore-tell his ruine How many Cities States and Empires haue been shaken and tottered with intestine accidents and such that those which beheld them looked certainly for their fatall period and neuerthelesse haue the better setled themselues and become more puissant and flourishing then euer they were Gainst whom in entring Fortune in hate doth burne On those she often smiles in their returne It is his pleasure those that are cast downe should hope still and shall not we that are but as yet declyning The Romanes which I willingly challenge for witnesses in braue and generous Actions as the renownedst and most couragious people that euer were in the world had great cause to despaire of their affaires after the Gaules had sacked their Towne and with Fire and Sword rooted out the very Ground-plot of their State Notwithstanding they abated neither in their hopes nor affections they boare their Countrey But contrarie aduersity increased their courage and were so confident as to bid another Battaile wherein Fortune was so propitious to them that they drew many braue Triumphs from their owne ruine After the losse of so many Battailes against Hannibal and that they had wasted all the Youth of their City in so many incounters and disasters had they not cause to be sore troubled Contrariwise there were Citizens found which bad Money for the Field whereon Hannibal incamped being still in good hope of the publique well-fare And to passe to the Ciuill warres which are commonly the fatall deadly maladies of great States Who would not haue thought the Roman Common-wealth had been strucke dead at the very heart vnder Marius and Sylla And that the very City herselfe vnder Caesar and Pompey was carried into the Pharsalian Field there to be at the common charge and cost of all men torne and buried by all the Nations of the World And neuerthelesse she was neuer so puissant and tryumphant as after the time of Marius and Sylla And the warres of Caesar and Pompey were but the fits and gripings of bringing forth the greatest fairest and most flourishing Empire of the World But to returne from strange Nations to our selues Who could haue beleeued that our poore State laid leuell on the ground at the comming in of Charles the seuenth hauing almost neither pulse nor breath should haue raysed it selfe againe in so short a space and stretched its Armes ouer all the neighbouring Prouinces as it did soone after vnder his next Successors One may say of the fortunes of Townes and Kingdomes as they doe of mans diseases As long as there is life there is hope Hope remaineth in the body as long as the Soule But well let vs hope for nothing let vs hold our Euils for certaine although they be vncertaine let vs thinke them to bee present though they bee to come Doe you thinke if they did happen they were so irkesome and intollerable as wee imagine them They would come farre short Banishment Pouerty losse of Honours losse of Children wherewithall is composed that Hoast of Euils which so tormenteth vs their number is not so great as we thinke yet whosoeuer will examine them one after another shall find they are but rascall striplings set in battle array to affright vs if we be armed as we ought none of them dare make a shot our very lookes will defeate and scatter them Do you deeme it nothing will you say for a man to lose his countrey and so to be enforced to change his dwelling What do you make of that naturall loue wee owe vnto our country I do but the same which Plato did when he forsooke Athens to go and dwell in Sicill and Egypt I doe but the same as you had done your selfe if there had been an honourable occasion offered to you to go Ambassadour into some forraine countrey for ten or twelue yeeres you had not onely forsooke your cittie but if you will say true had it been needfull you would haue forsooke the land to choose a ship for the place of your aboade and tye your life to the tackling of a Barke Let reason perswade you to that which a little Honour would haue done the Commandement of your Prince that had charged you with it would haue made you like it well Let fate and necessitie vnto whom you owe more obedience doe the same How many men is there euen at this day that voluntarily haue banished thēselues out of Europe to make plantations in the extremest parts of Asia See them they prayse their Fortune as safe and sure and replenished with all manner of happinesse and pittie ours as altogether wretched full of pouertie and troubles It is heauen is the true and common countrey of man from whence they are come and whither they must returne and that is the reason why it is seene sheweth it self to euery one almost whole in all parts of the earth in one day night whereas contrariwise the earth that is but a small point in comparison of it and all which she incompasseth with her Seas and watereth with her Riuers is not the hundreth and sixtieth part of the